my paintings are being exhibited this month at a local gallery. i had about five visitors friday afternoon, most of them members of the art club.
the rest of the time i sat in the back-room of the gallery, writing. after four hours, i leaned my head on the plastic yellow tablecloth and stared at a coffee stain.
i was so tired i couldn’t even remember where i was meant to go after this: the bank? had i told trent i’d be home right away? i decided to buy a bottle of champagne. just in case, at some point, i’d have reason to celebrate.
a brazen act of faith on a dull day.
my agent had pitched a book to a publisher that week–the book i’d been trying to get published for more than two years. the one that would help families with eating disordered children.
she’d told me once about an author who’d kept a bottle of champagne sitting in his fridge for 17 years before he’d had occasion (a book contract) to pull it out and celebrate.
i hoped it wouldn’t take that long.
i bought a bottle, stashed it in my car, drove home and promptly locked my keys–both sets of them, along with the champagne–in the car.
and trenton was standing in the doorway, eyebrows furrowed.
“you said you’d be home an hour ago–i was so worried, i was calling and calling–i made you eggs…”
that’s when i told him i’d locked the keys in the car and i dropped my body in a chair and he told me to eat the omelet before it got cold.
“you need your strength,” he said.
i ate it while checking my email and my agent had written, asking me to call her. so i did.
and as the auto service unlocked my car and trent retrieved the champagne, i heard her say: “you have a contract. they want the book.”
funny how, when God says yes and your dreams come true, it never happens the way you picture it. and you never react the way you think you will. all i could do was fairly whisper hallelujah.
i hadn’t even had time to chill the bottle.
(chasing silhouettes: how to help a loved one who’s battling an eating disorder will be released this summer, and ‘mom in the mirror: overcoming disordered eating and negative body image after pregnancy‘ will be released next spring. hallelujah. :))
sharing with laura, jen and michelle
*congrats to keLi of Thoreaubred Baby who won the print from last week’s final imperfect prose on thursdays*