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 38: For a moment she felt like her grandmother could read her mind.
For a moment she felt like her grandmother could read her mind. “I had a plan, sort of,” Gwen said. “But now…I don’t quite know.”
Margaret nodded. “What were your plans before?” she asked.
“Well, I thought I was going to marry Toby and he is being trained to run his father’s business,” Gwen said. “I was taking accountancy classes. The school allows some high school students to take the preliminaries, so I did and then I was going to go in the fall and finish the degree.”
“How wonderfully industrious,” Margaret said. “Did you want to be an accountant?”
“Well I like math,” Gwen said and I figured it was something that I could do either to help out Toby with the books or maybe continue on and become a CPA later.”
“And now that Toby is out of the picture?”
“Well that’s the thing,” Gwen said. There was a relief in finally being able to say things out loud and she found the words spilling out. “I had a plan, you know. I like plans, I am good with plans. While I like math I never had a burning desire to be an accountant, it just fit with my plans. And I’ve taken the classes, and I like the classes I was good at them so it seems a waste not to use them but, I don’t really want to be an accountant. And part of the reason I took the classes was because the program Lisa was going into was shorter in length than mine so by taking the classes early I would be there the same time she would be so that fit with my plan, but now Lisa is marrying Toby and so there is that.”
Gwen frowned. She took a deep breath.
“I see,” Margaret said. She smiled and nodded. “A lot to take in during a short time. Is there anything you like to do on your own? Completely separate from the others?”
“I like to run,” Gwen said. “I was on the track team but had to give that up because of time. I have been too busy to run lately but I’d like to get back to it.”
“We do have a park near us that I often see people running in and I know there are several people who are training for marathons in groups. If you wanted to join others on a run. It would be an interesting way for you rto meet some people. “
“That would be great,” Gwen said. She was pleased that her grandmother didn’t seem to object to her running. “Admittedly it isn’t exactly a life plan.”
“True but I have often found that life’s plans are often made up of little steps. You fins something you like and you do it, then that leads you to something else that you like,” Margaret smiled. “In all fairness I should point out that your grandfather would heartily disagree. Michael is a planner. I’m fairly certain you got that gene from him. He likes to plan every detail and slot it into place. It’s probably why we are such a good match actually. I often have to make him think about what he likes rather than what seems to fit into his plans. Perhaps I can help with that.”
Margaret looked pleased with herself. “I think that might be fun,” she said. “And a great way to get to know you a little better.”
Gwen nodded but wasn’t entirely certain about having someone to help her with her plans. The find something she liked to do and then do it sounded okay for a day or so, but she didn’t think it was a way to start structuring a plan. Her grandmother seemed so happy with the thought that Gwen didn’t want to argue the point. She was tired and wanted to start out on a pleasant note.
Ten til Midnight 