Elizabeth Catherine gently rolled on the floor as the aroma of coffee permeated the living room. The smell so savory; so sweet, but, it wasn't coffee. No, it was something else familiar to her. A childhood aroma. "Now, what is that smell?"
She opened her eyes and breathed deeply. Then, slowly with the aches and pains of winter on an aging body Beth managed to get up. She was disheveled, of course. As a night on the cold floor tends to do this to people, so it was true of Beth, as well.
She walked into the kitchen. Her clothing from the night before was wrinkled. Gnarly hairs stood straight up. Her eye make up smeared, but the aroma was too inviting. This was a rare event, someone visiting her. And, there were muffins on the table.
Eleanor wasn't in the kitchen, but the brew was. Beth smelled the coffee. It vaguely summoned an odor from childhood. Her mother made coffee that smelled like this on freezing wintry mornings. "A trick. That's all."
She noticed Eleanor outside in the freezing weather. "How about that? The snow must be four inches deep." It was everywhere. "And, this odd women is outside, picking flowers? What is she doing? Hmm..seems she's getting something down in the snow... strange women, she acts like it's Spring." Beth often mumbles to herself.
She sits at the country manor table where flowers, picked from somewhere outside drank from a small vase. There are two muffins, with fresh butter and jam placed on an old china plate which belonged to her mother, and unused for decades. The delicious coffee, she poured into the china cup also waiting for her. "Where did she find these?" The dust had been washed away.
Eleanor waved looking through the window, she smiled like an angel.
Beth cautiously waved back. She began eating and drinking the breakfast.
Elanor came inside carrying cones, and twigs of interest. Beth shook her head seeing only a mess of bark and twigs.
"Thank you for the breakfast," Beth whispered, but Eleanor heard.
"You're welcome dear" as Eleanor touched Elizabeth's cheek. "It is so beautiful outside. The air is clean and not a breeze to make it seem cold. Just gorgeous weather." Oh, such a warm smile radiated from her lips. For a moment, Elizabeth Catherine caught a glimpse of her mother's silhouette from her memories, many years ago.
Gone! The memory vanished from her sight. Eleanor looked at Elizabeth Catherine like a mother. She touched her hand tenderly on her cheek. Her fingers gently moved her raven hair from her face. "Elizabeth Catherine Dubois? Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are?"
"No. No, not in a long time." She had to look away as a tear weld up in her right eye.
Both women went into the living room. Beth rekindled the fire as the home was old and damp.
"I will put clean towels out for you."
"Yes, that is a good idea. Then I must walk to the bridge. To see about the rental car. Oh, I must call them. The rental company should be notified. Yes, I best do that first."
"Did you buy insurance?"
"Yes, thank God, I did."
"It may still be too slippery and icy. I haven't heard the snow plow yet."
Beth said, "Oh, how did you make, the coffee? And, the muffins where did you find the ingredients to make muffins?"
"The coffee? It's made with coffee, a 1/4 teaspoon of chocolate and mint from the herbs. And, the muffin dough. Well. I come prepared."
"Prepared?" Beth lost for words, knowing Eleanor entered with nothing but a tote, which she doesn't remember her having when she entered into her home. But, oddly, Eleanor now has. And, it has an endless supply of bounty: baking flour, soda, and powder. How can this be? It doesn't add up. And, the coffee, this is the way her mother prepared coffee. "Oh, she's good. A real magician."
"Dear you fret too much." Arising from a stooped position from picking up the twig bark from off the floor, Eleanor gave a look of frustration at Elizabeth. Her look reflected hearing Beth's thoughts. She expelled a deep breath and gave a sigh, and rolled her eyes upward, to someone upstairs, asking for divine intervention for the case of Elizabeth Catherine Dubois.
The book continues with Verification. We will provide a link to it when you review this below.
Author Notes
Thank you Pattygirl for Muffins in the Sunflowers picture.
