Chapter 17
Brandt
“Can I get you a drink?” the stewardess asked.
“No, thank you,” I said. “I’m okay.”
I turned back and shifted in my seat. I had gotten the last available seat on the plane, and though it wasn’t comfortable, it was one of the most important seats I had ever purchased. I could feel the nerves in my body surging through me, and though normally I fell asleep on flights, there was no way I was going to be able to rest on that one. It was not only the most important seat but also the most important flight I had ever been on. I looked down at my hands, grasping onto the small square business card in my fingers.
It was like fate, and I still couldn’t believe what had happened. I had taken my monthly cleaning day off from work, feeling more dismal than ever. I still hadn’t found Emma, and I felt like I was reaching a point where I was finally going to give up the search. It had been months, three months, and there wasn’t a single sign of her whereabouts. That day, I decided to move the furniture to vacuum underneath. When I picked up the couch, I chuckled, looking at all the toys that Sicily had lost under there. As I was picking them up, I found it. It was a business card that looked like it had been under there for a while. There was an imprint in the carpet from where the couch had pressed down on it. At first, I didn’t even look at it, figuring it was one of mine that had slipped out of my pocket.
I slowly picked up all the toys and took them to Sicily’s playroom and returned, grabbing the card and walking toward the trash can. I stepped on the pedal to open the lid and happened to glance down before tossing it. I didn’t recognize the print, so I took a closer look. My mouth hung open, and I walked over to the couch, sitting down and staring at it. It was Emma’s business card. Either it had fallen out of her purse or she had left it behind, and it had gotten pushed under the couch. Either way, it had her full name, Emma Lauder, and the name and number of the graphics company that she worked for. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Immediately, I got up and walked into the bedroom, completely in a haze, and picked up my phone, dialing the number. I got a message that the phone number had been disconnected, so I called information looking for another listing. Unfortunately, there wasn’t another listing, so I grabbed my laptop and started searching for the website. Of course, when I found it, it was under construction, and there was no more information on how to find the place.
I patted the card against my hand, thinking about how the universe had finally given me a sign. I might not have her phone number, but I had her full name, and now I knew for sure that she was from Camden. I looked around the room at the empty walls, the quiet of the house, and felt like I was all alone in the world. I had to find her, to have her in front of me. I picked the phone back up and called my mother.
“Mom,” I said excitedly. “Can you watch Sicily for tonight, maybe more?”
“Sure,” she said. “Are you okay?”
“I found her business card, Mom.” I laughed. “It was under the couch. I have to go to Camden and find her.”
“Then do it,” she said, laughing in return. “Good luck.”
“Thanks.” I hung up and accomplished the fastest bag packing I’d ever done.
I went straight to the airport and bought the last ticket to Bangor, Maine, the closest airport to her. I couldn’t let the opportunity pass me by. And that was how I ended up right there, gripping tightly to a piece of paper and feeling more nervous than I ever had before. The plane ride was only an hour long, and the drive was another hour, but still, I would get to Camden right in the middle of the day, which was perfect because I would still need to hunt her down when I got there. I didn’t have a lot of leads, but I had that card, and that was enough motivation for me.
I turned my attention out the window and watched the white fluffy clouds passing by. I thought about Emma and wondered what her life was like in Camden. I wondered if she lived by herself or with her friends. I wondered if she had found someone new when she got back, or if she would be single and available. Most of all, I wondered if she was going to be interested in sitting down and talking to me about everything that had happened since she left. I wanted to know what she thought, why she left, and if she had thought about me the way that I had been thinking about her. I had a million questions floating around in my mind, and I had to force myself to calm down a bit. I was finally going to get to see her again and get the answers that I needed.
Everything she told me might not be what I really wanted to hear, but it was important that I heard it anyway. If she had no interest in being with me, it would at least give me closure. I would be able to go back to New York and give up on the search, get my life back on track. If she was interested, then that was a whole other story. It would be a fairy tale story, one that I didn’t know if I would ever get, but I was making the leap anyway.
The flight, even though it was only an hour, seemed like it took forever. When we landed in Bangor, I didn’t waste any time. I went straight to the rental car place and got a vehicle. I made sure the car had GPS and then gassed up and headed out to Camden. Maine was more beautiful than I could have imagined, and the drive gave me some time to think. When I reached the Camden town limit sign, I smiled, realizing it was as small of a place as I’d thought it would be. I drove along slowly looking for a hotel and pulled into a small bed and breakfast that was right on the edge of the main part of town.
“Hi,” I said, smiling at the innkeeper, a little old lady.
“Well, hello there,” she said. “What can I do for you today?”
“I wanted to rent a room from you,” I said. “I’m not sure for how long, so let’s start with a week.”
“All right,” she said. “Oh, you are a long way from home.”
“Yeah,” I laughed, looking at my license in her hand. “I’m from New York City.”
“Well, welcome to Camden.” she smiled. “Breakfast is at eight, but if you miss it, I leave out muffins and such until ten. Dinner is served at seven, and there are also several restaurants in town if you’re interested. You’re in the Blue Room at the top of the stairs, first door on the left. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thank you.”
I went upstairs and smiled as I walked into the quaint room with a big bed in the center. The whole thing was painted a deep shade of blue, and the deep mahogany furniture sparkled in the sun coming through the window. I unpacked my things and stood there trying to decide what to do next. I didn’t really have a plan. I looked at the map on the desk and then grabbed the card, figuring I would drive around trying to find the graphics company to start with. I could figure the rest out from there. I grabbed my coat and headed out the door, a feeling of excitement in my chest. As I rounded the corner, I stopped, deciding that maybe the innkeeper could make my search a little less stressful.
“Excuse me,” I said with a smile, handing her the card. “I was wondering if you could tell where to find this business.”
“Oh, yes,” she said. “That’s Greg’s place. He’s the owner. They moved locations not long ago, so this address is wrong. You’ll find the shop on the opposite end of town. Just go out here to Main Street and turn right, follow it all the way until you have to turn, and it’s on your right. You’ll go through town, so drive slow. There’s a lot of foot traffic this time of year.”
“I will,” I said, taking the card from her. “Thank you.”
I jumped in my car and pulled out onto the road, heading toward town. At first, there was nothing but small neighborhoods and little old houses lining the road. As I came into the clearing, I recognized the town from the pictures. All the buildings on each block were connected, covered in pastel yellows, blues, and greens. All the signs looked as if they were hand carved and you could tell the traffic lights had only been there for a few years. There were a ton of people walking along the sidewalks, talking, shopping, and running errands. It was the complete and total opposite of what I was used to, but I had to admit, it was postcard beautiful.
I drove up to the center of the city and stopped at a red light. The crossing guard smiled as she waved a group of kids across the crosswalk. To the left and ahead was a large park with new playground equipment and people out in the grass taking in the sunshine. In front of me was more rows of shops leading up to the end of Main Street that the innkeeper had told me about. I smiled and relaxed, feeling at ease in the little town. I looked over at the small café with a carved cup of coffee as its sign. It was adorable, and there were a bunch of people inside the shop. I smiled contently as the door to the shop opened and a beautiful woman walked out onto the sidewalk. My mouth fell open, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was Emma, standing right there in front of me.
She stepped out onto the sidewalk and looked up at the sky, closing her eyes and smiling as the light cascaded down her body. She was wearing a light blue sundress and carrying a coffee in her hand. Her cheeks sparkled brightly in the light, and I couldn’t believe my eyes. As I looked over her, my eyes fell on a small bump sticking out from her stomach. She was pregnant, and it looked like she was about three months along, which would have put her conception around the time she’d met me. I didn’t want to jump to any conclusions, but that was most likely my baby in her belly.
A horn honked behind me, breaking my stare, and I drove forward seeing the light had turned green. I put on my turn signal and turned into the park, honking my horn and looking back, trying to get her attention. I parked the car in the parking lot and got out in a hurry, looking up and down the street.
“Dammit,” I whispered to myself.
I had missed her. She had already driven off. I had no idea where she went, but I knew that I was in the right place. This girl had just gone from important to vital, and that baby belly was burned into my mind. I was going to find her and make all of this right.