Rainy Day Dreams: 2 by Virginia Smith, Lori Copeland

of her short stay, she would endeavor to spend as much time in the restaurant as she could, thereby escaping the Faulkner House.
    Miss Everett had been installed in a second floor room at the opposite end of the hallway from Jason’s. Since her hands were full, Kathryn used the toe of her boot to tap on the door.
    A muffled answer came from within. “Yes?”
    “It’s me, Kathryn.” Fresh from the cheerful atmosphere at Evangeline’s, she adopted a lighthearted tone. “I’ve brought your breakfast tray.”
    There was a scuffling sound and then the door cracked open. A brown eye peered cautiously at her for a moment, and then the door swung open.
    “It’s flapjacks with butter and jam. And there are fresh eggs and bacon—fried crisp.” She smiled into the solemn face. “It looks better than anything the ship’s cook served us, I can tell you that.”
    A brief smile appeared on the woman’s thin lips and then evaporated. During the voyage on the Fair Lady, Miss Everett had barely spoken five sentences. Kathryn’s initial attempts to strike up a conversation met with no success, and she’d finally given up. The aura of sadness she’d sensed then was still apparent in the woman’s rounded shoulders, her downcast expression, and the way her rare smiles affected only her lips but failed to dispel the heaviness in her eyes.
    She reached for the tray, but Kathryn pulled it backward out of her reach. Last night she’d delivered supper into Miss Everett’s hands and left her at the door. This morning she was determined to prove Madame wrong. She could succeed in Seattle, if she wanted, and that included succeeding at her job. The decision to leave wasn’t a matter of being incapable. It was a matter of desire.
    “I’ll bring it in for you and keep you company for a minute if you like. While you eat I can tidy up your room.”
    Another shadowy smile acknowledged the offer. “Thank you, but as you can see I’ve already straightened up.”
    She stepped back to allow Kathryn an unobstructed view inside. Curious, Kathryn peered around her slight figure. The room would be considered small by most standards, but compared to the closet in which she slept, it was palatial. Though crowded. Two beds dominated the cramped space, the coverings of both neat and straight. An old, scratched trunk rested between them, and she spied the edge of Miss Everett’s satchel peeking out from beneath the bed in the far corner. A book lay on the mattress, splayed open and facedown.
    “I’ll take that,” the lady said softly, reaching again for her breakfast.
    Since there would hardly be room for both of them to maneuverwithin the confines of the small space, Kathryn released the tray into her hands. She set it on the surface of the trunk, which she apparently intended to use as a makeshift table, and then turned to face Kathryn, her hands clasped tightly together in front of her.
    “Madame Garritson promised to have someone remove the extra bed this morning, though she seemed unhappy about having two private rooms at one time.” She cleared her throat, her eyes fixed on a place on the wall somewhere off to Kathryn’s right. “I hated to mention it to her, but would it be possible to request a chair in its place?”
    Yes, a chair would be a good addition. Situated there in the corner, she would have plenty of light to read by. That is, if the sun ever decided to put in an appearance in the dull, dreary, cloud-covered sky. She glanced around. A picture on the wall would work wonders in here, and some nicer curtains. Those dreary ones looked like they’d been made from worn-out burlap sacks.
    “I’ll pass along the request.” She turned to go and then paused. “Tomorrow, leave the bed for me to make. I’m happy to do that for you.” To her amazement, she meant it. She felt an urge to do something to bring a smile to this sad woman’s face.
    Miss Everett’s solemn expression did not change as she shook her head slowly.