Nine

From the depths of my dreams a tickling in my ear woke me.  Still half asleep I swatted at the insect.  In a minute it was back.  I rolled over and pulled the cover over my head.  The over warm air was suffocating, I uncovered my nose.  Just as I was falling back into my dreams I felt the insect tickle the inside of my nose.  Sitting up in irritation I reached for a tissue and blew my nose. 

A small noise caught my attention and I turned towards it just in time to see Mattie ducking out of the room, a long peafowl feather in one hand.  Grabbing my pillow, I threw it with a vengeance and caught him squarely in the back.  Ten years of such behavior should have put me on guard, but not my brightest when waking, it never does.  At seventeen I would have expected Mattie to have outgrown his teasing behavior . . . yeah right . . . and donkey's fly. 

Yawning I tumbled from bed, stretching when my feet touched the floor.  My reflection in the mirror brought a giggle,  dark brown hair strung wildly around my face, a tangled rat's nest of a knot on one side over my ear.  I definitely needed to take care of that.  A sharp shake of my head cleared the sleepy fog from my eyes and I reached for the brush and started working on that unsightly rat's nest.  When the last lock was neat and tidy I made my way down the hall to shower.

The shower cleared the cobwebs from my mind and once again I wondered what the phone call had been about.  I contemplated the memory as I dressed for church.  Choosing linen dress slacks over a skirt and a light airy blouse over a heavier shirt, I finished dressing.  One final glance in the mirror, "Lovely, that won't do," I pulled the collar of the blouse to the outside.  Stopping a moment I looked at the reflection in the glass with mixed emotions.  Never really sure if the reflection was mine I wondered who it was that I looked like.

Before I could think about it to long the dog, followed by a weather blown Mattie when flying by.  Just as Mattie grabbed for it's collar it dodged and made a lung for the outside door as it opened.  The next then I heard was grandmothers scream and a loud thump.  Before anyone could get to the door grandmother can in dragging the dog with her.  When she reached Mattie she handed him the collar, the cuffed his ear with her ring.

"Out.  Keep that clumsy oaf OUT of the house."  Then she turned and limped to the kitchen, muttering under her breath the whole way.

The stunned look on Mattie's face made me giggle, but I was afraid to make a sound.  Grandmother never raises her voice.  Exchanging a look with Mattie I went to the door to see what caused that thump.  It was then I understood her anger.  On it's side and in several pieces was the large new terracotta strawberry pot that she ordered from off.  The back porch was covered the two fifty pound sacks of potting soil she had filled it with and the strawberry plants had been trampled and buried.

"Oh no . . . "

"What? What did he do this time?"

Not able to speak I motioned him to come and see.  With trepidation he looked out the door and I heard him swallow.

"Uh oh."

Before anything else could be said grandmother came out of the kitchen drying her hands.

"I said take the dog outside. NOW."

Mattie jumped, then he pulled the dog to door and back out to his pen.   When he returned we followed our grandparents out to the car.

 

Author's Note

The start of Chapter 9. It isn't flowing in the manner I would like. There will be some major changes and additions before the first write is ready.

Reviews

[luciddreamer]

while it was still a good write...yes, it is a bit short.

[M Garcia]

A little rough around the edges, but still good. I would come back and expand on this a little. Add a memory or two.

[Coyote Poetry]

I like the ending. I feel you ended too quickly. A few tales of youth and problems could make the story complete. You are a outstanding writer. Story was well written and told a sad story with a happy ending. Thank you.
Coyote