The Life I Live

The Dinner Dilemma

        Summer didn't think much about the strange woman she had met earlier. In fact, she didn't think much about anything other than the glistening frozen pond in front of her. She stood staring in amazement at the glittering expanse of ice. No one was skating right now, but she could see faint skate marks scratched all over the surface.

        "Look at that…" She murmured. Bepo nodded his head as well, watching as Summer observed the frozen lake.

        "Do you think they have a shop that sells skates?" She asked him.

        "I saw one on the main street before." He responded. She gave a gleeful little giggle and ran back towards the town, pulling Bepo by the paw.

        The shop was on the opposite side of the street from the clothing store. The front was similar, but instead of several small window it was designed with one large one. Two mannequins were posed in skating position. Summer stood outside with her hands on the glass. Her wide eyes took in the laced shoes and snowflake-patterned gloves the models wore. Bepo smiled, happy that Summer was enjoying herself. Suddenly, the awed expression changed to one of sorrow. She slowly backed away from the window.

        "They're probably really expensive." She said. Shrugging with a sad smile, she gestured for Bepo to follow. He had to hurry to catch up, as she was already far ahead of him.

        "Do you want to buy the ice skates?" An audible sigh escaped her lips, and she glanced back at the store windows.

        "Yeah, but…" She paused. "I don't need them. It's just something I've wanted to do since I was a little girl." She stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets, hunching her shoulders in the process. Bepo looked at her in confusion.

        "You've never been ice skating?" She shook her head. "Maybe Captain will let you buy them."

        She felt the sturdy material of the jacket and shrugged. Her feet trudged through the soft snow slowly. "Maybe…" She said disheartedly. By this time, they had stopped on the street and were still looking back at the store.

        'He's already been too kind to you. Don't take his kindness for granted. You're not on the streets anymore.'

        After a few more seconds of staring, she shook her head and headed back with Bepo following close behind. "Come on, Bepo. Let's go back to the sub."

        Law sat in his quarters reading one of his medical books, drinking the ever-present mug of coffee that sat on the desk. He'd started reading hours ago, but he still turned the pages with as much interest as he had when he had first picked it up.

        Law was frustrated.

        The book was a feeble attempt to get his mind off of one person in particular, and it had worked for the most part. The intensive scientific explanations and prodecural descriptions really took his full attention. But her face would slip into his subconscious every once in a while, and it would take longer for him to shake her from his thoughts each time it happened.

        Running a hand through his hair with a sigh, he noticed his mug was empty. He pushed up from his seat, stretching his stiff muscles. Passing several men in the halls, he made his way to the kitchen.

        The crew had moved back into the submarine after their stay at the inn. Much as he enjoyed the warm rooms the inn offered, he always slept better onboard the submarine.

        Passing by one of the small windows in the hallway, he was surprised to see it was almost evening. The sun was close to the horizon, casting a faint yellow glow on the snow outside. It was then the aroma of cooking meat filled his nose and he once again turned towards the kitchen.