Three Minute Fiction

I read this short story called Departure. It was really sad. I'm not sure what is going on but it seems like something bad is going on with the father and mother. Almost like the mother was going to escape but then thought about her son and decided not to go. I'm not really sure but something seems off about the way she acts. Here's the link http://www.npr.org/2011/02/06/133542419/departure. Read it yourself and tell me if you think I'm right or it it's something else that you thought of because I'm kind of confused.