IT WAS MONDAY AFTERNOON, and I was going home with my best friend Ava. We had an art project to work on. “Hey, Krys! Maybe our poster should have a dragon theme!” Ava said. “That’s a great idea!” I said as we reached her house. Ava had just unlocked the door when my phone started to ring. “Hold on, give me a sec.”  I looked at the caller ID. It was my dad. “Hey Dad! Wassup?” I asked. “Krys, I’m on my way to pick you up right now.” He said urgently. 

“But I just got here! We still haven’t star -” Dad cut me off. 

“I know, but this is serious.” He said with a hint of sadness in his voice.

 “Are you leaving already?” Ava asked me quietly. I shrugged. 

“But you literally just promised me this morning that . . .” I trailed off as I saw his small red car pull up into the driveway. Dad rolled down his window. “C’mon, Krys! Get in the car!” He said. I turned over to look at Ava. “Bye.” I said as I hugged her. 

“Bye.” She said, “See you tomorrow?” I shrugged. “I hope so.” I said, then I turned around and ran to the car. I hopped in the front seat.  Dad backed out of the driveway and we drove in 

silence for a while. “Er, um, Dad? What’s going on?” I asked. His face was grim. 

“Your mother. Um, well. She, erm, uh. Well she -” 

I cut him off. “She left us, didn’t she?” I said, asking it like it was a yes or no question. But I already knew the answer. She had been threatening to leave almost everyday now. Usually when I did something wrong. Dad sighed. 

“Yes. She, um. She left you this.” Dad said as he pulled a letter out of the glove compartment. I checked the seal to make sure he hadn’t opened it yet. He hadn’t. I opened it. And started to read it.

“She’s not coming back.” I said quietly.