Emily read that sentence twice.
There it was.
Even after finding the empty closet and the note, he still believed the problem was her reaction, not his choice.
She did not respond.
Back at the apartment, Michael paced between the kitchen and living room.
He opened cabinets as though a complete dinner might be hiding behind the cereal.
He found half a bag of rice, two cans of beans, and coffee without filters.
He called his mother.
Patricia answered on the second ring.
“Hi, sweetheart.”
“Emily left.”
There was a pause.
“Left where?”
“Left me.
She packed everything while I was at work.”
Patricia’s voice hardened.
“Over what?”
Michael hesitated.
“I told her what you said.
About me being able to do better.”
“You told her that directly?”
“I was trying to be honest.”
Patricia exhaled.
“Well, disappearing without a conversation is childish.
I’ll call her.”
Michael felt a wave of relief.
His mother would handle it.
She always knew what to say.
She would make Emily understand that leaving was excessive, embarrassing, and inconvenient.
Patricia called Emily five minutes later.
Emily almost ignored it, but Nadia looked at the screen and said, “You may want her words in writing.”
Emily let the call go to voicemail.
Patricia left a clipped message asking her to return the key, stop playing games, and behave like an adult.
Emily responded by text.
“The spare key was left on the kitchen counter.
I photographed it before leaving.
My portion of this month’s rent has been paid.
I have also notified the landlord that I will not renew the lease.
Please direct any other concerns to Michael.”
Patricia called again.
This time Emily answered.
“Whatever point you’re making,” Patricia said, “you have made it.
Go back and fix this before it becomes uglier than it needs to be.”
“Fix what?”
“The apartment.
The bills.
This performance.
Michael says you took the food and left him with everything.”
Emily looked toward Nadia, who was quietly washing a cup at the sink.
“Did Michael tell you I paid two months of rent when his car broke down?”
Silence.
“Did he tell you we split the bills? Did he tell you the internet and several utilities were in my name because paperwork overwhelmed him?”
Patricia recovered quickly.
“Couples help each other.
That doesn’t justify walking out.”
