The next morning, I took a cab to the airport,
leaving the city behind.
The security line was crowded. I heard a
shout:
“Mia!”
Mark was standing there, looking furious. He
was holding his phone, with my flight
information on the screen.
“Where are you going? Why didn’t you tell
く
He was getting closer, his voice full of rage.
I remembered I’d used Mark’s phone number
when I booked the ticket. I’d forgotten to
change it.
“We’re done. I’m going home.”
I said it very clearly. Mark understood I meant
my old home.
I tried to walk past him, but he grabbed my
arm.
“What are you doing? Mikey has school. Have
you thought about him?”
“Come home. I’m leaving.”
く
I knew he thought he had me where he
wanted.
“Mikey is not coming home to you. He is in a
better place, I am not going home with
someone who did not love and accept me.”
I started to cry.
“Son? Ha!”
“He won’t be with you, you left Mikey when
you started to see that thing”
He walked toward me with all his might and I
started yelling louder.
Mikey can never come to you again, he is
never coming. That boy has nothing for your
empty soul.
く
I pushed him away, turned to leave. Sarah
blocked my way.
“You don’t have to do this. You are not a
good person, leave him for me, you are
nothing for him”
Sarah was playing the innocent, sweet girl. It
was disgusting.
“Get out of my way! This is between me and
him. You have nothing to do with it!”
I didn’t even touch her, but she staggered
back, almost falling.
“What are you doing!”
Mark grabbed Sarah and glared at me.
<
As he was reaching for me, my bag broke.
Mikey’s ashes spilled on the floor.
My head went blank.
I screamed, “Mikey!!”
- 9.
Sarah stepped closer, scraping her shoe on
the floor.
“Eww, what is that? It’s filthy.”
I saw the triumph in her eyes.
I slapped her. Hard.
<
The sound echoed in the airport.
Sarah’s face was red and swollen.
Mark grabbed me and threw me to the
ground.
“Mia, you psycho! Now you’re hitting people?
Do you want to die?”
My mouth filled with blood.
I didn’t care. I crawled across the floor,
gathering up my son’s ashes.
Mark kicked me.
He kicked the ashes away.
く
“Enough! Where is my son?”
“You’re not good. Just give me the boy you
crazy women”
I was broken. I couldn’t even scream. I just
tried to protect Mikey.
“Talk to me! Do you want to destroy me to
get what you want?”
Mark yanked me up, shaking me.
He looked at the bag that had carried the
ashes.
He grabbed it and ripped it open.
The bag was destroyed.
<
Mikey’s funeral card and death certificate fell
to the floor.
Mark stared.
“You faked this? You’re cursing your own
son? You’re insane!”
- 10.
I couldn’t take it anymore.
The grief turned into rage.
“You killed him! You didn’t get that money,
you are going to destroy everything!”
“I’m going to kill you!”
I screamed, trying to attack Mark.
<
Security came running and pulled me off him.
They looked at the scene. They didn’t say a word. They just tried to calm me down.
They carefully gathered the ashes and put
them in a sealed bag.
Then, Mark, Sarah, and I were taken to the
police station.
Mark sat there, his face hard, but his voice
was softer.
“Mia, you can’t pretend that your son is dead.
Where have you hidden him?”
Even now, he thought I was lying.
I laughed, a desperate. hollow sound.
<
“You don’t believe me? The hospital called
you, sent you messages. Why didn’t you
answer?”
Mark looked confused. “The hospital? I didn’t
know.”
Sarah jumped in.
“Baby, you have so many meetings. You miss
calls all the time.”
“There is no lie, you need help, just don’t act
crazing and leave them alone”
A cop slammed his hand on the table.
“Stop it! We are getting down to the bottom
of this.”
<
After a long lecture, we were released.
It was dusk. The sky was gray.
The ash box was broken and it was too late
to go back to get the cab and fly.
I looked back at Mark.
“If you don’t believe me, check the hospital
records. It’s all there.”
Sarah laughed, “Stop doing that, you have
serious problems”
But Mark didn’t say anything.
He just watched me leave.
