Surprise: Time for a Roadtrip! Ch 5 - BRUH! A Steemit Exclusive Novel

gatorlynne (49)in #writing • 7 years ago (edited)

When Elnora Sandy quit her teaching job that morning she had no idea how much her life would change in just one day.

By lunch time, Elnora had already faxed a resignation to her school board, packed her car with as much as she could fit, and gave away the rest of the belongings in her condo. She knocked on the door of a neighbor and asked the young lady if she wanted any furniture. The look on her neighbor's face was priceless. When Elnora peered into the desolate neighbor's condo, it became clear that she had knocked on the right door. Elnora gave her everything: couches, beds, pots & pans, food, towels, sheets, and books, plenty of books. She also passed down a ton of clothes. The young neighbor happily took it all.

With that done, Elnora was ready to go. She had already spoken to the realty company and would leave the condo key for them on the kitchen counter. They were happy to hear from her and promised to take care of everything. Those were words Elnora loved to hear. She had her mind set on a road trip.

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Elnora had no idea where exactly she was going first, but she knew the way north. As she headed down the stairs, she called out to each duck on her lake, by name. Goodbye Captain. Goodbye Target. Goodbye Patriot. One by one, she wished them farewell.

Then, her mind returned to her classroom and the children she left behind. Elnora wished them farewell, as well. Goodbye, Thalia. Goodbye, McCain. On and on, she called out their names in her mind. She wished them well. Elnora's thoughts than rolled into prayers:

Dear Lord, please help me to follow your lead, to be a servant in your name. Lord, please give me direction and Lord please bless my students with understanding. Keep a watchful eye over them. In Jesus name, Amen.

She pulled her loaded down Chevy onto the highway. Thirty years Elnora had taught school in this town. Thirty years she drove down this highway over the river to her school. She knew just about every inch of this town but she knew little else of the world. She had never even seen snow. Fifty years old and she'd spent every winter of her life in this swamp they call Florida. As she drove out of town, she wondered if it was snowing up north.

"Siri, call Bella."

Calling Bella her phone replied. She touched radio input button just as Bella's voice echoed through her car:

"Hey Ma. Did you change your mind and go back to work yet?" Her daughter's voice sounded half joking and half worried. Bella chuckled. Wait until she heard the real story.

"Nope. I faxed my resignation and sold my condo. I'm on my way to you. Is it snowing?" Elnora asked nonchalantly.

"What?!" She caught her daughter off guard. Bella laughed out loud, "You are kidding right?"

Elnora answered her back serious as day: "Nope. Sweetie. I am 100 percent serious. I hope you have towels, though. I just gave all mine away." She knew her little asides would drive Bella crazy and it did.

"OMG Mom! You are making some of the hugest decisions of your life and you are worried about towels? Of course I have towels!" Bella's voice was reaching all new pitches of hysteria so Elnora decided to relax the sassy jokes and talk serious with her:

"Listen, baby. It's my turn. I want to see some of the world, too. I decided to start with you in New York and then I'll head to Marie in Boston. I also have always wanted to go to Washington, DC. There is so much out there I have never seen." Elnora's voice took on a pleading sound. She wanted her daughter to be happy for her.

"Mom, I am proud of you." Bella said the one sentence that Elnora wasn't expecting but so needed.

"Thank you, Bella," she replied to her daughter. She choked back the tears. "I love you, baby. I'm on the road. I'll call you later. Get ready for me ... here I come! Love ya!"

She hung up and turned on the car radio just as her car crossed over the river out of town. She realized she never found out if it was snowing. She thought to herself, "Well, I'm up for surprises."

She certainly was.