This story is by Lisa Marie Reiswig and was part of our 2018 Spring Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.
Lily’s sitting deck’s edge, along riverbank dangling feet, cooling her heated soul. Watching the old steel bridge enduring enemy-water, worn, erosion eroding strength.
Too, Lily, seem corroding by enemy hand, as that weathered metal. Her dream seemed so far away from that first step purchasing the river-lot, two years ago.
Recalling spoken years detailing, researched, ‘property looking’.
Reed only ‘paid’ attention, he would know ‘her why’.
Instead, fighting to explain. “Why, try him hearing?” Lily’s thought.
Reed saying Lily’s crazy calling her negatives, exponentially, taken toll!
Awareness Reed had! What resonated in her. Lily voiced intention. Opposing Reed, did not further listen, caring not details. Two years, to long! Waited Lily believing Reed support Lil’s vision.
Lily’s tears, thirty years, plus! No expectation, such accusations! This, this, figment of Reed’s imagination! Running through her Reed’s relentless anger.
‘Hoping Lily’ discovers Reed change beneficiaries’, banking passwords erasing her existence. Nearing crazy Lily watch her could not do seeing Reed do. Spiraling hurricane ‘Reed’, ‘Lily’ in the eye watching destruction advance.
Wedged family pitting, families home, year unpaid – annual $58K! No explanation!
Lily realizing her any effort! Reed’s decision steal! Agreeing did not mean doing! Reeds’ unaccountable ‘habitual spending’ again visit.
She could have dealt, his acting, as humans tend. Reed took further each passing day; while she, grasping letting go, arguing increase. Opposing verse believing he: her; her: he.
Lily feeling bit foolish she waited Reed change. Her faith, driving force, kept door open. She slept well in her belief, river-lot bought. Blessing! Be it was, impossible, possible. Lily chancing, choosing dream (for her, her everything include).
As Lily ‘buyer’ and ‘River’ seller shared enthusiasm! Energy contagious! Develop, thinking opportunity, networking possible LLC partnership joining in dream. Build for us, 50/50 so both who love nature, the river lot, mission forward. Share. Leaving our families, a legacy.
Several conversations took place. Detailing LLC picture before ready to speak to Reed (her you know who).
Choice to journey path, considered.
Lily listens to her subtle whisper. “Not do, what remain?” Great “what if””.
What, if right, countless reoccurring dream? Walk away wondering! Will God say “we need a pow wow”, I Am’s “why didn’t you trust, follow?” Far scarier, than try and fail.
Lily so hoped, Reed sees her dream! Sees her, believe in her (he did not have to understand). Reed, need only, be her team.
“If you had not, done what you did, I would support your dream!” But,” riding with another man to river, why, not say?” And, “go ahead!” “Happy your gone!” In Reed’s run-away imagining rant.
Taunting Lily! With “I am willing to help you.” “I do not know why!” As in, “you do not deserve; doing what you do, me”, it ending, Reed saying he is in. Tidbit gifts, here and there, for Lily’s’ dream. Reed’s only, action.
Facing, Reed only talks, actions loud as words. Once There, Reed said “loved view”. As well, later saying, “it cursed!” “Nothing good can come from how you conceived.” Disregarding Lily vocalized intent and did, further breaking her mending heart.
Nightmare of lies accused not true. Lily did not know seller prior. Mentions his age, least decade less, hers. adding, more relatable, as her adult son.
Where this coming from? Lily knew. Reed’s reasoning if “you” had done this way and had “you” not sent lovers notes! “You two conspired, plot to meet!” “You, would already have what you need!” Because “you” did not, “you” do not!”
Before Lily having chance to say, Reed’s decision made that day, he played game “see-phones”. As luck have it, reluctant she gave. He checks her phone enrage before opportunity discuss. Him, home late, endless never answering phone, helping customers while she, home.
Continue taking? Be miserable? Add, to Lily’s’ impending decision. And, Reed’s claims! Not knowing, accusing theft, conspiring another; she could not, do, anymore.
Not only, was she accused another life! The partnership proposal squashed! By her enemy’s figment imagination – looking through her conversations. Pitching fit! “Hiding anything?” “It should not be problem to see!” She handing it over, letting him be.
Thoughts cross her mind, could not same. Frankly, do not do! She tries as lesson, he not let her, tried handing later, his phone.
Reed reading “texts exchange” tears and anger grew! “How could you do this to me!” Scared Lily. She felt bad, he felt bad, though none true. Reed believed.
Her enemy going too far contacting seller “You piece of shit!” Demeaning, reflective her him.
Poor Seller! He accepts to owner finance Lily purchasing the river-lot to follow a dream. Seller’s decision part based common enthusiasm for river, the honey spot most only dream. To be man hunted and yelled to demean her, infuriating!
Plight/fight/right choice time. Lily loves to wonder wonderment imaginatively, not to wonder most, if basic needs can do. Yet, laboring she feel, forging forward. Processing all “what if” shown her. While wait, tasting the known. Until now, not learned.
Perplexed her opposing force, not counted on, sadden Lily.
Two years progression. Escalation fight for her adult being, choice right, freedom to dream! Fact, treatment obscene!
Spiraling! Erasing collaboration “opposites attract” fighting in “agreeing life”.
Both, knew such force. Each their “push agree stance” setting middle ground bar balancing romance.
Action by action one decided choice. Time pass, as Lily’s hope. Too much disagreeing un-gaining support.
Lily had to remember. Before, only a vision of the heart she verbalized, (her personality) everyone knows.
Pushing a barrier, Lily, not known exist. The lacked details, is Reed’s crutch. And texts seen, reading into, hurt more than he knows.
She eluded childlike passion! Enthusiasm! Her dream could be, she skipped like a child; that he had not seen nor recognize.
Declining LLC not admission or guilty shame; it was, wait Reed will love as Lily, if Reed sees.
Both note betrayal! Lily declare buying, meant it. Opposed missing “details” Reed not allow reveal now uses to accuse.
Lily’s pondering concludes inclusive, Reed knows her, or so Lily thought. Who was the victim of betrayal?
Times up! Hoping Reed come to his senses, Lily receives not. Becoming hostile, Lily did not, think to conceive. Choose best of bad choice: a) Remain miserable counteracting Reeds acting and accept foreclosures our years hard worked loss’. b) Give up misery fighting agreeing life not agreed, stop lawyer proceeding river foreclosure, again believe but alone.
Old steel bridge! What an extra touch of historic reminiscence earlier time. Lily wondered in its newness if bridge knew faces a hurricane, collapsing its new? Only two harvests its purpose serve.
100 years sitting un-operational engineered purpose. Rusted. Weathered. Beaten over time. Old steel bridge on Old Steel Bridge Road. Tucked off the beaten dirt road to Blackwater Florida State Park.
Lily sat pondering! Dangling feet. Viewing trees, river, birds, and wind singing tunes harmoniously to natures seat. Starring at imagining, old bridge of steel, in its former glory, its finale defeat.
It had choices of no man’s fixing, replacing, demolition anew. Rust away nothing or become something. Old Steel Bridge still stands, tucked around Juniper trees. Her steel legs standing still in the rivers flow around her.
The best of two bad choices, that bridge, have? It did not erode to nothing – last 100 years. In its passage of time, “other uses” people find.
Jumpers jump! Fishers fishing from tracks old. Knot-tied ropes swimmers’ swing into river. Stopping by tubers, canoers, and kayaks can tie on/off.
Lily wonders if the trees speak bridge; pondering their casing steel bridge. Trees various size, larger by far tucking that old bridge away, until upon. Like a blanket covering one’s cold feet.
It made anew. Nature surround this giant metal symbolism era’s end; Lily too, her marriage end decision.
Lily saw herself sitting writing beautiful words. Kids laughing swimming splashing about. Lily had no doubt, years in mind.
Ironically, the lot not sought to see; many of “locals” bragged area about. Lily, had to see!
Faith would not reveal what only existed in mind with inkling beautify special place. Share healing, writing, unplugging, giving praise. Unplug intentionally. In Nature unite with grace. Inspire imagination there is more than this place!
Whether imagined, desired, coping, matters not! Processes’ to arise, from suffering losses death finalized differ each.
Rear-end collision at idle awaiting green. 6 alive! The other driver, Faith Williams.
Emerging FAITH WILL I AM’S! Astir Lily she has worth.
Monday, chance! Lily posted payment prior lawyer preparatory call. Luckily Lily receive Sundays call, Tuesday’s re-hire.
Deciding ‘her’ – be steel! Covered! Feet still dangling dreams standing too love more.
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