Finally, the limo takes me away from my family, their faces getting smaller and smaller until everyone disappears as Scott drives me out of the Hawthorne Estate.
I wipe the endless tears racing down my face. Halfway through the ride, I devour the cookies. I’m worried I’ve already forgotten their taste.
Moving out of Cherrywood was always my life’s dream, but I never imagined the part of leaving Gram behind. Since Florence and Oscar moved out of the house after their marriages, it has always been me and Gram, while Mom was busy with the estate and the business.
My private pity party is interrupted with the phone ringing.
“Em, where were you? I waited for you with Florence by the lake. I thought you guys could finally meet.”
“I got stuck at the bar at the last moment!” She releases a frustrated sigh. “I’m so sorry. You left?”
“Yeah. I’m halfway there.” I close the cookie box, saving only a few for the next days.
“Why do you sound sad? Wasn’t this supposed to be the happiest day of your life?”
I nod halfheartedly, though this doesn’t feel like my happiest moment. “I didn’t realize how much I’ll miss everyone, including you.” Fresh tears fill my eyes.
“It’ll be okay, Clem. You are technically moving in with a family. Just throw your irresistible charm at them, and they’ll love you like anything.” When I don’t respond, she adds, “I have a feeling you are gonna have the time of your life.”
I cross my fingers. Her feelings about me, as crazy as it sounds, have been pretty accurate so far.
“So, how many cakes did your gram pack with you?”
“Too many to count.” I giggle. “Though I already ate halfway through it.”
I end the call and look out of the car at the passing trees. I take a deep breath and remind myself that this was what I always wanted.
“Stop!” I squeal and Scott turns back, his concerned gaze fixed on me. “It’s the last signal.” I hold my phone for him to see the dot in the GPS. “Just drop me here.”
“Here?” He looks around in confusion. “Where exactly, Miss Clementine?”
“On the road!”
He chokes in surprise and then clears his throat. “I don’t understand. I need to settle you with everything before leaving, those are my exact instructions from Mrs. Hawthorne.”
“No.” I look around at the cars parked on the street. The limo sticks out like a sore thumb. No way in hell am I making an impression of a snob to my new landlord and neighbors.
Eventually, these are the people whose doors I’m going to knock on when I’m in need of sugar or milk.
“You have too many things, Miss Clementine. Let me pull a little closer to the house,” Scott tries to reason.
“If you pull any closer, the car will reach the edge of the building. Why didn’t you bring a smaller car?”
Why the hell didn’t I think about this sooner?
He smiles, but it falls when he glances at my resolute face.
I step out of the limo, bringing along some of the cake bags and wait for Scott to get the rest of my stuff out of the car.
He retrieves my four suitcases and places them next to me. Finally, he rights the two cardboard boxes on the ground, which hold my supplies, some decorative items that I squandered during the last week, and my kitty lamp.
When he’s done, the street is filled with my belongings.
Scott’s gaze rivets to me. What now? I can see the question in his eyes.
But I’ve no clue. I look around helplessly.
“Miss Clementine, you wait here, and I’ll bring your bags to the house,” Scott offers, already grabbing one of my suitcases.