Counting On Forever

Chapter 3

~{Chapter 3}~

Growing up, people would ask me where my home was. I would tell them the city I was currently living in, but I would not actually see it as my home. For me, home is a place where I would feel secure and happy. It was a place that I would always be eager to go back to. I never felt that way about any of the places I had lived.

I was soon thinking that I would never find a place that I could call home. Well, until I was taken to South Hart, Texas. The foster agency was sick and tired of me moving from family to family, so they had me move in with the overall boss of the organization. It was there that I met James.

Once I had met him and Beth, I finally felt a sense of peace. South Hart was the first place I could call home.

When Beth said those words, "Come home," I realized that she meant the words on a much deeper level. She knew that I had really had only one place I could call home. Even New York City had not been as satisfying as living in South Hart.

I needed to go home.

~-~-~-~
"Ms. Garner?" I look up from the box I am packing to see my secretary in my office doorway.

"Yes?"

"Someone is asking for you."

"Who?" I sigh, hoping it was not the difficult author.

"She told me her name is Elizabeth Brown."

"Let her in."

"Yes, Ms. Garner."

"Hey, Kate," Beth says as she walked into the office.

"Hey," I softly say.

She looks around at my once decorated office and gives a small whistle. "You really did do what you wanted to."

I take a deep breath and look at my bare walls and say, "I guess I did."

She turns her attention back to me. "You sure you want to come home?"

"I never thought about it until you told me. Once I did think about it, I realized that I needed to get away from the city for awhile."

She nods. "Okay. It's hardly changed."

"I figured," was my reply as I went back to packing one of the few boxes I have left.

"Need any help?"

I nod.

We worked side by side for about an hour without speaking. Soon enough, my packing was finished. I gave her an appreciative hug and sat down on the top of my desk when we had finished. She joined me.

"Kate, what are you going to do when you get there? You know that people are going to be asking all sorts of questions, right?"

I sigh. "I know. That's why I need you to help me."

"I can't stop all the questions, Kate. You know how nosy they are."

"I just need you to stop most of them."

She nods her head. "Okay."

"Thanks. I need to head back to my apartment in a few minutes. I think you can go ahead and go."

"You sure?" she asks with concern.

"I'm sure. I need to be alone to pack up my apartment. There are too many memories there for me to have other people around."

She nods her head and gets down from the desk. "Call me if you need anything."

I nod, and she walks out the door. I get off my desk and begin to stack all my boxes. I am stacking my last box when my partner comes in.