A/N-On a '101 ways to decorate a gas station', we met Eldon Ashcroft IV. Let's see what has happened to Eldon.
At least according to Sand N Sable.
The door to where the girls work and Julia lives opens and the girls see Eldon Ashcroft IV stands there giving his little shy smile.
Charlene, of coarse, jumps up when she sees him and says,
"Eldon!"
Suzanne rolls her eyes and Julia punches her in the back. Mary Jo just smiles and she asks,
"Eldon, what are you doing here?"
He tells them,
"Well, it must be my year for winning contests, I just won a Home & Gardens one to redo my entire garden "
All the girls say congratulations, well, Suzanne just mumbles it and Julia asks,
"What are you doing here Eldon?"
He looks around then says,
"Well, one thing they asked is we take pictures with people who have inspired us and well, I chose you girls"
All the girls look in awe at each other and Charlene asks,
"Us?"
Eldon shakes his head and says,
"Yes, well, it was you girls who helped me get my spirits up when you redecorated my place and it has started my life rolling"
Everybody smiles ( Suzanne just gives a half moon smile ) and he says,
"I have recently started doing a writing course. I guess you could say O. Henry inspired me there but I can't have my picture made with him"
Charlene tears up and Julia asks,
"We would be honored to have our picture made with you. Just let us know when and where"
He smiles and after he leaves, Suzanne says,
"We'll I didn't want to say anything in front of him but I think he meant he was inspired by me the most"
Charlene says,
"Suzanne, how can you say that?"
Suzanne throws up her hand and says,
"I'm sorry but look around you, we got one widow, one divorcee' and a nobody. I'm the one who was a beauty queen; how can you not be inspired by that?"
Everybody looks at each other then Mary Jo says,
"I can be inspired to hit and run"
Julia says,
"We are all going to have our picture made with him and that's it!"
Suzanne just rolls her eyes and says in all innocence,
"Well, can't you all just stand around me looking at me adoringly ?"
Julia looks around then says,
"No, because that would look STUPID! And what you just said is stupid enough!"
Julia marches back to her desk and goes back to work.
{
A week later, the girls in their best work dresses stand around Eldon who is beaming from ear to ear in a garden filled with beautiful plants and flowers. Julia quickly places a book of O. Henry in his arms just as the picture is shot.
A/N-For those who may not know, O. Henry is a real author who wrote 'The Gift of the Maji' and other short stories.