At their bedroom door she stopped for a moment, needing to quiet herself and to stop her teeth from chattering. She would cry, plead, anything but leave this place that she had come to think of as a second home. Bracing for their encounter, Sarina turned the knob. Holding her breath, she opened the door and stepped into their room. It was dark; the shades were pulled down. He’s asleep, she thought, and tiptoed to the bed, which to her surprise was vacant, the covers smooth and undisturbed.

“Zack, where are you?” Sarina turned, her eyes moving from wall to wall, corner to corner. She entered the bathroom, also empty, every towel in place. Sarina flung open the closet doors and gasped to see the row of empty hangers. It was then, as she swung about, wide-eyed, searching for a sign of her husband, that she saw the folded sheet of paper half tucked beneath a pillow. Her heart tumbled to the pit of her belly, and for an instant she stood by the closet, too confused to move. Then she ran to the bed and grabbed the letter and sank into the rocking chair by the window. Tentatively, she unfolded the paper and read its message. Then she lowered her head into her hands and wept.

Roused from a deep and dreamless asleep by the sound of someone crying, Hannah was on her feet and in the hall, and followed the sounds to Sarina’s bedroom. The door stood ajar. Hannah entered. Asking no questions, she kneeled beside the young woman and cradled her in her arms.

Finally, as the heaving shoulders stilled and the weeping stopped, Hannah asked, “Tell me what has happened. Why are you crying like this?”

Red-rimmed and swollen eyes stared at Hannah, and for a moment they filled with gratitude. Still, it took several minutes before Sarina could compose herself and catch her breath. Then she said in a soft, pained voice, “He’s gone. Zachary’s gone.”

Hannah was not surprised; she was relieved. “Gone? Gone where?”

Sarina handed Hannah the crumpled ball of paper. “I found this on the bed.”

Damn Zachary! What had he done now? Slowly, Hannah unfolded the crinkled ball and smoothed it. Zachary’s letter was written on Max’s dairy stationery.

Dear Sarina,