Good Morning Faithful Friday Fiction Fans,
It's overcast this morning but not cool. Yesterday was sunny and 80º. Tomorrow is supposed to be the same which is good because we have a wedding to attend. :)
Yesterday I spend most of the day helping decorate for the wedding. It was such fun. :) The colors are navy and white and yellow. And she has daisies for flowers.
It's been another one of those crazy weeks. With a wedding last Saturday, then my best friend #2 and her family were down for a visit from Canada, and I went to the park with them on Monday, went out to lunch with just my best friends on Tuesday and then got to bring her 2 year old down to play on our swings and slide for a while Wednesday morning, I've been busy.
I have almost gotten 5k written. Hopefully I can get the last few hundred words written today and tomorrow morning. "Dylan's Story" is almost done. I'm wrapping things up. :)
There are probably other things I could talk about, but I don't feel like I'm making much sense, and as I have other things to do today, so I'll let you get on with this next part of the story. Enjoy!
A Lesson in Contentment
Part 5
“Of course we’re not going back,” Zoe exclaimed. “The party was almost over anyway. Wally and I are going to drive you and Lottie to the hospital in his car. Your parents will meet us there. We thought you’d like that better than going in an ambulance.”
“I don’t need a hospital,” Kelsey scoffed, wincing slightly, but determined. “I’ll be fine after a few days of rest at home.”
Wally spoke up. “Kelsey, we think your leg is broken.”
“Who’s we?” Kelsey’s eyes moved from the young man’s face to her leg stretched out before her, and then back to Wally’s face.
“Mr. Parson, the officer, me and another gentleman. Somethings wrong with it, Kelsey. It needs an x-ray, and a doctor.”
For a long time Kelsey sat in silence. How could her leg be broken? The car hadn’t hit her, had it? If it was broken, why didn’t it hurt sooner? She didn’t want to ride with Wally and Zoe. It was kind of them to offer, but she’d rather go with Mike and Lauren. If she had only called them sooner– No, then Mrs. Stuebanks would probably have been hit by that car! But there was still time if Lottie would go call Mike–
“Kels,” Lottie whispered, leaning close to her sister. “I’m going to go get our skates, okay?”
Kelsey nodded. They should get them even if they waited for Mike. The throbbing in her temples had returned, and she leaned her head back, wishing the back of the chair was higher.
They were home. Kelsey looked wearily out the station wagon windows at the lighted windows of the house. Night had settled around, and Kelsey remembered how long the shadows were becoming when she had sat outside the skating rink. Was it only a few hours ago? The front door was flung open as the car pulled to a stop in the street before it, and her younger sisters rushed out followed by Lauren and Mike. Kelsey glanced at her leg. It was in a plaster cast and lay resting on the backseat, while a pair of crutches was in the back with Lottie. Her leg had been broken. The doctor said it wasn’t a bad break, but she wouldn’t be walking on it for at least six weeks. Six weeks of hobbling about the house. Six weeks of not going up to the home to visit the old folks who had become her friends. Six weeks of–
The car door opened and five voices all talking at once broke the quiet of the car. Though her leg still ached, and she felt tired, Kelsey couldn’t help smiling. She knew she had become a very important member of the family because she was the only one to have broken any bones. At least so far.
“Kels,” her dad, after gently pushing aside his younger daughters, leaned in to say, “I’m going to let Mike carry you inside, all right?”
“Sure, Dad. I’ll take to the crutches later, after I’ve had a bit of a rest.”
“Good girl. Just wait until tomorrow, like the doctor suggested.” Mr. McKenzie patted her shoulder and moved back to let Mike take his place.
As he carried her across the yard, Mike grinned down at her. “If you didn’t want to stay at the party, you could have just called me instead of taking such drastic measures,” he teased. “And I thought you were the one who hated to be the center of attention in a crowd.”
Feeling her cheeks grow warm, Kelsey gave a little laugh. “I really don’t know where all the people came from. There was no one anywhere except me and Mrs. Stuebanks. And then suddenly there were people everywhere. I think people just come out of the woodwork when accidents happen.”
“It sometimes seems that way. Well, I’ve a feeling you’ll be the center of attention for quite some time now,” and he gently placed her on the worn couch in the living room.
Instantly her sisters swarmed around her, talking and asking questions, trying to get her a glass of water, a blanket, a pillow, and begging her to tell them all about it.
“All right now, all of you be quiet,” Mrs. McKenzie ordered firmly. “Give Kels a chance to catch her breath. Mair, fetch her a glass of water. Hand me that pillow, Ell. The rest of you be still.” As she had talked, Mrs. McKenzie had deftly slipped the pillow behind Kelsey’s back while Lauren carefully settled the injured leg on another one and then spread a light blanket over her.
When the water was brought, Kelsey drank thirstily. “You know,” she remarked, after draining the glass and handing it back to her sister, “I think that was the first water I’ve drunk since I left for the party.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Lottie laughed. “Mr. Parson gave you a glass of water and you drank some of it.”
“I did? I don’t remember that. But everything was rather a blur for a time.”
“Tell the story now, please?” Belle, the youngest sister, begged in a whisper.
Kelsey was a remarkably good storyteller and, in spite of the pain and exhaustion, she told the tale well. Lottie had to fill in much of what had taken place once Kelsey had been carried to the drugstore, for Kelsey didn’t know everything and wasn’t sure just what had happened.
When the story was finally told, everyone fell silent until Mr. McKenzie said, “I think we need to take a moment and thank the Lord for His protection this afternoon.”
Every head bowed as he thanked God for protection and asked for healing for Kelsey and Mrs. Stuebanks, if she was also injured.
“I don’t need a hospital,” Kelsey scoffed, wincing slightly, but determined. “I’ll be fine after a few days of rest at home.”
Wally spoke up. “Kelsey, we think your leg is broken.”
“Who’s we?” Kelsey’s eyes moved from the young man’s face to her leg stretched out before her, and then back to Wally’s face.
“Mr. Parson, the officer, me and another gentleman. Somethings wrong with it, Kelsey. It needs an x-ray, and a doctor.”
For a long time Kelsey sat in silence. How could her leg be broken? The car hadn’t hit her, had it? If it was broken, why didn’t it hurt sooner? She didn’t want to ride with Wally and Zoe. It was kind of them to offer, but she’d rather go with Mike and Lauren. If she had only called them sooner– No, then Mrs. Stuebanks would probably have been hit by that car! But there was still time if Lottie would go call Mike–
“Kels,” Lottie whispered, leaning close to her sister. “I’m going to go get our skates, okay?”
Kelsey nodded. They should get them even if they waited for Mike. The throbbing in her temples had returned, and she leaned her head back, wishing the back of the chair was higher.
*
They were home. Kelsey looked wearily out the station wagon windows at the lighted windows of the house. Night had settled around, and Kelsey remembered how long the shadows were becoming when she had sat outside the skating rink. Was it only a few hours ago? The front door was flung open as the car pulled to a stop in the street before it, and her younger sisters rushed out followed by Lauren and Mike. Kelsey glanced at her leg. It was in a plaster cast and lay resting on the backseat, while a pair of crutches was in the back with Lottie. Her leg had been broken. The doctor said it wasn’t a bad break, but she wouldn’t be walking on it for at least six weeks. Six weeks of hobbling about the house. Six weeks of not going up to the home to visit the old folks who had become her friends. Six weeks of–
The car door opened and five voices all talking at once broke the quiet of the car. Though her leg still ached, and she felt tired, Kelsey couldn’t help smiling. She knew she had become a very important member of the family because she was the only one to have broken any bones. At least so far.
“Kels,” her dad, after gently pushing aside his younger daughters, leaned in to say, “I’m going to let Mike carry you inside, all right?”
“Sure, Dad. I’ll take to the crutches later, after I’ve had a bit of a rest.”
“Good girl. Just wait until tomorrow, like the doctor suggested.” Mr. McKenzie patted her shoulder and moved back to let Mike take his place.
As he carried her across the yard, Mike grinned down at her. “If you didn’t want to stay at the party, you could have just called me instead of taking such drastic measures,” he teased. “And I thought you were the one who hated to be the center of attention in a crowd.”
Feeling her cheeks grow warm, Kelsey gave a little laugh. “I really don’t know where all the people came from. There was no one anywhere except me and Mrs. Stuebanks. And then suddenly there were people everywhere. I think people just come out of the woodwork when accidents happen.”
“It sometimes seems that way. Well, I’ve a feeling you’ll be the center of attention for quite some time now,” and he gently placed her on the worn couch in the living room.
Instantly her sisters swarmed around her, talking and asking questions, trying to get her a glass of water, a blanket, a pillow, and begging her to tell them all about it.
“All right now, all of you be quiet,” Mrs. McKenzie ordered firmly. “Give Kels a chance to catch her breath. Mair, fetch her a glass of water. Hand me that pillow, Ell. The rest of you be still.” As she had talked, Mrs. McKenzie had deftly slipped the pillow behind Kelsey’s back while Lauren carefully settled the injured leg on another one and then spread a light blanket over her.
When the water was brought, Kelsey drank thirstily. “You know,” she remarked, after draining the glass and handing it back to her sister, “I think that was the first water I’ve drunk since I left for the party.”
“No, it wasn’t,” Lottie laughed. “Mr. Parson gave you a glass of water and you drank some of it.”
“I did? I don’t remember that. But everything was rather a blur for a time.”
“Tell the story now, please?” Belle, the youngest sister, begged in a whisper.
Kelsey was a remarkably good storyteller and, in spite of the pain and exhaustion, she told the tale well. Lottie had to fill in much of what had taken place once Kelsey had been carried to the drugstore, for Kelsey didn’t know everything and wasn’t sure just what had happened.
When the story was finally told, everyone fell silent until Mr. McKenzie said, “I think we need to take a moment and thank the Lord for His protection this afternoon.”
Every head bowed as he thanked God for protection and asked for healing for Kelsey and Mrs. Stuebanks, if she was also injured.
Have you ever broken a bone?
Do you like being the center of attention?
Was your week busy, or just normal?
No, never have had any broken bones. No, I don't like being the center of attention. My week has been fairly normal. Yours sounded super busy:)
ReplyDeleteHappy Easter/ Resurrection Sunday. And have a great Good Friday.
No broken bones? Good for you. :) I broke my arm when I was 12 1/2, but that's been it.
ReplyDeleteA normal week sounds delightful right now. I'm hoping next week will be "normal." ;)
Happy Resurrection Sunday to you too! Thanks for reading.
I broke my left arm when I was around 4, and then I broke my right wrist when I was 13. And I hate being the center of attention!
ReplyDeleteTwo broken bones, huh? Try to keep it that way. ;)
ReplyDeleteI can imagine you hating to be the center of attention. Me? I'm an extrovert so being the center of attention just come naturally to me. :)