Tuesday Tales - Word Prompt "Lonely"

 

Welcome! This week we have another excerpt from "Some Kind og Wonderful." I hope you enjoy it. Please leave a comment, I love feedback. Scroll down to return to the excellent stories on Tuesday Tales. Thanks for stopping by.

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“Maybe nothing good in a restaurant, but how would you feel about buying and restoring a bar?”

“A bar? Why not?”

“It’s smaller than the restaurants and might be quicker to whip into shape.”

“Interesting.” She took another sip of the gold liquid.

“Do you have any experience running a bar?” Grey held the snifter and swirled the brandy.

“I set up and managed the bar for the first year at my last job.” She crossed her legs.

“Sounds good.”

“How much does the owner want?”

“I have no clue, but rumor has it he’s anxious to sell. You might get a bargain.”

“That would be great!”

Grey raised his glass. “Here’s to the new owner of ‘The Wonderful’”

“That’s the bar’s name?” She raised hers as well.

“Yep. It’s a little…unusual.”

“You can say that again. I’d have to change it.”

“Might be a good idea. Give the place a little class with a new look and a new name.”

“How low do you think I can get the owner to go?” She drained her glass.

“I don’t know. But you can call the real estate office in town. Here’s there number.” Grey pulled out a piece of paper from his top drawer. “Make and appointment. Take a look at the pictures.”

“Will do. Thank you.” She started to rise.

“One more thing about that bar.”

“Oh?” Jackie stopped and sat back down.

“It’s landmarked.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means you can restore it to its former glory, but you can’t change the façade in any significant way. It has to look like it did originally.”

“Wow. How does one restore something like that?”

“Get an architect who specializes in this sort of thing?”

“Do you know anyone?”

Grey laughed. “Actually I do.”

“Dad was right. You’re a wealth of information.”

“If you decide to make an offer, let me know.”

“I will. Thank you so much, Grey. You’re a lifesaver.”

Jackie stood and bid Carrie and Grey goodnight. She climbed to her room on the third floor and opened her laptop. Looking up the name of the real estate company, she logged onto their website.

There were pictures of several commercial properties. None grabbed her, until she saw The Wonderful. Sucking in air, her heartbeat quickened. Sure, the lonely little building looked shabby, but she could see the years and years it had been around, welcoming people, serving drinks and good cheer. Under the peeling paint, it dripped charm.

Afraid to look too anxious, she couldn’t resist emailing her father.

“I think I’ve found it, Dad. An old bar. I’ll get in touch again when I know more.”

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Tuesday Tales - word prompt "bark"

     

Welcome to Tuesday Tales! This week, the word prompt is "bark." We have another excerpt from "Some Kind of Wonderful." Poor Jeff, looks like he just can't win...

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“Mom, this is Susan Mueller.”

Martha Barrett spoke. “Nice to meet you. Did you come all the way from New York?”

“I'm sorry but the traffic was terrible. Did I miss the funeral?”

“You did. It’s okay. You’re here now. Thanks for coming.”

“You know I support you, Jeff.”

Martha gave a wan smile and returned to her other guests.

“There’s some terrific food here. Come on. The fried chicken is amazing.”

“Fried? No, no. You know I don’t eat fried food.”

“Come on.” Jeff took her elbow and led her into the dining room. She rejected everything except the fruit salad.

“That looks good.”

“Fruit salad? That’s all?”

“I’m not really hungry.”

Susan filled a small bowl with watermelon and blueberries, then joined him. “Do you know all these people?”

“I grew up with these people.” Jeff plopped back down in the comfy chair and eyed his plate.

“Country folks?”

“Good people.” He attacked a chicken leg.

“Really?”

“Don’t be such a city girl.” He took a big bite.

“You didn’t inherit a house, did you?” She poked at the fruit, eying each berry carefully.

“Nope. Just the town bar. I think. Haven’t had the will read yet.”

“And you’re going to sell it right away and come back to New York, right?” She speared a small piece of watermelon and put it in her mouth.

“I’ll burn it down then return to the City.” He took a forkful of potato salad.

“Oh, good. Because this is not some place I want to live.” Making a face, she put the small bowl on the windowsill.

Jeff eyed her. “I don’t remember asking you to live here.”

Flustered, she put her fork in the bowl and twisted her napkin. “I mean, well, we are serious, aren’t we?”

“I don’t know. Are we?” He grabbed a wing.

She mopped her upper lip. “I know you haven’t said anything. And I’ve wondered why. But I just assumed.” She lowered her gaze to her hands.

Jeff put his hand on her forearm. “Never assume with me. Okay?”

She stiffened. “Okay. Got it.”

He caressed her skin with this thumb. “I like you a lot Susan. Just not into commitment right now.”

“Fine,” she barked. If her back got any straighter, he could iron a shirt on it.

They finished eating in silence. Jeff polished off a piece of pie. “Come on, show me where you parked and I’ll get your suitcase.”

“I’m only staying one night.”

“Right. Work. I remember.”

Susan led the way out of the house and to the curb where her silver Lexis was parked.

“I thought maybe you could take a couple of days off. I’d like to show you around town.”

“Show me around? If I blinked, then I’d miss it when I drove 

through. I did pass through the main street on the way here, didn’t 

I?” 

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Tuesday Tales - Word Prompt "Slowly"

 

Welcome! This week's word prompt is "slowly." We have another excerpt from "Some Kind of Wonderful." Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales and the excellent stories you'll find there. Thanks for stopping by! 

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Jeff took a detour to the hardware store where he bought a sledgehammer. His arm hung at his side with his fist closed around the handle.

“Hey, Jeff. Where you headed?” The familiar voice of his friend, Flint McKay drew his eye for a moment.

“Leave me alone.”

“Hi, Jeff. Going home?” The voice on the other side of him was Flint’s younger brother, Marty – a high school classmate of Jeff’s.

“None of your business.” Jeff increased his pace.

“Hmm, Marty. I think Jeff’s going to The Wonderful.” Flint kept pace with his friend.

“Think so? I agree. That where you’re going?” Marty flanked Jeff on the right.

“Get outta here! Both of you.” Jeff’s voice thundered off the brick bank building as they passed.

“Nope,” Flint replied.

“Don’t think so,” Marty said.

Before he knew it, a hand whipped out from the left and grabbed the sledgehammer. Flint yanked it out of Jeff’s hand. Stopping by the coffee shop, Java the Hut , Jeff lunged at Flint. Marty flew into action. What started as an obvious intervention morphed into a free-for-all brawl spilling over into the street. Marty and Flint took turns trying to contain Jeff, who yanked, pulled, and tugged his way free time-after-time.

Marty pushed him down on the concrete, belly first. Flint sat on him. Marty joined his brother.

“You’re not going to tear the place down.” Flint fisted the back of the collar of Jeff’s shirt.

“Why not? It’s mine, isn’t it?”  

“Is it?” Slowly, Flint brushed off his pants but didn’t get up.

“Have they read the will yet?” Marty piped up.

“Tomorrow. But Ma said he left it to me.”

“Seems to me he’d leave it to your mother so she could sell it and use the money for retirement.” Flint rubbed the dirt off his palms.

“I’m telling you, he left it to me.”

“And what are you gonna do with it?” Marty wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

“Tear the fuckin’ thing down!”

“You can’t.” Marty got up.

“What do you mean, I can’t? I own it. Or I will.”

“Jess Lennox. She said it’s landmarked.” Flint rose and offered his hand to Jeff.

Jeff rolled sideways, took the help, and pushed to his feet. “She can’t do that.”

“Yes, she can. She’s the landmark committee,” Marty said.

“Isn’t there a plaque or something on the side?” Flint picked up the sledgehammer.

“Yeah. It was built in 1918 or something.” Jeff brushed off his pants.

“There you go,” Marty said. “It’s over a hundred years old. Can’t tear it down.”

 

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TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT - GRAVEYARD

 

Howdy! Welcome to my Tuesday Tales snippet. It's picture prompt week and we're in a cemetary. This 300-word excerpt is from "Some Kind of Wonderful" again. Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales. Thanks for stopping by!

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Pine Grove

 Jeff Barrett gripped his mother’s hand as his father’s casket was lowered into the ground. Tears ran down Martha Barrett’s cheeks, but none down Jeff’s. Stony-face, he stood too erect, too stiff. When the undertaker’s men shoveled dirt over the wood box, Jeff and his mother turned away.

“Well, that’s that.” Martha wiped her face with a hanky and sighed.

“Yep. One wasted life.” Jeff shook his head.

“Oh no. I wouldn’t say so. He produced you and Becky. That’s a huge contribution to mankind.”

“Not in his book.”

“Well, in my book, then.” She patted his hand.

“Thanks, Mom.” Jeff gave her hand one more squeeze before he let go. His sister joined them. Becky put her arm around her mother.

“I’ll take her.”

Martha stiffened. “I’m perfectly all right. Those were the last few tears I had left to shed for your father. Now I’m done. A delivery from The Cozy Café dropped off a couple of Laura Dailey’s apple pies this morning. Let’s go.” Martha marched out of the cemetery and toward a black SUV.

Becky frowned. “She really doesn’t care, does she?”

“Would you if you lived with a raging alcoholic for thirty years? It’s a fucking miracle she didn’t kill him.”

Becky turned damp eyes to her brother. “Are you all right?”

“I’m just amazed he lasted this long.”

“He had his moments.” She slipped her arm through his.

“Maybe with you. Never with me.”  Jeff pulled away.

“Don’t be like that.”

“Like what, Becky? I hated him. I’m glad he’s gone.” Jeff quickened his pace.

“Don’t say that.”

“Afraid of the truth? I’m not.” He turned left.

“Where are you going? The reception is at the house.”

“I’m not going. Listen to people lie about what a ‘good man’ Chester Barrett was? Bullshit.”

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Tuesday Tales - Word prompt "ARCH"

Welcome! This week's word prompt is "arch." We have another snippet from "Some Kind of Wonderful." I hope you enjoy it. Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales and the excellent stories there. Thanks for coming. 

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“I have a proposition for you. You find the right place, the right venue, and I’ll put up the money.”

“A loan?”

Cecil shook his head. “Nope. A gift. I’m well fixed. Why should I wait to give you some of my money until I’m dead? Why not give you some now?”

“Really?” Tears stung the backs of Jackie’s eyes. “You’d do that for me?”

“Of course. You’re my daughter. Who do you think I did all that hard work for –long hours, putting up with asshole clients? It was all for you and your sister, Ellie.”

Jackie bowed her head and swallowed hard. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You might start with thank you.”

“Thank you, Dad. From the bottom of my heart.” She rose from her chair. Standing behind his, she bent down and hugged him. “You’re the best.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Don’t get carried away. You’ll have to convince me it’s the right place, at the right price. You’ll have to submit a marketing plan to me. Treat me like you would a bank. I’m tough. I’m not forking over large amounts of cash for some foolish, fly-by-night scheme. It has to be solid.”

“It will. Oh, yes, it will.” She returned to her seat and took another cookie.

“One more thing. We’re not gonna do this joint venture in New York City.”

Jackie raised her eyebrows. “Not in the City? It’s what I know.”

“The restaurant business is what you know. You can do it anywhere. You need a break from the crummy people you’ve been involved with.”

“You mean Chuck?”

“Bingo.”  He finished his tea. “How about a refill?”

Jackie turned on the stove. “Coming right up.” She picked up another tea bag.

Cecil put his hand over the mug. “This one is just fine.”

Jackie smiled. “Thrifty as the day is long.”

“Reusing tea bags is how I got to be a rich man.” His dark eyes twinkled.

Jackie refilled both mugs, then sat down again.

“So where do you think I should go?”

“Now don’t get mad.”

“Uh oh.”

Cecil placed his hand on hers. “I’ve got a friend, an investment counselor of mine. He lives in the City, but also has a country house in a small town about two hours from here.”

“A small town?”  She poured two more mugs of tea.

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