“Isn’t that the scarf you knitted for Jeff last Christmas?” Karen looked confused.
“Yes.” I wrapped it around my neck tighter than I needed to.
“Pardon me for asking, Char, but why are you wearing it?”
None of your business. I looked pointedly at my co-worker but didn’t say what I was thinking. I’d worked on that scarf every break and lunch period for three months trying to get it done in time. Everyone knew who it belonged to – and why I had it back. Except maybe Karen.
“He, um, sent it back to me when we broke up.”
“Oh. Sorry.”
“Yeah. Me too.”
“Wanna go down to the café for lunch?”
“No. I brought a sandwich.”
“So why are you so bundled up?”
Didn’t Karen have anything better to do? “I’m going to the park to eat.” I needed to be alone.
“But it’s snowing. . .”
I walked away before the tears burning behind my eyelids ran down my cheeks and ruined my make-up for the hundredth time that week. I got Jeff’s letter and the box of ‘my stuff’ he mailed to me last Tuesday. It was my first indication anything was wrong between us.
I cleared the snow off a bench and sat down. I didn’t bring my ham sandwich. Oh well. My appetite was non-existent. I stared at the falling flakes. The scarf was what hurt the most. I’d worked so hard on it, but it was worth it. He’d feel my love every time he wrapped it around his neck. Maybe that’s why I wore it today. So I could feel loved. It wasn’t working. Ugly old thing anyway. Army green. Who wanted an army green scarf? But it was Jeff’s favorite color.
Someone sat down beside me. I glanced over. Tom. Why was he out in this snowstorm? Probably because he thought I needed some cheering up and knew he would find me here. Tom was a good friend in spite of his knack for showing up when I wanted to be alone.
“You OK Char?”
I nodded. I tried to smile but couldn’t quite manage it.
“Snow’s pretty.”
“Uh huh.”
“Hey, I know. Wanna build a snowman?”
“What? Tom, you’re crazy. I have to be back to work in 20 minutes.”
“Plenty of time. Come on.” He grabbed my mittened hand with his and pulled me onto the snowy playground.
He started rolling the first ball. Before I knew it I’d joined him. It was fun and the little bit of exertion felt good. Maybe this was what I needed.
We started the middle ball, just a little smaller than the one we couldn’t push anymore. Between the two of us we hoisted it on top of the big one.
“You do the head.”
I did. “OK. Now you put it on.”
He lifted it to the top. Pebbles we unburied from the bank of the frozen pond were transformed into eyes, nose, mouth and buttons. Twigs snapped from a tree branch made snowman arms
I stepped back to survey our handiwork. “I wish we had a hat.”
Tom picked up someone’s empty lunch sack and transformed it into a makeshift derby.
“There.” He placed it on top of the snowman’s head and in one fluid motion turned and planted a smack on my lips. “How’s that?”
Surprised, I stared at him for a moment. “Good,” I whispered.
He smiled and pulled me close to him. I started to back away but I didn’t. His arms felt good. And warm. Comforting. Just where I wanted to be.
He kissed me again, this time sweet and tender. Tom, my buddy, my pal. Two cubicles down from mine. Why had I never seen him this way before?
“I’m gonna make you forget that guy.”
“What guy was that?”
“Um, I forget his name.”
I smiled. Maybe Tom could make me forget Jeff. Maybe all I had to do was give him the chance.
“We better get back to work.”
“Just a minute.” I pulled the ugly army green scarf from my neck and wrapped it around the snowman. I didn’t look back.
Tom rested his arm across my shoulders as he fell into step beside me. “My favorite color is blue. Like your eyes.”
“Mine too,” I answered. “I think I have some yarn just the right color at home.”
