Archives, Artists, and Alibis by Woodbridge Emma

Author:Woodbridge, Emma
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

I stood at the edge of the makeshift ice rink in the town square, watching my neighbors glide and slip across the frozen surface. Despite the frigid air, everyone seemed to be having a grand time at the skating session. Kids raced each other from one end to another, while others took a more cautious approach. Some folks were even using the side rails for support. Eli had argued in favor of the side rails as an accessibility option, and once again, he was right.

In the center, Eli was attempting some jumps and spins, not quite landing them, but clearly having a good time trying. I was envious of his fearlessness. He had such an impressive drive to always try new things and not let fear hold him back. I had to admit, it was a very attractive trait.

“Having fun, Eli?” I called out to him. Eli flashed me a grin and attempted a quick jump-and-spin combo. He briefly fell but was up on his feet before he had even completed the fall. It was all in one smooth motion. Impressive.

“What can I say? The ice loves me,” he replied smoothly. “You want to give it a go?”

I shook my head. “Oh, I’d love to, but I have to get back to the store in a bit.” I didn’t want to admit that I wasn’t comfortable on the ice. I wanted to come back later, when there was a smaller audience to witness my lack of grace.

Eli skated over and leaned against the railing. “Aw, come on, just a few minutes won’t hurt.”

“Thanks, but I just came by to watch for a few minutes,” I said. Eli just chuckled and pushed back onto the ice, calling “Your loss!” over his shoulder.

I had to admit, watching everyone have fun out there made me a little envious. But images of myself flailing around and landing flat on my back kept my feet firmly in place.

It was nice to see everyone out having such a good time. The Midwinter Festival always managed to lift my spirits, just as winter was coming to a sagging middle. This was just another thing I loved so much about living here. As I looked around the rink to watch everyone try their various moves, I noticed Connie on the far side of the rink. She was on the sidelines as well, so it seemed like it could be as good of a time as any to try to patch things up.

I approached Connie slowly, my stomach in knots. Our conversation last night at the diner had not gone well, and I knew an apology was in order. She watched me warily as I made my way over to her.

“Connie?” I ventured, pausing a cautious distance away. She shuffled her feet, nervousness visible in her hunch.

Connie’s warm brown eyes met mine, but they were glazed with an icy sheen of reservation. “What do you want, Charlie?” Her voice wasn’t exactly cold, but it wasn’t quite friendly either.

“I—uh,” I started nervously.

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