Ancestry

Write at the Merge, Week 16The song is “Tiny Dancer” from Elton John, and you can use the lyrics, the music or anything about the video that inspires you.
Trifecta: Week Seventy-Three
On to the one-word weekly challenge where we ask for a 33-333 word response to the third definition of a given word.  If you need a refresher, click here for more information on how to play.  Be sure to check that you've used the correct definition this week!

color (noun)

3: complexion tint:

  a : the tint characteristic of good health

  b : blush

Anne Marie sat away from the crowd.  She settled in the shade and shadow of an old oak, well removed from the lake's sandy beach.  

Children ran amok, parents yelled warnings about swimming too soon after eating, young couples sat staring dreamily into each other's eyes.

Anne Marie's eyes were fixed a little girl with dark curls and an infectious smile.  She was accompanied by her mother and grandmother. The girl was spinning in circles on the sand as the women talked. 

A small smile bloomed on Anne Marie's lips as she followed the girl's dance.  Memories surfaced in wisps of foggy images.  Of a beautiful man with dark curls and perfect smile.  Of a young girl with flame red hair and cheeks that glowed with the color of impending motherhood.

Unbidden tears flowed down those same cheeks centuries after her world was changed.  Her young man's life ended before his daughter was born.  Her daughter stolen from her at birth.

Her daughter, seen only once from a distance all those long years ago.  She'd kept track of the bloodline, knew of all the daughters born after.  Had watched from a distance the two older women when they were but toddlers.  Had known of the birth of this one.  

This one, this tiny dancer that so resembled the child she never held.  This one, that stopped spinning to look across the space between them.

With head cocked to one side, that perfect smile lit the girl's face.  She raised one chubby hand and waved merrily at Anne Marie. 

Just as she began to lift her hand to wave in return, the women took notice, "Katie Crowe!  What were you told about strangers!" Her mother gave the girl an exasperated look.  "I've told you, Mom, she never pays attention."

Caroline Crowe followed her granddaughter's gaze, caught the eyes of the woman under the tree.  A feeling of recognition washed through her.  "She pays more attention than you know, Natalie.  More than you know." 


Anne Marie has been a recurring character in many of my stories.  Katie Crowe is part of the "novel" I've been... ahem... working on.  Somewhere along the way, they became part of a bigger story that links them together.  Most of the bits I've shared here are under the labels at the top of the blog.  Annag of Clan MacClarren/Anne Marie MacClarren and Renewal; A Tale of Katrina's Kitchen.  This is the first time I've put them in the same post.





  

Untrained

Master Class

 Stacey of Stacey’s Writing Moments was chosen to pick our line this week, read her piece from our last lesson, titled Winter. .

She chose Erma Bombeck’s Motherhood, The Second  Oldest Profession. Your line for this week, to open your stories, is….(drumroll please!!)

“One of the biggest complaints of motherhood is the lack of training.”

Put your thinking caps on and set your Muse to create. This assignment is due by 6:00 pm Monday, April 1, 2013 . Please identify the starting line by enclosing it in quotes, bolding, or italicizing.

"One of the biggest complaints of motherhood is the lack of training."

That's what I hear.  Oh, there are plenty of books, magazine articles, web sites, or pod casts.  But honestly, I wouldn't have read/listened to them if they'd been available anyway.  

I was busy reorganizing my life.  Buying baby clothes, furniture, supplies.  

My pregnancy was not planned.  I was a single mother.

I'd been hitting the snooze on my biological clock for years.  Evidently nap time was over.

No time for training in the motherly arts or keeping up on the latest mommy trends.  So, when the daughter arrived, I asked the best expert I knew.

My mother.

Was she an excellent mother?  Probably not, there were issues.  But, she had five kids.  She kept us all fed, housed, healthy and loved.  What other qualifications were necessary?

Did I turn out to be an excellent mother?  Probably not, it wasn't exactly my calling.  But, I kept her fed, housed, healthy, and loved.  Because that's how I was trained.