For those just tuning in, this challenge is about taking a story idea from bare bones idea into a fully fledged story by writing consistently every week day for fifteen minutes. The sentence I end with on one day, is the sentence I start with on the following. Part one was Bob’s story and has nothing whatsoever to do with the story below. Part Two follows a character named Penelope. I have a few basic sentences to act as road marks on her journey. I am loosely calling that an outline. We will see where she ends up by the time the story is done. For now, we start Part two of the 2025 Fifteen Minute Writing Challenge.
Day 49: Penelope sat back down in front of the pasta, but couldn’t resist looking at the missed call.
Penelope sat back down in front of the pasta, but couldn’t resist looking at the missed call. It was from Jeanette. She had been so drawn into Amelia’s story she had forgotten about her step mother. Penelope checked the time and saw it was about dinner time. She set the phone down and turned her attention to her pasta, knowing that the alfredo could easily turn gloopy as it cooled.
As she ate, she thought about it. She would be expected at dinner time. If she wasn’t there then someone would notice. Breakfast was hit or miss as to whether they were all at the table at the same time but dinner was mandatory. Only her father got an exemption and Penelope had the feeling that if Jeanette could revoke that exemption then she would.
She was halfway through the bowl of pasta when the phone rang again. Knowing putting it off wouldn’t help. Penelope put her fork down and swallowed the bite she was chewing. She pressed the button to answer the call.
“Finally,” Jeanette said as Penelope answered. “How long do you expect us to keep dinner waiting for you?” she demanded. “And really on a night where your father didn’t have to work late, you chose this night to be late.”
“I don’t expect you to hold dinner for me at all,” Penelope said. She tried to keep her tone even. Often when she spoke with Jeanette she was accused of sounding sullen and she didn’t want to come off that way.
“What do you mean you don’t expect us to wait?” Jeanette demanded. “You know dinner is mandatory.”
“I didn’t realize you still expected me to come home for dinner after I moved out,” Penelope said. There was silence on the other end of the line. Penelope waited, knowing Jeanette wanted her to break it with more explanations. She didn’t.
“What do you mean you moved out?” Jeanette said finally. The sound in the room was different. Before she could hear other people moving around. Now it sounded quieter.
“I mean you told me I had to move out so I did,” Penelope said.
Again there was quiet. “You…left without telling anyone? That is unacceptable.”
“I told Mrs. Lucas,” Penelope replied. “Since you told me to go as soon a possible I did and then I notified Mrs. Lucas. Then I loaded the car and left.” She thought about adding the question, isn’t that what you wanted, but resisted. There was no point in antagonizing Jeanette.
‘And with luck I won’t have to speak to her after this.’
Jeanette seemed at a loss for words. In the background Penelope hear the rumble of a voice.
“Penelope I do not like waiting for my dinner,” her father’s voice issued forth. He sounded annoyed. Penelope guessed he took the phone from her step mother.
“I don’t know why you would hold dinner for me when I have moved out,” Penelope said. “I am no longer eating or living there.”
“I see,” he said. “Why did you move out?”
“Jeanette told me I needed to now that I have graduated,” Penelope said. She didn’t feel the need to add anything else.
“I see.” He said. “So, we need not wait.” From the sounds, Penelope thought that he passed the phone back to Jeanette.
Ten til Midnight 