Love's Sight

Chapter 1-2

Marissa returned and sat down in a chair next to Laura. She looked in the mirror, but she only saw herself and Laura. She sighed.

“Is anyone else here besides us?” asked Laura.

Marissa looked around. There was no one there. She knew the workers were in the kitchen cleaning up from lunch. “No, everyone is in the kitchen, why?” she asked.

“I got the strangest feeling. It felt like someone was staring at me,” said Laura with a shiver.

“Maybe the waitress came in to clear a table,” said Marissa.

“Maybe,” responded Laura. “I did not hear any dishes being loaded. It was very quiet.”

Marissa looked around again. She looked out the window.

“Maybe someone was passing the window outside,” she suggested.

“Maybe,” agreed Laura.

“Do you want to get something to eat while we are here?” asked Marissa.

“No, I am not hungry,” said Laura. She was still nervous about eating in public.

Brian Dane came in from the back. He looked surprised to see Laura sitting at the table with the mirror. He headed over to say hello.

“Hello, Laura, Marissa, how are you ladies doing today?” he asked.

“We are okay, Brian,” said Marissa.

“Could I get you something to eat or drink?” he asked.

Laura shook her head.

“I am glad to see you out, Laura. I know Mary and Gary have been worried about you. Your parents were very upset after your accident,” he said.

“I know, but there is nothing to do but wait. The doctor says I might get my sight back,” said Laura.

“It is always possible,” agreed Brian. “I had lost my memory for years, and the doctor told me I might get it back. I had given up hope until my wife found me. It came back in a rush. There is always hope. Don’t give up.”

“I won’t,” said Laura, with a smile. “I just have to use some of my very non-existent patience.”

Brian laughed along with her and Marissa. “Let me get you both a glass of iced tea,” suggested Brian. “There is no one else here. You can practice drinking in public. It is on the house”

“Okay,” agreed Laura.

Brian left to get two iced teas and bring them over to them. “Enjoy, ladies. Laura, don’t be a stranger. Cindy misses seeing you.” Brian returned to the back. Laura and Marissa settled back to enjoy their iced tea.

Cindy Rhea, his and Marsha’s four-year-old daughter, and the light of their lives, was named after their friend from Rolling Fork, who helped them get back together by lending Marsha the magic mirror. The mirror showed Brian alive, when Marsha had been told he was dead. They would forever be grateful to Cindy and the magic mirror.

When Cindy told Marsha to keep the mirror, Marsha wanted to display it in Danny’s Bar and Grill. She wanted to give other ladies a chance to find their true loves. It was a main attraction for ladies in Sharpville and the surrounding towns. Word of it spread. A lot of ladies made special trips just to gaze in the mirror. Some saw their guys in the mirror. Some did not, but they kept hoping and looking.

While they were enjoying their tea, Marsha came in. She had Cindy with her. When Marsha saw Laura and Marissa sitting at the table, she came over. “Laura, I am so glad to see you out and about. I just saw your mom at the nursery, when I picked up Cindy,” said Marsha. She picked Cindy up from the Little Tots nursery when she finished her shift at work at the police department. “Hello, Marissa, I’m glad to see you managed to get Laura to visit us.”

“Hello, Mrs. Dane,” said Marissa.

“Hello, Mrs. Dane, I’m glad to get a chance to say hello to Cindy,” said Laura.

Cindy was leaning against Laura’s leg, waiting to be noticed.

“Hi, Cindy.” said Laura. She rubbed her hand over the top of the little girl's head and leaned down to give her a hug.

“Hi,” said Cindy, shyly.

Brian came into the room, and Cindy abandoned Laura and ran to her dad.

“Daddy!” she squealed and threw herself into his arms to be picked up. Brian obliged her and swung her up in his arms.

Marsha followed her over and raised her face for a kiss. Brian was happy to kiss both of his girls, but he lingered a bit with Marsha.

“We were on our way home, but Little Miss wanted to stop and see Daddy first,” said Marsha. “I’m always happy for an excuse to stop and see Daddy.” Marsha raised her face for another kiss. Brian smiled down at her while kissing her.

Marsha came back over to Laura and Marissa’s table. She smiled at Marissa.

“Have you had any luck with the mirror?” she asked.

Marissa shook her head. “No,” she said on a sigh.

Well, don’t give up. It is possible your true love is not near a mirror. He may be working in a job without reflective surfaces around. You can only see him if he can be reflected back at you,” she smiled at Marissa.

Marissa looked thoughtful. “Maybe I need to look in the mirror at night,” she said.

Marsha shrugged. “It could not hurt to try,” she agreed.

“It was nice to bump into you both, but I need to get my Little Miss home and start supper,” said Marsha. She reached for Cindy and gave Brian another kiss and, with a wave, left for home.

Brian came over to the table to see if they needed anything. When they said they were fine, he returned to the back room.

“We need to go,” said Laura. “I’m not staying for hours so you can check out the mirror at night.”

Marissa laughed. “I know,” she said. “I will try some other time.”

She helped Laura out to the car. After she helped buckle her in, she took her back to her house. Marissa went in with her to make sure she made it up the stairs to her room safely.

Laura’s brother, Mac, followed them upstairs. Mac was short for Macland. It was their mother’s maiden name and a trial for Mac at times. He had endured teasing about his name on numerous occasions.

Marissa helped Laura into her room and said goodbye. She promised she would be back soon.

After she left, Mac came into Laura’s room. “Could I talk to you for a minute?” he asked Laura.

“Sure, Mac, what is it?” asked Laura.

“I just wanted to say I’m sorry about you getting hurt. If I had not dropped my toy on the step, and forgot to come back for it, you would not have fallen,” he said tearfully.

“It was not your fault, Mac,” said Laura, standing and hugging her young brother. “I was in a hurry and was not paying attention. It was an accident. No one is to blame. Anyway, the doctor said I could get my sight back. We just have to wait and see. Quit worrying about me and go get your homework done. If you need any help, come to me. Even if I can’t see, you can read it to me, and I can help.”

“Thanks, Laura, I have finished my homework tonight, but I will remember for tomorrow,” said Mac. He left sounding like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.

When Mac left, Laura sighed. Whether she got her sight back or not, she could not have her little brother torturing himself with guilt. It had been an accident. She tripped. She did not know if the toy was at fault or not. Either way, it was not Mac’s fault. She should have been more careful.

“Hi,” said Tilly, nervously. “Can I come in?” Tilly did not seem to know how to act around Laura since her loss of eyesight.

“Sure,” said Laura. Tilly, short for Matilda, was Laura’s sister. “How is school going?” asked Laura. Tilly was seventeen, so this was her senior year in school.

“It’s going good. I aced my last tests. I am glad I am in advanced classes. It will help bring up my GPA,” said Tilly.

“Congratulations, you have done great in advanced classes. Has Stephan asked you to be his date for the prom?” asked Laura.

“Yes, he asked me today. I was wondering if I could borrow your prom dress. We are the same size, and you only wore it once. It would save Mom and Dad having to buy another dress, and I have always loved your dress,” said Tilly pleadingly.

“Absolutely,” laughed Laura. “I will be glad to see my dress get used again.” She stopped abruptly when she realized what she said. Tilly shifted uncomfortably.

“It is just a saying,” said Laura. “My dress is in my closet. It is in a bag to protect it. Go ahead and take it with you, now. It may need cleaning.”

“Thanks, Laura,” said Tilly, giving Laura a hug.

“You are very welcome,” said Laura.

Tilly headed for Laura’s closet and came out with the dress in a clothing bag. “I’ll take this down to Mom,” she said excitedly as she left.

Laura sat back smiling. She was glad her sister’s high school crush had finally got up the nerve to ask her to the prom. Tilly had been dreaming about him for a while. They were both too shy to do anything about it. It ought to be an interesting evening. Laura laughed.

She thought back to her crush in school. She had been only in seventh grade when she noticed him. He did not even know she existed. He was three years ahead of her in school. She never talked to him. She just drooled over him from afar. The only one who knew how she had felt was Marissa. Joe disappeared from Sharpville when he graduated. As far as she knew, he had not been back. None of the other boys in school or later had ever measured up to Joe. He set a very high standard in her heart.

Laura sighed and reached for ear plugs. She needed to get her mind off Joe. She did not know why he was on her mind all of a sudden. Maybe it was thinking about Tilly’s date with Stephan. It was time to move on. Joe was long gone.