"Housekeeping!"

"And also because, if either of you comes back here one day taking it upon yourself to dredge this up..."

She swapped out the Hitachi for her feather duster and menacingly brandished it in their faces.

"...I will make you very sorry you did."

Reinforcing ticklish fear in them seemed to work. They gave the same reply in unison, one with a murmur, one with a squeak.

"...Okay."

"Good! That's my girls. A'right, you two, up an' at 'em.

"And, eh, just my opinion, but, I'd suggest picking up some new toothbrushes. Perhaps you can use that $10 you stole from me."

One hour later, Lilly Amshire successfully sent her ex-girlfriend and said ex's new galpal on their way halfway across the country. As the sun peeked, giving way to the dawning of the new crisp weekend, Lilly watched her companions' plane pick up speed, at last lifting off terra firma. It blasted out of sight, leaving Lil with a bittersweet feeling of emptiness inside, the realization that the love of her life was gone, that Julie Hancock had vanished...but too that alas, it wasn't meant to be. Her heart might still have been broken, but she'd get on. She wasn't proud of what she'd done, nor was she regretful. She couldn't feel remorse for the closure she needed. The last six happy months of her life would stay with her and weigh on her indefinitely, but...she'd done what she had to do. She kind of wished it hadn't had to be done this way, but...oh well. It was done. She couldn't change it now if she wanted to.

The plane faded to a small dot in the icy cold heavens, and was finally swallowed up by the blue. She waved with a whisper.

"Goodbye, my love."

She gave a sniffle and a shiver, brushing a tear away. It seemed to occur to her for the first time this morning just how cold it was, even in her bundled-up state. And even after everything that had happened in the last five hours, she wished Julie and Colleen well. Part of her still loved Julie, and always would. And she wanted Julie to be happy, whether that be with Colleen, with someone else, on her own, whatever the circumstances. And she'd be happy again one day herself, she knew. She'd learn to trust and love again, and would find someone who earned that trust and love. Someone whom she deserved. Someone who deserved her.

But, everything in due course. Today she had a shift starting at noon and just three or four hours to fuel up with a little shuteye.

"Taxi!...

"Meridian Inn and Suites, 37th and Bradwood, please."