Kite In The Snow by Karla Lopez
I anxiously wait for Wyatt to walk through the door. I know that Travis means what he says, and I know what I have to do. I don’t think I’m strong enough for it. I’m not strong enough to break Wyatt’s heart, but I have to do it.
Twenty more minutes pass after Wyatt comes through the door with a bright smile. How much I’m going to miss seeing that smile.
“Hey, baby, what are you doing up?”
“We need to talk.” His smile drops as he watches me. He knows something is up, and I can see the fear in his eyes.
“About what?” he asks cautiously without moving from the entryway.
“I think you should sit down.” I gesture to the spot next to me, but Wyatt stays in place, his eyes never wavering.
“Just tell me, Mae.”
I take a deep breath. "Carter and I are going home.”
His eyebrows crease as his cheeks flush with color. “You guys are home.”
I shake my head. “No,” I whisper. “This isn’t our home. Carter should get to know his dad, and where I came from.”
“Mae, you hate that place. I don’t understand?”
“I’m willing to make it work with Travis. I-I love him.” Those words taste bitter in my mouth, but I have to say them for Wyatt to let me go.
“Mae—” he clears his throat as he rapidly blinks. “I love you. Both of you so much. I would literally crawl to the end of the earth to keep you both safe. I thought you loved me.”
I swallow the tears as his words hit my ears. This is much harder than I thought it was going to be. I’m breaking the one person who’s loved me unconditionally and my son without regard that he wasn’t his.
I can see the heartbreak in his eyes as he tries to catch his breath. I can see it right in his poetry eyes that he’s losing the one thing he’s longed for his whole life. A family.
I say the words that I know will break him. I have my bags packed, and I know I must say this to keep him away. I can’t lose my son.
“I realized I didn’t love you. I just needed somewhere to stay. After thinking for a while, I realized Carter needs his dad because you’ll never be it.”
His eyes turn bleak, and I can see it like a slow-motion movie that he’s come to the realization that he’s lost me and that I’m taking his heart with me.
In all reality, I’m leaving mine here with him. Our hearts our broken pieces in a bloody puddle. We’ll never be the same.
“Okay,” his voice rasps from contained tears.
I grab my bags and Carter without looking at him. I know that if I do, I’ll break.
“Mae.” The way he says my name makes me pause, but I don’t—I can’t turn around.
“I pray that you’ll always be safe and loved, both of you.”
I break down with tears running down my cheeks, as I walk out of the only home I’ve ever known.