September 23rd

She woke up to the sun on her face, streaming in through the open window. The sun was shining, but the morning air was crisp and cool. There was no frost on the ground, not yet, but Libby could tell the grass would be crisp with frost by the end of the week.

Libby rolled over and faced the empty side of the bed. Jim had already left. He was finding excuses to leave for work earlier and earlier. And they weren’t talking at night. Libby couldn’t remember saying more than three words to him last night: “hey” when he walked in the door, and “good night” when she went to bed.

This wasn’t working. She knew it, she could feel it, but it was so much easier to see it than to do something about it. But there was no reason to stay together. They weren’t married, they didn’t have kids, they were leasing the apartment. There were no loose ends.

Libby got out of bed and walked to the window. She looked down on the street below. She could do it, she could just pack up her stuff and leave. She could get her own apartment, get a cat, buy a sofa. They would both be happier without each other.

But was she strong enough to be on her own? Was her life so bad that she’d be better off alone? They didn’t fight, not really. He didn’t hit her or abuse her… but he didn’t love her. Not the way she deserved to be loved.

She deserved perfection. She deserved to have the world. To settle for anything less made no sense.

She walked away from the window and pulled her suitcase from the closet. She would pack a few things, go stay with her sister, and then come back for the rest of her things when she found an apartment of her own. She could call Jim, or leave a note, or even wait for him to come home, but she knew she really didn’t need to. He wouldn’t be surprised to find her gone. He needed a change, too.

She packed a week’s worth of clothes and snapped the suitcase closed. She called her sister, asked her if she could stay for a few days. Yes, of course, yes. She started out the door, then went back in for a scarf when she felt the September air on her cheeks. She smiled as she crunched through the fallen leaves on the sidewalk. She loved this time of year. Many people say that Autumn marks the end of life, but Libby knew she would always see it as a new beginning.

The Topic:
For this week’s prompt, write about a season of change for your character or you. It can be literal or metaphorical.