Without a word, she walked to her room and pulled out a black suitcase she had hidden beneath her bed three months earlier. She had prepared for this moment, even if she hadn’t admitted it to herself. She brought it into the hallway and zipped it shut in full view of them.
Mrs. Linda crossed her arms, convinced this was just another emotional outburst that would pass. Melissa rolled her eyes.
“Tell your aunt goodbye,” she said casually to the kids. “She’ll cool off and come back.”
But Diana said nothing. She placed her keys on the table, walked out the door, and headed toward the main road. She caught a taxi and paid for three nights at a cheap motel near the bus station using money she had secretly saved over eight months. She turned off her phone, stepped into a hot shower, and for the first time in years, she slept—deeply, without interruption.
The next morning, she walked through unfamiliar streets, searching for something new. By afternoon, she found a tiny one-bedroom apartment. It wasn’t much, but it was hers. She signed the lease immediately.