Spencer got home from work completely exhausted. Her body felt like it would give out at any moment. She got out of her car grabbing her briefcase and purse in the process. Her car keys were firmly planted in her hand, her thumb clicking the remote to lock the doors. When she got up to the front door, she unlocked it, dropping her things near the front closet and closing the door and locking it.

            She walked through the living room and into the kitchen to grab a water bottle from the fridge when she noticed something sitting on the counter that hadn’t been there before she left to work. It was folded piece of paper with her name on it. She unfolded it and read:

            Spencer, I love you. Believe me. I love you more than anything in the world, but I need to leave. I have to go somewhere where I can clear my head and get my thoughts in order. I know I should probably tell you this in person, but I think it would hurt us both far too much. I know it’s hurting me just to write this. I can’t tell you where I’m going or where I’ll be just know that I’ll be okay. Please, don’t try to look for me.

            I love you.

            Ashley.

            Spencer‘s hand loosened around the piece of paper. It fell to the counter and then to the floor. She was speechless. There were no words that could describe the pain she felt, but there was also shock. She didn’t understand what had happened. They were so happy just the day before at her mother’s birthday party. What went wrong that fast? She couldn’t fathom what she could have done.

            She felt her knees give from under her. She fell to the floor and pulled her knees to her chest, tears falling from her eyes like raindrops in a heavy storm. They wouldn’t let up for what felt like hours to her. The sun that was blazing was now far set into the ocean. It was dark out; the only light coming into the house was from the street lights outside. She looked up at the clock on the microwave and sighed when she saw the time. 2:30 am. But she couldn’t move at all. She felt permanently secure to that one place on the floor. There was nowhere for her to go. Nothing for her to do. She felt useless, like nothing mattered. How could Ashley walk away? Just like that? I don’t understand. She couldn’t even tell me why? She continued to repeat over and over in her head. She played back their last days together and it just didn’t add up. She laid her head on her knees and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.