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- Story Listed as: Fiction For Adults
- Theme: Love stories / Romance
- Subject: Love / Romance / Dating
- Published: 11/04/2021
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She pulled the list from her purse. It made her smile. She read through it slowly, nodding at each item. Out loud she said:
“Check. Check. Check. Check. Hmmm…well, that’s okay. Check. Check. Check.”
She looked up; her eyes were open but she wasn’t seeing anything in front of her. She was looking back. Twenty two years back. To a fifteen year old girl sitting alone in her room…writing a list. Her eyes glistened, her smile grew.
******
“Kathy, what in the world are you doing up so late?”
“I am making a list.”
“ A list? For what? School is two months away. Summer camp is over. What do you need a list for?”
“It isn’t that kind of list. I was talking with Amy today about who we want to marry.”
(Her mother smiled. Interested.)
“And?”
“Well, all the boys like Amy so she can pick and choose. I don’t want to be chosen, I want to choose.”
(Her mother’s smile deepened. Intrigued.)
“And who do you want to choose?”
Kathy shook her twin braids.
“Nobody. Not right now. I mean I am only fifteen Mom.”
“I know that. I was there when you were born.”
It was an old joke between the two of them, and it got the same warm laugh it always did.
“ I am way to young to be picking a guy now. Honestly, I don’t really like boys all that much.”
Her Mother’s smile dropped a bit.”
“Do you like girls?”
Kathy realized that her Mother had grown intense. It took her ten year old mind a few seconds to figure it out.
“MOM! Not that way. It’s just most boys are all hands and hormones right now. They just want to show off. And I definitely don’t want to marry a show off.”
Her Mother nodded. She also wondered where all this wisdom came from. Her daughter was truly growing up. She smiled a soft bittersweet smile and kept listening.
“So who do you want to marry?”
“I haven’t finished my list yet. But if I find a boy who gets a check mark by each item…he’s mine.”
“Can I see what you have …so far?”
“I guess so. But promise me you won’t laugh.”
Her mother touched her lightly on her shoulder.
“I wouldn’t dream of it honey. Thank you for even letting me look your list over.”
“Okay, but you can’t change anything on it…it is my list.”
“Agreed. Now, let me see.”
Kathy handed her the incomplete list…a bit of shyness creeped in - this was private personal stuff. It brought her closer to her Mom.
Her Mother nodded, unaware that her daughter was watching for every nuance of body language, or change of expression, as she scanned the list. At first she was just scanning it , reading the words, but then she slowed down and started over. Her appreciation for her daughter growing with each item on that list. It was all she could do to not break out in tears and hug her wonderful daughter.
Words caught her attention: kind, character, humor, Forgiveness, strong body, easy smile, gentle voice…The list had short phrases on it too:
“Must be taller than me when barefoot. At least four inches taller. Must have no tattoos. Must have eyes that twinkle, color is not important. Has to be a reader. If he can’t play music, he has to love listening to music. Has to be honest, especially with me. Must love dogs…and cats! Has to be generous. Must like to dance. Must be a good listener. Has to like my Mom and Dad. Must get my jokes.”
Those phrases warmed her mother’s heart - her daughter already knew what really counted. She handed the list back. Kissed her daughter on the top of her head. As she closed the door so her daughter could keep adding to her list, she whispered a prayer to the Universe:
“Help her find a man that fits that list.”
When she finished the list that night, she rewrote it in her best handwriting. Over the years, when things got serious between her and the man in her life at that time, she took out the list. Four times in twenty two years, the list saved her from a mistake. She reviewed the list one more time. Only one item wasn’t checked off. He wasn’t taller than her. They were exactly the same height.
She laughed at herself:
“Well, you can’t have everything you want.”
With that, she folded the note, put it back in her purse and stood up. She straightened her dress, smoothed out the trail, and lowered her veil. She opened the door and stepped out to see her Mother and Father waiting. Her Father wanted her to sit in the back seat so the white dress wouldn’t get crammed into just the passenger seat. He was clueless when his wife said:
“You have the list?”
Kathy patted her pearl white clutch purse with a soft double tap.
“Got it right here.”
Her mother smiled softly.
The Wedding was starting.
The list.(Kevin Hughes)
She pulled the list from her purse. It made her smile. She read through it slowly, nodding at each item. Out loud she said:
“Check. Check. Check. Check. Hmmm…well, that’s okay. Check. Check. Check.”
She looked up; her eyes were open but she wasn’t seeing anything in front of her. She was looking back. Twenty two years back. To a fifteen year old girl sitting alone in her room…writing a list. Her eyes glistened, her smile grew.
******
“Kathy, what in the world are you doing up so late?”
“I am making a list.”
“ A list? For what? School is two months away. Summer camp is over. What do you need a list for?”
“It isn’t that kind of list. I was talking with Amy today about who we want to marry.”
(Her mother smiled. Interested.)
“And?”
“Well, all the boys like Amy so she can pick and choose. I don’t want to be chosen, I want to choose.”
(Her mother’s smile deepened. Intrigued.)
“And who do you want to choose?”
Kathy shook her twin braids.
“Nobody. Not right now. I mean I am only fifteen Mom.”
“I know that. I was there when you were born.”
It was an old joke between the two of them, and it got the same warm laugh it always did.
“ I am way to young to be picking a guy now. Honestly, I don’t really like boys all that much.”
Her Mother’s smile dropped a bit.”
“Do you like girls?”
Kathy realized that her Mother had grown intense. It took her ten year old mind a few seconds to figure it out.
“MOM! Not that way. It’s just most boys are all hands and hormones right now. They just want to show off. And I definitely don’t want to marry a show off.”
Her Mother nodded. She also wondered where all this wisdom came from. Her daughter was truly growing up. She smiled a soft bittersweet smile and kept listening.
“So who do you want to marry?”
“I haven’t finished my list yet. But if I find a boy who gets a check mark by each item…he’s mine.”
“Can I see what you have …so far?”
“I guess so. But promise me you won’t laugh.”
Her mother touched her lightly on her shoulder.
“I wouldn’t dream of it honey. Thank you for even letting me look your list over.”
“Okay, but you can’t change anything on it…it is my list.”
“Agreed. Now, let me see.”
Kathy handed her the incomplete list…a bit of shyness creeped in - this was private personal stuff. It brought her closer to her Mom.
Her Mother nodded, unaware that her daughter was watching for every nuance of body language, or change of expression, as she scanned the list. At first she was just scanning it , reading the words, but then she slowed down and started over. Her appreciation for her daughter growing with each item on that list. It was all she could do to not break out in tears and hug her wonderful daughter.
Words caught her attention: kind, character, humor, Forgiveness, strong body, easy smile, gentle voice…The list had short phrases on it too:
“Must be taller than me when barefoot. At least four inches taller. Must have no tattoos. Must have eyes that twinkle, color is not important. Has to be a reader. If he can’t play music, he has to love listening to music. Has to be honest, especially with me. Must love dogs…and cats! Has to be generous. Must like to dance. Must be a good listener. Has to like my Mom and Dad. Must get my jokes.”
Those phrases warmed her mother’s heart - her daughter already knew what really counted. She handed the list back. Kissed her daughter on the top of her head. As she closed the door so her daughter could keep adding to her list, she whispered a prayer to the Universe:
“Help her find a man that fits that list.”
When she finished the list that night, she rewrote it in her best handwriting. Over the years, when things got serious between her and the man in her life at that time, she took out the list. Four times in twenty two years, the list saved her from a mistake. She reviewed the list one more time. Only one item wasn’t checked off. He wasn’t taller than her. They were exactly the same height.
She laughed at herself:
“Well, you can’t have everything you want.”
With that, she folded the note, put it back in her purse and stood up. She straightened her dress, smoothed out the trail, and lowered her veil. She opened the door and stepped out to see her Mother and Father waiting. Her Father wanted her to sit in the back seat so the white dress wouldn’t get crammed into just the passenger seat. He was clueless when his wife said:
“You have the list?”
Kathy patted her pearl white clutch purse with a soft double tap.
“Got it right here.”
Her mother smiled softly.
The Wedding was starting.
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Help Us Understand What's Happening
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Kevin Hughes
11/07/2021Thank you Gayle,
I can tell you that Kathy Did think this hard about marrying me. And if you look at the kind of girls I was interested in before Kathy Dash she was much different. Yet it all worked out. So may be a list work sometimes and other times it’s just the universe maneuvering two people to be together smiles Kevin
Help Us Understand What's Happening
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Lillian Kazmierczak
11/04/2021Kevin that was a really sweet story about a girl who knew what she wanted. You told it so well, too.I cancant even imagine holding on to a list that long! And I can write some lists!
ReplyHelp Us Understand What's Happening
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Kevin Hughes
11/05/2021Thanks, I am not a very good list maker myself. My day consists of make Kathy's lunch, her coffee, and her "Ovaltine". Then it is back to bed. Wake up, have tea, walk around for a bit, take nap. Repeat until Kathy gets home from work. No list necessary. LOL
Smiles, Kevin
COMMENTS (2)