Chapter 3

Sarah decided on a small farewell potluck. She invited a few close friends, mostly from Mark' s National Guard unit and their wives, people who had known her family, known her father.

She cooked her father' s favorite dishes, simple, comforting food. The apartment filled with the scent of baked ham and apple pie.

Guests arrived, offering condolences for her father, sharing warm memories. Mrs. Peterson, Susan, Major Peterson' s wife and a long-time acquaintance, gave Sarah a tight hug. "Your father was a wonderful man, Sarah. We'll all miss him."

Mark arrived late, Tiffany clinging to his arm. Tiffany looked around at the food, her nose wrinkling slightly.

"Oh, Sarah," Mark said, his voice louder than necessary. "You made all this? You know Tiffany can't eat most of it. Her allergies, remember?" He gestured vaguely. "Dairy, gluten, nuts... it' s a long list."

Tiffany offered a weak smile. "It's okay, Mark. I'm not very hungry anyway."

A small, uncomfortable silence fell over the room. Sarah felt a familiar weariness. Mark always made excuses for Tiffany, always prioritized her perceived needs. He seemed to think Sarah was just being difficult, her grief making her sensitive.

Sarah picked up her water glass. She looked directly at Tiffany. "Tiffany," she said, her voice calm and clear. "I wish you all the best."

She then turned to the room. "Thank you all for coming. It means a lot."

Quietly, without any further drama, Sarah slipped out of her own farewell party, leaving Mark and Tiffany standing amidst the food she had carefully prepared. She could hear Mark' s voice as she walked down the hall, already reassuring Tiffany, already smoothing things over.

"Don't worry, Tiff," he was saying. "We can grab something you like on the way home."

Sarah closed the apartment door behind her. It was a final goodbye, not just to her friends, but to the life she had lived there. Tiffany's presence, Mark's immediate catering to her, was just the last, small confirmation of a truth Sarah had already accepted. The life they had shared was over.