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 111: “No I usually don’t go to things with them,” Michael said.
“No I usually don’t go to things with them,” Michael said. “It seems strange for them to bring me now.”
“I think your step-mother wants to become better friends with my grandmother,” Gwen said.
“Oh,” Michael said. “And does your grandmother want that?”
“I don’t think she minds seeing your step-mother but I don’t think she is looking for a new best friend,” Gwen said. “And she told me that as we are no longer toddlers she doubted she would need to arrange play dates.”
Michael snorted with amusement. “That’s good to know.”
“So what do you do for amusement here, besides play video games with friends back in Westport?” Gwen asked.
As she and Michael continued around the park talk shifted off of family and future and into day to day things. They picked up hotdogs from a vendor and at them as their lunch. They followed lunch with ice cream. By the time that was done, Michael had to head back and they made plans to check what was playing at the local movie theater and try to meet up to go.
Feeling much better about living here, at least for a while, now that she had a friend nearby to spend time with, Gwen headed back to the apartment. As she walked, she thought about what Michael said about calling Mrs. Lewis to make sure Lisa wasn’t still counting on her.
‘She can’t keep her mother’s cell phone forever,’ Gwen thought. Surely Lisa would have given it back by now.’ Gwen reached the building and the front door was opened for her. She thanked him and waved a greeting to the person at the front desk. She then went to the elevator and up to the apartment above.
The apartment was hushed and empty when she arrived. Her grandfather was still at work and her grandmother was still at her meeting. Figuring she might as well get it over with before it started to worry her, Gwen pulled out her cell phone and called Mrs. Lewis.
Even though Gwen used the phone’s memory to dial the number, she knew it by heart as it was one of her emergency contact numbers and she learned it by heart when she was still quite small. The phone rang.
“Hello?” The voice was Mrs. Lewis instead of Lisa and Gwen sighed with relief.
“Hi Mrs. Lewis,” Gwen said.
“Gwen,” she said. “How lovely to hear from you. Your father said you were visiting your grandparents. I hope you are having a good time.”
“I am,” Gwen said. The conversation felt normal, like a regular part of her old life. Like nothing changed. She took a deep breath. “I am calling about Lisa actually. She called and thought that I was going to help plan her wedding. I told her I wasn’t but I’m not sure she was listening or if she didn’t believe me and I just wanted to make sure someone else knew that I wasn’t going to be planning the wedding. You know, in case she kept thinking I was.”
“And then went on making no other plans because she thought you had it handled,” Mrs. Lewis said. She sighed. “Yes I can see how that might happen.”
“Good,” Gwen said. “I didn’t want it to be a surprise.”
Mrs. Lewis laughed.
Ten til Midnight 