Welcome to another Tuesday Tales selection. We are continuing with Maggie's Story today. Oh, that John. What a rascal! This week we have a picture prompt and a limit of only 300 words.
Please scroll down for the link back to Tuesday Tales where you can read some wonderful stories by talented writers. Thanks for coming.
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John brought the
empty cocktail glasses into the kitchen.
“That looks like
enough food for an army,” he said.
“Missus said if
I made dinner ahead, I could have tomorrow night off.” Maggie wiped the sweat
off her forehead with a paper towel.
“Hot date?” he
asked, cocking an eyebrow.
“You think I’m sleeping with you and dating someone else, too?”
“What are you
doing tomorrow?”
Her eyes
watered. “It’s me birthday. I just wanted to have the night off. Maybe go to a
movie or something. Sit in the cafĂ© and have a coffee?”
She rested her
hands on her hips and surveyed the four bubbling pots. “Run along, darlin’. I
got work to do.”
After cleaning
up from dinner, she crawled into bed at eight, exhausted. Sleep came quickly.
Late afternoon, as
Maggie rode the elevator, a deep sigh surfaced. She was all alone on her
birthday. Feeling sorry for herself, she counted her cash. Twenty dollars –not enough
for a meal and a glass of wine.
On the corner,
someone came up behind her.
“Stick ‘em up,
lady,” came a rough voice as something hard poked her in the back. She raised
her hands.
“Don’t shoot!
Don’t shoot! I’ll give you my money.”
“Gotcha!”
She turned around to find John laughing hysterically. She smacked his shoulder.
“John
Eldridge! You dirty so-and-so. You scared me to death.”
“The
tone of your voice. What a hoot! My finger was my ‘gun’.”
She
frowned at him and folded her arms across her chest. “What’re you doin’ out?”
“Mister
owed me some time.”
“Oh?”
John
took her elbow. “I’m takin’ you to a birthday dinner. Right down the street.
See the sign? Can’t let my best girl buy her own dinner on her birthday, can
I?”