Wildflower (5 page)

“Ok Hazel,” laughed Jack, “if you could have
any job in the world, what would it be?”

“Yeah Hazel, confession time,” chimed in
Tommy. “What’s you ideal occupation?”

“You really want to know?”

“We really want to know.”

“I’d like to spend my days climbing around
the lonely beaches, photographing the tiny wildflowers that cling
to the rocks,” she’d smiled softly as she leaned forward to rest
her elbows on her knees. “I really admire the way something so
delicate can be so incredibly tenacious and tough at the same time.
Some of the most beautiful blossoms I have ever seen were on the
cliffs near home. I even swore once that when I found someone like
that, I would know I had found my one true love.”

“Well you’re completely in the wrong place,”
laughed Jack, poking Tommy playfully in the ribs.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean you should be in Newfoundland where I
grew up,” replied Jack. “The climate is cruel and the cliffs jut
right out into the stormy North Atlantic. The winters are long, the
icebergs are many, and when spring finally arrives, the wildflowers
seem to sprout right out of the barren rocks.”

“Oh my god, Jack,” Hazel had sighed as she
flopped back in her chair, “that sounds so perfect. Why don’t you
leave old Tommy here and run away with me to Newfoundland.”

“Forget that sweet sister,” laughed Tommy as
he threw a cushion at her. “If you guys are going to run off to the
rock, you have to take me with you.”

“It’s a deal,” Jack had smiled as he’d passed
Tommy another can of soda pop. “I’ll see if I can transfer to
Memorial University. They’ve got a good engineering program
there.”

The conversation had gone on from there. It
turned out that Jack had been desperately homesick and had wanted
to return anyway. Tommy had not been opposed and soon they were
making plans and saving up their money. Tommy’s cousin in Surrey
had sold them an old car for fifty dollars. He’d said it should get
them there if they went easy and that was the plan. The boys had
transferred to MUN and Hazel had quit her jobs and started packing.
Today was the big day.

Her ruminations ended at the sound of the car
horn. Gathering up her two huge suitcases Hazel made her way down
the three flights of stairs for the last time. “Good bye phony
Hazel,” she muttered as she took one last look at the apartment
building.

“What was that?” asked Tommy as he struggled
to stow her suitcases in with the other things.

“I said good bye to phony Hazel,” she replied
as she climbed into the back seat beside the television that Tommy
refused to part with. “Since I left home I have tried to be all
things to all people and I have failed miserably.”

“You’ve got to be yourself just for yourself
Hazel,” said Tommy as he turned in his seat to smile at her. “We
like the real Hazel Fillmore and that certain wildflower will
too.”

“Tommy’s right,” put in Jack as he maneuvered
the big old car out onto the highway and headed east, “let the real
Hazel come out and the world will beat a path to your door.”

“I’m not so sure I want them to,” laughed
Hazel as she tried to squirm into a more comfortable position. “I
think I want some time to just explore who the real Hazel might be.
I’ll worry about finding that perfect wildflower once I get
comfortable with Hazel again.”

“Sound thinking my dear,” grinned Tommy as he
turned back to face the road. “That’s the ticket.”

They drove steadily through the day and late
into the evening, finally stopping to camp out near Brooks Alberta.
The weather was so hot on the prairie that they decided to wait
until dark before setting out again. They were afraid the old car
would boil over in the heat. Setting out at dusk, they drove
steadily until well after dawn. They camped near Winnipeg for the
day then drove into Ontario that night. The night time traveling
seemed to be better so they continued in that vein until they
reached Nova Scotia.

Taking a small detour home, they spent a
couple of days at home then set out again. Tommy and Hazel had
pretended to be living together and Jack had slept on the couch
while Hazel had the bed and Tommy slept on the floor. Nobody had
liked the arrangement and they were soon on their way again. This
time they stopped for the night in Sidney and the boys took a motel
room while Hazel slept in the car. The next night was spent in
lounge seats on the ferry and finally they were on Newfoundland
soil.

Jack’s sister and her husband had an
apartment in the basement of their house and they’d agreed to give
Hazel the first month free to help her get started. Gratefully
she’d accepted. Hazel hadn’t even unpacked her suitcases when the
new landlord was at her door while his wife was at work. “Come on
baby, you know the score,” he leered as he forced his way into the
small apartment. “Nothing is ever really free.”

“Stay away from me,” hissed Hazel as she
tried to put an overstuffed chair between them.

“Not a chance in hell,” he grinned as he
darted around the chair and grabbed her wrist. Suddenly he yelped
in pain and surprise and leaped away from her, but she followed and
put the small switchblade knife to his throat.

“Now let me explain how this works,” snarled
Hazel, glaring into his eyes as she forced him back against the
wall. “You can walk out that door, and we both forget we ever had
this conversation. On the other hand I can stick this knife through
your heart and start screaming bloody murder as I tear my shirt
open. You get the idea?” He gulped and nodded.

“Good boy,” she purred as she pressed the
blade tight to his throat, drawing a small bead of blood. “Now
listen carefully. I have worked in some less than savory
neighborhoods in Toronto and on Vancouver’s east side. I am well
accustomed to dealing with far more dangerous men than you, and I
am quite capable of doing you serious harm. Do I make myself
clear?”

Again he nodded his head imperceptibly. The
man had actually wet himself in fear. “Good,” she hissed, “now get
out of here, and don’t ever come near me again.” He bolted through
the door which Hazel locked and braced behind him. After that she
flopped on the bed and cried for hours before phoning Tommy. A
short while later the boys were moving into the apartment and Hazel
was staying with Jack’s mom.

Within a week Hazel was working and a week
later she found a small bachelor apartment in an old building
frequented by students. Jack’s mom said it would be good for her to
be among young folk her own age. A few donated pieces of furniture
later and Hazel was all set up again.

Hazel Fillmore sighed as she looked out the
window of her small apartment at the dense fog that blanketed the
whole city. Ah well, it was early yet, and the sun should soon burn
off the mist. The climate here was much like what she had grown up
with, except a bit colder, and Hazel was comfortable with its
quirks. She had been in St. John’s over two months now and her luck
seemed to be changing. The day before she’d won five hundred
dollars on a scratch and win ticket so she bought herself a nice
camera. She’d had to add her last three hundred to the five, but
she had what she wanted and today was her day off. Hazel hoped to
walk up to Signal Hill and try out her new toy.

She was in luck and the sun soon began to
burn off the fog. It was promising to be a beautiful day. With a
bright smile, Hazel packed a small lunch in her back pack, then,
scooping up her new camera case, set out for the bus stop. She rode
the bus downtown then began the long arduous climb up to the Cabot
Tower at the top of the hill.

Upon reaching the top, Hazel took a few
moments to gaze out over the waters toward Europe. Still smiling,
she climbed the rest of the way to the highest point, then,
spotting a small patch of wild flowers, she took out her camera and
began to experiment. Hunger and fading daylight found Hazel near
the bottom of the stairs down the cliffs. It was a long and tiring
climb back up to the tower, then a long walk back down the hill to
where she could catch a bus home, but Hazel was still smiling as
she reached her apartment building.

“I’ll put these in so they’ll be ready for
next payday,” she thought as she fingered the spent film in her
pocket while she checked her mail box. There was the usual pile of
junk mail which she tossed in the recycle bin provided for that
purpose, plus a letter from her father. Hazel smiled with delight
as she carried the letter back to the apartment before opening
it.

Hazel made herself a small meal and some tea
before she settled down with her letter.

“My dearest daughter,

“It was such a pleasure to have you at home
again if only for a day or two. I regret the sleeping arrangements,
but you mother would have it no other way, although I am sure both
you and Tommy’s partner would have preferred to trade places. Ah
well, perhaps in time.

“You looked well Hazel, if a little thin. You
past letters have often given me pause for worry, as you described
to me the way your life has gone. Please don’t give up on yourself
daughter. Remember, build your house on a solid foundation and you
cannot help but succeed. It pleases me that you have decided to
return to being yourself again. Like you, I too tried the big city,
but it was not to be.

“On a more upsetting note, your mother
intercepted your last letter, I am afraid. We exchanged heated
words upon my discovery of her nosiness. She is now, however, well
aware of the secret we have kept from her, and if she seems a bit
distant for a while, that is why. It also made plain to her why you
write to us separately. Ah well, her greatest fear has always been
that I will revoke my vows and leave her; she has a tendency to
take out her frustrations on you for it. I must apologize for
that.

“On another note, your grandmother is back in
hospital again. They say it is her gall bladder this time. I am
sure she would enjoy a letter if you have the time. It is early
morning now, but I hear the family beginning to stir so I must take
my leave and start breakfast.

Love Dad.”

Hazel smiled warmly as she read the letter.
Until she’d received the first one the year she left home, she had
never been sure he’d know how. Since then they had written once
each month and she had kept him up to speed on all her adventures,
both victory and defeat. Through the letters they had become closer
than they had ever been, and in her darkest times, Walton Fillmore
had been his daughter’s only anchor. She decided to write back
immediately.

Dear Dad,

“Just read your last letter and I must say I
am surprised that we have managed to keep our secret this long. Mom
will have a fit or two but she will cope, don’t worry. At least
when I finally send you that picture of me and the perfect
wildflower, I can send one big enough to hang on the wall.

“Speaking of pictures, I won a few dollars on
a scratch ticket the other day so I bought a camera. I have spent
the day today crawling around the rocks and barrens about this fine
city, taking picture after picture of every wildflower I could
find. I’ll take a few of the city and of the apartment and then
send them to you so you can see how I live now.

“Dad, I swear that from now on I will not try
to be anything other than what I am, Walton Fillmore’s daughter.
There will be no more big city girls for me. I am staying single
until I finally find my wildflower out among the rocks and crags. I
think that will not happen for me until I learn to love myself just
the way I am, so that’s what I am going to do. I am just going to
go about enjoying my life and see where it takes me.

“Oh yes, if the pictures of the flowers turn
out good, maybe I’ll see if I can get a book published about them.
Well, I’m beat and I have to work early so I’ll sign off for now.
I’ll write again soon.

Love, Hazel.”

Hazel smiled as she closed the envelope and
placed a stamp in the upper corner. “That’s right,” she smiled to
herself, “that’s exactly what I am going to do. I will concentrate
on just enjoying myself for a while and see if I can collect enough
really good photos for a book, even if I have to self publish.”
Filled with far more optimism than she had felt since the first day
she’d left home, Hazel Fillmore folded down the futon that served
as her bed.

House

Mark Pardy nearly lost the power of speech as
he saw the blonde goddess descend the stairs of Edna Parson’s
B&B and approach his car. “Mr. Pardy?” asked Abby as she
reached the large man who’d gotten out to greet her. “I’m Abigail
MacKai.”

“A pleasure Miss MacKai,” he replied in a
choked voice as he shook the offered hand.

“Shall we get on the road?”

“Oh, yes of course,” he replied hastily as he
hurried around the car to open the door for her. The man was
puffing from the exertion by the time he had her ensconced in the
passenger’s seat and was back behind the wheel. He swiftly pulled
out into traffic and drove out of town, trying to make small talk
the whole time. Mark was definitely bedazzled by the divine Miss
MacKai.

For her part, Abby responded politely to his
chatter as she mentally marked each turning he took as well as the
more prominent landmarks. After driving well out of the city on the
main highway he turned off and drove for several kilometers more
along a secondary highway and finally turned onto a small road
leading out along the water’s edge.

“It is quite beautiful along here,” remarked
Abby as she took in the serenity of the area.

“It certainly is this time of year,” he
agreed, “but it sure can be a trial in winter.”

“Ah yes, the winters are quite long here I
take it Mr. Pardy.”