Observation: I am in such a different mindset than when I first started writing this novel. To be honest, I started out a bit afraid, but now I’m not. I don’t know if anyone is actually reading the posts, but I am seriously having fun. This is what writing should be because I think if you, as a writer, have fun, then your reader probably will too.
I thank you all so much for your encouragement. I’m only a week in and forty thousand words still to come. It’s an immense task, but it’s made much easier when you all have my back. Thank you! 🙂 If I get stuck, please throw out suggestions. Of. Any. Kind. 😉
Seriously, I have an idea of where this novel is going, but I may need some unique scenes, etc. coming up.
Disclaimer: It’s late. I’ve probably not read this over well so it might be worse than THE DRAFT that is. Many thanks.
And, if you are actually reading this novel, my thanks go out to you. You are very appreciated!
Total word count: 10277
275 words over
You can read previous sections here.
“Sophie? Are you feeling okay?” Rose asks.
I smile at my sister, wondering why she looks so concerned. Can she not see the beauty emanating from this man? I feel so much love building inside of me, like a volcano threatening to overflow, warm red lava. I feel all of that hot lava for him, and more. He is the most golden object I’ve ever had the extreme fortune to see.
“Yuri, I am yours for the taking,” I say. I twirl my index finger through a make believe curl in my hair.
“I am out of here,” he says, turns on his heel and does what I can only describe as scampers, which is interesting for a big man.
“I want to follow him,” I say, feeling myself being pulled toward him.
Rose grabs my elbow. “Sophie, stop. Something’s happened here. This isn’t you.”
I glance at her hand on my arm and smirk. “I think it is me.”
Rose glances at Isla. “You did this.”
Isla’s mouth falls open. “Me?”
“You were talking about love at first sight and all of that just as she took a taste of that soup.”
I roll my eyes. Why do they have to pick now to argue? All I can think about is Yuri who is moving farther and farther away from me as they disagree. What if I can’t find him again? It would be like my world was over. He could just fly back to Russia and then my life would be over. How could I ever see the sun rise again, if not for Yuri?
While Rose is fixated on Isla, I act as though I’m moving toward the dining area, and then when Rose isn’t paying attention, I run out the backdoor. The alley is empty. Which way could he have gone? Why would he want to run from a love as pure as mine?
He must have gone to the street, perhaps to his motel? I run up to Main Street and look south where his motel is, and sure enough, he is striding purposefully along the sidewalk. He is a work of art. His body moves with the precision of an athlete, so strong, so able. I didn’t know there were tall, blond Russian gods. His stride eats up sidewalk. I wonder if he is an Olympic champion. He is ambrosia.
I run along the sidewalk. I feel as if he is a magnet, drawing me to him. My footfalls echo. I ignore people who call out to me, people who sidestep, people who yell. I am like a thing possessed with blinders on. All I can see is Yuri. Tall, mountainous Yuri who will make me the happiest woman in the entire world.
Screech.
I feel like I am flying. Oh, yes. I stretch out my arms. I can move much quicker to Yuri now, flying, flying, flying.
—
“Mom, she’s awake,” Isla says.
Am I the she? I must be. I open my eyes again and see my mother who was supposed to be on her trip of a lifetime cruising around Greece. Her big brown eyes look me over as her soft hand slides against my temple.
“My silly girl, what have you been up to?” she asks, her Georgia twang strong.
“Hey, Mom, why aren’t you on your cruise?” I ask.
She frowns as she gingerly takes a seat on the hospital bed, her fingers stroking my arm. “I told you a couple of days ago when Soup’s On went to hell that I was coming back to help out. Did you forget that?”
I shrug. Wow, shrugging hurts. Is there anything that doesn’t hurt right now? “Why am I in pain? What happened? I think I tried to fly.”
“Oh, baby, you flew all right, right over the hood of a really ugly Chevy sedan.”
I frown. I flew over a car? But that really doesn’t explain why I hurt. Maybe I miscalculated trajectory?
Mom’s thin lips press into a straight line. “Lordy, you are so not here, are you? You were hit by a car, Soph. Rosie says you were chasing a man that you fell in love with over your soup.”
“No, not over my soup. He’s like the sun, Mama. He’s so handsome and beautiful. He glows. I’m going to be in love with him until the end of all days.”
“Oh, lordy. This is so bad,” Mom says. She closes her eyes and her lips move. I wonder if she’s praying although I’ve never known her to go to church.
I watch as her lips continue to move. Slowly she looks at me, her eyes intense.
“Have you been drinking your ginger tea every morning?”
I nod. “Of course. I love my ginger tea.”
“Dammit.”
I raise an eyebrow. That was not the response I expected. I thought she’d be happy that I continued to enjoy the tea that she prepared for me since I was twelve years old. The tea is a habit now, a beloved habit, a ritual. Something I look forward to every morning.
Leaning back against the pillows, I look toward the ceiling and wonder what Yuri’s doing right this very moment. I wish I knew what he looked like when he smiled. I bet it would be beautiful. I wonder if I can walk. I could just get myself dressed and…
I’m at the hospital twelve miles out of Rosemead. There’s no Uber here. Mama would give me a lift to the motel.
“…I think we need a family dinner.”
Mom’s been talking, and I’ve missed the gist of it. I nod, smile, and then try a bigger smile hoping that it will make me look healthy.
“Could you drive me to the Express-O?”
Mom frowns. “What in the hell for?”
“Yuri’s there.”
“Absolutely not. You don’t love this Yuri so just stop thinking and talking about him.”
“I do so love Yuri. I’m not thirteen.”
“Well, then quit acting like you are. Something’s gone very wrong here, Soph,” Mom says as she stands and begins pacing around the very narrow space of the curtained area. Her eyes are downcast, and her lips are moving as if she’s calculating numbers, but I doubt that’s it.
She paces for several moments, almost hypnotizing me, and I feel drowsy and ready to fall asleep when she looks up and says, “I don’t think it’s you.”
“Huh?”
“You’ve been drinking your tea. The tea makes you safe.”
“Huh?” I feel tired. I’d love a cup of tea now…and Yuri. Why doesn’t he love me the way I love him? Why must love be so cruel?
“Something’s changed,” Mom says.
“It’s Heath Lawrence. He’s to blame.”
Mom stares at me. “Heath Lawrence?”
“Yep, he’s back and causing trouble. He’s very well-endowed.”
Mom shakes her head, her straight auburn hair dances. “Who in the hell is Heath Lawrence, and do I really want to know? And how the hell do you know he’s well-endowed? Are you seeing him?”
“Not at the moment. I’m in love with Yuri, Mom. Yuri is the sun and the moon and all of the constellations in heaven. But Heath Lawrence is the cause of all evil.”
A man in a white coat appears in the door. His smile is very white and I can imagine it blinds if the sun hits it just so. “I’m Dr. Riegert. So, pleased to meet you. Who are you? Sophie’s sister?” he asks straight-faced.
Mom rolls her eyes. “Ya think?”
He grins. “Yes.” Then he looks at her neck and frowns. “I guess you’ve got a thing going on around your neck. Okay, you’re either her aunt or mother.”
“Freaking, dude.”
I chuckle. My mom is definitely here.
“My neck? Are you really a doctor?”
The man nods. “Dr. Reigert, I think I told you that. I’ve got the clipboard to prove it.”
“Geez Louise, I hope you have a medical license too,” Mom says.
“Like a driver’s license?” he asks, and then bursts out laughing. “I’m kidding. It doesn’t look anything like a driver’s license. Okay, so moving on. Sophie is going to stay here overnight for observation. She has a mild concussion, but you know we like to be sure in these cases where there’s been head trauma that nothing worse develops. Are you married?”
Mom looks at him sharply. “Are you talking to me or her?”
He colors slightly, and his beautiful white teeth bite his lip. “You.”
“Of course, I’m married. Do you really have a doctor’s license?”
He nods. He slides the clipboard into a slot on the wall and then digs his hands into the pockets of his white jacket. “I’m not usually so forward, but I love ginger women. My grandmother told me that I’d find my soulmate with a ginger woman. Weird, right? I love my gran and all. She has been known to predict the future. And you, well, you’re completely fascinating. I could imagine discovering you until the end of my days.”
I hear the “jesus christ” flow through Mom’s lips, so hushed that you’d have to know her to actually have heard it. Suddenly, I’m so tired and all I can think about is what it would be like to lay back upon this very soft pillow and sleep.
end of day 6