I woke before the sun. The sky was the color of ash in all shades. It was going to be a foggy morning. I slipped out from between the still sleeping babes. There was a chill in the air and I realized the minute my feet hit the floor that I would be needing a pair of slippers. Taking a spare blanket I wrapped it around myself and headed for the kitchen. I love my early morning coffee before the demands of motherhood wake up and plan my day for me. I love to sit in the conservatory, sip my first cup and watch the sun rise. I sat in Grandpa’s chair. He must have been a big man because I always feel like such a little girl sitting here staring out at the large space around me. Perhaps today I will fix this room up. I could find some plants in town. We could go to the city. It may be a good day to find some new bikes for the kids. I sat there dreamily sipping my coffee which was disappearing much more quickly than I like. I like this moment. Making plans for this room. Washing all the windows will be interesting. I stood up and walked toward the center windows, a flash of color startled me. I stopped abruptly. The sun was illuminating a wall of thick fog and the gray was giving way to a blanket of white. I looked out the window and saw a what appeared to be a reflection of the room. A little girl in white nightgown was fixated on a beautiful huge Christmas tree. I blinked. Could it be a memory? Was I at this house at Christmas time? I will have to ask Grandma. There is so much I don’t know. So much I don’t remember. I looked at the spot where the reflection had come from. It was a great place for a Christmas tree. Maybe I am having a memory. Feeling as though the room was full of people walking around, talking and laughing, a warmth and peacefulness surrounding me, I stood in the place where the tree may have been and looked around at the bare room. This room has seen a lot of times, celebrations and sorrows. I wondered why the tree would have been in the conservatory and not in the great room. Lots of questions for Grandma were crowding into my head but they were interrupted by the patter of little feet.
After breakfast we set to cleaning the windows in the conservatory. Greta and Teddy started off using a whole roll of paper towels on the lower windows. They became distracted once they got to the cardboard roll and began to fight over it. I let them unroll another roll of towel so that there could be one for each. My goodness but I think I will use all of that on these windows. I soon decided to use cloth towels and put the wad of paper in a drawer. Mid morning we made a field trip to the garages to find a ladder and Teddy decided he should be the one to use it. Greta didn’t want either of us on the ladder, she said it frightened her. We didn’t make much progress and soon abandoned the project for lunch.
Great Nana was extra tired today so I didn’t ask her any of my hundreds of questions. They could wait until tomorrow. It was warm outside and we walked around the grounds together. But she didn’t want to stay out long.
On the way home we stopped at a small Walmart on the other side of town where we found new bikes and several decent plants for the conservatory. Most nurseries were already closed this time of year so these would have to do for now. Greta and Teddy were nodding off on the drive home. They still needed their afternoon naps. I feel so privileged to have this place to drive home to. This place to bring the children. It has so much space and is so full of adventure. They have been so happy here these last few months. I turned into the driveway with so much thankfulness in my thoughts. I feel as though I can deal with almost anything when I have a good safe place to call my home. The gate stood open. I know I closed the gate when we left. I wondered who could be here. I haven’t had a visitor here since I moved in. Aunt Melinda keeps saying she will stop out, but she hasn’t made it out yet. The neighbor who mows the lawns just rides his lawn mower over. The guy who farms the hay fields, he drives his tractor across the field. He doesn’t use the driveway. I pulled slowly up the long drive and turned the corner around the garages.
An empty black Audi Convertible sat idling off to the side. A Kentucky license plate disclosed the owners identity. Could it be? Would he dare to come here? No phone call, just show up? Was he alone? Where is he? My thoughts a mess, and feeling so vulnerable I pulled into the garage and closed the door behind me. He is not here to pick up the children with a car like that. Greta had noticed the car in the drive. She wanted to know who is here and then Teddy started asking questions. Both of them so tired, I rushed them through the house to the bedroom. We lay down on the bed together. Whoever is out there can wait. I’m not very good at pretending because both of them sensing my tension sat up and looked at me. “Mommy,” said Greta, “shall we look for the person who belongs to the car?” “Let’s make it an adventure!” I bravely announced. We looked out one window and then another, to see if anyone was there. Not seeing anyone we went outside. The car was gone. We walked down the drive a short distance to see if the gate was closed and it was. Puzzled we went inside again to try for that nap.
After breakfast we set to cleaning the windows in the conservatory. Greta and Teddy started off using a whole roll of paper towels on the lower windows. They became distracted once they got to the cardboard roll and began to fight over it. I let them unroll another roll of towel so that there could be one for each. My goodness but I think I will use all of that on these windows. I soon decided to use cloth towels and put the wad of paper in a drawer. Mid morning we made a field trip to the garages to find a ladder and Teddy decided he should be the one to use it. Greta didn’t want either of us on the ladder, she said it frightened her. We didn’t make much progress and soon abandoned the project for lunch.
Great Nana was extra tired today so I didn’t ask her any of my hundreds of questions. They could wait until tomorrow. It was warm outside and we walked around the grounds together. But she didn’t want to stay out long.
On the way home we stopped at a small Walmart on the other side of town where we found new bikes and several decent plants for the conservatory. Most nurseries were already closed this time of year so these would have to do for now. Greta and Teddy were nodding off on the drive home. They still needed their afternoon naps. I feel so privileged to have this place to drive home to. This place to bring the children. It has so much space and is so full of adventure. They have been so happy here these last few months. I turned into the driveway with so much thankfulness in my thoughts. I feel as though I can deal with almost anything when I have a good safe place to call my home. The gate stood open. I know I closed the gate when we left. I wondered who could be here. I haven’t had a visitor here since I moved in. Aunt Melinda keeps saying she will stop out, but she hasn’t made it out yet. The neighbor who mows the lawns just rides his lawn mower over. The guy who farms the hay fields, he drives his tractor across the field. He doesn’t use the driveway. I pulled slowly up the long drive and turned the corner around the garages.
An empty black Audi Convertible sat idling off to the side. A Kentucky license plate disclosed the owners identity. Could it be? Would he dare to come here? No phone call, just show up? Was he alone? Where is he? My thoughts a mess, and feeling so vulnerable I pulled into the garage and closed the door behind me. He is not here to pick up the children with a car like that. Greta had noticed the car in the drive. She wanted to know who is here and then Teddy started asking questions. Both of them so tired, I rushed them through the house to the bedroom. We lay down on the bed together. Whoever is out there can wait. I’m not very good at pretending because both of them sensing my tension sat up and looked at me. “Mommy,” said Greta, “shall we look for the person who belongs to the car?” “Let’s make it an adventure!” I bravely announced. We looked out one window and then another, to see if anyone was there. Not seeing anyone we went outside. The car was gone. We walked down the drive a short distance to see if the gate was closed and it was. Puzzled we went inside again to try for that nap.
Elizabeth Williams, writing exercise, The House, 1,036 words.
Previous chapters of The House: The House 4 , The House 3 , The House 2 , The House 1
To read the next chapter: The House 6, The House 7, The House 8
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