Lily Among Thorns

A Walk in the Park Kate Rawlings checked her reflection in the hall mirror adjacent to the front door. She slipped on her woolen coat and a shawl, thinking to herself, “He has escaped me these past four months, but he’s a creature of habit. I may be able to catch him this morning when he’s walking in the park...like a spider in a web.” Kate chuckled to herself over the image in her head, “I’m sure Miles could imagine me as a spider, a black widow one. However, I would not want him concentrating on the behavior of the female eating the male after mating, he’d be harder to catch in my web.” Kate stepped out onto the big porch fronting the large Victorian home amidst similar dwellings along a shady tree lined street. This big house helped raise four kids, three of whom live locally with their own families now, which brought Kate a moment’s relief from this morning’s mission. The coolness of the early spring morning air prompted her to wrap a scarf around her lean neck. She stepped onto the cement sidewalk leading her the two blocks to the town park. Kate reached the corner of the town park, felt uncharacteristically nervous. She looked down the trail that traversed the park…no one. To the trail’s right in view was the columned courthouse, churches aligned the park’s other three sides with stately homes adjacent to them. Large trees dotted the open park, a few benches lay along the trails. Kate saw a tall, lanky man bedecked in an overcoat with scarf and hat which hid his identity, especially with his head down. He entered the park trail at the opposite end. Kate walked forward with heavy feet matching her heavy heart, as the man’s steady stride brought him closer to her at a faster rate. Kate stopped and stared at him, “Good morning to you…Miles.” At a ten-foot distance the man abruptly halted and glanced up. With a look of aghast he instinctively stepped back a pace, turned to leave. Kate tersely begged, “Please…don’t go.” Continued.