She tries to tell him it's a good thing,
tries to make him smile,
but all he hears is her desire to leave
and he stares at his hands on the table.
She tries to promise she'll be back
but the words stick in her throat
because who is she to say such things
when she's the one who's already found someone new?
He stares at his hands and thinks of his dad,
wonders if this is how he felt when Mom left,
thinks that maybe someday he could use this
in some overwrought writing assignment,
maybe even use it to get into college,
and he forces a smile –
maybe it is a good thing after all.