in the dead of winter

Christmas just wasn't long enough for Bex, and then New Years was nothing much. Maybe it was this cold winter that was depressing her so much. But there was Oliver all happy at work. As if the wind chills didn't get to him at all, even if it did take a good thirty minutes to warm up the car everyday for work. Just how did he do that?

"What is your secret?" She winced wishing she was on a sunny beach somewhere instead of seeing how high the snow drifts were getting outside.

"What?" He smiled.

"You, always happy, I don't understand it." She was serious. Yes, she knew she was extra sensitive about so many things and probably never sensitive enough to anyone else's problems.

"What's there to understand?" He looked at her as if she was not making sense. "Look, there are so many things you don't have control over. You just have to look for the little things to enjoy, and that's never easy. So if you smile, that's a start, Bex."

She wasn't even sure she could make the effort. But she lived with the man who always found his glass half full, not half empty. And he could always soften the gruffest person who might come in.

It would make her a little mad when he'd mention something about her being his wife and someone would say. "That was the last thing I expected." What was that saying about her? They were never going to look like brother and sister. Obviously.

"You know what they say," Oliver would come back with. "Opposites attract."

But now she really felt she needed to take some happy course with Oliver. She hated the angry looks patrons could give her. So she'd do as he said. Start with a smile. Work on her happy skills. She hoped they got a vacation soon. Yes, that's what filled her thoughts. Otherwise, winter was going to drive her crazy.

Of course, Oliver would just laugh. "Oh, if it isn't winter, it would be something else."

Bex would just sigh. He knew her so well. He truly did.