Happy Wednesday! My kids are home for the morning doing homework and reading. It’s state testing week, and we opted them out. So instead of writing in my WIPs, I’m reading and blogging.
I currently have four projects going: Two short stories, a flash fiction, and a novel. I’m trying to keep better track of my progress on those as well as on projects that are in the background to be worked on at a later time.
Today’s snippet is still from the short story about LR. Last week, she told Cat she’s not pregnant. This week, he tells her what’s wrong between him and David.
WIPmath: 3/29/17 = 2 + 9 = 11 paragraphs
“What?”
She groaned and turned over to bury her face in the pillow, immediately wishing she hadn’t when it made her a little seasick. “I’m not giving you a lesson on human anatomy right now, Cat.” She felt him shaking against her and knew he was laughing, even though he was obviously trying to be silent. “It’s not funny,” she snapped.
“It kind of is. I already know how things work. I did wonder, but I figured probably not.”
LR sat up, and Cat copied her movements. She crossed her arms. “Yeah, well, you and David don’t exactly have to worry about this crap.”
Cat’s expression turned stony, and LR wondered what she’d said to upset him. She put a hand on his arm, but he shook her off. They sat side by side in the dark, but all the warmth had leeched out with her comment. Something was definitely bothering Cat where David was concerned.
“What’s going on with you and David?” she asked.
Cat’s shoulder wiggled against hers. “Nothing. We’re fine.”
“You’re not, or you wouldn’t say it that way. You’d be running off at the mouth about life, the universe, and David’s awesomeness.”
There was a long silence, followed by Cat’s deep sigh. “I love him. That hasn’t changed. But…I don’t know. Sometimes I think the only reason it works between us is that we don’t have to explain anything to each other.”
“So you’re not sure you want to be with him?”
LR heard Cat’s swallow. “I do. It’s just…” He stopped and nestled closer to her, putting his head on her shoulder. “I’m worried about him. Like, all the time.”
Like what you read? Be sure to check out the other entries and add your own. Just post a bit of your WIP, connect it to the date, and link up with us. Many thanks to Emily Witt for giving us this space. Happy reading and writing!
Sigh. These two… 🙂 I have nothing profound to add, although…it’s good to *hear* Cat’s feelings about David.
I’m not sure he’d have admitted it under normal circumstances, but he’s giving LR the lead-in she needs. He understands her better than she thinks.
I love the sweet friendship between LR and Cat, but now I want to know what happened to David that worries him. Great way of pointing it out! ?
Ah, I’d forgotten that not everyone would have been following the snippets last year when I was posting from the novel where David appears. That info won’t be in these snippets, so I’ll just tell you. David and Cat both have hemophilia. Cat was born in the mid-1980s, but David was born in 1981. So David also has HIV and is a long-term survivor (20+ years). Earlier treatments weren’t as good, which worsened complications from hemophilia. Cat’s worries aren’t unfounded–in a prior snippet, I referred to David having had a stroke (not unusual for someone with a bleeding disorder).
This is very interesting. I think I’ve missed a step or two here, but it’s not hard to pick up on the emotions on both sides….
I still want to know what’s making LR feel sick.
Ah, I’ve been posting from this for a few weeks. LR skipped out on a vacation with friends to come home, claiming not to feel well. She’s working up to telling Cat what’s going on, and he’s giving her an opening by telling her his worries about David (explained in my reply to Pekky’s comment).
I’m glad for your explanation in the comment above. I must have been around when you started sharing about David but I had forgotten. But with that extra context, I can appreciate Cat’s all-the-time worry and concern. I really like this scene for what it shows of Cat and LR’s relationship; I’m sure a lot of adult siblings would find this sort of scene a bit weird, but I like that they don’t.
This is very much how my kids are with each other, and I hope they stay as close once they’re grown.
I’m not sure if I ever posted the full story about David, though I do think at some point I shared at least some of it. In the full version of the short that I’m snippeting, it’s recapped for people who didn’t already know.
I love the interaction between LR and Cat. And I want to give Cat a hug.
I live in a state of wanting to hug Cat, LOL.
Aww…
Yeah. :/
Great snippet! I look forward to finding out more about what is going on with LR and with David.