Free Memories of Gold by Ali Olson Page A

separate yet again, even if only for a short while, was the time to absorb as much as he could about her. The way her hair fell over her shoulder, the tan of her skin against the yellow dress, her hand in his, the lilt of her voice. Each item was stored away as its own special memory, something to hold on to and keep safe.
    When they arrived at the boarding house, they both became awkward. He wanted to hold her close, show her what she meant to him, but told himself yet again that it was not the time. He hated that work the next day prevented them from spending another day in each other’s company, and it seemed she felt the same way.
    He found it strange to feel disappointment at the necessity of going to work. After all, since the day he’d gotten his first position with Tallent and Wilde, he’d seen every day as another opportunity to improve his circumstances, get another step closer to his goals, make his dreams of a big house and security come true. Now, when that fact was multiplied tenfold, he could only wish for another day to spend with Maria. He couldn’t let her drift away after two glorious days.
    After a short silence, he said, “I begin work tomorrow, but we could spend time together in the evening. And I will have a free morning Thursday. Would that be all right?”
    Maria smiled, though it was slightly hesitant. “I can’t see you in the evenings, but I will come here Thursday morning and we can talk. There are many things we should discuss.”
    He agreed. There were things to discuss. He would need to decide what to do about this pull he felt whenever he was near her, and sort it out enough by Thursday to talk about it. It would be a long couple of days, he knew, but maybe the distance would give him a little clarity.
    He pressed her hand with both of his. “Thursday, then. Don’t come until after ten, though. You need your rest, and I’m afraid Mrs. Jessup will ask me to leave the premises if you arrive at seven in the morning.”
    His joke fell flat, and he felt a gulf opening between them. He hesitated for a moment, wanting more, but finally turned to the boarding house. Her hand slipped from his. As he opened the door, she said his name. He stopped and turned back.
    She pressed her hands together and appeared anxious about something. “Jimmy, until we see each other again, don’t—“
    Maria paused, as if uncertain what she was going to say. “Don’t get into trouble,” she finished awkwardly.
    She seemed dissatisfied with what she had said, and he considered asking her to clarify, but she turned and began walking down the dusty street, toward the heart of town. What was she holding back? He hoped she would tell him Thursday.
     
    The next two days were torture for Mary. The evenings were the worst of her life, even counting her first days at Daisy’s. She spent all her time downstairs anxiously watching for Jimmy to walk into the saloon, and every moment upstairs was agony. Her attempts to sleep each morning were interrupted by guilt and frustration.
    She needed to tell him. It was that simple. She resolved to tell him as soon as she saw him Thursday, whatever the consequences.
    Her resolution did nothing to ease her mind or settle her feelings, however. Daisy was a caring employer, but she had a business to run, and Maria’s behavior could not last much longer if she expected to keep her job.
    As much as she hated it, she needed to keep it a short while longer. Her accumulated wealth was not nearly enough to live on, especially not with the cost of Emma’s care, but if she worked for a few more months she might be able to leave and find something else. What she could do instead, though, she had no idea. She had attempted to find a different position the year before, and she and Emma nearly starved before she broke down and went to Daisy’s. She refused to do that again.
    Tuesday passed in these tormenting thoughts, so Mary was relieved on Wednesday when she realized she had a lesson