She put out her cigarette. “Ellie,” she yelled.
Ellie quickly appeared.
“Well… I’ve sat here so long, waiting for you… I need to go to the loo.”
Ellie helped her up from her chair. It took her a long time to make her way to the hall. It seemed her heels were not helping either. As irritated as Angela was, she still sympathized.
As soon as they left the room, Angela’s curiosity got the best of her and she took a little tour of the study. She checked out the garden; an oasis with tall lush cedar hedges, large mature trees, a fountain and multiple arches covered in vine. It was wonderful.
She looked at the architectural drawings on the walls. She didn’t know Dot very well but she thought the décor didn’t seem to suit her. She admired the fresh flowers on the piano, the bronze statues which she did not dare to touch and the books; hundreds of books.
She made her way to the ladder. She looked around and saw no one. The ladder seemed safe enough, secured to the bookcase wall by some sort of metal contraption.Just a quick little climb, she thought. She climbed her way to the top of the ladder and looked around. Wow! This was high. She looked at the books in front of her; Canadian literature. Suddenly, she heard someone’s footsteps come from behind her. She didn’t turn around. The foot steps stopped.
Oh no. Quick... pick a book.Quickly, she grabbed a book.
“Be careful up there,” the voice of a man startled her. Actually it scared her half to death and she nearly fell, grabbing a tight hold of the ladder. She was expecting Ellie or Dot. She turned around. A familiar face stood a few feet from the bottom of the ladder.
“We wouldn’t want you with a broken leg andstrandedagain,” he joked.
This was not the person she was expecting to see now, in this house.
“Oh... I just wanted to check out this book,” she told him as she made her way down, clutching the book to her chest and trying to maneuver the ladder with one arm which proved to be quite a feat.
“Which one is it?” he asked
She looked down. “Volkswagen Blues”
“Good choice,” he offered.
“Yeah, it’s great, isn’t it?” she said, knowing very well she had actually never read it. “When I saw it... I... um...” She looked up the ladder.
“You spotted it from all the way down here. Good eyesight.”
“Well, yeah...” She tugged at her glasses. “These are fantastic. I have super vision. Like a superhero.”
He smiled; still wearing his crisp blue suit. She was painfully aware of her shabby pink velour leisure workout ensemble.
“It’s nice...” he said, hesitating for a moment “…actually, it’s surprising to see you again.”
“I know,” she said, flustered. She was as surprised as he was. “Um... you live here?” she asked, slightly confused.
“No. I just like to randomly walk into stately homes,” he joked, with a hint of a smile. “I like to check out the décor.”
She knew he was being arrogant. Jeez, was it too much to ask to get a simple answer to a simple question.
“How’d the tire do on the rest of your drive here?”
“Good. It was on good.” She wasn’t sure why she had suddenly lost the ability to use proper grammar.
“I hope so.” His irresistible smile made an appearance again.
She loved the blue of his eyes and the freckles on his nose. She didn’t usually care for freckles but he certainly did them justice. He was boyish, but she guessed he was probably about her age, possibly slightly older; the fine lines around his eyes gave away his age.
“You must be my mother’s new reading friend.” He reached for his loosened tie and took it off. She noticed he hadn’t changed his dirty shirt.
“Friend... I’m not sure.” She gave him a sheepish smile.
“Well, it’s nice of you, to come here and read to her.”
