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 104: Gwen didn’t think Lisa even heard her.
Gwen didn’t think Lisa even heard her. The thought was a familiar one. How many times over the years had Gwen said something that Lisa didn’t want to hear or didn’t like and she just steam rolled over what Gwen said as though it never existed.
‘And so she could get her way,’ Gwen thought as Lisa continued to talk.
“And I know you will be able to sort out the flowers. You could probably even do it from wherever you are now. It wouldn’t be hard, you just get the numbers or whatever on line and start calling. I mean if you can’t come in this weekend it would be the least you could do.”
“Lisa,” Gwen said. Her voice was firm and she fought not to frown into the phone.
Lisa paused. “Yes?” she asked. It was clear from her tone that she expected Gwen to just capitulate. Gwen thought of how many times in the past that had been the case and lost the fight not to frown.
“I am not your maid of honor. We are no longer friends. I will not be coming to your wedding and I will not be planning your wedding. O you understand?”
Lisa huffed. “Look I know you are mad but you need to get over it.”
“No I don’t,” Gwen said. “I never need to get over it. We are done. I am done being friends with you. You need to adjust. I will not be talking to you again.”
“So you are going to block my mother’s number now?” Lisa laughed. “We both know that you aren’t going to do that. My mom is the closest thing to a mom you have. Especially now that your Step-mother left.”
“I am going to block this number,” Gwen said. “Goodbye.”
Lisa started to say something, but Gwen pulled the phone away and couldn’t make it out. She ended the call and before she could think about it too much, she blocked Mrs. Lewis’ phone number. It hurt to block her, but Gwen knew that if she didn’t Lisa would continue to call under her mother’s number.
‘It’s the only way,’ Gwen said. She took a deep breath and felt the ache. She knew it was the right thing though. She had to cut ties with the entire Lewis family. Gwen took a deep breath and set the phone down. Despite cutting off her contact with Mrs. Lewis, she felt good about how the call ended.
‘Mrs. Lewis wasn’t going to call anyway,’ Gwen told herself. If Lisa knew about Sharron leaving then so did Mrs. Lewis. ‘And she didn’t call for that. There are no emergencies that could involve me.’
Gwen thought of Lisa’s conversation and shook her head. It was very much Lisa. “Lisa decides what she wants and Gwen makes it happen,” Gwen said. Mr. Lewis’s joke was never very funny to her, but it had now soured completely. “Lisa just hasn’t realized it,” she thought. Gwen smiled and shook her head. “Doesn’t want to realize it.”
Gwen shrugged and decided that if she continued to dwell on it she would probably end up having the strange dream with the odd game show host again. She slipped on her headphones and turned to the laptop. It was time to find something external to focus her thoughts before bed.
Ten til Midnight 