THE DIVORCE HE FINALLY SAID
The room is unusually quiet.
Larry stands near the window, staring outside. His jaw is tense, and his hands are folded tightly in front of him.
Bethany sits across the room, watching him carefully. She can tell something is wrong.
For several seconds, neither of them speaks.
Larry slowly turns toward her.
His expression is serious. He looks tired from everything that has happened between them.
Bethany immediately becomes nervous. She sits up straight and looks directly at him.
Larry takes a long breath. He looks down for a moment, as if trying to find the right words.
Then he finally looks at her.
Silence fills the room.
Bethany freezes. For a moment, she doesn’t even seem to understand what she just heard.
Her eyes widen.
Larry doesn’t move. His face shows pain, frustration, and exhaustion.
Bethany’s eyes immediately fill with tears. She shakes her head slowly.
Her voice becomes unsteady.
Larry looks away.
Bethany stands up. She wipes her tears, trying desperately to remain composed.
Bethany takes a step toward him.
Larry remains silent.
Bethany’s tears begin falling freely.
She struggles to breathe normally.
Bethany looks at him in disbelief.
Larry doesn’t answer immediately. That silence gives Bethany her answer.
She turns away, covering her face as she cries.
Larry watches her walk toward the hallway.
She stops.
For one second, she looks back at him. Her face is full of sadness.
She turns around and walks into her bedroom.
Bethany closes the door behind her.
She stands against it for a moment, trying to control her emotions.
Then she looks around the room. Everything suddenly feels different.
She walks toward her closet and opens it. She begins pulling clothes from the closet and placing them into a suitcase.
Her hands tremble. Tears continue running down her cheeks.
She pauses. She looks at the suitcase.
Bethany continues packing. She gathers her personal belongings, closes the suitcase, and takes a deep breath.
She looks around the room one final time. There is sadness in her eyes.
She picks up her suitcase and walks toward the door.
Larry is still standing where Bethany left him. He hears the bedroom door open.
He turns around.
Bethany walks into the room carrying her suitcase. Larry looks surprised.
She tightens her grip on the suitcase handle.
Larry doesn’t respond.
Bethany slowly walks toward the front door.
Larry watches her quietly.
Bethany opens the door. She walks out. The door closes behind her.
Larry remains completely still.
Bethany walks toward her car with her suitcase.
She stops beside the vehicle and looks back at the house.
For a moment, she considers going back inside. But she doesn’t.
She places her suitcase in the car and gets inside. The car slowly pulls away.
The front door opens. Bethany walks inside carrying her suitcase.
Her father, Mr. Newburger, is sitting in the living room. He immediately notices her expression.
Bethany looks at him. Her eyes fill with tears again.
Bethany puts her suitcase down.
She struggles to continue.
Mr. Newburger’s expression changes instantly. He looks shocked.
Bethany nods.
Mr. Newburger slowly sits down. Bethany sits beside him.
Bethany begins crying again.
Bethany looks at him.
Bethany nods slowly.
Bethany leans back against the couch. For the first time that night, she allows herself to breathe.
Larry sits alone on the couch. The house feels strangely empty.
He looks toward the hallway where Bethany had disappeared earlier. His expression changes.
Regret begins to appear on his face.
He picks up his phone but doesn’t call her. He puts it back down.
He stares into the distance. But his eyes reveal that saying those words hasn’t made the decision any easier.
Bethany lies awake in the guest room. Her suitcase sits unopened beside the bed.
She stares at the ceiling. Her mind keeps replaying Larry’s words.
Bethany closes her eyes. A tear rolls down her cheek.
Across town, Larry is also awake. Neither of them can sleep.
THE DIVORCE HE FINALLY SAID
The room is unusually quiet.
Larry stands near the window, staring outside. His jaw is tense, and his hands are folded tightly in front of him.
Bethany sits across the room, watching him carefully. She can tell something is wrong.
For several seconds, neither of them speaks.
Larry slowly turns toward her.
His expression is serious. He looks tired from everything that has happened between them.
Bethany immediately becomes nervous. She sits up straight and looks directly at him.
Larry takes a long breath. He looks down for a moment, as if trying to find the right words.
Then he finally looks at her.
Silence fills the room.
Bethany freezes. For a moment, she doesn’t even seem to understand what she just heard.
Her eyes widen.
Larry doesn’t move. His face shows pain, frustration, and exhaustion.
Bethany’s eyes immediately fill with tears. She shakes her head slowly.
Her voice becomes unsteady.
Larry looks away.
Bethany stands up. She wipes her tears, trying desperately to remain composed.
Bethany takes a step toward him.
Larry remains silent.
Bethany’s tears begin falling freely.
She struggles to breathe normally.
Bethany looks at him in disbelief.
Larry doesn’t answer immediately. That silence gives Bethany her answer.
She turns away, covering her face as she cries.
Larry watches her walk toward the hallway.
She stops.
For one second, she looks back at him. Her face is full of sadness.
She turns around and walks into her bedroom.
Bethany closes the door behind her.
She stands against it for a moment, trying to control her emotions.
Then she looks around the room. Everything suddenly feels different.
She walks toward her closet and opens it. She begins pulling clothes from the closet and placing them into a suitcase.
Her hands tremble. Tears continue running down her cheeks.
She pauses. She looks at the suitcase.
Bethany continues packing. She gathers her personal belongings, closes the suitcase, and takes a deep breath.
She looks around the room one final time. There is sadness in her eyes.
She picks up her suitcase and walks toward the door.
Larry is still standing where Bethany left him. He hears the bedroom door open.
He turns around.
Bethany walks into the room carrying her suitcase. Larry looks surprised.
She tightens her grip on the suitcase handle.
Larry doesn’t respond.
Bethany slowly walks toward the front door.
Larry watches her quietly.
Bethany opens the door. She walks out. The door closes behind her.
Larry remains completely still.
Bethany walks toward her car with her suitcase.
She stops beside the vehicle and looks back at the house.
For a moment, she considers going back inside. But she doesn’t.
She places her suitcase in the car and gets inside. The car slowly pulls away.
The front door opens. Bethany walks inside carrying her suitcase.
Her father, Mr. Newburger, is sitting in the living room. He immediately notices her expression.
Bethany looks at him. Her eyes fill with tears again.
Bethany puts her suitcase down.
She struggles to continue.
Mr. Newburger’s expression changes instantly. He looks shocked.
Bethany nods.
Mr. Newburger slowly sits down. Bethany sits beside him.
Bethany begins crying again.
Bethany looks at him.
Bethany nods slowly.
Bethany leans back against the couch. For the first time that night, she allows herself to breathe.
Larry sits alone on the couch. The house feels strangely empty.
He looks toward the hallway where Bethany had disappeared earlier. His expression changes.
Regret begins to appear on his face.
He picks up his phone but doesn’t call her. He puts it back down.
He stares into the distance. But his eyes reveal that saying those words hasn’t made the decision any easier.
Bethany lies awake in the guest room. Her suitcase sits unopened beside the bed.
She stares at the ceiling. Her mind keeps replaying Larry’s words.
Bethany closes her eyes. A tear rolls down her cheek.
Across town, Larry is also awake. Neither of them can sleep.