My father drove away today. I didn't think he'd do it. He's been saying he's leaving since October and made it this far into the Northeast winter. But today he left for Florida.

I went back to bed at 6am after he went. I managed to fall asleep but there was this pain in my stomach, and I dreamed I heard him come back home, I heard him sneeze in the office next to my bedroom, sit down at the computer and start doing work.

When I woke up I peered into the office, expecting to see him there but instead I found a spotless workspace. Left no trace, just a note on a piece of paper from one of his yellow legal pads. "Take care of each other. LIB Love, me" I don't know what LIB means, but it was fine.

The house was empty. My mother and I have alternating work schedules. I won't see her until Saturday morning.

Strange to be a ghost in an empty home.