16,875 And I Think I'm Finding My Plot

I didn't post yesterday because I wrote very little, riding the wave of my glorious copying and pasting triumph on July 8th, which got me ahead by 1000 words. Also, I have reached the point of the story where I am laying back story, which as you know can be a bit boring.
I still feel good though, because I have a bit of direction, and finally figured out some key details about Prudence (the youngest daughter).
Here is a brief excerpt from yesterday, where I wrote a bit about the three girls growing up largely without any attention from their parents (for various reasons), it obviously sets up the fundamental crisis each woman faces now.

How do little girls grow when left untended? One will live in her head. In her thoughts, away from her feelings, she will be safe. She will live a safe and sterile existence. Reason and intelligence will keep her sane. She will take her heart and lock it in a box, and lock the box in a room, and lock the room in another room, until it becomes a maze and she can’t remember how to find it anymore. And when reason stops making sense, she will wander the maze, lost and alone.
One will take risks. She will take what she can get when she can get it. She will live only on impulse, wild like a weed run amok, spreading in every direction and choking out everything else. And if anyone worms their way into her heart, she will kill her heart to choke them out. Her heart is a temple, for her and her alone. And she is killing herself to live.
The youngest, always protected, always loved and treasured by her older sisters, will stay a child forever. Innocent and naive, she does what she wants without thought of consequence. She lives and she loves, and when she loses she moves on. She smiles, because people love a pretty girl with a pretty smile, and she has always been loved and always will be. The plant protected from the harsh, drying effects of the sun, the plant that flourished in the shadow provided by the neighbouring plants in a harsh wasteland. And when her sisters look at her, they can’t help but love her and want to protect her. It’s how everyone feels. Which is strange in a way, because she is strong, her roots grow deep, and she can take care of herself.


This second excerpt is from today... I am back to Prudence, who is now pregnant and has a son (5 or 6ish?) named Griffin. The town cutie (who caught her singing along with Barry Manilow), who is also the local law enforcement official, is standing on her doorstep, with a serious purpose.

“Take these,” he finally said, turning to look at her for the first time. When he took in her pale skin and wide eyes, his manner softened a bit, but he held steadfast to his position, he had come here to give her the papers and she was going to take them. She reached out, reluctantly plucking the envelope from his outstretched hand. She didn’t want to touch the envelope. She certainly didn’t want to open it.
“You’ve been served,” he said softly, averting his gaze again. He could have told her that aliens from Mars were invading Planet Earth, or that Nickelback, that homegrown Canadian band, was the most influential musical group of the last century and she would have been less surprised.
“What?” she asked, a rather obvious question, to be sure. He sighed, looked away, then looked back at her, an expression of disappointment on his face, the look he had been trying to shield her from. She felt like she had been slapped.
“It’s Grayson Hamilton. He is requesting that a paternity test be conducted to determine Griffin’s paternity.” The nausea, which had been steadily rising since she rose from the couch minutes before finally surged one last time. She threw up all over Jackson O’Connor’s neatly pressed DILF brand black uniform pants, and his highly polished black shoes.

Please note that Jackson O'Connor bears a striking resemblance to Coach Eric Taylor from Friday Night Lights. I also included a picture of him drinking coffee, just like Joshua Jackson likes to do. I don't know why he has cuts on his face.