Welcome to the Fifteen Minute Novel. Each morning I spend fifteen minutes writing on a singular story line. Each morning starts with the last line of the previous day. The goal is to get a (very) rough draft out of the simple story idea and to avoid letting the story idea languish in limbo forever, actually writing it out. This is the third year I have done this writing experiment and each year I learn just a little bit about myself and the way I write as well as creating a framework for the story. But without further ado…
Day 26: “I can be ready,” Gwen said.
“I can be ready,” Gwen said. Her father nodded and took the phone off of mute.
“That will work well,” he said into the phone. “All right, I will tell her. Yes, best to you as well.” The call ended and Henry ran a hand through his hair. “Some things don’t change.”
“So he likes to get his way?” Gwen asked.
“He does,” Henry said. “He has been running the world for a long time and forgets occasionally that he doesn’t run everyone.” Henry tilted his head. “Except your grandmother. I’m fairly certain she runs him and then he runs the world. More than likely she instigated the extended visit. So if you run into trouble with him, go to her. Is there anything you will need to get ready?”
“Luggage?” Gwen suggested. She had an overnight bag and a small suitcase that was used for the occasional family vacation. She doubted either would be big enough for a summer’s worth of belongings.
“Right,” her father said. “We have some in the attic. I’ll get those so you can pack. If you stay longer than the summer you can either come back for a visit to collect what you need for the rest of the year or we can ship it,” he said.
He shoved his phone in his back pocket and strode off to retrieve the luggage while Gwen made her way to her room. Once there she kicked off the heels she wore for graduation and scrunched her toes in the fuzzy throw rug covering the wooden floor boards. When she left, her only plan was to look good, calm and composed for graduation. Her dressing table was a mess from her efforts and a good chunk of her clothing was in the laundry hamper.
Deciding that even if she didn’t pack all of the clothes then she should wash them before leaving, Gwen gathered the few scattered clothing items, most of which she tried on and discarded before selecting the outfit she was currently wearing and added them to the hamper. She slipped off the clothes she was wearing and pulled on a t-shirt and shorts too ratty to be packed to go with her. They had holes and paint stains from when she repainted her room. She had been meaning to throw them out, but hadn’t gotten around to it. Now she could wear them to pack and sleep in and then throw them out so there were no dirty clothes left behind.
Now changed, Gwen hauled her things down to the laundry and put them in the machine. The short time span for her departing flight knocked all but practical considerations out of her mind and for the first time in a week, Toby, Lisa and worry over what the rest of her life would hold took a back seat as she tried to remember if there was an extra tube of toothpaste in the bathroom or if she would need to run to the drugstore before she left. For the moment practical considerations alone ran through her mind as Gwen mentally started listing all of the things she would need for day to day life in a three month time span.
When she returned to her room, most of her clothes chugging away in the washer downstairs, the luggage her father promised was waiting for her. There was one suitcase large enough that she could fit inside of it with room to spare. There was a second slightly smaller suitcase and a matching carry-on bag to go with it.
Ten til Midnight 