Chapter 68
The house was listed for sale and by the second day, a buyer was found. I had wanted to sell quickly and though the price wasn’t high, I was satisfied.
The paperwork still needed time, so I called a moving company to clear out all the clutter from the house.
As I looked around the now–empty space, I felt a strange sense of relief.
The things that belonged to Bruno, my son, daughter–in–law and grandson–I decided, in a rare moment of generosity, to rent a storage unit to hold their things temporarily. A month’s rental would be enough for them to find a new place once they were back.
Next, I contacted a lawyer and started drafting the divorce papers.
After thirty years of suffering, I wasn’t about to place any more bets on empty promises.
That evening, to my surprise, Bruno called me. “What are you doing? You couldn’t even call to check on us? Are you still angry with me?”
“Hans is asleep, still adjusting to the time zone. Our son isn’t used to the food here and the trip’s been tiring for him. If you’d come, you wouldn’t have been able to handle it. There was a reason I didn’t take you.”}
“I was just too rushed that day, worried about missing the flight, that’s why I acted so impulsively. Don’t take it personally.“>
Bruno was always like this.
It seemed that as long as he said a few soft words to make peace after hurting me, everything could just be brushed aside easily.
“It’s fine, take care of yourselves,” I responded politely and I could almost hear him sigh in relief on the other end.
“See? That’s better. We’ve been together for so long, there’s no such thing as holding grudges overnight.“>
“By the way, remember to go to Nelly’s place in the next couple of days to feed the cat. It’s shy, so be careful not to scare it.“}
As soon as he finished speaking, Nelly’s voice chimed in, sweet but sharp.
“How’s it going? Is she still mad? You know how she is. She has a big temper, always holding on to the smallest things. You’ve put up with her for all these years, it’s been tough on you.”
“But my Mimi can’t go without food! Make sure you tell her to handle it gently. Mimi’s very timid, she can’t be rough with her, you have to remind her to be careful!”
Nelly’s voice, half–whiny and half–petulant, reached my ears and it felt more than just annoying–it was downright mocking.
It was like, from childhood on, she had always been used to stepping on me to lift herself up.
Keown, This Farry Worth a Ter
