Page 10 of A Place for Daydreams

“Sure.” Samantha scampered off in the next moment, and Hazel made her way to the aisle that held the laundry detergent. She left the cart at the endcap, and then turned the corner, her eyes on the shelves.

She was looking so intently at the laundry detergents, trying to see if she could find a fall-themed scent for Samantha, that she didn’t notice the person standing nearby, intently reading the label on a bottle of cleaning solution.

She did, however, notice that person when she bumped right into him.

“Oh, I’m so sorry—Jacob!” Her heart skipped a beat as she found herself blinking up at Jacob Dorsey, the man she’d nearly professed her attraction to.

“Oh, gosh, hey, Hazel.” He grinned at her and held up the bottle of cleaning solution apologetically. “Sorry, I got totally wrapped up in this. Lost in the world of chemical ingredients.”

She laughed breathlessly. “Sounds fascinating.”

“Oh, it is. Very.” He smiled down at her, looking just as friendly as always, and she found her heart doing somersaults. “And it turns out that this does have the ingredients I need, so I’d better get going. Nice to see you.”

“Good to see you too.” She managed to get the words out without sounding as though she was stammering, even though she felt as though her heart was beating a mile a minute.

He waved briefly, still smiling, and then disappeared around the end of the aisle. She watched him go, feeling a knot form in her stomach.

Jacob never did anything wrong, she thought, holding back a sigh.There’s no reason for him to linger and talk to me now, and I shouldn’t feel bad about it. Why can’t I just let it go?

“Hey, Mom!”

Hazel turned, glad to hear her daughter’s voice, and as soon as she’d turned around, she burst into laughter. “What on earth are those?”

Samantha was standing at the end of the aisle, striking a dramatic pose and wearing bright yellow sunglasses with lenses shaped like hearts. The frames were covered in imitation diamonds, and they glinted fiercely.

“Don’t you like my new sunglasses?” Samantha did a flamboyant twirl. “I think they make me look really elegant.”

“Those are outrageous.” Hazel laughed.

Samantha shook her head. “They are the fashion.”

“They would make anyone look like a bumblebee,” Hazel said, still chuckling.

“Are you saying I look like a bumblebee?” Samantha’s jaw dropped as she pretended to be offended.

“Come look at yourself in this mirror,” Hazel said, catching sight of a mirror that was on the wall near a display of baseball caps. “You will agree with me.”

Laughing, Samantha followed her mother over to the mirror, and as soon as she saw her reflection, she doubled over with laughter.

“Oh, man, that’s good.” Samantha snorted, straightening up. “Here. You try them on.”

She took off the sunglasses and handed them to her mother, who put them on with a grin.

“Yup.” Hazel turned to her reflection and started laughing again. “I’m the Mama Bumblebee.”

“You’re right, they do make us look like bumblebees.” Samantha took the sunglasses as her mother handed them back to her. “So, we’re buying them, right?”

Hazel shook her head, laughing. “Maybe you can buy a pair with your allowance.”

Samantha sighed. “I just spent my allowance on a book. Which, when I think about it, is probably a much better purchase than these sunglasses. Although I did want to show my friends so we could laugh.”

“Hey, bring them in here.” Hazel grinned at her daughter. “You can all try on a pair.” The laugh had done her heart good, reminding her that she had so much to be thankful for. She might not have Jacob Dorsey as a boyfriend, but she’d gotten along fine without him for many years. She had a darling daughter that she adored, and a kind, supportive family. As she and Samantha continued to shop, her spirits continued to lift as she reminded herself how lucky she was. After a few minutes, Samantha darted off to look at lawn ornaments, and Hazel became more lost in thought as she began to walk through the store by herself.

She remembered the conversation that she’d had with her sisters about pampering herself as a show of self-love. She smiled as she got the idea to purchase a face mask for herself, and a moment later she steered the cart into the beauty supply aisle.

She picked out a green tea and honey face mask, feeling pleased with her selection. She liked the idea of treating herself to an at-home spa experience. Then she checked her list again and saw that she’d made all her purchases.

Too bad my daughter has disappeared, she thought with a chuckle.It’s time for us to go.

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