You are Clarabelle Chastain. Three weeks after turning eighteen, your father dropped dead on the job. Tragic, right? It gets worse. Dear old dad was a great guy, but terrible with money, which means you're not only losing your dad, you're losing your house and just about everything else. If you'd gotten some scholarships, you might have been able to go to co...
"We are each our own Devil, and we make this world our hell" - Oscar Wilde What? A welder isn't supposed to know how to read the classics? Okay I don't read the classics. I did read "The Picture of Dorian Gray" in high school and the biography I wrote on Oscar Wilde got me a B. The quote came back to me as I stared into the mirror behind the bar at the Red...
"Shandi!" Rob came sailing out of the house, wiping her hands on the bottom of her apron. Shandi gratefully sank into the circle of Rob's arms, suddenly overcome by emotions that she hadn't known that she was holding back. She was happy that Rob welcomed her tears, the woman's hands gently massaging her back softly. "Oh, Shandi, you're safe here. Welcome."...
Cien started the sad task of the burial when he woke. His body was stiff from the exertion, but he wanted no one to help him in the task. He dug the hole deep in the woods beside Maggie's cottage. Maggie stayed inside, preparing Regan. When the hole was deep enough, Cien climbed out slowly and looked down. He had the most sincere wish that he could burry h...
My wife Angie walked in the door of our New York apartment. We have been married for two years and she was rather conservative in the bedroom. I was ready to fix that. I kissed her hello and handed her a glass of wine. She took off her coat and I watched as her cleavage bounced in her tight tee shirt. I loved when she worked late at the bar. "How was wor...
I was a third year college student; I was on my way home. I was using the back way home because it had less traffic and I taking my time. My car broke down; a navy blue van stops and a nice gentleman asks if he can help. We are standing by the car when I felt a sharp pain in my ass. He has given me a shot; I try to run but my feet will not move. Handcuffs go...
Shandi started her first class the next Monday. She chose to do a large class, renting easels from the art supply store and each person was given a beginner's set of brushes, a small canvas and their own smock and she started by showing everyone the paintings that she had completed in the last ten days. Her scenes were all bucolic, spreading oaks with a pair...
Shandi came down for breakfast but she avoided contact with anyone, an action noticed by both Rob and Milo. Instead of seeking out companionship, she wolfed down scrambled eggs and a slice of buttered toast, then grabbed a couple of sausage links, heading for the stables. Hannah welcomed her warmly and she joined the other girls, mucking out stalls and leadi...
Slipping the roaster into the waiting oven and taking a quick look at her freshly cleaned home she nodded with satisfaction at her hard work. The table was set with their best dishes; crystal flutes were placed in the freezer to completely chill the champagne that was resting in the ice bucket perched on the counter. It had been worth taking the day off from...
Sweet Gwen, It is my hope that this letter finds you quickly. I don't know when the next time is that we'll be back to the main base, but I'm writing this sitting on the front lines of the battle against the Letonian Empire. I don't know how long I will be allowed to sit here writing this but I want you to know that you are the center of my dreams and my ho...