The Empty Planet
Year 2023
“I know mom, yes mom, yes I know mom” I was packing a bag for myself and my four year old son EJ, and trying to talk to my mother at the same time. She was worried that we would miss our flight to Florida. We were headed there to look for a place to live, but she was letting us live with her until we found something of our own. “Ok mom, mom? Mom?” she finally stopped talking. “Mom I have to go pick up EJ from daycare, or we really will be late ok?” She told me she loved me and couldn’t wait to see us. I smiled at the thought, I hadn’t seen my mom in so long. “I love you too mom, see you soon” I threw my phone on the charger and began to pack even faster, not caring if anything was folded or put in the right area. I just knew that I needed to get out of here before EJ’s dad came back. We had been having a lot of problems in our relationship, and this was the best thing for myself and my son. I ran to EJ’s room and grabbed a few of his toys to throw in his bag, then my phone rang again. Running back to grab my phone I saw that it was his father, Eli. “Yes Eli what do you want?” I couldn’t stand to talk to him let alone be in the same room with him. Of course all he wanted to do was argue and bitch at me about taking his son away from him. That is the last thing I wanted to do, but I had no choice, our son would be doomed if I left him. And what kind of mother would that make me? “Listen Eli, I’m taking EJ and there’s nothing you can do about it, and I can promise you that if you come after us, I will kill you myself” He continued to yell and threaten me, so I just hung up in his face, which I knew would get him riled up. I wasted no time calling him back, but of course he didn’t answer. I didn’t care, I needed to get my son and leave. My ride was here. Grabbing our bags, I ran as fast as I could down the stairs and out the door. Once inside the ride I stressed to the driver how important it was that we got to the daycare and then to the airport. We were 20 minutes away from his daycare, but the driver assured me he would do his best. “Thank you sir, very much”