Gnocchi, Take Me Away! | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Gnocchi, Take Me Away! | Previous Challenge Entry
By Veronica Winley
04/22/15
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES

A loud scream and then an “Ouch!” reverberated through the grocery store. Leslie couldn’t ignore that, as she had ignored all the other racket made by her six-year-old twins, B.J. and Carson. Hubby was suppose to keep them when she went shopping but he was sick, so here she was, trying to pretend the hooligans weren’t with her.

That was easy to do when they were two aisles over, squabbling over which overpriced, sugary cereal to buy. If someone looked at her when a ruckus came from that direction, she would shake her head and mutter, “Shameful, isn’t it?”

Now Carson came barreling down the pasta aisle where she stood looking at a lovely scene on a box of gnocchi and dreaming of gondolas and warm, loving starry nights. His shrill call jerked her back to reality.

“MOM!”

Sighing, Leslie reached for a box of spaghetti and put it in her cart.

“What is it Carson? And please don’t yell. I’m right here.”

“B.J. scratched me when he grabbed the Fruit Loops out of my hand. See, it’s bleeding.”

Leslie gave the hand, which had a faint red mark on it, a fleeting look. She continued down the aisle, stopping at the spaghetti sauce.

“What did Dad say? ‘Call us when it’s gushing.’ Where’s B.J.?”

She winced as Carson yelled “B.J.” at the top of his lungs. Looking apologetically at the glaring clerk who was restocking the shelves, she put her hand over Carson’s mouth.

“Stop yelling! Use your inside voice.”

Smirking, he said, “I left it home. I didn’t think I’d need it since you said we were going OUT.”

Leslie frowned at him as his brother walked up, a box of Chocos in his arms.

“See Mom? He knows I hate those!”

Carson grabbed the cart’s handle and swung it away as B.J. tried to put the box in. B.J. tried again and Carson swung it the other way. Soon they were both laughing. Finally, Carson took off running down the aisle, as Leslie tried to grab the cart. Shrieking uproariously, B.J. took off after him, with Leslie in pursuit.

“Stop it!” she panted, when she finally caught them. She seized the cart with one hand and Carson with the other. “I’ve had it with you two.” Pulling the box of cereal out of B.J.’s arms amid loud protests, she set it on the canned vegetables shelf.
“We’re leaving. Hold on to this cart and don’t let it go until you’re 18 years old. Do you understand me?”

She positioned a child on each side, as Carson stuck his tongue out at B.J., who attempted to punch him behind her back.

Relieved there was no one in line ahead of her, she began putting the food on the conveyor. The twins turned to the candy racks near the register.

Almost with one voice, they started to ask “Mom can we get…”

Leslie did not turn or pause in what she was doing.

“No, so don’t even ask.”

Voices raised to a high whine, they begged, B.J. going so far as to pick up a chocolate bar.

Tired and annoyed, Leslie turned on them fiercely.

“I said no and I meant it! Put it down…now!”

Recognizing the final straw when he saw it, B.J. put the candy back and they both subsided with long, sulky faces.

Leslie turned to find the cashier looking at her sympathetically. As she started to ring up Leslie’s items, she asked, “Would you like to donate to the Children’s Cancer Hospital?” and pointed to a big jar, half filled with dollars and coins. On it, a child with sad brown eyes gazed out. A pink bow was tied jauntily on her bald head, while an oxygen mask covered her mouth and nose.

Leslie stared at the picture and then fumbled in her purse until she found two dollars, which she dropped in the jar with a silent, heartfelt prayer.

After bagging the groceries, the clerk looked at the twins, who were shoving each other, while trying to climb onto the sides of the cart. She grinned at their antics.

“Quite a handful, aren’t they?”

Leslie smiled wryly and proceeded to write a check.

“Oh, they’re a lot more than that.” She looked at the donation jar again, her eyes a little distressed. “Thank God.”

Before walking out the door, she bent down and gave the boys a hug. Hoping she was relenting, Carson looked back at the candy.

“Can we…?”

“Nope. Let’s go.”

PREVIOUS ENTRY | NEXT ENTRY
SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY FOR THIS WEEK'S CHALLENGE

The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.

Accept Jesus as Your Lord and Savior Right Now - CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.