sabato 9 febbraio 2019

Winterlude


Welcome to The Spot Writers. In honour of these mid-winter postings, this prompt is a story that incorporates the words "will winter ever end."
Today’s post comes from Phil Yeats. Last week, Phil (using his Alan Kemister pen name) published his most recent novel. Tilting at Windmills, the second in the Barrettsport Mysteries series of soft-boiled police detective stories set in an imaginary Nova Scotia coastal community is available on Amazon.

*****

Winterlude
by Phil Yeats

He stood in his living room window watching water drip from the eaves. She stole up behind and wrapped her arms around his waist.
She sighed. “Back home, people will ask ‘will winter ever end?’ Me, I’m saying ‘why can’t it last forever?’.”
He twisted around until he faced her. “I’m a farmer. If winter doesn’t turn into spring, I can’t plant my crops. You can return to your urban home once the snow melts and roads become passable, but I’ll be here a year from now. If this year’s crop fails, I’ll have nothing to eat.”
“If I stayed, and helped you plant, nourish and harvest your crop, I could stand here gazing out this window as the snow melts a year from now. I’d be so happy.”
“And mind the horse you’ve fallen in love with. Don’t forget her.”
“I’ll never forget Buttercup. If anyone suggested I would spend a winter living in an isolated farmhouse with no electricity, riding a horse and milking cows, I wouldn’t believe them. Now, I’d like to live here forever.”
“But my fair-haired young friend, it isn’t to be, is it?”
“No. I must return.”
He strode to the kitchen and pumped water into the kettle. “Should you explain?”
“Five years ago, I was an art school student. With three friends, I created a dot.com company that generated and marketed computer art. It’s done well and now makes me more money than my real art because I’ve devoted myself to keeping the company going.”
“The others have shirked their responsibilities?”
“Mostly my fault. I was good at it, especially the marketing stuff. I took charge, and it became harder for them to contribute.”
“What happened?”
“We decided I would take a two-month painting break and they would manage.”
“I see. Your-two-month long hiatus extended to four, and probably another one before the track’s passable. Why aren’t they searching for you?”
“I contacted my colleagues after we rode to town in December when the weather improved. I also checked in with the lady at the little police detachment.” She paused, taking the cup of tea he offered. “You remember, my one trip to civilization.”
“How can I forget! You could barely walk when we arrived, and I wondered if you’d survive the ride back.”
“Yeah, it was hard. I’d ridden a lot as a teen, and took Buttercup out several times before our big trip, but it was much harder than I expected.”
He strolled to her easel and gazed at the portrait she was painting. It caught him standing in the window staring across the snow-covered landscape while holding a steaming coffee cup. “What did you imagine I was considering? The upcoming planting season or the mysterious siren who landed on my doorstep.”
“Nothing mysterious about me. An early winter storm hijacked my painting trip. And I can’t sing worth a damn. I’d make a terrible siren.”
He laughed. “Singing may not be your forte, but you’ve been adept at the luring part of the siren myth. But you haven’t answered my question.”
“I hope you were thinking about me, considering my coming departure and when I’ll be back.”
“Perhaps I was.”
“And will you welcome me?”
He pointed at the unfinished portrait. “Does he look like he’s planning to rebuff you?”

*****

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