Fairytales Ch 2

1

In your average fairytale, the heroine is often passive. She doesn’t fight the beast or win the battles. More so she is just a vessel to be worked through or a prize to be won. Jane found herself, unwittingly, in the same position. Though it was by no fault of her own. It could be said, that if she had known of her role, that she would have done something rash to change it. Imagine Cinderella slapping her sisters and starting a catfight, silk and satin mixing with ashes and pearls. Better yet, see Rapunzel chopping her own golden tresses into a pixie cut and scaling down the tower wall instead of suffering scalp damage at the hands of her Prince. Both images are a little shocking but sure to elicit a snicker at least. 2

Really, if thought upon, no one today would be shocked for a woman to handle her own problems. The modern woman is capable and needs no man. She won’t settle for being simply a pawn in the game. And Princes are a thing of the past. Secretly, some girls want them but then others would prefer a princess and others yet think they’re a waste of time entirely. The best thing for a modern woman to do is ignore the mess entirely. 3

Jane was trying to do exactly that. She wasn’t just about to sit around and do nothing. She had a life, right? She could survive without Andy’s jealous overkill. So what if most of her friends weren’t here anymore? Sitting at her desk, she tried to decide between magenta or orange for her nails while channel surfing. Nothing was on. Why is it on the days that you have nothing to do, nothing is on? She settled on a talk show and the orange. Her mom would be at work until seven. After that they were supposed to do dinner. That gave her another six hours waste. The thing about leisure time is you can only have so much of it before it gets tiresome. A little work is good for the soul. Maybe she should get a job. She had worked at the beach all summer as a life guard but that finished after Labour Day. 4

Digging through her message pad, she remembered something her Mother had told her. Her Grandmother’s friend had offered her a job but she had still been undecided about whether or not she was going to go away for college. Now that she had made her choice, maybe it was time to apply again. She found the number at the bottom of the pad between a squiggle and a witch’s hat. With a shrug, she picked up her phone and dialled the number. It was a long shot but it was better than canvassing downtown with resumes. 5

“Ever After Antiques.” The voice held the same aural pleasure of a rusty hinge. 6

“Hello, Mrs Brown? This is Jane Bryant. I was wondering… Do you still have a job opening?”7

“Jane?” The wheeze now became more like a dying balloon releasing the last of its air. “Robbie’s girl?”8

“Yes, Rob was my Dad.” No one had mentioned them in reference for each other for a long time now. It was a surreal feeling. “About the job-”9

“I remember Robbie from when he was a little boy. Your Grandmother and I used to visit each other, have tea and the like. He was such a curious little thing. Every time he came into the shop he would touch everything. He was like a little monkey. And then he left, went to the city like so many of our boys, only he returned, brought back that nice woman-”10

“My mother.”11

“That’s right. She would be your Mother, wouldn’t she? Strange to think of her like that. Strange to think of her as any part of our community. Rarely do people from the outside stay after their link leaves. She had no ties here. Maybe you kept her here?”12

Jane didn’t know what to say. Her mouth opened and closed several times trying to think of something. When your parents are put in a different context, not as parents but as people with lives of their own, stories, it is hard to think about. Adults live so far outside of the spectrum of childhood and even farther from the land of teenagers. Even in those years where you make the final transition, it is hard to think that you will ever be one of them; that one day your own child will experience the same things that you may have, think the same thoughts, learn the same lessons or that one day people will refer to them as yours. “Maybe I did.”13

“Come round the shop. You start tomorrow at nine a.m. Please be prompt.”14

Then the strange conversation was over and Jane was left holding the receiver, wondering if it had ever happened at all. When the dial tone woke her from her reverie, she placed it back into the cradle and just sat there. Now she had something to do. Or she would, starting tomorrow. Her fingers traced over the buttons as she debated calling Andy to give her something to do. Or at least someone to talk to. Picking up her cell, she texted him to call her after work. He could have probably talked to her if the garage wasn’t busy but she never wanted to call and interrupt or talk to Fred. She had never gotten used to talking to him. Sighing, she got up from her desk and began to walk around her room. There was nothing to do. For the hundredth time, she regretted not leaving home for greener pastures. 15

By the time her Mother got home, she had cooked dinner for them. Nothing fancy. It was part of their routine now. Jane actually was getting to like making meals, there was something soothing about cooking. Standing at the sink, hands emerged in soapy water and singing to the radio, Amy almost caught her by surprise. “It smells good, honey.” Setting down her bag and taking off her jacket, she came in to open the oven. “How was your day.”16

“I phoned Mrs Brown. Remember Grandma got me a job with her?” 17

There was a twitch in her facial expression that took away from her smile. “Was the position still open?”18

“Yeah, she wants me to start tomorrow.”19

“That’s wonderful.”20

“Yeah, I was pretty happy about it.” Jane grabbed the towel and dried off her hands. “Go have a seat. I’ll bring dinner to you.” 21

They sat in the living room with their plates on their lap. Neither of them was really in the mood for talking. It just how they were lately, neither had anything new to offer in conversation. They made small talk all the time. Jane stirred her corn into the mashed potatoes, making mountains and valleys with the food before taking a bite. Her mother turned the news on but neither of them watched like so many other viewers. Their own lives consumed too many of their own thoughts. Soon after dinner, they parted ways. Amy went to the office to do paper work and Jane found a movie to watch. Then they tucked into bed without even saying goodnight.22

Ever After Gifts was a place of fascination and terror for the children of the village. The store windows were a portal into another world- One where myths and tales seemed real and their characters could come alive. Oily smudges from little fingers and noses dotted the glass from where children dared to take a closer look at the display. A dummy dressed in rich fabrics sat center with her thousand, live saving tales around her. In the other window thieves crept around the antiques, ready to spirit them away while a wispy blue genie sat tethered to his lamp. The display would change again soon with the onset of winter. 23

Jane opened the door with the type of enthusiasm that a child enjoys on Christmas morning. The bell dinged merrily as the door opened and let her through. Inside the store, even the lighting seemed magical. Everything was bathed in the amber glow of simulated candle chandeliers and classical piano sonatas. “Hello? Ms Brown?”24

The beaded curtain behind the counter parted and the village witch appeared. Tall and thin with silver hair reaching her waist, she wasn’t so scary looking up close. Her eyes were large and blue, framed by half moon spectacles and a soft smile curved her lips. “Jane, right?” Without waiting for a response, she reached out and touched her hand. “You look so much like your father you know.”25

She didn’t know. No one had ever compared that. “Everyone says I look like my Mom’s side of the family.” 26

“That’s just ‘cause they don’t know the Bryants well enough. You have their spirit in them and your Gran’s beauty.”27

Spirit Jane had heard before. Whenever her mother and her fought, she never failed to mention how ‘spirited’ she was and how her Dad had been the exact same way. But beauty? Catching her reflection in an antique mirror, she wondered if her looks could really be considered anything but plain? Light locks that could be called dark blond hung bone straight to her shoulder. Her frame wasn’t as small as she would have liked it to be, she’d never be a size two, and then there were the freckles that collected en masse on her shoulders and the bridge of her nose. 28

“I know that look- Your Gran used to get it when people would tell her she was pretty, never believed it, not until she met your grandfather.” 29

“You knew her back then?”30

“Of course I did. We’ve both lived in Forest Grove since we were girls and neither of us left. Didn’t you know?”31

“Uh-” How do you say you have no clue about an apparently crucial part of an immediate relative’s life without sounding like a horrible person? 32

“Its okay, dear. I know old people like us are boring.”33

Jane laughed softly. “No, its not that.” 34

Tillie leaned on the counter and looked right into Jane’s eyes will her dark brown ones. The look was piercing and seemed to go right into her mind. “Then tell me, what is it?”35

What could she say to that? Jane’s mouth opened but nothing came out. “I guess you’re right.”36

Her laughter was unexpected. It was like bells, loud and clear. “A young person who will admit that? How refreshing.” She brushed his hair from her face. “I think you and I will get a long well. As for your job, I’m sure you’d like to know what you’ll be doing. Most of your work will be cleaning and dusting. The antiques up front are mostly knick knacks, some furniture but nothing our patrons order or the higher quality items. Those are in the vault.” She raised the wooden partition of the counter. “Come back and I’ll show you that.”37

Behind the beaded curtain was a whole new world. No longer were they in the calm chaos of the front of the store. Back here seemed like an acid trip of colors- orange glass lanterns hung over rainbows of fabric and beads. Shelves of cubby holes filled floor to ceiling and made the room seem more like a hallway. They could barely stand beside each other. “More stock.” Mrs Brown told her, leading her to a door. The key to the lock she kept on a pale blue ribbon around her neck. Pulling it from the pale silk of her blouse, she unlocked the door and pulled it open. This was the treasure trove. 38

“Wow.” Jane took two steps in as the musty smell surrounded her. 39

Tillie pulled on white museum gloves and passed her the same. “We always wear these in here. Some of these artefacts are hundreds of years old and you wouldn’t want to damage them with the oil from your skin.” Seeing her freeze, she laughed. “Go ahead. Look around.”40

Jane tried to take everything in. There was just so much to look at- It was like being in a candy store. Her fingers touched everything. A few times her breath caught in her chest, amazed at the items hidden in here. When she thought she was done looking, a new something would catch her eye. Just as she left, a leather bound book caught her eye. It was in bad condition, the corners frayed, pages yellowed. Picking it up, the musty smell began stronger. ‘Le Conte Du Loup’ was in flowery script, the gold worn from most of the embossing except for the crevices. “Now that, is a real gem.”41

Jane turned, not realizing Tillie was still there. “It doesn’t look as taken care of as the other books.”42

“Of course not. It’s a children’s book.”43

“What does it say?”44

Tillie fixed her glasses. “It says, The Wolf’s Story. It just came in and I was going to give it to your Grandmother when I saw her next week but if you wouldn’t mind taking it to her?”45

“I can do that.”46

“Good, consider that the rest of your shift then.” The old woman smiled. “Come back tomorrow, same time?” She slid the book into an envelope then handed it to the girl.47

Nodding, she grabbed her jacket and made her way out. To Grandmother’s house she’d go.48

The bus ride didn’t seem to take as long as it had last time. Then again, Jane was distracted. Her French was rudimentary at best but the pictures were helpful and the writing simple. She counted herself lucky her Grandmother ordered a children’s book. From what she could tell, it was like Little Red Riding Hood with a friendlier wolf. Instead of eating the little girl, the wolf was there to trick her out of her own treats and lead her into mischief by turning into a boy. Although still sinister, no one was gobbled up or became a cross dresser.49

The pictures were strange. Everything was dark and grainy, like a pen and ink of an old photo. The girl was slight with great big eyes like one of those velvet paintings. The feral boy’s shaggy hair hung in his face and his clothes were rags, he was emaciated and looked devilish. The scenery was simple darkness and high hanging pine bowers. The only other detail was the full moon, present somewhere in all of the illustrations. Jane couldn’t see any parents wanting to read this to their kids before they tucked them in. 50

Bruno stopped the bus right outside the orchard. “Your stop, miss.” He told her with a curious expression on his face. If he was a dog, it would have been called a laugh: mouth open, tongue lolling just over his bottom lip but as a human, it was just strange. She eyed him strangely as she got off and then watching the bus drive again deeper into the forest lane, towards the dead end. 51

Jane shook her head and walked up the walk, past all the other houses. She shivered as an invisible wind spun around her. Reaching the cottage, she slipped passed the gate and up the walk. The door was unlocked when she tried the handle. “Grandma?” There was no answer. She kicked off her shoes and hung up her coat on one of the hooks. “You home?” There was no answer but a startling sense of déjà vu. Only she didn’t hear David’s voice this time.52

The back door to the orchard was open a bit. She poked her head out and saw no one. Weird. Dropping the book down on the table, she checked the bedrooms and the door to the bathroom was wide open. No one was home. Sitting at the table, she waited. Someone had to be here soon- right? She picked the book back up and began to look it over again. The front page was stuck to the cover. Picking at the thin paper with her nail, she tried not to damage it. The corner came free and she peeled the rest of the page away. It made a sticking noise causing her to pause a few times. It sounded like it was attached with fly paper. There was writing on the now free page. The script was beautiful, even under the layer of what seemed to be paste. Of course whatever it said was in French. Grabbing her purse, she pulled out her agenda and scribbled down what she could make of the worlds. It seemed to say: ‘Mon cher …, soyez prudent sur votre chemin et faites attention aux loups sous le couvert des hommes.’ and it was dated 1901. 53

“Jane?” David came in the back door. “What are you doing here?”54

She tried to hide her surprise. “Waiting for signs of life.”55

“Huh?” His brow furrowed in confusion.56

“Do you know where my Grandmother is?”57

“Yeah, she went into town for tea. I was just helping her rake leaves. They say a snow storm is on the way and she wanted the grass clear.” He went to the sink, washing his hands in the sink. “Did you take the bus?”58

“Yeah but I didn’t fall asleep on it this time.” 59

“You fell asleep last time?”60

She chuckled, “Yeah, I did.”61

“Don’t.” He warned, sounding serious. “It’s not safe.”62

“David, no one ever goes on the bus except you and me.”63

“And Bruno.”64

“Oh what is he going to do?”65

“To a girl like you? Gobble you up.”66

Jane’s eyes met his and she shook her head. Of course he was speaking figuratively. She could barely imagine Bruno getting out of his seat, never mind attacking her. “He’s just a harmless old man.”67

“He’s a dog.”68

She rolled her eyes. “Whatever you say.”69

Wiping his hands off, he came and sat with her. David looked at the book and picked it up. “The Wolf’s Tale.” He chuckled, “I haven’t seen this in a while.”70

“Its yours?”71

“No, course not. My Grandmother used to read it to me though. She said it had a good moral. Personally I just thought it was a caution against playing with girls. Have you read it?”72

Jane shook her head. “I tried to.”73

“French is a little rusty?” He chuckled, “Well if I remember correctly, it was about a little boy who turned into a wolf. He planned all sorts of fun things to do with the girl he liked and she kept trying to get him killed.74

“Fun things?” She echoed, “He put her in a bucket and dropped her into a well!”75

“She wanted a lucky penny.”76

“No one ever stands up for the wolf.”77

David looked at her, eyes glowing playfully, “Exactly. Maybe it’s high time someone took his side. After all, he can’t be that bad.” He leaned back in his chair and looked at her. “So what are you making me for lunch?”78

“I’m not cooking anything for you.”79

“Please? I raked the whole yard.” He gave her a sad puppy look. “And that apple stuff was really good last time.” 80

“I hate you.” Jane grumbled and rose. Going to the cupboards, they were almost bare. What had her Grandmother been living on? She made a note to herself to bring her more groceries. Grabbing a box of mac and cheese, she tossed it to him. “This meet your standards?”81

“I’ve eaten worse.”82

She shook her head and began to cook. Really it was second nature to her and not any real hardship. Filling the sauce pan with water, she shoved it on the stove and flicked the dial onto high. She was going to make it the way her Dad had liked- And that required extra ingredients. Out of the freezer she pulled a pack of ground beef and tossed it in the microwave. Grabbing a pepper out of the fridge and a sharp knife, she diced it and then threw it in a pan. The earthy and sweet smell of the pepper rose into the air. The pasta was dropped in boiling water and beef into the pan. When everything was done, she poured in the cheese powder and mixed it all together. “Student dining for a King.” She said, placing a plate of it before him with a flourish, just like her Dad always had. “Bon appetite.” 83

David leaned over and breathed the scent in before shovelling the first spoonful into his mouth. “Mmm.” He pronounced with a grin. “That’s good.”84

“And you had doubts.”85

“Me? Never. I bow to you kitchen supremacy.” With another two bites, he’d finished it. “Any more left?”86

Jane emptied the rest of the pot on his plate then dumped it in the sink to wait for him to finish eating. “I’m surprised you’re not mad at me still.” She murmured, sitting across from him. She licked a speck of the sauce from her finger. 87

“Mad? Why would I be mad?”88

“The other night, at the bowling alley, you seemed upset.”89

“It’s none of my business.” David’s eyes came up from his food. “If you like being his property, good for you.”90

She watched him carefully, wondering if he realized how the two contradicted each other. If it was none of his business, he sure acted like he cared. Realizing how conceited that was, she went to do the dishes instead. Andy clearly had made the worst impression ever. Turning on the water, she got it to a comfortable temperature and added soap to the sink. As she washed each in turn, she reminded herself not to look up. 91

David came over and placed the plate on the counter. “Hey Jane?”92

She looked up at him. “Yeah?”93

“Don’t worry about it.”94

“Me, worry? Never.”95

“That’s like assuming the wolf is never a good guy.”96

“Not back to that argument.”97

“There’s no argument needed. The wolf is never given his due in books.”98

“Maybe you can change that one day in your debut novel.” 99

“And Little Red will be the bad guy.” He teased her, the tension easing again with their laughter. “I’ll base her on a girl like you.”100

Jane felt her cheeks heating up. How was she supposed to respond to that? “Thanks, I think.”101

“Welcome.” He looked around. “What do you want to do now?”102

“I guess I’ll go home.”103

“Or you could stay.”104

“Why would I want to do that?”105

“It’s better than spending the night at the Quarry.”106

“David!”107

“What?”108

“That’s none of your business.”109

“So you keep saying.” 110

“Then maybe you should pay attention.” She leaned against the counter, stopping her busy work. “It’s not like I can just go out and find another Prince Charming. Remember, we had this conversation already.”111

“You can’t just settle because you’re comfortable. Life can’t be put on hold. You need to keep on moving.”112

She began to hum On the Road Again and turned back to the sink. When her cell phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket, flipping it open. “Hello?” Balancing the phone between her ear and her shoulder, she tried to talk while cleaning. 113

Andy’s voice came over the phone. “Hey, babe, where are you?”114

“Hey, Andy, I’m just at Gran’s house.”115

“Why?”116

David looked at her, eyes narrowing. He moved her out of the way and pushed up his sleeves. She rolled her own eyes and walked into her living room. “I had to deliver an order. Remember, I told you about the job I got?”117

“Yeah, you’re working with your Grandmother’s crazy friend. Seriously, Jane, couldn’t you have just applied at the diner or the convenience store? My Mom thinks you’re crazy for working for Ms Brown.”118

“Babe, it’s just a job.”119

He grumbled something under his breath. “Want me to come pick you up? We could hang out, grab something to eat.” 120

She looked back towards the kitchen and sighed. “I’m hanging out with David. Mind if we wait until dinner?”121

“David? The fag from the bowling alley? Why would you want to see him?” 122

“Andy!”123

“What?” He sounded sulky.124

“Pick me up in an hour, kay? I just want to do a couple of things around the house and then we can get a burger.”125

“Fine. Be ready when I get there.”126

David tried to pretend that he hadn’t been listening when Jane came back into the kitchen. That, of course, resulted in making him look incredibly guilty. She hoisted herself up on the counter, letting her legs swing like a child. “Why don’t you like him?” Her voice was soft, holding back what he could only guess to be a wave of emotion. Her eyes were so big right now and so blue as they begged for honesty. 127

“You really want to know?” 128

“Yes.”129

“Well besides the fact he didn’t exactly exude warmth towards me-” He tried to joke but it fell flat. “He doesn’t deserve you.”130

“You don’t even know me.”131

“Like I’ve said before, Jane, I know you better than you think I do. Your Gran has a big mouth. She’s told me everything about you from the time you were born to when you were six and broke your arm trying to climb a tree to get another kid’s kite down to when you were eight and you’re a Dad died. I’ve seen your grad pictures and about a million others in the albums she keeps under the bed. Andy doesn’t deserve a girl who used to want to be a pony when she grew up or who graduated in the top ten of her class. He doesn’t want you, he wants to control you.” 132

Jane starred at him with her mouth open. Grabbing her purse, she grabbed her cigarettes and went out the back door. She lit one with trembling fingers that kept threatening to drop it. After a few inhales, he appeared. He didn’t have to say thing to repeat his contempt towards her habit but he wasn’t going to say anything this time. Maybe he’d been a bit too honest with her? “Can we call a truce to the rules? Just for a few minutes?”133

“So what do you think about those Yankees?”134

Her laughter broke the tension a little as he broke yet another rule. David smiled and closed the door, preventing the smoke from drifting inside. His large fingers covered hers, taking the cigarette from them and raised it to his own lips. He took a drag and made a face as he exhaled. “That’s horrible. It takes like- blech!” Giving it back, he wiped his fingers on his pants, trying to rid them of the stench. 135

Jane rolled her eyes. “You didn’t have to try it, you know.”136

“I wanted to see why you insisted on smoking them.”137

She looked at the burning paper. “I don’t know. There isn’t a reason really. It’s just something I do. I have since high school.”138

“Well, you’re not in high school any more, Jane.” 139

“You’re ruining my fun.”140

“And saving your lungs.”141

“Blah, blah, blah.”142

“Very mature.”143

“Maturity is my specialty.”144

He leaned against the wall, looking down at his feet. From the corner of his eye, he saw her watching him and tried not to smile. “I was thinking we could do something next week. What do you think?”145

“David, I can’t.” She bit on her fingernail. “Not with Andy…”146

“You thought I meant a date? Oh, Jane, no. I just thought we could go out as friends.”147

“Oh.” Her cheeks reddened. She didn’t know if it was worse that she had assumed it was a date or if she was disappointed it wasn’t. Why didn’t she just learn to think before she talked? The red rose up the back of her neck. “Sorry.”148

“No need to apologize. It’s just- when I told you that you deserved better, I didn’t mean me. If I was your boyfriend, I’d be just as jealous as he is.” He looked towards the orchard, like he could hear something that she couldn’t quite catch. “Look, I have to go home- Andy’s pulling up the drive any ways.” 149

It was only then that she could hear the sound of the car. She looked up at him and gave him a half smile before walking into the house. David moved across the yard and towards the orchard before disappearing from her sight. Sighing, she made it to the front door before Andy did. Grabbing her bag and coat, she shut the door behind her. With a wave, she hopped into the truck. “Hey, babe.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Seeing him, actually having him here, made her feel even guiltier. “How was your day?”150

“Fine until I found out you were hanging out with the douche bag.”151

“Andy, David’s just a friend.” She took his hand locking their fingers together. “You have nothing to worry about from him, okay?” 152

He took his eyes off the road for just long enough to look at her. Deep furrows rutted his forehead, lines that she had never seen there. Reaching up, she ran her finger over them. Slowly he began to relax. Jane slid closer and put his arm around her. So what if she might be pretending? So what if it had taken David to point that out to her? She could be happy if Andy was. All she had to do was keep telling herself that. 153

Jane was having an epiphany. Imagine Snow White waking up and seeing Prince Charming standing over her and instead of saying, “My Prince!” thinking to herself, ‘Maybe I would have rather taken an extended nap.’ That being said, Snow White’s animal friends couldn’t talk to her. Jane had an advantage- Her only friend could talk. 154

The next week or so went smoothly as she fell into a routine. Her mom gave her a ride to work and dropped her off. She spent the days organizing and cataloguing antiques, looking after the cash register and making pots of tea. Tea also became an important, almost ritualistic part of the day. At eleven sharp, Ms Brown would ask for a type of tea: jasmine, oolong, saffron, chamomile and Jane would find the labelled canister. Two bags would deposited into the china pot, the kettle would be boiled, the pot filled with water and the lid placed firmly on top. The tea cozy would be securely tucked around the pot and it would be left to simmer for five to seven minutes. The amber liquid was then poured into two china cups with a lump of sugar in each. There would be no milk or cream. They did not belong in tea according to the divine Ms B. They would eat each two short bread cookies that could be delicately dipped. 155

“Jane?” Tillie called from the front of the shop. “Could you come out here?”156

Taking off her gloves, she folded them up and placed them in the bin. With a clack of beads, she crossed from behind the curtain back into the real world. Life outside of the vault was bright and loud. It wasn’t just Chopin and china or Bach and books. There were people who were more than just slips of paper. “Yeah, Ms Brown?”157

“It’s Tillie.” She corrected and smiled. “I’d like you to meet another one of us old people. This is Mr Pellam.”158

Jane looked around and didn’t see anyone at first. The swatch of green showed over the counter top. Standing on her toes, she looked over. The newest ‘old person’ was an old man wearing a Gilligan style hat, a white polo and plaid shorts. He looked up at her from his wheel chair, grinning to show off his dentures. “Hello, young lady.” He took of his hat. His pink scalp was patchy and covered with spots. White hair managed to cover the back and sides of his head, poking from his ears and nose. He was really adorable. 159

“Good morning, Mr Pellam.”160

“Call me King, please. All my lady friends do.”161

“Well then, King, would you like some tea? It’s just about time for our daily cup.” Jane wiggled her eye brows teasingly. “What kind are we having today, Tillie?”162

“Today feels like a Jasmine day.”163

Jasmine it was. With a smile, she left the front and went back to her hideaway. She followed the ritual of the tea ceremony and then bought out the three cups and saucers. Tillie had moved to one of the tables and he had wheeled himself over. She set the tray down and smiled. “One for you and one for you.” She picked up her own and sipped it gently. “What else do you need me to do?”164

“Do you have the Wisemen order packed?”165

“Yup, all done.”166

“Do you have all the new items catalogued?” 167

“Just finished before tea.”168

“Jane, what would I do without you?”169

King chuckled, “Be feared and loathed as the witch of the village?”170

“King!” She smacked him. “Be nice. There’s only one thing I need you to do, Jane. As you know, the window displays change on a seasonal basis. I would like you to come up with a couple of ideas for the winter window. Since you’ve been doing inventory, you’d have a better idea than I would about what we have.”171

Jane almost dropped her tea cup. What village kid hadn’t imagined what they’d put in the window if they had the chance? She knew she had a million times. “Oh wow, Tillie, that’s- awesome.” She began fidgeting with excitement. “Can I start now? Not to interrupt tea of course but I’d really like to begin planning.” She finished off the drink and grabbed the cookies, darting into the back. Picking up the register, she flipped it open. What did they have in stock? Ideas began to race around her head. Should she do a Christmas window? Or something less traditional? Opening one of the drawers, she pulled out a notepad and a pen, sketching plans. She couldn’t wait to tell her mom. 172

A few minutes later, she went back to check on King and Tillie. He was still sitting at the table, looking out the window. Letting herself out from behind the counter, she walked over. Looking up he told her Ms Brown had stepped out for a few minutes. 173

“Oh that’s okay. Would you like anything else?”174

“No, dear, I think I’m fine.” He looked up at her with blurry blue eyes and a smile. “Would you like to have a seat? Tell me, have you come up with any ideas for the window yet?”175

“I was thinking of doing like Christmas through the ages- Like one window would be a modern Christmas, nativities and Santa, presents- And the other side could be more of a pagan celebration with holy and oak, candles- I’d have to do research of course.”176

“Sounds like a good idea. Now, wanna wheel me out?”177

Jane paused and nodded, “Sure.”178

“The chair makes you uncomfortable, right?” He chuckled, “I’m used to people giving me that look. I’ve seen it so many times. Especially from young people like you. I bet you want to know what happened.”179

“I- It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me.”180

“No, dear, its okay. Now, there’s a bit of a back story to it.” His face lost the impish quality and suddenly just seemed very tired with its crags and crevices as he let the weight of his age settle upon his shoulders. Jane watched his hands as he gripped onto the armrests. It was clear he was thinking, debating what version of the story to tell her. “Once upon a time, there was a young man-” He began and Jane’s expression became a soft smile. “He was a great leader in his field and well loved. Then one day there was an accident- The man stumbled onto some other men and was shot. The bullet severed his spinal column and he wasn’t able to walk any more. As much as he tried to remain happy, he just couldn’t. As he wilted away, his business began to crumble and his employees began to suffer. His Kingdom, his empire was doomed. So the man took the rest of his money and moved to Florida. He bought a boat and fished off the coast. For a while, he thought he’d be content with the idea of fishing for the rest of his life.”181

“I hate to say it, King but this doesn’t look like Florida to me.” 182

“That’s because, my dear girl, I wasn’t done. I was only catching my breath. The youth of today has no patience. What with your interweb and your text messages- Now, the man decided that he couldn’t waste his life in paradise. So he went back home, and installed a coy pond in his backyard. Someday, he knew he would find something that would make the pain better- Something that would restore his Kingdom to how it used to be.”183

Jane didn’t know what to say to that. Standing, she kissed his papery cheek. He took her hands in his. “Don’t be a fool like me, Janie. Don’t let life slip away because you’re eyes are so stuck on the fish that they don’t notice the boat is drifting away. Promise?”184

“I promise, King.”185

“Good. Now this old man is going to roll his lazy self home. Have a good day and wish Tillie the same for me.”186

“I will, Mr Pellam. Have a nice day.”187

Tillie came back soon after. She smiled and told Jane she could go home. There wasn’t much left to do and she didn’t want her to be bored. She wanted to tell her that work was her only escape from ennui but slid her coat on instead and left. The afternoon was a little chilly and felt like rain. Turning on her mp3, she began to skip literally around the corner. Maybe she’d pick up a pizza for dinner? Sticking her hand in her jacket pocket, she realized her wallet wasn’t on her. 188

Jane turned and ran back to the store. It must be in the back still. Opening the door, she ran into David. Where she was surprised and almost fell back, he smoothly reached out and wrapped an arm around her waist to catch her. That grin was back. “Fancy running into you.”189

“I work here.”190

David lifted up the stack of posters and shook them at her. “And I’ve been nominated to be the advertiser for the Autumn Festival. Of course, that decision was made by Eleanor. You want to help?”191

“Nope.”192

“Please? If you help me with this, I’ll… take you out for pizza. Extra toppings.”193

“And bread sticks?”194

“Cheesy bread sticks.”195

“Deal. I just need to find my wallet.” 196

“You mean this?” David held up the black canvas and waved it under her nose. “I grabbed it off the counter and was just about to come over to your house and drop it off.”197

She grabbed the wallet from his hand. “Have you ever heard that touching stuff that isn’t yours can be bad for your health?”198

“Ooh is that a threat, Red?”199

“I don’t threaten-” She slipped it back in her pocket, “I promise.”200

“Very action hero of you.”201

Jane flexed a non existent muscle and grinned, taking a handful flyers. Her eyes scanned the colourful paper: goldenrod, pumpkin, crimson, milk chocolate. Colors that begged to be tasted. The design that lined the left side almost looked like a woodcut design of a scarecrow in a field. It was stark and almost creepy. Her finger ran across it. 202

“Like it?” David asked her. “Its one of my own.”203

“You drew this?”204

He nodded. “Yeah. When Eleanor asked me to draw something, I couldn’t say no to her. You know how your Grandmother gets. And she threw in another batch of that apple stuff.”205

“Ahh, the quickest way to your heart.”206

“So, are you going?”207

“To the dance?” Jane shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”208

“Why not? According to Tillie and Eleanor it’s the most exciting thing that happens around here.”209

“And how fun do you think that’ll be?”210

David paused, chewing over his answer. “There’s going to be a costumes contest- Think of something you’ve really wanted to be, Jane and you can be for a whole night.”211

“Tell me then, costume king, what are you going to be?”212

“I guess you so come and see for yourself.”213

“Spoilsport.”214

They stopped to tape up a few posters on telephone posts. Jane ripped long strips of clear tape while David framed his masterpieces. Andy would never go- She’d been trying to convince him for the last two years with no result. They’d end up at the quarry for a bonfire with all of their friends who stayed behind. Meaning, they’d be hanging out with most of his friends. 215

Eighty two posters later, they slid into a plastic booth at Gino’s. A large pepperoni with extra cheese was in order. Sipping around ice cubes, she raised the red acrylic up and sipped. The cola was cold aganst her wind chapped lips. “I met a really cool old guy today.” If anyone would understand, it would be David.216

“Joining the wrinkle club?”217

“Ha ha, no. I just decided to take Tillie’s advice and broaden my social horizons.”218

“That was my advice- but continue.”219

“His name’s Mr Pellam.”220

“King?”221

She was slightly disappointed. “You know him?”222

“I’m friends with his daughter.”223

“He has a daughter?”224

“Yeah, Gwen.”225

“He didn’t tell me that.” She took another drink, “He did explain how he got in the chair though.”226

“See, I never got that story.”227

“Too bad, its really good- Fraught with peril and adventure. A real page turner.”228

“Tell me?”229

Again, she was surprised by the earnestness of his request. The story just came out naturally- Of course, with a Jane flair. David just listened. Was it sad that she ate up his attention? That she was so ravenous for any nod and sign of him actually listening to her? Besides her Mother, who else did she talk to? Heather and Katie, her best friends, had gone to college. Andy wasn’t really a talker and although Tillie seemed nice but she wasn’t sure if she could just bare her soul to her boss. Sitting back, she nibbled on the crust of her pizza and waited for his response. David did not disappoint.230

“Why fishing?”231

“Huh?”232

“Why would he just go fishing? I mean- Aren’t there better things to do?”233

“I don’t know- But I wish there was something that would make him that happy again. He just looked so defeated.”234

“Let me figure something out.”235

“Ooh-” Jane wiggled her fingers at him, “This sounds like a scheme.” 236

He twirled an invisible moustache. “Perhaps. So, what now?”237

“What do you mean?”238

“Well the pizza’s gone.” 239

Jane looked down at the plate and it was empty. The realization of how full she was hit her like, well, half of a pizza. “I think I’ll go home. I’m sure there’s something on tv.”240

“Aww television, the great pacifier.”241

“Like you never watch tv.”242

“I don’t even have one.”243

“You don’t have a tv?” 244

“Or a dvd player or a vcr.” 245

“Nope- Sitting and watching other people live fake lives doesn’t do it for me.” He shrugged, “Why don’t you play it my way and next week you can show me the joys of watching garbage?”246

“What would you rather do?”247

“Lets go for a walk.”248

A walk- That was his idea of fun? “Fine, lets go.”249

“You make it sound so horrible.”250

“Because it is.”251

“No it isn’t. I go for walks all the time.” David stood, slipping on his jacket. “Come on.”252

Jane made a face and stood up smoothly, sliding on her jacket. He laughed at her miserable expression and in retaliation she stuck out her tongue. They slipped out into the afternoon air and Jane looked both ways before following his lead. She’d lived here her whole life and she really didn’t think she’d ever just walked without a purpose. In the summer, she’d dash to the convenience store for freezies and in the winter she’d gone to Joe’s for hot chocolate. School to home was a ten minute walk and it was the same length to all of her friends’ houses. Once they hit sixteen, Katie and Andy both had cars and walking became a thing of the past. 253

Their footsteps fell silently on cold cement, padded only by the soggy leaves. Threads of ice were caught in the wind. Stuffing her hands in her pockets to preserve the warmth she still had, she was surprised to see David offering her a pair of leather gloves. They were caramel hued and looked so soft- but she shook her head. “I’ll be fine.”254

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He pulled a matching pair from his pocket. “I come prepared.”255

The scent of earth filled her nose mixed with the sweetness of leather. The fingers were too long and her curled fists could fit in the palm but they were better than nothing. The material was still warm from being against his body. “Thanks.”256

They walked through downtown and along the edge of the village. Like before the silence was comfortable. There was no tension- sexual or otherwise- they were just two people walking. Humming softly, Jane’s eyes flickered up to look at the dove grey sky. Would it snow this early? She hoped not. Snow was cold. It muffled everything; blanketed it in soft, false reassurance. Underneath that lay ice that was ready to send you into a tailspin before you knew what was happening. Everything died in winter and, in her opinion, spring never came fast enough. 257

“I think you should go to the dance.” David told her, his thoughts waxing less philosophical than her own. “Think of it as my next tip for improving your social life.”258

“We went over this already.”259

“I didn’t get what I wanted.”260

“Will a maybe shut you up?”261

“Maybe.”262

“Then you know my answer.”263

“’kay.” He nudged her so she fell off the curb. Luckily her balance was alright and she didn’t end up on her butt. “Why didn’t you leave?”264

“Here? I guess I haven’t figured out what I wanted to do.”265

“Are you any closer to making the decision?”266

“Not really, no.”267

“Then why don’t you just go? Make the decisions as they come?”268

“I don’t work like that.”269

“Is that what it says in the Jane manual?”270

“That and batteries not included.”271

“Double or triple As?”272

“A lady doesn’t tell what size of battery she takes.”273

He chuckled, “Touche. Not that I was inquiring about the size of your… batteries.”274

“Suuure you weren’t.”275

David’s lips curved up into a smile. Suddenly his energy changed. He wasn’t so passive. Everything about him seemed pent up with action just waiting to be released. His soft gloved hand grabbed Jane’s. “I know what we can do!” He moved so fast that she could barely keep up. He’d slow down just as they began to lose grip, tighten his hold and then start jogging again. As they arrived at the elementary school, he let her catch her breath and look around in confusion. “Let’s play on the equipment.”276

“Hold old are you, five?”277

“Well I’m three in dog years.”278

No one had ever used that comeback before. Before she could say ‘Lassie’ he was off across the field. The burning in his chest subsided as she kept her own leisurely pace. David had already begun to swing, making it look so easy. Jane sat on hers, barely moving. 279

“Put some effort into it!” David teased as he soared above her. “Don’t make me get off and push you.”280

“I don’t feel like it.”281

He slowed himself so he could look at her instead of down at her. His smile vanished as he saw the look of sadness in her eyes. Almost instinctively, he reached out, tucking a strand of hair away from her pink cheek behind her ear. “You always look so sad, Jane. It’s such a shame.” David kept his voice soft and it was almost lost in the wind. “When was the last time you were truly happy?”282

Honestly? She couldn’t remember. There were moments that she was happy but they normally faded. “Probably last summer, right before Katie left. We decided to live life to the fullest. So we spent a couple days just doing things that would make us happy before she left. We spent a lot of time just talking and she made me promise that I’d come visit her.”283

“Have you?”284

“No.”285

“Maybe you should. Get out of town for a couple of days.”286

“Trying to get rid of me?”287

He chuckled and began to swing again. “Nah, Jane, why would I do that? I’m just looking out for you.”288

Weird. She gave him a half a smile and began to swing. This time she put some effort to it, somewhere between feeling like she was flying and falling back to the earth, Jane realized that in that moment- she was pretty happy… “Last one to the slides is a rotten egg.” Jumping off the swing, her smile grew into a grin and she took off running. 289