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Two Halves: Chapter I

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Chapter I: Two Stories

            Amy sighed while sitting at the bar.  She rubbed her finger along the glass rim.  Even though she had just looked, she couldn’t help but looking at her watch again as if that would force her sister to come to her so they could go home. Deep down she knew she would go home alone.  Again. But still she played along to the game they had somehow fell into without ever discussing it. Her sister, Ruth, and her were so different yet Amy loved her.  Even though Ruth was older Amy felt like she needed to protect her.  Even if the person Ruth needed the most protection from was usually herself.

            That’s why Amy sat at a bar even though she would rather not be sitting there that particularly hot July day.  Of late, the bar had become somewhat of a military hangout spot.  Soldiers heading to basic training, soldiers on leave, and the women looking for a good but short time with a soldier congregated at this place. Ruth fell into that last category.  Amy was always a little uncomfortable but Ruth seemed to thrive in the atmosphere.

“Here again, Amy?” a voice asked.

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First Kiss

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Chapter V – First Kiss 2.0

            While Gus changed from his work clothes and got ready for bed, Kristina worked quickly to get what she needed for her plan.  It wasn’t that elaborate.  All she needed was a paper bag and a black marker.

            When he finished getting ready, he walked out to the living room to join her.  He was looking at his phone’s screen and sat down on the couch next to her.  “Sleepy punch?” He questioned teasingly.

            “That’s all she needs to know right now.”

            He looked at her.  “At some point, she’s going to figure out the truth.”

            Kristina thought about it and nodded.  “I know.  I’ll tell her the truth some day.  When she’s about 50.  Or maybe she can read about it in my journal when I’m dead.”

            “You don’t keep a journal,” he said.

            “Guess she’ll never hear it from me then,” Kristina replied.

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First Kiss

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Chapter IV – Dad’s First Kiss

Gus made himself as comfortable as he could be on the small bed and stretched his arm above Ginny’s head on the headboard. “Before I tell you about my first kiss with your mom, I have to start at the beginning.   And that all starts with your grandma.”

            Ginny cocked an eyebrow and looked at her dad.  “What?”

            “I owe all this,” Gus waved his arm around the room, “to your grandma.”

            Kristina snorted and then caught herself.  By doing so, she knocked her balance off and she rolled off the ball.  She sat back on it.  “Sorry, I just find that kind of funny.”  She looked at her daughter.  “For no apparent reason.”

            Gus winked at her.  “As I was saying, there wouldn’t be a first kiss and there certainly wouldn’t be a Ginny without your grandma.”

            Kristina shook her head and rubbed her forehead. 

            “You see,” Gus continued, “you can already tell my story is going to be good.”  Ginny smiled at him oblivious to her mom’s reactions.

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First Kiss

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Chapter III – Mom’s First Kiss

            Ginny sighed but didn’t complain.  The longer the story the longer until she’d have to turn off the lights and try to fall asleep.  As long as neither of her parents caught on to the delay, she could be patient until they told her about their first kiss.

            Kristina continued the narrative. “I was so embarrassed and sad, I just wanted to get out of there.  I needed some time to think about everything that happened. I mean, I did date Carson for a few years so it was a big decision.  Life altering at the time.” 

“Your mom walked fast when she left,” Gus nodded his head.  “She was almost to her car before I caught up with her.  As I have learned, she may be tiny but she can move quick.”  Kristina barely reached 5’3”.  Even though Gus didn’t quite hit 6’, his wife’s petite size made him seem like a comparative giant.

“But you caught up with her, right?” Ginny asked a little concerned.

Kristina smiled at her daughter.  “Yes, he did.”  She looked up and thought about that night so long ago to refresh her memory.  Then continued with the story.

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First Kiss

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Chapter II: The Double Date – Dad’s Version

            “As good as your mom’s story was, I’m sure she left out a few things,” Gus said while laying down on the other side of Ginny.  It was a small bed so there wasn’t room for all three so Kristina slid off and sat on an exercise ball.

            “Well,” Ginny said, “she hasn’t actually told me about the kiss yet.”

            Gus looked at Kristina and cocked his eyebrow.

            “I told her about the double date,” Kristina explained.

            “Oh, right,” he nodded his head.  “Your mom’s first kiss.”

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First Kiss

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Chapter I: The Double Date – Mom’s Version

            “Mom, mom, moooooom!” Ginny yelled.

            Of course, Kristina could hear her daughter.  She was pretty sure the neighbors heard the call as well.  But she was determined not to be bullied into action by her demanding ten-year-old.  After several calls though, she couldn’t take it anymore. If her husband, Gus, had been home from work she might have had the will power to hold out a bit longer or maybe he would have responded for her.  Instead, she was tired and she needed Ginny to go to sleep so that she could fall asleep herself watching tv while waiting for Gus to come home. Her nap before bedtime was somehow her most restful sleep of the night and she needed it.

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Story behind the Post: Family Thanksgiving Dinner

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First off, I was a little excited to see the 5-Saturday month fell in November. Which meant I finally was able to do a Thanksgiving story and didn’t have to come up with another Christmas story. I think – without fact checking – I’ve done a Halloween story (back when I was doing 4-part short stories) and at least a couple of Christmas stories. But this year I can now add a Thanksgiving story to my little collection.

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Family Thanksgiving Dinner: Chapter V

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Chapter V: Dad

             Out of everyone’s hands I didn’t see in the air when I asked my question earlier, I was most surprised to not see dad’s.  My mild-mannered, quiet dad.  I was always told I was just like him so I expected out of everyone in this room, his hand would have been raised in solidarity with mine. I was wrong.

            Dad looked around at all of us and seemed a little nervous at the attention.  He cleared his throat and nodded at mom.  “First of all, I was the one that gave your grandma the elephant to begin with.”

            It wasn’t that surprising but somehow, we all gasped like it was some revealing piece of information.

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Family Thanksgiving Dinner: Chapter IV

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Chapter IV: Mom

Everyone waited for mom to explain.  Despite being in the room and hearing the conversation leading up to my question she still seemed surprised. Like a student hearing the words pop quiz, she responded with “Hmmm?”

“The Elegant Elephant?” I asked matching the look on her face at having to explain.

She sighed and picked up the speed of her stirring.  “Well, there was the time that Curtis broke it. We didn’t even attempt that good of job fixing it by then.”

            I looked at Curtis.

            “Mom!” he said.  “I think we could have gone a bit longer without that coming up.”

            “I just thought we were clearing the air, here,” mom said defensively and sat down on the chair.

            “It’s not a confessional,” Curtis said.  “We could have left that part out.  It is not pertinent to this story.”

            “No,” Sam said smiling, “do tell.  All these years it was always, ‘Sam broke the elephant.  Don’t tell, don’t tell.’  Nice to see I have company.”

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