A Winter Tale
2.
When Quinn woke the next morning, her neck felt like it had been locked in place. Great, she realized, she'd fallen asleep on the couch.
Groaning, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Stretching her arms above her head and trying to stretch the muscles in her neck, her teeth chattered together at the cold, morning air of the flat. Once she was standing, she went about her usual morning routine. Brushing her teeth, making herself something to eat – porridge with honey and banana this morning, she needed the heat -- and opened the living room blinds.
The snow had stopped overnight, and Quinn was thankful because she had to work today. She worked in the town's only café, and like everything in this town, it was small. She didn't mind, it was warm and she got free hot chocolate on all of her breaks. The view from her living room window looked out over what seemed like an endless amount of fields. Quinn and Harrison would take Oscar for walks over them during the summer months, but right now they just looked like clouds. Soft, fluffy, and entirely too cold for Quinn.
Oscar nudging Quinn's leg with his head is what brought her out of her daydream. She smiled at him, leaning down to pick up the food bowl he had dragged across the room and heading into the kitchen to fill it. Oscar followed her every step of the way. Making happy noises when Quinn sat his food in front of him. Quinn shook her head, leaving him to his food and decided she might as well start getting ready. She didn’t have to work until this afternoon, but she had errands to run before then.
Quinn had never thought she was spectacularly good-looking. Her hair was almost brown, but almost blonde, and so curly that if she put a brush through it, it would get stuck. She had a round face, and eyes the exact same shade of green as a jumper Harrison had gotten her for their first Christmas as an official engaged couple two years ago. Harrison had told her he'd bought it because of that, and ever since then it had been her favourite. It was warm, knitted, and to Quinn it felt like home. Just thinking about that jumper made her happy.
She pulled it from the wardrobe, pairing it with a grey t-shirt and a pair of black, simple jeans. Her winter boots really were coming to the end of their life, but Quinn couldn't find it in her to replace them. Maybe she'll ask Harrison for some new ones for Christmas. Pulling her fluffy socks onto her feet, she glanced out the window and shivered, really not wanting to go outside in all that snow.
Quinn pulled the bedroom door closed with a click, and padded down the hall in her socks. Once she'd made sure Oscar had enough water in his bowl, she told him to behave himself, pulled on her boots and jacket and scarf, and headed out the flat door.
Even just in the close it was cold enough for Quinn to see her breath through her scarf. Lovely, she thought.
She burrowed her hands deep into her pockets as she walked, the snow crunching under her boots and the sound of children playing in the park echoing through the street. From where Quinn was at the end of her street she could see the park, her work, the local "Supermarket", and several quaint little shops. She knew she had to run into the supermarket and pick up some bits for the flat, so she turned that way first.
Walking with her head down, Quinn didn't see the stranger walking towards her until he was literally right on top of her. Quinn's boots slid out from underneath her, and she tried to pull her hands out of her pocket to catch herself, but she landed on her bum with a very unflattering "oompf!"
"I'm so, so sorry!" The stranger was scrambling to get himself stood up, trying to pull Quinn up alongside him.
"It's fine." Quinn said a little shakily, trying to laugh it off, "I wasn't looking where I was going."
Quinn dusted the snow off the back of her jacket before she looked at the man who had knocked her over. She had to look up a bit, and instantly she pulled her brows together in a frown. He looked so familiar.
He was tall, with curly hair almost as bad as her own, but his hair was a deep, rich brown. His eyes were blue and piercing, and he had freckles dusted over his cheeks that Quinn swore she had seen before. He was staring at Quinn, looking more and more concerned with the face she was making.
"Are you okay? You didn't hit your head, did you?" He asked, his voice warm and soothing, and Quinn snapped herself out of her strange daze.
"Uh, no – no, sorry." Quinn stuttered, a furious blush rising to her cheeks. "You just look like someone, but I can't remember who."
"Oh," The man frowned. "Well, my name is Jamie, if that helps."
Quinn shook her head. She had known one Jamie in her whole life, and he was a small, skinny thing with glasses that her mother made her play with when they were children. She was sure he'd moved away the second they had finished secondary school.
"My name is Quinn." Quinn introduced herself, and Jamie smiled. His teeth were white and pearly, like they had been professionally whitened, and he got little crinkles by his eyes.
"I know, we used to play together when we were younger. We went to secondary school together."
"Pardon?" Quinn was taken back by his statement, she swore she never knew of any Jamie apart from – but no, this couldn't be. Could it?
"Yeah, our mums were best friends." Jamie explained, his tone a little slower, maybe he did think Quinn had hit her head. "Surely you remember? Jamie Elwell?"
"Oh!" Quinn exclaimed, so enthusiastically that she almost fell over again. Jamie stuck out a hand to stop her. "But you look so different?!"
"Yes, I know." Jamie laughed, helping Quinn steady herself again.
Quinn didn't quite know what to say. The Jamie she remembered was small, this Jamie was towering over her so much that Quinn almost had to crane her neck. Little Jamie had glasses, this Jamie didn't. Little Jamie was just so – little, and this Jamie...
"I'm so sorry," Quinn stumbled over her apology, she really didn't have time to run into the supermarket now, she'd have to go after work. "but I'm going to be late for work."
"Ah, am I keeping you?" Jamie looked worried, and Quinn nodded sheepishly. "Well, since we don't need to exchange insurance details or anything, I will let you get on your way." Jamie stepped to the side, letting Quinn start to walk past him. "It was lovely seeing you."
"You too." Quinn agreed, nodding her head and burrowing her hands back into the pockets of her jacket. Jamie called a quick goodbye which Quinn returned, and the pair went their separate ways. When Quinn looked back over her shoulder, Jamie was gone, but there was a very prominent bum print in the snow from where she had landed. She cringed, pulling her scarf up over her mouth to keep as much body heat as she could.
The café where Quinn worked was always warm, and she was always sweating within ten minutes of being there, and on a day like today Quinn was more than thankful for that. She unlocked the door, already seeing regulars like Mrs. Brown, and Mr. Booth walking cautiously down the street towards her. She hurried inside, stripping free of her jacket and scarf and donning an apron. She turned on the coffee machine, and the kettle, and was just starting to put cakes in the case when the door opened, letting in all the cold air, closely followed by a small string of elderly customers.
They all smiled, wishing Quinn a good afternoon, and sat at their regular tables. Mrs. Brown sat closest to the cakes, she liked to have first pick. Mr. Booth however sat by the window, he always said it gave the best light for reading his paper. In the middle of the room was a set-up like a small living room, including a coffee table, a small two-seater sofa, and an array of armchairs and stools. The monthly book club meetings were held in the café, ever since they had one at Ms. McNeill's house and someone had spilled coffee on her white carpet.
There was a small space for kids to sit as well, which had children's books, toys, colouring pencils and crayons, and exactly 6 toy cars. Quinn knew the exact number because during the summer months, no one really came into the café, so she had plenty of free time.
Quinn didn't have a minute to think about her encounter this morning all day.
Groaning, she pushed herself up into a sitting position. Stretching her arms above her head and trying to stretch the muscles in her neck, her teeth chattered together at the cold, morning air of the flat. Once she was standing, she went about her usual morning routine. Brushing her teeth, making herself something to eat – porridge with honey and banana this morning, she needed the heat -- and opened the living room blinds.
The snow had stopped overnight, and Quinn was thankful because she had to work today. She worked in the town's only café, and like everything in this town, it was small. She didn't mind, it was warm and she got free hot chocolate on all of her breaks. The view from her living room window looked out over what seemed like an endless amount of fields. Quinn and Harrison would take Oscar for walks over them during the summer months, but right now they just looked like clouds. Soft, fluffy, and entirely too cold for Quinn.
Oscar nudging Quinn's leg with his head is what brought her out of her daydream. She smiled at him, leaning down to pick up the food bowl he had dragged across the room and heading into the kitchen to fill it. Oscar followed her every step of the way. Making happy noises when Quinn sat his food in front of him. Quinn shook her head, leaving him to his food and decided she might as well start getting ready. She didn’t have to work until this afternoon, but she had errands to run before then.
Quinn had never thought she was spectacularly good-looking. Her hair was almost brown, but almost blonde, and so curly that if she put a brush through it, it would get stuck. She had a round face, and eyes the exact same shade of green as a jumper Harrison had gotten her for their first Christmas as an official engaged couple two years ago. Harrison had told her he'd bought it because of that, and ever since then it had been her favourite. It was warm, knitted, and to Quinn it felt like home. Just thinking about that jumper made her happy.
She pulled it from the wardrobe, pairing it with a grey t-shirt and a pair of black, simple jeans. Her winter boots really were coming to the end of their life, but Quinn couldn't find it in her to replace them. Maybe she'll ask Harrison for some new ones for Christmas. Pulling her fluffy socks onto her feet, she glanced out the window and shivered, really not wanting to go outside in all that snow.
Quinn pulled the bedroom door closed with a click, and padded down the hall in her socks. Once she'd made sure Oscar had enough water in his bowl, she told him to behave himself, pulled on her boots and jacket and scarf, and headed out the flat door.
Even just in the close it was cold enough for Quinn to see her breath through her scarf. Lovely, she thought.
She burrowed her hands deep into her pockets as she walked, the snow crunching under her boots and the sound of children playing in the park echoing through the street. From where Quinn was at the end of her street she could see the park, her work, the local "Supermarket", and several quaint little shops. She knew she had to run into the supermarket and pick up some bits for the flat, so she turned that way first.
Walking with her head down, Quinn didn't see the stranger walking towards her until he was literally right on top of her. Quinn's boots slid out from underneath her, and she tried to pull her hands out of her pocket to catch herself, but she landed on her bum with a very unflattering "oompf!"
"I'm so, so sorry!" The stranger was scrambling to get himself stood up, trying to pull Quinn up alongside him.
"It's fine." Quinn said a little shakily, trying to laugh it off, "I wasn't looking where I was going."
Quinn dusted the snow off the back of her jacket before she looked at the man who had knocked her over. She had to look up a bit, and instantly she pulled her brows together in a frown. He looked so familiar.
He was tall, with curly hair almost as bad as her own, but his hair was a deep, rich brown. His eyes were blue and piercing, and he had freckles dusted over his cheeks that Quinn swore she had seen before. He was staring at Quinn, looking more and more concerned with the face she was making.
"Are you okay? You didn't hit your head, did you?" He asked, his voice warm and soothing, and Quinn snapped herself out of her strange daze.
"Uh, no – no, sorry." Quinn stuttered, a furious blush rising to her cheeks. "You just look like someone, but I can't remember who."
"Oh," The man frowned. "Well, my name is Jamie, if that helps."
Quinn shook her head. She had known one Jamie in her whole life, and he was a small, skinny thing with glasses that her mother made her play with when they were children. She was sure he'd moved away the second they had finished secondary school.
"My name is Quinn." Quinn introduced herself, and Jamie smiled. His teeth were white and pearly, like they had been professionally whitened, and he got little crinkles by his eyes.
"I know, we used to play together when we were younger. We went to secondary school together."
"Pardon?" Quinn was taken back by his statement, she swore she never knew of any Jamie apart from – but no, this couldn't be. Could it?
"Yeah, our mums were best friends." Jamie explained, his tone a little slower, maybe he did think Quinn had hit her head. "Surely you remember? Jamie Elwell?"
"Oh!" Quinn exclaimed, so enthusiastically that she almost fell over again. Jamie stuck out a hand to stop her. "But you look so different?!"
"Yes, I know." Jamie laughed, helping Quinn steady herself again.
Quinn didn't quite know what to say. The Jamie she remembered was small, this Jamie was towering over her so much that Quinn almost had to crane her neck. Little Jamie had glasses, this Jamie didn't. Little Jamie was just so – little, and this Jamie...
"I'm so sorry," Quinn stumbled over her apology, she really didn't have time to run into the supermarket now, she'd have to go after work. "but I'm going to be late for work."
"Ah, am I keeping you?" Jamie looked worried, and Quinn nodded sheepishly. "Well, since we don't need to exchange insurance details or anything, I will let you get on your way." Jamie stepped to the side, letting Quinn start to walk past him. "It was lovely seeing you."
"You too." Quinn agreed, nodding her head and burrowing her hands back into the pockets of her jacket. Jamie called a quick goodbye which Quinn returned, and the pair went their separate ways. When Quinn looked back over her shoulder, Jamie was gone, but there was a very prominent bum print in the snow from where she had landed. She cringed, pulling her scarf up over her mouth to keep as much body heat as she could.
The café where Quinn worked was always warm, and she was always sweating within ten minutes of being there, and on a day like today Quinn was more than thankful for that. She unlocked the door, already seeing regulars like Mrs. Brown, and Mr. Booth walking cautiously down the street towards her. She hurried inside, stripping free of her jacket and scarf and donning an apron. She turned on the coffee machine, and the kettle, and was just starting to put cakes in the case when the door opened, letting in all the cold air, closely followed by a small string of elderly customers.
They all smiled, wishing Quinn a good afternoon, and sat at their regular tables. Mrs. Brown sat closest to the cakes, she liked to have first pick. Mr. Booth however sat by the window, he always said it gave the best light for reading his paper. In the middle of the room was a set-up like a small living room, including a coffee table, a small two-seater sofa, and an array of armchairs and stools. The monthly book club meetings were held in the café, ever since they had one at Ms. McNeill's house and someone had spilled coffee on her white carpet.
There was a small space for kids to sit as well, which had children's books, toys, colouring pencils and crayons, and exactly 6 toy cars. Quinn knew the exact number because during the summer months, no one really came into the café, so she had plenty of free time.
Quinn didn't have a minute to think about her encounter this morning all day.