Pink Lemonade #6--"Gathering"
Author: leiamoody
Title: Gathering
Rating: PG
Challenge: Pink Lemonade #6, “Come a little bit closer”
Story: Maybe December
Summary: Family meal times can be awkward.
Word Count: 347
“Bring in the orange juice,” Kelly requested.
“Sure.” Allyson grabbed the half-full pitcher off the counter near the sink. She glanced upward to the clock above the kitchen window. She needed to add five hours in order to figure out what time it was in Lockborough…12:40 p.m. plus five hours equaled 5:40 p.m. in the north of England. Jamie was awake, possibly asleep after dinner. Night time had come along, and now they no longer shared the same sky.
Allyson sighed. He’d promised another date for the 6th. It was three weeks ago when they strolled around checking out Christmas displays. Was that a strange beginning? Most people would’ve gone the standard movie/dinner route. But doing something off-kilter might establish better foundations if they got serious…
Jumping to conclusions was one of her few occasional indulgences. It was far too early for thinking about “serious” and “relationship” when it came to her and Jamie.
“The pancakes are getting cold,” her mother called from the dining room.
“Not even close,” her father countered.
“Fine, they’re slouching towards lukewarm.” Clattering plates rounded up her mother’s unspoken irritation.
The first Sunday brunch of the New Year was going to be no different than all the previous get-togethers. Tension flowed through every family gathering, yet her mother wouldn’t give up the weekly brunch. So Allyson and Kelly hauled themselves away from predictable but comfortable lives to sit around the dining table and pretend that it wasn’t uncomfortable when their father buried his face in the New York Times Magazine while their mother attempted small talk over the pancakes, scrambled eggs, and mimosas.
But in four days, Jamie would meet her for another, better, brunch. Once he came back into the city, her workaday life with its mediocrity and tension would have a single bright focus.
“Are you coming in?” Her sister’s voice held a tinge of “Don’t leave me in here alone!” semi-terror.
“Yeah,” Allyson called back. For now, she faced another uncomfortable Sunday…but as weeks passed and she drew closer to Jamie, her weekends might get a lot more stable…
Title: Gathering
Rating: PG
Challenge: Pink Lemonade #6, “Come a little bit closer”
Story: Maybe December
Summary: Family meal times can be awkward.
Word Count: 347
“Bring in the orange juice,” Kelly requested.
“Sure.” Allyson grabbed the half-full pitcher off the counter near the sink. She glanced upward to the clock above the kitchen window. She needed to add five hours in order to figure out what time it was in Lockborough…12:40 p.m. plus five hours equaled 5:40 p.m. in the north of England. Jamie was awake, possibly asleep after dinner. Night time had come along, and now they no longer shared the same sky.
Allyson sighed. He’d promised another date for the 6th. It was three weeks ago when they strolled around checking out Christmas displays. Was that a strange beginning? Most people would’ve gone the standard movie/dinner route. But doing something off-kilter might establish better foundations if they got serious…
Jumping to conclusions was one of her few occasional indulgences. It was far too early for thinking about “serious” and “relationship” when it came to her and Jamie.
“The pancakes are getting cold,” her mother called from the dining room.
“Not even close,” her father countered.
“Fine, they’re slouching towards lukewarm.” Clattering plates rounded up her mother’s unspoken irritation.
The first Sunday brunch of the New Year was going to be no different than all the previous get-togethers. Tension flowed through every family gathering, yet her mother wouldn’t give up the weekly brunch. So Allyson and Kelly hauled themselves away from predictable but comfortable lives to sit around the dining table and pretend that it wasn’t uncomfortable when their father buried his face in the New York Times Magazine while their mother attempted small talk over the pancakes, scrambled eggs, and mimosas.
But in four days, Jamie would meet her for another, better, brunch. Once he came back into the city, her workaday life with its mediocrity and tension would have a single bright focus.
“Are you coming in?” Her sister’s voice held a tinge of “Don’t leave me in here alone!” semi-terror.
“Yeah,” Allyson called back. For now, she faced another uncomfortable Sunday…but as weeks passed and she drew closer to Jamie, her weekends might get a lot more stable…