Sage sat at the kitchen counter, looking through all the information Megan had left with her the night before. In the past hours, she had slowly sifted through it repeatedly, trying to understand why someone would insist on these terms. The contract Sage would have to sign kept her in Coopers Creek for six months, and then Sage could decide whether to stay on or not in a place she had never heard of and didn't know a thing about. A consummate researcher, Sage felt off balance. Sighing, she acknowledged this would be a leap of faith for her into something she knew little of, living in a house someone else had lived in before.

Had they moved out?

Died?

Disappeared?

There was nothing here about the previous resident. She couldn't say owner because, legally, the house still belonged to Rosemary Channing. Sage had been able to research that at least, and according to records, Rosemary was presumed dead, but the fact could never be proved. The last of her line meant that there was no one to get her declared legally dead, so her bequeath stood.

The contract had been read through at least six times by now, and still Sage hesitated. The vibration of her phone drew her attention; the name on the screen had her dropping her head into her hands. The ding on the machine indicated another message had been left. Checking the clock on the wall, Sage sighed, squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head; it wasn't even nine in the morning yet, and they were phoning her. If she had this job, she could walk away from all of this. Have her apartment packed up, the company would work to have her apartment lease voided, and she could … simply … disappear. No more Martin. No more family demands draining her financially and emotionally while they lived their best life. No more dodging messages and phone calls, no more looking over her shoulder and wondering if some maniac was waiting for her in the shadows on her building floor.

"I can walk away from all of this," she whispered, standing and looking around her small apartment, "I don't think I'd miss any of it."

The machine dinged again, and her phone buzzed again, "What am I waiting for?"

Turning to the laptop on the kitchen counter, Sage quickly typed an email to Megan telling her the contract was signed and to arrange for her belongings to be stored. Quickly signing the contract, Sage placed it on one side of the counter and moved to the small alcove she used as her bedroom. Packing the few possessions she wanted to take with her took three hours. By then, Megan had returned her email with contact details and information of the storage people who would be arriving that afternoon to pack the items Sage didn't want and take them away.

Another email popped up, and Sage found a release form from her lease. Amazed, she digitally signed it and sent it back before going through the remaining information once more.

"I'm really doing this," she whispered, "and not a word to my family."

Would they be worried?

Be annoyed?

Would they even look for her or blame her for avoiding them?

Would they care enough to find out?

Pulling a wine glass and bottle from the cupboard, Sage poured a glass and slowly worked through the packing up of food items she would be taking with her. When the buzz of the building's entrance door was heard just after lunch, Sage found she couldn't wait to start the next part of her life. She was looking forward to having the freedom to be her own person and spend time the way she wanted to.

Looking at the street, she noticed the large truck with the moving company's logo emblazed on the side, parked outside her building entrance. Opening her window, she looked out at the doorway where a group of men stood; one shouted her number, and she nodded, buzzing them into the building. She kept an eye out for anyone else who may slip into the building but didn't see anyone. Relief flooded through her, and she shook her head. Opening her door, the men traipsed into the small space with packing supplies.

"Hey, I'm Mannie," the one who had shouted her number said, "... these guys are my team."

Sage waved at them, "Hey there," she smiled, "I understand you'll be packing up what I don't need and putting it into storage."

"Yeah, that's the deal," Mannie said, "point to what we can take, and we leave what you want with you."

"Great," Sage said, "I have everything I'm taking with me around the kitchen counter," she indicated where she was sitting, "perhaps let's start with the living room furniture … I have large boxes here where you can put the contents of the drawers and tape them up."

"Sweet," Mannie said as he turned to his crew, giving orders and directions.

Sage moved to the kitchen counter again, put on her headphones and pulled up the app she had for her answering machine. Even though it may not be connected, messages could still be left, and she could hear them. If she was making a clean sweep, she could start by listening and deleting the messages for the day.

Absently, Sage watched Mannie and his team pack up her life, asking about items that could go into storage while listening to her family continue to ask her to do new things, even take lunchtime to take her one nephew to the doctor because her sister in law wasn't coping with two sick children. Ordinarily, she would have been happy to help, but today was different than any other day. It struck her they didn't ask for her help but strung the words together, making it sound like a request, but it was actually a demand. The following message was marked a half hour later and left rather briskly by her sister-in-law, demanding when Sage would do as requested, which had her gripping the countertop and counting to a thousand while breathing deeply.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

How was it that everything they said was demeaning and insulting? Sage couldn't figure it out. How did she manage to be different from everyone else in her family? Perhaps it was because she refused to study what her mother demanded she study or marry when her mother insisted she marry?

Sage couldn't wait to be in a position where their words were empty and meaningless. Right now, they could arrive at her door and make her life … unpleasant. Mannie called her name, pointing at a pile of clothing. Pulling the headphones off, Sage moved across the room. The clothing, most of which Sage didn't like and had never worn, was piled together on the floor. These were the garments that her mother demanded she buy and wear on specific occasions.

"Oh, that …" Sage shook her head, "… you can donate it to a charity store if you want."

Mannie looked at her strangely before smiling, "I know just the place."

Nodding, Sage turned to the rest of the room, looking at everything that was filling it, "Everything here was forced on me by my mother," she looked over her shoulder at Mannie, "donate everything."

"What about those boxes?" Mannie pointed to the boxes she had allocated for the drawer's contents.

Squatting, she went through it slowly, pulling some things out and leaving others behind. Emptying one box into another, she pushed it toward the centre of the room before putting her special items into the empty box.

"Donate that box," she said, standing and picking up the second box, "this one is coming with me."

Mannie narrowed his gaze on her face, "Anything that is going into storage?"

"The closet over there," Sage pointed to where she kept her Winter sports equipment and clothing, "I bought those myself, so I'll keep them."

Nodding, Mannie and his crew went to work, and Sage slowly gathered the meagre items she was taking around her on the kitchen counter. Finally, the apartment was cleared. Three boxes were to be stored for her, while the rest were donated to charities and shops. Sage couldn't think of anything better for the goods to be used for than helping others.

Megan appeared in the doorway as Mannie and his crew were leaving, and the street lamps were coming on outside. She stood in awe for a moment before moving through the place.

"Mannie tells me you donated most of your things," Megan whispered, "you sure about doing that?"

"Very," Sage said, looking around, "it feels … liberating not to have all that … stuff … around. I don't feel like my mother is living my life for me anymore."

"Have you told your family what you're going to do?" Megan asked.

Sage shook her head, opened the app, and played a few messages for Megan. "I don't want them to know."

"You're just going to disappear," Megan whispered, frowning, "do you think that's the right thing to do?"

"I'm not disappearing," Sage said, "I'm relocating for work."

"Hmmm, that is true," Megan said, "but …"

"No buts," Sage interrupted, "I'm tired of being used. I may be going to this place for work, but I'm doing it for my freedom and peace of mind."

"Fair enough," Megan said, "have you eaten?"

"A meal … no," Sage said, "snacked on things … yes."

"Order in or go out?" Megan asked.

"Let me change, and we can go out," Sage said, "I want to celebrate this moment in time."

Megan cocked her head, "I like that."

They chatted casually as Sage packed away her equipment, taped her boxes shut and quickly changed her clothes. Finally leaving the empty apartment, the women walked the two blocks to a cosy Mediterranean restaurant.

"Oh, this is nice," Sage said, "I don't remember the last time I was at this place."

"I do," Megan said grimacing, "Martin."

"Oh right," Sage said, scrunching her nose, "why did I bring him here?"

"It was close to home, and you didn't need him to walk you there," Megan supplied.

Sage chuckled, "Trust you to remember the details."

"Sorry, that is my job," Megan grinned as the waiter arrived to take their orders. She turned to Sage as he walked away. "Since you've sold your car to Mannie this afternoon, I arranged a car to pick you up and drive you to Coopers Creek."

"Can you trust them?" Sage asked.

"I think so," Megan chuckled, "they contacted me after the contract was sent to the foundation and asked for the address to pick up the new occupant. Apparently, they have been assigned to do this for decades."

"Huh, have they?" Sage said, "This could be a good plot line to a good book."

"One you've been threatening to write," Megan said, grinning, "perhaps this is what you need. Not just to get some space and work on your career but also for you."

"Maybe … I don't know," Sage said, "right now I just need to get away. I don't know if it's good for me or not … or what it will do for my career ... I just know it'll bring me some peace and space that I need … more for my sanity than anything."

"I've never had an overbearing family," Megan said, shaking her head, "but experiencing yours, even second hand," she blew a breath between her lips, "I found it stressful. You have to see them all. I experienced how they spoke to you, the constant phone calls, the sarcasm, and how they … took advantage of you. All of that you've put up with for years, and you've never said a bad word about them."

"I've wanted to so many times," Sage said, "but I realised there is no point in doing that. Even when I have spoken to them about their behaviour and ill-usage of me, they simply turn the tables and make it out that I'm the one doing what they are accused of, so … I just don't talk to them anymore."

"No, you avoid them," Megan chuckled, "and that causes more stress than ever … oh that reminds me."

Sage watched her friend and boss dive into her oversized bag and pull out a new phone box.

"You cannot use the one you have," she said, "It's company property and only works in the city. This one is a satellite phone and has an internet … Wi-Fi connection as well, so you can stay in touch with us."

"How do I do that?" Sage asked.

"My number is preprogrammed, and the details are in the box," Megan said, taking Sage's phone and turning it off as it buzzed again, "Oh heavens … your mother again. What does that make it for today?"

"Ahhh …. I think that's the twentieth call," Sage said, "she's relentless."

"At least you're making a clean break now," Megan said as the wine and food arrived simultaneously, "wonderful … let's toast."

"Let's… to new beginnings," Sage said, clinking her glass against Megans lightly.

"New beginnings," Megan smiled, sipping the wine, "let's eat."

"Hmmm, smells good," Sage said, scooping food onto her fork, "I'm starving."