Wallflower Girl

Chapter 4

"Well, what did he say, exactly?" Anne strived for nonchalance. Apparently she'd succeeded.

Graham searched his nose for another booger. "Don't know-exactly! The guy said, 'who's that mousy chick?' or something. 'She married or what?' Then old big ears said you were single, and told him your name."

"What, so the new guy asked for my name?"

"Yeah-something like that. Did you buy pizzas?"

"Yes, I bought pizzas, and there's some decent food you can heat up too. There are two dinner plates all set in the fridge. You'll only have to microwave them a few minutes." She wondered if he would bother with the meatballs in gravy, baked chicken, or vegetable soup. She was sure he would eat the steaks and mashed potatoes.

Her mind drifted. That handsome fellow had asked about her. Anne looked up from her knitting. She felt strangely warm inside, but there was one thing. "He called me mousy?"

"Everyone calls you mousy, sis."

The fact that it was true did not make the comment sit any better with Anne. She counted the stitches on the little turquoise leg and muttered an impolite word under her breath. Distracted by her brother's blathering, she'd failed to complete the complicated circular pattern, and the little cylinder was now three stitches too large. Cursing again, she delicately unstitched the row and started over, carefully making each knit and purl exactly where she wanted them. When she had finished that row, she marked her stitches in her little notebook. This teddy bear pattern would have some stretch to it, which should make it better for children, not like the rigid seed stitched one she'd gotten from a magazine the month before.