No Goodbye, Just Gone

I held Darryl's warm little body like a drowning person clutching a lifeline. "I won't cry. Darryl, let's go home. Back to our home."

There were only seven days left. I'd take care of everything and take Darryl back to our home.

I planned to pick out some fabric to make Darryl a couple of new outfits.

Over the years, because of my in-laws' poor health, there was never any spare money.

Darryl was already seven, yet he didn't own a single piece of clothing without patches.

The store on the military base was much bigger than the one in our village, and the fabric choices were better.

I stood there carefully picking through the cloth.

Just as I made my choice, a familiar female voice sounded beside me. "Kyson, why are you buying me moisturizing cream again? I haven't even finished the last one."

Jodie blinked shyly at the man in front of her.

Kyson looked at her tenderly, and his tone was completely different from the coldness he showed me. "If you can't use it all, just keep it. I just feel like buying it for you."

Jodie covered her lips and coyly complained, "That would be such a waste."

A smirk played on Kyson's lips as he dismissed her concern. "If it's for you, it's never a waste."

I stood nearby, nearly crushing the fabric in my hands.

One jar of that kind of moisturizing cream cost more than a bag of flour.

In the village, few women could afford that.

I'd been married to Kyson for eight years, scrimping and saving all that time. He'd never bought me moisturizing cream, and I'd never even dared buy it for myself.

Sometimes, when passing by those young women, I couldn't help but stop and secretly breathe in the scent left in the air.

I never used to envy anyone.

Now, I just felt pathetic.

It turned out that all my and Darryl's sacrifices were so Kyson could save money to spoil another woman.

By the time I finally managed to steady my emotions, the couple had already walked away.

I turned to see their backs growing smaller in the distance. I stood there in the shadows, like a scruffy gray mouse.

Just then, the saleswoman approached and asked, "Have you decided which fabric you want?"

I nodded, setting down the white cloth and picking up a piece of deep blue fabric. "I'll take two of these. How much is it?"

The saleswoman was surprised and told me the price.

I smiled faintly, swallowing the sting inside.

Even the most expensive cloth in the store wasn't worth as much as a simple jar of moisturizing cream.

That night, after putting Darryl to bed, I quietly sat in the living room sewing. The day to leave was coming soon. I had to finish the clothes quickly.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

A cold male voice startled me.

Without looking up, I continued with what I was doing. "It's getting colder. I want to make Darryl some new clothes."

Kyson came over and frowned when he saw the blue cloth in my hands. "Why buy such expensive fabric? Darryl's still young. Anything will do. I don't see other kids around here wearing anything this fancy."

I bit the thread and moved to a new spot to sew. "Other kids are other kids. Darryl is my son. I want to make him nice clothes."

Kyson's expression darkened. "Gisselle, is this because I won't let Darryl call me 'dad'? He doesn't even mind. Why do you have a problem with that?"

My sewing stopped. I stared at the fabric, lost in thought.

Darryl didn't mind because he was a thoughtful kid. But since when did being thoughtful mean accepting injustice?

Maybe my silence angered Kyson. He suddenly grabbed the fabric from my hands.

The needle pricked my palm, drawing blood. I gasped.

Kyson froze, the anger on his face instantly dissolving into a look of guilt.