Creola's Moonbeam by McGraw Propst Milam

Author:McGraw Propst, Milam [McGraw Propst, Milam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Contemporary Women
ISBN: 9780976876038
Publisher: BelleBooks
Published: 2011-01-23T05:00:00+00:00

The phone was ringing as I entered the condo.

“Beatrice, here!”

My spirits lifted at the sound of my friend’s upbeat tone. “Hello! I’m so sorry we ... that is, I’m not ‘sorry,’ but —”

“Young woman, just so you understand. I’ll expect a short story from you by week’s end.”

I didn’t bat an eye at her demand. “Consider it done!”

I put the phone down and gaped at thin air.

I could hear Creola chuckling.

Chapter 10

I turned on the computer. The logo came up. Ball and chain. Beatrice’s challenge weighed heavily. No! Wait a cotton-pickin’ minute, actually Beatrice’s challenge weighed lightly. This day, lightly was the more fitting adverb for my rejuvenated outlook.

Had the morning provided such an intense aesthetic experience that the fog finally lifted? Creola, what do you think? Had I just been depressed all this time, as Beau suggested? Who knew? Not me. I could only compare my improved mood to watching the mist on a mountain lake as it gives way to brilliant sunshine.

The screen saver came into focus. A close-up shot of Nestle’s face greeted me. I could almost hear our dog’s tail beating against the study’s floor. For nearly fourteen years that faithful dog had curled up next to me as I wrote.

I had to give credit to Beatrice for her encouragement and for sharing her magnificent art collection with me. And Creola, I have you to thank, too. As always, your spirit plays a role in all that I do.

I looked at the screen saver once again.

“Nestle, I am getting back to work.”

The first thing I pulled up were a few random notes I’d made a long time back concerning Creola. Her face focused clearly in my mind’s eye. I could almost feel her touch, hear the whisperings of her voice. Creola’s laughter would fill a room as her energy flourished seemingly without limit. Yet there was something in her carriage that spoke of pain and suffering, courage, faith, and strength. Those were the traits I later learned to appreciate.

When I was a child she was the ideal playmate, one with endless stories, a source of games and ideas of things to do, but also a source of strength, who cared for and cherished our whole family. As I grew up and met challenges in own life, Creola became a fountain of wisdom for me.

Music had always played an important role in our family’s life. I could remember many nights when Mary Pearle and I were young and we spent evenings together listening to dance bands on the radio. As they often did, our parents would get up and whirl in one another’s arms around the living room. Naturally, we joined in as the four of us spun about in circles!

“Dear, just take a look at your daughters,” beamed Daddy. “With your good example, these two girls will soon outshine their old man!”

A picture of myself, Mary Pearle, and Creola came before me. Many an afternoon after school, the three of us would roll back the living

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.