Free Soulful Strut by Lynn Emery Page A

dry if you ask
me.” The woman shrugged and left
    “Shoulda known it wouldn’t be that easy.”
Monette groaned at the pages and pages of small print.
     
     

Chapter 4
     
     
    The next day Monette sat at the desk in her
bedroom, hissing in exasperation. She balled up one more sheet of
paper and tossed it into the small trash can at her feet. When it
bounced onto the floor from the already high pile, Monette let out
a string of curse words. Lenore pushed the door open and poked her
head in.
    “How’s it coming?” Lenore grinned when
Monette squinted at her. “You need to take a break. Come on
downstairs with me and let’s have lunch. We’ve got the place to
ourselves for once. Everybody is at work, Trudy went to some
meeting, and Sherrial is locked up in her office doing
paperwork.”
    “Damn, it’s almost twelve-thirty already?”
Monette glanced at the clock in surprise. Then she shook her head
in disgust. “I’ve been at this for two hours and nothing. I
shouldn’t have agreed to a two-book contract.”
    “Let it go for now. You might be trying too
hard. Come on.” Lenore pushed the door all the way open and
beckoned for her to follow.
    Monette tossed the yellow legal pad onto the
table. “Might as well. My way sure isn’t working.”
    They went down to the kitchen. The quiet of
the house seemed strange. Monette had been so engrossed in trying
to write that she hadn’t noticed. For once neither the television
nor sound system was going. Lenore’s fuzzy, oversized slippers
scuffed across the hardwood floor.
    “I’m like that way sometimes. When I get
stuck writing a poem or something I get away from it. You know,
focus on something else,” Lenore said over her shoulder as they
entered the large kitchen. She went straight to the
refrigerator.
    “Let’s hope it helps.” Monette perched on a
barstool at the long counter. “The first book was easy. I wrote
about my life and how I landed in prison.”
    “By the way, thanks for giving me a signed
copy. Roast beef, turkey or ham?” She held up a plastic zip and
lock bag in each hand.
    “Glad to do it. Got any bologna in there?
Yeah, now that’s good stuff,” Monette said when Lenore showed her a
package of the meat.
    “I can’t believe you eat this mystery meat.”
Lenore wrinkled her nose. “All we got is Swiss cheese.”
    “Fine. Anyway, now I’ve got to come up with
something else.” Monette ran her fingers through her long hair. She
snagged a gray strand. “Oh, God, time really doesn’t wait for
anybody. I’m going to the beauty salon this week for a rinse.”
    “Why not write about life here at New
Beginnings,” Lenore suggested. She found a loaf of Italian bread,
sliced it, and made the sandwiches.
    “Because the book is due in five months. I
need to know how the story ends. That could be book three, though.
If I manage to get another contract, since I can’t come up with
book number two.” Monette groaned and covered her eyes.
    “Wish I had your problem. I’d love to see my
name on a book. I’ve got so many ideas my notebooks are stuffed in
two suitcases in the attic.” Lenore shook her head as she spread
mustard, then mayo, on the bread.
    “You’ve got talent. Me? I just had a soap
opera life,” Monette retorted.
    “Who in this place hasn’t had a soap opera
life?” Lenore tossed back with a dry laugh.
    Monette smiled for the first time that day.
“You got a good point there.”
    “I like the way you talk about stuff right in
the headlines. Then your callers— What?” Lenore broke off when
Monette snapped her fingers in excitement
    “That’s it! I had a caller the other day that
had been in prison around the same time I was. I’ll do a complete
book on women in prison with life lessons they’ve learned.” Monette
grabbed the notepad they used to write out the shopping lists and
started scribbling.
    “An advice book from women who screwed up
their lives?” Lenore grimaced with skepticism.
    “Some of the