Welcome to the Fifteen Minute Novel. Each morning I spend fifteen minutes writing on a singular story line. Each morning starts with the last line of the previous day. The goal is to get a (very) rough draft out of the simple story idea and to avoid letting the story idea languish in limbo forever, actually writing it out. This is the third year I have done this writing experiment and each year I learn just a little bit about myself and the way I write as well as creating a framework for the story. But without further ado…
Day 103: She added the class to her schedule anyway even though it would be official in the morning.
She added the class to her schedule anyway even though it would be official in the morning. Feeling accomplished, Gwen remembered the three missed calls. She left her laptop open but picked up her phone. After she found out who the calls were from she would pull up something to watch on the laptop. Thinking that she might want to keep things quiet even if the rooms were sound proofed, Gwen went to get her headphones as she pulled up the missed calls on her phone. She picked up the headphones and frowned at the screen as she walked back to the bed.
“Why would Mrs. Lewis be calling me?” Gwen wondered if there was something wrong. She didn’t want to talk to Lisa but if Mrs. Lewis needed something then that was a different thing. Gwen tossed the headphones on the bed and sat down on the edge. Mrs. Lewis hadn’t left a voicemail so Gwen pressed the button to call her back, wanting to get the call over with. Her stomach tied in knots as she wondered what could have happened. Had something horrible occurred? Or was Mrs. Lewis calling to check on her after hearing about her dad’s separation from Sharron?
‘Either is possible,’ she thought. She lifted the phone to her ear. It rang. It was answered.
“Hello, Mrs. Lewis?” Gwen said.
“I knew you’d call this number back,” Lisa said.
Gwen felt the knotted ball of worry in her belly solidify into a hard lump.
“Why did you call me, Lisa,” Gwen said. She realized she was going to have to block Mrs. Lewis’ number of she didn’t want to hear from Lisa as well.
“Well, you weren’t answering my calls or e-mails,” Lisa said. “So I had to get in touch with you somehow.”
“I blocked you,” Gwen said.
“Why would you do that?” Lisa asked. “We have so much to talk about. You need to get over this whole being mad about me thing. The wedding is soon and I really need your help planning it.”
“I’m not helping you plan your wedding Lisa,” Gwen said.
“Of course you are,” Lisa said. “You are my maid of honor after all. I called a couple of places for things, but they said they really couldn’t do things on such short notice so I need your help to find places that can and to you know, get everything together. You Know I didn’t even realize there were so many things you needed for a wedding. I thought I just needed to get a dress and the rest would just you know, poof, happen.”
“I’m not your maid of honor,” Gwen said, cutting Lisa off.
“Of course you are,” Lisa said. “We’ve been friends for like, ever.”
“We aren’t friend’s any more.”
There was a heavy sigh on the other end of the phone. “You have got to get over this and move on. It happened, it’s over and now we can go back to being friends. I need you to help me plan this wedding. When are you coming home. Is it this weekend or next? Next would really be cutting it close to start the planning of the wedding, even I know that so I hope it is this weekend.”
“Neither actually,” Gwen said. She felt numb inside. “I’m here for the summer and possibly the year.”
“You can’t be serious,” Lisa said.
“I am.” Gwen replied.
“So you just planned to, what, fly into my wedding at the last minute?”
“I’m not going to your wedding,” Gwen said.
“Who is going to help me plan it if you aren’t coming until the last minute?” Lisa asked. Gwen didn’t think Lisa even heard her.
Ten til Midnight 