s,

ight frown. She could tell something was wrong. The tension in the air was impos

, trying to steady he

t Charlie,

the hallway. "He's al

ying toward them, his little foo

Mom? You

broke the little strength she had managed to gather. They had no idea how much their world was

uldn't keep

nd put on your shoes. We're go

es widened wi

see Grandpa?" he asked happ

and for the first time in what felt like

!" Charlie exclaimed, alrea

oming!" Tessie repl

ay, their voices fading as t

afford to lose her nerve now. If she allowed herself to dwell on the memories, the promises, an

inside the suitcase. Then she took out another b

e bedroom door, watc

actually packing. She wasn't threatening to leave to get his attention,

prepari

n talk about th

't even l

thing more to

her into the room. "After all these years we've spe

ne of Charlie's s

he turned

voice filled with disbelief. "You seriously stand

, but she didn't give h

e years. Charlie just had his fifth

at her, say

told me? You said you had to work late. You said there was an imp

e briefly looked away as th

She remembered reassuring her son that Daddy would come as soon as he finished his work. She had

e had been more to

ly you were working out wit

xpression

like that

short, hum

o, tell me. I don't under

forehead, vis

t calm down?

st s

interruption

the suitcase and zipped it h

ng. Go to my room. Wait until later. Every time I try to make you unde

's not

. "You want to talk

k a step t

. You're not l

call m

y had already turned a

sion of their marriage she had once treasured. Back then, when David called her Auri, she w

t like a reminder of ev

erything she h

her pack the re

y, look

er eyes on

be that's the problem. I kept looking at you and seeing the man I fel

ace ch

true. You kno

nally turn

Do

ion hung b

answer, and that hesitation hurt

r head and wi

ore agitated and frustrated I become. I can't keep living like this, won

se and pulled the zipp

s the best thing

stared

e repeated. "You really believe lea

now how I'm going to explain this to the children or how I'm going to rebuild my li

he handles of the

her, but she lifted

on'

fr

s hoping to find a trace of the woman who would u

int where even the sight of

bags and walked

er. "Audrey! Just listen to me. You know I would

he hallway and sl

isbelief cro

st had t

d swa

uri

he replied sarcastically. "Rea

head and cont

growing as he realized that none o

his. Please. We can

had hea

heir shoes. Charlie looked excited about visiting his grandfather, while Tessie g

ully set the

and Charlie. Go

rried towar

leaving n

eetheart.

for a moment and l

are you

s heart

nd brushed a strand of hair

ust go and get into the c

nother second before foll

ildren leave. The sight seemed to make the situatio

were

g, and his children

his voice falling in

udrey. Don'

e suitcases again

David, so don't both

face

her voice quieter n

eak to you over the phone once in a while

at?" he asked. "They

d that before making choices tha

no immedi

the door, but his voic

Au

complete

ilent. She stood with her back to him, gripping the

at

would pull her close after a difficult day, make her laugh when she w

man to return that she had almost forg

udrey turn

all me th

r, startled by the

udr

ho loved me back then, gets to call me that. I don't know where he went, David.

but she forced h

er comes back, tell

tood mot

so unfortunate t

t simply angry. He was watching the consequences of his choices unfold righ

tears and gave h

dbye,

turned and

dn't lo

toward the car. Tessie and Charlie were already inside, waiting for the

ter, the car

that, she

e silence that followed was unbearable. Only minutes earlier, the house ha

ere was

Au

chil

tsteps moving th

ted with anger

t the

oom came into view, with the couch standing where it alwa

ng looked

ing felt

uttered, his voice rising. "Ho

ion, then turned toward the tabl

amn

ely noticed. His mind was racing, repla

lready

all me t

ortunate tha

, furious at Audrey for walking away, and perhaps m

ght there would be another conversation, another chance to

had made h

e, David was left alon

door, his breathing heav

o this to me, Aud

e offered

for granted was driving away with their children, leavin