I know it's been a while, but thanks to the people who e-mailed me demanding more. Hope this doesn't disappoint...
~logo
***
Another day, another dollar. Theme of her life for years, these past few months led to more enjoyment than she expected. Sure there were dollars, but it was more than that. Who would have thought a change of location to affect such glorious changes?
Apart from the job, the new friends, and the new stupendous boyfriend, Matthew had thrown her a loop with a snippet of a story -- an idea for his graphic novel. Just a scarecrow's perspective in the middle ages, where belief really could make a lump of straw into a guardian. Perhaps it would be a precursor to the Scarecrow of Oz -- Julie thought.
The last few nights had been spent talking with Peter over the phone when he could grab a few minutes' break at the bar and in the silence of her drawing. No matter how random the slashes of her charcoal began, the shape of a vagabond's clothes stuffed with a lumpy material always appeared to her.
Soon enough she stopped fighting it. If her mind was intent on that nearly crucified figure in a field of produce, Julie would let it roam across the page.
Franky had been noticing her hands that morning and Julie could only blush in response before excusing herself to vigorously scrubbing each finger for work.
So after a satisfying day at work, reminiscing on her relationships and improvements in her life, squirreling another bunch of bills for her savings account, she felt almost blessed. Like those paintings in churches with the halos and passively happy expressions.
Grabbing her things, it seemed entirely of no consequence that she'd missed the last two calls on her cellular. No one called or had to call, apart from emergencies. But more often than not, the supposed emergency was nothing more than her father phoning on her mother's behalf. Typically this was once a month, each call she was told wasn't meant to disturb her work but just get her attention.
Yes, tell Mom I'm fine, yes, I'll see you soon, yes, I'm really fine...
That reasoning was entirely thrown out the window once the display listed who'd called.
Right about now Julie sincerely wished she could afford to stomp her little cell into the pavement with her winter boots. Damn her savings...
How could he have gotten this number? She could count on one hand those who had her new digits: Matt, Peter, Dad and... no!
Three buttons later, she had the culprit on the line.
"How long have you been talking to Michael? And you better start with the truth."
Surprisingly unfazed, Gladys replied with cheer, "Oh, you sound in a fine mood today, dear."
