By nine o’clock, my car was loaded with essentials: clothes, important documents, cherished books, and the few family heirlooms I couldn’t bear to leave behind.
Everything else would either be donated or stored until I established my new home.
“It’s time,” I told my mother, checking my watch. “I need to stop by Maple Avenue before heading to the highway.”
Helen’s eyebrows rose.
“You’re going to the house? Is that wise?”
“Necessary,” I corrected. “The new owners want vacant possession, and the closing is tomorrow morning. Jonathan will handle the
