Page 21 of Through the Snow Globe
“The snow globe. Mrs. Guzman placed a spell on it.”
Linus’s jaw went slack. “Have you been in my closet? Did you peek at the gift I got you?”
She shook her head. “No. I mean, yes, but I couldn’t help it. You weren’t here. You were . . .”
“Comatose?” Linus turned and headed into his closet. “I’d love to discuss what happens to impatient people who peek at their gifts early”—he cleared his throat—“but I really do need to get dressed.”
“No! Don’t go to work today. Stay home. With me.” She practically chased him into the closet.
“I can’t. This is the busiest time of year for the Toy Peddler. Plus, I have a meeting with the new distributor today, remember? And you need to get dressed for work too. You’re going to be late, which isn’t like you at all.” He looked back, giving her an assessing glance.
Diana reached for his arm. “Just don’t work late tonight, okay? Come straight home. And maybe don’t ride your bike. Take your truck instead. There might be ice on the roads.” She was talking quickly, her words spilling over each other. She still wasn’t sure what was going on, but if this really was December 4th, then Linus’s accident was tonight. Everything in Diana’s world had come crashing down around her on this day.
She watched as Linus picked out a long-sleeved lavender shirt and a pair of pants. Then he walked past her, heading out of the closet. He pointed a finger as he passed by. “I’m on to you. The only reason you don’t want me to ride my bike today is because you’re scheming on buyingmea Christmas present now. Probably some sort of bicycle accessory,” he said. “The rule is twenty dollars or less. No cheating, Diana.”
“Butyoucheated.”
“I didn’t. I’ll have you know I traded something for that snow globe.”
Diana followed him. “Let me drive you to the store today.”
He turned back with a skeptical expression. “Why?”
“I just want to spend time with you. How about lunch? Can you spare an hour with me?” That would give him time to meet with his distributor. Then she could find an excuse to spend the rest of the day together. She didn’t want to waste any of the time they were given.
Linus hedged. “We’ll have to eat in the store. I’m not kidding when I say it’s my busiest season. Santa Claus has nothing on me.”
“I don’t mind,” Diana said quickly. She’d take whatever time she could have with him. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but she was determined to find out. And the first person she was going to visit this morning would hopefully have the answers she was looking for.
* * *
Diana’s gaze trailed after Linus for a moment. He’d refused her offer to drive him. Of course he had. The man was almost as devoted to his Schwinn as he was to her. Maybe if he didn’t ride his bicycle home from work tonight, though, things would turn out differently.
Determined to find answers, she left her apartment to go see Mrs. Guzman. Her older neighbor was the only person who might have some inkling of what was going on because the past didn’t skip like an old vinyl record, resetting to a day that had already happened. That’s not how life worked. Time moved forward. It didn’t even glance over its shoulder. It was merciless and took no prisoners, at least in Diana’s experience.
Diana stood behind Henrietta Guzman’s door, sucked in a breath, and knocked. She felt flustered and nervous as she waited. She was also excited. Linus was on his way to his toy store right now. He wasn’t lying comatose in a hospital bed somewhere. This was good news.
Diana knocked again, harder this time. Mrs. Guzman was retired and as far as Diana knew, she didn’t have any local family. All she had was her little Chihuahua named Leonardo.
The door opened and Mrs. Guzman smiled back at her. “Diana! What a pleasant surprise. Come in, come in.”
Diana stepped past Mrs. Guzman and into her home. The place was crowded with two sofas and several recliners. There were stacks of books in every corner. “Today is December fourth,” Diana said, turning back to her neighbor.
Mrs. Guzman’s thick silver-colored brows furrowed. “Yes. I believe that’s correct.”
“But it’s supposed to be Christmas Day. You came to my house Christmas Eve and you said these strange words over a gift someone gave me. And now it’s December fourth again.”
Mrs. Guzman looked bewildered. “Did I?”
“You don’t remember?” Diana felt breathless and out of control. She pinned a hand to her chest, trying to inhale more deeply. “You put a spell on my snow globe.”
Mrs. Guzman chuckled softly while shaking her head. “No, I don’t do spells, dear,” she corrected, a smile lining her fuchsia-colored lips. “I enchant things.”
“Okay, youenchantedmy snow globe to give me one more day with the one I love. With Linus.”
Mrs. Guzman was watching her. “Why do you need one more day with Linus?”
The older woman really didn’t know what was going on. She didn’t remember because none of the past three weeks had happened yet. Somehow Diana had slipped back in time and landed on the worst possible day. Of all the days to repeat, why this one?
