Hello Faithful Fiction Fans,
Have you come back for your Fiction Fix this Friday? :)
How has your week been? Mine's been good, but busy. I felt for a while that I was never going to get to the end of my "to-do" list. I still don't at times, but I've made good progress. My writing has been a bit on the slower side this week. On Monday I wrote 1,200+ words in just under an hour, but on Wednesday I only wrote a few hundred. In order to reach my 5k goal for this week, I need to write 1,500 today. (I would say between today and tomorrow, but tomorrow we're going to have all six nieces and nephews over from about 4:30 until 9 or so at night. No writing then.) Yes, I'm still working on "Dylan's Story" though I am thinking of trying to write another short story or two soon.
I'm wanting to finish up my "Project 12" stories and get them published. But I need some more Bible verses to use in my stories. If you have a verse that you think would be good to put in a short story, let me know.
Help me out!!!!! What should I post next week? Is there a short story that you started on here a long time ago and never got to finish? Is there one you'd just like to read again? Please let me know!!!!! Because I don't know what to post next week!
And now my faithful few who have been reading this story each week and are waiting for the conclusion, here it is. You need wait no longer.
Smiling in the Rain
Part 5
A half sob came from Zoe, and Kelsey gave her hand a gentle squeeze.
“It’s all right to cry. I did. I still do some times, but when I see one of these lovely little flowers,” and Aunt Olive leaned forward and with gentle finger touched a golden petal, “I am reminded of something my old friend told me the day before he died. ‘Olive,’ he said, holding my hand in his, ‘life isn’t easy. It’s hard, and we may want to hide our faces, but don’t do it. Be like those bright yellow flowers out there. They bloom in the rain because when the sun is shining they kept their faces turned toward it. They may not live long, but they brighten the world wherever they grow. Keep your face toward Jesus Christ, and you’ll be able to smile in the rain as well as in the sunshine. Don’t stop brightening the world just because Ernest has gone. Promise me you won’t turn bitter, Olive Child.’ With his tired, worn hand in mine, and a vase of lovely coreopsis blooming beside the bed, I promised. And, God helping me, I’ve kept that promise. It hasn’t always been easy, but the sight of these flowers always helps.”
Giving a long sigh, Miss Olive smiled. “I haven’t told that story before, but Kelsey’s gift was such a sweet reminder that I thought you all might like to hear it. You all have the same choice I have, you can frown and wilt under the rain of trials, or you can keep your face bright with the light of Jesus Christ.”
It was a more subdued group who gathered their things together and prepared to leave Miss Olive’s hospitable home.
“How are you getting home, Kels?” Zoe asked, noticing the other girls dashing through the light rain to cars where a parent or friend was waiting. Several of them left together, but Kelsey didn’t seem in any hurry.
“Oh, I’ll just walk home,” was the easy reply. “That’s how I came.” She started up the steps to change her clothes.
“But it wasn’t raining then,” protested Zoe.
Kelsey shrugged with a smile. “It won’t hurt me. I’ll just put on my wet clothes, and I’ll–”
“Kels!” Zoe exclaimed. “You can’t go out there again and get wet! You’d end up sick.”
At that Kelsey burst into a merry laugh. “Me? Sick? Zoe, I don’t think a little more rain will hurt me. I’m not going to melt and it isn’t cold.”
“Aunt Olive.” Zoe called for reinforcements. “Tell Kelsey she shouldn’t think of walking home in the rain after she’s already been out walking in the rain once today.”
Coming out of the kitchen with Aunt Olive, Wally said, “Why don’t we take her home, Zoe. I have my car and nothing else to do the rest of the day except drop Candace off at her house.”
“Oh, say you’ll let us, Kels, please!” Zoe begged. “Aunt Olive, tell her it’s all right to accept.”
Aunt Olive shook her head. “Zoe, Zoe, why don’t you ask her and then give her a chance to answer?”
“Because I’m afraid she’ll say no.”
Kelsey looked from one face to another. “I don’t want to inconvenience you if you have to take Candace home–” she began.
Just then Candace burst into the hall where the others were standing. “Wally, you’re a dear to offer to take me home,” she began not seeming to notice she was interrupting someone, “but I’m going to go with Violet. Her father came to pick her up and said he’d take me too. He’s driving his new car, Zoe! I’m sure you’d be welcome too unless you want to ride in Wally’s old car.” She smiled at her cousins.
“I thought you liked my car,” Wally said.
“I do, when I can’t get a ride in a newer model.” She flashed a dazzling smile at him before turning to her other cousin. “Zoe, do you want to go with us?”
But Zoe shook her head. “No, Wally and I are going to take Kelsey home. Have fun.”
It was only then that Candace acknowledged Kelsey. With a nod, she said, “Bye, Kelsey.” Then not giving anyone time to say another word, she whirled around and disappeared.
In a little while Kelsey found herself riding with Zoe and her brother, giving directions for how to get to her house but not saying any other words. She was still thinking about Miss Olive’s story.
“That’s our house,” she said at last, pointing to a narrow brick structure two stories high. “You can let me off here. Zoe, I’ll bring your dress back to you.”
“Oh, keep it. It looks better on you than it does on me. Besides, I never looked good in it, did I Wally?”
Kelsey didn’t hear his answer, if he gave one, for she was already out of the car, her wet garments clutched in her arms. “Thanks for the lift,” she turned to say, her smile bright.
“You’re welcome. See you on Monday, Kels!”
As Kelsey ran across the yard to the porch, Zoe watched as the front door opened and girls of all sizes poured onto the covered porch and the sound of their laughter and chatter reached the car.
“She reminds me of Aunt Olive.”
Zoe turned to her brother. “I was thinking the same thing. And she’s just like those flowers she picked this afternoon. She brightens things up considerably. I want to take her home.”
“It’s all right to cry. I did. I still do some times, but when I see one of these lovely little flowers,” and Aunt Olive leaned forward and with gentle finger touched a golden petal, “I am reminded of something my old friend told me the day before he died. ‘Olive,’ he said, holding my hand in his, ‘life isn’t easy. It’s hard, and we may want to hide our faces, but don’t do it. Be like those bright yellow flowers out there. They bloom in the rain because when the sun is shining they kept their faces turned toward it. They may not live long, but they brighten the world wherever they grow. Keep your face toward Jesus Christ, and you’ll be able to smile in the rain as well as in the sunshine. Don’t stop brightening the world just because Ernest has gone. Promise me you won’t turn bitter, Olive Child.’ With his tired, worn hand in mine, and a vase of lovely coreopsis blooming beside the bed, I promised. And, God helping me, I’ve kept that promise. It hasn’t always been easy, but the sight of these flowers always helps.”
Giving a long sigh, Miss Olive smiled. “I haven’t told that story before, but Kelsey’s gift was such a sweet reminder that I thought you all might like to hear it. You all have the same choice I have, you can frown and wilt under the rain of trials, or you can keep your face bright with the light of Jesus Christ.”
It was a more subdued group who gathered their things together and prepared to leave Miss Olive’s hospitable home.
“How are you getting home, Kels?” Zoe asked, noticing the other girls dashing through the light rain to cars where a parent or friend was waiting. Several of them left together, but Kelsey didn’t seem in any hurry.
“Oh, I’ll just walk home,” was the easy reply. “That’s how I came.” She started up the steps to change her clothes.
“But it wasn’t raining then,” protested Zoe.
Kelsey shrugged with a smile. “It won’t hurt me. I’ll just put on my wet clothes, and I’ll–”
“Kels!” Zoe exclaimed. “You can’t go out there again and get wet! You’d end up sick.”
At that Kelsey burst into a merry laugh. “Me? Sick? Zoe, I don’t think a little more rain will hurt me. I’m not going to melt and it isn’t cold.”
“Aunt Olive.” Zoe called for reinforcements. “Tell Kelsey she shouldn’t think of walking home in the rain after she’s already been out walking in the rain once today.”
Coming out of the kitchen with Aunt Olive, Wally said, “Why don’t we take her home, Zoe. I have my car and nothing else to do the rest of the day except drop Candace off at her house.”
“Oh, say you’ll let us, Kels, please!” Zoe begged. “Aunt Olive, tell her it’s all right to accept.”
Aunt Olive shook her head. “Zoe, Zoe, why don’t you ask her and then give her a chance to answer?”
“Because I’m afraid she’ll say no.”
Kelsey looked from one face to another. “I don’t want to inconvenience you if you have to take Candace home–” she began.
Just then Candace burst into the hall where the others were standing. “Wally, you’re a dear to offer to take me home,” she began not seeming to notice she was interrupting someone, “but I’m going to go with Violet. Her father came to pick her up and said he’d take me too. He’s driving his new car, Zoe! I’m sure you’d be welcome too unless you want to ride in Wally’s old car.” She smiled at her cousins.
“I thought you liked my car,” Wally said.
“I do, when I can’t get a ride in a newer model.” She flashed a dazzling smile at him before turning to her other cousin. “Zoe, do you want to go with us?”
But Zoe shook her head. “No, Wally and I are going to take Kelsey home. Have fun.”
It was only then that Candace acknowledged Kelsey. With a nod, she said, “Bye, Kelsey.” Then not giving anyone time to say another word, she whirled around and disappeared.
In a little while Kelsey found herself riding with Zoe and her brother, giving directions for how to get to her house but not saying any other words. She was still thinking about Miss Olive’s story.
“That’s our house,” she said at last, pointing to a narrow brick structure two stories high. “You can let me off here. Zoe, I’ll bring your dress back to you.”
“Oh, keep it. It looks better on you than it does on me. Besides, I never looked good in it, did I Wally?”
Kelsey didn’t hear his answer, if he gave one, for she was already out of the car, her wet garments clutched in her arms. “Thanks for the lift,” she turned to say, her smile bright.
“You’re welcome. See you on Monday, Kels!”
As Kelsey ran across the yard to the porch, Zoe watched as the front door opened and girls of all sizes poured onto the covered porch and the sound of their laughter and chatter reached the car.
“She reminds me of Aunt Olive.”
Zoe turned to her brother. “I was thinking the same thing. And she’s just like those flowers she picked this afternoon. She brightens things up considerably. I want to take her home.”
Well, what did you think?
Do you know anyone who always seems to brighten a room?
Do you smile in the rain when life is hard?
Ohh, I liked it!! This was such a sweet story!
ReplyDeleteHmm, well, I'd really like to read some more of Dylan's story . . . ;) Other than that, I'm not sure! Some more Rilla and the Gang stories would be fun!
I loved the story, it's so so very sweet:)
ReplyDeleteDo you have any other story's with Kelsey and Zoe and Wally and them all? If you do you could post that, or if you don't that would make a lot of good short storys probably:)
Have a great day!
Thanks, Jesseca!
ReplyDeleteI might be able to give you another part of Dylan's Story. I wish I had another Ria and the Gang story to post. I have ideas for some, but no new ones written.
Glad you enjoyed this, Marissa!
No, I don't have any other stories about Kelsey, Zoe and Wally. I have thought of writing a few others about them though. Maybe I will. Thanks for the suggestion. :)