TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "YEAR"

Welcome! This week, we start a new story. It's so new, it doesn't really have a name. Tentatively titled "The Chase," here is the first episode. The word prompt this week is "year." Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales. 

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Rennie Silver sat in her small apartment staring into the tiny fireplace. Wind howled, rattling her windows. Determined to burn regardless of it’s size, the fire warmed her feet resting a foot or two from the flames.

It was December. The weather was shitty, and her life was shitty, too. A freelance writer, all her assignments has been put on hold until after the holiday. Her boyfriend of two years, Todd, had run off to Europe with his boss.

Rennie’s parents were on a cruise and her sister was in rehab in California. She sighed. Yeah, dad had told her to take a staff job. She would make friends. But did she listen? No. And now, here she was, alone for the holidays.

She wiped away tears of self-pity then sucked down her third hot chocolate of the day. If she gained weight, so what? No one would notice or even care. She turned on the television and found a Christmas movie on the Hallmark Channel. Snuggling up under a hand-made throw, she hit play, just as there was a knock on the door.

Cursing quietly, she threw the blanket off, dusted scone crumbs off her sweatshirt and padded to the front door in thick, warm socks. She shuddered as she glanced in the mirror. Boy, she’d sure let herself go to hell, hadn’t she? She blew her nose, straightened her top and pulled up her leggings before peeking through the peephole.

A gold and navy rep tie stared back at her. Hmm. A man. Strange man. She had no idea who could be bothering her at five o’clock on a frigid Tuesday.

“Who is it?”

“Tim Chadwick. You don’t know me. I’m a real estate agent. Can you please answer a question for me?”

Rennie put the chain on the door and cracked it open.

The best-looking guy she'd seen all year stood outside. With sandy hair and curious gray eyes, the man calling himself Tim bent down to make eye contact. Why did she always run into gorgeous guys when she looked like crap? 

“What do you want?” 

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TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT WEEK

   Welcome! This week we have a picture prompt. I chose the eagle. We have another episode of "The House-Sitter's Country Christmas." Thanks for stopping by. Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales. 

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   Laura looked around the bus station and didn’t see George, or anyone with a sign with her name on it.

“Shame on you, Laura Fleming, you spoiled child.” She chided herself quietly.

So C.W. forgot to send the car. Since they weren’t speaking, she hadn’t sent him her schedule. Her fault, too. 

   The bus station teemed with people. She almost got knocked down three times. No way could she find a cab now. She trudged up the stairs to the subway lugging her heavy suitcase. Allowing her pride to get in the way was incredibly stupid.

   Fortunately the valise had wheels. When she reached the street at seventy-ninth street, a cold wind reddened her nose. She made her way up Amsterdam. Looking up she noticed the clouds had darkened. Did that mean snow? Not paying attention, she stepped into the street.

A loud screech and the impudent bark of a car horn drew her attention.

“Madam!” came the cry in a British accent.

Laura folded her wool head scarf back and stared at the driver.

“George?”

“Good Lord! Miss Laura?” The car lurched into park. The back door flew open.

“Laura! Are you all right?”

Well, if it wasn’t C.W. Banley himself. Her mouth hung open.

“Are you all right?” He drew her into his embrace.  

“Fine. Fine.”

“What are you doing here?” He held her at arm’s length.

“I’m coming to spend Christmas with you. Where were you going? To pick me up at the station?”

“We’re going to spend Christmas in Pine Grove, with you!”

Laura’s gaze locked with his. She burst into laughter. So did he. The strident, hoarse, insistent blaring of car horns interrupted them.

“Come, sweetheart. Get in. We’ll drive you home.”

George had jumped out from the driver’s seat. He secured her luggage in the trunk. Swear words rained down on them from angry motorists. George threw the car into drive and made the left turn a second before the light changed. Before long, they were whizzing along the Palisades Parkway.

Laura snuggled up to her lover. He drew her close.

“That was a close call.” He sighed.

“Oh, dear. If I had reached your house and you weren’t there, I don’t know what I would have done.”

“You’re sensible. You would have come off your stubborn pride and called me.”

   She laughed. He knew her too well. They chatted, catching up on everything that had happened since they stopped speaking. Heat pumped into the back seat of the limousine, warming her feet.

“Oh, that feels good.”

   As they neared Cedar Lake, the heaviness surrounding her heart lifted. She glanced out the window.

“Look! Look! An eagle!” she pointed.

Craig sat forward and peered out. “By God,  it is. What a magnificent bird.”

“And big, too.”

“We have eagles here, Craig. You don’t have those in New York City.”

“No, we don’t. And you have something else here, too.”

“What’s that?”

“The love of my life,” he whispered, before kissing her.

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TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "FROZEN" - ANOTHER EPISODE OF "THE HOUSE-SITTER'S COUNTRY CHRISTMAS"

Welcome! This week the word prompt is "frozen." We continue with "The House-Sitter's Country Christmas". Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales. Thank you for stopping by!

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Laura picked up the phone. “That’s right, Mr. Gladstone, I’m going to New York City for Christmas. Can you please fill the bird feeders while I'm gone?”

“Of course, Miss Fleming. No problem. Key still under the mat?”

She smiled. “Of course.”

“Have a great time. Merry Christmas, Laura.”

“Merry Christmas.”

Laura packed a bag with enough clothes for three days and crammed in her gifts for Craig and George. Peeking out her bedroom window, she spied gray, roiling clouds.

Placing her palm on the window, she noted the cold. Hmm, snow had been forecast. Checking her watch, she didn’t have time to call a taxi to get to the bus station. She’d walk. It wasn’t far. Grabbing her wool coat, she skipped down the stairs.

The temperature had dropped and she’d forgotten to put on boots. When she arrived at the bus station, her toes were frozen. She bought her ticket and hopped on the bus. This would be a good Christmas after all, even if she had to travel to Manhattan. She slipped off her shoes and rubbed her feet. The door of the bus closed, and headed for the highway. Perfect time for a nap. She sat back and closed her eyes, knowing the sway of the bus would lull her to sleep.

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West 81^st Street, New York City

“George, did you call to have the car brought around?”

“I did, sir, but they are very busy. Holiday and all.”

“We’re not in a hurry, are we?”

“Not really. Have you called Miss Laura to tell her we’re coming out tonight?”

“Damn! I knew I forgot something!” Craig ripped his cell phone from his breast pocket. He dialed, but it went to voicemail. “Shit! She’s probably out celebrating with some lumberjack.” He grumbled, shoving his phone in his back pocket.

“I seriously doubt that, Sir. Miss Fleming is loyal to you.”

“You think so?”

“I’d put money on it.”

Craig sank down in his chair. “You’re probably right. So where is she?”

George shook his head. “Did you ever clear up with her that we planned to join her for the holiday?”

“I meant to. But with all the business crap we had to tie up before going, it slipped my mind. Guess I figured she’d have figured out that I’d come around. You know how I am.”

“I do, indeed, sir. But I’m not sure Miss Laura is as up-to-speed about you yet.”

“So where is she?” There was a plaintive note in his voice.

“I don’t know, sir. I just hope she’s not on her way here.”

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