Mary #7

If anyone does Saturday Centus you might somewhat remember this story started as a centus.  In  June of 2010, I wrote a few chapters on Mary and then stopped.  I had so much to write about her, writing weekly for centus wasn't enough.  I then wrote and wrote until I had over 30,000 words so far.  In writing it though as I got further and further my original premise somehow got blown out of the water, ha, ha. I stopped writing her story in March of 2011.   I still haven't quite figured out how I'm going to work this out but I thought I would put out what I have so far.   Please remember this is a really rough draft and when I wrote it, I had no chapters.  Before I decided to put this on the blog I had to go back and figure out where I could make them.  I would suggest this is a terrible way of doing it lol.  The first chapter started on March 23rd, 2012.

7

The next morning, Mary was getting out of bed and without even opening the curtains she knew it was raining.  She could hear the raindrops hitting the bedroom window.  She wanted to crawl back under the quilt since she wasn't going to be able to do the weeding she had planned but instead, decided to get dressed.  She could tell that it had cooled off considerably so she put on jeans and one of her old high school sweatshirts she had brought.  It was a little tattered but she still loved it.  Then she and Lulu went downstairs. 

When she looked out the kitchen window, she could see it was really pouring outside.   "It looks like an inside kind of day Lulu.  That's okay, we've got plenty of things we can do.  I think later, I might even start a fire in the fireplace since it’s so chilly in here.  Are you hungry" as she went to get some food for her.  Mary fed the cat and then started the coffee.  She went to the pantry and got some oatmeal.  When it was done, Mary put some blueberries in the oatmeal and sat at the kitchen table and contemplated what she would do that day. 

She could hear her phone ringing.  "Lulu if that's Sadie again, I'm going to scream.  She's my best friend forever but she can be such a worry wart about me.  Hello?” 

"Mar, I was just wondering are you okay?”

“I'm fine Johnny, why shouldn't I be?”

 "Have you been watching the TV?  They said with this storm there could be a tornado.” 

"It's weird at home I always have the TV on but since I've been here I haven't turned it on once.  I'm sure there's nothing to worry about.” 

"Do you want me to come over and sit with you" he asked.

Mary thought for a moment with the dreary weather she could use someone to talk to.  "I don't need you to come now but if you'd like I could throw a pot roast in the crock-pot and you could come for supper tonight.” 

"I'd like that very much.  How about we eat a late supper and I'll be over around 9?” 

"That would be great" Mary said.  "See you later.” 

I better get hopping if I want this pot roast to be done by the time Johnny gets here, Mary thought.  As she was getting the stuff in the crock-pot she felt excited to be having her brother come to dinner.  Once she left home for good, she never got that much of a chance to know Johnny as an adult and she was looking forward to getting to know him that way.  When she had come home after graduating, he was already married.  She had a lot of questions about why he and his childhood sweetheart were divorced.  Hopefully, he wouldn't have too many questions for her.  She plugged the crock-pot in, went into the living room and opened the curtains on the big picture window. 

"Lulu it's just nasty out there.  I can hardly see the road and it's starting to get colder in here.  I better get the fire started.” 

After starting the fire, Mary decided she would clean the downstairs before Johnny came.  She took the rest of her luggage upstairs and put it in the closet.  Then went to the cleaning cupboard in the kitchen and got some rags and furniture cleaner.  Just as she sprayed the dining room table, her phone rang. 

Mary thought, I should have kept the phone in my luggage.  This time when she answered she heard "Hey, Sis.  Are you all right?”

 "Yes, Jimmy I'm fine.  I know there's a tornado alert out, Johnny already called and told me.” 

"Yeah, I figured but I just wanted to make sure". 

"You know I'm a grown woman now and I don't need my older brothers to watch out for me anymore, not that you ever did.” 

"What? What's that supposed to mean" Jimmy asked confusingly.   

"Oh, nothing" Mary said, realizing she put her foot in her mouth again.  Hesitantly she said "Johnny's coming over around 9 tonight for some pot roast would you like to come?”  Not really wanting to face him but she figured it would seem less suspicious.   

"I would like to Mary but we've decided to leave bright and early in the morning for Canada.  We're meeting Mitch and Elizabeth at 6 in the morning.  When I get home from work, I’ve got to load up the van and get to bed early but thanks for including me.  We'll do it when I get back okay?” 

"Okay, Jimmy. I'll see you when you get back and don't worry about me.  I'm fine.  Talk to you soon, Bye.”

When Jimmy hung up the phone, he wondered what she meant that he never watched out for her. He knew Johnny and her were always closer but wasn't he the one that always reigned Mitch in when he would start teasing her.  She must have forgotten about that.  Too bad he was leaving in the morning; he would have liked to have had dinner with her and Johnny.  It had been a long time since the three sat together and talked.  He quickly got back to work so he could leave early. 

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