Chapter 4 James and Mary

 "There's a girl waiting for you, James." Mrs. Melby watched James' expression. She knew his words would tell nothing, so she relied on the surprise of the moment to reveal him and searched his face for a show. 

"Oh?" His heart skipped a beat, he knew what this was about.  

Mrs. Melby continued, "She's been by a few time this month.  Oh, what's her name?"

James' anticipation sank, "Mary..." It had already been a long day. Now this annoyance.

"You used to get on well, didn't you?  Sat for a few hours together once or twice?"  A statement disguised and a question, Mrs. Melby was relentless. Her appetite to meddle was insatiable, and her inquiries were driven by her conviction that the boarding house was her property and she had the right to know about the comings and goings of all the characters on premises.

It was true.  He had thought a great deal of Mary, very seriously in fact.  James fawned over her for quite some time.  She had measured him for a suit, and he had gone back to the department store where she worked store for many a tie, which he did not need, before finally working up the courage to ask her to lunch. Of course that had taken months of the enjoyment of calling after her and watching her from a distance. For a long time, she wouldn't give him the slightest look in return until finally, he had won her focus.  He could tell because she introduced him to her co worker. "The accountant" she had  called him with a giggle as if it meant something.

He lunched with her, bought her gloves, and walked with her in the park.

After that, she started calling after him, reciprocating his delight of her.  She gave him compliments and once even brought him lunch while he worked.

James had been certain of his desire for her when he had wanted and wooed her.  But now that he was on the receiving end, he was embarrassed to admit it, but the thought of Mary returning feelings for him filled him with a certain disgust for her.

 "James! Where have you been?"  Mary was carrying a pie. "You do like peach don't you?  I remember, you said."  

James stood silent for a moment with Mrs. Melby watching the exchange shamelessly beside him. Mary looked up at him with hopeful  eyes.  It had been a month since he had seen her, and she ought to at least be thanked for trying. 

But the trouble was, James didn't want to encourage her. He didn't feel the same way anymore and the way things were going she was liable to show up to his work with a bag lunch or some nonsense to embarrass him.

She thrust the pie farther in his direction. But he held his hand as if to say 'no thank you'  "I'm afraid I'm allergic, actually." He lied.

Mary's face fell. "Oh. I see..." She stood with the pie still extended.  Her eyes pleading to James.

"I'm sorry Mary...I can't." It was all the reply he could muster. 

As the tension rose, Mrs. Melby took the pie from Mary's hands quietly and remained audience to the good show.

"You can't...what?  Eat peaches?"  James was silent and lowered his eyes. Mary's exasperation showed and she put her hands on her hips, scolding. "You can't return my calls? Which, James?" 

"Mary..."  It was better to make it quick.  These things could drag on and on. "I don't feel the same. I think you've gotten the wrong idea."

It was dirty of him.  He had never actually told her he that he had feelings for her.  And now he meant to behave as though his affections were only an act of kinship...goodwill.

"But you...came by to see me so often." Mary was almost breathless.  

"Yes, you were very helpful. I remember I had no idea how to dress for my new job."

"But you took me to lunch..." She seemed to be searching her mind for something solid, something to prove that what she had felt was something that they once shared, something that she wasn't feeling alone, hadn't imagined.

"Mary, I was so very grateful for your help with my attire. I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression.  I thought lunch between friends would be...Oh Mary, you do know we are no more than friends don't you?"

That was it.  Mary could not take anymore.  The things James was saying had played on her feelings too much and she was brimming with humiliation and confusion.  She turned on her heels and swept herself away trying to hide her tears and she pattered down the stairs and down the street.

"Never saw you as the heartbreaking kind, James."  Said Mrs. Melby, holding the abandoned pie.

"I only ever saw her as a friend." replied James, convincing himself of what he had told Mary.

"Hmmm, maybe."  She eyed him suspiciously. She knew about men's fickle hearts. But her concern had moved to opportunity and she left the business of the unrequited lovers behind. 

"Not that it's any of my business!" Well, If you're allergic...do you mind?"  Mrs. Melby motioned to the pie.

"By all means!"  For once, James was glad for Mrs. Melby's presence. "I think I'll turn in, I do have some work. Excuse me."  James walked upstairs to his room and worked into the night as Mrs. Melby served peach pie to the tenants of the Boarding house for a dime a slice and  two cents for a dollop of cream.