I suppose my Mom's words have made him see things her way. Relief washes over me. It means more than I can convey that he supports me in this decision to leave. It is the complete opposite of what he felt only half an hour ago.

The peaceful silence we fall into grows. Mom and Dad smile at each other then at us. I know what this means for us and it is going to be harder than I imagined it would. I feel a strange sense of comfort when Samuel reaches under the table and places his hand on top on mine. Our hands rest in my lap.

"I...