The Perfect Resolution Pt3

Hi and welcome to part 3 of my short story, The Perfect Resolution. If you're just starting here are the links to Part 1 & Part 2 . Thanks and I hope you enjoy.

The Perfect Resolution (Pt.3)

Jenny tossed and turned in bed. A power nap was not happening. She sat up and looked at her list on the wall.

To be PERFECT I must do the following EVERYDAY:

• DO NOT PROCRASTINATE!!


• drink 640z of water liquid


• exercise for 30 -60 minutes


• 5 servings of fruits & veggies a day


• read & write for 4 hours each (TY Stephen King)


• Sleep for 8-10 hours


• Power nap in afternoon


• Cook healthy meals at home (NO TAKEOUT!)


• Eat dinner as a family (AT THE KITCHEN TABLE!)


• No alcohol, No caffeine, No sugar(THINK HEALTHY!)


• Keep up w/house cleaning


• Stay on top of laundry


• get/give at least 6 hugs (TY Becky Sain)


• Take time for you! (YOU DESERVE IT!)


• Finally, when perfection is achieved... repaint bedroom wall!

Writing this on my wall isn't inspiring me, it's just reminding me of how imperfect I am. Jenny looked at the things she crossed out. The thick lines of failure running through her hopes. Guilt quickly boiled under her skin and grew hot. This is crazy. I'll just cross the whole thing out now and face that I'll never be perfect. She jumped to her feet and grabbed the marker in her fist. She raised it high, ready to slay the beast before her.

"Maaaa! Timmy's locked himself in the bathroom with my phone!"

Jenny sighed, dropped the marker, and went out to the hallway. "What's going on? Where's your father?"

"He's got my cell. He's reading my texts!" Vanessa screamed. Her hands waving around as if not holding her phone had untethered them from her control.

"Stop screaming. Tim, it's Mom. Open the door." Jenny knocked lightly.

"Lol, OMG Nessa. Like OMG. He's so ubercute." Timmy called out in a shrill voice through the door.

"I'm gunna kill you Timmy. You hear me?"

"Ok, Ok. Timothy, that's enough. Open this door." Jenny was loosing patience.

"Oh, you'll like this one Mom." He called out and then in his mocking shrill voice continued, "He is so like wants to KYU."

Jenny felt the blood drain from her face. She turned slowly to her daughter. "Who is going to what?"

"No one. It was just a joke Mom. Timmy, you are so dead. So dead. Now, you'll never find your stupid foam hockey pucks!"

"You do anything to my pucks and I'll flush your phone down the toilet." He threatened back and flushed the toilet for effect.

"Maaa, do something."

"What does KYU mean?" Visions of adult commercials were swirling in her head. Vanessa's face reddened. Jenny felt sick.

"Kiss you up," Timmy volunteered through the door.

"Urghh, that's it. Your pucks are done!" Vanessa screamed and ran off.

"Oh, yeah. Take this....FLUSHHHHH..."

Jenny stood in the hall, not sure which child to deal with first. A strange sound came from the kitchen. She headed there and yelled over her shoulder, "Timothy, if you flushed that phone you are buying your sister a new one."

The noise got louder as she approached the kitchen, a strange gurgling and dying mower engine sound. Vanessa was at the sink jamming circular black things into the running garbage disposal. The disposal was sputtering and churning slower with each added deposit.

"Vanessa, what are you doing?" Vanessa looked over her shoulder, wild eyed. Jenny ran up behind her and wrapped her arms around her arms and upper body. Timmy came running in.

"My pucks!" He screamed and ran toward them trying to grab at the ones still in Vanessa's hands.

Jenny was pinned in the middle. Her hugging Vanessa and Timmy reaching around grasping at his sister.

"STOP!" Jenny screamed. The room went silent. No one moved, they were all frozen with their hands still wrapped around each other. All that could be heard was the heavy breathing from the three. This is kind of a hug. Jenny shook her head at the thought.

"That's it. You're both grounded. Go to your rooms." Jenny let go of Vanessa, but stood in the middle until Timmy had released her and was safely out of the room.

The sputtering continued. She rushed over hit the switch to shut off the disposal. It came to whining stop. After the blades stopped spinning she reached in to recover as much of the rubbery puck pieces as possible. When there was nothing left but tiny mangled bits, she turned the water on and reran the disposal. It made a grinding noise, then something snapped. Water came spurting and spraying out like a geyser right into her face. The sound of metal clanking against the inner drum was so loud it brought everyone to the kitchen. Jenny hit the switch off and waved her hand over the swirl of smoke rising. Turning to see her husband, son and daughter standing there, looking innocently surprised, she couldn't be sure if the smoke was from the disposal or her head.

"I'll fix it." Her husband said tentatively walking up beside her to survey the damage.

"I'm sorry." Vanessa whispered.

"Me too." Added Timmy.

Water dripped down her face, running through her thickly concealed brows and leaving beige streaks down her face. She could taste the play dough like substance as it pooled in the corners of her mouth. Her family looked at her, eyes wide, waiting for her to blow.

"It's broke. I'll go to the hardware store." Her husband said with the look of a prisoner that just made parole, hopeful yet remorseful. Jenny turned to him, raised her arms up toward him slowly like a zombie. He automatically flinched and stepped back. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged. He hugged back apprehensively, not sure how to react.

When her husband left the room Jenny turned to her kids. They looked terrified by what they had just witnessed. She walked to them and pulled them both to her and hugged. When she was finished she calmly sent them back to their rooms to resume their punishment.

"I want your rooms to be spotless before you come out. Then we'll talk about what happened. You both hear me." Her composure surprised herself. Vanessa and Timmy nodded in agreement.

Jenny went back to her room and looked at the list. Maybe I can still do this. I just need to be more realistic about it though. She picked up the marker and crossed a few more items. She could still be perfect with what she kept.

_________________________________________________

That's it for now. Stay tuned for more of The Perfect Resolution.

Thanks,

Kristin : )

* Here is the link to The Perfect Resolution (The End)