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The solitude was quiet. No, it was deafening. After so many years with so many children underfoot and the incessant, constant noise… good noise, bad noise, happy noises, singing, dancing, running, fighting, chaos, siblings TV shows, music… all noise that was now silent.

There had been moments of quiet, of solitude over the years, thanks to her wonderful husband who seemed to know just when she was at the breaking point and totally overwhelmed. He would take all the kids and load them up for a trip to the zoo or the movies. Just somewhere to get them out of the house for an hour or two. 

Now she walked through the house in silence. Her feet barely making a whisper on the carpet as she walked through the house, looking for things that needed to be done. Smiling at the kids rooms, still partially put together, some taken partway down as the kids moved on and took their favorite things, moved a bed into their dorm room or new apartment. Took their crazy painted dresser from childhood, because in this family, who ever *really* grew up? She smiled at the crayon scribbles on her youngest son’s wall. It had been hidden by his bunk bed for years. Who knew what he had been trying to draw there? 

It didn’t matter now. It would be covered with paint when the new owners took over. Their days of needing a huge 5 bedroom house were over. It was just her and her husband now.

She shut the doors as she went. The kids would be by this weekend to pick up their things. She knew there was going to be a weekend full of reminiscing, laughter and tears all mingled together to make for one bittersweet weekend.

She finally came to their room, half packed up, boxes stacked in the corner. Time to move on. 

Her body filled with a low hum, a vibration of excitement. It was time for the next chapter… and she couldn’t wait to turn the page and see what the future held.

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[Prompt: solitude](https://steemit.com/freewrite/@mariannewest/day-131-5-minute-freewrite-tuesday-prompt-solitude)
Set your timer for 5 minutes
Start writing
Use the hashtag #freewrite
Publish your piece 

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