Happy Wednesday! We’re on spring break here. Our family spent the first few days out of town. Now that we’re back, I’m catching up on all kinds of reading. I’ll be posting a number of reviews in the coming weeks. I’ve had a bunch of requests for reviews of science fiction, which should be interesting.
Speaking of catching up, I’ll have some writing to do once everyone’s back in school next week. I need to finish my short story about the former missionary. I’ll post from that for a bit until I have enough written in my other WIPs. I ended up cutting about half of what I had written. Usually I wait until edits, but I figured out I was taking it in the wrong direction. The story is far less bulky without it, and I can always recycle bits of it for another WIP.
WIPmath: 4/19/17 = 1 + 9 = 1 paragraph, 9 sentences
Jo looked at the RSVP phone number. Of course it was Annie James. If Jo called her, Annie would talk her into going. With any of the others, Jo could have politely declined, and that would’ve been the end of it. They likely only invited her because they’d agreed to, not because they wanted to see her. Jo imagined all of them as adult versions of the girls they’d been. Pretty, proper women with “hearts for the Lord.” Like Jo, they might have adult children following in their footsteps. Unlike Jo, their children probably still spoke to them, probably allowed them contact with their grandchildren.
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!
Oh, now I’m really intrigued! Why the estrangement from her kids? I can’t wait to read more.
The estrangement happened as it sometimes does–a lot of hurt feelings and fear. I know that sometimes, one person is actually abusive and no contact is better. But with Jo and her daughter, they’ve both been too stubborn to work it out together.
The abuse thing is why I don’t speak to my parents. I was used to it for myself – manipulation and verbal abuse are the outgrowth of the physical, mental, and emotional abuses of my childhood…
But when it was spewed out in front of four young children, and they were being exposed to it – well, that was too much.
I opted out, and that choice was a very positive one for me and my own family. I don’t know if it’s been as positive for my parents, but I wish them peace.
What I have not done, though, is deny my children access to their grandparents. We’re walking-distance close, and I don’t want Miah and Lise to feel like pawns in someone else’s conflict (and I don’t feel conflicted). So, instead, I helped them learn the things they’d need to know to recognize signs of trouble, and to honor their discomfort. For a while, I waited outside while they visited. Now, Miah is about 6’3″, and Lise is closing in on my 5’9″, and both are clear on the treatment they will and won’t accept.
I hope Jo and her daughter work things through – for the sake of the children if nothing else.
I’ve had to stop allowing phone calls after the last in-person visit. My remaining parent behaved terribly toward my children. I was glad my daughter wasn’t with me when he said some really horrible things about her appearance. Every time I’ve thought it would be a good idea to leave things in the past and try to create a new type of relationship, it hasn’t worked out. Inevitably, he does something else.
Maybe one of the reasons I wanted to write a story about precarious family relationships is that I want there to be happy endings for those, too.
I can’t help but feel that Jo is seeing things through a lot of hurt… and likely coming up with all the wrong assumptions about this reunion. Maybe there is a reason that Annie was picked to put to making the invitation…. because the others knew Jo couldn’t say “no.”
I hear you on stories taking the reins and going off in the wrong direction. And somehow, the Muse gets offended by our frustration at the scenic prose we are given, while we are trying to write a short story or essay.
She is filtering things through both hurt and shame and the fear she’s never been good enough.
Cat was the personification of my muse, and he still likes to cheekily interfere with stories that aren’t his. 😉 He’s usually right, but I don’t tell him that because it’ll go to his head.
Ugh – I know this feeling: “They likely only invited her because they’d agreed to, not because they wanted to see her.” I can’t decide if it would be better if she’s right, or if she’s wrong about them.
And of course Cat’s usually right! 😉
I know that feeling as well. She may or may not be assigning motives that don’t exist, though.
Do NOT encourage Cat. He likes you, and he’ll only tell me that you’re on *his* side next time.