Chapter 15
*Mikayla*
They’re all looking, waiting for more. I don’t have much more to tell them.
“After the funeral tomorrow, I’m done. I’m leaving.”
I look at Aunt Lisa and she’s frowning.
“There’s nothing left for me here,” I say quietly. I look at Jake sitting next to me, and put my hand on his leg under the table, his hand finds mine. “Well, there’s one thing, but I don’t know that it’s enough.” My voice ends in a whisper and I look down to my plate.
Silence fills the room and when I look up, they’re all frowning at me, Julie too. Aunt Lisa is wiping away tears, Jake's hands get tighter around mine.
Nathan clears his throat, all eyes snap to him.
“Listen, Mikayla…” He looks at me, really looks at me and I can see the pity in his eyes. “You are going to stay here…” I open my mouth to interrupt him but he raises his hand to stop me and I let him continue. “You are going to stay here until you leave for college.” It’s a statement. I can see from the corner of my eye that Mandy is smiling at her husband with a new found appreciation, she didn’t know this was coming.
“I can’t stay here…” I whisper, looking down at my plate. “I can’t stay here for nothing, at least let me get a job so I can pay board, or something…”.
“Mikayla…” Nathan says while shaking his head. He sighs, almost looking defeated. “I have thought about this, and from the few days I’ve known you, I can tell you’re not just going to accept this offer. So, you will help me out at the office two days a week, I need an admin assistant, someone that can file, organize and type, basically all the things I hate doing. Do you think you can do that?”
I nod.
“Good, then it’s settled. I’ll pay you for your time like any other employee, but it’s not to go towards board, you save that money.” I try to interrupt him again, but he stops me. “You save that money for college, Mikayla. We would however, appreciate it if you can help Mandy around the house. She has a lot of things to organize before Jake leaves for college. You will also need to be Julie’s personal taxi - God knows she needs one for the summer. You will take Mandy's minivan, she will take my car and I will finally get to use the company car I bought that’s sitting in the office’s garage collecting dust.” I just keep staring at him stunned. “In a few weeks we will all sit down and discuss how this arrangement is working out, understood?” he cocks his head to the side, waiting for my answer.
I look around the table. Lisa and Mandy are staring at Nathan in awe, Julie has her hands clasped underneath her chin, like she’s begging me to say yes, like I could say anything else. Then I look at Jake and he has the biggest, goofiest, shit eating grin on his face.
“Yes, sir, understood.”
The whole table erupts in claps and cheers and I find myself missing my family.
But it hurts less today then it did yesterday.
Because being here, being with them, it’s familiar in a good way.
And I think for just a second, that maybe my heart can learn to love again.