I thought I’d be married forever, just like my parents and grandparents.

But then my happily-ever-after imploded.

I’ve spent the past year struggling to hold my small family together. Putting the kids first because they didn’t deserve what happened. I didn’t deserve it either.

Now I’ve got eight days to myself, while the kids are safe and having fun with my parents. Eight days to hide the cat in my no pets allowed vacation rental. Eight days to ignore the rental’s grumpy owner who looks like someone off a sexy handymen of the northeast calendar. Eight days to sleep and dream and breathe.

Eight days to find the broken pieces of myself. I knew exactly how lost I was. I didn’t know his touch would help me put myself back together.