Things We Left Behind Novels & Stories

Mom and Dad have been divorced for ten years. One day, I come across a discussion thread. "Are all children of divorce having it hard?" I join the discussion. "Not always. Personally, I'm living pretty decently. After my parents' divorce, my sister and I were separated—one of us went to live with our paternal grandparents, and the other with our maternal grandparents. "For the last ten years, my parents have visited me once a year. Although they usually only stay for a few days, I can tell that they still love me." Within a minute, someone replies to my comment. "Girl, are you sure? My parents are divorced as well, but they can't bear to leave me at all. I've been with them since I wa

“No, it isn’t. You’ve known love and friendship. The where doesn’t fucking matter girl. Those are the important things you take with you. The things that fucking matter. Leave the rest of it behind.” Amber wondered if it really was just as simple as taking the good things with her and leaving the rest of her unwanted baggage behind her. Starting over with only the fucking things that mattered. Taking the pieces of her past which helped make her whole and leaving the ones that tore her down piece by piece. Like her unperfectly- perfect friendship with a rough around the edges hooker. A hooker who had loved Amber when no one else did and had her back when others only seemed to want to put a kn

For eight years, I'd managed the career of my boyfriend, Aiden White, a famous celebrity. I was also a partner at Veyra Media and the one pulling the strings behind his career. But on our anniversary trip, Aiden and one of the company's top influencers left me behind at a hotel near a volcano. They drove for forty minutes before they even realized I wasn't with them. When Aiden finally answered my call, he sounded more annoyed than concerned. "Scarlett, why didn't you get in the car? We need to hike to the crater by five, or we'll miss the blue flames! We're already almost there. I can't turn around and drive all the way back for you!" "Scarlett can find a ride and meet us here," Karina said

Nora Bellweather married a man who never loved her. When she found proof of his betrayal, something in her went quiet and hard. Then, drowning her grief in a dim bar one night, she saw three faces from a past she thought she'd buried for good. The next morning, her husband walked in with three important guests, and she nearly dropped the teapot in her hands. It was them. Older, sharper, wealthier, and dangerous in ways they never used to be. They had once loved her without limits before everything fell apart. Now they were back in her house, in her life, refusing to stay away. Nora cannot forgive what tore them apart years ago, and she will not survive another heartbreak in a marriage that h

I pass by the bar he first met me in. I pass by his office building. I pass by the street that we once called our own. The apartment that we tried to make home. I pass by it all and leave it all behind. In the past, where it belongs.

Their enthusiasm infused a contagious energy into the transition, transforming it from a mere relocation into an adventure of discovery. In the evenings, as we sorted through belongings and selected items to take with us, the twins found old photo albums that told the stories of my youth. With wide-eyed wonder, they traced the contours of a love story captured in faded photographs—the echoes of laughter, the shared glances, and the intricate dance of a past that seemed both distant and vivid.

The legacy they had built resonated in the countless lives they had touched—the individuals who had found solace, the families that had been reunited, and the communities that had been transformed. In the twilight of their lives, Nathan, Miranda, and Lisa reflected on their journey with a deep sense of gratitude. They had witnessed firsthand the power of perseverance, collaboration, and the unwavering belief in a better future. Their work had become a shining example of how collective action could spark meaningful change, leaving an enduring legacy for generations to come.

“Good.” As we turned to leave, I glanced back at the fallen tree, its once-mighty trunk now a reminder of what happens when something carries too much weight.

"I don't know yet. But we're not staying here. He knows this house too well. He's been inside too many times." I wanted to argue. This was our home. We built it. We fought for it. But he was right. The house wasn't safe anymore. Every room held his eyes. Every window his face. "Okay," I said. "We leave." Katie nodded. Will slept, oblivious. We packed in hours. Clothes. Toys. Photos. The things that mattered. As we walked out the door, I looked back one last time. Our home. Our life. Left behind. A ghost had taken it from us. And I had no idea if we'd ever get it back.

Each step left deep footprints in the sand that the tide slowly reached for, as if it was determined to erase our past even as we created a new path forward. “What is the next phase for us?” he asked, breaking the silence. “We left so many things unattended to. Now that we are sorted, what about us? What about the things we left behind? Finally, I cleared my throat. “Arian… before we talk about starting over, there’s something I need to tell you.” He tilted his head, curious but calm. “What is it?” “It's about Hazel,” I answered. “Hazel?” My stomach knotted. “Yes.”