Expect the Unexpected

 

The living room soon contained box upon box stacked in a neat pile.  The sense of comfort and hominess that the room once brought Joe (and his family) was lessening with each passing minute.  The realtor mentioned that someone was coming by to look at the place some time later that morning.  It would give him time to finish up with some of his clothing and things before making a trip to Sylvie’s house.  Gratefully, his sister had agreed to take Rosie and Lily’s brown rocking horses and a few other things that he couldn’t bear to part with just yet.  Most of the other furnishings would stay with the house.

Maria’s goodbye letter was still folded in the top drawer of the night stand where he last left it.  That letter had been a raw reminder of what was no longer.  As Joe gathered up the contents of both drawers, he heard a ring at the front door.  Joe glanced at the time on their alarm clock.  He caught the word, their.  Hmmm… he doubted that it could be the potential buyer already.  He still had a good hour or so before he was due to leave the house, so that the realtor could show it.  Must be solicitors again.  This early?!

Setting the box down on the floral bedspread which Maria had so carefully chosen, Joe headed toward the front door.  He could see through the shears that there was an old tan coloured sedan parked outside.  Fully expecting to see another salesman, just as his wife had thought that AWFUL, dreadful day all of those months ago, he swiftly unlocked the handle and pulled the door wide open.  In an instant, Joe’s square chin dropped as he gasped for breath… he couldn’t believe his eyes!

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The above instalment is number 8 of my Short Story Series. Although each story part is a continuation of the last, I have designed each storyline so that they can also be read separately. I’ve purposely kept them short for quick, easy reading in response to a writing initiative that I was presented with awhile back.

Parts 1-7 can be found here:
Part 1: https://wordpresscom34070.wordpress.com/2019/04/13/marias-story/
Part 2: https://wordpresscom34070.wordpress.com/2019/04/14/joes-story/
Part 3: https://wordpresscom34070.wordpress.com/2019/04/20/rosie-and-lillys-story/
Part 4: https://wordpresscom34070.wordpress.com/2020/04/18/my-dearest-husband-joe/
Part 5: https://wordpresscom34070.wordpress.com/2020/05/06/the-airport
Part 6: https://wordpresscom34070.wordpress.com/2020/05/12/the-little-white-house/

Part 7:  https://wordpresscom34070.wordpress.com/2020/05/27/the-familiar-winding-road/