Not caring who saw her, she stuck out her tongue, and held it until several flakes had dropped. Yum. Snowflakes tasted wonderful.
“What are you doing standing out there in the snow?” Mrs. Wilson’s booming voice carried from the front door to where Heidi stood at the end of the path.
Heidi spread her arms out, and spun in a circle. “I’m enjoying the snow. Isn’t it lovely?”
“Lovely? No indeed. It’s freezing out there. You better come on in now, and warm up.” Mrs. Wilson pulled her sweater closer and regarded Heidi as if she had been let loose from the insane asylum.
“I’ll be there in a minute.” She continued to hold her head back, catching snowflakes.
The snap of the door closing echoed in the stillness of the falling snow. A couple of inches had accumulated on the ground, silencing the world, as if life held its breath, waiting for something magical to happen.
She really shouldn’t stay out any longer. Even Michael had warned her very cold weather wasn’t good for her lungs. A soft sigh escaped her lips, at the thought of her handsome boss.
It had been as romantic as she’d hoped when they danced at the church supper last night. She smiled at the looks her parents had exchanged at her ability to dance. What fun to surprise them! Maybe soon they would admit she’d grown up, no longer a little girl.
Not concerned with Clarence leaving so abruptly, but happy he did, she enjoyed her first dance with the man she loved.
Oh, dear. How did that thought slip out? A flutter in her stomach confirmed this was no random thought. Something that had been building for a long time.
When he’d held her in his solid arms, smiled at her excitement, and pulled her close at one point, she knew. She loved him, would always love him. Michael represented everything she ever dreamed of in a husband. Strong, caring, protective, and responsible. Someone who would cherish the woman he married. Determination flowed through her. She would be that woman.
Her mind drifted back to the conversation with her mother at the church supper. Once she’d assured Mother she had done nothing wrong-surely the kisses she and Michael had shared were not wrong-her mother agreed to speak with Papa about breaking the arrangement with Clarence. Not wishing to upset her mother, she didn’t dwell on Clarence’s frightening behavior, but simply emphasized her desire to no longer be engaged to the man.
A shiver ran down her spine, a reminder she needed to return inside before she had an asthma attack. She brushed the snow from her coat, shook out her hat and entered the warmth of the house. She sniffed. Roast chicken. Hopefully with mashed potatoes and gravy. Maybe biscuits, too. Her stomach rumbled as she hurried upstairs to wash for supper. Sunday evening at Mrs. Wilson’s table always filled her with warmth, along with the delicious food to fill her belly.
****
“How are you, Heidi?” Gloria’s deep velvet voice startled Heidi as she bent over the box of threads she sorted in the back of the store, late the next afternoon.
“Oh, Gloria. How nice to see you.” Again, Heidi got an uneasy feeling around Gloria. She made her feel like a bug the woman studied under glass. “What can I help you with?”
She waved her hand. “I need some hairpins. Plus I wanted to see how you were doing.”
“I’m just fine.” Heidi smiled, a tinge of something unpleasant settling in her stomach. “If you’ll follow me, I’ll show you where the hairpins are.”
Gloria touched her arm to stop her. “I think first I’ll have a chocolate soda again.”
The woman settled on a stool in front of the counter while Heidi prepared the soda. “Did you find a room yet?”
“Yes, in fact I did.” She pulled the soda glass closer, and stuck a straw into the liquid, stirring slowly. She looked around the room. “Where’s Michael?”
The uncomfortable feeling grew. Gloria was a beautiful woman. Shiny brown hair, pulled back into a loose bun, wide brown eyes, and skin like cool cream. Her dress fit her form snugly, outlining all the places men would be interested in viewing.
“He’s in the back of the store. We had a delivery, and he’s checking the inventory over, and signing.” She wiped the countertop with a wet rag, rubbing a bit too hard at the spot of chocolate that had dripped.
They both turned to the back of the store as Michael called a goodbye to the delivery man. He rolled down the sleeves of his white shirt over his muscular arms, and buttoned the cuffs, as he made his way toward them.
Gloria slid from her stool and stood in front of him. “Hello, Michael.”
“Oh. Hello. Gloria, isn’t it?” He nodded in her direction, and moved to continue past her.
She positioned her hand on his chest to stop him. “I wanted to ask you something, do you have a minute?” Her fingernails slid down, stopping at the top of his belt, resting there.
Michael pulled back, and frowned. “What do you need?”
“I wanted to invite you to dinner.”
A surge of anger shot through Heidi from her toes to her hairline. The nerve of the woman. Women did not invite men to dinner! And her hand on his chest. And fingers on his belt buckle. Really, the woman was far too fast.