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 72: She knocked and waited for someone to answer.
She knocked and waited for someone to answer. To her relief, the wait was not long. The door opened and her grandfather blinked at her for a second. “Ah we forgot to give you the keys,” he said. “Sorry about that. I’ll get them now,” He stepped aside and she followed him in, closing and locking the door behind her. He went to the side table and opened the small drawer.
“Had them made, put them in a safe place and then forgot all about them,” he told her.
George pulled out a set of keys and handed them to her. “So you don’t have to knock.”
“Thanks,” Gwen said taking the keys. “Did I wake you?” she asked, taking in his pajamas and robe.
“No,” he said. “In fact if I was in the bedroom I probably wouldn’t have heard you. I was just getting up and putting on the coffee. I was going to scramble some eggs if you are interested.”
“Sure,” Gwen said. “I need to take a shower first.”
“Oh sure, go ahead. I’m not moving too fast this morning. “Oh if you don’t have any other plans, you could come with me into the office today and we can do the grand tour and see if anything appeals.”
“Sure,” Gwen said. “We picked up some suitable office clothes yesterday. Unless grandmother has any other plans.”
“She didn’t seem to,” George said. “You go get your shower and we’ll double check with her over breakfast.”
Gwen nodded and headed off to the shower. She peeled off her sweaty running clothes and realized she didn’t have any sort of clothes hamper. The clothing she wore the day before she folded in the bottom of the closet to stay until she found the laundry.
‘But if I put the sweaty cloths in the closet everything will smell like sweaty clothes.’ She folded the sweaty clothes and placed them on the edge of the bathroom counter. It was plenty long enough so there was space. She didn’t want to look like a slob by just piling them in a corner.
“I’ll have to ask about picking up a laundry hamper later,’ Gwen decided.
She stepped into the shower to wash away the sweat from her run and luxuriated in the scents of the high end products. She knew that if she continued to use them they would, in time become familiar. But for now as she associated them with big events then they felt a little extra special.
‘Which isn’t a bad way to visit the office,’ I suppose she thought as she washed her hair.
After her shower she pulled on a simple t-shirt and shorts while she dried her hair. ‘After breakfast I’ll put on the office clothes and the makeup,’ she decided. She didn’t want to dribble either scrambled egg or toothpaste on the clothes before wearing them out of the apartment for the first time.
With her hair dry, Gwen decided it was time to see what her day held. Her stomach rumbled. ‘And get back on a regular meal schedule,’ she decided. While she ate plenty the day before, it all felt like it was off balance. She felt like that after any travel, large or small. The first day back nothing ever seemed to be timed exactly right.
‘Hopefully today will resume its timing.’
Before going out to the kitchen and dining area, Gwen checked her cell phone. There were no missed calls. ‘Not sure what it says about me blocking the only people wanting to talk to me,’ she thought. Feeling oddly unsettled by it, Gwen put the phone down and went to the kitchen.
Ten til Midnight 