National Novel Writing Month is just about 13/30ths over. Today I topped 5,000 words of the 50,000 I’m scheduled to write. It seems like I’m really behind, but I effectively started yesterday, so I might still make it in time if I write just a tad more every day. 3000 words a day is my goal and that’s hardly anything, really.

I’m posting my word count in at NaNoWriMo and you can check my progress.

The ideas are falling into place. I have a working title—Party Wedding Plan—and I’m enjoying the process of writing in bulk. It’s bad writing but there is a lot of it coming out of my fingers.

Read on for the shortest chapter so far, a mere 420 words:

Room 628: changing outfits

Robert was stretched out on the bed, watching CNN International. Kimberly was unpacking her clothes into the closet and dresser.

“Kimmy, you know we have to change rooms in the morning.”

“Yes, but my clothes will get more wrinkled if I don’t get them out of this suitcase.” Kimberly shook out a pale pink wool suit, then took a silky padded hanger from her suitcase and carefully clipped the skirt and draped the jacket over it. “Do you think I should wear this for meeting Mariko’s parents?”

Robert didn’t even glance up from the TV. “I’m sure that will be fine, dear. Isn’t that what you planned to wear, after all?”

Kimberly hung up the suit. “Well, yes, but now I’m having second thoughts. I mean, I don’t have the right shoes to wear with this, do I?” Kimberly sounded annoyed. “All I have are the Pumas I wore on the plane and the ankle boots I stuffed in my carry-on.”

“I see your point,” Robert said mechanically.

“Robert? Would you look over here a minute?” Kimberly was getting more annoyed. She stood stark naked in front of the bathroom door, holding up a blue silk shirt and a short sleeved cashmere sweater. “Which one do you think goes better with my black wool trousers?”

Robert glanced over at Kimberly, then focused his attention on her naked form. This was the aspect of his young wife he liked to encounter. “I think the birthday suit suits you best,” he leered.

“Robert…” Kimberly chided with a grin. “I mean it. Which one do you like better?” She displayed one top in front of herself, then the other.

“Let me see the first one again. OK. Now the other one. Now that first one again, please.”

Kimberly realized she was executing a fan dance for her husband. She gave in to his playfulness and vamped a bit more. Robert rose from the bed and met her across the room.

“They’re both fine, really. I like the feel of the silk against your skin,” he said as he rubbed the silk across her breasts.
“OK, blue then.” Kimberly pulled away from Robert’s embrace and backed into the bathroom. “I’m going to have a quick shower and then we can go down.”

“I like going down,” Robert tried gamely, seeing his chance inexplicably evaporating.

“Down to the coffee shop, I mean.” She closed the bathroom door, leaving Robert to wonder what he’d said or done to get himself shut out again.