TWO GIFTS

I just love to go writing with my friend Jan! We have the best time. We each start with the same prompt and our stories sure take a different route. It's a lot of fun seeing where they go.

This one is from Tuesday, August 25, 2009. It's called:

TWO GIFTS

She was 24, a new graduate and a visitor in this remote village. "Now, why had she come here?” she asked herself again. Another morning awakened at 5:30 by a nasty rooster who was too old to cook and too much of a family pet to kill.

The sunrise was dazzling, she had to admit. She really loved the beauty surrounding this modest village. The Alps in the distance still held a romance for her to which no human could compare. The bed was warm and toasty and the window was not showing any frost this early October morning. Another day’s work and she would be off to her beloved mountains to set up an overnight camp.

She snuggled under the fluffy stack of covers and dreamed out the window. Reminiscing, she thought of the first time she’d been here. The second semester of her Junior college year, she’d decided to go to school in the little mission down the way. It was a good growing-up experience, not too far from familiar language and rules, but away from home for a time. She’d learned to live on little or much, learned to love others at any time of the morning, noon or night, and seen her mountains up close and personal for the first time. Boy! That seemed like an eternity ago.

Now she just lived for the weekend. What had changed? Was it the people or just the way she looked at them?

She had worked so very hard to finish school, then to pay her debts and finally to make her way here to this secluded community in Italy. She worked hard here every day to justify her room and board in the home of an uncommonly sweet young couple and their empty baby’s room. That’s where she put up.

What a hole it had left in their lives. Their smiles held a sort of tired look, the kind that a person gets just before drifting off, usually to sleep, but in their case, to the comfortable realm of not thinking. It was not the normal activity amongst young people, but then the death of a child could age a person beyond their years.

Keeran had tried at first to overlook it, then she tried praying earnestly for their hearts’ healing, now she just tried to avoid noticing it at all. She knew that she had been placed here for a reason, but she herself seemed too life-tired to care now. Was the mental fatigue contagious? What had happened to her vivacious love of life? Now she couldn’t wait to get away.

She prayed, “Lord please help me. I know I came here for a reason. You wouldn’t have led me to this particular village to this precious, mourning couple without a result or two in mind. I’ve only been here for six months and I haven’t helped a bit to alleve their sorrow and I seem to be afflicted by this mourning spirit hanging over my life. What’s up?”

Almost immediately the answer came --- not at all what she’d expected. “Take them with you,” were the words that played themselves over and over in her mind.

But… but… but… she tried to say. This was her outing. She needed to get away. She wanted to get away from the heaviness and the hurting. She needed the gentle lover of her mountains to soothe the sadness from her. Now, take them with me? Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh! Okay. I will, she acquiesced.

She went downstairs to a meager breakfast of bread and curds with a strong cup of coffee to make it through the day. When Sharla came over to serve Vernon his second cup of coffee, Keeran broached the subject.

“Hey guys,” she spoke, attempting to sound eager. “I’m going to the mountains this weekend, tomorrow, for a sleep out in God’s creation. I’d love to have you join me! Please make plans to come along.”

For a minute, the two aged hearts hemmed and hawed. Then, a youthful twinkle tried to brighten their eyes. “We’d love to,” spoke Vernon for the both of them. “We have two tents. You can use one of them.” Sharla was startled but took control. I’d better get preparin’ some eats today.” She almost looked happy now.

Keeran thought to herself, “Well, at least I’ll have a tent and won’t have to sleep in the open.” She swallowed the last bite of bread and downed her coffee then headed outside to gather the eggs and feed the goats and sheep. She worked harder than usual that day and hardly gave the weekend plans another thought.

When she rose the next morning, she was a bit surprised to see her two weekend guests preparing to go. Vernon said jovially, “We thought it’d be best to get an early start so that we can get the camp set up before noon. It’ll give us more time for hiking in the daylight hours. Don’t want to disturb the animals’ routine by coming in at their feeding time.” Sharla was actually red-faced and smiling from the hurried activities and hope for the mountain air.

Keeran packed quickly and the three started out. The hike up was gorgeous. The campsite was perfect. The animals were almost friendly as if they had made a space just for the three young humans.

Vernon let Keeran lead the afternoon hike and he took up the rear. He was acting gracious since it was her weekend plans that he and his dear wife were enjoying. Keeran could hear her two house-mates talk and chuckle all through the afternoon. She was glad they had joined her.

Sharla and Keeran prepared a complete supper and the hungry campers made it all disappear. They all had had a wonderful day and retired early to their separate tents. Keeran fell fast asleep so pleasured to be in her beloved mountain sanctuary.

Fast forward one year:

This morning when the “beloved” rooster pet crowed, Keeran slipped out from under the stacked quilted coverings on her bed and joyfully listened to the sounds of a bright three month old baby boy hungry for his momma, glad to be alive and an adorable young momma bustling about cooing at him that his wait was not a moment longer while she picked him up and held him close to her. She could hear the sounds of a proud papa telling him cheerfully that he would learn to wait one day on his breakfast while his little wife would feed their sonshine.

When Keeran went to the bathroom to freshen up for the day, she didn’t mind a bit this time when the pipes groaned, then vomited rusty water out into the sink. She just looked up toward heaven and whispered a grateful prayer. “Thank you Almighty God for giving me this family. Thank you for knowing enough to send me to this beautiful place in Your creation so that I can dwell with You in the mountains at the top of the world for the rest of my life. Amen!”

This was our prompt: The pipes groaned, then vomited rusty water out into the sink.
Jan's story is here:
She fancied herself a writer...