The Writer's Circle

"Why exactly do we keep doing this?" the only lady on skirt asked looking around to see if she had backup. 

"Because it's what writers do," Mari said, "we ought to help each other out here."

"Let's get down to business then," the owner of the house said and whispering audibly to Mari said, "I think we have a newcomer today, so I guess we'll start with introductions, right? "

"Sure." She said smiling at me.

As the house owner was about to begin, the doorbell rang and she excused herself. 

A fat lady with the tiniest eyes I had ever seen came in apologizing, "So sorry for being late girls. I had to take care of my Timmy Turner," she said winking at us. 

They all laughed except myself and the gothic looking girl who had said nothing since she arrived. 

The girl threw her a sharp look and said, "We don't want to hear about your husband, Charlie. You're late. Sit down and let's kickoff."

Charlie rolled her eyes and muttering, "What's wrong with her? Is she on her period or something," took a seat by a tiny woman on glasses who looked like she could be broken into two without much effort.

The house owner began and three minutes later, I knew the names of everyone in the group and the fact that I wasn't the only one who hadn't published a book yet. The thing was, the other person, the lady on skirt, Meredith, already had her book in the works and I wasn't even thinking of publishing anything. The only authors I knew among them were Mari and just recently, Charlie. Turns out I had read Charlie's work before. It was nice, but it wasn't my type so I never got to the page that had her face on it. The others had two or so works in their name. I also realized that the black overenthusiastic lady with very bold hair, Keya, was a huge fan of my least favorite African writer, Chimamanda.

Mentally noting to start reading Keya's collection of short stories, I introduced myself. "Karrie Chase, 20, no books yet and maybe never. I am however, the most read short story writer on Dyseer blog. I hope to work at Havery Coleens publishers one day, and with Edith McGuire, writing short stories and editing Y/A manuscripts and also own a blog. Hope that's not too much info." 

The gothic girl, Andy, gave me a once-over and looked away. I wondered what kind of books she'd have authored, she didn't look much older than me. 

The house owner/ host/ Fiona, the only one whose book had been adapted into a movie - No Questions - said, "Nice to know you, Karrie. Onto the next task, speedwriting." 

Keya bubbled excitedly, dropping her pen a couple of times before Fiona said, "Karrie, I'd like you to take a look around and pick anything you'd like us to write on. You know what speedwriting is right?" She asked suddenly unsure. 

I nodded my head and looked around. Spotting a robe on the humongous blue flower pot by the staircase, I pointed at it and said, "That robe over there."

As everyone turned, Fiona's face turned red and she tried to stand. Mari held her down and said, "It's against the rules, Fi." 

"I'm sorry, Brod must've accidentally dropped it." Fiona stuttered, not looking anybody in the face.

Judging from Fiona's look, I suspected nothing nice could have kept the robe there and with everyone scribbling away, Fiona glared at me as I joined them.

"Time's up ladies, bring it in." Andy said as she stood up. 

"You forgot to warn us." Keya said as she handed in her work with a sour look on her face.

"She's faking it," the tiny lady/ consultant editor at Rhombus/ three times winner of Apple award for best blogger/ last year's winner of Reader's Choice awards, Able Mackey, whispered to me. I wondered what someone like her was doing here.

"Oh, how'd you know?" I asked unsure of what to say. 

"She always does that and her work turns out the best half the time."

"Why do you come here?" I asked unable to hide my curiosity.

"What do you mean? I'm a member."

"I know, I mean..."

She laughed and said, "I'm joking, I know what you mean. Mari and I have been best friends for 7 years and it's a good way to sort of unwind, you know get away from all the crazy."

I was stunned.

She laughed again and said, "We went to the same college and reconnected at the book launch for her third novel. I love her books." 

At the still surprised look on my face, she explained further, "She was getting another degree at the time when I was getting my first degree. She's about 6 years older. We took some classes together. She had just published her first novel and was working on the second. I did the first editing for her before she hired a professional editor." 

"Okay, newbie," Andy said in my face, "enough of the chit chat. Able," she said turning to Able with a tight smile, "we're friends, I don't want you to piss me off." 

Surprisingly, I noted that she had no piercings on her, but I did see a tattoo on her left shoulder.

I listened as everyone took turns to read another's work and contributions were made. It was hilarious. I couldn't believe that such reputable authors could write anything soo... horribly normal. Charlie's was the most impressive, a mock story on a fat lady who constantly had to change her robe from tear. Meredith's was the worst, how she managed to finish a book eluded me. As for gothic looking Andy, her powder blue robe was quite unexpected. I wondered if she often used alternate personality. Suddenly itching to check it out, I remembered we weren't supposed to use our phones. Reading Keya's story was impressive. That girl was smooth and her handwriting was even smoother, unlike my scrawl. She did a little Chimamanda stint with juxtaposition and ..., and I loved it. Able was right about her afterall. Finally, it was Mari's turn to read my story. "Xandastire," she started then stopped to look at me. "Is that your name?"

"Not really. Just a combination of my other name, Alexandra, my birth flower, Aster and my birth gem, Sapphire. Xandastire." I said proudly.

"So you're a September girl." Meredith said with a coy smile. 

I nodded. She wasn't so dumb afterall.

"It's a sweet name," Mari said.

"Mind if I name my future baby that." Fiona chipped in.

"I think I'll use it as the protagonist for my upcoming book. Thanks Xandastire." Charlie said slurping on her almost empty coke bottle. 

"I haven't given any permissions yet," I said feeling awkward with all the attention.

"Yeah, we love your fake name. Now can we get on with the story." Andy deadpanned.  

Mari finished the story with a flourish. Her voice was warm, didn't quite fit the narrator's. 

They all had varying degrees of impressed looks on their faces. Even my fellow black lady who looked at me like I wouldn't amount to much because I didn't intend to publish a book was impressed. 

Able elbowed me and said, "Wow, Kar. That was out of the blues. Amazing. I should give you my card in case you ever change your mind about publishing." 

Elated, I said, "Thanks." 

It turns out that I was the only one who thought to give the robe a voice. A hypocritical slutty robe who made passes at the other robes in the wardrobe while complaining about how she had to endure the whoredom of her owner. Don't get me wrong, I don't like adult novels but I wondered why Fiona's face flushed when I pointed at the robe and concluded that it must have been dropped in the 'heat of the moment'. 

Fiona snickered next to me and I followed her eyes and immediately wished I didn't. 

"She's always doing that and she wears trousers to everywhere but these meetings." She whispered.

Meredith was flashing her goodies, albeit intentionally according to Fiona.

"I wonder if she's lesbian," Able added. 

"Is she Japanese?" I asked before she could continue wondering aloud. 

"Half-japanese, her mother's American and an interracial activist, and has proved it in her 3 marriages. Meredith's dad was Japanese. Her second husband was Scottish. The third, Italian. He stole from her before running away. She's currently engaged to a bar owner from Poland or Portugal, not sure which." 

I stared at her wondering how she knew so much about everybody. 

"Oh, sweetie, I know that look. I used to work for a gossip magazine in college. I was nicknamed, 'scooper'. Lied a lot back then, not so much anymore. Mari's a Christian you know." I nodded, still amazed.

Keya who was sitting next to Meredith whispered something in her ears and her face turned beet red. She closed her legs in a flash, crossing them awkwardly and trying unsuccessfully to pull her skirt down. 

Before the voting could begin, Fiona's phone rang again for the fifth time. She gave Mira an apologetic look and excused herself. She returned teary eyed and said, "It's Nate's teacher. He said his fever got worse and something about there being no replacement for the school nurse. I'm sorry girls I have to leave." 

She left the house and as we were about to continue, she came in and said, "I'm sorry Mira, my car's at the mechanics and I wasn't supposed to be out today and Brod took the other car and ..."

"It's alright Fi," Mira said standing, "I'll take you. Sorry girls, meetings over. We'll meet next week." She mouthed an I'll call you when I'm done to Able and turned to leave.

With everyone muttering their apologies, Keya picked her things and said, "I could go with you guys, I actually have an appointment with my doctor, if that's okay."

"Of course," Fiona and Mira said together causing Fiona to smile a little before adding, "and I'm sorry the meeting had to end like this. It was really nice to meet you Karrie, I hope to see you next week, and I think your story was awesome." 

"I'll look for you on Dyseer, Karrie, I love you already." Able said and rushed out before I could say anything.

"Andy could you babysit Timble for me tomorrow please." Charlie said looking at Andy with a strangely cute face.

Andy took one look at her and said, "No. Not doing."

"Come on, Andy. Timble adores you."

"I'm not babysitting Turner Jr, again. He's way too cute."

"Like his mother, and all the more reason why you should. You could learn a thing or two from him."

Andy glared at her again and said, "Fine, that means I'll be sending chapter 6 to you then."

"What? No! I'll pay you. I'm not editing your work for free again."

"Well, you'll have to find another sitter then and I recall Turner Jr hating all the sitters you hire." she said walking away.

"Fine." Charlie shouted stomping her feet, "you're a dark girl, you know." She said chewing on a French roll and reaching for the door.

"You should say that to Keya or newbie over here."

"Why? It'd be like stating the obvious." She said causing them both to laugh.

Meredith had somehow disappeared in the midst of their exchange leaving I and Andy.

"I googled you and it says you don't look like what you write." I said

"Heard that before."

"Want to go grab coffee?" I said eagerly.

"It's 2 pm." She deadpanned.

I must've looked half-stupid. After few seconds of what seemed like an internal debate, she sighed loudly as if making another bad decision and said, "Check out inkedwriters.com, and be sure to keep your mouth shut."

"Thanks," I said already feeling excited. Pushing my luck, I tried, "How about pizza."

Squinting at me like I was some fly, she said, "You try so hard," then added, "where?"

Walking quickly to catch up with her, I wondered what crazy Able was getting away from. These people were crazy!