“How long for?” I asked. “When will you be back?”
My pappa ran his hand through his thick, short blond hair, just the way I did. “Here’s the thing, Rune,” he said cautiously. “It could be years. It could be months.” He sighed. “Realistically, anything from one to three years.”
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’t do 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 a family.”
“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’ll never forgive 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 have no idea 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 you wouldn’t move. 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.”
Hot tears built in my eyes. I turned my head so he wouldn’t see me. I was angry, so angry that I couldn’t stop the damn tears. I never cried when I was sad, only when I was angry. And right now, I was so pissed I could barely draw breath.
“It won’t be forever, Rune. A few years at most, then we’ll be back. I promise. My job, our life, is here in Georgia. But I have to go where the company needs me,” Pappa said. “Oslo won’t be so bad; it’s where we’re from. I know your mamma will be happy to be near family again. I thought you might be, too.”
I didn’t reply. Because a few years without Poppy was a lifetime. I didn’t care about my family.
I was lost, watching the rhythm of the waves, and I waited for as long as I could before I got to my feet. I wanted to get to Poppy, but at the same time, I didn’t know how to tell her I was leaving. I couldn’t stand the thought of breaking her heart.
The horn sounded, and I ran to the car, where my family was waiting. My mamma tried to smile at me, but I ignored her and slid into the back seat. As we pulled away from the coast, I glared out the window.
Feeling a hand on my arm, I turned to see Alton clutching onto the sleeve of my shirt. His head was tilted to the side.
I ruffled his messy blond hair. Alton laughed, but his smile faded, and he kept glancing my way the whole journey home. I found it ironic how my baby brother seemed to get how much pain I was in, way more than my parents did.
The drive felt like an eternity. When we pulled into the driveway, I practically dived out of the car and sprinted to the Litchfield house.
I knocked on the front door. Mrs. Litchfield answered after only a few seconds. The minute she took in my face, I saw her eyes fill with sympathy. She glanced across the yard at my mamma and pappa, who were unpacking the car. She gave them a small wave.
She knew too.
“Is Poppy here?” I managed to ask, pushing the words through my thick throat.
Mrs. Litchfield pulled me into a hug. “She’s in the blossom grove, sweetie. She’s been there all afternoon, reading.” Mrs. Litchfield kissed my head. “I’m so sorry, Rune. That daughter of mine will be heartbroken when you leave. You’re her whole life.”
She’s my whole life too, I wanted to add, but I couldn’t bring myself to speak a single word.
Mrs. Litchfield released me and I backed away, jumping off the porch, sprinting all the way to the grove.