Ten-Finger Exercises

WriNoMo, here I come!

Well, I've done it. I've signed up for WriNoMo for March.

I've committed to writing short stories, particularly finishing some I've posted here and gotten feedback saying they've ended far too abruptly. I think it's because I like jokes and am a good joke teller. My short stories end with a punch line instead of a real ending, so I'm going to try to fix that.

Here's one that doesn't even have a name, just a beginning. Where do you think it might go?


“I lingered in my bed that morning, “ I said, recalling the pleasure of it. “I had a meeting scheduled for 10, and although there are always things around the house that need doing, I lingered there.”

“You didn’t get up to make Jake’s breakfast, or to put together a lunch?” Mark asked.

“Oh, yes, I did those things. Then feeling unsurmountably tired, I lay back down. I didn’t sleep, just lingered there. “

“’Lingered.’The word seems to have more meaning for you than its face value.” He held his cup of coffee in his hands, balanced on his thigh, but did not drink. He met my gaze intently.

“Isn’t it a lovely sounding word? As if I had all the time in the world, and could engage in any pleasure I liked. Romantic, isn’t it? The word, I mean.“ What was I playing at here? I wondered. Distraction, fantasy, escape-- it must be one of those.

It was obvious to me that he wanted me to hurry, to move ahead in my telling of the day’s events, but I did not want to face them, not just yet. I shuddered involuntarily, and forced myself back to the task at hand.

“Is there more you want to say about your lingering? I don’t want to push you,” he said, not a molecule of irritation in his voice, only tenderness. Would he let me linger there all day if I wanted? After all, he was my friend; but also my attorney, and he was being paid well to listen.

“No, I think that’s all,” I said, and mentally reviewed my progress so far. Oh dear, I hope I hadn’t sounded as if I was trying to seduce him! That idea had not crossed my mind till I pictured myself lying in my bed, and I wondered how I might repair that image. Quickly, I went on.