story 3/17/11

On a tight schedule, Nora Teller knew she didn’t have all day for AJ to spit it out.  To speed AJ’s confession along she stated, “I don’t have time for this Anna Jayne!”  and began to tap her toe impatiently.

Distracted by the noise, AJ looked down and realized that her mamma wasn’t wearing her well-worn gray sneakers with the blue and red intertwining design along the sides.  When AJ looked farther up and she saw that her mother had also changed from the jeans and sweatshirt she was wearing earlier into a sweater and nice pants. Guilt forgotten AJ squinted up at her mamma and asked curiously, “Why are you all dressed up?”

Nora sighed exasperatedly knowing her daughter’s mind had changed directions and now she wasn’t going to get a straight answer. “People finally moved into the old Mattfeld place and we are going over to meet them.”

“Do I have too?” AJ pleaded. She knew there was no chance of getting out of it, but had to try anyway.

Without even a moment of hesitation, Nora Teller responded in a low commanding tone, “Yes. Now go wash off that dirt and put on the clothes I laid on your bed.”

Dragging her feet, AJ left the kitchen with bits of dirt falling in her wake. With another sigh, her mamma grabbed the broom and began to sweep up the crumbles as she heard her daughter’s heavy footsteps on the stairs. Shaking her head over the mess, Nora wished she didn’t have to be so stern with AJ. Then she chuckled to herself for who was she kidding, Jamie was as bad or even worse than AJ. Looking over at the kitchen bureau at the picture she kept of her deceased husband James, she found herself wondering not for the first time how times might be different if he had not been killed. He looked so proud and young in his formal army uniform. He eyes never belaying the horrors of what he would see and nor the sadness that was caused by his untimely death.