Uneven Pavement - a flash fiction piece

It's taken me awhile to embrace this TimeHop feature on Facebook. At first I really enjoyed looking at the old photographs and it helped put things in perspective (as far as how much life can change in a short amount of time). Many of my WOW! Women on Writing book blog tours have appeared as memories and it's been fun to revisit some much loved authors, blogs, and posts.

Recently, one of my own flash fiction pieces came across my screen. I didn't remember writing it and I had a few minutes to spare. I sat outside the elementary school and read my own work as if someone else had authored it. I found some areas of improvement (of course), but for the most part I enjoyed what I had written. This served as a great reminder I need to find more time for my own writing. I thought I'd share it with my social media and just see if anyone thought it worthy. I was surprised by the support and praise. One of my friends from across the ocean eagerly asked where she could read the follow up to the story. I guess that was all the motivation I needed. Here goes...

PS - please be kind with your comments, I haven't written anything in several years

Uneven Pavement (Phase II for Gabe & Sylvia)

“Gabe?”
…silence…
“GABE!”

Gabe was washing out his travel mug, looking out the window enjoying the wind blowing through the old trees in the yard when he realized his father was trying to get his attention.

“Sorry Dad. Did you need something?” asked Gabe as he dried his hands on the towel sticking out of the back pocket of his faded jeans. He should be more attentive to his aging father. After all, Earl had come to live with him because he was lonely at the nursing home. Gabe hated to admit it, but he was lonely too. They were good for each other and Gabe enjoyed having someone to talk to at the end of a hard day at the office.

“I’ll have whatever it is you’re having son. I haven’t seen you smile that broad since your Mama was sitting at this very table talking about how delicious your cinnamon rolls turned out. You don’t feel like making those this morning, do you son? It would make an old man’s heart happy.” His father asked with a sweet twinkle in his eye.

Gabe gently reminded his father about the Doctor’s orders and how his medication would work much better if he watched what he ate and lost 5 pounds. The elderly man peeled his banana and tried to enjoy his fruit juice. Both men were aware a piping hot cinnamon roll with a large steaming cup of coffee would be far better start to the day.

Gabe finished the dishes, hung up the towel, and proceeded to give his father instructions for the day. He was running a bit behind due to that Sylvia woman who had landed in the yard. Gabe had gone out to get the morning paper and got more than he bargained for when Sylvia Slattery tripped on the uneven pavement outside Gabe’s home. It really wasn’t completely her fault as Gabe had been meaning to fix the concrete for quite some time. She had such lovely eyes and he couldn’t shake the feeling they had met before.

“You’re smiling like the cat that ate the canary son. What’s on your mind?” asked Earl.

“It’s that Sylvia woman I told you about Dad. I feel awful about her falling. I’m gunna call and get Sullivan Brothers to come fix the sidewalk before the snow flies.” Said Gabe, but the look on his face said he would be doing more than that.

Gabe headed to his office and on the drive he made a mental checklist:
Send Sylvia Slattery flowers
Call Sullivan Brothers
Buy a new suit
Get a hair cut

Gabe was so distracted; he drove right past his office building and found himself in front of O’Leary Floral. He had meant to call Karen and place an order, but as long as he was in the neighborhood, he decided it best to pick something out himself.

“Good Morning Gabe. Is that really you?” asked Gabe’s longtime friend Karen as he walked into her shop for the first time in nearly a decade.

“In the flesh. I’m wondering if you have something in purple?” he asked Karen as he looked past all the seasonal arrangements in orange, brown, and gold.

“Does your lady friend like roses, I have some lovely lavender roses over here in the cooler.” Karen said as she winked at Gabe.

“Oh heavens no woman. She’s not a lady friend at all. Sylvia is…well, she’s just sort of this woman who”

“Sylvia? Please say it’s not Sylvia Slattery Gabe.” Demanded Karen after cutting him off mid-sentence.

Gabe shook his head and together they picked out a suitable arrangement. Gabe couldn’t help but wonder why Karen didn’t like Sylvia but no sense letting the local gossip ruin what started as a phenomenal day. O’Leary’s would deliver the flowers to Sylvia and that would be the end of it, or so he hoped.


The original piece can be found here: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/2012/10/she-smiled-despite-herself-flash-fiction.html

Crystal is a church musician, babywearing mama, business owner, active journaler, writer and blogger, Blog Tour Manager with WOW! Women on Writing, Publicist with Dream of Things Publishing, as well as a dairy farmer. She lives in Reedsville, Wisconsin with her husband, four young children (Carmen 8, Andre 7, Breccan 2, and Delphine 7 months), two dogs, two rabbits, four little piggies, a handful of cats and kittens, and over 230 Holsteins.

You can find Crystal blogging and reviewing books, baby carriers, cloth diapers, and all sorts of other stuff at: http://bringonlemons.blogspot.com/
and here: http://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com/