A Deadline

A Deadline

Are you ready to share my story with the world?

You need to be. I’m coming in with a vengeance.

This is about a time in my life that shows my growth, my reflections, my family, and my determination to follow a plan. A plan to convince everyone that I am not crazy. This is the story that’s going to prove it. It needs to prove it. Because if I have to stay in this trailer for one more year, who knows what will happen.

Amy has lived in Michigan twenty-nine years, and this is the first time, she’s ever felt like this. Is this a seasonal thing?

Or is she having a, medical issue?

Epiphany.

An unmistakable feeling. A terrifying feeling. A Déjà vu, kind of feeling. All in the matter of a second. She wonders if this is her sign. A spiritual awakening, so to speak. But boy she’ll tell you what, it freaks her out. She felt okay this morning when she had a neck-tug and a Xray. Again.

What is this thing inside of me? A stroke?

Am I going to stroke out??

Am I stroking out???

(This is an issue for Amy).

And Amy has issues.

Example(s)…

It’s my voice. I lost it. Literally. It’s my memory. I lost that, right along with my voice. And finally, it’s my computer literacy.

(What buttons to push, and when)

So let’s get to it…

Google, Google, Google.

That is where I found you. This is where you, can find me.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/

Email: m.e.austin888@gmail.com

Phone (517)759-8135

I am also a new author on Reedsy Prompts.

Hello.

My name Amy Jean Newman-Austin. AKA M.E. Austin. I am an average ordinary fifty-six-year-old woman looking for someone like you to make my story a success. This is a novel that you will find funny, sad, beautiful, and quite ugly, all at the same time. This is the piece to her puzzle. One problem. She doesn’t know where to put it. She needs to find a spot because all these pieces are combined into eight plus years.

Now going on ten.

Or eleven.

She doesn’t remember.

She just knows it’s been a lot of years of complete, bullshit.

My first in the series is called The Domino Affect. I am calling it a series because I have much to tell. It is roughly 98,000 words. This is the introduction. It is fresh, and it is raw. Full of fiery angst, and a cracker jack box of emotions. Her second novel A Domino Effect, is roughly 119,000 words. It is more refined and better seasoned. Full, of growth. Both novels professionally edited and published.

And we now have chapters, stories, and/or episodes 1-72 and counting.

Approximately 3,000 words per chapter, story, and/or episode. Available, but not yet professionally edited. Amy has more than 400,000 reasons as to why these never-ending novels are ready to suffocate her. Seriously…

What does she do with all of this?

Read it?

Listen, to it?

Watch it???

Maybe.

This is a series of circumstance. Some of it funny. Some of it sad.

Some, happy.

Some glad.

Most times she’s mad.

A story with infinite possibilities...

I have a week to show you a whole new world. That’s next Friday. I have some work to do. It is when the world is sleeping is when I get my work done. This is when my mind is clear and there is no distraction(s). No birds.

No water.

Nothing to look at, nor listen to.

What I am looking for is direction. A leader, per say. Someone to help bring me to life.

To give me a home.

This is all centered around one place, one idea, one story, one plan. A five-year plan. Lol. A five-year plan that began more than five years ago. Sure, I thought about it in the beginning. I over, thought about it in the beginning. I didn’t do this to hurt anyone. Including myself. This is not my dirty laundry.

This is my life. Parts a little more soiled than others.

It’s been in my thoughts on how to begin to fix myself. Show a side of myself that I have never shown. This is a plan that is combined into eight, plus years. (Now going on ten)

Or, eleven. She doesn’t remember. All she knows right now is that she woke up scared at whatever time it was in the morning this morning. She tossed and turned and turned and tossed.

Woke up.

Fell asleep.

And woke up again, and again.

Dreaming, the whole time.

Hey, you.

What do you see?

Look…

https://pagepublishing.com/books/?book=the-domino-affect

https://pagepublishing.com/books/?book=a-domino-effect-a-second-novel

The beautiful people, the beautiful people.

Speaking of…

I miss my mom.

I need my mother tonight.

I made a mistake. She would help me fix my mistake. Maybe not fix it but feel better about it. I called Gail Maxwell. My mom’s friend from high school. She was the one that was in Tucson when I was there for my mom. Anyway, I remembered that Gail bought the book. But did she read the book??

Gail is a Facebook junkie. From the moment she rises, to the moment she tears herself away from her screen. Twenty-four hours later…

So after about twenty minutes of talking of her grandchildren, Amy asked Gail if she read the book.

Oh God Amy.

I couldn’t get through it. Sure are no, Jane Austin. It was terrible. No structure. No plot.

Awful.

Ok

First of all, my mother is telling Gail from her grave to fuck off.

Second of all…

After thirty minutes of deep thought…

They said this could happen. I just didn’t expect this first and only critique to be so shitty. So, fucking personal. This is probably the reason Aaron hasn’t called. I totally see him feeling the same way.

These are not, the readers I am looking for. But still. I so, didn’t imagine this. Was this something that I did? Or didn’t do?

Or was it that big clusterfuck we had at the beginning with the Disney princess.

(Of whom left in the middle of the Affect).

Poof!

I don’t know where to start.

This isn’t self-pity.

It is…

Pure, heartbreak.

Karma.

Do you see what I see?

She went down this morning until Logan left for work. At first she thought it was Jason. But when she walked out into the kitchen she saw the time and tried to put herself back into reality. Lol. She wasn’t quite awake yet. When she did awake, she couldn’t find her phone. Typical.

Hours later Amy is sitting in dining room as Logan is in his room on the computer. and Jason is in the living room in front of the TV. Every, fucking day. And today she’s pissed about it. All I want him to do is read the book. (There are other reasons besides that he should own a few things) Which will, never happen. Why try?

Because I have absolutely nothing else.

Example…

Another argument ensued. Logan wouldn’t come ot of his room. Amy was pissed. And oh, Jason was watching TV. Need I say more? Nope.

Do you see us down here?

Oh, Lord.

They took a ride to the Chelsea Cemetery to take Linda’s wreath down. We took it up there for Christmas and we need to freshen it up a bit before the summer season. I know that’s Mike’s job, but he’s busy.

It needed to be done.

Then we had to drive into Ann Arbor to go to the T-Mobile store. We were there to get phone information. We walked out 90 minutes later with two new screen protectors, and a new internet service that is going to save us a little money.

So they say…

They took a long ride home through Dexter so that they could stop at A&W to get a root beer.

The last thing Amy remembers is coming home to take a nap.

There is a guy I know.

His name is Domino.

Domino-Domino.

Into the great white open...

Hmmm.

What happened to the girl who taught him some chords??

They made a record.

Who’s they?

The, girl? His, agent?

Or his roadie named Bart?

Amy’s up.

That’s what happens when she takes a nap.

3:15 Am.

One, two…sixteen more hours on 1.5 hours of sleep. Today is a new day.

Day three of yoga.

In four days.

Her body is tired, and sore. This yoga stuff is working wonders.

Example:

Today is Tuesday. She skipped almost, all of Sunday.

Sunday Amy was at her Yoga retreat.

(Totally away from her comfort zone)

But she did it anyway. Maybe because it was out of her comfort zone.

Growth.

What a day that was. Very calm. And very, cold. The yoga room was freezing. If it weren’t so cold Amy could have fallen asleep. She’s glad she took a hooded sweatshirt. They also did forty-five minutes of a, gong-type meditation. It was in a huge dance-type room, that was surrounded by mirror’s. Bong...

Gong…

.…onggg.

The finale was having a light lunch after the women got their nails painted and made vision boards. We also got some little stickers inserted into her ear. Yep. They also had a little acupuncture going on. And bath salts. We made our own bath soaks for after the retreat.

Purple…

Purple was the color she chose for her fingers.

.

She needs to go to Kellogg’s. Why’s that you ask?

Previously…

Amy was doing something and then…bam!

In the middle of nothing, and nowhere she had another dizzy spell.

And her face hit the floor.

Broke her glasses again.

She needs to figure this out before she hurts herself.

Seriously, hurts herself.

Maybe.

Blood sugar?

Don’t think so. I used to think that. Not so much anymore. It’s coming from your neck, Amy.

It’s coming from you neck. Cough-cough.

CHOKE.

CHOKE.

It wasn’t all my head. What about my shoulder???

They said not a word about my shoulder.

Fuck.

More than half of my life. If they noticed my shoulder maybe I wouldn’t have had such a hard time. Maybe my right hand would work right. Not left.

If I had neck surgery then, what would it be like now?

Fuck.

Why???

Such as life…

Today new glasses are on the agenda. She found some old ones that she can still see out of.

Thank God.

If she had to wear her contacts for more than a few hours she would be in pretty, bad shape.

So after an almost, non-eventful trip to Kellogg’s Eye Center, Amy walked out having to get a new prescription before she gets new glasses. It figures. No openings until June.

But…

But the kid who helps us out was working today and he bent my arm back without breaking them. Woo-hoo! Now waiting isn’t going to be a problem.

She needs now to figure out why she fainted.

She’s pretty sure she knows why.

Her neck.

Whatever.

She is so sick of her neck.

5:10 AM on Tuesday. The first geese! Dad and Mom, I bet. They are starting to come out. Picking, pulling, and eating the grass. Shit machines.

This is a weekend to clean up the yard with fresh chips and dirt. The dog poop, goose poop, and the leaves that have gathered on the driveway, it will be done and clean by Sunday evening. But there are some things, that need to be done beforehand. Such as get propane for the grill and firepit. For we are having company tonight. But first, Amy worked out front while Jason and Logan went and golfed nine holes.

I wish that Jason didn’t go. There are things to do that I need him for. Like get out the new pooper scooper.

She didn’t want to go in the back quite yet, so she cleaned out the front flower box beforehand.

It was full of grass. Not, dead grass.

Green grass.

That’s how long she waited to clean it up.

The neighbors across the way were cleaning up their yard too.

Ahem…

As you notice I said the neighbor’s across, the way. Not, the next door neighbors.

Nope.

Their Christmas shit still hangs.

She still isn’t comfortable with Greg and Kathy. When Amy went out earlier they were probably still up from the night before. Watching from behind their hefty-plastic-glass window. That is why she was working up front. The back yard is for when Jason gets home. A day for him to use the major yard tools. Lawn mower, weed whip, edger. The stuff that makes a lot of noise.

Not an Amy thing.

He trimmed our front tree for the first time. It doesn’t look like such a baby anymore. Nice job, Jason. As for Amy, it was wood chips. And the dead leaves that blew over from next door.

She was busy in the morning, but they got it finished up in the early afternoon. They took a break at lunchtime and went over to the Y. She spent time walking fast, swimming in the pool, and melting, in the sauna. Yes, I said sauna. A new spot. Hot steam filling your lungs

New thoughts coming to my head.

Words can’t bring you down.

But sleep can.

She was down until after Logan left for work. She heard him leave. She thought it was Jason. When she walked out into the kitchen, she saw the time and tried to put herself back into reality. She wasn’t quite awake yet. When she did awake, she couldn’t find her phone.

Typical.

Today is a new day. It’s a Sunday. Day three, of yoga.

In four days.

Her body is tired, and her body is sore.

And Monday is just a blur.

Oh.

Exercise and grocery shop.

(Payday).

We did our taxes today. Another big expense that we had to wait until payday for. For the past couple of years Jason did them. But last year with the social security debacle, he isn’t so sure anymore.

Understandable.

Not, fun.

Jason said it could take hours because of some issues.

Always an issue.

I doubt it will take that long.

But…

Hours?

We went to the same lady we saw for years before Jason started doing our own. We have owed money for the years Jason was doing it. He wasn’t completely, confident. This was also a check-up if you say. To make sure he’s not missing anything. Well, he wasn’t missing anything.

And we still owe the federal government money.

That, peace of mind was two hundred dollars.

But…

But it will bring balance when we get our state, back. We so were hoping Jason might have missed a write-off or two. In and out at the very most, thirty minutes. Onto 2025.

Or farther.

Example….

The first lady says that AI is going to be the future of publishing. I couldn’t read the whole article because CNN is now wanting to charge money to read the news. I can only read what the headline is on, some things. This was one.

Is the human voice going to be taken out of writing?

Wow.

How does that work?

All lies.

Trevor stopped by to borrow a stick of butter. And to pick up some mail that he has coming here.

STILL.

Ya’ know…

Other than that it’s amazing how in such a short time, Trevor turned into a responsible adult. Boyfriend. Soon to be father. And soon to possibly classes at Washtenaw Community College. Full time employee, new homeowner. A step-dad, kind of.

All of this in under a year. Good for him.

And Justine is now starting a job and school.

Good for her.

WTF?

To be young again.

Lol.

Nope.

They are going to go to the Y today. The boys will play basketball, and Amy will walk. She wants to check out the sauna possibly. Depends on the people, and the kids. It a Sunday. Jason said we have been there on a Sunday before, and it was super crowded..

She fell asleep in the bath tub. Lol. She could have drowned. Nobody knew where she was. It was dead silent with everyone in their places. The water was still kind of warm when she awake so she knows that she wasn’t there for a long time. She got out, got dressed and crawled under the blankets.

That’s all it took.

Now she is here. Tired and yawning.

And she has cold feet.

Socks…

She can hear the washer. She is waiting for it to stop so she can put the clothes in the dryer. She’s pretty tired tonight. She will sleep when Jason goes to work. Come on clothes...

Finish up, drying. I want to go back to, sleep.

I will sit here and chew on gum and get more and more irritated with this fucking fly that is flying around. Omg. Leave me alone!!

Leave me alone aright. I’m not in the mood. I’m getting cranky and tired.

Wake up Jason!!!

Thank you for your consideration.

You won’t be disappointed.

Are you ready to share my story with the world?