FREE SHORT STORY.

 

Here's a sneak peek at my free short story. Link to the pdf follows. Thank you for stopping by. Please leave a comment, if you are so inclined.

 SWEET LOVE REMEMBERED

“Get out of the car.”

“What’d I say?”

“Get out.” Perri shifted the car into drive.

“Look, Perri, the kid’s been gone for five years already. When are you gonna let go?” Ike closed the door but leaned on the open window, in no hurry to leave.

“Mike. The kid’s name was Mike,” Perri said as she peeled out, depressing the gas pedal almost to the floor. “Asshole.”

Perri slowed down when she crossed the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey. She forked right onto the Palisades Parkway, then leaned back against the rich leather seat of her BMW. The drive to Pine Grove was so familiar she could do it in her sleep.

You’d be five today, Mikey. If you had lived. It’s five years since we scattered your ashes in Cedar Lake.

June twenty-second, the day before Mikey’s birthday, was the day of Perri’s annual trip to Pine Grove. She took a shaky breath. SIDS took four-month-old Michael Jessup. The son of Perri and Sergeant Matthew Jessup…once her husband, now her ex.  

Perri pulled into the driveway of the Pine Grove Guesthouse facing Cedar Lake. She had a standing reservation for the same week every year. Lacy Ryan, gray-haired owner of the guesthouse, had Perri’s room ready. She took a freshly baked cookie off the plate Lacy was holding.

“Room’s ready, Perri.” Lacy hugged the pretty brunette.

“What’s all that lumber in old Doc Branford’s yard?” Perri munched on her cookie.

“Doc moved to Florida. Somebody bought the place. Fixin’ it up too.” Lacy took the plate into the kitchen. “Coffee’s still hot.”

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Continue reading the story HERE

TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT

Welcome to Tuesday Tales. This week is a picture prompt. While this pic didn't fit into my current stories, it does fit well into one I'm planning. The story doesn't have a title yet, but it does have a plot. Thanks for coming. Return to Tuesday Tales and the awesome writers there HERE.  

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Kay pulled the car off the road onto the shoulder. Risa opened the door and threw her backpack out onto the scruffy grass.  She looked at the mountains and sighed. "Now that's a skyline."
"You sure I'm not going to get arrested for this?" Kay asked.
"Nope. I'm over twenty-one. All you did was give me a lift. You had no idea I wasn't going back."

 Kay put her hand on her niece's arm. "Do you have to do this?"
Risa smiled. "Yep. From here on, I'm not Marisa. Just Risa, a cowgirl with no past."
"Do you have to walk away from everything?"
"I'll be in touch. But only if I think you're phone isn't tapped." She laughed. "It's easy walking distance to town from here."
"Your mother's gonna kill me."
"She'll never know it was you, unless you tell her."
"My lips are sealed. I like living." Kay grinned.
She leaned over to hug her aunt then pushed out of the car. 
"Do you need this?" Kay held up a tutu.
"Nope. Got my leotard and stuff. No more tutus. Jeans and plaid shirts from now on." Risa straightened up and stretched her arms above her head. A slight breeze ruffled her long brown hair
"Wait!" She reached in and grabbed a scissors. After throwing her hair over her head, she combed it as even as she could, then cut straight through it. Bouncing her head back, she smiled. "Now no one'll recognize me."
"Holy crap. Did you have to do that?"
"Damn straight." She tossed her unevenly bobbed hair, then hid it beneath a hat. 
"Your mother..."
Risa held her finger to her lips, shut the car door and pointed her scuff-toed cowgirl boots toward town. 
"Good luck, Baby," Kay called. Risa blew her a kiss and kept on walking.

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