Moments for the Heart

Hey, Weekend Writing Warriors. Well exciting news on the editing front. I finally completed my final edit of The Transference II. That was a bear to edit. Not sure I am completely happy with it. But I do have until October of next year to toy with it, it’s release day is October 21st. The word count came down to 109K from 127K. So, I’m happy about that. I think that is mainly from joining contractions, though. 😀 😀 😀

Well, here we go getting back into reminding. Deborah is ready to reveal a bit more about herself.

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.

“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 are picking up somewhat where we left off. Deborah internal speech and though about her parents and viewing the room she is in. We pick up in the middle of it. Here she is looking at some photos on the wall:


In one [photo] she was in a white dress standing next to Pop. It was taken when her grandparents handed over the family business to them. In the other she was with Grandmom, they were both covered in flour. Grandmom was over her shoulder and had her hands on Deborah’s, pressing a cookie cutter into dough. The photo made her smile.

Deborah would always remember the tradition that the photo froze in time. This place was sacred, a staple of her childhood — filled with the memories of fresh bread, cakes, and most of all cookies. While she could recall the sounds of mixers, rollers, and the taste of warm chocolate, the cross cookies she and Grandmom would make on Saturday mornings stood out above them all. Even if she didn’t have the photo on the wall as a memento.


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


She could remember the warm lemon flavor on her tongue and the way the sugar just melted away. She smiled and looked past the photo. She was not sure why that tradition was no longer followed; Mom was great at baking. She just assumed that the recipe was lost or maybe buried somewhere in these stacks. Right on cue, as if it jumped from the back of her mind and into reality, she saw a set of silver objects resting on top of a stack of Grandmom’s cookbooks. They shimmered in the light coming from the window. Deborah got up and walked to the shelf. The glow was from two cookie cutters, both in the shape of a cross.

“How did these get here?” Deborah asked aloud. She had been in this office for months doing her parents’ books and never noticed them sitting there before. She picked them up and the little girl in her instantly remembered pressing them into the fresh dough as she giggled. She could clearly hear Grandmom’s voice retelling the story of Jesus and the cross. She had forgotten about the stories. It was something the girl in the photo couldn’t tell you through a freeze frame. But there they were again, clear as day; every word. Every story, she had now been convinced were not real. Deborah quickly put them down. As she shook her head she whispered, “such fairy tales.”

Deborah walked into the restroom adjacent to the office. She faced the mirror that was over a small sink. The truth is that she was not feeling well at all. Drained was just part of what she had been experiencing. Pop knew about the ringing in the ears, headaches, and her being tired, but she did not tell him about the dizziness or nausea. Maybe Mom was right, she needed a break. But her parents needed her right now. And how many times have they sacrificed their health for her wellbeing, now it was her turn to be there for them.

She turned on the faucet, which squeaked almost as much as the chair. She splashed lukewarm water on her face, ran her wet fingers through her hair, and took the green nylon scrunchie from her wrist and put her hair up. The Friday lunch rush was about to begin.

I wonder how these cutters cold have gotten here? Could a lost angel on a mission have something to do with this?

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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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