Part One

After the sudden death of her husband seven years back, thirty-eight year old Haily Swift sold the old Georgia plantation that they had lived in and moved to, of all places, Alaska. It had been a dream of hers to visit there. Now that she was widowed, she thought, "Why not just live there?". It only took her a few days to find an out of town cabin in the perfect small town of Sleepy Bear. It took even less time for the news that a weathly widowed woman had moved into town. She wondered if the politeness that she had received was real at first, but after nearly two years in Sleepy Bear, she learned that it was true "Southern Hospitality" way up north. Now seven years later, the townspeople made her fell as if she had lived here all of her life.

It was one winter's evening as she sat waiting for the young grocery delivery boy to bring her the groceries she had ordered from Colton's Mercentile. Hearing a sudden blast of wind from the back door, she knew that Jeffery had arrived. "Come on in, Jeffery," she called to the young boy. The loud stamping of boots told Haily that it wasn't Jeffery; his stamping was much softer sounding. "It's me, Mrs. Swift," came the voice of Robbie Colton. "Jeffery is down with the flu and dad asked me to deliver the groceries." Haily met the young man in the kitchen. "Well, well, well...," she said staring at him. "How long has it been, Robbie? Four..., no..., five years since I saw you last. My, how you've grown up!" She meant her last comment in every way.

Robbie had been seventeen the last she had seen him. Having the money to spend, every year Haily helped out a needy college bound student pay for tution and supplies in which their scholarships didn't cover. Robbie had been on of the winners. "Are you back for good, Robbie," she asked. Her eyes looked the now twenty-two year old up and down. Even though he was bundled for the cold and snow outside, Haily could tell that Robbie had been working out while away at college. The neon orange winter cap couldn't hide his wavy, light brown hair. His green eyes twinkled just the way they had the night of his graduation when he thanked her for the scholarship.

After sitting the bags of groceries down on the dining room table, Robbie Colton smiled as he hugged the older woman. "Yeah," he said, "I'm back for good. I'm all finished with college. Which, by the way, I'd never been able to attend if it hadn't have been for you. Thanks so much." He squeezed Haily a little tighter as he said "thanks so much". Damn did the sound of her sweet sounthern accent and the smell of her perfume drive him wild. Several times while he was away at college he had dreamed about her. Even now as they hugged a friendly hug, he couldn't keep from wondering what she looked like naked.

Breaking the embrace he said, "Dad said that we could just put it on your tab." He watched her walk away from him towards her purse. "No, no, no," she said waving her delicate hand in the air. "That old coot you call 'dad' knows that I pay cash. I refuse to be beholding to anyone." He watched her slender hips sway back and forth as she returned with a fifty dollar bill. "Oh this is way to much, Ms. Swift," Robbie said, "it's only $33.67." "Well," Haily said, waving her hand in the air again, "keep the change for a tip. After all, you drove ten miles out here to deliver me groceries in weather like this."

Both of them looked out the window to see a full blown bluzzard underway, and getting worse by the minute. "Well," Robbie said as he stared out the window, "it was only flurries until I reached the driveway. It's seems to have gotten worse since I've been here." "Why don't you call your dad and tell him that you're gonna stay here until this blows over," she suggested, pointing to the phone. "Yeah," Robbie said, picking up the receiver, "I guess I'd better."

It was nearing 10:00 pm when the snow finally let up enough to be able to see as one drove. But, the only problem now was that there was nearly three feet of snow in the ground and the 4x4 that he drove out in was now snowed in. "I'll call dad back and see if Jon can get the snow plow out here," Robbie said going for the phone. "Oh Robbie," he heard the older woman sigh, "why not stay the night? It'll take Jon hours to get the road cleared and by then it'll be midnight or later before you can start out." Robbie shrugged his shoulders and asked, "Are you sure?" "Of course I'm sure," came the answer.

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