The bell rang, and Heidi mentally groaned as her stomach let out another growl. Before she could greet the fashionably dressed young woman, Michael spoke as he headed to the front door.
“I’m terribly sorry, Miss. Can I ask you to come back in a little bit? My clerk and I were about to close for lunch. We have a number of customers who expect us to be re-opened at twelve-thirty, sharp, so we need to close now.”
Her full lips moved in a smile, and she leaned close to Michael as she spoke in a silky voice. “Not at all. I’ll be happy to return later.” She seemed to look him over, obviously taking in his broad shoulders, trim waist, and friendly expression. “Have a lovely lunch.” She waved and sauntered out the door, leaving behind the scent of an expensive perfume.
Heidi’s mouth dropped open. The woman said so much with only a few words. She glanced sideways at Michael, whose gaze followed her swaying hips. Neither one spoke for a moment, then Michael seemed to shake himself, and turned toward Heidi. “You ready to lock up?”
“Yes.” She dragged the word out as she studied him. Why did his reaction to the woman annoy her so much? She certainly had no claim on him. She stiffened her spine and headed to the back of the store, where she took her coat off the hook and slid her arms into it.
“Are you eating at the coffee shop?” Michael pushed the curtain aside as she buttoned up.
“Yes.”
He reached for his coat. “Wait. I’ll join you.”
They walked side by side, in silence, the short distance to the restaurant.
Heidi’s nose twitched with the smell of the day’s special of fried catfish before even entering. One of The Café’s specialties, Mrs. Bonner could count on a good crowd the days she served it. Michael and Heidi took seats at the long counter, since all the tables were full. They both ordered the special and sipped on tea while waiting.
Again, a feeling of happiness washed over her as she regarded the other diners. Her life now held no resemblance to her previous one. No more working on embroidery she despised, or baking things nobody ate, just to have something to do. And best of all, the panic that seized her when she had a breathing attack had lessened. She merely kept herself calm as she reached for the Belladonna and heated water.
“Did you attend the Women’s Right’s meeting last night?” Michael asked as he nodded a ‘thank you’ to the waitress who placed the overloaded plate in front of him.
Heidi turned, excitement churning her stomach. “Yes, I did. Your sister Ellie was so nice to me. She introduced me to all her friends, and a few of us stopped for coffee afterwards, and then Ellie took a detour so she walked by my house.” She broke a piece of fish off with her fork, and closed her eyes as she tasted it. “Mm. This fish is so good.”
“For all her peculiar ideas, Ellie’s a pretty nice person.”
“I don’t think her ideas are at all peculiar.” A piece of fish dangled from her fork as she waved the implement around, and continued. “Why, she and her friends think women should have the same rights as men. I don’t see anything strange about that.”
“Oh, boy.” Michael smiled and rolled his eyes as he lifted his cup of tea.
Heidi swallowed a mouthful of mashed potatoes. “Do you know there are men who have sent their wives to mental institutions merely to be rid of them?” She narrowed her eyes and huffed. “And don’t laugh at me.”
He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “I’m not laughing at you, honestly. It’s just I hear all about the horrors women have been subjected to, every time I visit Uncle Jesse’s for a family dinner. Now, I suppose, I’ll hear the same battle cry every day.”
She sniffed and returned to her food, which was really quite good. “It gave me a different way of looking at things,” she said between bites, again waving her fork around. “I always accepted that women became wives, and then mothers, and did what their husbands told them to do. They stayed in the relative security of their homes, and never ventured beyond church, shopping, friends and neighbors.”
“What’
s so wrong about that?”
“Nothing. If it’s what you want. But Ellie’s friends believe a woman doesn’t have to marry, or have children.”
Michael grinned as he devoured his food. Finally, he folded his napkin, and placed it alongside his empty plate. He crossed his arms over his chest as he sat back. “You’ve had quite an epiphany. How do you suppose your life will change?”
She scowled. Yes, a definite sparkle of mirth danced in his eyes.
“Not in any drastic way, actually.” She thought for a moment. “I think I now understand I did the right thing in leaving home and taking a job. I should consider other ways to live my life than what my parents expect.”
“You’re right, there. Everyone should live the life they want, not what someone else may want, or think is the best way for them.”
She smiled, peering at him under raised brows. “Even women?”
“Well, yes. But within reason.”
Heidi laid her fork down, and rubbed her full stomach. “What do you mean?”
“If a woman is married, and has a couple of children, she can’t be running off to work every day.”