C5 WRETCHED SMELL

It didn't really satisfy my question fully, but I didn't have the desire to ask it twice.

"So where am I going so that we can get your things?" Adam asked.

"My house is farther up the road that way," I said pointing in the direction we were heading.

A few silent minutes later we pulled in front of my house. "Here, I said.

He parked and turned the car off while I got out and headed up the drive. As I was walking up, I pulled my key out of my back pocket

"What time is it?" I asked Adam, who had caught up with me.

He looked at his watch. "Just after eight," he replied.

They aren't awake yet, I thought.

"Be quiet," I instructed as I unlocked the front door.

Adam didn't say anything, only followed me inside as I opened the door slowly.

My dad was passed out on the recliner, a near-empty whiskey bottle tucked underneath his arm. I pretended like Adam couldn't see it too. As we made our way down the hallway and into my room, I tried

to ignore Adam's staring at the door-less frame. The door to my bathroom had also been taken off the hinges, something he noticed as well. His jaw clenched as his hand traced the broken hinges.

I pretended not to notice him as I looked into my closet and I stared at all the things I had to pack. I turned around and saw Adam walking around my room, taking in the sight of a place I never stayed. I knew he could tell I never stayed here too. There

was dust on top of the dresser and on the nightstand.

The bed hadn't been unmade in months so there was probably a layer of dust on that too.

"I'm going to go get boxes, I'll be right back," I whispered. He turned to look at me. "Do you need help?"

"Stay in here," I said shaking my head.

As I walked out of my room, I remembered the two large plastic containers that Mom stored all her post-surgery clothes in.

They're in her closet, I thought.

I opened the door to her bedroom slowly. I knew she was in the bed because the blackout curtains were drawn over the windows, making it impossible for any light to shine into the room. I knew where the closet door was, however, and made my way over to it with my hands outstretched to keep me from

running into anything.

This room smells wretched, I thought as I grabbed the closet door handle. I opened the closet and sunk to my knees to grab the containers from under her clothes. I slid them out slowly, opened the lids, and dumped all the clothes out.

Add those to the list of crap that's strewn all over the floor, I thought. I didn't have an ounce of remorse for doing it either.

I stacked the empty boxes and slid them out of the room, shutting the door behind me. I made it back into my room quickly and quietly and put the

boxes in front of my bed.

Adam was sat in my desk chair. "Do you want me to start pulling stuff out of these drawers and putting them in the boxes?" He asked.

"There's nothing in there but a few books," I said going to my closet. "You can put them in here."

I threw him a duffle bag as he began to empty out the drawers. I began to haul everything from off the racks into the boxes, not even bothering to fold them or take them off the hangers. Once I was done with that, I packed my underwear into a bag and put

them in with all of my clothes. One box down, one more to go...

I looked over to Adam and saw him flipping through the pages of a notebook.

"What is that?" l asked. Before he could answer, I heard heavy footfalls coming down the hallway.

The last thing I saw was my father before Adam was standing in front of me, followed by the sound of shattering glass.

It took me a moment to process what had happened, but when I saw the grimace on his face as he looked down at me and the whiskey dripping down the side of his face, I gasped.

Adam turned around to face my father and I saw the shards of glass sticking out of his jacket. The shattered remains of the whiskey bottle was laying on the floor.

He threw that at you.

"I told you not to bring this man into my house! Do you not listen to a word I say?!" My father bellowed.

Adam took a large step forward. "Clearly, it runs in the family,''He said with a clenched jaw and closed fists.

"Wait!" I yelled, jumping in between the two of them.

I looked at my dad. "I just need an hour," I bargained.

"One hour and I'll be gone and... and I won't come back. Okay?"

I swallowed as he glared down at me. "You have thirty minutes,"he growled.

My dad turned to walk down the hallway and I put my hand on Adam's chest to stop him from following him.

"Stop," I said, pushing against him. "Do you not know what he just did?" He asked incredulously.

This was the first time I saw him close to losing his cool.

"I did, trust me. I know all too well. But we need to focus on what we're doing here and just hurry up and finish so we can leave. Are you okay?" I asked.

Adam took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm fine, but if he tries something like that one more time, I'm not letting him get away with it," he warned.

I swallowed and nodded. "Deal."

His jaw clenched before he walked back into the room, kicking the broken bottle under the bed. "What do you have left to do?"

"Just finish packing this box and we'll be good to go," I said. Adam sighed before putting the bag of books inside the box. I threw in my shoes. I packed my laptop into my backpack and put that in the box as well.

"I don't think we'll be able to fit anything else," he said.

"Well, I suppose that's as good as it will get then," I said while putting the lid on top.

I looked around the room. It was packed up for the most part. I had everything that I needed. I did wonder, however, what they would do with everything else when I was gone.

"You'll need an overnight bag," Adam said.

I walked back inside the closet and pulled out the last bag I had It was a reusable grocery bag, but it would have to work. I packed it quickly.

"Evelyn!"

I jumped when I heard my father's voice boom across the house. Our thirty minutes was up.

I saw Adam's jaw clench as he glared down the hallway.

"Hey," I said waving at him. "Let's just get everything and go.

He looked at me and I could tell there was definitely an internal debate going on inside of him.

"Let's go," I repeated.

I leaned down to pick up the stacked containers and Adam simply picked them both up and turned to walk down the hallway.

Well damn.

He made it look easy.

I grabbed my overnight bag and my jacket and scarf before following him. He put the boxes in the car and came back inside as I stood in the foyer, awkwardly standing next to my father, whom I was convinced was still half drunk.

"You're leaving now?" He asked. I nodded, turning to him.

I expected a goodbye or something but he simply turned and walked away. The disappointment was clearly seen on my face by Adam. He walked up to me.

"Go get the car started, l'Il be out in a second."

"Adam---" I started.

"I'm not asking you," he said, his jaw clenching.

I decided it best not to argue with him on this and I slowly walked toward the front door. Adam stood still, watching me. I stopped when I reached the door.

"Go," he said, before I could say a word.

I opened the door before I could think twice about it and I walked quickly out to the car. I started it up and waited for Adam to come back out. The air vents had just started blowing warm air when I saw him

walk out the front door.

"What did you say?" I asked him as he got in.

"I didn't say anything," He said as he started to back the car out of the driveway. "Buckle up."

I swallowed as I pulled the strap across my chest.

"That was a bit uncalled for," I muttered. Adam hit the brakes and turned to look at me.

"You don't deserve to be treated like that. No one who claims to love you should ever speak to you or act towards you like he did. One day I'll make you see that."

I looked away and he continued to back out of the driveway. I stared back at the house that I had lived in my entire life and I honestly didn't care if I ever saw it again.

"So..." I said. "Where are we going?"

"To get on a plane," Adam said shortly.

"Where is the plane taking us?" I asked.

"Home."

I rolled my eyes. "Where is that?"

Adam just smiled.

"I hope you didn't think it was too cold here."