My mom picked me up. As I got into the car,
she tried to sound cheerful. “Jenna, remember
that university in England you wanted to go to?
Do you still want to apply? I could go with you.”
I turned from the window. She was watching me
anxiously in the rearview mirror.
“Mom, eyes on the road.”
“Right, right.” She quickly turned back. She’d been running herself ragged, dealing with
everything. Her face was etched with fatigue.
“Mom,” I said, “Thank you.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “No, thank you.
Thank you for being so strong.”
“I feel so guilty for telling you to forgive that…
that animal.”
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“After the holidays… let’s go to England.”
She paused, then smiled. “Okay.”
I stayed in England after finishing my master’s
degree. Four years later, I saw the news online:
Mark Thompson had been released from prison.
<
7:03
My mom became anxious, fearing retaliation. But I was strangely calm. I knew, deep down, that Mark would never cross my path again.
Not long after, a friend from back home called with an update. Mark, unable to find a job, had returned to his hometown, scraping by with odd jobs. His mother, released the year before, had discovered that Mark’s father had a girlfriend. She’d attacked the woman with a knife and was
back in prison.
I was surprised. The image of Mark’s quiet, unassuming father as a two–timing cheat felt jarring. Like father, like son, I guess.
Later, I heard that David had also been
released. The first thing he did was confront
Mark, blaming him for his imprisonment. My friend’s voice was laced with satisfaction.
“Jenna, they’re at each other’s throats!
Hospital visits, the whole nine yards. It’s poetic
justice!”
I thanked her, then said, “I don’t want to hear
about them anymore.”
Good or bad, I didn’t care. I had my own life to
live. It was time to remove this thorn from my
side, once and for all.
“Okay,” she said, and after a bit more small
talk, we hung up.
“Jenna! Your friends are here!” My mom called
from downstairs.
I grabbed my things and went down. A group of friends, people I’d met in England, greeted me
with hugs and laughter.
“Mom, I’m going out,” I said.
The sun was shining. Puddles lingered from yesterday’s rain. We walked quickly, laughing,
and a few drops of water splashed onto my
skirt.
<
7:03
from downstairs.
83
I grabbed my things and went down. A group of
friends, people I’d met in England, greeted me with hugs and laughter.
“Mom, I’m going out,” I said.
The sun was shining. Puddles lingered from yesterday’s rain. We walked quickly, laughing, and a few drops of water splashed onto my
skirt.
“You got your skirt dirty,” someone pointed out.
I smiled. “It’s okay.”
Right now, being happy was all that mattered.
The End.
