Simple Joy

On invisible currents a whimsical translucent orb floated.  Its wayward movements seemed impervious to the pull of gravity. 

Wide eyed, a pair of toddlers watched as the glistening sphere drifted past.

On the step their aunt pulled a loop from a bottle and raising it to her lips blew ever so delicately, creating another to float into the yard for their pleasure.

Spellbound by the marvelous sight, first one then the other reaches out to touch the almost invisible bubble.  Together they burst into giggles as it popped out of existence.  They turned to their aunt and clamored for more. 

The Inheritance - 2

Lisa woke up later than she planned.  Her sister and family had flown in the day before and the two of them had stayed up after the rest had retired for the night talking.  On the surface Lily seemed not to have changed over the years allowing the two sisters to reconnect as if little time had passed.  With the sun glowing behind her bedroom shades Lisa tossed back her covers and slipped out of bed.  The plan was to get to the beach early to stake out a couple of picnic tables in the shade.  A good plan provided they got a move on.

“Come on, sweetie, let’s get the day started.”

A moan from the man she loved escaped from the lump still buried in the covers.

“What time is it?”

“Seven.  We need to leave by 9:30 and I could use your help in getting things packed up.”  Lisa said pulling on her sweatpants.

“I thought you would sleep in after staying up so late last night.”

“Come on.  It will be fun for our nieces and nephews and besides the weather is suppose to be perfect.”

“Humph.  Okay, I’m getting up.”  Tom said rolling over on to his back.

Lisa headed out of the bedroom toward the kitchen to get breakfast and more importantly coffee started.  Her sister, Lily stepped out of the guest room in front of her and greeted her with a smile.

‘Looks like a gorgeous day.”

There was a nervous energy around Lily, a caginess Lisa noticed when she met them at the airport yesterday.  At the time Lisa put it down to travel tied in with anxiety about interacting with family after so long.  Now she wondered as vague twitches of warning scampered up her back raising the wisps of hair on the back of her neck.

“Yes, a great day for a picnic and water sports.”  Lisa looped her arm through her sister’s and the two of them walked down the hallway to the kitchen.  “We are going to have a fun day.”

To be continued…

Interruption

A wet nose nudged his arm as he focused on the screen in front of him.  His concentration broken he glanced down at his four-legged pet sitting beside him.

“Hey!  I’m in the middle of something!”

Big, brown eyes met his blue eyes.  Intent on her master’s face, her eyes dilated with the intensity of her focus, she seemed on the verge of speaking.  The plea for attention was so apparent he could not look away.  A grin started at the corner of his lips, spreading across his face until his eyes lit up.

“This can wait.  Let’s go play.”  

The Inheritance (1)

The forecast called for a high in the mid seventies, partly cloudy and a 10 percent chance rain, an almost perfect day for a picnic at a nearby lake.  Lisa smiled at the thought of a day at the beach, relaxing, grilling, boating and swimming.  She had planned the outing as soon as she knew her sister, Lily, and family were really coming for a visit.  It had to have been ten years since she last saw any of them; in fact, she realized, her sister’s youngest had not been born yet when they moved away.  Occasional phone calls and the exchange of birthday cards was the extent of contact between them over the years and to her knowledge there had been zero communication between their brother, Mike, and Lily since their parents passing. 

The two siblings had a major falling out over the inheritance creating hurt feelings and a rift as wide as the Grand Canyon between them.  It didn’t help when her sister’s husband took a job on the west coast creating a physical separation on top of the emotional one.

Lisa, being the middle child, had remained neutral attempting to mediate between her older sister and younger brother, to sooth over the raw emotions and keep the family in touch with each other.

To be continued…

Childhood Games

One. Two. Three.

“Hey, no peeking.”

Four. Five. Six.

“This is my spot.  Find your own.”

Seven. Eight. Nine.

“I need more time, count higher.”

Ten, ready or not here I come.

Silence filled the yard as giggles were suppressed. 

Lucy, pigtails hanging down her back, turned away from the porch railing.  For a moment she surveyed the area.  A mischievous grin appeared on her face as she noted the tell tale flashes of colorful clothing peeking out from behind bushes and the corner of the garage.  She skipped out into the backyard looking for one of the hidden players.

Heat

Heat!  It enveloped her as she stepped outside, wrapping its hot, fiery arms around her as she left the place of her recent employment. 

She gasped under the weight of the humidity.  The heaviness left her struggling to move forward resisting the call of the air-conditioned office building she had left behind.  She felt the heat radiating upwards from the sidewalk, climbing up her legs, pulling on her, and slowing her pace as she walked with a lethargic gait toward her car cooking in the parking lot. 

Dignified she approached her vehicle, the turmoil boiling within matching the boiling air.