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 143: The car came to a stop outside the building.
The car came to a stop outside the building. “Good night,” Gwen said to Sebastian.
“Night and I for one am glad you are staying longer,” he told her.
“Thanks,” Gwen replied.
“See you in the morning,” George told him.
“On time as always,” Sebastian replied. They got out of the car and Sebastian pulled away and disappeared back into traffic.
“And exactly how many yeti’s to you have an association with,” Margaret asked George as they went inside.
“None yet,” he told her. “But I like to keep my options open.”
Margaret shook her head. She looked at Gwen. “Impossible,” she said. “But we will make sure you have your things for winter. Yeti or not,” she slid her gaze to her husband who calmly pressed the button to call the elevator.
“I do have some information from class,” Gwen said. “I asked in culinary class what further steps I might want to take and they gave me a packet of information. I was going to ask at the bakery too.”
“Excellent,” Margaret said. “We have a starting point. You have baking tomorrow and then art in the afternoon correct?” she asked.
“Yes,” Gwen replied.
“Good,” Margaret said. She nodded and her look turned thoughtful as she ran things through her mind. The elevator dinged and let them out on their floor. “I have a meeting across town tomorrow morning. Library board. Elinor’s son is a chef I can ask her for more details about starting off, training and all that sort of thing. She might know or she might have to ask David for details. Either way I might be able to get some information and bring it back and then we can sit down and look over what we have and search for gaps.”
George laughed and unlocked the apartment door. He looked to Gwen. “And you thought you were the only one who liked planning.”
“We’ll have to at least get a time line together,” Margaret said. “There should be a gap between classes ending and whatever she plans starting and that is the window we will have to get everything done.”
“So you really don’t mind me staying longer?” Gwen asked.
“Of course not,” Margaret said. “We’ve loved having you and we will be thrilled to keep you here as long as you want to stay.”
Gwen smiled and she felt warm inside as she bid them both goodnight and went to change out of her evening finery. In her room, she slipped out of her dress, heels and into a loose pair of cotton pants and a t-shirt. She then started taking her hair down from where she pinned it up. As she did so, Gwen thought over the things she left behind in her room. She started seeing some of her small things placed around the space.
The furniture wouldn’t be coming of course, but the little things like the bowl she used to hold hair pins would be nice to have. She piled these hair pins on the corner of the bathroom counter. They made a small heap.
Ten til Midnight 