Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 71843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71843 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 239(@300wpm)
“You hate that game,” she said, sitting down so the popcorn was between them, eating more of it as she looked at the screen.
“Yeah, but again, the whining is continual.”
She stacked pillows behind his back so he would be extra comfortable, and was riveted to the screen as he moved what to me looked like a bunny through a black-and-white world.
“Is it a bunny?” I asked her.
“No, it’s a bug,” she told me.
“That’s a bug?”
“Yeah,” she replied, not really listening, answering but not moving her eyes.
“Kola, it’s a bug,” I informed him, just to be a wiseass.
“Yeah, Pa, I know,” he said, not looking at me either.
Sam came in then carrying two large tumblers with straws. There was no liquid allowed on the second floor that wasn’t covered. Too many accidents on the hardwood.
“Let me guess,” I deadpanned, “you filled those with Kool-Aid, right?”
“You’re a riot,” he assured me. “My depravity does not sink to Kool-Aid.”
“Soda?”
“Not in your house.”
“That’s right,” I said imperiously.
“It’s water.”
I grunted.
“I’ll just set these here,” Sam said to Hannah, putting both down on her nightstand.
“Thanks, Dad,” she replied automatically, clearly distracted.
He grinned and then turned to me, crooking his finger.
I followed him when he left the room.
Out in the hall, he rounded on me, taking my face in his hands. “Good job, baby.”
“Oh,” I said with a whimper, “you hardly ever call me baby anymore.”
“Well, I’ll be sure to do so more often,” he said, and then leaned in and kissed me.
It was much too quick, but his eyes were shining when he eased back.
“I think even with all this sheltering in place, we still have to remember to talk to each other and not let anything go unsaid,” I told him. “Make sure we’re all on the same page.”
“I would agree.”
“And there should be more cuddling,” I murmured.
“I completely and wholeheartedly second that,” he said, his voice all rough and low before he kissed me again.
So there we are, the latest from my house to yours. I hope everyone stays safe and healthy, and have a wonderful rest of April.
MAY 2020
Hello, all, Jory Harcourt here, coming to you from—gasp—inside my house! It’s interesting, with certain states sitting at home and others going out on the town, to try and understand what people are thinking. We’re at home through the end of May, as of now, and if we had to go out, it would be in facemasks. Hannah made some for all of us. When Sam goes out on the weekends, he wears one of many that she made for him, but Monday thru Friday, he uses the disposable ones he gets from work. He’s getting tired of stripping in the laundry room, but it can’t be helped.
Since this month I’m supposed to be answering questions, and because there weren’t a lot that didn’t have to do with being in quarantine and not losing your mind… I searched out deeper alternatives to ask the people in my family.
NUMBER ONE:
Are you living a meaningful life?
Sam: Are you asking me?
Jory: You’re the one who’s here, so yes.
Sam: Why are you asking me?
Jory: It’s for the column, since I’m thinking that people are sick of hearing about us and what we’re doing at home.
Sam: What are you basing that on? Maybe people want to know that Hannah made peanut butter and banana pancakes, called them the Elvis Special, and swore to make them a specialty of the house.
Jory: Thank God, we talked her out of that.
Sam: Did you know that peanut butter would smoke like that?
Jory: Having never cooked it before, in batter, I can reply with conviction that I did not.
Sam: …
Jory: Don’t grunt, answer the question. There’s, like, twenty more of these.
Sam: Twenty?
Jory: Perhaps.
Sam: Wait, I have a question for you. What’s with the small headless scarecrow on the picnic table out back?
Jory: That’s Garth.
Sam: I’m sorry?
Jory: Hannah said he looked like a Garth.
Sam: Okay.
Jory: In theory, he was supposed to scare away the crow.
Sam: What crow?
Jory: Well, there are two now.
Sam: On the table outside?
Jory: No. Usually only one is on the table.
Sam: The scarecrow?
Jory: No, the crow.
Sam: The crow?
Jory: Yes. But which one are you talking about, because there’s two now, as I said.
Sam: Wait.
Jory: Loki has a little bit of white on his tailfeather, which is really very strange for them.
Sam: Crows.
Jory: Yes.
Sam: Okay. So why are there crows on the picnic table?
Jory: Because of the scarecrow.
Sam: Garth.
Jory: Yes.
Sam: …
Jory: Why’re you breathing like that?
Sam: Explain about the creepy bird.
Jory: Crows aren’t creepy, they’re actually very smart.
Sam: And so?
Jory: Except for Loki. And he’s not actually creepy, just more of a troublemaker, which is why he’s named Loki, but I’m sure you already concluded that.
Sam: What does this have to do with the headless scarecrow on the table?
Jory: Odin collects twist ties.
Sam: Go back.