The woman – barely more than a girl – fingered the smudged note, written on lined paper, that she had just placed beside her husband's still, sleeping form. She regretted that she couldn't say goodbye to his face, but was also glad. She didn't want to see the pain and betrayal that would fill his expressive, beautiful face.
That was what had first caught her attention in highschool. He had been a senior, two years older but they'd stayed in touch after he graduated. They married the year she graduated, a nice story book wedding with white cake, a poofy white dress, and her father in tears as he walked her down the isle.
Everyone thought it was so sweet, a match made in heaven, heck even she was convinced it was her happily ever after. Only her sensible sister had wondered if things might have been going a little to fast. Things had been a little shaky at first – the new bride had grown up in Texas and the rain in Forks didn't help the stress of new marriage – but then she'd gotten pregnant and things seemed to settle down, at least for a while.
Everyone was happy an then... then something had changed. Something had gone wrong. She had fallen out of love perhaps. It had nagged and nagged at the back of her mind, the rain always keeping her up, the low hanging clouds always seeming like they were pushing her down.
And that wasn't the only problem. It wasn't like she wanted a divorce or she wanted to leave her husband... she just wanted it to go away. She just want to be free not only of the stupid ice water that was constantly pouring down but of the marriage itself. Even it had it's own oppressing force and she'd kept thinking why she had never wondered what happened after after the happily ever after. She had certainly never imagined it going like this.
She was sure now that it had been a mistake. She'd been too young, gone at it too quick, and now she was stuck. It wasn't that she hated or even disliked her husband or her beautiful baby girl, but the whole thing was just too much.
As if to remind her of her purpose, rain began to fall against the roof of the house. The woman slipped quietly out of the room and tiptoed down the hallway to where a baby girl – her baby girl – lay sleeping quietly. She ran a mental checklist of the things she needed. Her thick coat was already wrapped around her, in one pocket was the too-small wad of bills that she had managed to scrounge up over the past few weeks, a duffel bag filled with clothes, various protein bars, and baby formula powder, waited by the front door. She wished again that she could take the car, but taking her husbands police cruiser would probably be illegal not to mention she would stick out like a sore thumb. Besides, she didn't want to take any part of him with her. It hurt too much.
She blinked back tears and gently lifted the peaceful child out of her crib, wrapping her in her blanket, decorated with pink teddy bears. As the tiny girl was lifted into her mother's arms, a piercing wail escaped her lips.
A man's voice came from the bedroom, accompanied by the sound of someone trying to quickly free themselves of numerous blankets. "Bella? Bella, shh, it's okay! Renée, can you get her bottle? Shh, Bella, I'm coming!"
The woman – Renée – looked around frantically before dashing down the stairs. She snatched up the duffel bag and opened the door but a hand caught her arm before she could step though it.
"Renée?" a man's voice asked, filled with confusion and pain.
She took a deep breath. She had hoped not to do this. Selfishly she had left the note, cold and distant, rather than face the pain of telling him herself. Coward, she thought bitterly."Charlie, I'm leaving," she said, unable to look him in the eye.
"What – why?"
"I don't want this anymore. I can't stay here."
"What do you mean?"
She couldn't help it then. All the thoughts bundled inside her that had been building up for months finally burst out. "I hate it here! I'm sick of it. I don't want to be a part of this! I don't want to be that stupid back country hic that gets married right out of highschool. I'm leaving! I'm leaving before I get stuck here and waste the rest of my life in this blasted swamp."
He was stunned for a moment. "But -"
"No Charlie. I'm leaving! I don't want this. I want out! I want out of this town, I want out of this marriage, I want out of this life! Let me go!" She yanked her arm out of his grip and took a step forward but his tear-filled voice stopped her when his hands didn't.
"No! Stay! Please, wait until tomorrow! Let's talk this over!"
She was gasping with tears, because the fact was, she knew that he didn't deserve this. But she couldn't stay. "I can't," she choked out through the tears.
"Renée, honey, I love you. Stay," he begged.
Renée bit her lip, tears streaming freely down her face. "No."
Clutching the baby in her arms more tightly, Renée hurried out of the house and all but ran down the black street, her past disappearing into the darkness behind her.