I called her phone on New Years Day but the call went straight to voicemail. I must have left her fifty messages but she did not answer any of them. I went to her apartment and spoke to the elderly lady who rented her the room. It was an interesting conversation.

 

“Hello, my name is Maxwell Stewart. I am friends with Shelly Price who was renting the room in your basement.”

 

“She’s gone.” The elderly lady said.

 

“I know but did she leave a forwarding address?”

 

“No, no she didn’t…but she did leave a message for someone. What did you say your name was?”

 

“Maxwell Stewart.”

 

“Oh yes, she left the message for you. Let me get it. She also told me to let you into the apartment if you came looking for her.”

 

The woman returned later with a very short note that read simply, “Max, I hope you can someday forgive me.”

 

“Do you want to see the apartment now?” the lady asked.

 

“Yes, please.”

 

She showed me to a door on the side of the house that led to the basement. She unlocked the door and let me inside. The apartment was small, just a living area with the kitchen on one side. A door in one wall I assumed led to the bedroom and bath. Then I saw something on the kitchen table. I moved closer and saw that it was the ring box that she had taken with her that night. I picked up the box, opened it and saw the ring still sitting inside. I put it in my pocket.

 

The lady looked at me and said, “So are you interested in renting the room?”

 

“No thank you, I just wanted to see if Shelly left anything behind. Thank you for your help.”

 

Just like that, exactly like the old year that had just passed, she was gone. I felt my heart breaking as I walked back to my car and drove away.