Guest Post - Janna Qualman

My guest today is Janna Qualman from Something She Wrote with a piece of flash fiction that is dear to my heart. You'll understand why when you finish reading! Settle back with your favorite summertime treat and enjoy Janna's piece.

She’d been nine miles out when her check engine light came on; five when she felt The Beast—her extra-large, ’06 SUV, a definitive beast—shudder. She’d heard a whine. Pop. Hisssssssssss. (That’s how she would describe it to Sal, at the garage, whenever she saw him.) And she’d coasted, speed slowing, feeling a new notch of panic as each second ticked by.


Now she sat on the shoulder. The engine wouldn’t start, wouldn’t turn over. She’d looked under the hood, but for what, she didn’t know. Her eyes had seen nothing.

The air, it was so hot-awful still, in the car and out. Sweat was a string of beads along her hairline, and inside the fabric of her bra. Her thirty-two ounce iced tea, gone already and no solace. The tree line out to the west was too far for shady relief.

She thumbed the keypad on her cell. She hadn’t noticed its battery was so low, or she’d have grabbed the charger, there on the counter as she left the house. Some good it did to imagine it different, though, with the phone dead in her hand.

She considered the route she’d yet to travel. It was what, two miles? Rural area, little traffic. Gravel. She’d just have to take it by foot. Forget the heat. Forget that she wore sandals, and not the walking kind. What other choice did she have? She had somewhere to be.

She loaded her purse and the two wrapped packages into a canvas grocery tote, anchored it over her shoulder, locked The Beast, and set out.




Her calf muscles burned. She’d been walking mindful and quick, toes up, so her sandals wouldn’t slide off the ends of her feet. Lord, she needed a masseuse. And a cold shower. And a nap. She was too old for this.

There it was! The mailbox and a few balloons floated above tall grasses, maybe another quarter-mile down the road. She shifted the tote to the opposite shoulder, breathed deep, used the back of her hand to fling the wet from her brow.

I can do this. Her legs moved, pumping harder as motivation kicked her from behind. Her focus was those balloons, as they danced in a breeze. A breeze, she noted, that would have been delicious twenty minutes ago.

She cut around the mailbox and into the drive. Propelled herself the last several feet, past her son’s car, climbed the four steps. She just needed to find her breath, and so she paused at the door. Through its glass, she saw down the hall and into the kitchen. A cake, heavily iced with blue, lay waiting on the island.

As she lifted her hand to knock, a small body barreled into sight. In his grip was a plastic airplane, and when it rose in his hand, his eyes rose to the door.

“Gamma, Gamma!” The airplane crashed to the floor, and his trunky legs carried him forward. “You here for my bird day!” He pushed the door open, letting a gust of conditioned air welcome her.

She stepped in, kicked off the dust-caked sandals. Laid the tote aside. Shook her hair, and then her shirt, so the coolness of indoors could spread.

“Hello, little lovey.” She stooped low, from exhaustion, yes, but also so she could get a better view of her grandson. His towhead, the bow lips. That tiny freckle on his nose. Three today, she thought. Impossible. She opened her arms, wide as they could go, and he jumped right in. “I’m here.”

Janna is a freelance and women's fiction writer. She lives with her family in the Midwest, where she captures life through writing. Janna's fiction and essays have appeared both in print and online, and she's working on revisions of her second novel.

24 comments:

Slamdunk said...

Yea for "Gamma." Wonderful imagery and story Janna. I like to think my grandmother would have done the same thing.

Unknown said...

Janna I loved it, what a brilliant piece, of course I've known that you are a wonderful writer and I love getting to stop by and read your work!

Thanks for hosting her work!!

Jessica Nelson said...

Oh, I love it!!!
And the sweat being a necklace...that was so PERFECT. Awesome writing!

Billy Coffey said...

Loved this, Janna!

Unknown said...

Wonderful writing, Janna. I loved it!

Deb said...

nothing can stop a "Gamma" from getting to her babies...

Terri Tiffany said...

Your detail is amazing janna. I know why you write women's fiction! Your voice shines through!

Janna Leadbetter said...

Thanks so much, everyone! You make my day.

Linda, thanks so much for having me over. :)

Jeanette Levellie said...

Oh,wow. I totally did not expect this. Thanks for the beautiful writing, and surprise ending! I love this piece, Janna.

Linda: Good choice to have Janna here.

Linda Hoye said...

Thank you for this, Janna! As a "Gamma" myself I would move heaven and earth to make it to a "bird day" party as well.

Such a treat to have you drop by today, and a warm welcome to everyone else who has dropped by as well. Nothing like a summertime gathering!

patti said...

OOOHHH. What EMOTION!!
I'm so glad I got a peek at your work.

Blessings...and keep writing.
P

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Linda, thanks for having Janna.
Janna, great piece! I'd like to believe every Gamma would be just like this.
I felt as if I were walking with Gamma.
Good job.
Giggles and Guns

Joanne said...

Another great flash piece Janna ... It's a perfect example of how love moves us, literally and abstractly.

Laura@OutnumberedMom said...

Soooo lovely, and dear to my heart. Love those little ones.

Kathryn Magendie said...

I'm sitting here with a big ole smile on my face - this was wonderful and sweet and uplifting - joyful- so glad it ended as it did - still smiling.

Lisa Dovichi said...

So fabulous! Great job, Janna!

septembermom said...

Superb, as always Janna. You so capture the heart of a character.

Susan J. Reinhardt said...

Hi Janna -

Great piece! You grabbed my attention and never let go.

Blessings,
Susan :)

Capri K @ No Whining Allowed said...

Whew! That made me hot and sweaty just reading about it!

Deb Shucka said...

Janna's blog is one of my favorite places to be. Love this story. I'm finding it pretty cool that I've found two old blog friends here at one time.

kim said...

Lovely lovely piece!! x0

Kara said...

Love this story and the wonderful imagery! And I think Janna is wonderful:)

Katie Ganshert said...

I agree with Slamdunk - wonderful imagery!

Janna Leadbetter said...

Thanks so much, everyone!

Your enjoyment gives substance to my writing journey.