The Hatbox

The Hatbox / Chapter 7 - Part 2

There on her porch railing, staring intently at her, not moving a muscle, was a seagull. Her mind wondered if it could possibly be the same gull from yesterday. As silly as that notion sounded, she thought it possible just because they are territorial. Maybe this gull called this home too. The feathery creature was the most brilliant white with a soft patch of gray. As her sky-blue eyes locked with its coal-black ones, it just turned its head sideways at her. It looked a bit comical in its observation of her. It wasn't as scared of her as she thought it should be, given the sheer difference in their sizes. One would think it would never venture so far as to close the distance with a predator in such a way. She thought it looked barely larger than her hand and then, as though it read her thoughts, its gaze lowered to her hand. Then she remembered seeing people throwing food up in the air yesterday and the gulls would swoop down and pluck the food out of the air. The bird's fear was demolished by sheer adventure alone. Like the mountain climber. Sure there were safer ways to get to the top, but part of the adventure was the challenge...the adrenaline, which included danger. Was that why some seagulls stayed back, looking on at the others. Wondering why on earth they would ever get that close to the humans. One quick motion and they'd be dead if not severely injured. And yet, many swooped in low while others walked up covertly as though going unnoticed. For a simple crumb of food. How absurd, Everly thought.

"Oh, so you want this huh? Did you smell the blueberries?"

His head tilted the other direction this time.

"Fine, I was pretty much done."

She held out her hand and the gull watched her eagerly. He wasn't going to make a move as he waited on her, so she slowly rose to her feet, still crouched over, so as not to intimidate him, and took a few slow steps towards him. She kept her hand extended until he could reach her fingertips and he snatched the bagel from her hand as though he plucked a fish from the water. He was airborne before she could sarcastically say, "You're welcome."

She laughed, realizing that she oddly enjoyed the quirky visitor. Birds at home, the cardinals, crows, blue jays, sparrows, doves, finches...they were quick to flee at the slightest movement. The most enjoyment she got was an occasion spotting from the window while she was unnoticed. She enjoyed them but rarely got to see one up close in this way. But to have one hang out, hear you speak and approach, was a bit more fun than she would've imagined.

With her visitor gone, she knew it was time to go inside. As she closed the back door behind her, her eyes settled on the hatbox. She looked away and walked over to the coffee pot, poured another cup, and turned to it once more.

"What have you been up to Mom?" she wondered, thinking about the peace that this house had offered in just under a day's time. No wonder her mom had this place. But why was it kept a secret?

She slowly walked over, cup in hand, and set it up on the kitchen table. She took the few steps now back over to the hatbox and placed a hand on each side of it. It felt heavier than she remembered. She brought it to the table and slowly lifted the top off.

Her first attempt, back home, at organizing the box had been disrupted by the deed and the clerk of court call. She had rushed to put everything back into the box to make this trip.

This time, she'd finish it.

She spent the next two hours sorting the items. She didn't dump, even though the urge crept in multiple times. This box was special. Delicate to her. It deserved each item to be placed, with care, in its correct area. She began with the piece of paper on the top, she had seen it when she first opened the box back home. She placed the ferry ticket, to Bald Head Island, to the side. This would be the pile that she wanted to research. She planned to look it up online and take a trip there during her stay.