Brian had taken the little wooden bench, the coat rack, and the narrow table where we used to leave our keys.
Pale rectangles marked the walls where photographs had hung.
I’d expected that.
What I hadn’t expected was the damp smell.
It reminded me of a basement after heavy rain.
I walked into the living room.
And stopped.
A large hole had been punched through the drywall beside the fireplace.
White dust covered the hardwood floor.
Jagged pieces of plaster hung from the edges.
I stared at it, searching for an innocent explanation.
Maybe the movers had dropped something.
Maybe a piece of furniture had struck the wall.
Then I noticed a second hole near the hallway.
Same size.
Same height.
I walked toward the guest bedroom.
There was a third hole beside the window.
My heart began pounding.
Three damaged walls.
Three rooms.
And all the holes appeared to be about shoulder height on Brian.
Then I remembered the water.
I hurried into the kitchen.
The faucet was wide open.
Hot water rushed into the sink, sending steam across the window.
I turned it off.
The sudden silence lasted less than a second.
Because I could still hear water upstairs.
I ran up the staircase.
The bathroom sink was running.
So was the bathtub.
The drain was open, but water was pouring constantly against the porcelain.
The mirror had fogged over.
The bathmat was soaking wet.
I shut off both faucets.
Then I heard water running in the bathroom attached to our former bedroom.
Another faucet had been left open.
I turned it off too.
Finally, the house became quiet.
I stood in the doorway, trembling.
How long had those faucets been running?
A few hours?
An entire day?
Since Brian had left?
I had no idea.
All I could think about was the damage and the water bill.
I leaned against the wall and tried to calm myself.
The holes could be repaired.
The plumbing could be inspected.
The bill could eventually be paid.
It was terrible, but it wasn’t the end of the world.
Then I went downstairs.
And saw something shining on the living room floor.
***
At first, I thought a window had broken.
