Like a Woman Scorned Read Online Free PDF

time with friends and families.
    Human Resources came by and passed out year-end bonus checks. Some people exchanged gifts and Alison received her fair share of little boxes and envelopes. A few liqueur-spiked coffees together and then it was time to leave with lots of hugs and holiday wishes.
    Alison straightened up her office, studied her calendar, made some notes, and wrapped things up. She wasn’t in the mood to spend any more time here than necessary. Her gifts from her coworkers filled one large tote bag, but the box from Saks was heavy. She phoned for a taxi as there was no way she could carry it all on the streetcar.
    Back in the comfort of home, Alison began opening her presents, saving Rick’s for last. Soon the floor in front of her miniature Christmas tree was strewn with gift cards, a scarf, a lapel pin, several CDs, a foot warmer, humorous stationery, and a great puzzle of old San Francisco.
    And then the wrapping came off the box from Saks. She was looking at the largest bottle of Angel perfume she’d ever seen. Huge. She had no idea they even made one that size. It would probably last long beyond her lifetime. As busy as Rick was during the trial, he had found time to be sure the gift had been ordered for delivery. At that moment she knew she was going to miss him more than she anticipated, and would do whatever was necessary for them to be together. The bottle was so big it took a whole corner next to her bedroom dresser.  She opened it for the smell to waft through the room. There was no getting enough of it.
    Knowing he was still in flight, she called his cell phone to leave a message.
     
    “The perfume is over the top and I hope I live long enough to use every ounce in that bottle. The clerk must have loved you … as do I. Thank you so much. Wonderful surprise. I miss you too much already. Please let me know you are home safe, okay? I love you. Bye.”
     
    The Weather Channel reported that the weather in Boston was horrible, already several inches of snow, with sleet conditions in the immediate forecast.  There were flights already backing up leaving Boston and New York, but those heading into Boston seemed to be okay. Rick was a veteran flyer, so Alison wasn’t too concerned. Alison had been in Logan Airport in bad weather herself on occasion. Bostonians would take it all in stride.
    Several hours later, her cell phone buzzed with a new text message. It was from Rick.
     
    Hi, swthrt, home, sno lik crzy, cold, miss you, I luv you vry mch, by 4 now. R.
     
    Now she could sleep. It was Christmas Eve and Alison didn’t mind being alone and watching television, but it suddenly dawned on her how tired she was and she crawled into bed. His smell was still there. She would just have to live on memories for a while, since she really didn’t expect to hear from him for at least a few days.
    It rained all Christmas Day and Alison snuggled up to watch a couple of old movies, ate leftovers, finished an open bottle of wine, took a nap, and thoroughly enjoyed some alone time. Maybe the hectic pace of the past few weeks had taken more of a toll on her than she realized. But, as John Lennon once said, “Life is what happens on the way to making plans.”  When you’re not looking, there it is: romance. Thinking about it was unproductive and emotionally unsettling, but how could she help it? She found herself aching to feel his body next to hers.
    After a couple of days at home, Alison donned rain gear and ventured downtown—not just for the after-Christmas sales, but to enjoy the festivities near Union Square. She watched some holiday-themed street performers braving the inclement weather, and then stopped into a coffee shop for a latte. The people out in public all seemed to be in a festive mood despite the rain. Everyone was loaded down with shopping bags and excitedly planning their next stop after getting warm at Starbucks. Alison ran into a friend or two along the way, wished them happy holidays, and