traits I wished of a suitor. He was, however, very secretive and mysterious, things that were also very high on my list. I crushed the desire to know this young man. His words clearly spoke that though he had affection for me, I would not be the damsel to fall in love with him. No, I must stay on my task, and this one with Fran was of much importance.
“Polly? Polly!”
My thoughts returned to the sidewalk and I found Fran behind me, pointing at a building.
“Huh?”
“Isn’t this the deli?”
“Pardon?” I looked up and saw at once that indeed we were in front of the very deli where Miss Penny would be dining. With one glance at my watch, I saw that we had arrived none too soon.
“Why, yes it is, Fran. My apologies for passing by.My brain seems in a tremulous activity of thoughts.”
“Tremulous thoughts of
him
,” she said, raising her eyebrows up and down.
“Perish the thought, Fran. And please, never again bring up the letter or the vainly hopeful suitor who has written it.” I took her by the hand and strolled into the small dining area filled with the scents of tomato and lettuce, grilled chicken and humus. My own stomach growled at the delightful scents, for in my haste of the morning I had forgotten the nourishment of my own body.
But now was not the time. Romance was my sustenance and love my drink.
Within the small restaurant, dear Miss Lucy Penny sat straight upon her chair, delicate glasses gracing her small, perfect nose, with a hardbound book—possibly leather—before her on the table. If my suspicions of her elegance and supreme upbringing were correct, she was reading the elegant Jane Austen.
A true kindred spirit, I was sure.
“There she is, Fran,” I whispered into her ear. “Your soon-to-be mother. Isn’t she lovely?”
“Her? The one with the mouth that looks like a frog?”
I gasped, the image bringing up a dreadful remembranceof being chased by an amphibian in the hands of one Brad Baker. “Oh dear me, no, and please, Fran, you know how sensitive I am to such talk. The dazzlingly beautiful woman in the pink dress.”
“Oh, her? Yeah, she is pretty.”
“And so much more, I am sure.” I turned my bosom friend toward me, lifting the bouquet between us. “Now, my dear Fran. It is time for me to speak with her. I ache for your prayers on my behalf that I might not fail you, though my heart indeed feels eager to burst inside my chest with rapturous happiness.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. You always are. But are you sure that … you know … this is okay?”
“But of course. Love has no boundaries, Fran. Once your father knows of this, he will be eternally grateful to us. Love is in the air, and I am its vessel.” I squeezed her hand once and set off for the table where the lovely Miss Lucy Penny sat.
My mind whirled with romantic visions. She would smell the flowers. Mr. Fisk’s name would ring in the air like church bells. Her cheeks would blush to a rosy pink. Their first date. Their magical wedding day. Fran and myself adorned with light-yellow dresses, releasing wild butterflies into the crisp blue air.
It would be a fairy tale come true.
“Hey, Polly!”
The voice startled me. I was reluctant to turn and see who had interrupted my reverie.
Brad Baker. He looked shorter than when last I saw him, though his nose was still rather hooked and his feathery hair gave him the appearance of a bird of prey. I nodded. “Oh hi, Brad … Bradley. I hope you are doing well this summer.”
He smiled, almost blinding me with the unsightly metallic braces on his teeth. Though time had darkened his eyes to a handsome ocean blue, I could not say the braces added much to the attractiveness of his appearance. “I’m doing all right,” he said, stuffing three Cheetos into his mouth. “I’m gonna visit my dad and his girlfriend in a few weeks, but otherwise I’m here if you ever …”
I peered over at Miss Penny with all earnestness. Really, I
“Polly? Polly!”
My thoughts returned to the sidewalk and I found Fran behind me, pointing at a building.
“Huh?”
“Isn’t this the deli?”
“Pardon?” I looked up and saw at once that indeed we were in front of the very deli where Miss Penny would be dining. With one glance at my watch, I saw that we had arrived none too soon.
“Why, yes it is, Fran. My apologies for passing by.My brain seems in a tremulous activity of thoughts.”
“Tremulous thoughts of
him
,” she said, raising her eyebrows up and down.
“Perish the thought, Fran. And please, never again bring up the letter or the vainly hopeful suitor who has written it.” I took her by the hand and strolled into the small dining area filled with the scents of tomato and lettuce, grilled chicken and humus. My own stomach growled at the delightful scents, for in my haste of the morning I had forgotten the nourishment of my own body.
But now was not the time. Romance was my sustenance and love my drink.
Within the small restaurant, dear Miss Lucy Penny sat straight upon her chair, delicate glasses gracing her small, perfect nose, with a hardbound book—possibly leather—before her on the table. If my suspicions of her elegance and supreme upbringing were correct, she was reading the elegant Jane Austen.
A true kindred spirit, I was sure.
“There she is, Fran,” I whispered into her ear. “Your soon-to-be mother. Isn’t she lovely?”
“Her? The one with the mouth that looks like a frog?”
I gasped, the image bringing up a dreadful remembranceof being chased by an amphibian in the hands of one Brad Baker. “Oh dear me, no, and please, Fran, you know how sensitive I am to such talk. The dazzlingly beautiful woman in the pink dress.”
“Oh, her? Yeah, she is pretty.”
“And so much more, I am sure.” I turned my bosom friend toward me, lifting the bouquet between us. “Now, my dear Fran. It is time for me to speak with her. I ache for your prayers on my behalf that I might not fail you, though my heart indeed feels eager to burst inside my chest with rapturous happiness.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll be fine. You always are. But are you sure that … you know … this is okay?”
“But of course. Love has no boundaries, Fran. Once your father knows of this, he will be eternally grateful to us. Love is in the air, and I am its vessel.” I squeezed her hand once and set off for the table where the lovely Miss Lucy Penny sat.
My mind whirled with romantic visions. She would smell the flowers. Mr. Fisk’s name would ring in the air like church bells. Her cheeks would blush to a rosy pink. Their first date. Their magical wedding day. Fran and myself adorned with light-yellow dresses, releasing wild butterflies into the crisp blue air.
It would be a fairy tale come true.
“Hey, Polly!”
The voice startled me. I was reluctant to turn and see who had interrupted my reverie.
Brad Baker. He looked shorter than when last I saw him, though his nose was still rather hooked and his feathery hair gave him the appearance of a bird of prey. I nodded. “Oh hi, Brad … Bradley. I hope you are doing well this summer.”
He smiled, almost blinding me with the unsightly metallic braces on his teeth. Though time had darkened his eyes to a handsome ocean blue, I could not say the braces added much to the attractiveness of his appearance. “I’m doing all right,” he said, stuffing three Cheetos into his mouth. “I’m gonna visit my dad and his girlfriend in a few weeks, but otherwise I’m here if you ever …”
I peered over at Miss Penny with all earnestness. Really, I
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