People sometimes disappear inside relationships gradually enough that even they do not notice which version of themselves is leaving.
Amara loved having Paige nearby.
They baked cookies, painted each other’s nails, and spent one Saturday assembling a bookshelf Paige ordered for the guest room even though Andre repeatedly reminded her she was not expected to live there permanently. Paige taught Amara how to use a simple drawing program on her tablet. Andre watched his daughter regain a family relationship the divorce had taken from her.
That made everything more complicated.
He did not want Paige’s presence to become an emotional substitute for Vanessa. Amara loved her mother despite the distance between them, and Andre protected that relationship carefully. Whatever happened between adults, he refused to make his daughter responsible for choosing winners.
Vanessa called one Tuesday evening.
She was back from London and wanted to speak with Amara.
Andre handed over the phone.
Amara immediately said, “Aunt Paige is staying here.”
Andre closed his eyes.
Children.
The silence on the phone lasted three seconds.
Vanessa asked to speak with him.
Andre stepped onto the back porch.
“What is Paige doing in your house?”
“She needed somewhere to stay.”
“And she chose you?”
“Yes.”
Vanessa laughed once.
“This is unbelievable.”
Andre remained calm.
“She was locked out of the apartment after Trevor ended the engagement.”
“That doesn’t explain why she went to you.”
“You should ask her.”
“Did you invite her?”
“No.”
“Is something happening between you two?”
Andre looked toward the dark backyard.
“No.”
Vanessa said nothing.
He continued.
“And I’m not having this conversation like I’m being accused of something.”
“I’m not accusing you.”
“You asked whether something was happening with your sister.”
“That’s a reasonable question.”
“Then you have your answer.”
He ended the conversation before it became an old argument wearing different clothes.
Paige was waiting in the kitchen.
“I heard part of that.”
Andre nodded.
“I’m sorry.”
“The apology ban is still active.”
She smiled.
Then her face became serious.
“I’ll find somewhere else.”
“No.”
“Andre.”
“You are not getting pushed out because Vanessa became uncomfortable.”
“I don’t want to cause problems.”
“The problems existed before you knocked on my door.”
Paige looked down.
The sentence applied to more than the current week.
A month later, Paige received an offer from a design firm fifteen minutes away.
The salary was lower than her previous position but enough for a small apartment.
Andre helped her look at places.
Amara rejected the first two immediately.
“This one smells weird,” she announced after entering an apartment near the highway.
The leasing agent pretended not to hear.
The third apartment was on the second floor of an older building with hardwood floors, large windows, and a kitchen smaller than Andre’s laundry room.
Paige loved it.
She signed the lease.
Moving day happened on a bright Saturday.
Andre carried furniture up two flights of stairs while Paige repeatedly insisted he was assembling the bed frame incorrectly. Amara sat on the floor reading the instructions out loud and siding aggressively with whoever appeared to be winning.