TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "LAUGHTER" #laughter #tuesdaytales #amwriting

Welcome to Tuesday Tales. My urban fantasy, "Midnight in Central Park" continues today. Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales. Thanks for stopping by. 

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I’d been to the Park but couldn’t get comfortable. It was cold outside and I kept thinking about my bed at the Gold’s. About two, I gave up. I knew they didn’t like it when I slept in the Park, especially Mr. G. So I’d get up with the sun and sneak back in. But not tonight. It was cold and I was tired.

I figured they’d be asleep anyway, so I took the elevator up and crept down the hallway on tiptoes to their door. I couldn’t believe they’d given me a key. Mrs. Plaid told me that was a big compliment. Nobody gave keys to the foster kids. Too many had ripped them off, stealing stuff and throwing parties.

I didn’t tell anyone except Mrs. Plaid that I had a key. Some of the bullies in school might have tried something if they knew. I put my hand in my pocket, fingering the cold metal. It felt good. It meant they trusted me. Of course they were wrong, ‘cause I’d be heading out as soon as it got warm. As I turned the key over and over, I wondered how it would feel to have a regular key ring—to jangle keys, like I had a regular place to live, with a lock, not a shelter or charity.

Maybe I’d get a key ring in January. Just until it warmed up, like April or May, when I’d take off. I opened the lock quietly and slid the door open. Voices! I couldn’t believe they were still up, and on a school night. As I crept across the foyer to the hall, I stopped to listen at their door.

Yeah, I know, that’s not a nice thing to do. Tough shit. I’d been listening at doors since I was six.

“And then Harvey said…” it was Mr. G’s voice.

“Would you believe I’m waiting for a train?” Mrs. G. spoke.

Then the loudest laughter I’d heard in fucking forever. I stood still, drinking in the sound. Prettier than the best music, it filled me up and made me smile. If I hadn’t been sneaking in, I would have laughed, too.

It felt like they laughed forever. When they stopped, I moved closer to my room, but the voices started up again.

“I’m worried about Jamie.” It was Mrs. G. Uh oh. That didn’t sound good.

“Don’t worry, honey. Jamie’s gonna be fine. He’s come a long way already. He’s doing well. You’ll see.”

Then I heard kissing and knew it was time to hightail it to my own room. I threw an extra blanket on the bed, closed the window, stripped down, and slid between the sheets. Maybe someday I could laugh like that, too. Maybe even with the Golds?

Tuesday Tales 

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