Public Display

Okay. The big moment. Drum roll please...

I am going to share for the first time to the public a very small segment from my novel. This has only been read by me, my husband and mother-in-law. It is still very much in the first drafting phrase. When I began this story five years ago my idea was to have it be completely told through a child's eyes. But in the last few weeks, my writing has a taken a turn. I have had very vivid dreams about some of the other characters in the family who are not children. And their stories are not necessarily children friendly - so I'm not sure how this will all pull together. Or maybe I'm looking at more than one book. Who knows. But anyway, this segment is from a child's point of view.

Laura Kenshaw’s mother would not have a problem leading Laura to bed tonight. Laura Kenshaw was 6-years old. She was an active child, full of energy and curiosity. Every night at 8:30, Laura’s mother would declare, “Bed time!”
“Mommy, I don’t want to go to bed; I just got the game set up! Lisa and I were going to play Monopoly!”
“That will have to wait until tomorrow, Sweetie. Why don’t you tell Lisa goodnight.”

And thus, the “bedtime meltdown,” as Laura’s father had coined it, would begin. Laura would throw a fit. She would declare that it was not fair she had to go to bed when she was not tired. Laura’s mother would not raise her voice. She would simply state, “Little girls need their rest.” This always made Laura mad. Her hands would curl up into fists and she would say with her jaw clenched, “I am not little.” Laura was in Kindergarten. She could spell out her name. She was not little anymore. But her mother never replied to this. She would simply look at Laura and raise her eyebrows. Laura would try to stand her ground, but she knew it was no use. She would then march off to her bedroom in defeat. Once Laura climbed up in her four poster bed with her favorite purple quilt, she would usually realize she was more tired than she had thought. But she would never let her mother know.

“Let’s see, where did we leave off?” Laura’s mother would ask as she picked up the worn book from the nightstand. Laura and her mother liked to read books together. Laura’s mother knew the bedtime meltdown was over when Laura’s eyes would light up and she would describe, in great detail, what the characters in the book were involved in the previous night.

“Don’t you remember, Mommy? The princess was walking in the woods, and she found the evil witch’s cottage! And…”
“Oh yes, that’s right. How do you remember so well?” Her mother would clear her throat and begin, “Chapter Three. The princess…”
The last thing Laura would remember, before she could not keep her eyes open one more second, would be her mother’s voice saying, “Good night little princess. I love you.” Laura would be too tired to protest the ‘little.’

But tonight was different. Tonight there would be no bedtime meltdown. In fact, it was only 8:00, and Laura had already changed into her pajamas. Tonight was a special night. Although Laura loved to stay up late, she knew that the sooner she went to bed, the sooner tomorrow would arrive. And tomorrow was the day that Laura looked forward to all year. In fact, it was probably the day most little girls and boys looked forward to. But Laura had a special reason for wishing for tomorrow. Tomorrow was the one of the few days of the year she would be around the whole family at Grandma’s house! Tomorrow was Christmas Day.

“Laura, what are you doing in pajamas?” Laura’s father asked. “It wouldn’t have anything to do with tomorrow would it? You’re not looking forward to Christmas are you?” Laura giggled as she looked up into her father’s eyes. “Come here, you little princess! I mean, excuse me – BIG princess!” Laura shrieked as she jumped into her Daddy’s arms. He squeezed Laura as tight as he could without fear of hurting her and sat down in his favorite chair. Laura sat up and smiled at her Daddy.

Laura’s father was always amazed at how beautiful his daughter was. Her hair was dark like her mother’s, with little streaks of red when the sunlight hit it just right. Her hair was thick and wavy. It was just enough to give it a bounce, but not enough to give it curls. Her eyes and smile, though, were her best features. When she smiled, her eyes twinkled and he could see his own mother looking out at him. Laura didn’t understand why everyone said she looked like her grandmother. Her grandmother was old with silver hair; the skin around her eyes and lips had wrinkles. How could she look like her grandmother? But Laura’s father saw the similarity each and every time his daughter smiled.

“Laura, you do remember what we talked about last week, don’t you? About what you asked for Christmas this year?” The skin in between her Daddy’s eyebrows always wrinkled into two creases when he spoke seriously. Laura nodded her head cautiously.
“Yes, Daddy, I remember. I am not getting what I asked Santa for Christmas this year. But I am getting other presents! Right?” Laura had asked this the first time they had discussed her request to Santa Claus.
Her father laughed and replied, “I don’t know. Have you been a good girl?”
“Yes, I have! I have all ‘Outstandings’ at school. AND, I have tried to keep my room clean. AND, I help with the dishes every night. AND, Lisa says that I have been good.”
“Well, since Lisa says it, then it must be true!” He exclaimed as he through his arms up in the air. “I think there might be a few gifts for you this year.” Her father smiled. Then the creases came back once more, and he said, “Just remember what we talked about. OK?”
“I will, Daddy.” She smiled and her daddy’s heart melted as he looked at his mother’s face once more.