One Page Novel

"Marry me?" Danny asks in the candy aisle. "Yes!" Elle exclaims, Danny sliding a red rock on her finger. Elle sucks the cherry-flavored ring and enters the glow of electric signs outside. "She has lots of cash, but she never pays." Jose mutters. Danny grins, "Not for that candy, or the Pepsi in her bag." He floats out after her. Jose throws five dollars at the register.

"Let's walk," says Elle. The sidewalk isn't wide and Jose feels self conscious, bobbing awkwardly along with his left leg longer than his right. Walking behind, he's a gimp. Walking in front, he's a spectacle. He walks beside Danny. Elle's pixie figure bounds toward a McDonalds' yellow sign. A purple flower behind each ear. They follow her.

"Three big Macs!" The workers know her and remain motionless. Elle smiles taking note. Danny admires his purple flowered, red ringed bride skipping on the sticky brown and dark brown checkered tiles. Order in, Elle out. The workers don't think much of it anymore.

"You're an attention glutton." Jose says outside. "I'm entertaining them," she smiles, looking up, her blonde hair charming the moon.

"Be careful. It's dripping." Standing outside an ice cream store, Father and Daughter lap up chocolate chip ice cream on cones. Elle is entranced by the little girl's scoop moving with each lick, until it bombs the concrete, barely missing her white sneakers.

"Daddy?" she quivers.

"No harm. Take mine." They exchange cones, one empty and one full; Elle's eyes are overcome.

"Beautiful," she whispers.

"Beautiful," whispers Danny watching Elle. Jose shifts his weight and dreams his right leg a little longer.

Lindsey Marrone