Chloe's Plea*
*This post contains a naughty word!
This is post 4 of Section III. To begin at the beginning, go here. Section II begins here. Section III begins here.
“Are you all right? Is Elizabeth all right?”
“Oh yes. We’re fine. We’re—just going to be arriving a little early for the ceremony.”
“You are? I mean, that’s wonderful, but I thought your teaching, and Gregory’s work—”
“I’ve quit, Mom.”
“What?”
“And I’ve left Gregory.”
“What? What happened?”
“I—I guess you could say I pistol-whipped him.” Chloe laughed wryly.
“Did you say ‘pussy-whipped’? That’s no way to talk even if you did get it out of one of your books.” Gwen believed in calling a spade a spade, but she also believed in refinement.
“That’s not what I said, Mom, and you’ll be happy to hear I’m never reading those again. I mean it this time. Anyway, I’m in D. C. with Lizzy. We’re flying into Endersburg tomorrow at 4 P. M. We were hoping someone could pick us up, but we can take the shuttle out if you want.”
Gwen clutched at the little she could grasp of all this. “D. C.?”
“Yes. It’s a long story, but the SUV was in the shop when I—when the thing happened, between Gregory and me, you know, so my student, Jeff, said he was going up for a right to life rally in D. C., and he would take me and pick up Liz from Greg’s mother’s on the way. He also said I could stay at his trailer while things are getting straightened out. He’s been a totally unexpected godsend, actually.”
“Oh,” Gwen quavered. She held the phone away from her ear and looked at it earnestly, unable to fathom the information it was emitting.
“—if Liz could stay with you for a week or two, just until I get my stuff and a place and a job—and a lawyer, I guess, though God knows I can’t afford one—” the voice was saying when Gwen returned the instrument to her ear. “So would that be o. k.? I know it’s a lot to ask,” Chloe finished, suddenly collapsing on the verge of tears.
Continue
This is post 4 of Section III. To begin at the beginning, go here. Section II begins here. Section III begins here.
“Are you all right? Is Elizabeth all right?”
“Oh yes. We’re fine. We’re—just going to be arriving a little early for the ceremony.”
“You are? I mean, that’s wonderful, but I thought your teaching, and Gregory’s work—”
“I’ve quit, Mom.”
“What?”
“And I’ve left Gregory.”
“What? What happened?”
“I—I guess you could say I pistol-whipped him.” Chloe laughed wryly.
“Did you say ‘pussy-whipped’? That’s no way to talk even if you did get it out of one of your books.” Gwen believed in calling a spade a spade, but she also believed in refinement.
“That’s not what I said, Mom, and you’ll be happy to hear I’m never reading those again. I mean it this time. Anyway, I’m in D. C. with Lizzy. We’re flying into Endersburg tomorrow at 4 P. M. We were hoping someone could pick us up, but we can take the shuttle out if you want.”
Gwen clutched at the little she could grasp of all this. “D. C.?”
“Yes. It’s a long story, but the SUV was in the shop when I—when the thing happened, between Gregory and me, you know, so my student, Jeff, said he was going up for a right to life rally in D. C., and he would take me and pick up Liz from Greg’s mother’s on the way. He also said I could stay at his trailer while things are getting straightened out. He’s been a totally unexpected godsend, actually.”
“Oh,” Gwen quavered. She held the phone away from her ear and looked at it earnestly, unable to fathom the information it was emitting.
“—if Liz could stay with you for a week or two, just until I get my stuff and a place and a job—and a lawyer, I guess, though God knows I can’t afford one—” the voice was saying when Gwen returned the instrument to her ear. “So would that be o. k.? I know it’s a lot to ask,” Chloe finished, suddenly collapsing on the verge of tears.
Continue
posted by Hobbes at 5:22 AM
4 Comments:
Perfect dialogue. Emergency calls go just like that. Of course, Gregory knows about the ceremony.
We're here. Just don't have anything to say right now.
Doug: Thanks. It's very kind of you to be so complimentary after I was picky with your grammar. It's been a high-pressure week, and I guess I was just letting off steam.
T&I: Thanks for sticking around. It's going to get funny soon, I think.
Weirsdo, I think at least one of your degrees entitles you to be picky with my grammar.
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