This week in Tuesday Tales, the snippet comes from Woman to Woman. This story is a woman-to-woman romance, so scenes will be of a F/F nature. If this offends you, feel free to move onto to another Tuesday Tales snippet.
We’ve jumped a little bit in the story so I could get to a scene where I could work those lovely hydrangeas in. As Paige and her high school buddy find themselves getting closer, via instant messaging, life with Dave is decidedly not rosy.
This week we’re writing to a picture prompt. These snippets will be short. Each one is 300 words or less. There are several pictures to choose from and we each pick one to write to.
Enjoy the snippet here, then go check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.
The next day at work, Paige stood watering the newest shipment of hydrangeas, splendid in their mottled shades of purples, violets, and pinks. She was immersed in their beauty, enjoying the sights of their gorgeous blooms, when she heard a distinctive diesel truck pull up in the parking space nearest to the nursery sales shack.
She looked up and spotted Dave sitting in the truck, engine idling. It didn’t surprise her. It was almost her appointed lunch time, and he often showed up to surprise her at lunch.
Dave turned the engine off but remained sitting in the truck instead of coming into the nursery grounds like he usually did when he stopped by.
Ed stood watering plants on the opposite end of the row. He pulled the rim of his straw hat down lower and called to Paige. “I see you have company for lunch.”
She frowned. “It appears so. He must have come into town to do laundry at his sister’s house.”
Dave remained in the truck.
Paige thought it was odd but reasoned that he was probably on the phone with one of his girls.
Ten minutes later, he still sat.
Paige punched out and walked slowly out to the white diesel, the icon of Dave’s masculinity. “Men and their vehicles,” she muttered as she approached the driver’s side. She almost dreaded what she would encounter when she got there.
A window rolled part way down.
“Are you here for lunch?” she asked.
A sober, smile-less face started back at her.
Oh, goody. One of his black moods.
Paige walked out to her car and retrieved her lunch before returning to the truck. “Want to go to the park?”
“Sure.” The diesel roared to life and off they drove, silence hanging thick between them.
Check out the other delightful tales you’ll find at Tuesday Tales.
Sam, the elderly gentleman that helped her out part time, sat on a stool next to the source of warmth. “And then you’ll be jawin’ on about it’s too blasted hot, or too muggy, or too something.”
“Yep. That’s the one. I loved it. Turned out I had a knack for mixing the different concoctions and remembering what customers liked what. But, it turns out I didn’t have a knack for being bossed by someone else and having them set my schedule – which was different every single day of the week.”
He tipped the brim of his cowboy hat in her direction. “Sorry, ma’am. I reckon it would have helped if I’d read the sign better. I’ll take a cup of regular.”
An uneasy feeling, apparent since her phone call with her friend Sally, had been tugging at the corners of her heart. She didn’t know why she was feeling so dissatisfied at the moment. Thinking she must be overly tired, she decided to have an easy night. No planning. No creating centerpieces. Just her and PJ and a sappy movie. She made a cup of hot chamomile tea, dropped in a lemon slice, and carried it to the living room.
As she settled down on the sofa, PJ hopped up beside her and began kneading the top of her thigh. Making room for the cat who proceeded to curl up in her lap, Katie picked up the remote and surfed to find something interesting to watch.
Chrys N. Jay 