“Go ahead,” she said calmly, cutting him off. “The baby is important.”
He was relieved and idssed her on the forehead. “I’ll be back soon.
She watched him nish off, then walled over to the time capsule and found Clifford’s letter. On the envelope were the words: “To the 26–year–old Clitfood“,
She hesitated before opening it.
The paper had yellowed with age, but the handwriting was still clear, 16–year–old Clifford had written in bold, carefree strokes.
“To the 26 year old Clifford
“By now, you must be mamied to Tess, right? I envy you. The life you have now is everything I’ve ever dreamed of
“So, listen to me. You’d better treat Tess well and spoil her like she’s your entire world. If you don’t, I swear I’ll never forgive you.
“You have to warm her milk every night. Het stomach’s weak. You have to take her to Aceland to see the northem lights. She’s talked about it for seven years.
“You have to remember that she hates rainy days, and that she’s allergic to peanut butter. Most of all, she’s afraid of the dark so never, ever let her walkhome alone at night.”
And at the very end of the letter, there was a linement for her in tiny handwriting.
It read, “Tess, if the me ten years from now doesn’t treat you right, leave him. Never forgive him.”
She gently ran her fingers over that line. And then, her tears finally fell. “Alright,” she whispered to no one. “I’ll do what you said, ”
After the recon, Tessa hugend each classmate goodbye.
The class president’s eyes wear red. “You had better come back for the next one, alright?”
However, there would be no next the
After she left, she headed stralel to the courthouse.
Their divorce agreement would become official that day. She could finally collect her divorce papers. Her marriage to Clifford would come to an end. The staff repeatedly asked, “Mk. Turner, are you sure about this?
“I’m sure. “Tessa then watched as the official seal was stamped down. It fell like a chunk of her chest had been hallowed out, but at the same time, there was a Strange Senured peace
Before she left, she erased all her personal records and bought one–way plane ticket
A the plane tookoll, the sunset outside the window was a deep, blood–red color.
She stared out at the sky and suddenly remembered that when they were 18, he had comered her after school and said, “Tess, you’re mine. You can’t run,” Replaying that memory, she thought, “Clifford, you were wrong. I’m choosing to run away this time, and I’m never coming back.”
