Starting over
923 Words
Several weeks passed before Ethan finally remembered to return his sister's call.
Life had become a repetitive cycle since Ashley left. Work, home, sleep, repeat. Days blurred together so seamlessly that time itself seemed meaningless.
When Anny answered the phone, she immediately noticed the exhaustion in her brother's voice.
"Ethan? Are you okay?"
He hesitated.
Then, for the first time since the breakup, he told someone everything.
He spoke about the restaurant, the argument, the scholarship, and the way Ashley had walked out of their home without looking back.
The silence on the other end of the call lasted several seconds.
"I don't believe it," Anny finally said.
Not because she thought he was lying.
But because she knew how deeply Ethan had loved Ashley.
More importantly, she knew her brother. Ethan wasn't perfect, but he wasn't controlling, selfish, or unreasonable. The version of him Ashley had described during their final argument felt like a stranger.
"I'm fine," Ethan reassured her.
Anny laughed softly.
"No, you're not."
He smiled despite himself.
Maybe she was right.
After another long pause, she spoke again.
"Brother, maybe you need a distraction. Travel somewhere. Do something different. Give yourself a chance to breathe."
Ethan leaned back in his chair.
"I've actually been thinking about relocating."
That immediately caught her attention.
"Really?"
"Yeah. Everywhere I look, I see memories of her. The apartment. The streets. The restaurants. It's getting harder to wake up every day and pretend none of it happened."
Anny understood immediately.
For someone trying to heal, familiar places could become painful reminders.
"I think that's a good idea," she said.
And for the first time in weeks, Ethan felt supported.
After ending the call, he made his way into his study.
A notebook sat open on his desk as he began outlining a new chapter of his life.
But before any plans could be finalized, there was one thing he needed to do.
Resign.
He picked up his phone and called his supervisor.
Within minutes, he was asked to come to the office.
Fortunately, Ethan already had a resignation letter prepared. Ten minutes later, he was walking into the law firm carrying the neatly printed document.
As soon as he entered Scott's office, however, things did not go as expected.
Before Ethan could even sit down, Scott reached over and grabbed his ear.
"Ow! What are you doing?" Ethan protested.
"You know exactly why," Scott replied. "Who resigns over a phone call without explaining anything first?"
Despite being Ethan's supervisor, Scott had always been more like family.
Once the joking stopped, Ethan explained everything.
The breakup.
The memories.
The exhaustion.
The overwhelming need to leave.
When he finished, Scott simply nodded.
"I get it."
No lectures.
No unnecessary questions.
Just understanding.
The resignation letter was signed shortly afterward.
The two spent nearly an hour talking about life, heartbreak, and possible destinations for a fresh start.
By the end of the conversation, they had reached a decision.
Chicago.
Ethan was moving to Chicago.
As he left the office, Scott assured him that his final salary would be deposited soon.
Not that finances worried Ethan much.
Years of careful saving had left him financially comfortable.
Instead of heading home, he decided to spend one final evening exploring the city.
He drove aimlessly through familiar streets before eventually stopping near a local park.
The evening air felt refreshing.
For a while, he sat quietly on a bench scrolling through job listings in Chicago.
A new city meant a new beginning.
And new beginnings required preparation.
As he continued browsing, a small voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Mister?"
Ethan looked up.
A young girl wearing a purple dress had taken a seat beside him.
She carried a basket overflowing with flowers.
"Would you like to buy a rose for your girlfriend?"
The question caught him off guard.
A bittersweet smile crossed his face.
"I don't have a girlfriend."
The little girl looked disappointed.
Still, Ethan bought a pink rose anyway.
Perhaps it wasn't for someone else.
Perhaps it was for himself.
A small reminder that not every ending needed to be painful.
As the sun began to disappear beneath the horizon, he returned to his car and headed toward his favorite Thai restaurant.
Teerak.
One last meal before saying goodbye to the city.
He ordered his favorite dish—Kai Palo—and spent the evening enjoying the familiar flavors.
Later that night, he returned home.
The house felt quieter than usual.
After a long shower, he stood in front of the bathroom mirror, towel draped around his shoulders as he dried his hair.
For a brief moment, a thought crossed his mind.
Will I ever fall in love again?
The question lingered.
Then he pushed it away.
Some answers didn't need to be found immediately.
Changing into a comfortable pair of pajamas, he retrieved his favorite diary from the bedside drawer.
Under a fresh page, he wrote:
Relocation Checklist.
Plane tickets.
Suitcases.
Accommodation.
Places to visit.
Job opportunities.
Budget plan.
One by one, he organized every detail.
When he finally booked his flight, a confirmation email arrived moments later.
It was official.
There was no turning back now.
Tomorrow would bring another day.
But tonight?
Tonight, Ethan allowed himself something he hadn't felt in weeks.
Hope.
With snacks spread across the coffee table and a movie playing softly in the background, he settled into the couch.
For the first time since Ashley left, the future didn't seem quite so frightening.
It simply looked unknown.
And perhaps that was enough.
- Writer
