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 63: As she pressed the button, Gwen felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
As she pressed the button, Gwen felt an overwhelming sense of relief. ‘I should have done that right after Toby told me.’ She realized. She shook her head. She wasn’t thinking clearly. ‘Obviously.’
She looked to Margaret who was ending her call as well. “How do you feel about early mornings?” she asked,
“Fine I guess,” Gwen answered hesitantly. “I suppose it would depend what they brought.”
Margaret laughed. “A fair assessment I suppose. George spoke to Alan, he is gathering up those who are training for the marathon. They are all meeting up tomorrow morning in the park. From there they will divide up based on speed of running and previous …whatever they divide for. I know they will make smaller training groups. If you are interested, Alan can stop by the apartment and walk over with you so you can arrive with someone and don’t have to find the group on your own. Or the park for that matter I suppose. I really need to point that out on the map.”
“I don’t want to b too much trouble,” Gwen said. “If he’d rather meet me there instead.” Gwen’s insides quivered at the thought of finding a strange group of people in a strange place. ‘Be brave,’ She told herself. ‘You can do things on your own.’
“Actually it does help him out a bit. He can use our parking lot when he comes to get you so he doesn’t have to find one around the park. And I think something was said about the walk to the park being a warm up. So it is no extra bother.”
“Oh,” Gwen said. “Well that’s nice then.” She felt her insides settle. She could be brave later.
Sebastian whisked them back to the apartment and Gwen was surprised by how many bags came out of the trunk. ‘I suppose we both went shopping,’ Gwen thought. But then upstairs almost all of the bags ended up in her room. Margaret left to confirm things with George and get the time table for the morning while Gwen unpacked the shopping bags and put things away.
Gwen couldn’t remember the last time she went on a shopping spree like this. When she shopped it was planned and since there was limited retail in Westport it either involved a planned drive to the city or on-line shopping. Her shopping excursions usually netted her a bag or two while Lisa was the multiple bags sort of shopper.
Gwen frowned. ‘No more comparing things to Lisa,’ she told herself. ‘There is no more Lisa. There is just Gwen.’ She tried to put Lisa completely out of her mind, blocking her with her in her thoughts as she did on the phone.
Ten til Midnight 