Part of me felt bad for leaving him like that, but another felt liberated.
For too long, I’d put his needs before mine, but now, I was doing something for myself! Something I needed to do to heal.
When I returned to the small hotel room I booked, my phone buzzed with a text. It was from Ethan.
“Elizabeth, where are you? I came home, and everything’s gone. Please, talk to me?”
I stared at the message, my heart heavy.
I knew I’d have to face him eventually, but for now, I needed this time to be with my thoughts, to mourn, and to figure out what came next. I set the phone down. The journey ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear: I was finally at peace.
