They say bad news travels fast, shit, so does good news. The very next morning, Mother Bitch comes flying in the front door of the shop. Claudia and I looked in the mirror from the back room and saw it was her. “Baby, do you want me to go out there and deal with your mother?” “Sweetheart, this isn’t your problem.” “Claudia Thomas, almost Jacobs, it is our problem. You have someone who will stand with you and fight. We do...

After being drug through the mud by Mother, the rough part of the day was over. Paul and I went over the order form for Tuesday’s delivery. A few customers perused the shop, and I did make a couple of sales. All in all, a good day. We were closing for the day and just wanted to shower and have a cold beer. When we got to the apartment, as always, Paul the gentleman said I should have first dibs on the shower. He said he w...

Things at the shop were going very well. Paul was natural with the customers, and he and Dave had started a Tuesday morning, twenty-minute coffee break. I was thrilled that they got along so well. Paul was very attentive to anything Dave would tell him about flowers. I noticed business was picking up and I couldn’t figure out why. The only change I made was hiring Paul. It was a real conundrum. But I know to never look a...

When I opened this shop, I had a boyfriend who would help. He would do the heavy lifting and moving displays. Not that candles, cards, and flowers are that heavy, but the flower displays did get heavy. Now I have a new shop and he has a new girlfriend. I’m five feet four inches tall, one hundred ten pounds, with auburn hair to the middle of my back and brown eyes. But for some reason, I cannot keep a guy. So, Claudia’s Ca...

I have never been here. If that’s a lake, nothing could survive there. The woods are so thick with brambles and briar patches that I can hardly walk straight. There is fog coming in, but it isn’t from the lake. When did the sun go down? There is no moon, no stars. What was that? I think I heard someone following me. I’m going to hide behind this tree to see who or what it is. Waiting, waiting. My heart is pounding so hard...

I was sitting at the kitchen table having coffee daydreaming out of the window when Alicia walked in. Still sleepy-eyed and her hair a bit tangled. She looked beautiful and sexy in my flannel shirt. Looking at my lady, I didn’t know if we should go for our walk in the park as we had planned or stay inside. “Coffee, Sweetie?” There was a yes, somewhere in that yawn. I had to chuckle to myself. I poured her coffee and she w...

A storm is coming up. Just like the night Cassie died. I'm in my wheelchair on the porch remembering. I don't always need the chair, but sometimes my leg hurts very badly. My close friend Allison comes by now and then. She is a wonderful friend. Mike Cousins was always trying to steal Cassie. She said it would never happen. And like a fool I believed her. After three years, I believed her. It was just before St. Valentine...

Several months have passed since Alicia had her revenge. We didn’t talk about it, but now and then, I could see a certain smile on my Baby’s face. She was reminiscing. When I married her sister, Kathy and her mother seemed to be nice people. I found out too late or was too dumb to realize what I was getting into. Alicia was so different from them. She is a loving and caring woman and quite the lover. Fall was just startin...

I work in an office with some very nice people. Yes, we have our busy body, Agnes. Agnes slithers through the hall with her cup of coffee, just looking for gossip. And if you ask her, she is the busiest son of a bitch in the entire company. Bert, Frank, and I have become very good buddies. We love the outdoors. We also love stopping at Michael’s Pub on Friday after work. Barbara the bartender is amazing. Even when the pla...

Let me just state here and now. I hate getting my hair cut. I always have, and I thought I always would. I have been to barbers, stylists, and everything short of a dog groomer. All I want is a simple haircut and my beard trimmed, nothing more. Not to mention those little hairs that stab your neck for the next two days. I was sitting at a table at Knuckle’s Bar and Grill, eavesdropping on a conversation between two ladies...

I'm sitting on the side of my bed. Remembering the day my future husband was killed. Thinking back, I can’t believe it has been a year. A year ago, I was three months short of becoming Mrs. Peter Thornton. But I am still Patricia Singleton and Patricia, Patsy, Singleton I will remain until I lay next to my intended husband, Peter. It was the fault of Sammy Casey. He was in the middle of one of his drug deals when Peter ha...

Ever since Alicia told Kathy to take a long walk down a dirt road, she has been a different woman. She seems happier and much calmer. Even her sexuality was more intense. The animosity seemed to be resolved. I was so happy for her. A month passed. I came home from work and Alicia was looking very pensive, or maybe I should say contemplative. “I saw Margaret at the vegetable stand on the way home. We chatted a bit, told me...

Now that Myrna/Alicia had come clean with her identity, it was getting more exciting. I remember Alicia from the wedding. Her sister didn’t include her in the wedding. She was stunning in her light lavender dress. It showed just enough to find a place in your memory forever. When Kathy started ordering staff around, Alicia would lower her head. Alicia just stayed out of Kathy’s way her entire life. After the wedding, I re...

Martin’s Café has been a staple in Overton for over thirty years. Ted Martin’s grandfather started it, and now it was in the hands of his grandson. Ted, the third, had a picture of the three generations on the front window below the name. He even had napkins made with the logo. I stopped there because the food is darn good. He has the thickest malt I have ever had, anywhere. Ted hasn’t succumbed to the new spicy styles. H...

Have you ever gone to a party you didn’t want to go to from the beginning? Well, I am sitting here, with a beer at a party that started at seven sharp and ended at seven-o-five dull. The only reason I’m here is my friend Vernon wanted to punish me for some reason. I was telling Vernon that I was leaving when Shelly and Todd entered the backyard. This was going to get interesting. As soon as they walked in, Shelly started...