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 141: “Annoyed and relieved?” Gwen asked.
“Annoyed and relieved?” Gwen asked.
Margaret nodded. “Yes, there was relief that Michael was well accepted and annoyance that others were relieved it was Michael and not one of the other children they brought.”
“Are the other kids that bad?” Michael doesn’t really talk about them. I don’t think he actually sees much of them,” Gwen said.
“Aren’t they all living in the same apartment?” George asked. “I wouldn’t think they would put Michael elsewhere on his own.”
“Oh no he stays in the same place, however shortly after he arrives, they go off to summer camp and then when they come back he heads back to Westport. Although I suppose he won’t do that this year.”
“I suppose not. I think he is staying at home, in the apartment as he starts his first semester in the fall. He is attending the university and given the distance it is just as easy to attend from here,” Margaret said.
“So it is decided that he will be going,” Gwen asked. “I knew he was accepted but I wasn’t sure he actually would or if he was taking the year off.”
“He didn’t mention it?” George asked.
“I think he was waiting until I decided how long I was going to stay to tell me,” Gwen said.
“Ah, as to whether or not you plan to head off to Westport when summer is over or if you wanted to stay with us longer,” George said.
“You know you are more than welcome to stay with us as long as you wanted,” Margaret said. “I know we initially offered the summer or a year while you sorted yourself out but we are more than willing to extend the stay as long as you want. It’s been nice having you and I think it seems to be working out well.”
“I like it here with you guys actually,” Gwen said. “I was waiting to make a decision until I saw how things worked out with the social things you wanted me to go to though.”
“Because after too many small talk sessions you run away?” George asked.
“No,” Gwen said. She smiled. “I just know they are important to you and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to be a problem for you with the business stuff and all. Since I don’t know a lot of the others. I didn’t want to embarrass you.”
Gwen remembered when she ended up throwing up at a corporate picnic Sharron and her father took her too when she was younger. Sharron was mortified and Gwen was never taken to events after that. She didn’t think she was likely to throw up at a party like this now, but she knew there were other ways to embarrass her grandparents.
“You will never be an embarrassment,” Margaret assured her.
“Unless you start pulling the fire alarms to get out of discussing the weather,” George said.
“I promise to restrain myself.”
Ten til Midnight 