The Landlord

Chapter 49

Chapter 49

I know I can be impulsive and dramatic. Those traits have led to many mistakes. Instead of doing something crazy (like driving home and confronting Matt like I desperately wanted to), I tried to be rational. Maybe I misunderstood everything. Maybe Matt wasn't trying to move away; I only heard this from my kid. So, while trying to stifle my anger, I called my dad in hopes he could offer some insight.

Unfortunately, he couldn't. He apparently had no knowledge of Matt wanting to move, which was surprising considering he and my ex enjoyed being up each other's asses. Though he was as shocked as me, he wasn't freaking out like I was. He reminded me that Matt legally couldn't move and take the kids until he wins full-custody. Despite my emotions, that information allowed me to bury my panic. In it's place though... came a whirlwind of stress from the overall turn my life has taken.

My life has changed so much these past few months. My biggest daily struggles for a while consisted of trying to save money, not get dirt on my nice clothes, and go to my weekly AA meetings. But now, everything was worse. There was more drama, more problems, more things to face – and it was all just consistently growing more serious. And now, my ex wanted to move away and take our kids. It wasn't a massive issue compared to other things, but it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

After hanging up with my dad, it all just came crashing down on me. Collectively... all of my problems dragged my spirit to rock bottom and left my brain in limbo. It all just hit me at once, the weight of everything, the reality of my life. To say the least, it was a long night of thought, sadness, and self-evaluation. Where did I go wrong? What caused this domino effect of problem after problem?

The next day, it was difficult hiding how emotionally exhausted I was. Blake didn't pry or ask too many questions though. After telling him about the new drama with Matt, he probably understood it was all just a bit much for me to handle. He was considerate, sweet, yet allowed me to remain in silence most of the day. I didn't even bother asking where we were going after we checked out of our hotel. I didn't even care where we ended up staying for the rest of this trip. I was just... consumed in my world.

Blake drove us a few hours north, heading back towards home. Before crossing into Vermont, he took a long detour into the hilly countryside. Despite feeling mentally checked-out, I arched a brow amusingly when we turned down a private road. Where in the world was he taking us?

With the trees and brush crowding closer on each side, narrowing the road, it forced him to slow down. On the right, we started to pass a few private houses that seemed to sit along the edge of a valley. And when he turned into one of the driveways, I couldn't help but smile. Well... I guess we were done with hotels for a hot minute.

Surrounded by trees, the two story house looked quite modern. It had dark blue siding, white shudders, and a large garage. "This looks like one of your cottages you rent out back home – accept it looks nice," I joked, glancing over to him.

"That's because it is," he said, putting the truck in park.

"What do you mean?"

"This is one of my cottages," he said with amusement.

"How? We are still over an hour from home; we aren't even in Vermont. You rent out cottages this far away?"

"Sure do. This one is the furthest away though."

I was quite surprised – and impressed. "How long do we have it for?"

"As long as we need it." After pausing for a moment, watching me take in the house, he continued. "Don't worry. Since you might need proof of your whereabouts, there is a town five miles away with security cameras, people, and places to use your credit cards."