Unbreakable (City Lights, #2)(110)
“Georgia…”
“Don’t, Cory. Just don’t,” she said, the hard edge in her voice had returned, like an iron wall coming down. “You can’t change my mind, so don’t bother.”
I got to my feet because sitting made me feel like I was sinking into quicksand. Pain constricted my chest so I could hardly breath. “You’re leaving. Alone.”
“My ride will be here in about ten minutes,” she said tonelessly.
“You’re leaving Callie.” I could hardly believe the words as they came out of my mouth. “No. That’s crazy.” I barked a short laugh. “Of course not. Come on, Georgia.”
“I’m serious, Cory. And I’m not crazy. It’s the sanest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Sane?” I scrubbed my hands over my face. “Sane? How…how long have you been planning this? You fought to keep her…Why go through the hearing if you were just going to up and leave all along?” My eyes widened as a new thought occurred to me. “Were you going to disappear with her?”
Georgia had the nerve to look appalled “What do you take me for? I was going to go to Alaska to live with my aunt, like I said. But the more I thought about what it would be like to go on my own, the more I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Then, a few weeks ago, I got a notice saying that she died. My aunt up and died and left me some money. Not a huge fortune, but enough. Enough for me to start out and that’s when I decided it was really possible. And I swear to God, Cory I know it’s the right decision because ever since I made it I feel…like something jarred loose and clanging around in me has been locked into place.”
“And what, Georgia? I’m supposed to feel happy for you?” I cried. “Am I supposed to be relieved that you’re leaving without her?”
“Goddammit, keep your voice down. Do not wake her up.” Tears welled in Georgia’s eyes again. “I already said goodbye. I can’t do it twice.”
I sucked in a breath. “You…you told her?”
“Of course not,” Georgia said, stubbing her cigarette out in a green glass ashtray. “I told her I loved her and I…I kissed her goodnight.” The tears were falling now, but she brushed them away. “It’s the best thing. It is.”
“No,” I said, as the first wave of shock passed, leaving burning fury behind. My pulse thundered in my ears so I could hardly hear my own words. “No. You can’t do this to her. Are you out of your mind? You’re going to leave your little girl and…and what? Just never see her again? Abandon her?”
Georgia whirled on me, jabbing her finger at my chest. “Stop being so goddamn dramatic. I’m not abandoning her! You’ll be with her, so quit trying to make me feel guilty.”
“You should feel guilty!” I seethed, struggling not to scream and rage, but while I hated Georgia just then—hated her with a depth I hadn’t thought myself capable of—the last thing in the world I wanted was Callie to witness this.
I held up my hands and fought for calm. “Okay, now wait. Just wait. Let’s talk about this…”
“My ride will be here in five minutes.”
“No! Please, Georgia. I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I’m sorry I pressured you with the hearing. I didn’t realize how hard it was for you. I can do better. I can do more. We can split custody. Or…change it into something you can work with.” I took a step toward her, pleading. “And I’m sorry I threw out marriage like I did. We don’t have to get married. I don’t have to live with you in Alaska. I can get my own place. We can work it out. Okay? Please.”
Georgia smiled sadly. “It’s too late, Cory. But thank you. Thank you for being willing to do whatever it takes. You’ve always been so responsible, even when I accused you otherwise. Even when we were young and stupid enough to think one night wouldn’t get us in trouble. Even then, you were ready to step up.”
She shook her head, looked at the ceiling. “But we got pregnant too young. I wasn’t ready at nineteen and I’m still not ready, seven years later. I had planned a life in my head that was…so different than the one we had. Than the one I have now. And I can’t do it anymore. I tried. I try every day and every day I get worse and worse. Like a disease.”
She looked at me, pleading, her eyes full. “I snap at her constantly. It’s not discipline or being strict, it’s regret. Can you imagine it? That sweet little girl being the object of so much resentment? It’s too ugly to contemplate. She doesn’t deserve it but I can’t help it. And don’t think she hasn’t noticed, because she has. She knows, and I can’t watch her happiness—her sweetness—become poisoned by me. Not anymore.”
Georgia heaved a breath and wiped her eyes, obviously relieved of her burden.
“Alaska is just the starting place, so don’t look for me. Don’t try to track me down because you won’t find me, I promise. I’m going to get lost for a while and I don’t want to be found.”
I watched, too stunned to speak, as she went to her bedroom and came back dragging a huge backpack, the kind that college kids trekking across Europe might use. A text came on her phone and she glanced at it.
“My ride’s here.” She got to her feet. “I haven’t paid rent all month. To save money. I hope you have some place to take her. The beach house, right? She likes it there. She told me.”