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Chapter 9
Robyn
Constantine was like a machine, working quickly and efficiently. Within two hours everything we owned was ready to go and the courier service had been called. Austin slept through the entire process, which was a blessing. But now it was time to wake him and let him know we were moving – again.
“Just give me a moment.” Leaving Constantine in the living room, I entered Austin’s room and sat down on the bed next to him. Grasping his shoulder, I gave it a gentle shake. “Austin, honey.”
He groaned softly and batted at my hand as he rolled over so his back was to me. Rolling my eyes at him, I grasped his shoulder a little tighter and gave him a harder shake, my tone much more firm than before. “Time to get up. Come on.”
Rolling to his back, he closed his hands into little fists and rubbed at his eyes. “It’s time to get up already? I’m sleepy, Mommy.”
“I know honey, but it’s time to get up. We’re leaving.”
His little brow creased as he lowered his hands and stared up at me.
“We’re going home?” His eyes lit up and a smile began to form on his lips.
Ahhh, hell. Here we go again.
I forced a smile to my lips. “No. We’re moving someplace new for a little while.”
“Where? Why can’t we go home? I want to go home.” The smile immediately turned to a frown as he sat up and crossed his arms over his chest and his voice took on a whiny tone. “I want to go see Daddy.”
“We can’t.”
“I’m not going! Not until I see Daddy!” His voice became louder with each word.
Closing my eyes, I silently counted backward from ten, calming my nerves before reopening them. He was confused and didn’t know what was going on, it wasn’t his fault. I cringed inwardly thinking about the fact that I was going to have to come clean and tell him that his father wasn’t dead, but was instead packing and shipping out the few belongings we had left.
Putting on my “stern face,” I glared at him. “You will be going and I don’t want to hear another word about it. And you’d best be lowering your tone when you speak to me.”
There was a flash of rebellion in his little eyes, but he seemed to think twice about it. Instead, he jutted his lower lip out in a little pouty look, flipping the blankets off himself and slipped out of bed, muttering, “Fine.”
“Okay. Your clothes are on the foot of the bed.”
“Where’s my stuff?” He looked around his tiny room, confused.
“Already packed. I just need you to get dressed and we’ll be leaving.”
When he didn’t reply, I exited the room, leaving him to it and advising him that he had five minutes as I closed the door behind me.
“How’d it go?” Constantine asked as I entered the living room.
“About as good as expected.” When he cocked a brow up at me, I gave him some clarity. “He wants to go back to Gabriel’s house and he’s just angry and confused over, well,” I ran a hand through my hair, which was slightly on the greasy side – I seriously needed a shower, “everything.”
“I see.” He motioned to the mess of boxes around him. “The courier guys called and they are on their way up.”
“Sure.” My heart stopped beating a moment as the gravity of what I was doing hit me. I was making some big changes and this was the biggest of all.
“What’s wrong?” Constantine crossed the room to me and attempted to pull me into his arms, but I stepped away. He was doing this for Austin and not for me. Being close to him had brought back feelings I’d locked away. Seeing him as my knight in shining armor would do me no good, it was simply him saving his son – that was all.
Giving my head a shake I shrugged. “Tired. I have a headache. Stressed. I’m so strung out I can barely function.” Tears threatened to fall again. I wouldn’t allow it – not again. How much stress and insanity could one person take before she broke? I didn’t know, but it felt like I was testing my limits at the current moment.
He didn’t look convinced – not that he should be, I was lying through my teeth. Sure, I was all the things I listed, but they weren’t the reason for my distress at that moment. Giving me one more dubious look, he shrugged.
“Good enough then. I parked out back, so we’ll let them get to it while we slip out.”
“Okay…”