It was
three months before I saw her again. It was that time of year when the weather
couldn’t make up its mind; it was warm and sunny one day, freezing cold the
next, and sometimes in between. That day was one of the in between days. The
sun shone through the clouds, and although it was below freezing, it still felt
warm.
The slight
breeze rustled her hair and set her scarf fluttering. Again I was struck by her
vibrant beauty. Her soft sparkling eyes were even more amazing than I had
imagined. She was like the spring we were all waiting for.
This time I
got my chance to talk to her. As we were about to pass each other she lost her
footing and slipped on the ice. I saw her going down, but I wasn’t quite close
enough yet to steady her. She hit the ground hard.
“Are you
alright?” I asked, hurrying to her side.
Then I
realized she was laughing. Hidden beneath the mess of hair that had fallen over
her face was a smile. She swept the hair back with a grey gloved hand, still
laughing, and started to push herself back up. I offered her my hand, and
together we got her back on her feet.
“Thank
you.” She said in a bright voice. “I’m fine. You’d be surprised how often that
happens.”
“No
problem.” I replied.
She smiled
at me before walking off, seemingly unaffected by our interaction. I watched
her go. All I could think of was her voice, the warmth of her hand in mine, and
her bubbling laughter, like a brook over stones. It wasn’t until later that I
realized I’d forgotten to ask her name.
