Home Sweet Home

 

When I first moved here, my heart was in my throat. Such a distance from the city and everything I'd known, plus the isolation, I worried how I might survive if something were to happen. I wasn't inept at taking care of a home. The last one I'd lived in had been a slum home and shown itself over time. The landlord didn't pay for a proper roof and parts caved in. The entire living room ceiling followed. Mold was abundant, and the rats that made themselves pretty little nests all over the property spelled out hazards. The plumbing and wiring was a joke. I learned to snake drains, clear grease clogs, work on air conditioning units, ground wires, and take care of a lawn mower. 

My mother guilted me into staying, saying I had to help find her, my father, and myself get into a better one, but father didn't mind me leaving. He knew it was time and did everything to help push me out the door. Not that I resisted. I packed up my VW van and drove to a home I'd found through my boss and the moment I stepped foot on the property, I knew it would all be okay. 

A dirt path led to the front door and flower bushes grew wild beside it. The little window above faced down the lane and was my bedroom, hidden in the attic. The living room and kitchen were connected in a beautiful open space and the bathroom, while small, had a large tub and shower combination to make me feel right at home. The fireplace would serve its purpose on the colder nights and the forests were stocked with all the wood I would ever need. Town was a 30-minute drive with beautiful, winding lanes, and several lakes scattered throughout. I considered myself lucky. I'd escaped a tyrant and this home had all the fresh air I could ever need. 

I was single and proud of it. The last relationships I'd been through ended with me being ghosted, then excuses when they returned. I ended them without falling victim to a repeat process. They still tried to contact me but I left each on read. This was my time, now. I'd put in the work, rode those hard hours of sickness, struggling through the days, and a needed surgery to remove painful cysts. I'd cared for my family when the siblings left and never spared a glance. I deserved a good life after, or so I was told. I was just happy to have a place that was mine. My books could go where I wanted, music played loudly, late night gaming sessions without having to clean up after someone, save my two cats, and they were never a hassle. 

In the sunshine of the April season I found my health returned and blossomed. Every day I find some new adventure and sit down with my laptop to write a book. I gaze out the window as the rain falls and smile. I'll work through the guilt of leaving and one day I won't feel so horrible. Until then, I'll strive to be worthy of the place I've been given and teach others to do the same.