Chapter 19 - Crossing the Threshold
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I carried Harrison out to my car. He was bundled up in a thick winter coat and a knit hat, clutching a stuffed bear tightly to his chest. He was exhausted from the chaos of the day, his heavy eyelids drooping as I securely strapped him into his car seat.
"Where are we going, Mommy?" Harrison mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes.
"We're going on a special adventure, baby," I whispered, kissing his cold cheek. "To a new house. Just you and me."
"Is Daddy meeting us there?" he asked innocently.
The question pierced my heart, but I kept my voice incredibly steady. "No, sweetie. Daddy is staying far away for a while."
I closed the car door, shielding him from the bitter wind. Snow had begun to fall again, dusting the driveway in a fresh, pristine layer of white. It was erasing the tire tracks of the moving truck, erasing the footprints of the life I was leaving behind.
I walked around to the driver’s side, pulled my keys from my pocket, and took one final, sweeping look at the beautiful suburban house that had been my entire world for five years. The lights were still on inside, casting a warm, deceptive glow onto the snow.
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I didn't leave a dramatic letter on the kitchen counter. I didn't leave a smashed wedding ring. I left the house keys on the kitchen island next to my old cell phone.
I got into the car, started the engine, and put it in drive. I didn't look in the rearview mirror as I pulled out of the neighborhood. I was driving into the storm, but for the first time in months, I was steering the wheel.
