The Zephyr . 17.
Glenwood Springs!" The Car attendant warned, "Five minutes only here, five minutes! Do not leave the train platform."
The chill of the mountain town was brisk on skin not in coats. Sunshine reflected off snow high on the ridges above the town, and from small patches on the rocky ground next to the train platform. The Colorado River was a dull roar next to the train station, and from the platform the famous Glenwood Springs Hotel was easily visible with its outdoor hot spring fed pool. People milled about on the platform and cameras clicked away.
"It is beautiful, " Caramel said as she slowly turned a full circle before stopping to look out over the river toward the Hotel on the far side. As she stood there looking, he came and stood behind her, and placed his hands on her shoulders. She leaned back into him.
"Someday..." he told her as he looked across the river at the pool, "Sometime we will go there."
She turned and looked him straight in the eyes. The twinkle wasn't there, but a smile was. "It would be nice." There was nothing but the words and the smile. A damned kind smile. Like you give an acquaintance or a distant relative. A polite smile. She turned back and leaned softly against him again. This time he put his arms clear around her, just below her chin, and they just stood.
"You don't believe me?" he asked in her ear.
"It would be nice." She reached up and rested the palms of her hands on his arms beneath her chin, and then rested her chin between them, on his arm. Her head turned and he felt her cheek on the bare skin. "It would be nice," came her voice again. He squeezed her tighter to him.
"Caramel..." he started.
"All Aboard!" The Car attendant must practice that call, Ben thought in a tangent.
Caramel..." he started again, as she turned in his arms and faced him, hands on his chest now.
She reached up and put four fingers over his lips, but didn't look him in the eyes now. "Hush, darling, All Aboard, remember?" She moved away, still not looking at his eyes, and boarded the train.
For a moment he stood there, in his shirt sleeves, staring at the open door of the train. The Car Attendant turned once more around and spoke when he saw Ben, "Sir, Coming aboard?" Ben nodded and climbed aboard.
The chill of the mountain town was brisk on skin not in coats. Sunshine reflected off snow high on the ridges above the town, and from small patches on the rocky ground next to the train platform. The Colorado River was a dull roar next to the train station, and from the platform the famous Glenwood Springs Hotel was easily visible with its outdoor hot spring fed pool. People milled about on the platform and cameras clicked away.
"It is beautiful, " Caramel said as she slowly turned a full circle before stopping to look out over the river toward the Hotel on the far side. As she stood there looking, he came and stood behind her, and placed his hands on her shoulders. She leaned back into him.
"Someday..." he told her as he looked across the river at the pool, "Sometime we will go there."
She turned and looked him straight in the eyes. The twinkle wasn't there, but a smile was. "It would be nice." There was nothing but the words and the smile. A damned kind smile. Like you give an acquaintance or a distant relative. A polite smile. She turned back and leaned softly against him again. This time he put his arms clear around her, just below her chin, and they just stood.
"You don't believe me?" he asked in her ear.
"It would be nice." She reached up and rested the palms of her hands on his arms beneath her chin, and then rested her chin between them, on his arm. Her head turned and he felt her cheek on the bare skin. "It would be nice," came her voice again. He squeezed her tighter to him.
"Caramel..." he started.
"All Aboard!" The Car attendant must practice that call, Ben thought in a tangent.
Caramel..." he started again, as she turned in his arms and faced him, hands on his chest now.
She reached up and put four fingers over his lips, but didn't look him in the eyes now. "Hush, darling, All Aboard, remember?" She moved away, still not looking at his eyes, and boarded the train.
For a moment he stood there, in his shirt sleeves, staring at the open door of the train. The Car Attendant turned once more around and spoke when he saw Ben, "Sir, Coming aboard?" Ben nodded and climbed aboard.
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