Read Online Winter in Full Bloom by Anita Higman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Anita Higman
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left pocket of my jacket.”
When I did, I pulled out my charm bracelet and gasped. “How did … ? Where? Oh no. I rolled it off my hand and forgot it.”
“I happened to see it as we were leaving the restaurant.”
I held the bracelet to my heart. “Oh, if I had lost this I would have been sooo disappointed. My daughter, Julie, gave this to me. The charms represent our lives … our loves.” I lifted it to show him the tiny charms and explained the significance of each. “I suppose someday I’ll add a silver flute to my bracelet. At least I hope to.”
“It’s going to be fine. You’re going to find Camille. God didn’t bring you this far for nothing.”
I rolled the bangle onto my wrist. We strolled back toward my hotel, and I tried not to think about how ill Camille might be. How many evenings would I have to show up to finally meet her? And what if I used all of my evenings waiting for her and then found out it wasn’t Camille after all? The word devastating came to mind, but I remembered the two mustard seeds under the glass dome in Mother’s study. “Marcus?”
“Hmm?” He seemed to have wandered off somewhere. Maybe he was thinking about his parents again. Poor man.
“I was curious about something when you talked about you and your sister. Do you mind if I ask you a question? Please tell me if I’m being nosy.”
“Ask me anything.” Like a gentleman he held my elbow as we crossed the street.
“When you said you were tired that night of the accident, I just wondered if you suffered with insomnia … like I do.”
“Yes.”
I stopped on the sidewalk and touched his arm. “What keeps you awake? I know you must think about the accident, but you said you were tired before that. I just wondered about it.”
Marcus stared at me blankly for a moment as if he were looking through me into a place where I couldn’t go—where he was truly alone. “All right.” He offered me a surrendering nod. “Instead of walking outside here in the cold wind, let’s go back to your pub through Southgate. It’s a complex of shops that’s more enclosed. I can show you something that will help you to understand.”
“Yes, please.” For some reason I really did want to know more, to understand. My curiosity surrounding the man, as well as my empathy, was growing by the hour. “Pub?” I suddenly thought to ask.
He smiled. “People use the word pub here for hotel.”
“Oh.” When we’d walked past a few businesses—a jewelry store, a café, and various clothing shops—we came across a quaint bookstore.
“Shall we?” he asked.
“Okay.”
He escorted me inside and led me to the children’s section. I noticed a few of Julie’s favorite books spread out face forward on a big oak display. Books I’d read to her so many times that we’d loved all the pretty off like the velveteen rabbit. I ran my finger along the brightly colored books and let the wonderful memories trickle down like a soft rain. “When Julie was five she called all her picture books ‘story lovies.’”
“That sounds adorable.” Marcus picked up one of the hardbound picture books and handed it to me.
I looked at the title. When Monsters Come Out to Play. Mmm. “My daughter and I both loved this book.” I gave him a sheepish grin. “I still do. What a whimsical concept, that monsters get lonely, and they’re just looking for someone to play with … someone to be their friend.” I opened the book to the first page. “And the man’s use of watercolor is so distinctive and lovely. I’ve never seen anything else like it.” I looked at the author-illustrator’s name with affection—Miles Hooper. “Little does Mr. Hooper know … well, this was my miracle book when Julie was five. It’s how I got her to sleep. It made all of our lives so much easier back then. In fact, I could kiss that Hooper fellow, whoever he is.”
Marcus grinned then—a big satisfied grin that looked both enchanting and curious. “The
When I did, I pulled out my charm bracelet and gasped. “How did … ? Where? Oh no. I rolled it off my hand and forgot it.”
“I happened to see it as we were leaving the restaurant.”
I held the bracelet to my heart. “Oh, if I had lost this I would have been sooo disappointed. My daughter, Julie, gave this to me. The charms represent our lives … our loves.” I lifted it to show him the tiny charms and explained the significance of each. “I suppose someday I’ll add a silver flute to my bracelet. At least I hope to.”
“It’s going to be fine. You’re going to find Camille. God didn’t bring you this far for nothing.”
I rolled the bangle onto my wrist. We strolled back toward my hotel, and I tried not to think about how ill Camille might be. How many evenings would I have to show up to finally meet her? And what if I used all of my evenings waiting for her and then found out it wasn’t Camille after all? The word devastating came to mind, but I remembered the two mustard seeds under the glass dome in Mother’s study. “Marcus?”
“Hmm?” He seemed to have wandered off somewhere. Maybe he was thinking about his parents again. Poor man.
“I was curious about something when you talked about you and your sister. Do you mind if I ask you a question? Please tell me if I’m being nosy.”
“Ask me anything.” Like a gentleman he held my elbow as we crossed the street.
“When you said you were tired that night of the accident, I just wondered if you suffered with insomnia … like I do.”
“Yes.”
I stopped on the sidewalk and touched his arm. “What keeps you awake? I know you must think about the accident, but you said you were tired before that. I just wondered about it.”
Marcus stared at me blankly for a moment as if he were looking through me into a place where I couldn’t go—where he was truly alone. “All right.” He offered me a surrendering nod. “Instead of walking outside here in the cold wind, let’s go back to your pub through Southgate. It’s a complex of shops that’s more enclosed. I can show you something that will help you to understand.”
“Yes, please.” For some reason I really did want to know more, to understand. My curiosity surrounding the man, as well as my empathy, was growing by the hour. “Pub?” I suddenly thought to ask.
He smiled. “People use the word pub here for hotel.”
“Oh.” When we’d walked past a few businesses—a jewelry store, a café, and various clothing shops—we came across a quaint bookstore.
“Shall we?” he asked.
“Okay.”
He escorted me inside and led me to the children’s section. I noticed a few of Julie’s favorite books spread out face forward on a big oak display. Books I’d read to her so many times that we’d loved all the pretty off like the velveteen rabbit. I ran my finger along the brightly colored books and let the wonderful memories trickle down like a soft rain. “When Julie was five she called all her picture books ‘story lovies.’”
“That sounds adorable.” Marcus picked up one of the hardbound picture books and handed it to me.
I looked at the title. When Monsters Come Out to Play. Mmm. “My daughter and I both loved this book.” I gave him a sheepish grin. “I still do. What a whimsical concept, that monsters get lonely, and they’re just looking for someone to play with … someone to be their friend.” I opened the book to the first page. “And the man’s use of watercolor is so distinctive and lovely. I’ve never seen anything else like it.” I looked at the author-illustrator’s name with affection—Miles Hooper. “Little does Mr. Hooper know … well, this was my miracle book when Julie was five. It’s how I got her to sleep. It made all of our lives so much easier back then. In fact, I could kiss that Hooper fellow, whoever he is.”
Marcus grinned then—a big satisfied grin that looked both enchanting and curious. “The
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