Snow

After the sun came up David cleaned. Or rather he tried, but Alec didn't even own a broom. He ended up borrowing one from the woman who lived two doors down. She was red-haired and red-eyed and coughed constantly, fingers coming away dripping a darker red than her hair. She said her name was Gladys and stared at him warily as he talked.

"A broom," she said. "That's really all you want?"

He nodded.

She squinted at him for a moment and then coughed again, a deep racking sound. When she was done she said, "What do you want it for?"

"I'm cleaning," he said.

"Cleaning."

He nodded. "I'm--" he pointed to Alec's door, "right there. I'll bring it back as soon as I'm done."

She narrowed her eyes at him for a second but then shrugged, passed him the broom, and shut her door.

He took it back when he was done and said, "Thank you for letting me borrow this. It was very nice of you."

She looked startled and then laughed. "I think that's the first time I've ever been called that. You want a cup of tea?"

"Yes, please," he said. His stomach was growling.

He ended up staying with Gladys for most of the day, listening to her talk and watching her heat water over a rigged up flame, the tea leaves she had so well-used all they produced were cups of water colored the faintest brown. She'd lived in the house for a long time--with her father before she was married and then once she had, in a room of her own. Her husband died in a cave-in before they'd been married a year and then she'd gone to work in the mines. "Till last winter," she said, "when I got the sickness. Now I stay here, earn coins where I can." She jerked her head in the direction of the bed. David looked but just saw rumpled sheets that were much mended and stained in places. When he looked back at her she was sitting stiffly watching him, eyes wary and calculating all at once.

"I'm sorry you're sick," he said.

She relaxed, took another sip of tea. "You been with Alec long?"

He shook his head.

"Everyone said he'd be back," she said, "but I thought--well, I thought he might make it. I used to hear him singing while we worked--it passes the time, makes the dark less dark--and oh, such a lovely voice he has. And he was sure that if he could just get away from the mines--I've never seen anyone believe like he could." She lowered her voice. "Of course, with all the talk he almost had to leave, but you know all about that."

David didn't know and he wasn't sure Alec believed in anything but he nodded and asked about the fireplace. He needed to make dinner. She told him where to get wood and when he filled the room with smoke came and showed him how to open the damper.

"Where on earth did Alec find you?" she said.

"In the snow."

She laughed and then coughed. "You are a strange one, aren't you? No matter. It's about time he had someone who appreciated him and I think--no, I can tell you do. Go do your marketing and I'll watch the fire for you."

"You don't mind?"

She looked at him for a moment. "I haven't been near a fireplace for more than a moment or two all season and you know what it's like out. And with my cough--"

He pulled the chair over to the fire. "Sit down and rest," he said. "Can I get you anything?

She shook her head. "You really are a strange one," she said. "Go on now, before there's nothing left but potatoes and salt fish."

She was asleep when he got back and he didn't wake her, just put more wood on the fire and then looked around for something to cook with. She woke up coughing as the sun was setting and stared at him when he gave her a small packet of tea.

"You want a go," she said, narrow-eyed and a disappointed look on her face. "In the future, spare me the gesture and just give me coins." She stood up and started unlacing her shirt.

"Gesture?" David said as she walked toward him. "It's not really that. That's more--" He moved his hands around to show her but she didn't seem to notice, kept unlacing her shirt. Whatever was making her sick was eating her from the outside in; he could see it in the stark line of her ribs, the bony ridge running down the center of her chest. She took one of his hands and put it against her skin. It was paper thin and hot under his fingers. "Look, I could just keep it here," he said.

"And you could use it whenever you wanted. Or not. I, um, didn't mean to upset you. Can I move my hand now?"

"You don't want a go," she said, surprise in her voice, and held up the tea. "Then what's this for?"

"Drinking."

"Drinking," she said slowly.

"You know, it's tea. I just -- the leaves you have are old and I thought you might like some new ones. What did you think it was?"

"Tea."

"Oh. Then why did you --?"

She shook her head, started lacing her shirt back up. "Honey," she said. "I'm starting to think what you said about Alec finding you in the snow is true. You're like a just hatched chick.

Buying me tea for no reason!"

"You could share it with me."

She grinned. "Not so wet behind the ears after all. Come over tomorrow and we'll have a cup."