Wildflower (26 page)

“That’s right, and wearing business suits
when I’m at home working on piecing a book together. I think I’ll
hit the thrift stores and see what I can find.”

“Oh cool!” enthused Abby. “I want to come
with you. Just tell me when.”

“Well, I get paid next Thursday,” smiled
Hazel, “would Thursday evening do?”

“Great. I’ll drive in and we can do the
rounds Thursday evening then we can go back to your place and check
out the loot.”

“And you will stay the night of course,” said
Hazel softly.

“Absolutely, every chance I get, I promise.
Come on, let’s go. I can’t wait to get you home.”

“Right behind you,” laughed Hazel as she
gathered up the tray and deposited it on the way out.

Abby gave directions and Hazel drove. She was
actually a very careful driver and Abby nodded her approval on
several occasions, eventually commenting on it. “Tommy says the
object is not to get there in a hurry,” laughed Hazel. “The object
is to make it as safe and smooth a ride as possible for the
passenger, even if you’re the only one in the car.”

“My admiration for his wisdom continues to
grow,” smiled Abby. “Look, this is Pike’s Cove coming up. There’s
the store where we get our mail and whatever we ran out of or
forgot to buy in town. Pull in please and I’ll just run in and
collect the mail.”

“I’ll come in with you, I want to see
it.”

“Great, I’ll introduce you.”

Abby introduced Hazel as the famous
naturalist photographer, Hazel Fillmore. By now Hazel was beginning
to get used to this and was not quite as embarrassed as she had
been the first few times. As luck would have it, the Barnes
brothers were there as well and they immediately began to leer at
Hazel and surround her.

Before Abby could say a word Hazel stepped
her full weight on Alfred’s foot while at the same time seeming to
fall forward and knock the hard part of her head into the bridge of
Henry’s nose causing it to bleed. Both men yelped and leaped away
from her while the girl behind the counter leaned as far away from
Hazel as she could.

“Sorry guys,” apologized Hazel as she whipped
out a tissue and tried to hand it to Henry, “I’m a bit clumsy
sometimes. Are you fellas Ok?”

“We’re Ok,” replied Alfred as Henry backed
away from her, “we’re fine.”

“Perhaps I should introduce you more fully,”
interjected Abby coldly as she approached them. Hazel noted the
almost reverential way they deferred to Abby. “Ms. Fillmore is my
fiancée. We are to be married this fall and she will then be living
at Jamaica Point. I fully expect you to treat her with the same
respect you treat me.”

“Yes ma’am,” replied Henry, dropping his
eyes. “Congratulations Miss Abby.”

“Thank you gentlemen,” replied Abby with a
sly wink at Hazel. “I have everything we came for my love, shall we
go?”

“Bye folks,” smiled Hazel as she followed
Abby out of the building.

“My, that was well done my love,” grinned
Abby as Hazel pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward
Jamaica Point. “Where did you learn stuff like that?”

“Self defense class in Vancouver,” laughed
Hazel. “So we are not going to hide the fact we are a couple?”

“Oh sweet lord, Hazel, I’m so sorry,” gasped
Abby, reaching out to grip Hazel’s arm. “We’ve never talked about
this and I....”

“Whoa, whoa, it’s fine with me,” laughed
Hazel. “It will be wonderful to just be myself for a change and not
trying to play the ‘we’re just roommates’ game again. I’m not only
cool with the idea Abby, I like it.”

“Thank god for that,” sighed Abby, collapsing
back in her seat as she gave Hazel’s arm another squeeze and
released it. “Frankly Hazel, I doubt I could hide my feelings for
you if I tried, and the idea of trying never once entered my
head.”

“You are so sweet,” smiled Hazel as she
patted Abby’s hand. “So what did you do to scare the daylights out
of those two characters anyway?”

“They were working on my house when I first
bought it. They’re pretty handy, but I’m a lot happier when Keith
is there to keep an eye on them. The very first time we met I let
them see the gun I carried in my purse. They’ve been very
respectful ever since.”

“You carry a gun Abby?”

“I bought it for an incense lighter; it sure
looks real though.”

“How delightfully tricky of you Miss MacKai,”
laughed Hazel. “Is it any wonder I love you best?”

“Music to my ears. Turn right up here. There
she is, the old homestead.”

“It’s more beautiful than I remember,” sighed
Hazel as she brought the car to a stop to drink in the scene
below.

“Is it any wonder I fell in love with the
place?” asked Abby softly. “Come on now, I want to show you the
house.” Hazel put the car back in gear and headed down the hill
toward the driveway. She parked close to the back door and they got
out. “Come with me,” laughed Abby as she grabbed Hazel’s hand and
ran around to the front of the house.

They were standing in the tall grass halfway
between the house and the shore and Hazel was in love all over
again. She gazed at the house, then the water and back to Abby.
Hazel had a tear of joy in her eye. “Abby, this place is
magnificent and so are you,” she smiled softly.

“Thank you sweet Hazel,” breathed Abby as she
stepped into Hazel’s embrace and kissed her deeply. As their lips
slowly parted, she turned in Hazel’s arms so Hazel was hugging her
from behind and they were both facing the house. “She was built
long before the road, and so she faces the only road there was at
that time, the sea. Come, I want to show you your new home.”

She took Hazel’s hand and led her to the
house. They climbed the steps to the front door with the stained
glass in it and Abby opened it with her key. “Just wait until you
see the morning sun shining through the glass in this door,” smiled
Abby as she led Hazel inside.

Hazel felt like she’d just stepped through a
time warp. She was in a parlor from the early twentieth century,
complete with the old style wood stove, piano, and library of
books. There was a large closed cabinet in one corner that Hazel
rightly guessed contained the TV set and music system. “Abby, this
is gorgeous.” Abby gave her the ground floor tour then they began
to carry everything in from the car.

“We’ll tour the upstairs when we take your
bags up,” smiled Abby as she deposited a load of grocery bags on
the kitchen floor. Hazel set down her load as well and went back
for another. Soon they had everything in the huge kitchen and Hazel
took the time to admire it properly.

“Even an old fashioned day bed by the wood
stove,” Hazel smiled as she took it all in. “This kitchen is almost
like my mom’s; huge, but cosy at the same time. Can I help?”

“Make tea while I stow this all away? Just
poke around until you find everything you need.”

“With extreme pleasure,” smiled Hazel as she
began to run her hand lovingly along the cabinet doors. “Abby this
place is magnificent.”

“Thank you lover,” Abby beamed as she
reappeared from the pantry. “So do you think you can be happy
here?”

“I would be happy anywhere you wanted to take
me Abby,” smiled Hazel lovingly, “but this is like a dream come
true. I expect to love it here. In fact I already do.” There was a
loud bark just then and Hazel stepped to the door to let Hubby in.
“Hey there fella, are your paws clean?”

Hubby stopped and looked at her, puzzled, and
wondering what he was supposed to do. Hazel motioned to the door
mat and he stepped onto it. “Wipe you feet sir,” she commanded and
began to move his paws around on the mat.

“Hazel, for pity sake, the ground outside is
as dry as a bone,” laughed Abby. “Whatever are you doing?”

“If he gets used to doing this now, it will
save us a lot of mopping this winter.”

“Dear gods, I wish I had thought of that last
year. Girl, you know some great stuff.”

“Oh hey, I have brothers, remember,” laughed
Hazel. “You always have to train the men to wipe their feet.”
Abby’s sweet laughter lifted Hazel’s heart up to the skies.

The tea was soon ready and they took it to
the living room where they relaxed with some soothing music and
chatted easily. Hazel was trying to express how impressed she was
with the place and Abby was beaming her pleasure. Hubby sighed and
lay at Abby’s feet where he promptly fell asleep. When the tea and
snack were finished, Abby put the dishes in the sink, then turned
and stepped into Hazel’s arms again. “I still can’t believe I
really have you here at last,” she sighed as she hugged Hazel
fiercely.

“I know sweetheart, me neither,” replied
Hazel as she returned the embrace gently. “For a while it was
starting to look like it would never happen.”

“I’ve been a wreck all day,” giggled Abby. “I
was so afraid the sky would fall or something. I nearly went nuts
waiting for you to get off work.”

“So did I. I swear I saw that clock more
today than I have in the last two years.”

“But you’re here now,” sighed Abby
softly.

“Yes my love, I’m here now,” whispered
Hazel.

“Then let’s go upstairs and get you settled
in. Once your clothes are in the closet, I’ll know it’s real.”

“Alright, lead on my darling,” smiled Hazel
as she released Abby and scooped up two of her suitcases. Abby
grabbed the other and led the way up the stairs.

Abby set the suitcase down in the middle of
the hallway and turned to Hazel. “This is the bathroom in here,”
she smiled as she opened the door to show Hazel a spacious room
right out of a magazine. Next was the storage room with all the
woollen yarn.

“Wow,” exclaimed Hazel, “I see what you mean
about the yarn.”

“You do knit I hope.”

“One of the things Gran taught me. I guess
I’ll get a lot of practice this winter.”

“Yes you will my darling,” smiled Abby as she
led the way to the guest room. It was decorated like a young
woman’s room from the nineteen forties, all in period furniture and
fabrics.

“Abby, this is wonderful,” enthused Hazel as
she did a pirouette through the room.

“Billy says it is way to girly, but he seems
to sleep Ok here,” laughed Abby. “Come now my love, I have saved
the best for last.” She led the way into her room and set Hazel’s
bag by the closet door.

“This is our room sweetheart, what do you
think?”

Hazel was in the middle of a huge bedroom. It
was decorated from the same period as the living room, except that
it had a queen size bed. “Abby, this is right out of a dream
magazine,” said Hazel softly, tears in her eyes. “I like to watch
the shows on TV about such places, but I never expected to see
one.”

“This is your room my darling Hazel,”
whispered Abby as she stepped into Hazel’s arms. “Do you like it?
Are you pleased?”

“Abby, I love it and I dearly love you,”
sniffed Hazel. “I am pleased beyond measure.”

“Now I have one more thing to show you,” said
Abby as she stepped out of Hazel’s arms and went to the jewellery
box on one of the large dressers. “Hold out your hand now.” She
opened a small velvet ring box and took out an engagement ring
which she placed on Hazel’s finger.

Hazel covered her mouth with her hand, tears
flowing freely down her cheeks. “Oh Abby,” she sniffed in a choked
voice.

“Are you pleased my love?”

Hazel swept Abby into a tight embrace. Unable
to speak at first, she just hugged Abby fiercely. “Oh Abby, it’s
magnificent,” she sniffed once she regained a measure of her
composure.

“I hope you don’t mind Hazel my love, but
they’re Bride Murphy’s rings. Keith took them into town for me and
had them sized up to fit you.”

“I will wear this with pride and joy Abby,”
sniffed Hazel, “for it is doubly blessed. Did you say there were
two?”

“Yes, the matching band is there as well. Are
you happy sweetie?”

“Abby, if I were any happier, I would surely
split,” laughed Hazel through her tears of joy as she hugged Abby
tightly again. “Now, I have something for you too.” She rummaged
through one of her bags, and then surfaced with a small ring box.
“I hope you don’t mind, but they’re not new. I was in a jewellery
store when a girl came in trying to sell her grandmother’s rings.
The old lady had died several years past and the girl needed the
money to pay tuition as she couldn’t get a student loan. She was
crying and so upset, so I bought them. I told her who they were for
and that we would honour both the rings and the woman who once wore
them. Was that Ok, or do you want me to trade them for....” She got
no farther as Abby closed her mouth with a kiss.

“Hazel, that is the most beautiful thing I
have ever heard,” whispered Abby as their lips parted. “This ring
is absolutely perfect and I will wear it with a great deal of
pride. My god, you’re a marvel Hazel Fillmore. That was a wonderful
thing to do and I love you for it.” She was admiring the ring on
her hand now and Hazel beamed with delight at the pleased smile on
Abby’s face. “This ring is very old,” mused Abby. “I’ll bet it was
in that family for many generations. Hazel, it is absolutely
perfect and I love it.”

She was back in Hazel’s arms again and
hugging her tightly. Finally she loosened her grip slightly and
gazed into Hazel’s eyes. “We can keep this up all night my love,”
she whispered softly, “but we would be far more comfortable in the
bed.”

Hazel gazed lovingly into Abby’s eyes for a
moment then pulled her close again. “Abby, if you want to wait for
the wedding night,” she sighed, “you had better put me in the guest
room.”

“I will do no such thing,” replied Abby
firmly. “This is your home now and this is your room, besides, who
said anything about waiting for the wedding night?” She pulled back
a bit to give Hazel a saucy smile. “So, are you going to ravish me
or what?” With her saucy smile still in place, Abby slowly unzipped
her dress and let it fall to the floor.