Hello, Faithful Friday Fiction Fans!
Even if you don't read it on Friday. :) I hope you are having a good week. I'm having a disappearing week. You know, the kind that starts out with a relaxed Sunday, you go to bed, and then suddenly it's Friday. I think there were some days in-between that, but it sure feels like I'm missing several days.
Even if you don't read it on Friday. :) I hope you are having a good week. I'm having a disappearing week. You know, the kind that starts out with a relaxed Sunday, you go to bed, and then suddenly it's Friday. I think there were some days in-between that, but it sure feels like I'm missing several days.
Right now the windows are open and the sun is up in the east. The birds are pretty quiet except for a Bluejay. I saw a squirrel in a tree, but not the "baby boing boing" as my 2 1/2 year old niece, Ti-K calls rabbits. :) I think it's supposed to get warm again, so we'll enjoy the open windows while we can.
I got "Finding Joy" corrected! Now I have to divide it into chapters, print it and take it to a test/beta reader on Sunday. I'm hoping to be publishing it some time in October with a blog tour, so if you have a blog and want to be a part of this new release, leave a comment, or sent me an email and I'll put you on the list.
Speaking of releasing new books, I'm hoping to release "Dylan's Story" next month. If it doesn't get released then, I might do a double release with both "Dylan's Story" and "Finding Joy." What do you think? Should I release them separately or together?
And I still need to get my Christmas stories finished. I seem to work on them here and there with days or even a full week between times. I have made progress, but it's just rather slow. I did get the synopses written for the rest of the stories I am publishing this year, so that's good. That means I can do the covers. These are going to be so much fun to release! I love Christmas stories!
Okay, okay, I'll let you get back to this mystery, and I'll get on to other things. Happy reading!
A Good Summer
Part 3
Patrick, Kathleen and Angelina scampered and soon Aunt Nan came up, and after listening to prayers, kissed each one and tucked them in saying, “God bless you and keep you safe through the night. Sweet dreams.”
After she had gone downstairs, Kathleen bounced up in bed. “Lina,” she whispered, “isn’t it such a quiet as you’ve never heard?”
“Yes.”
“And tis still light outside.”
Angelina sat up. A rosy gleam from the setting sun seemed to make their pink room glow with a soft light. “It is so pretty here,” she breathed.
“Yes,” Kathleen agreed, “but you remember that pump?”
Angelina nodded but didn’t reply as a step outside their room was heard, the door softly opened and Patrick’s red head looked in.
“Sure tis you’re wanting to talk about the mystery too,” Kathleen whispered and motioned to her bed.
Patrick tiptoed across and perched on his sister’s bed. “Sure,” he replied softly, “tis a mystery for us all.”
“When Pat and I went up in the loft, we saw a bit of a blanket in a corner, like it was thought to be hiding just, but—”
“I asked Uncle all he keeps up there and he said hay,” Patrick finished.
Sitting in bed with her arms clasped about the sheet around her knees, Angelina listened with wide eyes.
“What do you think of it, Lina?”
For a moment the girl was quiet, then in a whisper so soft that the twins crept closer to hear, she told them about seeing a movement and the feeling of being watched.
“Ah, tis indeed a real mystery,” sighed Kathleen in delight. “Could it be just a thief or a desperate character?”
Angelina shivered. The room had lost its glow and was growing dark. “I don’t think I like it,” she whispered.
“For shame, Kath,” Patrick chided, “Tis not kind to say such things. Like as not tis someone in need of a friend.” Patrick’s imagination wasn’t as dramatic as his sister’s and preferred thinking the best of people and situations.
“But,” Kathleen protested, “if it’s a friend he needs, why does he hide?”
Patrick shrugged and the trio in the dark bedroom sat in silence for a full minute.
“Whoever it is needs a friend sure,” Patrick at last broke the silence, “and a better friend he could not have than Jesus Christ sure. Why don’t we pray for him?”
“Tis the right thing just,” Kathleen agreed and the three children slipped to their knees and prayed for the mysterious person.
The sun was barely above the eastern horizon when the children rose. All were eager to see what the day held and hurried with their clothes. The twins, as soon as they were dressed, dashed down the stairs while Angelina remained behind. Being the second child in a family of eleven, Angelina had early learned that neatness and order were important, therefore, she made her bed and that of Kathleen and hung up their clothes before she slipped down the stairs.
Aunt Nancy greeted her in the kitchen with a smile. “The twins are out helping Uncle Dan with the morning chores,” she told her young guest. “Would you like to go out too?”
“May I set the table?”
To this Mrs. Cutlass readily assented, delighted to have about her the quiet, helpful girl.
By the time Mr. Cutlass came in with his two helpers, breakfast was ready to be served as soon as they washed up.
During the meal, Uncle Dan asked what the children had planned for the day.
As usual it was Kathleen who spoke first, “Ah, tis a mystery—”
She stopped short as her twin kicked her under the table and finished for her, “for we haven’t talked with you.”
Uncle Dan laughed. These youngsters were so amusing. “I haven’t any plans for you unless you want to learn to ride the horses this morning before it grows too hot.”
An excited squeal came from Kathleen, all thoughts of a mystery vanishing at once from her mind.
“It’s sure we would be liking that, Uncle Dan,” Patrick replied, eyes sparkling.
“And what about you?” Uncle Dan turned to the still shy girl at his right. “Would you like to learn to ride a horse too?”
The girl’s dark eyes looked eager, but she spoke hesitatingly, “If Aunt Nan doesn’t need me—”
“Not at all, Child,” Aunt Nancy interrupted. “You’ve helped this morning and there isn’t much more that needs done. You go along. Uncle Dan could use a quiet person like you around for a bit. You can help me later.”
It wasn’t until after lunch that any of the children thought about the mud under the pump or the corner of a blanket hidden up in the hay loft. Uncle Dan had gone off to work elsewhere on the ranch telling the children that after a few more days of riding he’d take them out and teach them to mend fences and bring in the cattle. Aunt Nancy was settled on the shady porch with her mending basket and when Angelina offered to help her mend, saying that she did it at home, Aunt Nancy said, “I’m sure you are a help to your mother, Dear, but I don’t have that much mending right now. You just run along with the twins and play. You can help me mend another time when Pat gets holes in his trousers and— Goodness, children!” Aunt Nancy exclaimed, “Take off those shoes and stockings! There is no need to wear them now!”
After she had gone downstairs, Kathleen bounced up in bed. “Lina,” she whispered, “isn’t it such a quiet as you’ve never heard?”
“Yes.”
“And tis still light outside.”
Angelina sat up. A rosy gleam from the setting sun seemed to make their pink room glow with a soft light. “It is so pretty here,” she breathed.
“Yes,” Kathleen agreed, “but you remember that pump?”
Angelina nodded but didn’t reply as a step outside their room was heard, the door softly opened and Patrick’s red head looked in.
“Sure tis you’re wanting to talk about the mystery too,” Kathleen whispered and motioned to her bed.
Patrick tiptoed across and perched on his sister’s bed. “Sure,” he replied softly, “tis a mystery for us all.”
“When Pat and I went up in the loft, we saw a bit of a blanket in a corner, like it was thought to be hiding just, but—”
“I asked Uncle all he keeps up there and he said hay,” Patrick finished.
Sitting in bed with her arms clasped about the sheet around her knees, Angelina listened with wide eyes.
“What do you think of it, Lina?”
For a moment the girl was quiet, then in a whisper so soft that the twins crept closer to hear, she told them about seeing a movement and the feeling of being watched.
“Ah, tis indeed a real mystery,” sighed Kathleen in delight. “Could it be just a thief or a desperate character?”
Angelina shivered. The room had lost its glow and was growing dark. “I don’t think I like it,” she whispered.
“For shame, Kath,” Patrick chided, “Tis not kind to say such things. Like as not tis someone in need of a friend.” Patrick’s imagination wasn’t as dramatic as his sister’s and preferred thinking the best of people and situations.
“But,” Kathleen protested, “if it’s a friend he needs, why does he hide?”
Patrick shrugged and the trio in the dark bedroom sat in silence for a full minute.
“Whoever it is needs a friend sure,” Patrick at last broke the silence, “and a better friend he could not have than Jesus Christ sure. Why don’t we pray for him?”
“Tis the right thing just,” Kathleen agreed and the three children slipped to their knees and prayed for the mysterious person.
The sun was barely above the eastern horizon when the children rose. All were eager to see what the day held and hurried with their clothes. The twins, as soon as they were dressed, dashed down the stairs while Angelina remained behind. Being the second child in a family of eleven, Angelina had early learned that neatness and order were important, therefore, she made her bed and that of Kathleen and hung up their clothes before she slipped down the stairs.
Aunt Nancy greeted her in the kitchen with a smile. “The twins are out helping Uncle Dan with the morning chores,” she told her young guest. “Would you like to go out too?”
“May I set the table?”
To this Mrs. Cutlass readily assented, delighted to have about her the quiet, helpful girl.
By the time Mr. Cutlass came in with his two helpers, breakfast was ready to be served as soon as they washed up.
During the meal, Uncle Dan asked what the children had planned for the day.
As usual it was Kathleen who spoke first, “Ah, tis a mystery—”
She stopped short as her twin kicked her under the table and finished for her, “for we haven’t talked with you.”
Uncle Dan laughed. These youngsters were so amusing. “I haven’t any plans for you unless you want to learn to ride the horses this morning before it grows too hot.”
An excited squeal came from Kathleen, all thoughts of a mystery vanishing at once from her mind.
“It’s sure we would be liking that, Uncle Dan,” Patrick replied, eyes sparkling.
“And what about you?” Uncle Dan turned to the still shy girl at his right. “Would you like to learn to ride a horse too?”
The girl’s dark eyes looked eager, but she spoke hesitatingly, “If Aunt Nan doesn’t need me—”
“Not at all, Child,” Aunt Nancy interrupted. “You’ve helped this morning and there isn’t much more that needs done. You go along. Uncle Dan could use a quiet person like you around for a bit. You can help me later.”
It wasn’t until after lunch that any of the children thought about the mud under the pump or the corner of a blanket hidden up in the hay loft. Uncle Dan had gone off to work elsewhere on the ranch telling the children that after a few more days of riding he’d take them out and teach them to mend fences and bring in the cattle. Aunt Nancy was settled on the shady porch with her mending basket and when Angelina offered to help her mend, saying that she did it at home, Aunt Nancy said, “I’m sure you are a help to your mother, Dear, but I don’t have that much mending right now. You just run along with the twins and play. You can help me mend another time when Pat gets holes in his trousers and— Goodness, children!” Aunt Nancy exclaimed, “Take off those shoes and stockings! There is no need to wear them now!”
Is your imagination as wild as Kath's?
Would you prefer to run around barefoot or with shoes?
Have you ever ridden a horse?
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