Tuesday Tales and a Staple

Ahoy Fellow Fathomers! It's time for Tuesday Tales.

A group of writers gather together and give our interpretation of a specific word prompt each week. Once per month, we even write to an image.  You never know what you might encounter when you get inside our minds. This week our group writes to the word-staple.  This will be an excerpt from my new WIP for a new romance contemporary, What the Storm Didn't Take.

Enjoy!~

 

At least I wouldn’t interfere from home. I was on a different playing level when the hospital discharged me. Now, I was on Sheila’s turf and was best not to infringe. I certainly didn’t want to give the wrong impression. But, I really missed him. I wondered how life was in Dallas for his clinical assignment.

Who was I kidding? I wanted to know how he handled the long-distance relationship with Sheila. Was it working out? Was he preparing to make the final move out East?

It wasn’t any of my business.

My heart ached for Garrett in moments like this. After we became engaged, I recalled how we planned for our future. We had many dreams too. We lived a few of those- our romantic honeymoon, our wonderful home, getting pregnant with Ryan…yes, we lived many dreams. I envied Sheila, and I needed to get over it.

I wandered into the living room to escape my thoughts and condemned longings. Mom watched the news channel incessantly, as if life could change in the blink of an eye. In our case, we knew it could. Clicking off the television, she apparently noticed my skulking. “Hello dear, how are you and Mr. Ryan today?”

I must admit, she left me alone, giving me the privacy she knew I desired.

“We’re fine. He’s getting a fat little tummy- like a bullfrog.” I handed him over to his impatiently waiting nana.

“Oh, how are you today, my beautiful Ryan. Ignore your momma, you’re not fat, you’re perfect.” Whispering gently into his little ear, being a grandmother more than obviously suited her.

“Mom, I need to think about what I’m going to do with the house. You know, catch up on the business end of life. I’ve avoided it for far too long.”

“Oh, honey, there’s no hurry. You deserve a few weeks with this little distraction before you jump into reality. Believe me, it’s not going anywhere, it’ll be there when you’re ready.”

“But, that’s the thing, I’m ready. I can’t ignore my life. I’m an adult.”

Mom carefully studied my expression, as if she really was seeing me- the grown-up me. “Sweetie, you’ve been through so much more than some people twice your age have dealt with. I’m so proud of you for how you take each day. I know it’s not easy.” Cocking her head to the side, she elaborated. “Saying it’s not easy is a dramatic understatement. I’m not sure I have the words to describe how I’ve observed your life the past several months.”

“I appreciate you, mom. I still cry, and I’m not sure I’ll ever get over Garrett. I’m so sad he isn’t here to hold Ryan, actually be part of the little person we created together. But, when I want to melt down, I look at Ryan and he’s the same reason keeping me sane and even a semblance of solid. He’s worth so much more than me crawling under a rock and forgetting I have a life.”

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