The night mum left 

It was a cold dark winter night like any other. I went to bed early, hoping to wake up refreshed for the day ahead. But when I opened my eyes, something felt off. The house was quiet, too quiet. I lay in bed for a few minutes, trying to shake off the grogginess and figure out what was happening.

That's when I noticed the empty space beside me. Mum's side of the bed was cold and unoccupied. I sat up and looked around the room, but she was nowhere to be seen. I called out her name, but there was no sign of Mum anywhere. At first, I thought maybe she had just gotten up early to go for a walk or run some errands. But as the minutes ticked by, I began to feel a growing sense of unease.

I got out of bed and started to search the house. I checked the bathroom, the living room, and the kitchen, but there was no sign of Mum. Her purse and car keys were gone, which made me think that she had left the house for good.

As I walked through the empty rooms, I couldn't help but feel a sense of confusion and betrayal. Mum and Dad had always seemed happy together, but now it was clear that something had gone terribly wrong. I tried calling her phone, but it went straight to voicemail.

It wasn't until I stumbled upon the note on the kitchen table that I finally understood what had happened. The note was written in Mum's neat handwriting, but the words were shaky and seemed rushed. It read:

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. Please take care of yourself. I'll always love you."

I read the note over and over again, trying to make sense of it. Why would Mum leave in the middle of the night? What had happened to make her feel like she had to go? And most importantly, when was she coming back?

I spent the rest of the day in a fog, unable to focus on anything except the fact that Mum was gone. Every time I walked into a room, I half-expected to see her sitting there, reading a book or watching TV. But the house was empty, and there was no sign of Mum anywhere.

As the days turned into weeks, I struggled to come to terms with the fact that Mum wasn't coming back. I missed her more than words could say, and I couldn't help but wonder what my life would be like without her. Would Dad be okay on his own? Would I be able to handle things without Mum's guidance and support?

But despite all my worries and fears, I knew that I had to be strong. Mum had made her decision, and it was up to me to move forward and make the best of things. It was a hard lesson to learn, but one that would stay with me for the rest of my life.