The notebook was still on the shelf. She hadn’t opened it.
She turned to a fresh page. At the top, she wrote: November 7th. First snow. Unofficial change of season. change of season dates
Marta stood up, walked to the shelf, and took down the notebook. She opened it to the last page they’d written on together—March 20th, the spring equinox. Sam’s handwriting: What I’m leaving behind: my fear of quiet mornings. What I hope will grow: patience. Hers: What I’m leaving behind: the need to be right. What I hope will grow: trust. The notebook was still on the shelf
She closed the notebook and put it back on the shelf, but this time she turned the spine outward. The calendar with the black X’s came down. She folded it once, twice, and dropped it into the recycling. At the top, she wrote: November 7th