My Stepfather Said I Had 5 Minutes To Leave After Turning 18. He Didn’t Know I Planned My Exit Weeks Ago

Facing The Driveway

went outside. The grey sky above was reflected by the puddles that turned the driveway into a mirror. With his arms folded and a sly smile on his face, my stepfather leaned against the wall. The new gravel crunched beneath my feet like a countdown, and his presence annoyed me. He appeared overconfident, as though he had won a game. However, I had knowledge that he did not. He believed he had permanently gotten rid of me as he stood in the rain.

Five Minutes Remaining

His voice was brimming with phony pride as he continued, “You have five minutes.” With her eyes darting away as if she wished she were somewhere else, Mom was by his side. She felt as though shame was a weight that she was unable to lift. His comments were overshadowed by her silence. Although I could tell my stepfather was happy, I thought that five minutes was both the beginning and the end together.