Friday Fiction – A Novel Perspective

Hi, everyone. I get the honor and privilege of hosting Friday Fiction for Patty this week, the first time I have hosted it with my new site! So sit back and enjoy the story and then click on the link at the bottom to leave your the link for your Friday Fiction or just to find more great stories to read. (And don’t forget to to follow my blog if you haven’t yet!)

This story is one that hits very close to home for me (so to speak) in a few different ways. I hope it blesses you.

A Novel Perspective

“I hate this, Mom. It just… really stinks.” Kristin nestled the phone on her shoulder and slouched in her overstuffed rocker.

“Canada seems so far away. The gas prices are continually climbing and airplane tickets are sky-high.” Kristin giggled at her mom’s pun. “And it is expensive to mail stuff over the border. I’ll send money for birthdays when I can’t visit.”

“It’s a good thing you have free unlimited calls anywhere in North America. You’d think they’d come up with a decent plan for international cell phones.” Kristin heard the whine in her voice and felt her conscience twinge. She took a deep breath, shifted the phone to her other shoulder, and determined to be more upbeat. “I found a great deal on a webcam at NorthMart… only fifteen bucks. You should look into it, Mom. At least we could see and hear each other when we chat online. Oh… and I posted pics of the kids on my website this morning.”

“I hated missing Hannah’s birthday, but I plan to be there for Peter’s. And I’m taking a vacation when this baby is born. Will two weeks be enough?” She had been there for births of both her grandchildren.

Kristin grabbed a tissue to wipe her leaky eyes again. “It’s too hard being so far apart, Mom. You’re barely a part of my life anymore.”

“I know. I feel like I’ve abandoned you.” Even over the phone… nearly two thousand miles away, Kristin heard the tears in her mom’s voice.

“Well… I guess it could be worse. Not sure how but… Uh-oh! Hannah just spilled her milk all over Peter. Better go! I’ll chat with you later when the kids go down for their naps. Petey said the funniest thing this morning. Remind me to tell you.”

Hours later, Kristin picked up her novel and immersed herself while waiting for her toddlers to fall asleep.

Violet stood back and watched the shopkeeper crank the new telephone. He shouted into it and then stepped back and waved her forward.

She stared at him, confusion and uncertainty twisted her gut.

“Like this.” He handed the earpiece to Violet and pressed her closer to the mouthpiece.

“Hello.” Her voice quivered as she leaned toward the contraption.

“Louder.” The storekeeper grinned at her hesitancy.

“HELLO.” She nearly shouted the word this time.

“Violet, sweetheart. Is that really you?” Her mama’s voice dissolved into sobs and Violet felt the tears slip down her own cheeks.

“Mama, it’s really me.”

Pa’s voice rumbled in her ear. It was strong but unsteady. “Your mama needs a moment to… well…” She heard him clear his throat and blow his nose. “How are ya, Muffin?”

“Oh, Pa… I’m pregnant.” The sound of her pa crying… nearly 2000 miles away… was nearly Violet’s undoing. It took a few moments to push the lump from her throat. They needed to take advantage of this new fangled miracle and not be wasting it on tears. There was too much catching up to do. It was two years since Violet had married and moved west.

“Jake says we can do this again. For important news… like the baby… and even as a treat on my birthday.” Jake grinned at her from where he leaned against the wall. His eyes glistened with a few tears of his own. He leaned toward the mouthpiece, “I heard they’re gonna bring the railroad here, Pa. Then you can visit and see your grandchildren.”

“I never dreamed this would be possible, little girl.” Her pa’s voice trembled with tightly reined-in emotions. “When you married Jake and left on the wagon train… I figured that was the last time I would ever see you.”

“I know Pa… isn’t this newfangled stuff amazing.” Violet checked the pocket-watch that hung from Jake’s vest. “I should go… this is going to cost us a bundle… but it was worth every penny.”

Kristin laid down her book and gazed at the phone for several minutes. God had used a pioneer novel to speak deep into her spirit. She needed a heart-to-heart with her Heavenly Daddy before she called her mom.

That evening Kristin wrote in her journal…
“I guess it’s just a matter of perspective. Gratefulness or griping … do I dwell on what I have or don’t have? Either one is a choice that I make depending on my point of view. Seeing my life from an eternal view changes how I perceive my everyday.”

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Tagged as: Christian fiction, complaining, Faith Writers, Friday Fiction, grateful, gratefulness, griping, journal, missing family, moving, murmuring, Patterings, Patty Wysong, perspective, pioneer, prayer, short story, thankful, thankfulness, trust, Weekly Challenge