Post #44 – Memoir and Fiction, Writing Alchemy – Kendra Bonnett and Matilda Butler
[Angel Makes a Discovery, Part 1]
[Angel Makes a Discovery, Part 2]
Angel Makes a Discovery
Leading Up to the Meeting, Part 3
By Johnine M. Simpson
At work the next two days, Randy had trouble concentrating. He kept thinking about the object Angel dug up in the park and Noco’s reaction to it. Trying to put it all out of his mind, he focused on his service to his customers and cleaning the shop during off times without customers each day.
His order for lobsters arrived Thursday in preparation for the weekend’s clamor for them. He cleaned out his cold water tanks, refilled them, and gently put the new lobster supply into them sorting them by size as he worked. It was the end of the day before he knew it. “Only one more day to wait,” Randy announced to himself.
Evenings felt long to him and even Fay noticed he seemed distracted and edgy. Randy had told her about his meeting with Noco but he realized she was scarcely interested so didn’t want to bother her with his conjectures and hypotheses about Angel’s discovery.
The Pomeranian, on the other hand, for a tiny dog, seemed totally ‘large and in charge.’ She pranced happily on the walks when Randy or Fay took her out. She did some sniffing but evidently loved being outdoors even if on a leash. She lunged along pulling her humans with heretofore unknown strength. Randy couldn’t believe it was the same dog. “I guess exercise and some adventure do help her,” he conceded to his wife who merely smiled. Sometimes Fay could be annoyingly quiet.
Friday dawned clear and bright. “In a few hours I’ll be meeting with Noco.” As Randy walked to work following Angel on her leash, he let his mind wander. “What will Noco say? Would the object be a sacred relic rich in sentimentality? Would it be worth any money? Would Noco be comfortable sharing its meaning or usefulness with a non-Native man? What would his mother have said about the object? Would their visit to Tulsa have had a positive outcome?” These and other questions raced through his mind as he walked.
. . .
“Golly, the store has been busy today,” Randy thought as he completed the last bit of paperwork for the day and prepared to lock up. “But I guess it is almost always busy on Fridays. I haven’t even had time to contemplate my meeting with Noco. I’m tired, hungry, and nervous about the evening meeting.”
“Come on, Angel,” Randy said to his dog as he removed her from her princess crate and hooked her to her leash. “Let’s get home for some supper. Hopefully Fay has something good prepared. Then, after supper, I’ll go to the casino and wait for Noco. I wonder what will happen?”
The rich smell of corned beef and cabbage assailed the noses of both Randy and Angel as they walked through the door of the house together. “Yum, honey, it smells wonderful. You know New England Boiled Dinner is almost my favorite – after lobster, of course. What’s the occasion?”
Fay smiled. “I know you have that meeting tonight and I know it’s been gnawing at you since Tuesday. I thought you deserved a feast in preparation for the meeting.” She smiled again.
Randy wrapped his arms around her. “You’re the best, Fay, and here I thought you weren’t even interested in all of this.” He gave the top of her blonde head a peck and she tipped her face up for a real kiss, which she got. “Ummm, very nice,” he murmured as their lips parted.
“I’m interested in Angel’s ‘find’, dear, just not consumed like you are. But, that being said, put the plates and silverware on the table for me, we’re ready to eat.”
. . .
“That was scrumptious, Fay,” Randy commented as he patted his stomach and pushed his chair back from the dining table. “It’s a good thing we don’t eat like that every night or I wouldn’t even get through the front door. Thanks for the meal. It was the best.”
Fay smiled as Randy helped clear the table and pile the dishes by the sink in the kitchen. “Give me a hand with these, Randy, will you, please? Then we can both walk with Angel before you have to leave for the casino.”
“Absolutely,” he agreed and plucked a white dish towel from a bar near the sink. “You wash and I’ll dry and put away.”
“Deal.”
In 15 minutes, the kitchen was neat once more, Angel was hooked up on her leash, and the three of them headed out the door. Fay grasped Randy’s hand as they walked together on the familiar streets of their little town. “You know,” she said to him, “I love you, big guy.”
“I love you right back,” Randy blurted being unaccustomed to such statements emanating from his diminutive wife. He put his arm around her shoulders. They walked companionably for a time.
“Whatever happens at this meeting tonight, Randy, nothing will change between us. You understand that, don’t you?” Fay seemed unusually serious.
“I never thought for a moment it would. What made you think something like that?”
“You seem so caught up in the whole thing that, for me, it has become bigger than life. So I just want you to be sure to know that, no matter what, you and I are ok.”
“You bet your life, we are,” Randy responded and, taking Fay by her shoulders, he moved her directly in front of him, wrapped his arms around her, pulled her up off the ground to meet his lips and, for all the world to see, gave her a big kiss – long and deep. Fay relaxed into his arms and luxuriated in the love lavished on her.
Angel took that moment to drag at Fay, who was holding the leash, toward the grass to do the necessaries. Fay laughed. “A perfect ending to a perfect walk.” She picked up after Angel, caught Randy’s hand again and, together, they skipped back the short distance to their home, Randy dragging Angel behind them.
StoryMap: The Neverending Writing Prompt Inspires Fascinating Stories
Kendra and I hope you enjoyed Part 3 of Johnine M. Simpson’s Angel Makes a Discovery. We love the creativity that fills this story.
Kendra and I created a StoryMap that’s all about Five Points, OK, the community where every person, indeed every thing has a story. And they’re all just waiting for you to bring them to life. We know that many people who buy StoryMap use it regularly to get their creative juices flowing. Usually they just write for about 10 minutes focusing on a character or a place or a situation. Some of the establishments generate more stories than others.
Occasionally, someone sends us a StoryMap inspired story that we decide to publish. Angel Makes a Discovery by Johnine M. Simpson is one of those stories. Johnine tells it is four parts. Last week, we published Parts 1 and 2 and today we are pleased to publish Part 3. Be sure to return on Wednesday, for Part 4, the conclusion of the story.
By the way, we invite you to leave Johnine a note in the Comments section.
