Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

Roseanne had always wondered if Owen Reynolds wore cologne.

It was a question too awkward to ask, so she shelved it for the time being.

With a sheepish grin, Roseanne said, "Thanks, Professor, I forgot my scarf on my way out..."

"Well, she didn't exactly forget.

It was more like laziness.

She figured since she was just stepping out to toss the trash and come right back, the short walk wouldn't require bundling up.

Could Owen Reynolds really not see through her little scheme?

But, opting to let it slide without comment, he quietly offered her his own scarf.

"You were asking why Professor Albina and Patten decided against having kids. It's not that they didn't want to; it's because Professor Albina had health issues that made it impossible," he explained.

Back in those days, a woman's inability to bear children was almost a death sentence.

Patten's family couldn't accept it, pushing the two towards divorce.

Feeling guilty, Professor Albina didn't want to cling on and thus initiated the separation, willing to be the villain in the narrative.

But Patten wouldn't have it.

"I heard Patten went as far as to publicly disown his family in the papers to win his wife back. For twenty years, there was no communication until his family gradually came to terms with the situation, and they started reaching out again." "But things were never the same."

Professor Albina was an orphan to begin with.

himself

they only had each other in their

in those days, life was so different...

gazed into the

He was

eyes, there's a view, and you are the view in someone else's

breath forming a misty cloud, like frost

snow this year..."

counted since the snowflakes that did fall melted upon touching

being mad at

back, she regretted not making the most

which seemed to aid their digestion, Owen Reynolds noticed Roseanne starting to blow on her hands for warmth. "Let's

"Ah-okay!"

wind, they walked

...

morning, before Roseanne could fully wake,

"Roseanne-Roseanne"

Owen Reynolds?

fearing some emergency,

"Professor?! What's wrong?!"

the thought of

to

she was still in

and

But-

"Snowing?! Really?!"