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I can’t wait to be with him once more.
When I’m finished packing, my tiny suitcase is bulging. I have to sit on it to get it to zip, and a grunt escapes my lips as my fingers tug at the zipper. As soon as it’s ready I slip on a pair of ankle boots and pull a black hoodie over my head.
Now all I have to do is wait.
Time seems to creep by at an alarmingly slow pace. I stay in my bedroom and listen for sounds from downstairs. Normally Gina serves dinner around six, but tonight the house is quiet. A lump forms in my throat when I think about leaving without saying goodbye to my mother.
Maybe I can send her a postcard?
At nine-thirty, I hear footsteps in the hallway. They pad closer to my door and I freeze. Any minute now my mom could walk in and see the suitcase. I could just tell her that I’m ready for Trim Acres, but I don’t want to lie. Not to my mom.
“Emma?” Ramona knocks softly on the door. “Are you asleep?”
I swallow hard. “I’m not feeling very well tonight,” I call out in a feeble voice. “’I’m not coming down to dinner.”
“Gina made a plate for you and left it in the fridge. Lots of healthy stuff,” Mom answers. She sounds sad and concerned. “If you want it later, just go downstairs and heat it up.”
“Okay.” God, I hate this. Lying by omission is almost worse than regular lying. I feel terrible and guilty for wishing that my mother would just leave me alone.
“Goodnight, sweetie,” Mom says from the other side of the door. “Sleep well.”
“You, too,” I say. I clear my throat. “Mom?”
“Yes?”
“I love you.”
“Oh Emma, honey. I love you, too. Is everything okay?”
I wipe a tear from my eyes and force a smile so that Mom won’t be able to hear anything off in my voice.
“Yeah, Mom, I’m fine. Just tired.”
“Okay, sweetie. Good night.”
“Night.”
My mother’s footsteps grow fainter and fainter until I’m left in silence once more. My stomach is a tangle of knots as I pick up my suitcase and creep to the door of my room. When I open the door, I see that the hallway is dark and empty.
Good.
Taking a deep breath, I stealthily creep out, making my way down the stairs. My suitcase is heavier than I thought it would be and I have to walk extra carefully so that the stairs don’t squeak under our combined weight. As soon as I’m in the foyer, I breathe another sigh of relief.
Almost there.
But as my hand reaches for the front door, I hear the loud sound of someone clearing their throat. Gasping, I whirl around to see Gina standing there with a puzzled look on her face.
“Miss Emma,” Gina says softly. “What are you doing?”
I flush hotly.
“Are you running away?”
“I’m twenty-one,” I say defensively. “It’s not running away if you’re an adult.”
To my surprise, Gina chuckles. “No,” she says. “It’s not.”
“Please don’t tell my parents,” I beg. “Or at least don’t say anything until morning. Please, Gina. This is really important.”
Gina shakes her head. “Child, if I had to live with your father, I’d have run off a long time ago,” she says. “I won’t say anything. You have my word.”
My shoulders sag as I sigh gratefully. “Thank you,” I say softly. “Gina, you have no idea how much that means to me.”
A funny look crosses her face.
“Wait,” Gina says. “Hold on.” She disappears into the kitchen and I’m left in the foyer with a puzzled look on my face. When she reappears, she’s carrying a brown paper sack.
“What is this?”
“I made your father lunch for his meeting tomorrow morning,” Gina says with a mischievous grin on her face. “But I think you’ll enjoy it more.”
I smile happily as I open the bag and inhale the scent of cold roast beef and cheddar. “This smells incredible,” I admit. My mouth begins to water and I fold the bag over, clutching it tightly in one hand. “Thank you.”
Gina steps closer and pulls me into a deep hug. “Of course,” she says. “Good luck, baby. I know you’re gonna be just fine.”
Tears sting my eyes for the second time and I brush them away. Gina opens the door for me and I walk out into the dark night, away from the influence of my father forever.
By the time I get to the wooden trail, it’s freezing cold. I start to wish that I’d brought a warmer coat, but the thought of Dane’s cozy fireplace is enough to make me pick up my pace and move faster. Soon I’m almost jogging through the woods with a suitcase in one hand and Gina’s gift in the other.
When I reach Dane’s cabin, I’m sweaty and out of breath. I set down my suitcase and shift my weight nervously from one foot to the other as I knock on the door.
