Turning her head, Emma stared at the cell phone that she just threw into the passenger's seat on top of the pillows and maps that lay haphazardly there.
   Tapping the steering wheel, she waited as patiently as she possibly could. Grace's parents would be going to the hospital for their daily visit soon, and Emma could get into the house to drop off Grace's stuff. Including a letter explaining her disappearance and the money she got for the furniture that got sold.
   With her car all loaded, Emma just needed to drop off these few things before she could go and be gone. To change her life, and hopefully get out of Grace's to give her a better one as well. Even though it was late in coming.
   As soon as Mr. and Mrs. James got in their pricey little car and drove off, Emma counted ten minutes off first making sure they wouldn't be coming back in case they'd forgotten something before pulling into the driveway herself.
   Putting her low rider in park, and shutting off the ignition, Emma waited a second to calm her already erratic breathing.
   Getting her stiff fingers and body to move, she grabbed the two bags on the floorboard, and stuffed the envelope in her back pocket again before dragging herself out of the automobile.
   Closing off her mind to all memories, Emma fished out Grace's keys from her jacket pocket and used them to get inside and carried in the bags.
   Shutting the door behind her, and racing up to Grace's old room Emma had been in there so many time she knew exactly where to hang and put away the clothes, and knew the exact place where Grace would look for her letter.
   The old jewelry box she had found years ago sanded down and painted was Grace's so called favorite thing in the world, and put away her little secret treasures.
   Opening that jewelry box now, Emma nearly wept at the photo booth pictures of them both from their first outing together. The popcorn bag from her first date. The rose Taylor had given her from their time together. A lifesaver's candy wrapper that she had no idea about, but there was one thing on the bottom that gripped her heart tightly with its mere sight. The piece of paper, now folded paint side out, they had been painting on the last time she was in this room.
   Refusing to let it affect her so deeply, Emma placed the envelope inside and closed the lid with more care than need be.
   Standing up, she knew that she was done here, and needed to be off. She didn't want to get caught, and she couldn't stay any longer now, even though she wanted to so much.
   This section of her life had been cut off, but not cauterized. That was the only reason why it still hurt.
   If she left now, and stayed away, eventually she would not notice the ache and hopefully forget. She doubted that any of that would happen, but she could always strive for it. Maybe even accomplish it one day while she was not paying attention.
   Making sure that nothing was left out of place, Emma slowly started back down and out of the house that she wanted so much for her own home and for a little while there, felt that it was.
   It was when she was already in her car, and already down the street and heading for the highway onramp that Emma allowed the tears to fall. It was okay to cry now, for there was no one to see, and no one could stop her.
   Though she didn't know of anyone who would try to.