Florence Vassy runs a smoothing hand down each side of her simple black dress as she takes one last look in the mirror. Sadness threatens to rise up and overwhelm her, but not a tear falls from her solemn emerald eyes. Boxes line the wall of the small apartment. It's time to move on. Perhaps somewhere out east this time. Richard always preferred the calm Midwest. Her heart clinches with every memory of him. To lose a father figure not once, but twice, is a cruel trick of fate, Florence has decided. Richard de Ceverus signed Florence on as his second when she was a mere eighteen years old, working over forty hours a week while also attending school full time. He over looked her youth for her drive and potential, paying her enough to allow her to quit her strenuous job at the nursing home. He became the loving father figure she'd lost. Florence hopes his funeral will help to bring closure to the uncertainty of her real father's fate.
Florence returns to her apartment after the funeral, heart broken beyond tears. Lowering the casket into the ground, the full realization that she's once again all alone...it was hard. But she didn't cry. Florence never cries. There's always someone else to be strong for. Countless strangers cried on Florence's shoulder today, those who may not have known her, but knew Richard and appreciated her eulogy that did his life justice. She crumples into an exhausted heap on the floor in front of the computer. She checks Richard's email for one of the last times. Spam. Lost of condolences from his friends and fans. A message with the words "Dear Florence" in the subject line. Her brows furrow in confusion as she checks the sender. Frederick Trumper. Well that's a name she hasn't heard in a while. Sure, she keeps a distant eye on him, learning of his steps up in the chess world, but she hasn't heard from him since...that afternoon. The day she disappeared. Memories threaten to overwhelm her but she shoves them down. Intelligent eyes quickly scan the contents of the email. He wants her to come work with him, be his second. Oh dear. She stands and walks away from the computer. How to respond? Yes? No? Give it time? She knows she's not the same person she was the last time they knew each other. Sure, she looks the same, but inside she's changed so much. She's stronger now, more self sufficient. Her walls are built higher, built stronger. Florence spins around and returns to the computer, typing Freddie's name into a search engine. He currently resides in New Jersey. What the hell...She types out a quick reply from her own email rather than Richard's, accepting Freddie's offer. She stands and looks at the boxes against the wall, wondering how quickly she can leave this place.