She opened her eyes that morning slowly, a soft exhalation in the quiet morning. It had been so long since she’d woken up by her own clock, no children to chase around with toothbrushes or missing socks, not having to dodge her husband’s goodbye kiss as he left for work. Something like a smile touched the corners of her mouth.
It wasn’t something she’d ever thought about before, but once the thought crossed her mind, like a virus it invaded all parts of her brain. She’d see a coupon for ground beef and think about how much she’d save if she didn’t have to feed four other mouths, she’d sit after a long day with aching feet and resent her children for being unable to pick up after themselves.
She made the plans, put those steps into action, but it wasn’t until she was loading up her car with her favorite belongings that she realized it was something she was actually going through with. She had thought many times through those months that there’d be a step she just wouldn’t be able to complete, wouldn’t have the heart to do. But here she was.
She exhaled a shaky breath as she waited for her car to heat up, wondering if her husband, or any of the kids, had woken in the early morning light looking for her. She stared at the front door, waiting for her husband to stumble out, still in his boxers, maybe a shirt thrown on, pulling his shoes on, that look in his eyes when she said something he just didn’t quite get in his expression.
But he didn’t. The house remained empty. She put the car into reverse, and drove away in silence.
