Chapter 8

On the third evening, Calvin finally came home with Noah and Simon. As soon as they walked in, Calvin actually offered an explanation for once. "Britney's been sensitive to pain ever since she was little. She's terrified of getting hurt, so we had to take her to the hospital first." Noah mumbled softly, "Yeah, Mom, you're way tougher than Britney. You don't really need us..." Simon nodded. "Britney's really delicate. She needs our protection." "That's enough," Avery cut them off. "You don't have to explain." She understood all too well. All those explanations came down to the fact that they loved Britney, not her. There was a time when that truth would have broken her heart, but not anymore—because she didn't love them anymore either. Seeing how calm she was, Calvin felt a strange surge of anxiety, like he needed to make it up to her. He tried again, "There's supposed to be a meteor shower tonight. Let me take you up the mountain to see it." "No need." "Don't be stubborn," Calvin said, glancing at the boys. "Go help your mom get ready." Noah and Simon immediately grabbed her arms, one on each side. "Come on, Mom! Let's go!" They all piled into the car, and that was when Avery realized Britney was coming, too. "Don't mind me, Avery," Britney said softly. "I've always been afraid of the dark. Calvin didn't want to leave me alone at home..." Calvin jumped in, "Britney has night blindness. She gets really scared at night if she's by herself." The boys chimed in, "Yeah, poor Britney! She really needs us!" Avery closed her eyes, exhausted, and tuned them all out. The entire drive, Calvin and the boys fussed over Britney—adjusting her seat, handing her a blanket, feeding her fruit—worried about every little thing. Every so often, Britney would glance over, hoping to see jealousy or anger on Avery's face, but all she saw was Avery staring quietly out the window, completely detached from everything around her. When they reached the middle of the mountain, everyone got out to walk. Suddenly, Britney's foot slipped. She let out a startled cry and grabbed Avery's wrist, dragging them both down the slope. "Avery! Britney!" Calvin and the boys rushed after them, but when they reached the bottom, they found Britney with just a scraped palm, tears welling up in her eyes. Avery, on the other hand, had smashed her leg into a rock, a deep gash slicing through her calf. Blood instantly soaked her pant leg, and her face turned ghostly pale. "I'll take Britney back first," Calvin said without hesitation. "Avery, hang in there. I'll call the rescue team to come for you." Without another word, he scooped Britney into his arms and walked away without looking back. Noah and Simon hesitated for a moment, glancing between Avery's bleeding leg and Calvin carrying Britney away. In the end, they ran after Calvin. Avery lay on the cold hillside, watching their silhouettes disappear into the night. She waited all night, but no one came to rescue her. At dawn, Avery gritted her teeth and, dragging her injured leg, crawled inch by inch up to the road. She flagged down a car herself and got her wound stitched up at the hospital. Then, she went straight to the courthouse. When she finally held the divorce certificate in her hands, she stared at the heading and felt a genuine sense of relief. Back at the house, no one was home. Calvin and the boys were still at the hospital with Britney, staying by her side for the "full examination". Avery placed her divorce certificate on the coffee table, along with a single note. "I'm gone. Don't come looking for me. I don't want any of you anymore." Then, she grabbed her suitcase, walked out, and didn't look back at the cage that had trapped her for five long years. Behind her, the sun was just rising. And ahead of her lay a brand new life—one without Calvin, Noah, or Simon.