Five Years Outside Their Photos, So I Finally Walked Out Forever Chapter 02

Five Years Outside Their Photos, So I Finally Walked Out Forever Chapter 02

After deleting the photos, I started packing my toiletries for Mesa Vista.

When I opened the bathroom cabinet, a bottle of perfume rolled out.

I recognized it. It was the one Brooke always wore.

Farther back were her cleansing oil, face masks, and contact lenses.

The first time I found her things was the day I moved in, two years earlier.

Back then, I carried Brooke’s pajamas out to Ethan and asked,

“Why are Brooke’s things in the primary bedroom?”

Ethan barely glanced at them.

“She used to sleep here a lot when she got drunk at our parties.”

“She didn’t want to keep carrying everything back and forth, so she left it here.”

I stared, stunned.

“Now that I live here, shouldn’t she take it home?”

Ethan frowned.

“It’s a few things. Do you really have to keep everything so separate?”

Brooke found out later and showed up with a cardboard box the next day.

She packed her clothes into it, one by one, in front of us.

Ethan frowned.

“Who told you to pack?”

Brooke’s eyes immediately reddened.

“Doesn’t it bother Claire?”

“She’s the one who lives here with you now. I don’t want to make her uncomfortable.”

Ethan’s face darkened.

“Don’t listen to her.”

“There’s plenty of room for you here.”

Then he turned to me.

“Claire, Brooke isn’t some stranger. Stop picking on her over little things like this.”

I was the one who ended up apologizing that day.

After that, more and more of her things appeared.

The top shelf of the fridge always held her favorite sparkling water.

Her dresses hung in the guest room closet.

There was even a set of mugs I wanted for my birthday but couldn’t bring myself to buy. When Ethan brought the set home, he gave her the pink one first.

“Brooke likes pink.”

I couldn’t help saying,

“I like pink, too.”

Ethan lost patience.

“It’s one mug. Why do you have to compete with her over everything?”

Eventually, even looking after Brooke’s cat became something Ethan and I were simply expected to do.

Whenever she traveled, she dropped it off with us.

When the cat food ran out, she told me to buy more.

When it pooped, she told Ethan to have me clean it up.

Once, I spent three straight days taking my mom to pre-op appointments. I was just half a day late changing the cat’s water.

Brooke posted in the group chat:

[Buddy barely drank anything today. Is nobody looking after my cat?]

Ethan came home that day and blew up at me.

“You can’t even take care of a cat?”

I was still clutching my mom’s test results.

“Ethan, did you forget my mom’s having surgery tomorrow?”

That finally silenced him. Then he hugged me.

“I didn’t forget. I’m not going anywhere tomorrow. I’ll be with you.”

That night, for the first time, his promise let me sleep easy.

The next morning, he really did arrive at the hospital early.

Before my mom went into surgery, she smiled and asked him,

“Not busy today, Ethan?”

He held my hand.

“No matter how busy I am, I’m staying with Claire. Nobody’s getting me out of here today.”

But twenty minutes before the surgery was supposed to start,

Brooke called. Her cat was missing.

“Ethan, I’m so scared.”

“What if it’s really gone?”

Ethan stood up almost immediately.

My heart sank. For the first time, I clung to his hand and refused to let go.

“You just promised me.”

“My mom’s about to go into surgery.”

The other end of the line went quiet.

A few seconds later, Brooke sniffled.

“Don’t come, Ethan. Claire will be upset.”

“It’s just a cat, anyway.”

The more she said that, the deeper Ethan’s frown grew.

“She’s had that cat since it was a kitten. Do you know how much it means to her?”

I couldn’t believe him.

“And?”

“My mom’s about to have surgery.”

“Two people are already there looking with her.”

“Why do you have to go, too?”

Ethan seemed fed up with my questions.

“Your mom’s having a minor procedure. There are doctors here, nurses, and you.”

My eyes filled with tears.

“But I’m scared, too.”

He was silent for two seconds, then pulled my hand off his sleeve.

“Claire, be reasonable.”

“Brooke needs me more right now.”

He left.

When they wheeled my mom into the operating room, I was the only one beside her.

Later, Brooke posted on Instagram.

They found the cat.

Her caption was just one line.

[Thank God you three always show up for me.]