Day 1 - Ellie
Hugging the kids goodbye is easy. It almost doesn't feel real.
It's like they're only going away to a sleepover, or a summer camp, or something of the sort. She feels as though she'll see them again. They'll come back to her. Because she's their mother, and those are her kids.
And how can she be sad when she holds them in her arms?
It's Juan's refusal to let go that almost breaks her, that almost makes it feel real.
Out of all of them, he's the one she least expected it from. Her sweet angel, she never would've expected him to resist leaving.
But she has to be strong from him, so she finally untangles him from his grasp by promising that they will see him very soon, because this is not goodbye forever. And how can it be? He's her son. Her child. Of course she'll see him soon.
It doesn't feel real. None of it feels real.
When she goes to hug Lita goodbye, the little girl releases her with a 'Bye Mommy'. Of course she does. Because she's her mother, and that's her daughter, her youngest. What else would she say?
She doesn't linger, and doesn't say much either, because this is not goodbye, not really. It's more of a see you later, because this day cannot possibly be real, and she cannot possibly be saying goodbye to her babies for the last time.
Lizzy's the last one to say goodbye. Ellie refrains from enveloping her into a hug because she knows her daughter likes her space. And there will be time for hugs later, anyhow, because she will see her kids soon. So she waves her daughter goodbye, reminding her that she's got their phone numbers in case anything happens. Doing what any other mother would do.
When the car drives off, she goes inside the house and goes directly to her room, to finish off the design she's been working on. She works and works and works through dinner. She doesn't even hear Pete calling her name. When she can't see the design in front of her anymore and notices it's dark outside, she stops. She gets ready for bed and goes to sleep. It doesn't even matter to her that it's only 8pm. She's ready for this day to be over.