Disclaimer: I do not own any TMNT's or their constituents, or the song "Winter in July". music Tim Simenon, Guy Sigsworth lyrics: Loretta Heywood

Standing before her full-length mirror, she was mesmerized. The dress and shoes fit perfectly. How her secret benefactor knew what size she wore was a mystery she didn't have any answers to. But, she had to admit – he had impeccable taste.

The dress was stunning as were the shoes and scarf. The necklace and earrings glimmered in the lighting of her bedroom. Every time she turned her head, her ears would 'wink' green at her. It made her giggle just a bit.

There was a time when she was used to wearing finer things like this. But through the years she found that it just weighed her down. Keeping only those items that brought pleasant memories to her and discarding the rest had been curative to the kind of life she used to lead.

Looking at the clock she gasped just a little. Her ride would be here any minute.

Once more checking her hair and make-up in her bathroom mirror, she made a face just to remind herself not to take things too seriously. Then she laughed.

Mysteries of this nature were always fun, especially when it was preceded by such generosity. But it had been nearly a lifetime ago since she had experienced such adventures. The memories of those times were not necessarily pleasant ones. But she knew it was only because she had been blind way back then to certain truths that she was now fully aware of.

Carefully so as not to trip in her new heels, she made her way down the stairs. She wrapped the shawl around her bare arms, feeling slightly chilled and just a little bit nervous.

After thinking about this mystery admirer and who he could be, she came to only one conclusion. There were three possible choices. But only of them had the means to bestow upon her these many bouquets of flowers and the wonderful dress and its ensemble.

Yet it didn't make sense. He had been quite direct with her that he would be out of the country for several months. There were new businesses to see to and a few established ones that were having problems. The problems didn't look like they would fix very quickly. So he had allowed enough room on his calendar to do the job properly. He was not one to underestimate the amount of time to do these things, either.

Then, she thought about the other two choices.

One lived locally, but his funds were meager. He was barely able to afford himself, much less gifting someone as abundantly as she had experienced recently. Besides, they had a rather odd history together. She knew in her heart it couldn't be him.

The other one was into doing his own thing. He was worlds apart, anyway, and quite busy with whatever it was he did. Though he seemed interested for a time, duty soon called and he quickly dismissed any notion of developing a friendship with her. If he was her secret admirer and had gone to all this trouble, then she was going to be quite disappointed. He just wasn't her type at all.

That left only the first person she had thought of. Maybe he had finished early and wanted to surprise her? A few months ago he had been quite insistent to taking her out. She had refused, though, since she did not want to get too close with him and his family. She was already involved through certain relationships of hers, but she definitely didn't want to further it. He had been persistent, though, until he was called overseas to assist in his various businesses. However, he had been quite disappointed that he had failed in his quest to take her to dinner. The sound of defeat was easily discernable in his voice when he called to inform her of his leaving.

Now, she waited by the front door, expecting any minute for the limo to pull up.

Drumming her fingers on the top of a display stand, she hummed a little tune that she loved to sing. It was called Winter In July and it was her favorite song. She liked it a lot as it said so much about her own life. Soon, she broke out into singing and found that her nervousness soon gave way. Her voice echoed a little through her store as she sang, making the song sound fuller and more robust as a result. She carried the tune well, despite the lack of instrumental back up, but then she had the training not to need such apparatuses.

However, the shopkeeper stopped singing when she thought she heard a car pull up. But upon looking out her storefront window she saw that it was only the neighboring shop-owner returning from his dinner break. That reminded her that she hadn't had any lunch; she had been so excited about getting ready.

So, to distract herself from that thought, she continued to sing her song. It spoke of dreams that never last, so long as one keeps living in the past. It went on to talk about moving on to better things and finding that which one thought could not be found.

As she came to the part in the song that described how one may never know the reason why things are, or why one was born into the world, she understood that part all too well. How many times had events taken her life her to places she would never even considered?

Too many times, by her recollection.

Just the same, she shrugged and knew and agreed with the song that one must always make the best of what life handed you, trusting that everything would come in it's own time and to take advantage of the good things that came her way, just like winter in July. The song said so much to her about so many things. Making the best of what life handed out was the only way to cope. Like right now.

She soon saw the limo pull up and in that instant she felt her heart nearly leap out of her chest in anticipated excitement.