by FifteencentiKim » Thu Mar 19, 2020 1:39 pm
One can wonder how Harper could have been oblivious to the fact that four tiny women were having a discussion just inside the knapsack he was carrying. Well, there was the fact that they were tiny, and the knapsack was fairly thick (thick enough that it would have masked the ringer on his phone if it had been on anything but the highest setting), and the women weren't trying to be loud enough to be detected. And there was the fact that the combined weight of the women was negligible, and Harper was definitely not the Princess and the Pea type. Someone would have had to put a large brick in his backpack for him to notice that it weighed differently.
And there was the fact that Harper wasn't expecting a conversation to be emanating from his knapsack, so why would his subconscious be expecting to pick up any hints that one was?
We are all oblivious to the happenings and conversations around us, and Harper was no exception. The little dramas that unfold in everyone's lives were unfolding all around Harper, but his only thought was about getting on the bus, exchanging a few quips with his friends on the trip, and wondering what (or if) his Mom would be making him for supper tonight.
The "if" was a real possibility, in that Harper was often left to fend for himself at a moment's notice. Harper's single mother was a nice enough woman, and thanks to healthy divorce settlement and child support payment from a father who had been absentee parent almost from the day Harper was born, Harper and his Mom had a nice life. But Harper's Mom had been dating heavily even while she was married (hence the reason she was divorced). To her credit, she never brought any of her dates home, but because some of her dates lasted overnight or longer, Harper had had to learn how to take care of himself since he was twelve.
As if merely thinking about his situation was enough, as soon as Harper got on the bus, found his set and put his daypack on the floor, his phone vibrated. With a sigh, Harper pulled the phone out of his front pocket and saw a text from his mother waiting. In it she told him that she had an undefined "Fabulous Opportunity" and Harper would have to take care of himself until she got home Monday, Tuesday at the latest, Wednesday as a set in stone return date. She told him not to worry, as the refrigerator and pantry were full.
Of course they were full, Harper wryly thought to himself. He was the one who kept them that way.
Harper's Mom also apologized that she wouldn't be able to pick him up from school, but that was okay, because Harper could either ride the bus home or get a ride home from that very nice Constance Fuentes.
That elicited a double sigh from Harper.
The bus route that Harper could take was far from direct, and would take him an hour to get home. And yes, Constance was very nice, did not live too far from the Fields household, and had dropped him off on more than one occasion. She was always very nice about it and even made sure to ask Harper about what was going on his life, what was going on in school, etc.
And that was the rub. Constance treated Harper like a favorite little brother, and not like the potential love interest or even friend he hoped to be. Everything in their interactions established the fact that Constance had her circle of friends, and Harper would never, could never, be a part of that circle. And it crushed Harper's spirits every time he got a ride home from Constance.
Wondering what to do, Harper set his bag on the floor of the bus and pondered.
Inside the bag, all four tiny women immediately notice the change of the motion of the bag and, as one, looked to Kimberly.
"Well?" Nadia asked.
Kimberly shook her head. "We're in a moving vehicle of some kind. Let's wait until it stops. Then I'll stick my head out, see where we are, and we'll plan from there."
Even Kate didn't put up an argument, but nodded her assent with the rest of the women at Kimberly's plan.
One can wonder how Harper could have been oblivious to the fact that four tiny women were having a discussion just inside the knapsack he was carrying. Well, there was the fact that they were tiny, and the knapsack was fairly thick (thick enough that it would have masked the ringer on his phone if it had been on anything but the highest setting), and the women weren't trying to be loud enough to be detected. And there was the fact that the combined weight of the women was negligible, and Harper was definitely not the Princess and the Pea type. Someone would have had to put a large brick in his backpack for him to notice that it weighed differently.
And there was the fact that Harper wasn't expecting a conversation to be emanating from his knapsack, so why would his subconscious be expecting to pick up any hints that one was?
We are all oblivious to the happenings and conversations around us, and Harper was no exception. The little dramas that unfold in everyone's lives were unfolding all around Harper, but his only thought was about getting on the bus, exchanging a few quips with his friends on the trip, and wondering what (or if) his Mom would be making him for supper tonight.
The "if" was a real possibility, in that Harper was often left to fend for himself at a moment's notice. Harper's single mother was a nice enough woman, and thanks to healthy divorce settlement and child support payment from a father who had been absentee parent almost from the day Harper was born, Harper and his Mom had a nice life. But Harper's Mom had been dating heavily even while she was married (hence the reason she was divorced). To her credit, she never brought any of her dates home, but because some of her dates lasted overnight or longer, Harper had had to learn how to take care of himself since he was twelve.
As if merely thinking about his situation was enough, as soon as Harper got on the bus, found his set and put his daypack on the floor, his phone vibrated. With a sigh, Harper pulled the phone out of his front pocket and saw a text from his mother waiting. In it she told him that she had an undefined "Fabulous Opportunity" and Harper would have to take care of himself until she got home Monday, Tuesday at the latest, Wednesday as a set in stone return date. She told him not to worry, as the refrigerator and pantry were full.
Of course they were full, Harper wryly thought to himself. He was the one who kept them that way.
Harper's Mom also apologized that she wouldn't be able to pick him up from school, but that was okay, because Harper could either ride the bus home or get a ride home from that very nice Constance Fuentes.
That elicited a double sigh from Harper.
The bus route that Harper could take was far from direct, and would take him an hour to get home. And yes, Constance was very nice, did not live too far from the Fields household, and had dropped him off on more than one occasion. She was always very nice about it and even made sure to ask Harper about what was going on his life, what was going on in school, etc.
And that was the rub. Constance treated Harper like a favorite little brother, and not like the potential love interest or even friend he hoped to be. Everything in their interactions established the fact that Constance had her circle of friends, and Harper would never, could never, be a part of that circle. And it crushed Harper's spirits every time he got a ride home from Constance.
Wondering what to do, Harper set his bag on the floor of the bus and pondered.
Inside the bag, all four tiny women immediately notice the change of the motion of the bag and, as one, looked to Kimberly.
"Well?" Nadia asked.
Kimberly shook her head. "We're in a moving vehicle of some kind. Let's wait until it stops. Then I'll stick my head out, see where we are, and we'll plan from there."
Even Kate didn't put up an argument, but nodded her assent with the rest of the women at Kimberly's plan.