TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "PUSH" - THE CHRISTMAS PARTY

 

Welcome! This week we have a new story! I'll be posting a bit of this story, tentatively titled, "The Christmas Party" every week until January 1. At that time, I'll finish the tale and put it up so you can read the finale. Thanks for stopping by.

Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales and the fine stories there. Thank you for stopping by. 

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“Get started calling. Confirm the venue, the Uber service, and the decorations. I’ll check on the food and liquor.”

“Okay.” She perused the list. “This is a lot of work for one lousy party.”

“It’s going to be a great party. The most monumental party in the world.”

“Just a Christmas party.”

“Not just a Christmas party. A liberation. You’ll see.”

“Are we getting engaged at Christmas?” She sidled up closer to him.

Aaron avoided her question. “Go on, get started.”

“Don’t push. I’m going.” As she closed the door, his phone rang --his father.

“You’re inviting me to a Christmas party?”

“The Christmas party. I want you to be a witness.”

“Witness to what?”

“Them meeting at the Christmas party. Then it’ll be over.” Aaron cradled his cell phone while he pulled a beer from the fridge.

“Over for who? Her? Or you?”

“Her, her, of course.” He headed for the kitchen.

“Come on, Aaron. We all know you’ve had the hots for this chick for like fifteen years.”

“You’re crazy. We’re just friends. She’s always wanted to be with Damian. And now she’ll get her chance. He’s finished with his last, can I say relationship? No, probably not. With his last whatever. And when I told him Patrice was coming, and showed him a picture of her now, he grinned. I couldn’t believe he actually remembered her from high school.”

“So she wants to be with him and he wants to be with her?”

“Not exactly. But she’ll finally get her chance.” He cradled his phone while he pulled a beer from the fridge.

“For a smart man, sometimes you can be so stupid.”

“What?”

“When are you going to make your play?”

“I have Crystal.” He popped the top.

“I hope you’re not going to propose to her.”

“I was planning to.”

“On Christmas? Why don’t you just put coal in my stocking?”

“Come on. She’s not that bad.”

“Yes, she is, and she hates me.”

“She doesn’t hate you.”

“Are we talking about the same girl? Crystal with the big boobs?”

“You’re grossing me out, Dad. Patrice spent five years talking about Damian Wood, like he’s some kind of god. I got the message.”

“And now?”

“Okay, maybe not so much now.”

“At all now?”

“Well, no. She said she’s just marking time with the other guys she’s dated.”

“How do you know?”

“Said she’s waiting for the right one. That means Damian.”

"You sure?"

"Positive." He took a swig of beer.

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TUESDAY TALES - PICTURE PROMPT WEEK - "THE KISS" CONTINUES

 

Welcome to Tuesday Tales, picture prompt week. We continue with "The Kiss" this week and can only post 300 words. Scroll down to return to the fine stories on Tuesday Tales. Thanks for stopping by. 

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    Allison opened the door to the cafe with clammy hands. Don already commandeered a booth. He waved. Her nerves kicked up into high gear. She slid in across from him. 

    "Where's Alex?"

    "Home, upstairs, watching his favorite movie."

    "He's okay alone?"

    Don nodded. "Hungry?"

    "Not really" 

   “I ordered some appetizers and your favorite red wine. Merlot, right?”

“You remembered.”

“I remember everything about our time together.”

The food and drink arrived. She took a sip, avoiding his stare.

“Okay. Truth time. Why did you leave like that and where did you go?”

She looked up. His look was questioning. Yes, it was time to tell him the truth.

“Okay. I hope you’re ready.”

“I am. I’ve got my seatbelt on. It was the kiss, wasn't it?”

She nodded. "After you kissed me like that, I got confused. I felt things I'd never felt before. Not with Spencer, anyway."

"What things?"

She sensed heat in her cheeks. "Desire. Crazy, wild desire."

Don wiggled his eyebrows.

"And love. Deep, soul-scorching, gut-penetrating love."

He took her hand. 

"And it shook me. Scared me. So I ran. When I got home, I realized I loved you more than I loved Spencer."

"If you'd stayed..."

She put her hand over his mouth. "Let me finish. I went to bed early, but my mind wouldn't shut off. In the morning, I had clarity. I knew what I had to do. For Robbie. Spencer had been toying with the idea of taking a job at a university in Cleveland. I encouraged him to do it. And then I bought plane tickets to Nebraska for Robbie and me."

"Nebraska?"

"Yes. My parents have a ranch there. I needed to get away from both of you. I needed to think, to breathe fresh air and sort out my life." 

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TUESDAY TALES - WORD PROMPT "SHOE" - THE KISS

 

Howdy! Welcome. This week we have the word prompt "shoe" and another excerpt of "The Kiss."  Scroll down to return to Tuesday Tales and the excellent stories there. Thanks for stopping by. 

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Allison shot him a questioning glance, but he simply shrugged. She filed it away to ask again. Maybe when their sons weren’t around? He gave her a half smile and hurried to catch up with the boys.

Standing in front of the monkeys, Don laughed at the antics of the furry creatures. Allison remembered the day he tried to say the Peter Piper rhyme.

“What’s funny? He asked, bending down to tie his shoe. 

“Remember the Peter Piper thing? Try it again. Maybe you can do it now?”

He waved his hand. “Nah. The boys are too old now.”

“Aw, come on.”

“Yeah, Dad. Come on.”

“Do it,” Robbie chimed in.

As he stumbled over the words, brutalizing the rhyme, Allison lost it. He finally cracked up so bad he couldn’t go on.

I love a man who can laugh at himself.

When they calmed down, they moved on to the next exhibit.

“How long are you in town?” Don hung back.

“Just this weekend. Sunday night, Robbie goes to stay with his father.”

“Where is Spencer living?”

“He’s up by Columbia. Since Spencer refuses to pick him up, I drop Robbie off. Then I’ll catch a bus back to Pine Grove. You still in Manhattan?”

“I got custody of the apartment until the end of this school year. When Alex starts high school, I’ll have to move.”

Allison gripped his forearm. “Come to Pine Grove! I’ve got Robbie enrolled in a small private school out there. I bet they have room for Alex.”

His face lit up. “He’d like that. Can we talk Sunday, after you take Robbie uptown?”

“I’ll be late.”

“Stay over one more night. You’re not working tomorrow, right?”

“Right. School aides don’t work in the summer.”

“If it’s too expensive for you, I'll spring for the room. We need to talk. At least, I need to talk to you.”

“Deal with one condition.”

“What’s that?”

“You tell me the truth about why you left Mary.”

“Deal.” He grasped her hand and shook it.

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