The Porch Swing

photo: theclassycottage.com

Another month is about to close. This means it is time for me to try my brain at a short story.  This is  month five of the Write and Link challenge sponsored by Natalia at In the Writers Closet.  Natalia provides a phrase, and the challenge is to work it into a short story.  This months phrase is "as leaves turned yellow."  I hope you like this.

The Porch Swing

Alice closed her eyes for a few moments, letting the early fall cool breeze wisp past her face and kiss her cheeks.  She opened her eyes slowly, taking in the surrounding hues as leaves turned yellow, leaving the remnants of summer behind. She thought about the news report, and wondered again why if she read headlines back in May saying "The War Has Ended in Europe", why Charlie was still not home on October 10? Still his last letter said any day now, so each afternoon, after all her chores were done, all her errands complete, and before she had to get ready to take her shift milking the cows, she sat on her parents porch swing, waiting and listening for the familiar tune, "I'll Be Seeing You " that Charlie used to hum when he would wander over from his parents farm to spend an afternoon with her.

 Charlie knew he was going to enlist as soon as he turned eighteen.  He turned 18 in  July, 1943, Alice having reached the milestone eight months earlier. When they were kids, she always tried to boss him around because she was older and knew more than he did.  As they grew out of childhood, she started to feel a little awkward being older than him most of the school year, particularly when they became a real couple.They were to be married when Charlie got home. Their engagement was going on two years now; still before he left, and in their letters, they planned.They were going to have four or five children and continue to work on one of the family farms, either Alice's parents or his own. At 18, Alice could already see her children, and even her children's children. She pictured a fair headed grandson being named after Charlie.

Charlie's older brother by two years Vince, drove him to the recruiters office the afternoon of his birthday. Vince was left home from the war because of a bad hip, broken when they were kids and the tire swing over the swimming spot gave way and he crashed down over a log. That evening, Charlie proposed on the same swing Alice sat upon now. He was soon off to basic training, and within six months, he was sent to England, and then to where, Alice never really knew. Letters were spotty and then they would come in batches. Charlie, while not formerly trained, was an excellent marksman, skills learned hunting with his grandfather, father, and brother. This meant he was moved more frequently, and was not always in the same unit. When the letters did come, Charlie wrote about his fellow soldiers. He wrote about unfamiliar countryside, and unfamiliar languages. He told Alice that he would like to visit these places again someday, when the world was at peace again. Some of his letters were melancholy, almost asking the question, would there ever be peace again.

Alice hadn't realized she had fallen asleep during this latest think. A lifetime of dreams and a future with Charlie was in her head. She saw them saying their vows at the little white Lutheran church in town. She saw herself bringing a lunch box out to the field as Charlie took a break from plowing the fields, getting the land ready for planting. She saw her own children playing, and swinging on the same tire as their uncle, but with a new stronger rope, and landing in the cool water. She could see her life behind her closed lids, and smiled a dreamers smile.

When she heard the familiar tune, she was still in the wonderful dream.  "Charlie," she thought, "you're home."  Then she felt the rugged hand on her own delicate one, and slowly awoke, knowing it was not a dream. She looked up at the strapping young man, taller and darker than she remembered. She looked down at her own hand, looking frail and pale instead of strong and young. Yes, now she remembered. Charlie," she said out loud, "you've come home!" And with a laugh, the young man, said, "Yes grandma.  I'm home!"

Everyone Knows

I am still participating in the monthly short story challenge.  This months phrase to uses is "because everyone knows".  I will apologize in advance.  This reads a bit like a Saturday afternoon Lifetime network movie, a bit camp and predictable. Well, nothing lost in giving it a whirl.  To read more visit In the Writers Closet Write and Link.

She should have learned her lesson, because everyone knows once a cheater, always a cheater. That phrase was going to be thrown at her repeatedly at drinks and dinner with her friends. Her friends back then didn't like Rob sixteen years ago when he swept her off her feet, literally, as the head stock boy while she tended the cash registers at the small grocery store they both worked at in high school. "He's a player," Joanie said, "had like 10 girlfriends last year alone."  She knew that, but he was gorgeous, and funny, and smiled at her in ways boys never smiled at Gina. They dated  for a month, each week more wonderful than the week before, until suddenly, he just stopped inviting her out. He still smiled, still flirted, but was conveniently busy with each suggestion she made to spend time together. She learned a couple weeks later, he had moved on, spending his November with the new girl hired in the deli. Gina put a brave face on at work, and cried at night after the shifts they had to work together, until she too, had  moved on. 

 She met him again six years later. He had been in the navy after high school, and now just completed an 18 month course from the local technical college in some telecommunications, a trade he developed an interest in in his navy years. He was as handsome as ever, more so as he had filled out, leaving the boyish looks behind in favor of the perpetual day old beard that Gina found so attractive in men. She was working in her first post college job as a receptionist in a law firm, planning to work a few years and saving before either going to grad or law school herself. They reconnected when he was in working on their phones.Two days later, they began a whirlwind 12 weeks of dating, and enjoying life on the town as young  twenty somethings. He was a man now, not a boy, and she laughed at how silly she was as a child. The friends she still stayed in touch with from high school were not impressed.  "Give it a rest," Gina had said, "Are you the same person you were at 17?" She didn't know yet her heart was about to be broken again. Apparently he was still in, or getting out, whatever version it was, of a lousy relationship,with a girl barely out of high school, when he couldn't believe his luck in meeting her again.  She was his one regret from his high school girlfriends he insisted. He broke the news to her at week twelve that he really hadn't fully called it quits with his former girlfriend, and on top of that, she was pregnant. As simple as that, he was out of her life again. 

Now, a lawyer, working for the city as a their data practices official, her life was comfortable, if not exciting.  She had been married, briefly, to her law school boyfriend, going their separate ways when he was drawn to the even bigger city and moved to New York. Still, she had her friends, and family, and great relationships with nieces and nephews that filled the hole of not being a mom herself. She met Rob again by literally running into him coming out of a computer store, sheets of rain pouring down. She nearly dropped the empty laptop case, and he did a valiant rescue before it hit the ground, not knowing it was empty. Pushing the voices of her friends out of her head, she was happy to accept his offer to grab some coffee. A quick catch-up and they learned both were single now; his young marriage crumbling shortly after his daughter, now 13 was born. 

"Honestly," Rob began, " my child has been the only girl in my life for the most part for some time." He reached in and pulled out a picture of a beautiful, smiling young girl, with almond shaped eyes. It was evident the child had down syndrome. Rachel, the girlfriend from fourteen years ago, walked out on Rob and Lilly, when at age four, she had barely developed beyond an infant.The hour they talked went by too quickly. He needed to pick his daughter up from school and get her to swimming lesson.  She was a fish he told her, and would be pacing by the door if she thought he might be late. They exchanged phone numbers and promises to get together again. 

Later with her friends, friends that had never met Rob, but knew the story of her last break up with him, she shared her afternoon meeting. "You aren't seriously even considering getting involved with an ex boyfriend  two times over!" exclaimed Susan. "I thought you were the smart one. Because, everyone knows, once a cheater..." Gina wasn't listening. She heard the beep of her phone indicating a text and looked down. It was from the newly entered number Rob had given her three hours before. It said, "Dinner tomorrow?"  Her mind ignored her 16 and 22 year old self and the heart break each had.  One was a child, and one was afraid of starting life on her own. At 36, she knew she didn't need a man in her life, didn't need this one, but wouldn't close the door on possibilities. She texted back, "Why not," putting the phone away after hitting send. 

Calm in the Storm

It is the time of the month when I join Natalia from In the Writer's Closet  for Write and Link #3. If you've been reading, Natalia gives us a phrase to incorporate into a short story.  We post on our blog, and link to her Write and Link portal. I hope you enjoy.  I'm loving exercising the creative side of my brain, and hope you find this worthy of a short amount of your reading time.  The phrase for July is...It was one of those endless summer days...

Calm in the Storm

It was one of those endless summer days that you thought would last forever when you were a child. For Kara, watching her nearly grown kids, Kyle and Courtney play like children in the water at her parents lake home, she thought wistfully of her own childhood and teen years. Mom would keep the Koolaid pitcher full, but with the decades gone by, and the fear of adding to a generation of childhood obesity, she convinced her mom that plain water would be just as appreciated. Brent, the college boy, was bound to have a beer or two tucked somewhere to access later,  didn't go for the sugary drinks and soda either. It was one of many debates Kara had with her mother that summer. Not really debates, but Kara doing something or saying something, and getting a contrary response or reaction from her mother. Funny how you can be a wife and mother for more than 25 years, and still be talked to with the same words and tone as when you were 16.

Still, she loved the time at this retreat. Even though now it was maybe one or two weeks a summer, she made the most of it.  This year was much like many others, but of course, with the passing of her dad, could never be the same. Suddenly a loud boisterous voice broke up the reverence. Her brother Jim had arrived with all his thunder. Following him was Allison, his quiet as a mouse wife, his teenage daughter, Jenny, and twelve year old son Jack, bringing up the rear with  backpacks and coolers. The calm Kara was feeling was coming to an end. Jim made the rounds, hugs to his mother, sister, and niece, and handshakes with as much vigor as a campaigning politician to the guys. He slapped Kara's husband on the back, did the same to Brent and shouted to his wife, "Hon, break out a few cold ones." 

Jim came into the world 6 years after Kara, like a hurricane, storming day and night.  Kara, being a quiet child, never grew accustomed to the bigger than life  younger brother that had invaded her calm world. Suddenly the mom who used to adore her, had to pay double duty attention to a colicky baby, then overactive toddler,  moving on to dote on the captain of all he was involved in school kid. His proficiency for commanding  a group meant mom was the main worker bee, organizing all the other parents. Over time, it was as if Kara had disappeared, so when she graduated high school, and selected a college, she went as far away as she could and came home only as necessary.

Summers though, she was happy to hole up at the cabin.  She had a job at the local ice cream place and earned enough for her spending money, along with the campus work study job, so she never was asking for money outside of help with tuition and room and board. If it was too rainy to be outside, she found nooks and crannies with books.  When she met Paul, studying for his PhD in anthropology, even the summer visits became fewer, and shorter. They lived as nomads for a few years, moving wherever Paul's research took him.  Eventually they settled out east near where he grew up. After they got married, she got a tidy little job for a nonprofit academic publisher; Paul was on the tenure track at the University. Five years later, Brent was born, followed by Kyle and Courtney after another 5 years. At 48, Kara still lived her calm life. With the kids older, she and the kids often travelled with Paul on research trips, or when Paul's parents could stay, she'd go alone with him. She never asked her parents to stay with the kids. In fact, they only visited three times, when Brent, and then the twins were born, and Brent's graduation.

Jim still was the center of his world, with Allison keeping an immaculate home, tending to their immaculate children, and hostessing for his weekly poker and pool parties. Jenny and Jack excelled at everything, at least according to Kara's mom who gave thoroughly detailed accounts of her grandchildren on every phone call. Even if she asked about her kids, undoubtedly something she shared would remind her of a precious story about Jim's kids when they were young, and tales of academic and athletic prowess as they got older. "The family prodigies, just like their dad," her mom would say. The God forsaken Christmas letters made her cringe each year.  Kara was asked to write up her own family's paragraph, and would keep it short and sweet. When her copy would come, Jim's section read like the Who's who of society.

It may have been the age difference, though Kara always knew it was more than that. It wasn't quite jealousy, because overall, she just didn't care enough about the things that Jim was always excelling in, and was content with her life. She just was tired of the indifference, her parents, particularly  her mother, seemed to show. It came as a surprise when a few hours after lunch, Jim grabbed a canoe and asked Kara to paddle out onto the lake with him.

They made small talk while paddling until they reached a little island sand bar towards one end of the lake.  "Let's pull in here for a bit," Jim said.  They wandered around and then sat on a rock.  Jim had  put a couple beers in his cargo pants pocket and handed her one, and popped his. After a big gulp, he looked at her and broke down in tears. Not knowing what to do or say, and assuming it was vented up grief from the loss of their dad nearly a year earlier, she tried to console him. "I know, Jim. This will be a hard first summer without dad.  We all miss him."

He looked at her with a bit of surprise, and then nodded.  "Yes, yes, of course. It doesn't feel the same. "  He grabbed a corner of his shirt and wiped his eyes. "It's all gone, Kara.  All of it." Kara remembered her mother telling her about a big deal Jim was involved in, that was going to make him the first family millionaire. "The house is in foreclosure-we couldn't get a bite on it this last year. We've tapped into all our savings, our retirement, the kids college accounts, just to keep food in our mouths." The words just spilled out. "When we have to be out, we'll be moving here until we can figure out what's next. I'm so ashamed. What would dad think of me? What do you think of me?" She knew her dad had given a substantial stake in the business venture before he died. Jim's words continued to spill until he was spent.

Kara's heart sank for her brother. Despite the emotional and relational gap, he was still her brother, and these were her niece and nephew being impacted. They would have to leave their affluent suburban school and attend the local small town, grade 7-12 secondary school in the nearby town. Gone would be life as they have always known it.  Allison had already found a job in a bank in town, and was already commuting for her training.  Until Jim could get some employment, any employment,  she would be the bread winner. Jim  said she was tougher than he ever gave her credit for.

Kara gave him a hug. "This is just a temporary set back. You can regroup-start again. Don't you know you're the family prodigy." Jim took a deep breath, and she could see a weight being released from his chest. They got back to the cabin in time for afternoon snacks and cocktails.  Paul and Allison were laughing together in the kitchen, mixing up a big pitcher of Margarita's. Their mom gave them a look, and a faint smile. She must have known what the canoe ride was for.  She came over and whispered in Kara's ear, "He is so lucky to have a sister like you. The calm in the storm."

Deer

I'm giving Write and Link another go for June.  I enjoyed the other stories posted, and had enough positive feedback, to "go public" once more. The theme line is "When suddenly I saw..."  This is not in first person; I used the allowed flexibility, but stayed true to the theme. Wish me luck. I'm about to hit publish.

A few more steps; Angela knew she could make them. This is by far the longest she had walked in five months, and despite the pain in the knee that was getting more pronounced, her body felt strong. She took those last steps, and was about to turn around, when suddenly she saw a  beautiful doe, and two fawns. She couldn't recall having been this close to a deer before, except perhaps at the zoo. Angela looked eye to eye with her.The deer moved a bit, putting herself between her offspring and the woman, but she did not run off. It was almost like she sensed Angela was of no threat, and even more, needed a connection. How ironic Angela thought as her mind wandered back to that snowy November night.

Wednesday night was her night out.  Her night that she could be just herself-not some one's wife or mother, and hang with her girlfriends following an hour of volleyball. The game was fun, but her team was not even mildly competitive anymore, but it didn't matter.The girls night at a local pub was the real night out. Strictly a social drinker, she always made sure to never exceed her personal two glass limit, whether it be wine or beer, and usually nibbled on something along with the beverage. They were a smaller group as two of the team left right after playing so they could help get their husbands packed for a long weekend deer hunting trip. The other women were mildly catty at the thought of cutting girls night short to take care of the mighty hunters.Tonight though, they all called it quits earlier as the snow that had been light when they left the school gym was now starting to accumulate.  A quick hug and a wave good by and the 5 ladies each went their separate way. On the road, Angela got stuck behind a sand truck, sent out early because those early  winter fall snows tend to make the roads greasy before the snow really starts to stick.  Not wanting to be limping along behind the truck, she veered off the main road, and took a  side route that while still part of the town, was lined by a wooded area, and had a couple parks  with crops of trees; a cute mini forest. Opposite the park was a little ravine. 

She saw him, it was too late to react and avoid a collision. A big stag, complete with a set of antlers, was there in the road and then suddenly on her windshield.  Instinct took hold and she turned the wheel hard, not realizing she was sending her car down the hill, where it then slammed, drivers side into  a concrete drainage pipe.  Her little Toyota folded like an accordion and she could feel twisted and ripped metal pierce her leg, her side, her arm, and her middle.  It felt like hours before anyone found her, though when she later was conscious enough to tell the Sheriff's deputy what happened, learned it must have been less than 30 minutes. 

"You were very lucky," the doctors told her. They had saved her leg, but  months of healing and therapy would be in order. Her family visited her in the hospital over Thanksgiving, and  made proclamations that she would be home for Christmas. When Christmas came and went, but this time, in a recovery center, she started doubting she would ever walk again with two legs. She repeatedly asked people if there was any news about the deer.  Did they find him?  Did he live?  No one knew, or at least wouldn't say. She convinced herself she had killed him, and felt genuine sorrow. One day leaving the physical therapy room, she passed a visitor wearing a camouflage hunting sweatshirt, and thought again about that deer. This time though, instead of sorrow, she felt strength. It was then she decided she would not let it end her and worked harder on her physical therapy, for both her and the deer. She was home by Valentines Day. Each day she got stronger, until the day in April she proclaimed she was going to go for a walk and wanted it to be on the stretch of road where the accident occurred. Her husband drove her there, and parked at one end of the park.  

For a few more seconds, she locked eyes with the Doe. Was this the deer's partner, she couldn't help wondering? There was a rustling sound in the grass behind a group of trees. The doe and her children moved off towards the sound.  Angela was about to keep walking, but hesitated a bit longer as she wanted to see the animals move out of site. Then she saw him. A large deer, with antlers a touch larger than she recalled, peering out behind the trees. Could it be? What would be the odds? In her mind, she knew it was the same deer. She got back to the car where her husband was waiting. "How did that go?" he asked.  She smiled and said, "It felt great." 

Laugh Until We Cry-A Short Story

For a change of pace, I decided to participate in the Write and Link party hosted by Natalia at In the Writers Closet. I bet I haven't written a short story in 29 years since my last college writing course, but her idea to post  a line to include, and then build a story, once a month for 8 months, post and then link to her site seemed like a good outlet for any creative blood I might have left running through my veins.  Here goes...
________________________________________________________________________

I knew things were going to be tough. It would be three weeks until I would see my first paycheck, but I knew even stronger that Katie and I needed this day. Katie needed to be able to see that her mom could have fun, enjoy life, and not be mired in the worry and fear the last 12 months had been in Minneapolis. I took the job, managing a gated apartment community in Orlando, hoping the perpetual sunshine would brighten the darkness that had been in my heart. I had $500 in cash left after paying off bills, then I cancelled all the credit cards except the one in my name only. A few friends called me foolish moving across the country with a 12 year old, to take a minimal paying job, even if it came with a two bedroom, two bath apartment. It wasn't as if John beat us they said. He just has a loose temper, and his mouth and fists get the better of him. But how long I wondered before the verbally abusive outbursts when he was angry would turn to violence. They did before with three different neighbors, college pool players in a bar, and the last incident with the off duty police officer who tried to calm things down when John went off at a man at the beach for backing into our cooler, knocking over both beers John had opened. When John and I met in high school, he made me laugh so hard I would cry. Now, the crying part remains, but the laughter hasn't been heard in a long time. I took the opportunity while John would be serving three months for assault, to make my change.

This was a fresh start, in a new place. A place I loved going on vacation when I was a child, and then again later, as a teen. They were just building the Universal Studios Islands of Adventure theme park the last time I was there, over 17 years earlier and always wanted to go back once it was open. A dinosaur fan since my preschool years, the Jurassic Park Island was what I looked forward to the most. I loved that movie, seeing it no less than a dozen times as a kid and teen. Later, I would lie with Katie and tell her names and facts about all the dinosaurs. Katie wanted to know each time why I didn't become a paleontologist since I knew more than anyone about dinosaurs. How do you tell a child that 17 year old teen mom's rarely get to go to college, let alone become paleontologists? Instead I would say, easy-I became a mom instead. I carefully hid $200 of my stash away in the new apartment that we were allowed to move in a few days before starting the job, and took the rest to purchase two amusement park passes. The rest went to pay for parking and one meal, with just enough left to stop at a gas station to top of the tank and buy some cheaper snacks to make it through the day.

Katie and I poured over the map of the park planning out our route. We wanted to do the wetter rides late morning so we would have time to dry while having a mid-day meal, but that would mean a lot of back and forth over the park. Instead, we opted to start with the Jurassic Park area to make sure we got through everything we most wanted to do. There was a river ride that looked like it was going to be sort of a reenactment of the tour in the Jurassic Park movie. We waited for our turn to board the boats, and once we did, I felt younger than Katie sitting there. It was beautiful, calming, and fantastic all at once. I knew it was just an amusement park ride, but I let myself fall into the spell of pretend, and was completely transported to Isla Sorna. I felt delight inside with each animal we saw, including my favorite parasaurolophus. His lovely duckbill and calling to his friends was right out of my childhood daydreams. . I saw danger was soon to come, with the "wreck" of a boat ahead of us. Little compy dinosaurs, tiny but vicious, were fighting over gear. The boat was taking a wrong turn, and heading up a long conveyor belt. I wanted to look but I also had some real fear. I grabbed Katie's hand, and shut my eyes for a moment. I opened my eyes. It was pitch dark around me. It was only totally dark for a split second, and then we were surrounded by velociraptors. I instinctively put my arms around Katie and held her tight. I was shaking and laughing at the same time with a mix of real fear, and totally abandonment of real life. The boat went around a corner, and there he was. The T-Rex's head was larger than the whole boat. We moved closer and closer until his giant mouth open in a huge roar, and we plunged forward, down, down, down, until the boat splashed in the water below. The adrenaline rush was magnificent. Katie held my hand saying oh my god, oh my god over and over again, laughing and in tears.

We did that ride twice more, and also managed to fit in just about everything else until the final gates were ready to close the park for the night. We drove home talking and laughing about the day. We stumbled into our apartment, cluttered with boxes, around 8:00. We were sweaty and stinky, so both took a quick shower before I looked through the remains of our road trip rations we used while on the road and trying to preserve money on the drive from Minnesota. I was able to pull together a late supper of sliced apples, pretzel sticks, and peanut butter. We had managed to get our beds set-up and made, so after sending Katie to bed, I too took to my bed, notebook in hand, and started planning out a grocery and household must have list, and planned how I was going to stretch our remaining dollars and not be forced to use the credit card. I also made a list of things I wanted to do with Katie in our new home. On the top of the sheet, in bold letters I wrote, LAUGH UNTIL WE CRY.