Another Gorgeous Day

I'd like to know why it's the warmest and nicest when I have to work. Who's in charge here? I thought I was but evidently not.

Well, Jennifer decided to leave the writing group because her job has gotten very demanding and stressful. Totally understandable. We'll miss you, Jen.

I don't think we'll continue if the guests who are supposed to visit tomorrow night aren't suitable or decide we're not for them. With only 2 of us Jenny and I couldn't keep going unless we changed the group a lot, which we could definitely do. There's going to have to be a lot of discussion after tomorrow night's meeting to plan the future of the Crazy Writing People. I hate change and here it comes again. I think that's why I'm so bossy, so I can keep things the way they are, so I can be comfortable. Bah. Enough of that, here's some writing...

April 13--Mokulua islands, Hawaii. It lay there on the horizon taunting her with its unattainable nearness. Diana paced the beach, the sand clutching at her feet and the wind whipping her hair. She was sorry she had quit smoking three years before. Smoking would have given her something to do with her hands. It would have taken time to cup her hand around the lighter flame, to stand just right so she could make that little oasis of calm at the tip of the cigarette for the second it would take for it to light. The tiny orange glow of the burning tip would have kept her company in the dark as she paced back and forth, back and forth in the soft sand. The beach was too steep and the waves too high for her to walk on the firm wet sand near the water and she didn't want to be in the foamy spray from the waves. Mokulua stood out there fifteen miles across the ocean almost a perfect cone outlined by the pink and gold light of the setting sun. Mike had gone over there that day with Luke and Carlo from the village "just to look around" he said, but that had been more than twelve hours ago. His cellphone must have been off, he hadn't answered all day. Where was he? And she hadn't heard a boat in hours.

I'd like a cigarette. Right now. But I won't. It's been a long time since I've wanted one like this.
--Barbara