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. 

**************************************

   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.

Thank you for stopping by. 
BACK TO TUESDAY TALES
MY WEBSITE