The Piano Teacher

Chapter 28

The mercantile became a lovely sight for the holiday season. Paper chains of red and green hung from the walls along with tin foil stars and baubles. The store was overloaded with excess products, from special fabrics and yarn to wood stoves, vases, and wagon wheels.

Every day, families would come in, discretely searching for objects they could gift the other when the time came. While they were still short on money, Charlotte allowed herself to get a modest brass belt buckle for her uncle which she believed he would appreciate.

The blizzard that struck earlier in the week left several feet of snow on the ground, though the town was busy enough to keep the streets clear for everyone. Fortunately, after that storm, the sun shined for several days, illuminating the snow so brightly, it looked as if it had its own source of light.

Besides Christmas, many were looking forward to a church social which would soon be held, with dancing and music, just an event to get people out of their homes. Even Charlotte looked forward to it, as it would be something to break up the monotony of these winter days.

The only thing that left Charlotte nervous was continuing to see Nels Oleson every day. She knew things were different between them ever since what happened in that abandoned shack, but she wasn't sure how different. When she worked, she avoided meeting his gaze and often worked in another room, so embarrassed that she had let him see her in such a way... touch her in such a way.

There was no denying the way they felt about each other now, which seemed to make the situation only more complicated. What are we supposed to do now? She wondered. Are we to forget and put it behind us?

Nels seemed to be somewhat hesitant around Charlotte as well for a few days, distracting himself with the mercantile and the needs of his children. He felt an intense guilt toward his wife, but also a certain bitterness toward her, for he had already tried everything to make things right with her, and she wouldn't have any of it.

Charlotte was quick to realize that Nels's hesitancy toward her was short-lived, and he also did not intend to forget what had happened in that countryside shack. He found it adorable how shy Charlotte had become around him. She tried to act so formal when she worked at the mercantile with him, adjusting the modest collar of her dress, writing neatly in the ledger, organizing vases on the shelves, quiet as a mouse.

But Nels now knew what she looked like desperately gripping his sleeves, barely able to breathe except to whisper his name, so red in the face she might as well have been sunburned.

That image stayed with him no matter what he did. Cleaning out a vase with a rag, carrying in shipments, wiping down the counters, taking off his slippers before going to bed...

Nels, too, knew that event changed their relationship permanently. They could no longer pretend to just be good friends. Indeed, they had a deep friendship between them, but now, there was much more than that, and they both knew it. And after a few days, Nels didn't see the point in acting so formal with her, particularly when they had some time alone.

At one point, toward the end of the day when the mercantile was slower, Charlotte went to the storeroom to count how many lanterns they had, as they were running low. Nels had been busy going over the ledger then, only a couple of customers wandering around the store, looking around and not seeming like they were ready to buy anything.

Nels felt a certain spark in him then, a certain ache in his lips when he realized he had not kissed Charlotte for almost a whole week since the time of the blizzard. He rubbed his fingers against his lips and found that it was hard to think about anything else. "Let me know if you need anything," he said to the two old customers absentmindedly staring at a bookshelf, and he went into the storeroom.