Grateful

A Little Bit of Gratitude

It is the month for it here in the U.S. with Thanksgiving just a couple weeks away. The last few days I've been watching my rosebush with these two hardy buds, still going strong in early November in southern Pennsylvania. I decided this morning that since tomorrow's high is only going to be in the low 40s, I'd bring these last two roses into the house to enjoy them. They're even happier inside--just a few hours after I took the photo above, the one on the right is about twice as open, and the flower on the left is loosening its petals, too, a little slower, but I'm thankful to have them inside where I can see the pretty unfurl.

This weekend has been jammed full of to-dos again, this time because new windows are going into the kitchen tomorrow as an early lead-in to redoing our kitchen, probably next spring. But the windows now meant I had to clear half the kitchen so the installers have room to work. Instead of griping about the added task, I'm trying to appreciate that it means I can clean and reorganize now. Haha!

Still plenty of other things to be grateful for today...there is a loaf of bread just about done baking in the machine right now, brownies are cooling on the counter, and all the laundry is finally done (which makes me even more thankful, because my knee has has more than enough of the stairs this weekend, lol). I have a quick round of dishes to wash, and then I'm going to toss dinner into the oven and on the stove, and call it a day so I can read a little this evening, more to appreciate. I even still have time for some revisions while dinner is on the stove/in the oven. Not a bad thing either.

Before I get back to the last few things on today's to-do list, I have a snippet for you this week from Freeing Medusa.

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            When she woke at lunchtime, she felt so much better. She rolled onto her back, stretching cautiously. No more cramps. No more snakes, no more danger of turning anyone or anything living into stone again until next month.

            Thank the Gods.

            “Ah, you’re up.” Hunter’s footsteps sounded on the floor, startling her.

            “Hi.” Her voice was rusty, she realized, pushing herself upright.

            “Take it easy.” His weight made the side of the bed sink lower.

            “I’m feeling better.” She tugged the blindfold up, blinking in the bright midday light.

            Hunter looked good. Just as good as he had Friday night, she realized. His dark hair was mussed, as if he’d been dragging his fingers through it, and his bright blue eyes held relief.

            He’d be glad to be rid of her.

            Katharine swallowed, setting the blindfold on the night stand beside the bed.

            “I’m glad to hear it.” He pushed a strand of hair away from her cheek. “You’re still pale.”

            She shrugged, averting her gaze from his watchful eyes.

            “You want to hit the shower? I have lunch ready.”

            She blushed, thinking of his assistance with her last shower. “Sure.” Then she could get out of here.

            He startled her by leaning close and brushing a kiss on her mouth. “We can talk about what we’re going to do next.”

            Her gaze flew back to his, and her mouth dropped open. “‘We’ don’t need to do anything,” she started.

            Hunter put his fingers over her mouth. “Don’t. I don’t want to argue with you before we get lunch.”

            She swallowed but kept her mouth shut. She could tell him later his temporary guardianship was over. She waited while he held her gaze for a long moment, resisting the urge to tell him now.

            Finally, he nodded once and got to his feet. “I’ll have lunch ready when you come down.” He touched her cheek with one finger, then left the room.

            Katharine shut her eyes for a second before throwing the blankets back. All through her shower, she kept replaying last night and their short conversation just now. He’d understand once she told him her cousins and their husbands were her best bet for safety.

            She dressed quickly after dragging her comb through her tangled hair. She wanted to gather her things together, but all she could find were her bathroom tote and her carry-on. She frowned, wondering what he’d done with her other things.

            Downstairs. He must have left the other bag and her box there.

            She stuffed her things into the carry-on and the bathroom tote, and carried them down with her, leaving them on the landing at the bottom of the steps. The living room was empty, so she turned to the hallway and the kitchen she’d barely glimpsed last weekend.

            Hunter was putting some chips in a bowl when she stepped into the room, and he smiled as he turned toward her. “Sit.” He gestured to the table, where he’d already set plates with sandwiches, as well as small deli containers of cole slaw and potato salad.

            Swallowing, Katharine dropped onto the chair, her stomach fluttering nervously.

            “Don’t wait for me.” He set the chips on the table.

            She picked up her sandwich and found tuna salad, starving in spite of her anxiety. By the time he set a plate of fruit on the table and sat, she’d eaten half her sandwich.

            Hunter smiled at her.

            She swallowed the bite of tuna salad in her mouth. “Thank you.”

            He shook his head and picked up half of his sandwich.

            “I mean it. I really do appreciate what you’ve done for me.” She set the sandwich down. “I don’t want you to think I’m ungrateful. I know the Harvester would’ve killed me if you hadn’t gotten there at just the right time.” She tried to remember all the points she needed to argue, everything that had occurred to her during her shower.

            “Katharine.”

            She lifted her gaze to his.      

            “Eat your lunch. We’ll figure out our next step afterward.” He smiled.

            Her heart pounded harder in reaction to his smile, and she frowned. Leftover hormones, she thought.

            Rather than argue with him, she forced her gaze back to her plate and picked up the rest of her sandwich.

            Finally, Hunter sat back in his chair when he’d polished off his lunch. “Okay. Hit me.”

            She blinked at him. “What?”

            “Give me your best argument.”

            That wasn’t what she’d expected. She frowned again, pushing her empty plate aside and resting her forearms on the edge of the table. “I shouldn’t need to convince you,” she said after a moment. “You saw him. You heard how determined he is. And there are more like him. Lots more. All on the hunt, and because he found me, more of them will be looking specifically for me.” She brushed her fingers absently over the smooth surface of the table. “My best bet right now is to hook up with one of my cousins or their husbands who’ve dealt with the Harvesters before. Then you’ll be safe.”

            “You can’t muster up anything better?”

            Katharine glared at him, more annoyed when he just continued to smile at her. Only half a day ago, that look would’ve killed him. Now it didn’t even make her feel better to know that. “I shouldn’t have to convince you you’re unsafe as long as you’re with me.”

            He shrugged. “I’m not the Medusa. They’re not interested in me.”

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I just realized I have another thing to be thankful for this week, no doctor visits at the moment. Haha. I do have an appointment to schedule, but knowing that specialty, it'll be months before they can see me once it's scheduled, and that's okay after the last few months of appointments and tests.

What little thing (or big thing) are you thankful for this week? I'd love to hear about it.

Until next week, happy reading!