Come Play in May -- Tell Me a Story
Today's challenge was a bit of fiction. Below is a story I've been playing with...
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Her phone rang. On the screen popped up a picture of two boys and a girl making goofy faces; sticking out tongues and making bunny ears with their fingers. At the top of the screen, it read “Home”. For the first time in memory, she tapped “Decline” even as she smiled again at the pic.The photo was from a truly great day. The family headed down to the coast for an extended weekend. Miraculously, Steven had taken two days off from work and had actually left his Blackberry at home. It was the end of the season so the beach was fairly empty. They spent the whole day sunning and swimming. Danny and Liam managed to go all day without a single slug or slap, push or punch. Rather, they rode the waves with each other; taking turns serving as a flotation device. Steven ran the waves with them. At moments, he seemed more big brother than father.Chloe had chosen to stay on the sand with Mandy. While Mandy read Dean Koontz, Chloe sat beside her building cities rather than castles in the sand. Always the analytical one, her structures were worthy of any city planner. She regularly looked at Mandy for reassurance who offered profuse encouragement.Hours passed like this without notice. So happy were they, it was their stomachs and the waning sun that finally focused them on moving indoors. They returned to the rental house and quickly changed their clothes, all of them glowing in their newly sunned state. Steven looked relaxed and down-right handsome. Mandy found his eyes greener than she remembered; uncomplicated by the stressors of business, life, and a 15 year marriage. Her heart leapt a little when he kissed her cheek and escorted her out.They made their way down to the Boardwalk. Its bright neon was dizzying against the dimming daylight. Nearly empty, they rode every ride; twirling and spinning through the night. The kids laughed and pointed as Steven and Mandy screamed and jumped with the lot of them. Finally, when their heads were as light as their hearts, Steven went to grab the car. Mandy dug out her phone, amazingly forgotten until this moment. She cajoled the three kids into a picture. It was her favorite picture.But tonight, that day seemed far more away than the year indicated in the calendar. Tonight she arrived at the same rental by herself. The kids were in Connecticut with her mom and Steven was home. Or at least, she assumed that was he calling from the house. As of late, his whereabouts were less than certain or credible even.To be continued... Do you have a story to tell? Come play with us...