The telephone rang at precisely 5:00 p.m. Jennifer picked up the phone, "Hello."
"Ill be home by 5:30, be ready, I really need you," click.
Jennifer stood rooted to the floor, the phone still in her hand with tears welling up and beginning to spill down her beautiful face. Ha, beautiful face; but would it still be beautiful after tonight with Mark? She never knew. Jennifer finally put the phone back in its holder, lifted her head and said, "no more. NO MORE!" The last no more was more of a yell than a statement and snapped Jennifer back into reality.
She walked to the hall closet, pulled out a suitcase and put it on the bed. She began filling it with everything she thought she would need and closed it. Well, whatever she forgot she could pick up later. She then walked to the rear of the closet to her shoes and reached for a box in the back, She opened the box, smiled and took out an envelope. In this envelope held her freedom. Jennifer had been squirreling away money for years, just for this moment. And today, she thought, was that moment. And how appropriate, the envelope had been hiddden in a box labeled Walking Shoes. She put the envelope in her purse, turned out the light and closed the closet door. She was really going to do it, walk out on Mark leaving this awful life behind her. and begin again The begin again part was a little firghtening, as Jennifer had no idea where she would go. With that thought, ten minutes to spare before Mark got home, she turned off the oven with the meatloaf still inside and hurried ou the front door.
When Jennifer passed though the front gate of their yard, she noticed how peaceful the world seemed. People were gathering their kids for bathes, others were beginning to arrive home from work; and she was running away.
Jennifer put her head down and headed to the corner Walgreens where she phoned for a cab. Approximately eight minutes later a Yellow Cab pulled up, Jennifer got in and closed the door behind her and did not look back.
As the cab pulled away from the curb, the driver turned to ask his fare where to; however, his fare had her hands in her face sobbing.
When the cab began to slow down, Jennifer jerked her head up and yelled, "Don't stop!" Then more like a plea, "Please, don't stop."
The cab driver merged back in to traffic and asked, "Where to?" There was no answer, only a slight loud breath catching. "Are you okay, maam?" the driver seemed concerned and kept an eye on the woman in the back seat of his cab by way of the rear view mirror.
