My Mother-in-law Tried To Poison My Chowder. I’m A Pharmacist, So I Knew Exactly What She Added. I Sent The “gift” To My Cheating Husband Instead.

A New Opportunity

One afternoon my department head called me into her office.

She closed the door and poured me a glass of water.

“Laura, I want to talk to you about something,”.

I sat up straight, my mind racing through possibilities, but I wasn’t worried.

“Yes?”

“The hospital is proposing to send someone for a six-month advanced training program overseas. I’ve considered the options and I want to nominate you,”.

I was stunned, not because it was a surprise but because I hadn’t thought my name would even be in consideration at this time.

“Me? You think I’m a good fit?”

She looked at me, her gaze serious.

“Professionally you are more than qualified. And in terms of resilience, I trust you more than most,”.

I was silent for a few seconds.

Six months.

Not too short, not too long.

Going or staying was a major choice.

“I’ll need some time to think about it,” I said.

“Of course. No need to answer right away,”.

That evening I called my parents.

My dad listened and neither objected nor pushed.

“It’s your decision. We’ll support you,”.

My mother however had more questions.

“It’s so far away. Can you handle it?”

I laughed.

“I can handle it, Mom. I’ve handled things that were much harder,”.

My mother was quiet for a moment then said softly, “Then you should go. It will be a good experience,”.

I hung up and looked around my small room.

I thought about the years when every decision I made had to be weighed against what Nathan would think, what his mother would think.

Now for the first time the only question was: “What do I want?”

In the days that followed I thought a lot, not because I was afraid to go but because I understood that if I went I would truly be closing a chapter.

Leaving this city, even temporarily, meant leaving a place filled with memories.

But I wasn’t running away.

I just wanted to give myself some distance to look back.

One morning while out for a run I saw Ben Miller.

He greeted me and slowed his pace to run alongside me.

“You’ve gotten thinner lately,” he remarked.

“Probably from all the running,” I replied.

He hesitated for a moment then asked, “I heard you might be going away for a while,”.

I was surprised.

“How did you know?”

He smiled.

“It’s a small hospital. News travels fast,”.

I nodded.

“I’m considering it,”.

He looked ahead, his voice thoughtful.

“You should go. Sometimes a change of scenery helps you breathe easier,”.

I looked at him, realizing he wasn’t speaking as someone with a personal interest but as someone who understood from experience.

“Thank you,” I said.

We didn’t say anything more.

Some advice only needs to be heard once.

I decided to accept the nomination.

When I submitted the paperwork my hand was steady.

I felt like I was actively stepping into a new chapter, not being pushed by tragedy.

My department head shook my hand, a rare smile on her face.

“I have faith in you,”.

The weeks of preparation flew by.

I organized my work, handed over my responsibilities to a colleague.

At home I cleared out my apartment, sold some furniture, and kept only what was truly necessary.

I didn’t pack many keepsakes.

I didn’t need them to remember who I was.

The night before my flight I had dinner with my parents.

My mother made chicken soup, my favorite dish since childhood.

My dad poured me a cup of tea.

“Take care of yourself over there,” he said.

“I will,”.

My mother looked at me, her eyes red.

“Call us if anything happens,”.

I nodded.

“I promise,”.

That night I lay in my old room looking at the familiar ceiling.

I remembered the last time I had slept here before getting married.

My heart filled with a mixture of excitement and anxiety.

Back then I thought marriage was the destination.

Now I understood that no destination is more important than arriving with yourself intact.

The next morning my parents saw me off at the airport.

There were no tears, no long goodbyes.

My dad just patted my shoulder.

“Go on, honey,”.

I pulled my suitcase and turned back to look at them standing behind the glass.

I smiled and waved.

I wasn’t carrying sadness with me.

I was carrying peace.