TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "THANKS"

Welcome! The word prompt this week is "Thanks". How appropriate!  We have another episode of "The House-Sitter's Country Christmas." Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales. 
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The next morning, Laura wandered around, frowning, and restless. Should she pack up and go to New York, like she always did? Or stand her ground with thankless C.W. and spend Christmas alone, if he didn’t relent? Neither prospect improved her mood. A sudden chirping outside her window drew her attention. The chickadees were standing on the empty feeder, scolding her.

Laura retrieved the bag of bird seed, and went out on the back porch. As she was filling the feeders, Mr. Gladstone appeared. Her elderly, widowed neighbor often stopped to chat “over the back fence” with Laura. Occasionally she’d invite him in for tea.

Poor old creature, alone after so many years of marriage. He had no one to talk to, just like her. That thought brought a frown to her face. She wasn’t any better off, was she? With Craig in the City and her in Pine Grove, she was as alone as Mr. Gladstone.

“Morning, Miss Fleming.”

“Morning, Mr. Gladstone.”

“I see the chickadees don’t approve of your falling down on the job.”

She laughed. “They certainly do not.”

“When are you heading to the big City?”

“New York?”

“You always go for Christmas, don’t you?”

“I have in the past. But not this year.”

“Broke it off with your young man?”

Laura shook her head. Would this mean the end for her and Craig?

“Then why aren’t you going.” The old man certainly was nosy, wasn’t he? None of his darn business, and she’d not tell the old geezer.

“Good reasons. Good reasons.” 

“Sorry. I don’t mean to be rude or nosy, but you always seem so happy about your Christmas trip. Can’t say you look happy today.”

“People aren’t happy all the time, you know.” Her tone was sharper than she expected.

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