Chapter 142
Everything was going by in a blur. The days on the ship dragged so slowly that it felt like time had frozen. Mia had stopped counting at some point.
Ten days? Eleven? Maybe more. She wasn’t even sure anymore.
All she knew was that every day blended into the next. She felt stuck, she was not in her past nor quite in the unknown future waiting for her.
The cargo ship was still cold and suffocating and even though they had been given a room and some level of freedom to walk around, it didn’t stop the suffocating weight that hung over her.
Or maybe she was too heartbroken and numb to appreciate anything around her.
Each day carried its own emotional toll. Some mornings started with silence. Some started with tears. Some started with hope. Most started with confusion.
Mia was sitting on the edge of Ethan’s bunk, legs tucked under her, arms wrapped tightly around herself as they talk about the life they are about to start in a different town.
Then the door creaked open.
The man who seemed to be in charge walked in, his usual calm expression on his face. He looked around at them, his eyes landing briefly on each person. Mia straightened up a little.
“We getting to a stop tomorrow morning,” he said simply, voice low but clear.
It was like a switch had been flipped.
“Finally,” Lily said, dropping her head back against the wall like she’d been waiting to exhale.
“Ahh,” Ann echoed, her voice tinged with tired relief.
The man gave a small nod. “There’s a small town here. Quiet. Friendly people. Affordable living, high-paying jobs. You will all love it there. It’s a nice place. Peaceful.”
Mia’s mom stepped forward slightly, her hands clasped together. “Thank you so much,” she said with true gratitude in her voice. It was one of the first times Mia had seen her mother speak so softly.
A lot of things changed, especially with her mom.
“Thank you,” Mia echoed, her voice just above a whisper.
The man nodded once more, his gaze lingering just long enough to show that he meant it. “I’m sure you guys will settle down just fine,” he said, turning to walk out.
The door clicked behind him.
Mia sat still for a moment, trying to let the news sink in. Her hands, which had been clenched tight for hours, slowly loosened.
“We are finally going to touch our feet on land tomorrow,” Ethan said, his voice carrying that fragile hope they have been hanging on.
Mia turned to her mother, her voice quiet but certain. “What are we going to do first, Mom?”
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Chapter 142
Her mother didn’t speak right away. She walked over to the side of the bunk and pulled out the large black bag she’d been guarding like her life depended on it. It had barely left her side.
She unzipped it and looked inside as if making sure the contents were still real. “First,” she said, “we get into a hotel. Something simple. A roof over our heads, running water, some peace.”
Everyone nodded in agreement, the thought of a bed and warm water already starting to feel like a dream.
“Then,” she continued, “we hunt for a house. Something modest. Somewhere we can breathe. Somewhere we can start over
Mia watched her mother closely. There was a soft strength in her voice now, a calmness that looked strange on her.
Oh well, Mia is really trying to get used to seeing her mom like this.
“We settle down,” her mother said. “Get ourselves clothes, maybe some furniture. Basic things. Then hunt for jobs or whatever we are starting over with.”
They all stayed quiet for a moment, processing.
Mia leaned her head against the cool metal wall beside the bed. Her eyes fluttered closed.
Land.
The word felt like freedom:
For the first time in days, she could picture something beyond this sea.
The next day, they stood at the edge of the ship.
She turned back to see her mom, Ethan, Ann, and Lily smiling, their eyes fixed on the land the ship was approaching.
As the gangplank was lowered, Lily and Ann were the first to rush down. Ethan followed, laughing for the first time in days.
“Oh, sweet land!” Lily exclaimed as she dropped to her knees and kissed the ground dramatically.
“Feels like heaven,” Ann added, sprawling beside her.
Ethan just stood with his arms stretched out like he could hug the entire town.
Mia, still by the edge, glanced down at the oversized shoes on her feet. They flopped awkwardly as she walked, but she was grateful for them.
The man in charge of the ship had done his best to provide what he could, shirts that swallowed their frames, jeans that needed to be rolled up, shoes that didn’t fit, but they were warm, clothed, and alive.
She stepped onto the sand slowly, taking a deep breath. There was a strange peace in the air.
This is their beginning.
Together, the Turners walked up toward the road. Mia glanced around. The town looked simple. Beautiful, even, in its own way. It wasn’t like the busy chaos of Willowcrest with mighty and glamorous buildings.
In Willowcrest it was always a competition… who builds the best house or drives the latest or the most expensive cars.
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Chapter 142
Alex
Her heart begins to sing again
Lily groaned loudly, breaking her thoughts “I’m starving. Do they have food in this peaceful little place?”
Ann pointed to a small restaurant across the street. “There. Let’s go before Lily starts chewing her shirt.”
Their mom laughed lightly, a sound Mia hadn’t heard in a long while. “Alright. Let’s eat.”
The restaurant was quiet. Just a few people sat at the corners, sipping drinks and minding their own business. No one stared. No one whispered. No one knew them. And that made Mia feel like she could breathe.
This is not Willowcrest, no one is going to throw their nose and look at them for being a Turner.
They took a booth near the window. The cracked leather seats were soft, and the warm smell of food filled the air.
A young waitress approached, offering them a tired but polite smile. She greeted them kindly, handed them menus, and took their orders.
Lily sighed in delight, flipping her menu open. “Finally, about to eat some real food. I might cry.”
Ann rolled her eyes: “The food on the ship wasn’t that bad.”
Lily gave her a look. “You were eating it with your eyes closed like you were trying to forget it existed.”
Their mom laughed again, quieter this time.
Mia looked down at her clothes. The oversized shirt nearly touched her knees. The sleeves were folded at the elbow, and the pants hung awkwardly on her hips.
She turned to her mom. “Mom, I think we should get some clothes after this. I feel weird in this.”
Her mom met her eyes, then gave a slow nod. “We will. First things first, food. Then we find a place to stay.”
The food came, warm and fresh. They ate in silence at first, the sound of cutlery and quiet conversation filling the room.
Then slowly, they began to talk. About nothing and everything.
They were far from the perfect family. They were messy. Flawed. Hurting. But here they are……Together..Alive.
And for now, that was enough.
Well…..
