Elsa stood in the window, looking out at the shabby garden. The old hometown hadn't changed. She had. Life without Fredo altered her outlook on life. Desolate, she clung to the hope of his return.

Since her earliest memory, Elsa and Fredo never parted. They grew up together. She knew him as well as she knew herself. However, his actions following graduation stunned her. She never saw it coming.

Fredo disappeared from her life. In a way, it was as though he never existed. She searched for him. The college town where they shared an apartment emptied like a ghost town. Students returned to their summer homes or sought employment in big cities.

No one saw Fredo leave. His Facebook and Twitter accounts disappeared. He deleted every trace of his existence with no announcement to friends or family. Frustrated, Elsa utilized every internet search possibility. She came up empty at every turn.

With her lease expiring, it became impossible to stay at the university. Glancing around the empty apartment, she gathered her belongings. Beneath her breath, she caught herself singing "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" and cut it off. Tears dripped from her chin. Angrily, she dashed them away.

Stealthily, Elsa moved into her hometown apartment. Fredo should have accompanied her. His absence weighed heavily upon her mind. She loved him; he loved her. What was his problem?

Sinking into a faded green recliner, Elsa contemplated Fredo's final letter. He claimed he wasn't good enough for her. He urged her to find someone new. No one could take his place in her heart. She realized how much he meant to her. Closing his heart on her, he faded from her life.

Her mother often preached that she had to face life's twists and turns. Yet, the hurt was too new, too raw. In a day or two or maybe a month, Elsa might turn a corner. She might meet that 'someone else.' At the moment, with her young life before her, she longed for Fredo.

Outside, in the shabby garden, dismal rain began to fall. Grey clouds welcomed her to a home that was no longer a home. How could it be when Fredo was no longer there to comfort and love her?