It's Over, It's Over, It's Over

regent (REE-juhnt) adjective

One who rules for a limited period, on behalf of a king or queen who
is a minor, absent, or ill.

We approached the Armitage apartment nearly crippled over with stomach knots. The old neighborhood, the old walk, that burned feeling of tender scars, all floating in the crisp winter air, drying out our lips and accelerating our heart beats. Were we under surveillance? Does she stalk the block, hunting down her aggressors, volumes of law books tucked under her arm? Street lights posed as eyes; pedestrians trolled like agents. We arrived.

My attention immediately focused on the original location of the For Rent sign I taped atop the inside window facing the street, some two weeks prior. It wasn't there. I paused. We began whispering our thoughts, searching quickly for tangible indications. A lone chair sat shadowed by the building, hidden in the far corner. Adrienne pointed to a small mound of cigarette butts just outside the front door. Possibly, maybe, a light shimmered in the kitchen.

Smiles staged a coup across our faces--rejoicing, we sang Roy Orbison to Damen. The burden lifted high and wide, drawing out sudden exclaims and gitty laughter. Our lease, our landlady, was broken.