Winter break is here just in time for the first snow! My kids woke up bright and early, and were out sledding at 7 a.m. The wind made it colder, so we didn’t stay out long, but we had a blast.
I’m taking a break from social media and will return with a regular post on January 10, 2013.
For today, I’m participating in Elise Fallson’s “U Got The Look” meme in which Melissa Maygrove inadvertently tagged me.
The rules are simple: Track down the word “look” in your current Work-In-Progress (WIP) and post the surrounding paragraphs, and then tag 5 other people with the meme.
“I’ve been here for two days?” There went Lexi’s perfect attendance record. Worse, two days were plenty of time for rumors to ruin what little social status she had. “How did I end up here?”
Mom tightened her hold on Lexi’s hand. “Mrs. Anderson said soon after she answered the door you blanched. Before she had a chance to offer you a seat, you passed out. Peanut cushioned your fall.”
“She okay?” If Lexi had hurt the Great Dane, she’d never forgive herself.
“She’s fine, it’s you we’re concerned about.” When Dad gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, his fingertips curled around to her back.
The touch stung, like a fresh sunburn. She shifted away and the heat subsided. As Dad studied her, his lips twitched to the side the way they did whenever something bothered him, and he was strategizing the best way to broach the topic.
Oh, no. What if she was sick? “Is it skin cancer? A tumor?”
“Carolyn, will you get Lexi a cup of ice?” he asked Mom.
Must be something terminal. Her eyes blurred again.
“Sure. I’ll find the doctor, too.” Mom squeezed her hand before she left.
“What do you remember?” Dad whispered in an urgent tone.
“Peanut and Blue meeting me at the front door.” She balanced the lavender towel on the bedrail.
“What else?” The bed dipped where he sat.
“Why are you whispering?”
“Just answer the question.”
“I had this stabbing pain in my temples.” She touched the left one. “Made me nauseous and dizzy. After a blinding white light, everything turned cold. Freezing cold. Then, I woke up here.” Struggling to recall more brought a rush of pressure to her eyes and made them feel like they were about to pop out of her head. Her heart monitor beeped a fast pace, until Dad clicked mute again. “Am I sick?”
He shook his head. “This can’t be right.”
“What’s going on?”
“I hope I’m wrong. For your sake.”
“You’re freaking me out!”
He glanced at the open door where footsteps clacked up and down the hall. “Let me see your right shoulder.”
The IV catheter pulled when she reached out. She winced and tugged the gown to the side. Dad leaned forward. She knew the exact moment he spotted what he was looking for. His eyes bulged and his face paled.
“What is it?” She angled her head, struggling to see. Her fingertips probed at her shoulder. She jerked her hand back when she brushed an area where it felt like someone had snuffed a cigarette. “What the hell?”
“Oh God, Lexi. This isn’t supposed to happen to you.”
“What’s not supposed to happen to me?”
Footsteps in the hall grew closer.
“Don’t let Mom see.” He straightened the material and stood before he whispered, “I’ll explain everything later.”
“Why can’t you just explain now?”
###
As for the tagging of five people, I’m feeling generous. If you took the time to stop by my blog and want to participate in this meme, please considered yourself tagged!
Are you planning to join the party? Please let me know in the comments below so I can stop by and read a sample of your WiP.
Writes By Moonlight 