My eyes widened. “You’re leaving us here in Georgia for that long?”
My mamma reached out her hand and covered mine with hers. I stared blankly at it. Then the true consequences of what Pappa was saying began seeping into my brain. “No,” I said under my breath, knowing he wouldn’t do this to me.Couldn’tdo this to me.
I looked up. I saw guilt wash all over his face.
I knew it was true.
I understood now. Why we came to the beach. Why he wanted us to be alone. Why he refused Poppy’s company.
My heart was sprinting as my hands fidgeted on the table. My mind span in circles … they wouldn’t … he wouldn’t …I wouldn’t!
“No,” I spat out, louder, drawing stares from nearby tables. “I’m not going. I’m not leaving her.”
I turned to my mamma for help, but she lowered her head. I snatched back my hand from under hers. “Mamma?” I pleaded, but she slowly shook her head.
“We’re a family, Rune. We’re not being split up for that long. We have to go. We’re afamily.”
“No!” I shouted this time, pushing my chair back from the table. I got to my feet, my fists clenched at my sides. “I won’t leave her! You can’t make me! This is our home.Here!I don’t want to go back to Oslo!”
“Rune,” my pappa said, placatingly, standing up from the table and holding out his hands. But I couldn’t be in this closed space, with him. Turning on my heel, I ran out of the restaurant as fast as I could and headed down onto the beach. The sun had disappeared behind thick clouds, causing a cold wind to whip up the sand. I kept running, heading for the dunes, the coarse grains hitting my face.
As I ran, I tried to fight against the anger ripping through me.How could they do this to me? They know how much I need Poppy.
I was shaking with anger as I climbed the tallest dune and dropped down to sit on its peak. I lay back, staring at the graying sky, and pictured a life back in Norway without her. I felt sick. Sick at just the thought of not having her by my side, holding my hand, kissing my lips…
I could barely breathe.
My mind raced, searching for ideas of how I could stay. I thought and I thought of every possibility, but I knew my pappa. When he decided on something, nothing would change his mind. I was going; the look on his face had told me clearly that there was no way out. They were taking me from my girl, my soul. And I couldn’t do a damn thing about it.
I heard someone climbing the dune behind me and I knew it was my pappa. He sat down beside me. I looked away, staring out over the sea. I didn’t want to acknowledge his presence.
We were silent, until I eventually cracked and asked, “When do we leave?”
I felt my pappa stiffen beside me, causing me to glance his way. He was already watching my face, sympathy in his expression. My stomach sank further. “When?” I pressed.
Pappa dropped his head. “Tomorrow.”
Everything stilled.
“What?” I whispered in shock. “How is that possible?”
“Your mamma and I have known for about a month now. We decided not to tell you until the last minute because we knew how you would feel. They need me in the office by Monday, Rune. We’ve organized everything with your school, transferred your transcripts. Your uncle is preparing our house in Oslo for our return. My company has hired movers to empty our house in Blossom Grove and ship our belongings to Norway. They arrive tomorrow shortly after we leave.”
I glared at my pappa. For the first time in my life, I hated him. I gritted my teeth and looked away. I felt sick with the amount of anger coursing through my veins.
“Rune,” my pappa said softly, putting his hand on my shoulder.
I shrugged off his hand. “Don’t,” I hissed. “Don’t ever touch me or speak to me again.” I snapped my head around. “I’llneverforgive you,” I promised. “I’ll never forgive you for taking her from me.”
“Rune, I understand—” he tried to say, but I cut him off.
“You don’t. You havenoidea how I feel, what Poppy means to me. No damn idea. Because if you did, you wouldn’t be taking me away from her. You’d tell your company that youwouldn’tmove. That we have to stay.”
Pappa sighed. “I’m the Technical Officer, Rune, I have to go where I’m needed, and right now that’s Oslo.”
I said nothing. I didn’t care that he was the damn technical officer of some failing company. I was pissed he was only telling me now. I was pissed we were going, period.
When I didn’t speak, my pappa said, “I’m getting our things together, son. Be at the car in five minutes. I want you to have tonight with Poppy. I want to at least give you that much.”