This is the next instalment of The Crumpled Letter for March Madness with Freewrite House. You can read previous instalments by clicking the links below.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Doris woke the next day to a gradual lightening of her room. She had left her curtains open the night before. Yet another change. She had liked waking up to natural light in her youth but had spent many years now in the darkness because Bill had liked it that way. The thought tickled her and she stretched out across her king size bed, luxuriating in the space. She remembered back to how she had felt yesterday waking, and the day before that, smiling brightly at how differently she felt now. She didn’t completely understand this new lightness but thought it had something to do with her decision to volunteer while in the Charles Dickens museum.
She looked at the little alarm clock on her bedside drawers and saw that it was only six forty five. Having spent so many hours wallowing in her bed over the last few weeks, she knew that she wanted to rise early today and do something different. The fear she had been experiencing at the prospect of living her life alone, was now turning into a mild excitement. Her journal was filled with ideas of what life could be. She was plugging into a long forgotten curiosity for life, realising only now that she had squashed so many of her passions down inside of her, just to keep Bill happy. That made her laugh again. “Well, I obviously did a great job there.” She said aloud.
“So Doris, what do you want to do with yourself today?” She had lunch with Deirdre arranged for one thirty at Daphne’s; she wanted to fill in the volunteer form and send it off so she’d be able to make the orientation evening, but what could she do this morning? Hmmm, she stretched out again catlike. Walk... I’ll go for a long walk over the Heath. Blow away the cobwebs and stretch out my body fully, she thought. I could make my way there now and have my first cup of coffee at Kenwood. Now that would be a lovely start to my day. Luxurious and indulgent, she laughed and then she shouted, “because I’m worth it!” And for the first time, in a long time, she actually believed it.
If you want to read some other March Madness writers and support them too, check them out below.
@kaelci
@ireenchew
@mariannewest
@kaerpediem
@linnyplant
@balticbadger
@wakeupkitty
@aislingcronin
@carolkean
@jeanlucsr
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Ohh, so many years of sadness and putting herself second to this awful man who's abandoned her - I love this: she laughed and then she shouted, “because I’m worth it!” And for the first time, in a long time, she actually believed it. You have a great story here, Julia. Don't lose faith in it.
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What to say? Thank you. Again and again. Letting go of March Madness is so freeing. Now, the vibrant energy that makes my fingers tingle is returning. <3
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So glad to hear that!! Any kind of structure and pressure to perform can shut me down, too. ;)
I read some of this out loud to my daughter and she loves the discarded woman, shaken and beaten like a rug. And how for 38 years she woke up with the curtains pulled because he preferred to wake up in a dark room. One morning she didn't pull the shades, and she wakes up in a sunny room, and that day she decides to get up and move on with her life. Maybe even get a dog! (He is allergic to dogs.) My daughter asked "Is there any dialogue?" and I thought yes, with Deirdre and Michael in particular, and that dialogue just sparkles. I also had the thought that more dialogue would be good, but this is a FIRST DRAFT, and the story is unfolding, surprising you as much as anyone, I'll bet. Panststers vs plotters. Keep writing. Later on, come back and work on dialogue and building a scene vs summarizing it. What you're doing is fine! Get the magic flowing, and LATER, tackle the manuscript with an editorial eye. (And, if only I practiced what I preach!)
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That last line, in brackets, killed me! 😂
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I know this transformation! The stretching out on the bed part, sleeping diagonally if you want to, next to the window if you want to, with the window open if you want to. I love Doris! You go woman! #mmfan
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I have to admit, I am falling in love with her too. I think she's a mixture of so many women I have been blessed to know. Thank you for stopping by @owasco x
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