La Bella and El Bestia

Chapter 10

Frida was a pretty good nurse, she made sure Manny's wound was cleaned properly everyday and rebandaged it with new strong gazeses. Within a week Manny's arm was completely healed. By that time the harsh winter storms had finally calmed down leaving behind light and cool snow days. One morning Frida decided to go outside and explore the winter wonderland. Rosa had laid out a long sleeved, satin blue dress with a matching blue winter cloak for her to wear outside along with some comfortable and warm winter boots. She slipped on her outfit, tied her hair up with a blue ribbon, and went outside.

The castle gardens were beautiful covered in crystal white snow. It reminded her of the paintings of snow castles and winter kingdoms that she had seen in the village. This however was much better than all the paintings combined. The snowflakes that fell on to her were cold but soft and she couldn't help but start dancing in the falling snow. Unknown to her Manny was watching her from the castle and found himself admiring the young girl dancing in the snowflakes. She looked like a little snow fairy to him with the snowflakes in her hair and the cold turning her cheeks rosy.

He then watched her pull half of loaf of bread from her dress pocket and began feeding bread crumbs to a group of red cardinals and bluebirds on the snowy ground looking for seeds or berries to eat. They gratefully thanked her for the snack she gave them by singing her a little melody. She smiled and hummed along with their song. All too soon the birds were scared away by a footstool that came running toward them braying like a donkey. In his haste he accidentally slipped on some ice and fell into a big snow pile

"Hey you!" She giggled helping him out of the pile. "Calm down you're scaring the birds not to mention you might hurt yourself on the ice."

The footstool brayed cheerfully and licked her face making her laugh. Manny smiled at hearing Frida's laughter, it sounded like the chimes of silver bells to him. She was so cheerful and happy not to mention very kind to him. He couldn't believe how she tended to his wounds all week, she had touched him without showing any kind of fear. That made him feel...different.

"She is beautiful no?" T.J said noticing Manny's never breaking gaze on Frida.

"Yes." He agreed. "And I'm hideous."

"Not to mention ill tempered."

"Hey! I'm working on that!" He groaned. He looked back at Frida and smiled. "I've never felt this way about anyone. I wanna do something for her, to make up for how I treated her when we first met and to thank her for what she did for me."

"Brilliant idea."

"Thanks but there's just one problem."

"What's that?"

"I don't know what to do for her."

"Don't worry." Jorge said. "Just do what I do when I have trouble with women."

"Which is?"

"Oh you know the usual, flowers, chocolates, promises you don't intend to keep."

"No! Nononono." T.J disagreed. "Ignore him Manny, he hasn't had a date since your grandmother and that was fifty years ago."

"Hey!"

"Look Manny you think this girl is special right?"