I didn’t leave a note. I didn’t say goodbye.
I simply vanished into the desert for my spa week.
My phone started blowing up at exactly 5:45 p.m.
Jason.
“Mom, the power is out. Did you forget to pay the bill?”
Jason.
“Mom, the water isn’t working either. Where are you?”
“Jason, mom, answer your phone. This isn’t funny.”
I sat on the balcony of my resort room sipping a cucumber water and watched the sunset.
I swiped his notifications away and put my phone on do not disturb.
They couldn’t call the utility companies to turn it back on because their names weren’t on the deed. And they had zero proof of residency or lease agreements.
Even if they tried, it would take days and massive deposits to establish new service.
They were stuck in a dark, hot with no running water, no Wi-Fi, and no food in the locked pantry.
I knew Sarah wouldn’t last a single night without a hot shower and air conditioning.
The next morning, I checked my phone. There were 14 missed calls and dozens of texts.
Jason, Sarah, Sarah is freaking out. We had to go to a hotel. You win. Okay, we’re looking for apartments today. Just turn the power back on so we can pack.
I typed a brief reply.
“Take all the time you need to pack during daylight hours. Leave your keys on the kitchen counter when you are done. Do not contact me again until you are out of my house.”
I hit send, set my phone down, and headed to my deep tissue massage.
I returned home a week later, feeling deeply relaxed.
Pulling into the driveway, I noticed Jason’s Mustang was no longer on the street.