Country Girl's Dream ©

Chapter 159

HAPPY CHAPTER 160!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

“Lauren?”, Anne’s voice shivers out from behind me. My eyes close, and a deep breath is released; a silent prayer answered as she steps in front of me. She was dressed warmly from head to toe. A dark furry hood outlined her face. “Hey! I thought it was you!” She chuckles as she rubs her hands up and down over her biceps, trying to create enough friction to warm the blood under her skin.

“Yeah, it’s me.”, I say, trying to bring my cheerful attitude back. My breaths were coming out in puff of white smoke, and I was just realizing how cold it actually was. I was dressed in a pair of my Nike tennis shoes, black jogging pants, and a white and black thin overcoat and Harry’s tracker jacket. My hair was pulled back out of my face and into a pony tail.

“What are you doing out on a morning like this? The chances of snow are very high today and you are out here in basically nothing!”, she exclaims,  pushing her wind-blown bangs back out of her face. “C’mon, let’s go inside!”, she adds on, waving me to follow her. I didn’t argue. The heat of wherever she was leading was sending a pretty clear call.

I follow Anne’s steps that were being left in the light dusting of snow behind her as she leads me to the shopping center across the road. It looked as if no one was out this morning, and I didn’t blame them. It was bitterly cold. I was beginning to regret not bringing a pair of gloves, but the weather was not on the front line of my mind battle this morning.

The window panes of the shops were fogged, frost and ice accumulating in and rounding the corners. She leads me to the second store down, opening the front door as we arrive. The warm are rushes through me as a bell chimes above my head, almost burning my nose and ears from the quick change of temperature. My hands fumble for one another, rubbing and blowing and repeating the pattern. “I have some tea made if you would like some. I wasn’t expecting much business today with the weather.”, she says as she removes the plaid scarf from around her neck. Her jacket is taken off next, before they are both placed on the coat rack behind the register. She opens a cabinet behind her, and pulls out two small china teacups with pale pink roses painted across the side. “Take a seat!”, she says as she begins to pour the tea into the cups, signaling her hand behind me. I follow the direction to see a fire place and three rocking chairs surrounding it, but that isn’t the only thing that captures my attention as I make my way towards the nook.

Large chandeliers and extravagant light fixtures hung from the high, wooden ceiling. The walls were filled, top to bottom, with bookshelves of old books and knick-knacks. Antique furniture cluttered the room, and I take a seat in the ornately carved rocking chair beside the wood-burning fireplace. I am still admiring the collection as she takes a seat next to me, pulling two blankets out of the box beside her chair. “This is beautiful! I love antique stores!”, I say, smiling as I take one from her. She takes a deep breath, seeming to admire the surroundings with pride. “Yeah, me too. That is why I decided to start working here.”, she confesses, smiling as she leans back against the wooden chair, taking a sip of the heated liquid while gazing into the fire.