“Back Where it All Began?”

Abby sat in her car in front of Millie’s Boarding House. It seemed ages ago that she had first arrived in The Glen and made her home here. At some point she’d have to go back to the house she’d shared with Dwayne and pick up her belongings, but for now she just couldn’t face it.

Luckily, it was the middle of the day and all of the residents at the inn were most likely at work. Abby just couldn’t bear facing anyone right now, couldn’t manage the questions or the looks. She waited in her car for nearly ten minutes before she worked up the courage to enter the front door.

Millie was working the front desk and was astute enough to realize Abby wasn’t up for small talk. She smiled, handed her the room key, saying simply, “Welcome back.” Alex Ross had called her a short while earlier, giving her the heads up that Abby would be there and to give permission for her to stay in his room if there weren’t any available.

Abby thanked her, took the key and headed up the stairs. She felt numb, lost and so very alone as she ascended the stairs and headed down the dimly-lit hallway to her new room. She looked up, found herself standing in front of the locked door – room key poised in her hand. Tears began to stream down her cheeks as she put the key in the lock and slowly entered the dark room.

She flipped on the light, looked around. The room was neatly kept for the most part, though obviously occupied by someone. There was a man’s shirt and suit-coat draped over the back of a desk-chair, the familiar gray-felt fedora sitting neatly atop the bureau. Various other personal items were neatly arranged both on the bureau and bathroom counter.

Abby stood there in the middle of the room taking it all in. She smiled, brushing back her tears. Alex - sweet, funny, incorrigible Alex, she thought to herself, walking up to where his white button-down shirt lay draped on the back of the chair. She picked it up, holding it to her nose, taking in the scent of him. It was so very – Alex, and the thought of her having caused him such pain was unbearable for her.

Tears began to fall more rapidly as she stood there holding the shirt and her knees buckled under her. Everything she’d been through came rushing back, all of it, overtaking her emotions and she lay down on the bed, curled in a ball and weeping, clutching Alex’s shirt for comfort until she finally cried herself to sleep.