The 4 a.m. Breaththrough - exericse 3

Take four words that seem to recur in your fiction: Study their etymologies. - a piece of prose that is a comment on your previous stories. Kiteley

Pristine Curious Manifest Admonition

Still uncorrupted by the southern hemisphere, the exotic woman responded to her co-travellers' unintended reprimands. Her liquid hem fell limp around her ankles as she crouched onto the linoleum of the arrivals hall in Sydney International airport. She wound her dark tresses quickly into a chignon pinned to the back of her head with ivory. Curious she may have been initially, but quickly that state rearranged itself upon her face as she clung to her cloth bag that had broken open as she lifted it from the rotating carousel. Jars and bottles clamoured to the floor, rolling under the feet of other passengers waiting for their own luggage. Suddenly on her knees, she reached for tubes of make up and perfume bottle stoppers.

When she alighted from the plane, her pristine psyche had been as shiny as the polished floors of the airport. Now,her embarrassment was clear, her attempt to rectify the circumstances manifest.

Uniformed airport police descended upon the scene admonishing. Immediately the now frightened non-Australian speaker attempted to gather her belongings into a small pile away from the feet of her co-passengers.

Finally, a friendly employee offered a green Woollies fabric shopping bag into which she could load all of the escaped items. With relief, the lithe traveller stood apologizing in Thai to those around her, thanking several who had helped by gathering the unbroken glass into one spot. Several youngsters holding various rescued tubes and vials encircled her.

No worries pristine evaporated; the environment smouldered with incense and various spices that escaped as their containers roiled out of the broken suitcase. Oblivious to the change in the fragrance of the arrivals hall, the young woman breathed relief as the last item was returned to her green shopping bag.

Her companion, arriving from a bathroom stop between airline exit and baggage carousel, cautioned her lovingly as the two of them waited together for the remainder of their luggage.

Can't Go Home Again

'You don't need his money.'

"No, I don't.'

'You don't need to return to the morass.'

'The emotional stuff? No, I don't.'

'You seem more relaxed, more independent, happier since you walked away.'

'Yes, I think you're right.'

'Then, why do you want to return?'

"I don't.'

'Mom, watsup? Why are you doing this? How come you have him convinced that you want to return to Claymore?'

'I'm not sure. Kind of like it was initially. I knew I didn't want to marry, but his tears – I couldn't handle his tears, his disappointment. So, I went through with the wedding. Probably thought that if I didn't get married then, I never would.'

'Mom, that's stupid. You've never told me that story before.'

'Well, I've told it to a lot of others. Just never wanted to share that part with you kids.'

'Don't go back. Don't do this to yourself. I love my dad and I love you, but I know that together the two of you are awful. It's painful to watch both of you do that silly dance, that emotional dependency stuff.'

'Yep. I'm lonely, Synthia. Maybe I'll feel less lonely if I go back to Claymore. That's where everyone whose ever been anyone in my life exists these days.'

'You miss Gerald, I know. But dad can never replace him.'

'I know. I also know that being alone is not particularly good for me.'
Getting out of bed in the morning seems pointless these days.'

'Mom, travel, write, teach, write some more, but don't go back to Telegraph Road. Just not worth it.'

'Why do you care so much Synthia? What difference does it make?'

'Massive difference. I want you to be happy. I've always wanted you to be happy. This is an awful idea. You're not going to be able to stay.
I just know it.

'Ah, you're afraid I'll leave him again and you'll have to pick up the pieces. Well, you may be right. I'm not so sure I could actually live in the same house with him. I know I could never sleep in the same bed.'

'Well, that's no problem. It's been years since he slept in a bed – in any bed.'

'That's what I was thinking.'

'Mom, I'll come to Nebraska – will that help?'

'You would? You'd come here for a while? That would be great. I want to fly to Nova Scotia. Never been there. Wanna come along?'

'Yep, school is out in two weeks. Can you last that long? I'll make reservations.'

'Yeah. It'll take me that long to get the house ready. I'll give you my credit card number to pay for half the ticket. Can we go to Montreal? I love that city, the old town.'

'See, you just want someone to travel with. And dad is the worst person ever for that. Get the house ready. I'll buy a ticket and see you in maybe three weeks. You can make plans for us. I love you, mom. Give up on the idea of returning to Claymore. It's a bad idea. Mike and Tandy agree with me. We all thought you'd lost your mind.'

'Do you think they would come to visit, too? I think I could handle the loneliness if each of you were to spend a little time here. I miss Gerald so much.'

'I know. I really do. But, mom, you can't go home again. You know that. '

'Yes, I suppose I do.'

'Talk with you later tonight. I'll have some info on my arrival. We agree then, that you'll call dad and tell him now that you've changed your mind?'

'Yep. I'll call right away. Poor old man. He's gonna be upset.'

'He'd be more upset three weeks from now when you walked out again. Call him. I'll talk to you in a few hours.'

'Bye'

'Bye. Love you.'