Before and After by C. P. Cabaniss

Author:C. P. Cabaniss [Cabaniss, C. P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-20T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

Hold Onto Me

The computer keys click rapidly under her fingers as Valancy types, all of her attention on the screen. It’s a music that was once familiar and, she is surprised to realize, feels comfortable now. Like coming home. Her fingers are doing their best to keep up with the fast stream of thoughts sending words their way. When her dad died, she buried her dreams of writing along with him. For months after she had tried to write something, anything, but to no avail. The more she tried to write, the more lost she felt. Although her dad had taught math and her mom English, he had always been the one to encourage her imagination. The one who read all of her stories and articles.

Though she doesn’t dwell on the fact, being too consumed in her writing, she realizes that her dad had been mentor to both her and Will. When he died, they reacted very differently.

It’s late and she’s tired after another day at the festival, but her thoughts won’t let her sleep. Sometimes ideas are insistent and must be put down right this instant. So she drags her computer to the island in the kitchen and sits, hair pinned up in a messy bun, a steaming mug of hot chocolate beside her, the glow of the computer screen lighting up her face.

It’s not a grand novel she’s writing, like she had dreamed about while telling her dad stories as they walked through the neighborhood—maybe those fantasies will stay buried—but an article about the festival. About Michelle and her dedication to people, wanting to create an event where anyone is welcome; it’s Will making every child laugh and smile; Bill listening to all of the requests to Santa and talking with each child seriously about what he wants; it’s Lou and Phil and every other volunteer who helps to make the festival magical.

She still isn’t sure what, if anything, she will do with it when she’s done, but she knows she has to write it out. Her mind won’t rest until she does. In the morning her rational, anxious mind might revert to skepticism and it will stay just another document forgotten on her computer, but right now she won’t think about what happens when the last sentence is complete. Right now, she feels like there might be a spark of the old Valancy left, digging herself out, ready to teach the older Valancy how to dream.

***

There’s a loud bang and Valancy shifts, yawning. “Val!” Another bang. “Val, are you in there?” Bang, bang.

Valancy jerks upright, surprised to see sunlight streaming through the window. “Ow,” she mutters, rubbing her stiff shoulder. She had fallen to sleep at her computer, lying across the counter. She glances toward the door as she hears another bang. How could it be morning already? It’s a miracle she hadn’t fallen from her chair during the night.

“Val! I’m really starting to worry here. Please answer me!”

It’s Valarie, a note of panic in her voice.

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