W IS FOR WAITING ROOM
What to do there: As in a lot of these writing strategies, the purpose is to observe people in various non-domestic settings. You could find a waiting room to sit in for this exercise, or do it next time you’re waiting to see a doctor, a dentist, or the headmaster. Waiting rooms can be mind-numbing places – waiting in general is a suspended state – so invent stories to liven up your wait. Tell the story of a romance initiated in a waiting room. Start with the words: “This is how they met . . .” Be as schmaltzy or as catastrophic as you can.
Why it’s good for you: Practice using tedium as a starting point for creativity. “I’m bored!” is the hunger for an engrossing narrative.
W is also for: Woods, Waterway, Wall.

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I chose to go the nonfiction path and write a short romance story of a couple who was waiting in a doctor’s office. The female of the story will be named as Radiah and the male of the story will be named Anwar.

Anwar looks at Radiah and senses a feeling of warmth come to his cold, chilling frame. Rubbing his hands together, in efforts to give them the heat they craved for, Radiah grabs them and intertwined his fingers with hers. She looks down at her swollen belly and back up at him with a look of uncertainty, of worry. Their unborn baby, whom they loved and cherished, hadn’t moved for days and it was a mother’s instinct to contact her doctor. Sad and fearful, they look into eachothers eyes and gazed off to their first memory together: their ironic encounter.

Radiah and Anwar were already in relationships that seemed to be growing at a marvelous rate; however, it was far from developing. Radiah’s boyfriend and Anwar’s girlfriend were friends — well more than just friends. They somehow managed to keep their secret love for eachother very hidden and made efforts to be out of the public eye, despite their deep affection for one another.

It was actually very coincidental how the two cheaters were caught in their deceiving act. Radiah was going to work, and so was Anwar. They both were acquaintances at the time, completely clueless to their unfaithful partners and the long string of lies they had been told. Walking towards the building together, they both focused their gaze on two familiar individuals. It was difficult for both of them to even fathom being cheated on, but determined to find answers they approached the couple. To their dismay, it had been their significant others cheating on them with one another. Taking a second to slow down and analyze the situation, Radiah and Anwar looked at their partners with broken hearts and tear-filled eyes.

Silence was summoned upon the cheaters as they had been questioned by Radiah and Anwar. How long was this going on for? Why would you hurt me like that? I thought you loved me? All perfectly good questions with fairly reasonable answers, but the two caught in their unloyal act didn’t have an answer to give them. Their mouths dry of guilt and crime. Craving for a sentence, a word of reassurance to leave their unfaithful lips, but there was none. They knew how deceivingly harsh their actions were. How such selfishness can bring such happiness to each other but bring such pain to their partners.

Life went on as normal, but the feeling of heartbreak was nothing normal for Radiah and Anwar. Months passed and the pain and torture remained. It radiated from their hearts to their limbs. Pain was indeed that unforgiving force that paralyzed them both body. They soon were incapable of trusting, loving, and forgiving. Radiah and Anwar isolated themselves from their reality and found any simple daily task a struggle to complete.

However, on one surprising day, when the hurt started to numb itself, Anwar felt an urge to call Radiah and ask if they could meet. Since they had been through the same troubles, he thought, they discuss the situation with each other in efforts to create a healthy companionship.

The story goes as any other perfect, happy ending. They started spending more time with one another and grew an attachment to each other. Before you knew it they were inseparable. They later got married and moved into a new house together.

Which brings us to where they are today. Radiah is now 8 months pregnant with a fetus who seemed to have stopped moving. They are still inseparable despite the potentially late embryo in her stomach. Their hearts sank to the floor when the nurse called them to the room. Radiah explained the situation and didn’t realize her eyes were watering for this child that could possibly be dead.

Minutes seemed like hours while the doctor took her time coming to their room. It was a cold, dark room. Lights flickered and the door creeked. The dirty wallpaper struggled to stay stuck on the wall and the floors were occupied by a thick layer of dust. Eventually, the doctor came and performed the tests, again, taking her time, ultimately creating a fearful suspense that burned inside Radiah and Anwar.  She finally said the dreaded words, “I’m sorry but you have had a miscarriage.”

In certain circumstances, this is often the situation that breaks the bond between the mother and father-to-be until both are fully healed. Words and usually left unspoken and feelings are often held against each other. This was absolutely not the case. Tears were shed, weeps and cries left their desperate lips. Anger and pain were shared between them but never hate because they truly loved each other. And as life goes on, so did their pain. Radiah and Anwar eventually healed from their loss and grew together. Anwar was meant for Radiah, and they cherished each other and every moment they shared on this planet.