Starting that day, I saw more and more glimpses of the old Winter than I had ever dared to hope for after Mother's passing. Somehow, having this little bluebird to take care of had brought a sense of new beginnings to both of us. Morning, noon and night we tended to the little fellow – Winter watching him constantly to make sure he ate properly and singing to him as she went about her day. She took him with her wherever she went. Even when she went to the bathroom she would perch his shoebox on the window sill and talk to him as she went about her business.
Slowly, as the days passed, Corbin gained strength. With Winter's attention and my guidance, he began to take an interest in the world around him again. No longer the meek, scared little bird crying out for help, I watched as he began to hop around in his box until one day he just hopped right out of it! Winter, of course, erupted in fits of giggles and even more so when he then proceeded to hop onto her hand and up her arm, settling contentedly on her shoulder.
From then on it seemed he spent his every moment hopping around trying to keep up with Winter and if he wasn't hopping then he was perched on or beside her. Every morning as she ate breakfast, he would perch on the end of her spoon – causing her to giggle when his feathers tickled her cheek. Every day as she worked on her reading and maths, he would sit on her shoulder and chirp happily when she read aloud or got an answer right. And finally when the day drew to a close, Winter would sit on my lap in her nightgown and I would brush her hair. And each night he would perch on the lamp, a meter or so from the rocking chair, as I then sang Winter to sleep.
Eventually, though, the routine we had fallen into had to change once again. As was inevitable, money was dwindling due to no income and I realised that if I wanted to keep food on the table I would have to find a way to start providing. Since Winter wasn't of school age there was nowhere for her to go in the day but neither could I afford to send her somewhere to be cared for or stay home to care for her myself. And so, as Easter approached, I decided I needed to get a job instead of going back to school. It would mean making some adjustments but I knew that if I made sacrifices, we would stay afloat a lot better.
First, though, I had to find someone willing to take me on. This, of course, meant a job hunt. I tried my best to make it into a game for Winter since she had no choice but to come with me and for the most point it seemed she really did enjoy it. However everywhere I went I got the same sorrowful look when they heard my story but the answer remained the same. Some tried to word it gently for Winter's sake, others just came right out with it. But the answer never changed. No one could afford to hire a young man with no experience at the kind of wages it would take to cover cost of living for two and no one was keen on having a small child about their business constantly, even if she was the delight she proved herself to be.
At the end of the third day, even Corbin was discouraged. He sat on Winter's shoulder, as he had for every 6am to 6pm trek we took searching for work, but this time not a single chirp escaped his beak.
"Yosha?" Winter asked, tired eyes looking up at me as she held my hand, feet dragging on the pavement beside me.
"Yes little Cub?" I tried to smile, for her sake.
"What happens to us if you don't find a job?"
I sighed softly, "Well, um, I guess we just have to keep looking until I do find one."
Winter frowned and we fell silent for several minutes as we walked. Off in the distance, the sun was setting and soon the night air would fill the streets leaving the area cold which was no place for a young child to be.
"Come on, precious one, let's go home," I squeezed Winter's hand softly and we turned around, starting to walk in the direction of home.
Just as the street lights flickered on, however, Corbin appeared to become agitated upon Winter's shoulder.
"WAIT!" a voice called from behind us, "PLEASE W-WAIT!"
We stopped and turned around to see a short, fraile old man running after us, puffing and turning red as he struggled to breathe, his cap in his hands.
"Joshua is it?" the man asked, stopping a meter or so from us.
"Um, yes, sir," I replied, confused, "is there something I can help you with?"
The man was silent aside from gasping as he captured his breath, then after a few moments he spoke, "I heard word from Mrs Patterson at the dairy that you were in need of work but don't have experience?"
"I – uh, yes," I stuttered, "my apologies, I don't mean to be rude but... who are you?"
The man ran a hand over his sweaty, balding head before extending it, "Miles. Miles Norbury."
I hesitated briefly at his damp hand but, figuring he might be here to help, pushed my unease aside and promptly shook it.
"Right, down to business lad," Miles took his hand back and smiled awkwardly, "my wife, Sophia, she owns the corner store across from the ice creamery. Do you know the one?"
I nodded vigorously, "I do, sir... though again, not to be out of line but I thought it had gone out of business?"
"Well you see, lad, that's just the thing... my Sophia, she is getting on in age – we both are – and she just doesn't have the strength to run the store no more. I would but I got animals to tend back home and they're more than enough work for me. Anyways, my Sophia can't stand the thought of the store closing see? It was her Father's and she feels she is letting him down. So when I heard that you was looking for work I thought maybe..." Miles drifted off but his eyes were hopeful.
"You want me to run the store?" I gawked.
"It's only a little 'un," Miles prodded at my resistance.
"I can assure you, though, sir that I really don't have any experience in anything of the sort."
"Look, it's been a very successful little shop in its time and we never had no kids to spend profits on which means Sophia and I would be more 'n happy to pay you the wages you need," Miles bargained, "All you got to do is sell enough to keep the store from closing and the place will practically do that itself."
"I really appreciate the offer, sir but my other concern is my little sister here," I tilted my head in the direction of Winter who was clinging to my leg, Corbin on her shoulder.
"Oh don't you worry, lad, I know all about that," Miles smiled, a little less awkwardly this time, "Like I said, me 'n Sophia haven't got no kids but we sure do love 'em. And we have animals. Your sweet sister and her bird would fit right in. And our cottage is only 10 minutes away by my truck."
"Winter's never really stayed with anyone without me before..."
"A trial run, then, eh? There's always another way we can make it work if not."
From then on, each morning Winter would come with Corbin on her shoulder into the kitchen where I was cooking breakfast and she would sit on the counter top and talk to him as I brushed her hair. Then she would don a dress and come back to me, Corbin carrying a bow in his beak for her. I would tie back her hair off her face, leaving most of it down with the rest up in the bow. She would then help me by straightening my tie and styling my hair and we would brush our teeth side by side as Corbin sat on the bathroom tap. And then, of course, we would begin our travels to the little corner store on South Street.
Time and time again we walked the short walk to the corner store with Corbin singing from Winter's shoulder and Winter humming to his song. They were an inseparable pair. Once we then got to the store, my least favourite part of the day arrived – I would find myself having to say goodbye to both Winter and Corbin, watching as she climbed with him on her shoulder into the passenger side of Miles' truck and waving at the three of them as they drove away. I had taken the time to meet with both Miles and Sophia, the couple were nothing short of wonderful. Yet still the hours until lunch dragged like nothing else.
Finally, at midday, Miles' truck would pull up outside the store and Winter would come flying in at the speed of light, jumping into my outstretched arms. More often than not she would be clutching a bunch of freshly picked flowers to go in the store counter vase or a small bundle of freshly baked cookies. And without fail, as she ran to me, Corbin would be clutching her hair and shoulder so as not to fall off. At that time I would take my lunch break and we would sit on the stone wall outside the shop front to eat.
We would catch up on the hours we had been apart and Corbin would add a chirp here and there, as though recounting parts of the story Winter had missed. Then in the afternoon, when business was slower, Winter would sit behind the counter with me and we would attempt some reading, writing or maths. That is, of course, until both she and Corbin got restless and the pair would then pass the rest of the day by picking up stones by the roadside, or "hunting for treasures" as Winter called it, while I worked continued to work. Some days, I would go outside while the store was quiet in the morning and "accidentally" drop a penny for her to find that she could then spend in the store when she found it.
It was one of these days however, as Winter and I were perched on the stone wall eating – the coin not yet discovered, that Corbin gave us quite a different surprise.
"Do you like having Corbin around?" I asked Winter as she fed him little crumbs of her sandwich.
"Of course!" Winter smiled, "He's great to talk to and I love his singing. He is my best friend besides you. And when you and me are apart, I don't feel so sad because I can tell Corbin I miss you and he sings to me like you do!"
I tried to smile but couldn't for the lump in my throat. I didn't want to tell Winter but Corbin was, of course, getting better and his wing had definitely healed to the point he would try to start flying again soon.
"Yosha! Look!" Winter interrupted my thoughts, "Corbin's trying to fly!"
I turned my attention to the pair and Corbin flapped his wings hurriedly from Winter's shoulder. He rose into the air just a little, Winter leaning away from his wings as they flapped in her face. For just a second he hung in the air. Then he came crashing down onto the wall just beside us. Winter leapt off the wall and knelt at Corbin's side as he took a run up along the wall. He flapped his wings, jumped and plummeted straight to the ground. Winter picked him up and placed him on the wall again.
She crouched until she was level with him, "Come on, Corbin, try again!"
Corbin gave himself a little shake, steadied himself and tried again. This time his wings fluttered and he was airborne for a few moments longer before he fell again. Winter looked dismayed as she picked him up and urged him to try again. This time she kept him in her hands and held him out as if on a ledge. He chirped, seemingly in thanks, and flicked his wings steadily before jumping. Yet again, he was airborne for a small amount of time before he fell. Winter, however, refused to let him accept defeat and for the next several minutes the pair kept trying.
"Hey little Cub?" I said gently after the hundredth attempt, "I think Corbin is getting a little tired. Maybe we should let him rest and try again another day."
Winter shook her head with furious determination, "One more time. Come on Corbin, you've got this!"
His wings fluttered powerfully as he prepared.
"Come on Corbin..." I whispered beneath my breath.
His little body took flight once more and after a few moments, plummeted towards the ground. My heart sank. But at the last moment Corbin soared high into the sky, singing to his heart's content. Winter cheered and the little bluebird flew down onto her shoulder.
"You flew, Corbin!" She laughed, "You flew!"
---183Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfoDJp9OWEK
