TUESDAY TALES, PICTURE PROMPT - MAGGIE'S STORY CONTINUES...

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.  

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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 café 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?”

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MAGGIE’S STORY – TT – WRITE

Welcome! Thanks for stopping by. We continue with Maggie's Story today, with a little surprise at the end. Scroll down for the link back to Tuesday Tales and some fine writers. 

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Maggie yawned and stretched. The antique grandfather clock in the hall chimed five, time to get up. No. Vacation. Forgot.  As she relaxed, her hand hit a warm, naked body. She turned her head and spied John lying next to her, sound asleep.

Her expression softened as she touched his shoulder, then his short, dark, wavy hair. He stirred and she whipped her hand back to her side. He cracked an eye open.

“Mornin’ darlin’,” he whispered.

John had made love to her twice the night before. She pushed her toes down and smiled.

“Mornin’.”

“A right passionate one you are, Maggie.”

“Look who’s talkin’”

“That was nothin’. You get me blood goin’.” He rolled onto his side, his hand cupping her cheek.

“Don’t blame it on me, Mister.”

He chuckled. “Blame? Nothing to blame, sweetheart. It’s a good thing.”

Warmth and satisfaction flowed through her. Last night was just what she needed. It bucked up her spirits to be wanted, desired.

“I coulda gone all night.”

“Why didn’t ya, then?” She rolled on her side.

“Didn’t want to wear ya out. Not on the first night.”

She giggled. “It’s a faker you are, John Eldridge.”

He slid out of bed and her gaze follow his fine form to the dresser. He picked up a pen and wrote a few words, then opened a drawer and took out a rectangular box.

“This is for you my lady,” he said, returning to the bed.

She read what he’d written, “To thank you for the first of what I hope to be many nights together. Love, John.”

Her hand trembled a bit as she opened the box. Inside lay the stunning emerald necklace she’d seen the week before.

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TUESDAY TALES - SMUDGE - MAGGIE'S STORY

    

Wecome! We return to Maggie's Story with today's prompt "smudge". Thank you for coming. Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales. 

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 With only three nights left of their vacation in the Roberts’ splendid apartment, Maggie didn’t know what to expect. John had been as attentive as a suitor, yet he hadn’t even kissed her. Maggie had no intention of taking any vows with such an a-sexual man.            She secured the feather duster under her arm as she padded into the master bedroom, muttering, “The Mister and Missus take a holiday, but dust doesn’t.” 
     John followed her. “True enough.”        
     She kept her back to him, but he was right behind her, so close, she felt the heat from his chest. She knew she should tell him to move back, but she didn’t. A pair of warm hands cupped her shoulders. She put the feather duster down and turned to face him.     “Look, a smudge.”                                                                               “Where?”                                                                                            “On your nose. I’ll get it.”          

                                   He stepped up and wiped it with his handkerchief. Maggie smelled the scent of his aftershave. It was clean, fresh and a touch piney. She liked it. Before her gaze met his, he lowered his mouth to hers. Maggie had wondered what it would be like to kiss him. He was gentle, but passionate, his lips soft. She melted in his arms. He drew her closer, crushing her against him.                   
“I want you, my girl. Come to bed with me.” He broke and took her hand. She followed him into his room. The bed called to her. It had been so long since a man had touched her, kissed her or made love to her. John was handsome, gallant, and good to her. 
“What do you say, Maggie?” John asked, his eyes aglow with desire.                                              
“I say, ‘yes’.” She peered shyly up at him through her lashes.                                                          
"You make me one happy man, my darlin’,” he said, unbuttoning her blouse.

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TUESDAY TALES - NECKLACE

Welcome! This week's word prompt is "necklace." We continue with Maggie and John's story. Thanks for coming! Scroll down for the link back to Tuesday Tales. 

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Maggie didn’t mean to pry, but the delicate chain with a small emerald in the middle caught her eye. The necklace was beautiful. She’d taken to cleaning John’s room, since they had become friends. She never expected to find something so lovely on his dresser.

“Probably for Gladys,” she murmured to herself. John had been dating Gladys, Mrs. Upton Myers maid for some months. Still, she couldn’t resist holding it up to her neck and glancing in the mirror. The sound of a door closing in another part of the apartment jarred her back to reality.

The last thing she wanted was to be caught admiring something that was intended for someone else. A touch of sadness sprang up in her. She and John were only friends and that was the way it had to stay. He had someone else and she was afraid of getting into trouble. Maggie had to be careful as she was alone in the States, and there was no one here to take her in if she got knocked up again.

Returning to the kitchen, she almost bumped into John. He shot her a warm smile, which she did not return. Why get any closer to a man who was already taken? He caught her arm.

“Whoa. Wait up a second, Maggie. Where you off to in such a hurry?”

“Got rooms to clean.”

“On vacation?”

“The Mister and Missus may have left, but it’s never a vacation for me. If they get back to a dirty and dusty house, it’ll be my last day off.”

“Can’t you take a break for a cup of tea?” He bent down to make eye contact.

“I guess.”

“I put the kettle on.” He guided her into the big, warm room. “You sit. I’ll get it.”

When the whistle sounded, he turned off the flame and filled a pot he had ready. Maggie took four biscuits from a canister and put them on a plate. He joined her with the hot beverage and took the seat across.

“So, when you steppin’ out with Glady again?” She asked, stirring her drink.

John choked on his saliva. “What do you know about Gladys?”

“I know you’re sweet on her and she on you. You’ve been seeing her for quite a while, haven’t you?”

He cast his glance down to his cup. “That’s over.”

“Over? Why?”

He cleared his throat. “I’ve changed my mind. She’s not the girl for me.”

Maggie raised her eyebrows. “Oh?”

“Yep. Found someone better.”

“Who?”

“You.” He raised his eyes to hers.

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TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT

We continue with Maggie's Story this week. Using this picture as a prompt, I'm limited to only 300 words. I'll try to make each one count.

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“I want to go there someday,” Maggie said, running the duster over the stunning oil painting.

“Tuscany?”

She nodded. “The green reminds me of home. I didn’t grow up in London like you. I miss it in this city of concrete and brick.”

“I’ll take you there,” John said, pulling the implement from her hand and laying it down.

“You? On what? A chauffeur’s salary?”

“Put on your coat. The fur one the Missus gave you.”

“What for?”

“I’m taking you out. We’ve seven more days before they get home. I don’t plan to spend it rattlin’ around this ole place. Come on, girl. Let’s have an adventure.”

A soft snort escaped her throat.  “Adventure? On what? Two dimes and a nickel?”

“Not everything’s about money, young lady. Let’s go.”

He held the old beaver coat Maggie had received as a hand-me-down from Anne Roberts.

John laced his fingers with hers as they walked briskly through the park. The biting wind stung her face, but her body was warm.

“Here it is,” he said, turning left. They climbed the stairs. Inside, John paid for admission.

“Now, pretty lady, where do you want to go? France to see Van Gogh and Monet? Egypt to see the tombs? Japan, China or Mexico?”

Maggie turned around slowly, taking in the foyer of the Metropolitan Museum of art.

“All of ‘em, I think.”

“Good lord! Then we’d better get started.”

“What about lunch?”  She pushed in her belly a bit to hide a low rumble.

“They’ve a lovely restaurant here, milady. Will you be my guest?”

Maggie’s cheeks heated.

“Good. We’ll start there then,” John said, offering his arm.

“You’ll be spoiling me, John Eldridge. Best stop now.” But she took his arm and followed along.

“That’s the idea, Maggie. That’s the very idea.”

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