Everyone in My Family Had AC Except Me-So I Walked Away Chapter 07

Everyone in My Family Had AC Except Me-So I Walked Away Chapter 07

After a long, suffocating silence, Mom’s sobbing finally broke through.

“What right does she have to say that?”

Her voice was thin and hoarse.

“How was finding her a job hurting her? How was asking her to stay home hurting her? What does she mean,

I never loved her? I’m her mother.”

Dad folded his arms and said coldly, “Enough. Stop crying. If she wants to leave, let her. If she never comes

back, fine. I’ll pretend I never raised her.”

“That’s easy for you to say.”

Mom suddenly looked up, her eyes red and swollen.

“She’s a young woman, and she went somewhere so far away all by herself…”

“That was her choice,” Dad cut her off.

“She made herself perfectly clear in the letter. She thinks we treated her badly, and she wants to leave and

build a better life. What else are we supposed to do? Beg her to come back?”

Mom turned away and began sobbing under her breath, her shoulders trembling slightly.

By then, I had already gotten off the plane. The moment I stepped out of the terminal, crisp, refreshing air washed over me, nothing like the suffocating heat and humidity back home.

Near the exit, a man in his forties stood on his toes, scanning the crowd with an “Erin Carter” sign held above

his head.

I walked over to him. He immediately lowered the sign and reached out to shake my hand.

“Hello. I’m Daniel Grant. I’ll be taking you to the research institute. How was the flight? Are you tired? The car

is right outside.”

It was the first time anyone had ever seemed genuinely glad I had come. I did not know how to respond.

“Thank you, Dr. Grant.”

We drove along a wide highway for about forty minutes before entering a quiet research campus. As he

drove, Dr. Grant introduced the place to me.

“The institute is just ahead. It’s a little remote here, but the living conditions are excellent. The staff

apartments are at the back of the campus. A few other young researchers are starting around the same time

as you, and everyone is easy to get along with.”

I murmured an acknowledgment and rested my forehead lightly against the cool window, watching rows of trees blur past. The car eventually stopped in front of a cream-colored apartment building. Dr. Grant got out and pointed toward the entrance.

“Your apartment is on the third floor, Unit 303. The access card is inside the envelope. Get settled first, then send me a message when you’re ready. I’ll take you to the staff dining hall.”

I asked, “How many people will I be sharing the apartment with?”

“No one. The whole place is yours.”

He smiled. “You’re exactly the kind of researcher we’ve been trying to recruit, so naturally, we want to make sure you’re comfortable.”

I thanked him sincerely. The moment I opened the door, however, I froze. I had known the accommodations would be decent, but what I saw still exceeded anything I had imagined. It was a private two-bedroom apartment decorated in simple, warm cream tones. The living room had a television, a couch, and a dining table, while the kitchen was already fully equipped with every appliance I might need. On the nightstand sat a

small potted plant, its leaves so fresh they looked as if they had just been watered.

Beside it was a white mug with a sticky note bearing my name. The bed had been freshly made, and the sheets carried the clean scent of laundry detergent.

In the corner stood a brand-new air conditioner with a “INSPECTION PASSED” sticker still attached to the

front panel.

I stood there, suddenly unable to speak. Then I picked up the remote and pressed the power button. Cool air flowed evenly from the vent and brushed across my face. Tears spilled from my eyes without warning. I slowly sank to the floor and buried my face against my knees. My shoulders shook uncontrollably, but I bit down hard on my lip, refusing to make a sound. After twenty-two years of longing, I finally had an air conditioner of my own.