Roots and wings

Riley’s life hadn’t been easy. Her relatives had let their actions speak for them. She’d known she was the Black Sheep for a while. She’d let her actions speak for her as time went on. She stopped going to family gatherings. She no longer wanted to be around people that never reached out to her or Adam. Especially after Adams increased health issues. Not once had they bothered to check on them throughout the years anyway. Madeleine's death twenty years prior had left Riley unsure of how to go on with her life. Everyone but her relatives checked on her and Adam. She’d felt left out as time went on. She’d been conflicted. Madeline had instilled family values early on. Her “family” had completely failed her. They were nothing more than people she was related to as time went on. 

A conversation with a longtime friend shed light on things she’d suspected. She figured others noticed also. Her friend had known her relatives for decades. She’d worked with Madeline. She’d watched over Riley during her High School years. Riley knew Ellie would be truthful if she asked any questions. Ellie revealed what she’d seen and experienced without any questions from Riley. She knew others likely had similar stories and observations based on what Ellie said. It further cemented her decision to be low contact with them. Riley loved getting together for lunch with Ellie when they were able to. A few hours of catching up would go by in what seemed like a few minutes. Ellie kept encouraging Riley to keep doing what she was doing. Her drawings were doing well after all. The website she’d made was doing well. She’d begun selling stickers as well as drawings after a while. She hoped to have enough to leave by the end of the year. 

She’d come to terms with the life she’d once had. She’d wanted nothing more than to leave the town that’d never loved her. She’d grown distant from nearly everyone in town she’d grown up around. People who’d never practiced what they preached. She had become highly observant. More than usual. Everyone’s actions were speaking for them. She’d kept to herself far more. She’d planned in secret. She’d never been one to have a lot of material possessions. She’d written down all of the books she was donating to the library before doing so. Books she planned on buying again when she settled down somewhere. In another state preferably. She’d sold drawings and stickers at the local Farmer's Market for the next few months. She’d saved the majority of what she made. She stocked up on the travel sized version of bare essentials. A trip to Miami Beach was a long time coming. She’d fallen in love with the area after that trip. She began searching for apartments there as well as in the Ft. Lauderdale area. She’d done the math. She could move immediately if she wanted to. She decided to wait for the time being. 

Three months passed quicker than Riley could comprehend. She wanted nothing more than to leave. She’d made one last lunch date with Ellie along with a few other friends she wanted to see before moving. She’d told each of them everything. She’d already packed everything she didn’t use every day. To make it easier for the day she decided to leave. Whatever day that would be. She knew it’d be in the near future. She knew it’d likely be after her last lunch date. A lunch date that never happened due to things coming up on Harlows end. Harlow told Riley she’d come down for a visit after she settled into her apartment. She’d known Riley wanted to leave. That Riley would feel guilty for not seeing her before leaving. She reassured Riley it was okay. She’d come down for a visit. 

Riley left the next day. She’d scheduled an appointment to see an apartment a few weeks prior. She’d saved far more than enough to leave. To pay for the first few months of rent in the event she signed a lease. She fell in love with the apartment she was due to see. She signed a lease that day, walked back to the Hotel with the keys and moved in the rest of the week. She’d wandered around Miami for the next month. Her drawings and stickers reflected that. Drawings and stickers that sold faster than she could put them up on her website. She’d left cards with her website and contact info nearly everywhere two weeks after moving to South Florida. She’d seen an increase in sales in that time. Her life had gotten better. Harlow came for a visit a month and a half after Riley moved. Riley acted as a tour guide the entire week Harlow was there. She tried new places. She’d flown far away while keeping her roots. She was far happier than she’d ever been.