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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 11, 2020 14:47:41 GMT -6
14. Letting It Go Randall sat at the bar of an upscale steak house in downtown Boston. He stared at the amber, rye whiskey in his Manhattan, and sadly jiggled the cocktail pick laden with three cherries.
He’d made a hasty exit from the firm holiday party. Tom sat next to him nursing a gin and tonic, after Randall had sent him an urgent text message to meet at the bar. An old law school friend, he owed Randall many times over.
"I am really glad that you came out," said Randall, taking a sip of his cocktail.
"Wish it was under better circumstances."
Randall nodded. "You should have seen her, sidling up to Owen."
"You sure have your head all mixed up around this gal." Tom shook his drink, swirling the lime around the edge of his glass. He took a sip, and bubbles rose to the surface. dancing around the green wedge.
Looking around the bar, Randall noticed couples meeting up for drinks, enjoying themselves, huddled near the paneled walls. Groups of professionals gathered to imbibe after a long week. Everyone was jovial and carrying on, uplifting conversations, making light of work shenanigans. "Not sure how I even got caught up in this mess." Randall shook his head.
"She was a temptress. That's what I can gather from what you've told me."
"Well, she started with Dwyer, a fairly junior partner, when she first got to the firm. Then, she moved on to me, a senior partner. And now... Now, she's moved on to a named partner."
"You sure that she got it on with this Dwyer?"
"Not sure about anything. He's quite a square, if you know what I mean. He might not have taken her up on it. Protect the career, family, and spare himself the headache."
Tom looked at him dubiously. "So, you might have been the only one..."
Randall shrugged. "You might be right—"
"Your damn right, I'm right. She’s just trying to make you jealous, nudging up to a named partner to get your goat. But you've got a family to think about and should just let this go."
"Let it go," Randall repeated, nodding. And he knew that Tom was right.
"Sure, you need to let it go. Right now."
A tinge of panic coursed through Randall's veins. He could see her, seated close to Owen, with her arm around him, batting her eyes at his most banal comments. Randall shook his head again. He exhaled and took a deep breath. Nothing calmed his nerves, not even the whiskey.
Tom shrugged. "You really need to let this go—"
"I wish I could."
Reaching for his gin and tonic, Tom raised an eyebrow and took a long swig from his drink. "Lots of people wish they had your problem. You’re middle-aged, a partner in a downtown law firm. You've got a nice house in an affluent coastal town, and a beautiful family. Piles of people would kill to be where you are."
"So, I should just let it go. Call it a fling and be done with it."
"Yeah, that's what most guys would do." Tom took a guzzle from his drink, nearly polishing it off. "Get a grip, Randy. We go way back. Geeze, look at it for what it's worth. Just sex, plain and simple. A role in the hay. Don't get so emotional. Obsession… ruins careers."
Randall took a sip of his Manhattan. Then, he removed the pick and took a bite of a maraschino cherry. He smiled at Tom. "I suppose you’re right."
"Glad to see that you've come around." Tom winked and gave him a pat on the back, and then polished off his drink. He placed a fifty note on the bar, and grinned. "That should cover the tab."
Then, he slid off his stool, and headed for the door without looking back; he just stepped through the double doors, and made his way into the foyer, then out into the cool night.
Randall sat alone, sipping his cocktail, wondering if he could let go.
Considering his wife and the kids, and then her with him. He cringed and reached for his phone to text her. The End ~ 💘 |
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Post by lostineternity99 on Mar 12, 2020 16:05:13 GMT -6
I am happy he texted his wife  |
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 13, 2020 12:47:17 GMT -6
The Addiction by Dorothy Kollat They say hindsight is 20/20, but I’m in no need of its accuracy. I’m aware that I’m in the throes of an obsession, one with dark eyes, full lips, and hands that make my resolve crumble. He is perpetually busy except for the occasional late night evening of which I’m certain to be available for. He has a small apartment, a soul depleting day job, a mind full of ambition to succeed, and an epic chip on his shoulder that he hasn’t. There is no room in his life for me. Well, I suppose there exists a miniscule amount of room he sometimes creates and I oblige, but with the clear ache of wanting more.
It is Thursday about noon. I will hope he asks to see me tomorrow. And if he does, I will say yes. I will smile when he texts, my heart will pitter pat when I see him, I will make the drive out to his place and accept he’d rather not take me out but stay in, I will tell him I miss his face, I will spend time thinking about him and how good he feels, I will long for him, I will hope he changes his mind about me, I will wish that maybe next time he’ll ask me to stay.
I will go to work looking forward to the end of the evening when I’ll see him. I’ll focus on the pile of papers strewn about my desk, pay absolute attention to my co-workers’ needs because being engrossed is the only way to make the time pass. I’ll drive home in heavy traffic and allow my mind to wander about what to wear later. I’ll be home and try to relax, clean a little to pass the time, and read more lines of a book without grasping the layers of meaning beneath.
Then I’ll get in the shower. I’ll scrub, I’ll shave, and I’ll wash. I’ll lotion, apply make-up, and curl my hair. I’ll give myself too many look-overs in the mirror to make sure I appear just right before leaving. Then I’ll listen to music on the drive and sing in the car. My spirits will be up.
I’ll arrive. He’ll be dressed down, offer me wine, and we’ll chat on his couch. Then he’ll kiss me. I’ll kiss him back. We’ll talk some more and have a second glass of wine. Before the conversation will exhaust itself he’ll kiss me with more demand and I’ll moan into his mouth. We’ll get off his couch and go to his bed. He’ll undress himself and then me in between urgent kisses. We’ll make love. It’ll feel amazing. I may or may not climax.
We’ll stay naked in his bed, tired, out of breath. We’ll talk some more. Then he’ll make love to me again. He’ll ask me what I want and I won’t have any clue how to answer. I have extremely limited sexual experience, a disposition toward shyness, and the degree of that isn’t entirely clear to him. He’ll reach climax again.
We’ll talk a little longer and then I’ll hope he’ll ask me to stay, but he won’t. So, my heart will sink a bit as I pick up my clothes strewn across his bedroom floor. I’ll dress and tell myself that it’s okay. I don’t need to stay the night. It doesn’t matter.
He’ll walk me to my car. I’ll kiss him one more time, my hands on his face, his hands on my waist. It’ll be about one in the morning. I’ll get home before two. I won’t be tired. I’ll be re-thinking the whole evening and wondering what I’m doing and when I’m going to stop. The End ~ 💘 |
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Post by lostineternity99 on Mar 14, 2020 5:06:41 GMT -6
The title is appropriate for this one  |
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 14, 2020 12:49:03 GMT -6
I totally agree Rick. How sad for a young woman to be so addicted.  |
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 14, 2020 12:59:42 GMT -6
16. Five Minutes by Jake Zawlacki Imagine sitting here in a wooden chair with Chinese soft somethings under your ass, leaning on a green laminated particle board twice processed table. You’ve been here for a while. You’re miserable because you hate your job. You wait for the accented drawl of the guest social media marketing specialist from Tuscaloosa to end like a root canal. You wait for his mouth to seal like two slices on a grilled cheese sandwich. You wait for the grizzly meat speckled jaws of Hell to open up beneath the floor and swallow all these lifeless marketing representatives, including yourself. If only God showed mercy.
Imagine you’re a guy. Imagine there is a pretty girl watching this same thing in this same room. Long high heeled legs, blue jeans, and a nice enough shirt to pass for business casual among a bunch of old overweight men. Nobody questioned the blue jeans. Between the smile, the eyes, and the laugh she could have worn a poncho and nobody would have blinked. The laugh sealed it. A laugh like a woman about to sprout her hidden wings and fly home.
She giggled a lot in the theater but we had a good time. We quit our jobs and moved into a banana peel yellow Winnebago. We drove and lived for a long time in big places. A Midwest town enveloped us. We started a business, Wreckords and More. Our daughter was beautiful. She looked like Audrey Hepburn at ten years old.
“Shotgun,” her dad said to me with a grin in a white tuxedo. I chuckled because that’s what married men do. I remember our daughter trying on her mom’s jeans and liking them because they were retro. She went to an expensive college with lots of brick buildings. We moved to the coast in a white cottage with a blue door. I painted the door before we unloaded the truck. It smeared on my shirt when we moved the couch in. We started a new business. All You Can Read, a used bookstore. We had beautiful chairs. Beautiful dark wicker chairs. Her legs bare beneath a polka dot skirt. Veined the way black streaks run through white marble statues of goddesses. She hands me a glass of water with half a lemon slice floating on top and smiles.
Stop imagining. The presentation is over. We stand. We walk down the stairs.
“Excuse me,” I say, “Would you like to see a movie? THE END ~ 💘 |
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Post by lostineternity99 on Mar 15, 2020 5:48:40 GMT -6
A well-written imaginary story  |
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 15, 2020 10:38:15 GMT -6
I loved the beauty of his imagination here.
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 15, 2020 10:59:21 GMT -6
17. Homecoming by Thomas G. Schmidt Terry Belcher’s hands were wet with perspiration as he nervously thought about his high school’s homecoming dance, which was scheduled to take place in less than a week. A senior at Cardinal Worthy High School in Scranton, PA, Belcher was determined to attend since this was the big fall event for his graduating class. Terry had planned to ask his good friend Lisa Brooks to the dance but was taken by surprise when she told him that she had “other plans” for the weekend. Other plans? What the hell did that mean? A few days later, the shy, introverted boy would finally learn that Lisa was seeing someone at another school. It was a twist he was not expecting and as a result, he was left with the task of determining who he should ask. This was assuming of course, that he would eventually get the balls to do that. His “easy option” of asking Lisa was off the board and now the quiet17 year old was in a panic.
Terry’s best friend Bob Scharno patiently paged through their junior yearbook as Terry looked at the girls in the Class of 2016. They were only in the B’s when Bob pointed at Karen Beumont.
“Here you go. You know Karen.”
Terry sighed as he looked at the young girl’s picture. “Um, I don’t know….”
“She has a nice rack.”
“What??”
“A nice rack. Tits. Boobs, if you prefer. Breasts, if you want to be politically correct.”
“Scharno, am I supposed to pick a girl out based on her, on her boobs??” Belcher was embarrassed and worked hard at saying the word “boobs” since all the other options before him seemed so much worse.
“Amy Henderson says that Karen’s are a 36C.”
“Jesus Bob, can we just move on.”
Scharno grinned as he continued to page through the yearbook. He stopped again, this time in the M’s.
“Wow, Sue Mahoney. I’ve watched her walk down the hall at school. Man, she really has a nice….”
Belcher cut him off. “Good God Bob, don’t say it. Please….”
“Caboose.”
Belcher squirmed and sighed as he put his head into his hands.
“Sorry Terry. I was just trying to lighten things up.”
Belcher shook his head as he looked at his best friend. “Karen and Sue are WAY out of my league. They already have boyfriends. I need realistic advice. They would NEVER go out with me.”
Bob Scharno shook his head as he replied. “Karen and Sue’s boyfriends don’t have a full academic scholarship to Darmouth for next fall…”
Terry’s reply was quick and was given without any thought. “Girls don’t give a damn about that.”
Scharno’s face showed immense surprise as he considered the comment. “Wow ! That’s the first time I ever heard you use that cuss word.”
Belcher turned red as he realized what had slipped out. “Bob, I’m just in a panic over all of this…”
“OK. Let’s regroup. Who would you like to take out.”
“Lisa.”
“That’s not an option.”
“I know.”
“So who else would you like to go out with.”
Belcher couldn’t come up with any names. As he sat on the couch pondering the question, Bob Scharno finally offered a new name.
“How about Ashley Campbell?”
Belcher froze as he considered the name. Ashley Campbell. The slender blonde would normally be someone that Terry would never consider asking. But the girl had recently shown an interest in talking to him. He originally wrote this off as just being a sign that she was mentally ill. But after the girl had talked to him a THIRD time in study hall, he started to wonder if maybe, just maybe, she was kind of interested in him.
“Um, do you, you know, um, do you think she would go out with me?” Belcher started sweating again.
“Absolutely. Unless she’s an idiot.”
Belcher cleared his throat as he replied to Bob Scharno. “Um, OK. I’ll think about asking her on Monday.”
“No. Not good enough.”
“Huh?”
“You need to call her right now.”
“YOU KIDDING ME???” Belcher looked like a man facing impending death.
Bob Scharno ignored the curse and instead focused on the mission. “No, I am not kidding you. Get on the phone and call her now.”
“God Bob, I think I’m going to wet myself…..”
Scharno restrained himself from laughing. “Then go to the bathroom first and then call her.”
Belcher was in a daze as he listened to the phone ring. Was he actually doing this or was this a dream??
“Hello?” Ashley Campbell had answered the phone. Oh God, there was no turning back now.
“Um, hi…. hi Ashley. This is Terry Belcher.”
There was a short pause as Ashley seemed shocked by the phone call. “Terry? Wow, hi. It’s good to hear from you. What’s up?”
In Terry’s mind he was replying “my blood pressure”, but he quickly put that sarcastic reply out of his head.
“Um, um, I was kinda wondering. You know, just kind of wondering if you, um, you know, if you might like to go to the homecoming dance with me on Friday.” The boy with a 760 score on his SAT verbal couldn’t put a coherent sentence together. Stay tuned ~ 💘 |
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Post by lostineternity99 on Mar 16, 2020 6:06:10 GMT -6
I like the suspenseful ending of this part but the language is definitely crude  |
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 16, 2020 10:46:54 GMT -6
You should have seen it before I cleaned it up. I will watch the next episode more closely and do a better job of cleanup.
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 16, 2020 11:02:24 GMT -6
There was a pause before Ashley finally replied. “Wow. Um, well…” Belcher didn’t wait for the answer. “I know that this is very, um, very, um short notice. So I understand if you can’t go with me.” Ashley laughed lightly as she realized how nervous and embarrassed the young boy was. “Well, Terry, I was just going to say that I’d love to go to the dance with you.” “Huh?” “I said yes, I want to go to the dance with you.” Belcher was at a loss for words. “Um, wow. Um, ok. That’s great.” “So when will you pick me up on Friday?” Friday came quickly. Terry Belcher drove his older brother’s Camaro over to the Campbell’s house to pick up Ashley. He was expecting to have to talk to Ashley’s parents for a while since girls are never ready on time. But to his surprise, Ashley answered the door. “Hi Terry ! All set?” “Wow.” Belcher didn’t realize that the comment had come out. He was too taken by Ashley’s appearance. The girl was drop dead gorgeous. The light makeup and blush on her cheeks accented her face well. A black “Hard Rock Café” t-shirt and sleek black jeans rounded out her appearance. “Um, wow. You look great.” The girl giggled while Belcher went to the car to open the door for her. He now wished that he had brought his asthma inhaler along. He didn’t need it very often but he sensed that he might need it tonight. Panic set in for Belcher as the couple reached the dance. Terry was an inexperienced dancer and was now starting to fret about what to do. Ashley sensed the nervousness in the shy boy and simply suggested that he “follow her”. Well, that helped. “Just put your arms around me.” Belcher understood the suggestion but was struggling with it since Ashley’s entire body seemed to be flashing “do not touch”. He eventually put his arms around her upper back with his hands finally resting on her shoulders. He sighed as they danced to Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking out Loud”. As the dance continued, Ashley reached up and took hold of Terry’s left hand. She guided the hand off her shoulder and onto her back. Terry thought that she might just be interested in holding his hand but as he would soon find out, she had other thoughts. Slowly, the girl guided Terry’s hand down her back. Belcher turned red as his hand traveled over the back of her bra and down, down her back. Good God, where was she taking it? At first, he thought the trip would end at the middle of her back but she continued on. Next, he thought that his hand would be placed on her waist but she went further. “Oh God, she is going to place my hand on her....backside.” That was not to be. Instead, Ashley took Terry’s hand into “no man’s land”, the area in between a girl’s waist and her butt. She then returned her right hand to the middle of Belcher’s back. Using his strong analytical skills (Belcher had a 710 on his SAT Math score), Terry realized that he was expected to put his other hand in the same general location. So Terry’s right hand made the same trip down Ashley’s back to “no man’s land”. Belcher once again had a strong reaction as his second hand went over the back of Ashley’s bra. The fact that Terry didn’t have bladder failure during all of this was a testament to the great bladder function that all members of the Belcher family possessed. The danced moved on and, over time, Terry started to finally get enough nerve to move those hands to where he was sure Ashley really wanted them, just a short distance down. Terry was convinced that it was now or never. Just as Terry was finally ready to make his move, he noticed with horror that Mr. David Miller, a teacher chaperone for the dance, was glaring at him. At least he thought the man was glaring at him. And David Miller was no ordinary teacher. It was David Miller who had written a letter of recommendation to Dartmouth College stating that Terry Belcher was a young man of “high moral character” and “worthy of the Dartmouth Presidential Scholarship”. Now it appeared that Mr. Miller was seeing his young protégé getting ready to grab some girl’s behind. Belcher stopped in his tracks as he looked back at Miller. The look felt like it went on for several minutes but Terry knew that it had to be much shorter. Finally, the man moved on and made no comment at all to the inexperienced teen. But the moment had been broken and Terry was now finding that he was not inclined to try to make the move after all. The boy’s conscience and Catholic upbringing were finally winning out. Damn teachers. As the dance continued and as things moved on, Ashley suddenly dropped her head down to Terry’s shoulder. She rested her head there and continued dancing. “Holy crap, she is either getting tired and needs a nap or she is trying to seduce me.” Belcher was convinced it was likely the latter and that was OK with him. Assuming of course, that he didn’t have heart failure in the process. As Belcher and Campbell danced to the Michael Bubble song “Home”, Terry could softly hear Ashley singing along. The girl had a good voice, well actually an excellent voice. And Terry started to feel guilty as he realized that she was just enjoying the song and probably wasn’t on the verge of jumping his bones. It was just his hormones getting the better of him. Terry was disappointed when the dance finally ended. The evening had been wonderful and was easily the highlight of high school. “I’m sorry the dance is over Ash.” Where the hell did “Ash” come from? He never had called Ashley that before. “Me too. The teens walked up the stairs from the school gym to the Camero and drove off towards Ashley’s house. The moonlight framed the young girl’s face and made her look angelic as Terry took the long way to her house. “Um, Terry?” “Yes?” “Stop by the mailbox.” Belcher was confused. He was planning to drive up Ashley’s driveway and escort her to her house. “OK.” Terry turned off the car as he parked beside the Campbell’s mailbox at the end of the driveway. As he turned to talk to Ashley, the young girl lightly grabbed his head and moved in toward his face. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, the girl was kissing him lightly on his lips. “I really had a good time Terry.” Belcher stammered but somehow managed to reply “me too.” They talked for a few minutes before Ashley gave him a final, short, goodbye kiss. And with that, the girl scampered up the drive and into her house. “Wow,” thought Belcher as he watched Ashley disappear into the night. “I don’t think anything can top this….” The End 💘 |
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Post by lostineternity99 on Mar 17, 2020 6:57:38 GMT -6
And they lived happily ever after ... maybe  |
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 17, 2020 14:40:09 GMT -6
Ah yes! Maybe? Hopefully!!
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 17, 2020 14:53:39 GMT -6
18. Cat Tale by Catheine Weed Adoption counselor Jan Mulford studied the form before her. A man named Mark Hazlett was applying to be a pet parent to the loving and playful calico named Miss Kitty. Although she loved all of the pets in the Humane Society, Jan did occasionally find favorites, and Miss Kitty was one of them. Jan had secretly been considering adopting Miss Kitty herself, even though she already had a cat. Jan wondered why this Dr. Hazlett wanted a cat. He was 35 years old, around her own age, and he had never owned a cat before, only dogs.
Absently, Jan twirled a finger around a strand of her brown, curly hair while studying the form. Dr. Hazlett taught English at the University. He presently had no other pets except for an aquarium of fish. Miss Kitty would certainly be interested in that! Jan finished reading the form by checking to make sure the applicant had carefully considered the cost of owning a cat. She went out of her office with a cat carrier and walked to the cat colony area, where she found a tall, pleasant-looking man who was watching the cats through the glass windows. “Dr. Hazlett?” she asked.
“Call me Mark, please,” he said, stepping forward to shake her hand. His smile was broad and friendly, and his green eyes were kind. Jan thought he looked like he would make a good cat owner.
“I'm Jan,” she told him, “Would you like to meet Miss Kitty in one of our socialization rooms?”
“Yes, please!” he said enthusiastically.
Jan led Mark into one of the socialization rooms, then she went into the cat colony, where all her feline friends ran up to her with excited meows. “I've come to get Miss Kitty,” she told them, “It looks like she is going to get a new home!”
“Come, Miss Kitty,” she said to the cat as she set her into the carrier, “Come meet the man with
Weed 2
the nice smile.” Jan hadn't noticed that the other adoption counselor, Gina, had entered the cat colony also.
“Nice smile, hmmm?” echoed Gina.
Jan blushed. “I didn't hear you come in,” she complained.
Gina asked, “Is Mr. Nice Smile married?”
Jan frowned at the teasing and shrugged her shoulders. “You know that information is not on our forms,” she said. Then she took a deep breath, let it out, and left before Gina could tease her any more.
“Here she is, Mark,” Jan said, closing the door to the socialization room behind her. She set the carrier on the floor and unlatched the door. Miss Kitty, head and tail held high, came out and rubbed against Mark's leg. Mark kneeled down on the floor and ran his left hand down Miss Kitty's back. Jan noticed he wasn't wearing a ring.
“What made you decide to adopt a cat?” Jan asked him.
Mark laughed. “I guess you did,” he said. “I came here last week looking for a dog. I could use a furry friend, since I live by myself. Anyway, I spotted you in here petting this cat.” He reached out above Miss Kitty, and the cat went up on her hind legs to reach his hand. “When I saw how much this cat loves attention, I thought maybe she would make as good a companion for me as any dog. I gave myself a week to think it over and to read up a bit on cat care. I'm lucky no one adopted her in the meantime.”
“I can see that she really likes you,” said Jan. “And you are lucky she wasn't adopted before
today. In fact, I had been thinking of adopting her myself!”
“I'm sorry to take her away from you,” said Mark, “But I've already bought food and a litter box. I even have a carrier out in my car.”
Jan told Mark she approved of the adoption. While Mark went out to get his carrier, Jan waited
with Miss Kitty. “You sure know how to charm a guy,” she told the cat. She let Miss Kitty leap up to her outstretched hand. “I'm going to miss you,” she told the cat sincerely.
Gina slipped into the room. “Where's Mr. Nice Smile?” she asked.
This time, Jan refused to be ruffled. “That's Dr. Nice Smile, for your information,” she said, “And, before you ask again, no, he is not married.”
The doorknob turned and Mark entered the room. Gina said to him, “Congratulations on your adoption, sir. If you ever have any questions about owning a cat, I'm sure Jan would be happy to answer them. Maybe she'll even give you her phone number.”
Jan rolled her eyes at her friend's attempt at matchmaking. Gina left the room. Mark asked, “Do you own a cat, Jan?” When she nodded, he said, “Since I've never owned a cat before, I could use some advice. Maybe I can take you out to dinner sometime.”
Jan smiled nervously and replied, “Sure. I'd like that.”
Mark asked, “Are you free this evening? I know a great place to meet.”
Later, Mark and Jan sat at a table at Wildcat Cafe, a local restaurant that was popular with the university crowd. Jan asked how Miss Kitty was adjusting to her new home.
“She's doing great,” Mark assured, “I really have you to thank for bringing us together. If I hadn't noticed the attractive woman with the brown, curly hair, I never would have been drawn to the cat colony.”
Jan had a feeling she might not have said her final goodbye to Miss Kitty after all. The End ~ 💘 |
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Post by lostineternity99 on Mar 18, 2020 5:41:34 GMT -6
Sounds like this could be a purr-fect romance  |
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 18, 2020 15:07:51 GMT -6
Sounds like a very happy beginning.
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 18, 2020 15:25:35 GMT -6
A Walk in the Park by Julie Achilles Leah was lonely, not the sad kind of lonely where she thought about suicide or filling her home with stray cats, but lonely nonetheless. This time of the year with all the festivities only reminded her that she was alone, that there was nobody special in her life. At least she had work, she was kept busy and would return home tired and worn out, but it was time spent in the company of others. Weekends were long and tedious and Leah found them empty, she was constantly searching for ways to her time. All her friends were busy with husbands, partners and babies and Leah felt excluded from their lives.
Saturday morning was promising to be a mild day for December and by 9am Leah had completed all the domestic chores she had saved up hoping they would fill most of the morning, but the flat was already tidy and clean, so she was already at a loose end. Taking-a look at her online banking only served to add to the depression of the day, a trip to the shops was out of the question. But with a quick look out of the window she decided it was too nice a day to spend moping around the flat, so grabbing her warmest coat and bag she set out for a walk heading to the local park. Strange that living so close to this large park Leah had not yet ventured inside it, maybe that’s because it seemed to her you needed a baby to push or a dog to walk. The park seemed full of such people and the sound of excited children could soon be heard. At least she would fill her lungs with fresh air.
However, the further into the park she ventured the more secluded it seemed to become, it was so peaceful, the thick trees, the winter leaves on the ground, the world seemed a beautiful place. Nature, thought Leah, supressing a giggle and recalling her old flatmate who she once believed to be a tree hugger, who ate nuts and organic this and that, she had been the butt of their circle of friend’s jokes, that is until the day she came home and announced that she had met a rich sugar daddy and was moving to his place in Jamaica- well nobody saw that one coming. Those were the days, young and carefree, time to party, that is until one by one all her friends married and she was left on the shelf.
Just how long and how far Leah had walked whilst lost deep in thoughts of the past she had no idea, carried along with the memories, good and bad. But, her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of footsteps, which seemed to be coming closer, turning she saw a young man approaching, he looked normal, but why would a young man be walking alone in such a remote spot. Leah felt vulnerable and panic set-in, why she could not say, this isolated spot maybe or was it that she sensed danger, Leah had walked past the point that most walkers did and she had not seen any other people for a while.
The young man seemed to gain on her and as he closed in she looked him in the eye and saw everything she need to know, all hope that he had like her just wandered off the pathways were unfounded. Maybe he just wanted her purse and mobile and she had no intention of fighting him for them. But there was something in his face that made her realise this was not a mugging.
In the early evening of that same day Mark Ross, walked his dog Rufus through the park as he did every evening, it was almost dark and it was getting colder, so he had no intentions of hanging about, besides he was going out later so he needed to get home and get ready for a night on the town. Mark threw the stick for Rufus, for what he hoped would be the last time that day, he whistled a short-time later for Rufus to return, he never and Mark cursed the stupid dog and knew he would have to go in search of him. After a brief search, he found his dog sniffing over what looked like the body of a young woman, feeling faint with the sight he quickly pulled his mobile out of his jacket and dialled for the emergency services. He had to stay where he was until they arrived, he just hoped that they would hurry. The woman was covered in blood, so much blood it was hard to see where it was all coming from. Mark had kneeled close to the woman and he kept talking to her, telling her that help was on the way, but, she lay there motionless, barely alive. Eventually, she was taken away in an ambulance and Mark spoke to the police.
Mark never knew why he went to the hospital a day later to see this woman, she was a stranger, but he had found her and he just had to know that she survived, she had looked so young and helpless, how could anyone do such a thing to another human being.
The bright lights hurt Leah’s eyes, she was unable to focus and she yearned again for oblivion, it wasn’t just the pain or the injuries, it was the memory of the attack, on waking she believed it had only just happened. But, the nurses reassured her she was safe now. All Leah could think about was the knife as it slashed at her body, not just once but she was sure several times. Did she scream and call-out for help? She could not recall, she knew she had pleaded for her life. At first, Leah had tried to fight back, she just wanted to get away, but he had pinned her to the ground. The attack seemed to go on forever, and then there was another memory, but she pushed it away, unable to deal with it right now. Then Leah recalled a voice, a man’s voice, not her attackers, he kept on telling her to hold on, that help was on its way, that part was foggy.
A WPC sat outside her room, she came in and tried to speak to Leah, but, Leah kept drifting off and she heard a nurse tell her to wait, that the pain killers would not wear off for hours yet. Leah was not sure she could re-live the attack, sit and tell the police what she remembered, it was all too much, so she slept instead, but she knew she could not sleep forever.
It took over a week before Leah had the strength to sit up and tell the police about the attack, they told her she had been lucky to be alive, the knife had missed all-of her vital organs, but she would have scars and she had lost a lot of blood. They had a suspect, he had been questioned, although he did not admit guilt, he could not give an alibi for the time of the attack, he was a rapist out on parole. Leah would have to identify him as soon as she was able.
Mark became a regular visitor to Leah’s bedside, they spoke about everything except the attack, it seems that Mark knew some of her old friends and like Leah he too had been left behind by most of his mates. His nights in town were with the occasional mate who managed to get a night’s pass for good behaviour. He had a flat in the block a few streets from Leah’s. Over her stay in hospital Leah and Mark became good friends, he seemed to understand her. She was afraid to be alone in her flat but Mark had already offered to sleep on her sofa for the first few nights. She left hospital re-assured.
Two years later:
Mark and Leah are walking in a park a long way from the one they both used to live near, they are pushing, Joshua, their three-month old baby, he is sleeping. It is a Saturday and they intend to go shopping later, and maybe have a coffee in town too.
Michael Fischer was jailed for eight years for sexual assault and attempted murder, whilst in jail he committed suicide, he was twenty-seven years old. THE END. ~ 💘 |
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Post by lostineternity99 on Mar 19, 2020 6:05:15 GMT -6
I like the happy ending for Leah and Mark |
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 19, 2020 14:36:25 GMT -6
Great story, Rick.
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 19, 2020 14:57:24 GMT -6
20. She Danced in the Rain by J.Bishop
Life was not going as Miranda Allen had thought it should. It had been three long years. Those years involved frequent fighting followed by her husband Adam telling her that she would never amount to anything. Tears often stained her cheeks as she would always look in the mirror at the end of the day and say she was where she was supposed to be. No one had told her otherwise.
Miranda's world came crashing down when she walked in on her husband and his mistress a few months after leaving her home. Holding back the urge to throttle the both of them, all she could do was stand there. With tears welling up in her eyes once more as they often did, she refused to let them fall. No way was she going to give this man the satisfaction of seeing that. Silence filled the room as all time seemed to just stand still. Even the hands on the clock above the stove didn't dare move. The last phrase uttered before the click of the door was still ringing in her ears as she stood outside on their porch.
“ You win.” Those two words shattered any thought of the life she had wanted. The kids they planned to raise, the house they planned to build...all gone with those two words. With a heavy sigh Miranda made her way down the steps and into the night , not daring to look back and see if either one had come outside or was looking out the window at her. She decided to walk away with her head held as high as it would go.
If only Miranda could go back in time. Back to the time when she was a young and carefree sixteen year-old. She and Adam met each other when they were still in High School. She was the outgoing girl with brown eyes that always seemed to be smiling. She loved being around people and didn't mind being the first person to approach someone. If people wanted to find her they just looked for the girl with the long brunette hair that always seemed to be pulled back in a unique hairstyle. One day those brown eyes locked on to a shy boy from across the room. She took in his red curly hair and hazel eyes and fell instantly. She just had to know who this person was. The beginning of their sudden romance was perfect to her. There were love notes back and forth, McDonald's trips before school and many laughs. Adam treated her as though she were a princess. It never occurred to her that things would change as they got older. She was blinded by the love that he was giving her then and she didn't want to think that it could stop. Once they were out of High School they planned to get married. Miranda wanted to be his wife and be in his life forever. She didn't want to think of a time that they weren't an item.
The wedding came and went and before they knew it, the young couple was out on their own. The real world right in front of them. That was when their love was really tested. Often days were filled with both working and never really seeing each other. She worked at a clothing store and he worked at a machine shop so their schedules never seemed to quite mesh. There were days Miranda wished she didn't have to work so she could spend more time with him, but that just wasn't in the cards. Through all that it never seemed like there was anything wrong. Many couples faced those same challenges daily and still held strong so why couldn't two young people? They loved each other right?
The cracks started to show one day after their third year anniversary. Miranda could feel the tension in that hotel room and just didn't feel as close as she once did. The still young wife always found herself asking her husband if something was wrong or if he was still happy with her. Always the answer was,
“ Of course I'm fine.” She didn't want to question it at the times of asking but it was something constantly nagging at her. Was he really happy or did he just feel like he had to say that? He didn't hold her like he used to that was for sure. And when it came to conversations, they never seemed as deep. She wanted to feel more connected to him and would do anything to make him happy. So in a last ditch effort she agreed with a separation. It tore her heart in half but she felt if this little break would make him feel closer to her in the end then it was worth it. She didn't want him to feel like he was trapped.
That week of separation seemed to go on forever. Adam was now living with a friend and the only contact Miranda had was a text message here or there. No phone calls and no visiting. How was this supposed to help their marriage. Couples were supposed to be able to talk their problems out and come together, not having yelling matches where doors were slapped and people drove off. She felt like she had failed and the only comfort she had to cling to was that he hadn't completely moved out. So she fixed her place on the sofa and would lay there night after night not able to sleep and wondered if he was having the same trouble.
Time went by and Miranda got the phone call she had been waiting for.
“ Hey Miranda it's Adam. I was wondering if you wanted me to come pick you up after work? I have decided it is time to come back home.”
Joy filled Miranda's heart as he said that last sentence. He wanted to come back home! Of course she agreed and he did in fact come back home to her. You would think that was where it ended. The two would get back together and love would conquer all and they would live happily ever after. It didn't go that way though. Love is not something that just comes and goes. Once Adam came back things seemed to go okay for awhile. The couple forgave each other and Miranda did every thing she could to make him happy. Maybe that was the problem. She didn't like confrontations with him and often found herself caving because she didn't want him leaving again.
If only that had been the only thing she had to do to keep her husband around. Months went by and things seemed to be going a lot better for the Allens. Adam was starting to pay a lot more attention to Miranda and she was loving it. She finally felt like the only woman in his life.
Things didn't stay that way for long. Before Miranda knew it, the petty fights started up again. The feeling that something wasn't right was starting to come up in her mind. No matter how hard she tried pushing them away, it seemed to linger.
The snowball affect began a few weeks later. First it was the picture she found hidden in his top drawer. It seemed innocent at first but Miranda felt in her heart it wasn't. Adam would explain that the pictures were meant for her. She would fly into a rage and rip them up and toss it at him knowing it wasn't true. He seemed to be pulling away as well physically and emotionally. Often times on her days off he would find an excuse as to why he didn't want to be at home. He would tell her that he just didn't feel like being home with her. This ripped at her heart until she couldn't take it anymore.
She finally got up the nerve to ask him if he still loved her. Looking deep into his hazel eyes , Miranda tried to see the man that she had fallen in love with when they were just teenagers. He no longer seemed to be there. In his place was a man who seemed to have forgotten the life they had, a long with the plans for the future. Miranda tried desperately to find some kind of spark, but the silence told her that it was no where to be found.
“ Listen Miranda, we have had so many issues these past few months, with the fighting and the- the mistrust.. it's just not working out.” He explained slowly, clearly trying to avoid eye contact.
“ We were working things out though! We decided to try again right? Have you not been trying? I have been doing everything to keep you happy.
“ It takes more than that. We can still be friends but as for this marriage, I'm done. I don't need all this stress.”
“ THAT IS A BUNCH OF BULL!!! Miranda exploded. She had had enough. She couldn't hold her anger in anymore.
“ WHO IS SHE???”
“ What are you talking about?”
“ I want to know who it is because clearly you have already moved on...probably even before the separation.”
“ There is no one Miranda. There has just been too much drama for me and I think it is best we go our separate ways.” He tried putting his hand on her shoulder and she violently shook it off.
“ BULL!” She spat again before jumping off the couch and running into the bedroom.
That blowout had happened just a few months ago but to Miranda it seemed like it was just yesterday. The activities that followed that night were a blur though. She ended up moving back in with her parent's so that she could clear her head. Turns out the temporary break became permanent when she came back to the apartment to find that he refused to move out. She didn't know what had changed his mind but she didn't want to fight anymore. Instead she told him that she would be by to pick up her things when she could.
The night she found out about his other woman Miranda had planned on going there to make one last attempt to fix things. Those plans changed when she walked in on the two of them. That was the night she just wanted to leave and not look back. How could he do that? How could he throw away a relationship just like that?
It has now taken Miranda several therapy sessions with her friends and many sleepless nights but she finally started to feel okay. She wasn't in the best of places but she felt that she could go on with life. This was tested one evening as she and her friends were hanging out at one of their favorite restaurants.
“ So did you hear that Adam is having a kid with that woman he is shacking up with?”
The question came out of nowhere , and as Miranda sat there processing this...she kind of smiled a little bit. The ladies surrounding her all wanted to know what she was thinking....
“ He can't hurt me anymore. That was the last thing he could do. Now I can't be hurt by him anymore.”
As the ladies all sat there talking about what the future plans were for the weekend Miranda just kept smiling. She had been through so much and now it seemed as though a large weight had been lifted. She could be released from the arrows that kept being shot at her...one after the other. The fights, the affair, the pregnancy....she could finally see that nothing else could be done by him that would make her unhappy. She finally could move on and be happy. The End ~ 💘 |
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Post by lostineternity99 on Mar 20, 2020 4:23:22 GMT -6
A different kind of happy ending to this interesting story  |
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 20, 2020 11:06:11 GMT -6
It was kind of a surprise ending.
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Post by QueenFoxy on Mar 20, 2020 11:24:16 GMT -6
The Date by Thomas G. Schmidt
It was a hot summer day in 1975 and Steve Geraci was slowly sipping his cold Dr. Pepper under a shady White Ash tree when his friend Larry Tantalo called to him.
“Hey can I bum a ride home from you?”
Geraci nodded affirmatively as Larry sat down beside the 16 year old boy. Geraci and Tantalo, high school friends, had just completed a round of caddying at the Philadelphia Country Club, a prestigious private golf club in the Philadelphia suburb of Gladwyne. One of the oldest country clubs in the United States, “PCC “was a gathering spot for Philadelphia’s elite. Executives from banking and big pharma companies joined to play golf there and to be seen with the movers and shakers of the Phily area.
“Hot day,” said Tantalo as he opened his own soft drink. “Thought I might die out there.”
Geraci smiled. “Glad we got out early before the serious heat comes in. Want to take off?”
“Sounds great.”
The boys stood up and started to walk up the asphalt pathway from the caddy shack to the country club parking lot. The heat was oppressive and both boys simply wanted to cool off.
As they approached the parking lot, Tantalo casually looked to his left toward the country club swimming pool. “Holy shit !!” was the sudden, astonished outburst from the young boy.
“What?” replied Geraci as he turned to look at what had caught Tantalo’s attention.
“Look at all the freaking girls.” Geraci’s gaze followed Tantalo’s pointing hand and in doing so, he saw what Larry was talking about. The country club pool was packed with young, slender teenage girls wearing all sorts of swimwear. Bikinis dominated and in the boys’ minds it was a sea of loveliness.
“You know Larry, its times like these that convince me that there is a God.” Geraci laughed and looked up toward the sky while mouthing the words “thank you” in gest.
The boys’ laughter was interrupted by a call that seemed to come from the pool. “Steve, Steve. Is that you?”
Steve Geraci looked over to the pool and saw a slim, tall blonde girl in a white bikini getting up from a tanning recliner located pool side. Her tanned body clearly indicated that she had been sunning for days, if not weeks. As she recognized the young boy, she went into a “girly run” to meet up with him at the pool fence. You know the type of run. Hands up in the air as she skipped along the ground yelling.
Geraci walked casually to the pool fence to meet her. He knew that he was breaking country club rules which clearly stated that employees were not allow to fraternize with country club members, especially teenage daughters at the swimming pool. But as a geeky, socially awkward high school boy, he clearly was not going to let country club rules interfere with a chance to talk to one of the popular girls from school.
Amy Matthews meet Geraci at the fence with a level of enthusiasm normally reserved for a teen idol. “Steve, wow, it’s great to see you. Do you work here?”
Steve smiled and nodded yes. “Earning money to help pay for college. Hope to go to Penn State’s main campus after graduation.”
Amy giggled. “You are always thinking ahead. My dad wishes I were more industrious like you.”
Geraci turned a little red. Roger Matthews, the father of Amy, was a country club member that he had caddied for during the summer. Matthews was an executive at GlaxoSmithKline, a big pharmaceutical company with operations in the Gladwyne area and was a self-made man. He had taken a liking to Geraci after hearing that he was saving money for college. By comparison, the senior Matthews felt his daughter was drifting without ambition.
“That’s not fair Amy. You work hard.”
“Not as hard as you. You get good grades and deserve it.”
Geraci turned slightly away to shield his embarrassment from the young girl. In doing so, he noticed that the lifeguard was waving frantically at him to “move on”. His infraction of country club rules was becoming more obvious and he knew that he had to somehow wrap things up with Amy to avoid trouble.
“Hey, it’s great to see you Amy. But Larry and I have to take off to meet some friends at the mall. Hope to see you again really soon.”
Amy frowned in disappointment but mouthed the words “call me so me sometime” as he left. Call her? A popular girl like Amy? The thought of doing so made him nervous, nervous enough that he nearly wet himself just thinking of the idea. Stay tuned. ~ 💘 |
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Post by lostineternity99 on Mar 21, 2020 6:30:44 GMT -6
A geeky boy and popular girl in high school, it will be interesting to see what unfolds  |
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