Moments for the Heart

Hey, Weekend Writing Warriors. It has been an eventful couple of weeks. If you follow me on social media you know this, but our youngest son (21) totaled his truck this past week. He swerved to miss an animal and drove it offroad into a oilfield business hitting a couple pieces of equipment. He’s fine, just a busted lip and his buddy fractured his shoulder. BUT his truck is no more. The bad thing is that he had failed to pay his insurance and it was not covered. So, if you have kids with vehicles, ensure they are paying their car insurance. Little things like this happen. Now he has a major life lesson in his back pocket.

Sorry to unload. Let’s move on into what we came for. Deborah is waiting for us to hear the rest of her story.

SYNOPSIS:

Aaron Stephenson loves his job. As food critic for the popular Houston Gazette, he gets to sample the best cuisine at the finest eateries in Houston without paying a dime. And because there are so many great restaurants in Houston, he doesn’t have to visit the same establishment twice… unless he wants to.

But when Aaron stops in at Davies Deli, a non-descript, off-the-beaten-path, family-owned diner, he suddenly realizes he wants to come back;

But it has to do more with the owners’ brown haired, green eyed daughter, Deborah than the delicious food.
Aaron and Deborah feel a mutual attraction. But Deborah has a secret that could change everything.

And then there is Carter…

SNIPPET:

Summary:
This love story novel was born out of a dream I had about an angel leaving nick knacks behind for a couple to find as they walked through an amusement park together. They were reminders about them being a couple because they were struggling. Them finding these ‘little reminders’ drew them back together. The novel also has a dual storyline, in that the MC also has a struggle with their relationship with God, so they are also being drawn back to Him as well. The diner idea came from my personal love for food, writing some of the book sitting in a Denny’s, and working in kitchens for almost 10 years.

Here is a bit from last week.

The man turned and faced her. “I’m sorry, I’m afraid I am a bit turned around. Where is the men’s room?” he asked.

Debora pointed behind her. “It’s around the corner, past the display case.”

“Thank you,” he said through an awkward smile. His grey eyes sparkled with recognition. He passed her and followed her directions.

Deborah watched him as he walked around to the back of the dining area, where the restrooms were. She shook her head and walked back into the office. Then, sitting at the desk, she covered her eyes a moment. The gentle throb that had edged at her the last six months reminded her she was not feeling well.

We are picking up right where we left off. So, lets get into it:


“So, how are you feeling today Dee – I mean Deborah?” dad said correctly as he entered the office.

Deborah lowered her hands. “Okay, I guess. Still feeling drained. But I can get around.”

“Mom says you should take a break. She thinks you are working too hard, especially since Josh left.”

“I’m fine, Pop. Really, I am. If I keep moving, I am better off. Taking a break, I would just get agitated. I need to keep moving.”

“That’s what I told her, but she is still concerned. So please, for her, try and take it easy. You don’t have to do everything. Let Erica help you. That’s why we have her. Miguel can help too.”

::There is your ten, or so, but let’s continue on and finish the scene.::


“I know, and I will. We just need to start seeing applicants soon, so we can replace Josh.”

“We had Josh for years. It will be hard to replace him.”

“Yes, I know. But it’s been two weeks already. You need to replace him so that I can get back to my job. I will help you find someone. We can begin on Monday.”

Pop looked out at his wife, now wiping down the counter, he looked back at his her and cleared his throat. “DeeDee, would you join Mom and me at church on Sunday?”

Deborah sighed. It was the same thing every Friday. Usually, he would wait until the end of the day to ask, but today it came early. “Pop, we’ve been over this. You know Sunday is the only day I can relax. A day for me. I don’t want to waste time at a place I don’t want to be, around people I don’t want to be around, learning about things I no longer believe in.”

Her dad’s face showed the sadness he felt. “I just thought,” he began but didn’t finish.

“Pop, I’m sorry. I don’t know, maybe someday,” Deborah lied. But she could not find any other way to end the subject.

That answer seemed to suffice, so Pop turned and left to finish his opening duties. Deborah went back to the books. She was trying to find where she left off. She found the negative amount and reconciled it through what her dad had paid Josh and balanced the ledger. She was caught up on payroll up to clock in that morning. She closed the program and sat back in her chair. It gave a squeak of age that older chairs give. This one had definitely seen better days, but Pop liked it and to be honest, it was rather comfortable. “Why change something if it still works” her dad would say. Which is probably why he has not hired anyone new to replace Josh, and why he kept asking her to church on Sundays.

We get a bit deeper into a father daughter relationship and their struggle. Pop wants something for his daughter that she doesn’t want to be part of. It is a burden of his. You can tell it weighs on him though.

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Monday is Memory Monday
We remember an important event that occurred on that Monday or sometime that week.

Tuesday is Two Twenty-Two Tuesday
A weekly vlog where I talk about writing or something that’s been on my heart, all in two minutes and twenty-two seconds. — I am way behind on this… sorry.
This is posted on my YouTube channel.

Wednesday is when I post my blog for the week.
I speak from my heart on various topics from writing to faith.

Thursday is This or That Thursday
A weekly two-option poll that raises the question, do you like this, or do you prefer that?
I host this on this on Twitter, IG, and Facebook.

Friday is Fun Fact Friday
I find and share interesting or obscure facts on my pages.

Saturday is for Weekend Writing Warriors
Saturday is for Snippets from a current piece or past work.

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In His Exciting Service,

Jeff S. Bray

Check out amazing established and emerging writers at Weekend Writing Warriors. Each week we post new snippets from either published works or works in progress for each other to comment on. Gain insight into how the mind of a writer works and a behind-the-scenes look at works before they hit bookstands everywhere.

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