Member-only story
Sarah’s Departure
Sarah is leaving. We noticed the UHaul parked in the driveway when we got back from Mexico. I was startled, but didn’t take the time to formulate any thoughts about it. Nina said, “Maybe they’re moving.” That didn’t seem right. The UHaul was small. She and Carlos couldn’t fit everything into that. And the house hadn’t been for sale. And besides, where would they go in the middle of a pandemic?
Returning from my walk, I saw a guy half-hidden behind the open back door of the UHaul. I thought it might be Sarah’s husband Carlos, so I approached. The guy wasn’t Carlos. It was a stout, bald, 30-something mover, lugging stuff to the maw of the truck.
At the back of the garage, in the corner, I glimpsed Sarah. I called, “Hi Sarah.” She didn’t move. Her head was down, as if she was going over a list placed atop a box. Unsure now, I hesitated, then said again, “Hey, Sarah!” Again she made no move. There was no sense she’d heard me. But, I was pretty sure she had.
Neighbors sitting on their front porch across the street spotted me and called, “Hi, Janey!” I returned their greeting. Now I was certain Sarah knew I was there. I wasn’t sure if I should retreat, or even how, quite. I tried one more time, “Hey Sarah!”
This time, she raised her head and came out, and I knew from her slightly pinched face that she’d been hoping I’d go away. She looked…
