Please enjoy this short story about a girl named Lorraine:
It was a wonderfully rainy Saturday and Lorraine had nothing specific to do. Lorraine Elizabeth Wixby lived for days like these. It was her first day off after a long week at a draining job. Every day she didn’t have work she had complete freedom. From the moment the sun would rise to when it set at night, she chose how to live her life. Complete Freedom of time and place. The whole day could be filled with wonder and adventure.
The Start of a Perfect Day
Lorraine had started her morning by tying a golden, velvet ribbon in her hair and leaving her fourth-floor flat in polka-dotted rain boots. As she walked down the cobbled streets, she caught the scent of freshly brewed coffee from a nearby café. Since she had nowhere specific to be, she wandered in. After getting a latte and a smile from a friendly barista, she continued on her way. Her plan for the morning was simple. She couldn’t wait to cherish the whole day all to herself.
One of her favorite things to do, especially on days like these, was to visit charity shops and look for little treasures. She was only a block from the first shop that was on her mind. As she neared the door, she marveled at the items displayed in the shop window. There were black candlesticks with gold details, an intricately designed floral patterned teapot, and a floor-length black and golden gown on a mannequin. The pure drama of the scene filled Lorraine with excitement and inspiration.
She Was a Dreamer
Lorraine was a bit of a dreamer. Always living a little more in her mind than she let on. She loved days like these because they were the only days she was allowed to let her mind wander wherever it pleased. A day where she was just allowed to imagine and dream rather than focus on monotonous tasks at hand like those required of her at work.
As she entered the shop, the flowing dramatic black and gold gown from the window danced in her mind. She closed her eyes and saw herself wearing the gown on a grand ballroom floor accompanied by a handsome stranger. She opened her eyes with a timid smile and made her way to the back of the store. As she walked down the aisle a pair of periwinkle heels caught her attention. She envisioned them paired with a white cotton dress in the middle of summer. She could see the dress clearly in her mind and smiled as she thought of the material and style of the splendid summer dress.
The Finding of Treasure
Making her way to the back of the store she approached a shelf of trinkets and other miscellaneous items. A small chest was seated on the bottom shelf. The chest was decorated with little multicolor tiles. The way the tiles joined together made Lorraine think of a beautiful stained-glass window that used to be in the living room of her grandmother’s home. She had lost her grandmother a couple of years prior but instead of being filled with sorrow for her loss, looking at the chest filled her with warmth. She thought of a weekend she spent at her grandmother’s house when she was young. That weekend was one of her most cherished memories with her grandmother, Dorothy.
When she arrived for the weekend Dorothy took Lorraine to a beautiful fabric shop. Lorraine was allowed to pick one fabric and together they would sew Lorraine a new summer dress. Lorraine had a very hard time choosing fabric for her new dress. Each one that caught her eye she loved more than the last. There were soft fabrics with pastel colors, silky fabrics with vibrant colors, and the most delightful patterned fabrics that felt light in her hands. She saw patterns of buttons, kittens, and wonderful polka dots. Dorothy helped her to choose the right type of fabric for the dress they were making. Then Lorraine picked a fabric with an array of lovely yellow ducklings.
Taking the Treasure Home
Standing in the thrift shop with the small chest still in her hands, she was reminded of that weekend she learned to sew. With such a wonderful memory brought about by the chest, she simply couldn’t part with it. She walked with delight up to the counter and handed the shopkeeper five pounds. Lorraine couldn’t wait to get home and put her spools of threads and needles in her beautiful new sewing chest.
As she stepped out of the shop, she put her scarf over the top of the chest to protect it from the lightly falling raindrops. She followed the cobbled street back to her building and climbed the stairs to reach her flat door. She stepped inside, slipped off her polka dot rain boots, and walked over to a little desk that held a basket of sewing supplies and notions.
Lorraine opened her new sewing chest and began to wipe out the dust it had gathered while on the shelf at the charity shop. As she wiped the chest with a cloth the bottom slid open to reveal a sleek black notebook. After inspecting the pages, it looked to be empty. What a wonderful surprise! A new beautifully made black notebook. Perhaps she could draw out the dress she envisioned while in the charity shop. Perhaps she could write about her dreams and perfect days. Today was definitely on track to be a perfect day.
Lunch and Inspiration
Lorraine made her way over to the tiny kitchen in her studio flat. She put on a kettle for a warm cup of tea and made herself a sandwich for lunch. Whole wheat bread, two thin slices of ham, and a slice of sharp white cheddar. A simple but fulfilling lunch. She finished her cup of tea and grabbed her cup of colored pencils. Lorraine was going to draw the dress she envisioned. She could still see the whole thing in her mind. Down to the bow that tied together in the back and the strand of lace that lined the hem.
A Peculiar Note
She opened the first page of the notebook and found a short message written on the inside cover. How could she have missed it before? In small scrolled handwriting it read:
This notebook is for dreams. It is my wish that you fill it with your most beautiful thoughts and ideas.
Feeling touched and warm from the sentiment, she began drawing her dress on the second page. After drawing out her design, which looked quite good for an amateur, she thumbed through the rest of the pages to see if the mysterious author had written her anything else. She didn’t notice anything more.
After admiring her work, she decided to draw out a couple more designs. One was a light blue gown she’d worn in one of her dreams running through a farmer’s field. Another she drew was inspired by the drama of the black gown from the thrift shop. As she drew out her designs more and more flowed onto the pages of the notebook. Before she knew it, it was dark outside. With a big yawn, she moseyed over to her bed and cuddled up for a good night’s rest.
A Sunday Routine
Lorraine was awakened by a glorious beam of sunlight flooding her living space. She spent her Sunday wandering around the city, then taking a walk by the seashore before retiring to a quiet night of reading. This had become her Sunday routine that helped her prepare for a long week of work ahead. She didn’t like her job but she liked being able to support herself. It was a sense of pride for Lorraine. Even though her job was draining, it paid well and allowed her to live in such a beautiful Scottish city.
Weeks passed and Lorraine left the little black notebook on her desk waiting for another moment of inspiration. As she returned from an awful day at work, she poured herself a glass of wine and opened the notebook again. She admired her drawings and thought back to her perfect day.
Another Peculiar Note
Why couldn’t every day be as perfect as that one? She flipped through the pages and noticed two that stuck together. With a little pull, the two pages separated and Lorraine noticed more handwritten words that were not her own. The pages were toward the end of the notebook and the words read:
Now that you have filled this book with your dreams. Bring them to life. Follow the directions below:
Buy a ticket to Inverness
When you arrive, find Clydesdale bank at 15 Academy St, Inverness IV1 1JN, United Kingdom
Tell them you were sent by Mrs. Lidia Loaman and would like to access her safety deposit box
The password they require before granting access is: livecompletely1963
In the box, there will be sufficient funds to grow your dreams into reality. I saved and saved and never did anything with my dreams. Please live yours completely.
Lorraine dropped the wine glass she was holding and it shattered on the floor. A tear fell down her cheek. Could this be real? Could she truly follow these directions, go to Inverness, and leave with a new future? A future she could make for herself?
After a Sleepless Night
The thought kept her awake all night. As the sun rose, she got ready for another day at the office. As she walked on her way to work, she couldn’t get Inverness out of her mind. She was a couple of blocks from work when she took the wrong turn. She turned towards the train station. Her mind was telling her to make it to the office on time and her body was bringing her to the ticket office. Then to the platform. Before she knew it, she was stepping onto the 7:55 train to Inverness.
She would not make it to work. Her heart was pounding as she walked out of the train station in Inverness. She could see the Clydesdale bank and started forward. She walked up to the door. Entered the building. All the while in disbelief that she was following such a crazy notion. She walked up to the teller and told her what the note had told her to say. The teller recalled the instructions left in regards to the account and asked for the password rather than a typical key. Lorraine recited the password and was shown to a room where the box was presented to her. She was then given some privacy.
What’s in the Box?
Still in shock, she couldn’t believe the events that had transpired. It seemed like a strange dream. Maybe she had fallen asleep at work. That would have been better than not showing up. She reached out and touched the smooth, metal box. Nope, not a dream. This was reality. Lorraine had put her job and future in danger to follow this silly charade. As she asked herself “why, why did you do this?”, she opened the box.
She was stunned. Inside were bundles of pounds. She couldn’t even guess how much was there. It was the most she had ever seen in one place, let alone one box. The note inside read:
Good, you’ve made it. Take this and don’t look back. -LL
Lorraine piled the bundles into her backpack and put the lid back on the safety deposit box. She exited the bank and made her way to the station. She bought a one-way ticket back to Aberdeen.
In Disbelief
As she boarded the train and found her seat, she began to think about what this money could do for her. What it could do for her dreams. She was overwhelmed with emotions and began to cry. Soon after, she let out a sort of cackle. She thought herself ridiculous for crying on a train and couldn’t believe what had just happened. How could she have never thought her dreams possible until she had $20,000 in the backpack at her feet? She was in disbelief at how money could encourage or discourage someone from living their dreams. But she should know better than anyone.
Lorraine finally realized that she was holding herself back. Money or no money, she was in charge of her dreams, destiny, and her future. She would never look back.
The End
If you liked this short story, you may like the poem I wrote about the Riverside. Click here to read it!
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