Chapter 52 - CH 51- The Commitment

The autumn air that evening held a distinct, crisp edge, carrying on its currents the nostalgic scent of distant woodsmoke and the rich, earthy perfume of decaying leaves. It was a sharp, clean aroma, a world away from the cloistered, humid smells of pine and deep lake water that had defined Amelia's summer. Her new apartment, the first place that was truly and completely her own, felt like a physical manifestation of her hard won independence. It was sparsely but intentionally furnished, her books stacked neatly on shelves made of reclaimed wood, the space illuminated by a single, well placed floor lamp that cast a warm, golden pool of light. On the largest wall, occupying a place of honor, were the two artifacts that charted their separate paths back to each other, the Camaro drawing and Adrian's hand drawn map.