Rules of Writing, 3

Note:  You may want to read Rules of Writing and Rules of Writing, 2 before this piece.  You can find them under the Writing heading to the right or in the 2009 Archive in July and Sept.
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My heart was pounding and I felt I would never reach the door at the end of the hallway. I was practically running with the need to get through and find the answers to the questions that had been welling up inside me. I had waited too long and the unknown had taken me hostage again, freezing my every movement until now. Until now as I was almost running toward the place that could give me the answers and clear my doubts.
I reached the doorknob and jerked the door open as I flew inside speaking to whoever was there and listening.
“Where is Erik?” I shrieked.
The dark haired girl behind the reception desk merely held up one finger to indicate she needed a moment. Her eyes never moved to mine as she continued her telephone conversation.
“Yes, you should write more often. You’re welcome.”
She clicked off the phone and saw my startled look. A slight crease formed between her brows as she seemed to recognize me.
“Oh, hello again,” she said as her expression went back to bland.
“I need Erik.”
“Of course.”
“He’s here right?”
“Yes”
“Can I talk to him? I need to talk to Erik.”
“Of course.”
“Then I’m going in, okay?”
“Yes, of course.”
I tried to swallow down my agitation and made my way past the reception desk and through the high archway leading into the main room. My heels clicked on the wood floors as I tried to get my bearings. They had re-arranged things again and I found myself in a receiving area that in one direction lead to a corner conference room. The door was closed but one entire wall of that room was clear glass revealing people gathered in the room. As I approached I could see them all sitting around a small table with various notebooks, laptops and index cards scattered about. One man was gesturing wildly as I watched the silent pantomime. He was leaning forward in his chair and seemed to be in mid-sentence when he abruptly turned to stare at me.
I was aghast I had interrupted as the entire group turned to look. I waved my hands as I huddled myself and back-stepped out of their line of sight.
I was making my way back to the safety of the receiving area when I felt a sharp poke on my shoulder. I turned and stared up at the piercing blue eyes of Erik.
“I am so sorry I interrupted. I didn’t mean to bother in the middle of all that,” I stammered as I waved my hand toward the conference room.
“Theresa, you are never a bother, said Erik as he took my hands between his. Today you are a pleasant interruption.”
“Today?” I asked.
He merely smiled down at me as he released my hands and took my elbow. He directed me away from the conference room through a door to a small sitting area. He released my arm and slowly sank into an oversized cushioned chair. He crossed his long legs, sat back and with a bent elbow rested his chin and cheekbone against his thumb and index finger. I opted for the smaller slightly padded wing-back across from him.
I cleared my throat and dived in. “I need your advice. I’ve waited too long to ask and now I’m not sure which way to go.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve written a good many words and I have more of the story lined up to write. I’ve paused from writing for a good while now and I am wondering if I should polish up what I have already written or just continue. I need to go back and read through what I have so far but I keep thinking I will need to firm it up as I go but then I think I need to just read through to see where I was and just continue.”
Erik was looking at me intently. Nervously I went on. I stood up and circled the chair away from him gesturing this way and that with my hands. “I was also using a book that said I should have all my character sketches and plot outlines completed before I go on since it eliminates re-writes but I worked on it and got stuck. I was thinking I had to do it that way. I stopped and looked over at him. He was still watching me. I stammered as I made my way back around the chair and sat.
“So then I thought I didn’t have a story anymore. It really shook me that I got stuck there. But I do have a story!”
“Oh, Theresa, said Erik leaning forward in his chair with hands clasped between his legs. “Of course you do. You know it yourself.”
“So, what do I do now?” I shrugged.
Erik relaxed back into his chair and stretched his arms along the padded cushions on either side. He was smiling at me and asked, “Did you come across an unexpected character?”
At first the question threw me off but I started thinking back to what I had already written. I finally answered, “Yes. I actually did.”
“Had you written a character sketch for her?”
“No, I said shaking my head, she was just in the scene and developed from there.”
“Can you picture her? Is she real?”
“Yes. Now that I think of it she turns out to be a neighborhood acquaintance of the main character.”
“All that without a single preliminary thought of her until you wrote it.”
“Yes,” I stated hazily.
He grinned broadly as he stood. He motioned toward the conference room and asked, “Would you like to join the discussion?”
I slowly gathered myself and shyly shook my head as I got up. “No, thank you. Not this time, Erik.”
I moved away toward the exit and I heard him behind me. “Not editing, but you have more writing to do.”
I turned to look up at him. I couldn’t contain the smile that transformed my face.
“Yes,” I nodded and locked eyes with him. “It seems I do.”
TT