I had submitted this story to the Jacksonville Times
Union for their holiday stories competition, hoping it might win a spot in the top three. It didn't. Let's face it,
you can't always be a winner and I'm happy to accept that. I still thought it
was a fun story and hope you'll enjoy reading it.
Wishing you a Happy New Year. It is almost here!
Audrey
An Afternoon Surprise
Amy Morgan dragged herself from the car
to her front door. It had been a wicked day at work. The last minute Christmas
rush was always the time a sales clerk dreaded. She was looking forward to a
cup of tea and propping her feet on the ottoman. What was that mysterious
package on the front step? She wasn't expecting anything. As she grew
closer, she could swear the box moved.
There was a scratching sound coming from the inside. Maybe an abandoned
kitten? The girls would like that. She opened the front door and lifted the
wobbly box inside, placing it on the sofa.
“Anybody home?” she called. No answer. Her guess? Libby and Carla had
met friends after school.
A flush spread over her cheeks. She should wait until the girls were
home. Curiosity was getting stronger. Maybe one little peek wouldn't
hurt. She lifted the cover a notch. Something black and fuzzy flew past her and
landed on an end table lamp.
A tiny spider monkey glared angrily at her. Well she couldn't leave him
there. “Come on, you little monster.” She held out her right arm, enticing him
to jump on. He jumped, but not to her arm. He was sitting jauntily on top of
the drapes. Okay, she'd think of something to bring him down.
She found a banana on the kitchen sink. That ought to do it. She hurried
back to the living room.
Where had he gone? A screech from
the top of the stairs startled her. “Okay, Monster, this nonsense has to
stop.” She held out the banana as she
raced up the steps, her breathing growing heavier.
Tiny black eyes looked dangerously menacing as he screeched again and
slid down the bannister like butter off a hot knife.
Amy plopped down on the top step. The monkey cocked his head from the
bottom one. His screech became a chatter as his lips widened, showing tiny
white teeth. Was he laughing at her? She stuck her tongue out in return and
wagged the banana in front of him. Slowly, Monster started climbing each step,
his nose sniffing the air. He was almost
within her grasp, when the front door slammed open.
“Hey, Mom, we're home!”
Monster took off like a stone hurled from a sling shot. He sped past Amy
and disappeared into a bedroom. He sounded like a banshee screaming his lungs
out.
“What's that noise, Mom?”
“Someone who hates me sent me a gift.” She pushed a stray lock of sable hair off her forehead. She could feel
the sweat running down the back of her neck. I'm too old to chase a monkey.
Libby and Carla sat down beside
their mother. Their eyes were questioning. “Are you all right? You look beat.”
Amy snorted. “You'd be too, if you had been chasing Monster around for
the past half hour.”
Carla's green eyes widened. “Who's Monster?”
“Check out the front left bedroom. Libby, stay here with me in case I'm
having some weird nightmare.”
Her younger daughter quirked an eyebrow.
“What's that supposed to mean?”
Carla came running back. “Take this monkey out of my hair,” she cried.
Amy pushed herself to her feet. “Is he hurting you?”
“No, but it feels yucky.”
Amy's lips curled into a smile. “I think he feels secure hidden in your black hair. Can you manage a few more
minutes?”
Carla shrugged. “I- I guess. Why?”
“You'll see. I'll be right back.”
Libby eyed her sister. “He's kinda cute when you look closer at him.”
“Not to me.” Carla grimaced. “What's taking Mom so long? I hope he
doesn't mess on me. I just washed my hair this morning.”
Monster peeked out from under Carla's hair. His tiny teeth glistened
from the glow of the hallway light.
Libby giggled. “I think he's smiling at me.”
“Then you let him hide in your hair.”
“He wouldn't be hiding in mine. It's too light.”
Their mother walked slowly toward them, a dark brown bath towel gripped
tightly in her hand. “Carla, no matter what happens, don't move.” In one swift motion she caught Monster and
pulled him into the towel. “Libby, grab the box and bring it up here.”
The monkey almost broke away as she dumped him into the box and slammed
the lid down. His irritation at being
boxed up again could be heard loud and clear.
Carla raced into the bathroom and
started brushing her hair.
Libby eyed her mother. “Now what?”
“We take him to a pet shop and let them figure out how to handle a wild
monkey.”
Finally back home, Amy checked her watch. “Your father will be home any
minute now. This afternoon never happened. You got that?”
“Why? It was actually an adventure looking back on it.” Carla couldn't
wait to tell the kids at school.
“Dad would be upset. You know how he worries about us.” For once, her
younger daughter hit the ball over the fence.
“But nothing happened to make him worry;” Carla insisted.
“I wouldn't exactly say that. One of us could have been bitten.” Amy
hugged her two girls. “You can tell all your friends at school. Let's just keep
what happened here our little secret.”
Richard Morgan hugged his three women when he got home. “What kind of
mischief did you girls get into today?”
Libby's eyes widened. “Us? We just had a quiet time watching
television.” Her father never noticed the crossed fingers behind her back.
