Thursday, June 27, 2013

A Quick Story Before More Serious Musings

There will be much new to share over the next few days, including a Q & A that's almost ready, a cover reveal (actually two!) for the upcoming summer anthologies, and much, much more.

But first, I feel like sharing a little something that I wrote this morning in response to a thread started on AgentQuery Connect. Consider it a short story, even if there's way too much truth to it.

I heard feet, and they were getting closer. Soon a four-year-old was jumping in place beside me. Daughter number 2.

Time? Really, was it only 1:05? Felt later than that.

"Milk?" she asked.

"Oh, honey, it's beddy-by time. Sleepy time. Daddy needs to sleep."

She climbed into the bed, stuffed animal in tow. Maybe a little milk will help her sleep, I thought. I climbed out while she snuggled into my warm sheets.

By the time I'd returned with a little milk, my wife and daughter had snuggled closer. I wouldn't fit on the bed.

I handed my little one the bottle. "nk oo," she said.

I walked to the living room, where Riley the cat was snoring atop the couch. A little while later I heard my wife cry out, "Ow! Dammit!" She stomped out of the bedroom and into the living room, where I had been resting.

"You ok?" I asked.

"She just punched me in the eye. I was asleep. Nothing like being woken up to a punch in the eye."

She took the small couch.

From our bedroom, I heard the sound of our daughter jumping up and down again. "I'll keep tabs on her," I told my wife. "You should take the big couch."

"Mrrmrmfhgn" she mumbled.

I slid into my wife's side of the bed. At least three additional stuffed animals, including the four-foot-tall Elmo, were now in the bed.

I looked at the clock: 2:40. "Sleepy time, honey," I said.

"Milk?"

4 comments:

Michelle 4 Laughs said...

Yay! Cover reveals.

And a cute story too!

JeffO said...

I love it. Though if it's as truthful as you suggest, I feel bad for you and your wife and your lack of sleep. Well told!

Matt Sinclair said...

Thanks, Jeff. Because, yes, that part is definitely true. Left untold is that it was daughter number 1 who started the whole turn of events when she awoke first (at around 1:05), but this was a better and easier tale to tell.

Matt Sinclair said...

Thanks, Michelle!