"What are you saying?" Mom asked with a quiver in her voice.
"I can't return to the city like nothing ever happened. I loved my apartment, but I'd already given it up to create a new home with Noah. Now that's gone. Coming home feels like I've regressed back to a kid. I have to be on my own."
"What are you proposing, Iva?" Dad asked, but Iva could tell he already knew what she was implying. Of both her parents, Dad had always seemed to miss her the most when she left for university. He was the steady rock, but right now he couldn't help her. Only she could figure this out.
"I'm not proposing anything at the moment, but I am going for a walk."
Her mother finished clearing the table and gave her a quick smile as though Iva had merely had a fight with Alina when they were thirteen. "The fresh air will do you good."
Iva threw the front door closed and stomped down the porch, feeling the house shudder. Could her mother be any more patronizing? As if a round of fresh air walking the block would make everything better.
If she stayed in the house, she'd end up slashing the curtains, or kicking the dog. It was only seven o'clock so Iva had a good two hours before the sun set.
She found herself walking fast, and then running along the asphalt into the older part of Vancouver. There were no concrete side-walks like Toronto, only gravel along the pavement, older homes set back off the road.
After an hour, Iva's thighs began to ache. Despite wearing heels every day to work and walking several blocks to the Go Train.
The sun sank lower, reflecting gold across the river. Thick trees curved around her, as if they were sheltering her. Self-doubts tortured her mind all night, which was why she was tired and ornery. Not sleeping well did nothing for your mood, temperament, or looks.
Why had Noah done this to her? Was there another woman? Someone he didn't have the guts to admit to Iva about?
Self-doubt was one thing, but suspecting he was having an affair made Iva want to fall to the earth in a huge, messy heap.
Pausing, Iva studied the ground, weirdly tempted to just sit down. She was getting tired and by now she was actually more than two miles from home. She'd also forgotten her phone when she stomped out of the house. If she could have called the house, Dad would have rescued her in a heartbeat---and bought her ice cream on the way home.
Oh, to be young again without all these life-altering issues. When Iva raised her head again, she noticed lights flickering through the trees just off the road to her right. Someone had just turned on their porch light. That's when she saw the "For Rent" sign next door.
Excitement surged through her. She could rent her own little place. It would give her a chance to escape her claustrophobic family life. To be independent again. To mourn and cry and throw things if she wanted to---and hopefully, heal the emptiness in her heart.
Iva trudged up the pathway to the old Victorian house. Shades were drawn across the first floor windows-and the second story---but the porch light glowed bright like a beacon.
Somebody clearly liked their privacy.