Millie Comes to Visit - Part 5

Good Morning Friday Fiction Fans,
It certainly is spring complete with spring storms and tornado warnings. I could do without the latter things, but since I live in "tornado alley" I've gotten rather used to them.

This week has been crazy! Starting with last Saturday late afternoon. The five kiddos came over and were here until 9:30 or after. We did have fun and roast marshmallows over a fire we had built and ate s'mores. :) Then we had Sunday. Followed by a crazy Monday with the kids coming back over about 8:30 in the morning. (Little Sis had her 6 week check-up) They didn't head home until about 2:00. Needless to say, I didn't get much done. Oh, and my brain was spinning with all the things I needed to work on and yet, when I went to write them down, I couldn't think of half of them. Tuesday had me going to the County Clerks Office and voting and picking up keys for the voting machine. (Yep, I'll be an election judge again on Tuesday.) Then getting ready and spending an hour after lunch working with someone on reading. Oh, and my list of things to do kept growing longer. Finally on Wednesday I was able to start crossing things off and getting things done.
Yesterday I went over to my brother's house and held Little Sis for at least 45 minutes! It was so much fun since I hadn't held her in about a month! She smiled and cooed and talked, and then cuddled down on my shoulder and went to sleep. :) Babies are so much fun!

Writing. Well, last week I got 8k written. But this week, I'm thinking I might get 5-6k. You see, the writing has been rather slow this week. I think it is partly because I've been so busy (tornado sirens last evening didn't help my writing), but the story is also a bit slower right here and it's taking more work to get it out. But I'm nearly 2/3 of the way done.

I talked with my producer of the audio for TCR-1 and she thinks she'll have it finished around the beginning of May!
And, I had an audition for "The Graham Quartet." This reader is perfect for the story! I listened to the audition and wanted him to keep reading. I wanted to know what happened next, even if I did write the story. :)

Oh, and one more thing, tomorrow I'll be joining other local authors for a "local author book signing" at our public library. It should be interesting as I'll have all my books there. It's from 1-3 and I just wish all of you could stop by and say hi. :)

Don't forget that "Gift from the Storm" is available on kindle for 99 cents only through tomorrow. But if you want a book form, you can contact me and get your special blog reader code to get a special discount.

And that's all. Here's the next to last part of 

Millie Comes to Visit

Part 5

    The girls begged to ride in the back with the others instead of in the cab with Pete. This was granted, and amid laughter and much shouting, the gang drove away in a cloud of dust with Ria and Millie waving to those remaining behind. One of the boys started singing a popular song and soon everyone had joined in.

    Fishing soon proved to be more of an excuse to enjoy the water than catch fish and only the few dedicated fishermen continued, though they had to move away a considerable distance where there might be a chance of the fish not being frightened. Ria and Millie fished for a while, but neither one could resist the lure of wading in the stream, for the sun was hot and the shade trees few.
    When at last Phil’s shrill whistle sounded, most of the gang and the girls were quite wet. “That was such fun,” Millie whispered to Ria as they were helped into the back of the truck.
    Ria nodded. “I’m glad we came. Even if no one caught any fish.” Both girls giggled.

    The next afternoon found Ria, Millie and Allie sitting listlessly on the porch swing at the Mitchell home. “What are we going to do?” Ria asked for the fifth time. They had spent the morning playing dolls and dressing up in some old clothes from the attic, but they had grown tired of it and were seeking a new diversion.
    “Where are the boys,” Allie asked.
    Ria shrugged. “I think Chris is out somewhere, and I know Ed is here somewhere but I don’t know what he’s doing. And who knows where the twins are.” She sighed.
    “Maybe we should have gone with Aunt Emma to the farm,” Millie remarked, thinking that at least they would have had little Dory and baby Paul to play with.
    “It’s too late now.” And Ria sighed and shoved the porch with her toe, setting the swing into motion.
    When Jimmy and Johnny strolled up the sidewalk a few minutes later, they saw the forlorn faces of the three girls. “What’s wrong?” Johnny inquired, pausing as they came up the steps.
    “We don’t know what to do,” Ria told him. “We’re tired of dressing up and playing dolls, and Mom is gone and there’s nothing else to do.”
    “Sounds pretty serious,” Jimmy agreed. “Why don’t you give us a few minutes to put on our thinking caps and see what we can come up with. Is Ed here?”
    Ria nodded, a faint hope that her brothers would think of something fun begining to glimmer in her mind. Maybe, just maybe, they could do something with them.
    “Do you think they’ll really think of something?” Allie whispered.
    “Maybe.”
    There was silence on the porch until the screen door was shoved open and Ed came out followed by the twins. “Would you ladies like to take a stroll with us?” Ed asked with a smile which told Ria they had though up something fun to do.
    “Yes!” the girls exclaimed in unison, springing from the swing, their eyes sparkling again.
    “Where are we going?” Allie asked, slipping her hand into Ed’s and giving a little bounce.
    “Down town,” was all the reply she received, but that was enough for her.
    Skipping down the sidewalk to keep up with the longer strides of the boys, Ria and Millie swung hands and chattered. It wasn’t often that Ria went somewhere with only her brothers and no other members of the gang tagging along. To her mind this was a treat, and she voiced her thoughts. “Ed, we should do this more often.”
    Glancing back over his shoulder, Ed looked at his sister. “Do what?”
    “Do something or go somewhere without others in the gang along.”
    Jimmy spoke up from behind. “You know, Ed, she may have something there.”
    Ed nodded. “We have been rather neglectful of you, haven’t we, Ria?”
    “Not really.” Ria didn’t want her brothers to feel like she didn’t enjoy the others. It was just—well, it was hard to explain. “I like doing things with all of you and everything, but sometimes it gets to be too much. Especially if Dave and Chris are together."
    “I’ll have to agree with you there, Sis. Those two are almost getting out of hand lately.”
    Johnny grunted to show his agreement with his twin’s statement.
    Turning down Main street, Ed and Allie led the way, stopping before the local drug store. “Would you ladies care for some ice cream?” Ed held open the door as his sister and cousins entered with eyes wide and shining. To be taken for ice cream, to the drug store where all the older kids hung out, was indeed a treat.
    Finding six empty seats at the counter, the boys helped the girls up on shiny red stools and took places beside them. Orders were placed and when the waitress behind the counter placed a sparkling glass dish filled with chocolate ice cream, sprinkled with toasted coconut, and topped with a real cherry before Allie, she drew a sharp breath.
    “Is this all for me?” Her eyes couldn’t open any wider as she watched the waitress stick a long silver spoon in the dish.
    With a wink at the girl behind the counter, a classmate from school, Ed leaned down and assured, “As much of it as you can eat.”
    “I don’t have to share it?”
    “Who would you share it with?” Johnny, who was seated on the other side of her, asked.
    After looking carefully down the counter and seeing that Millie and Ria had exactly what she had, she gave no reply but started eating.
    The girls had a lovely time, for the boys conversed with them as though they were “real almost grown up ladies,” as Ria told her mother that evening. The ice cream was enjoyed to the last bite and when it was gone and they were all out in the hot summer sun once more, Millie expressed herself.
    “Thank you!” she exclaimed looking up at her cousins. “I’ve never been to a drug store for ice cream before and gotten to sit on the stools like a lady! Why, I feel quite grown up now.”
    “Me too!” Ria echoed giving her nearest brother a hug.
    “It was our pleasure,” Ed assured them. “Now, would you like to go back home or pretend you have lots of money and do a little window shopping?”
    “Window shopping!” exclaimed all three girls in delight.

Would you have enjoyed ice cream at the local drug store?

Do you like window shopping?

Will you be back next week for the final part?