draggling and sweaty curls from her face, feeling exhilarated by the walk in the chilly air.
She felt relieved as well because she’d had a long talk with God during her walk, and she’d finally put her mixed-up, confused feelings about Jake into His hands. She felt more free and lighter than she had in a long time.
She stopped in the process of fluffing and shaking back her hair.
“Oh! Mr. Watterson, I didn’t see you there.”
He leaned in the shadowy corner of the doorway to the kitchen, his arms crossed. His face was covered in the shadows, making him look inscrutable, almost dark and sinister, in a stage-play villain sort of way.
As she spoke, he detached himself from the shadows and stepped toward her, becoming the same old Jake. Her insides fluttered briefly and were still. She reminded herself sternly she had given those feelings to God.
Jake looked awfully grim.
A bit of her happiness came back, and she wanted to share it with him.
“Mr. Watterson, don’t stand there like the angel of death!” She stretched toward him, bringing her hand out and caught his, then released it. “Grab your coat! You need a walk.”
She spun away from him, laughing and feeling so ludicrously cheerful, even brave enough to boss him around.
He’d been so dreadfully grumpy this week. She knew he was probably thinking and worrying about the party too much, but really, who wouldn’t be “down in the dumps” if they never got fresh air and exercise? Betty knew there were plenty of people who couldn’t leave their house because of illness or disability, or because they were just too old or weak to manage it. But Jake Watterson was not one of those people, and he was going outside—one way or the other!
Perhaps he sensed her determination. Wordlessly, he caught his coat off the rack and followed her out the door. Betty breathed out a little fog of air and shoved her hands into her coat pockets. She already felt rejuvenated from her walk to buy groceries, but the outdoors still felt welcoming and nice to her.
“Even in the city, it’s beautiful out.” She looked over at Mr. Watterson and grinned. She moved closer and hooked an arm through his elbow. “What are you looking so grim about?” The dark circles under his eyes looked worse in the sunlight. He didn’t answer, so she continued. “It’s a beautiful day! Breathe the air! Look at the trees!” She gestured expansively to them with her free hand.
She puffed fog into the air and tripped along beside him, holding onto his arm like a child and smiling. For the moment, nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them, walking in the winter wonderland.
“Look at that!” As they reached the park, she pointed to thin branches overhead encased in ice. In the breeze, they moved against each other, making little crackling noises, winter’s own wind chimes.
She grinned at him. “I never get over that! It’s like a rainbow—just so pretty!”
Jake made a half snort, half laugh sound. He shook his head, smiling grudgingly. “Betty, you’re a wonder.”
“Oh!”
Now his brown eyes shone with reluctant good humor. “Tell me about yourself, Betty. Where were you born? What are your hopes and dreams? How did you come to waste your talents working for me?”
Betty laughed. “My talents? Isn’t that a bit much, Mr. Watterson? I mean, I can barely type. I just cook for you!”
“And cheer me up, despite my better judgment.”
Betty turned her face away from him because she was starting to blush. It was almost overpoweringly interesting being next to him like this. He seemed happy for once, and somehow very attentive and alert to her.
She found him intriguing even when he was busy running his hands through his hair, misplacing his pencil, and tapping out words on his typewriter. Now, when he was smiling at her and asking her about herself, she could barely contain the soft, fluttery feeling inside her chest.
Perhaps she hadn’t handled all of those
She felt relieved as well because she’d had a long talk with God during her walk, and she’d finally put her mixed-up, confused feelings about Jake into His hands. She felt more free and lighter than she had in a long time.
She stopped in the process of fluffing and shaking back her hair.
“Oh! Mr. Watterson, I didn’t see you there.”
He leaned in the shadowy corner of the doorway to the kitchen, his arms crossed. His face was covered in the shadows, making him look inscrutable, almost dark and sinister, in a stage-play villain sort of way.
As she spoke, he detached himself from the shadows and stepped toward her, becoming the same old Jake. Her insides fluttered briefly and were still. She reminded herself sternly she had given those feelings to God.
Jake looked awfully grim.
A bit of her happiness came back, and she wanted to share it with him.
“Mr. Watterson, don’t stand there like the angel of death!” She stretched toward him, bringing her hand out and caught his, then released it. “Grab your coat! You need a walk.”
She spun away from him, laughing and feeling so ludicrously cheerful, even brave enough to boss him around.
He’d been so dreadfully grumpy this week. She knew he was probably thinking and worrying about the party too much, but really, who wouldn’t be “down in the dumps” if they never got fresh air and exercise? Betty knew there were plenty of people who couldn’t leave their house because of illness or disability, or because they were just too old or weak to manage it. But Jake Watterson was not one of those people, and he was going outside—one way or the other!
Perhaps he sensed her determination. Wordlessly, he caught his coat off the rack and followed her out the door. Betty breathed out a little fog of air and shoved her hands into her coat pockets. She already felt rejuvenated from her walk to buy groceries, but the outdoors still felt welcoming and nice to her.
“Even in the city, it’s beautiful out.” She looked over at Mr. Watterson and grinned. She moved closer and hooked an arm through his elbow. “What are you looking so grim about?” The dark circles under his eyes looked worse in the sunlight. He didn’t answer, so she continued. “It’s a beautiful day! Breathe the air! Look at the trees!” She gestured expansively to them with her free hand.
She puffed fog into the air and tripped along beside him, holding onto his arm like a child and smiling. For the moment, nothing else mattered. It was just the two of them, walking in the winter wonderland.
“Look at that!” As they reached the park, she pointed to thin branches overhead encased in ice. In the breeze, they moved against each other, making little crackling noises, winter’s own wind chimes.
She grinned at him. “I never get over that! It’s like a rainbow—just so pretty!”
Jake made a half snort, half laugh sound. He shook his head, smiling grudgingly. “Betty, you’re a wonder.”
“Oh!”
Now his brown eyes shone with reluctant good humor. “Tell me about yourself, Betty. Where were you born? What are your hopes and dreams? How did you come to waste your talents working for me?”
Betty laughed. “My talents? Isn’t that a bit much, Mr. Watterson? I mean, I can barely type. I just cook for you!”
“And cheer me up, despite my better judgment.”
Betty turned her face away from him because she was starting to blush. It was almost overpoweringly interesting being next to him like this. He seemed happy for once, and somehow very attentive and alert to her.
She found him intriguing even when he was busy running his hands through his hair, misplacing his pencil, and tapping out words on his typewriter. Now, when he was smiling at her and asking her about herself, she could barely contain the soft, fluttery feeling inside her chest.
Perhaps she hadn’t handled all of those
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