“Mama, where’re we goin’?”

Driving down the road

We take one last glance before leaving it all behind.

“Don’t know yet, Baby—just away, that’s all.”

I’d half-done this before—

Half-done meaning I’d changed my mind.

Oh, sure, he’d cried,

But my weekend stand was undone

With a return to submission,

Foolishly falling into the familiar pattern of

Doting wife and

Dog on a leash

Screwing any real chance that change would or could occur.

Fear can do that, you know?

A rattling muffler brings me back

To that fueled-up car filled with only what the kids could carry—

Hell, you can always get more stuff, right?

But we only get one chance at living

And it’s hardly worth the bother with no chance to grow.

Time to head out of Dodge with the sun to our backs—

That thrilling, frightening step out…