Then one sunny afternoon, everything changed. I was in the backyard with my kids when I heard rustling near the bushes. I thought it was a stray animal, but then I saw Scout, thin and scruffy, emerge with Jason’s jacket in his mouth.
My heart skipped a beat. I couldn’t believe it was really him. Scout dropped the jacket and walked towards the woods. I told my kids to stay put and followed the dog.
After what felt like hours, we reached a small cabin in the woods. Through the window, I saw Jason. He was alive, but he looked different. His hair was long and unkempt, and he had a beard. There was a woman with him, and they seemed to be living together.
I confronted him, asking where he had been and why he left us. He explained that he needed to leave and that the life we had wasn’t for him. The woman, Sarah, said he was finally living his truth.
I was furious. How could he abandon his family and live in the woods like this? He didn’t seem to understand how much pain he had caused us. In that moment, I realized that the man I loved was gone, and he wasn’t coming back.
As I walked back home with Scout, I felt a sense of clarity. Jason had made his choice, and now it was my turn to make mine. The next day, I met with a lawyer and filed for divorce. It was time for me to take control of my life and provide stability and love for my children.
Jason may have chosen his path, but I was choosing mine. I may have lost him, but my children and I were still here, and we were going to be okay.