I was in the hallway. My brother was upstairs pretending not to listen while keeping my sister on speakerphone. Those two always stuck together when something like this happened.
Dad walked in and tried his usual voice. “Carol, let’s not do drama.”
Mom folded her hands. “Alright. I think we’re done.”
The next morning, without telling any of us first, she filed.
He laughed once. “Done?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“I do.”
The next morning, without telling any of us first, she filed.
I learned that only later. At the time, all I knew was that something had shifted. She was too quiet, too sure of herself.
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