Read Online A Penny for Your Thoughts by Bess McBride - Free Book Online
Authors: Bess McBride
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beige carpeting in the condominium muffled most footsteps. She inched the door open to peek out into the living room, now brightly lit from sun streaming in the sliding glass doors. Matt was nowhere to be seen.
“Matt?” she called from behind the door. No answer. Worried that he might have left, she abandoned all attempts at modesty and stepped into the living room to look around.
“Matt?” she called again. The door to the small guest washroom was open but the light was off. She stepped in. Everything looked the same. She touched the light blue face towel. It was wet. With a dejected slump, she turned to reenter the living room.
He’d left without a word. And she had to call the insurance company today...and get the window fixed.
Penny shuffled into the kitchen to make coffee. She flipped on the light switch and saw a small piece of paper torn from a memo pad in front of the coffee pot. The smell of brewed coffee permeated the air. She touched the hot pot and smiled.
Good morning, Penny
I can’t believe I fell asleep last night...this morning. I’m sorry. I have to take off to get showered and changed before work. I started the coffee for you. Talk to you soon.
Matt
Penny laid the note back on the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee. His handwriting was large and elegant, a strange contrast to his quiet, almost shy personality. She ran her fingertips along the curves of the letters, admiring the handwriting she remembered so well. He didn’t mention when he might see her again. She shook her head and sighed.
Why should he? He used to hold back in the old days as well. She had never been quite sure when she would see him next.
Penny stopped talking to herself long enough to take a sip of coffee. She returned to the living room and located her purse and phone, dropping onto the couch to begin making phone calls regarding her car. She dug in her handbag for her address book but couldn’t find it. Frustrated and tired, she upended the purse onto the coffee table. It wasn’t there.
This was just too much, she fumed. Where did she put that thing? When had she last used it? It seemed like it was just yesterday. But why?
She shot up straight. The post office. She had taken a package of T-shirts to the post office and mailed them to Travis. Had she left it there...where she’d used their large marker to write the address on the package? She ran an exhausted hand over her forehead. Why couldn’t she remember? Why couldn’t she concentrate? It was just a small green thing. Think, Penny, think! A rising sense of anxiety began to take hold. Surely, she hadn’t...left it in the car. No one would break into a car to steal an address book, would they? Penny grabbed her keys, jumped up and flew out the door and down the stairs. She hurried over to the car and peered inside. Some shards of glass still lay on the floorboard and seat, but she didn’t see the address book. She pulled open the door and checked underneath the seat, under the floor mat and behind the seat. Cursing the vandal who broke into her car, she opened the glove compartment, knowing full well she hadn’t put the address book inside there. She would have remembered.
There was nothing inside except her registration and proof of insurance which Sam had looked at the night before. She grabbed the insurance papers and slammed the glove box closed.
Penny took a deep calming breath and pinned her hopes on calling the post office. Perhaps she’d left it there. She trudged back up the stairs, her legs aching from lack of sleep.
She reached the third floor and pushed her door open, cursing herself for leaving it unlocked. Matt would not be impressed.
A phone call to the post office revealed no address book had been left in their building the day before. Penny burrowed herself into the sofa and wracked her brain, but she simply could not remember where it was. Why would a car vandal take it? It held only addresses...no passwords, no codes of any
“Matt?” she called from behind the door. No answer. Worried that he might have left, she abandoned all attempts at modesty and stepped into the living room to look around.
“Matt?” she called again. The door to the small guest washroom was open but the light was off. She stepped in. Everything looked the same. She touched the light blue face towel. It was wet. With a dejected slump, she turned to reenter the living room.
He’d left without a word. And she had to call the insurance company today...and get the window fixed.
Penny shuffled into the kitchen to make coffee. She flipped on the light switch and saw a small piece of paper torn from a memo pad in front of the coffee pot. The smell of brewed coffee permeated the air. She touched the hot pot and smiled.
Good morning, Penny
I can’t believe I fell asleep last night...this morning. I’m sorry. I have to take off to get showered and changed before work. I started the coffee for you. Talk to you soon.
Matt
Penny laid the note back on the counter and poured herself a cup of coffee. His handwriting was large and elegant, a strange contrast to his quiet, almost shy personality. She ran her fingertips along the curves of the letters, admiring the handwriting she remembered so well. He didn’t mention when he might see her again. She shook her head and sighed.
Why should he? He used to hold back in the old days as well. She had never been quite sure when she would see him next.
Penny stopped talking to herself long enough to take a sip of coffee. She returned to the living room and located her purse and phone, dropping onto the couch to begin making phone calls regarding her car. She dug in her handbag for her address book but couldn’t find it. Frustrated and tired, she upended the purse onto the coffee table. It wasn’t there.
This was just too much, she fumed. Where did she put that thing? When had she last used it? It seemed like it was just yesterday. But why?
She shot up straight. The post office. She had taken a package of T-shirts to the post office and mailed them to Travis. Had she left it there...where she’d used their large marker to write the address on the package? She ran an exhausted hand over her forehead. Why couldn’t she remember? Why couldn’t she concentrate? It was just a small green thing. Think, Penny, think! A rising sense of anxiety began to take hold. Surely, she hadn’t...left it in the car. No one would break into a car to steal an address book, would they? Penny grabbed her keys, jumped up and flew out the door and down the stairs. She hurried over to the car and peered inside. Some shards of glass still lay on the floorboard and seat, but she didn’t see the address book. She pulled open the door and checked underneath the seat, under the floor mat and behind the seat. Cursing the vandal who broke into her car, she opened the glove compartment, knowing full well she hadn’t put the address book inside there. She would have remembered.
There was nothing inside except her registration and proof of insurance which Sam had looked at the night before. She grabbed the insurance papers and slammed the glove box closed.
Penny took a deep calming breath and pinned her hopes on calling the post office. Perhaps she’d left it there. She trudged back up the stairs, her legs aching from lack of sleep.
She reached the third floor and pushed her door open, cursing herself for leaving it unlocked. Matt would not be impressed.
A phone call to the post office revealed no address book had been left in their building the day before. Penny burrowed herself into the sofa and wracked her brain, but she simply could not remember where it was. Why would a car vandal take it? It held only addresses...no passwords, no codes of any
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