On Victoria Plame

This is the character sketch... post two revisions... enjoy.

Tomorrow I might talk about what it was like to write this.

Stray strands of hair brushed the woman’s face as she stood gazing. Occasionally her gloved hand rose to brush the strands away, but the wind simply pushed them back. She wore snow-white gloves on hands that burrowed out from her puffy coffee-colored jacket. A tuft of cotton wandered through a hole near her waist and another hole by her wrist. She smiled dreamily. Her mouth moved slightly as if she were speaking but the little girl beside her paid no attention faced the frozen lake. A snowball splattered against her jean-clad leg. She brushed the flakes off. A smile snuck threw the reproving glance she conveyed to the miscreant.

“Victoria! Victoria, can I play with them?” Victoria’s gaze followed the pointing finger of the little girl. “They’re building a fort! Look! They’re people your age there too. You can talk to them while we play.” The girl’s words tumbled forth.

A sadness filled Victoria’s eyes as she down. “No Libby, we don’t know them.” She spoke softly. I barely heard her.

“You never let me meet anyone new.” Libby moaned.

“Don’t whine.” Victoria pushed back her jacket sleeve. “Besides, we don’t have time. Your piano lesson starts in twenty minutes and it takes about fifteen to get there--“

“Five minutes please!”

Victoria’s laugh burbled like bubbles from a partially unstopped drain. She shook her head and leaned down to Libby. Their noses kissed. “No hon. You know what I always say.”

Libby’s shoulders slumped. “Don’t be late. Be early.”

Victoria laughed once more. “Something like that. Come on dear. Let’s get going so Mrs. Button doesn’t wonder where her pixie-child is.” She slid her gloved hand into Libby’s. She looked up at me and smiled before walking away with Libby.