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Chapter 29: Hello Florida

Dacky: We decided that it was time to leave for Florida. I was shoving my bag in the closet of my room and trying not to think about Brandon. We got a ton of food from Gigi and Carly's aunts, uncles and cousins gave us money. Most of them didn't want us to be by ourselves since none of us are eighteen, but none of them were willing to come with us. Anyways, so we have the ability to go to Florida now. Carly is inside while the rest of us are doing the final steps before leaving. I don't know if she's coming with us though. Probably not, since she has a family and everything. I'm happy for her, but also jealous. Only a little bit though because I'm so happy for her. "We ready?" Asked Ian. Despite his efforts to sound happy, everyone could hear the sadness in his voice. I looked at the big house behind us, waiting for a certain redhead to come out the front door, but Carly didn't come out. "Yeah. Go ahead Ian." He started up the engine and we rolled out of the dusty driveway and away from Carly. I sat on the couch and looked at the house. She was happy, so I should try to be too. "Aw man, I'm craving beignets. Do we have any?" Carly said, coming out of the bathroom. "Carly!" We all exclaimed. She jumped at the unexpected noise and said "What?! I just wanted food!" We all laughed and Sandy explained "We thought you were staying." "Of course not. I'll go back to my parents once we find all of yours." She said.

A few hours before
Carly:
"And you already have a room. It was your nursery so we'll need to get you some new furniture." Said Mama, her deep brown eyes shining as she told me about their house. I mean, our house. "And you can paint it however you want." My Dad added in. It sounded amazing. I've dreamed about this for years. But something felt wrong. It was the fact that my best friends, more like siblings, were still parentless and I was going to live out our fantasy. "Carly?" Said my Dad, noticing that I had zoned out. "Sorry." I said. My Mama smiled at me and then hugged me. "It's ok sweetie. Just call us every night and promise to be safe." My dad groaned and said "With Duncan's spawn? Yeah right-" but Mama stomped on his foot. "I mean, I trust you. And we love you." I smiled and said "I love you too." We all hugged and then I headed out to the RV.

Brandon:
We've been driving nonstop for about ten hours. Sandy was researching our parents, and found out that Mom works at the Marine Aquarium in Clearwater, Florida. It's about five in the morning, and my driving shift. Everybody else is asleep. Or at least I thought so. "Morning." Said Sandy, sitting in the passenger's seat with a steaming mug of tea. "Why are you up so eeeeeeeaaaaaaarrrrrlllyyy?" I asked while yawning. She handed me a cup of coffee and said "Couldn't sleep. I mean, we're meeting our Mom today." I nodded and said "And then our Dad." She looked away and a few minutes later she was crying. "Woah, Sissa! What's wrong?" She wiped her face and said "I figured out why they divorced." I waited patiently while she calmed down. "Did you know that they were living in a one bedroom apartment when Mom got pregnant with me? Dad was working three jobs for months after they had you. Eventually, they got back on their feet. When Mom told Dad that she was pregnant, he knew that they didn't have enough money or room for another baby. So he told her to get rid of me. But Mom said no, and they divorced. Because of me. If mom had just gotten rid of me then-" "Sandy Fairlie Petron. Don't even finish that sentence. If Mom had gotten an Abortion, the world would be ten times less amazing. You're kind, smart, beautiful, and you're going to do great things one day. And if our dad couldn't see that, than he's not worth finding." She smiled and said. "Thanks Bubba." I pulled into the parking lot of Clearwater Marine Aquarium and said "No problem. Now go wake up everyone. I'll try to wake up Dacky and not get murdered."