Summer In Iron Springs by Margie Broschinsky

nonetheless.”
                  “My dad sure doesn’t think so. He thinks it’s beneath me to work with my hands. But I enjoy it.”
                  Phoebe glanced in the window of The Iron Springs Art Gallery . “Is that why you two get along?”
                  “He just wants different things for me than I want for myself. He likes getting his way.”
    “So, what does he want for you?” Phoebe’s eyes were examining an oil painting that portrayed a Victorian woman in a stunning formal gown.
    “He wants me to follow in his footsteps; go to college and work in the family business.” Billy rolled his eyes. “He refuses to even consider the idea that I may want something else.”
    “What do you want?” Phoebe glanced at Billy and then looked back at the painting.
    Billy glanced upward as if he were searching for an answer. “I don’t know. I just know what I don’t want.”
                  Phoebe sensed that Billy was uncomfortable talking about his life so she pointed to the gift bag he was holding. “What’s that?”
                  “It’s a gift for my mother’s birthday; a glass bell. She collects them. Jenna ordered it for me.”
    “Oh, so that’s why you were at Hildi’s. I thought you were stalking me.”
                  “Actually, I am. The bell was just an excuse to get you alone.”
                  Phoebe laughed. “Seriously though, why did you follow me even though I told you not to?” Phoebe asked. She was happy to be spending the time with Billy but a little surprised he’d have followed her after she specifically asked him to leave her alone.
                  “I didn’t follow you,” Billy said. He held up his hands and grinned. “I swear. I was at Hildi’s to get the bell. Jenna called me earlier to tell me it was in.”
                  “Uh-huh,” Phoebe said, nodding her head. “So, that’s your story, huh.”
                  Billy chuckled. “Yep, that’s my story. Now, can I ask you a question?”
                  “Sure.”
                  “Earlier, you were upset about something you had overheard. You started to tell me about it but then you stopped yourself. What was it?”
                  “It was nothing, just a phone call I overheard between Anna and my dad.”
    “Let’s go inside, ” Billy said, opening the door to the art gallery.              
    Phoebe followed Billy through the glass doors of the gallery. Once inside, she took a closer look at the painting. In this piece, she saw sadness in the lady’s face, longing in her eyes, and hope in her heart.
    “What did you hear?” Billy asked, while Phoebe studied the painting. “What were they talking about that made you so upset?”
    “I’m not exactly sure. I could only hear Anna’s side of the conversation but, from what I could gather, I think my dad is lying to me about something.”
    “What do you think it is?”
    Phoebe shrugged. “I don’t know but Anna sounded really upset that my dad was asking her to keep up the lie and she said everyone in town knows about it so I guess I’ll figure it out soon.” She moved closer to the painting. “Do you know what that’s called?” Phoebe pointed to the sofa the lady in the painting was lying on.
    “Umm . . . a couch?” Billy said, shrugging his shoulders.
    Phoebe giggled quietly. “It’s called a fainting couch. I did a report on them in my art history class. Back then, the women wore corsets so tight they made them light-headed. So, people would put these couches around to provide a place for them to rest if they started feeling faint.”
    “You’re kidding ,” Billy said. “That’s not true is it?”
    Phoebe glanced at the painting again. “I’m not sure but that’s what I read online.”
    “So, aren’t you curious?” Billy asked.
    “About what?”
    “About