Choices

Aunjanue moved to South Florida from a rural town in Central Florida. Her mothers death ten years prior left her a shell of who she’d been. Life had gone on. Her life had been filled with one thing after another happening. Her dads marriage to Quinn changed everything. Aunjanue had protested when the pop up wedding happened during a visit to South Florida. They’d been at a yearly party when it happened. He voiced her opinion before walking out. That she was wholeheartedly against it. That it wasn’t going to last long. It wasn’t going to end well either way. Everyone was shocked she didn’t know. He didn’t know how to tell her so he didn’t tell her at all. She’d let them know everything. Everyone lost a lot of respect for Sawyer. She’d moved in with a longtime friend of her dads side of the family she’d considered an Aunt. A woman who agreed it was the worst decision for Aunjanue to move in with Presley and Quinn. Delilah had voiced her opinion as well. Her disdain toward the pair was obvious. She distanced herself from them as well. She took Aunjanue to various places she knew Aunjanue would love. 

Two years passed in what felt like two minutes. Aunjanue had struggled to find a job the entire time. It felt like Delilah resented her for not being able to find a job. Her lack of experience didn’t help. She knew Delilah didn’t understand. She had the same job the majority of her life. Delilah didn’t have to worry about everything she had to worry about. Aunjanue felt increasingly unwelcome over time. She went to Miami Beach far more. She’d gotten lost, half on purpose, the first few times she went. She’d fallen in love with the area. She began applying for every job she could. The day pass she’d get would often expire because of her staying at least two days. She’d often stay at least three each time she went. She began staying longer after a while. She got a job as a Dishwasher at a Cafe on Ocean Ave. She began staying in Hostels close to work most of the time. She began staying in the Hotel the Cafe was connected to as time went on. She went over to Pembroke Pines on her days off to help her aging paternal grandmother. She’d grown up not being able to spend as much time with her grandmother because of living so far away. She was finally able to make up for that. 

Her paternal grandfather died when she was a kid. Harriet had been one of the most influential women in Aunjanues life after Millie died. Harriet had a conversation with Aunjanue one day about Presleys current marriage. She hadn’t agreed with it either and told him how ashamed she was of him. How mad she was he never said anything to Aunjanue. Even she kept her distance from him. She was proud of Aunjanue for where she was in her current life. Harriet gave Aunjanue enough money to last her a few months. Money originally intended for Presley. He was financially struggling a little bit because of Quinn. She’d rather take care of the homeless cats than listen to him most of the time. She told him she wasn’t in a position to help him at the moment. Presley had enough after an argument over why Harriet hadn’t helped. He told Aunjanue and Harriet everything. That they were getting divorced. Aunjanue told him she wasn’t leaving to go back home with him. She was happy with the life she built for herself. She was finally independent. She wasn’t going back to an area where she’d be struggling due to lack of jobs that lacked adequate  hours and didn’t pay much. 

Presley moved back feeling defeated. People that knew him checked on him. To an extent. They distanced themselves from him after it was revealed he lied to them. They’d asked Aunjanue why she’d refused to move back. Her truthful answers changed the way they saw him. He’d become a lonely old man while she thrived. She posted updated pictures along with a general update as a result. People were proud of her for choosing herself. For doing what was best for her instead of giving into what Presley wanted her to do. She was choosing to have a life of her own for once in her life.