Clever Lies for an Unexpected Rendezvous
I tapped my knee to the rhythm of the carriage wheels. Sleep tried to whisk me away into its endless bliss, but Lord Barret’s prattle would draw me out.
“Certainly I told her that the perfect manor would be ours even if I had to present a dragon’s head to the duke.”
Elbow propped on the window, I leaned my chin into my hand. “Dragons don’t exist, my lord.”
Baking Cookies for Unexpected Visitors
I glared into the oven. The lumps of dough refused to flatten and crisp like the prebaked ones I always bought. But the oatmeal raisin was completely sold out, and I had to have this cookie today. If only the recipe I’d Googled had more instruction than “until golden” for the baking process. What even was golden for a cookie?
“Just a little patience, Ms. Cursor.” Gracie shuddered like a mouse discovered by a cat.
Three months as my assistant, and she still looked terrified of me. Didn’t have a clue why, but I certainly couldn’t ask.
Disrupted Plans and Thwarted Strategies
Thunder rolled. Renee pressed her nose to the window, a groan fogging the glass. “So much for biking this afternoon. I thought you said the forecast was sunny.”
Wendy shrugged, a little too pleased. “Weather can be unpredictable.”
I bit my tongue.
While our plans had been discomfited, my sister’s were on schedule. Nothing else could explain her need to clear the table of plates asap, or for the presence of her DnD case outside her room. Even the pantry was suspiciously stocked with Renee and Trevor’s favorite guilty pleasures. All she needed were my famous fresh-baked oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. And I’d played into her plot.
No wonder she enjoyed these strategy games; she knew how to win.
Nolstalgic Movie for Your Thoughts
“How could you not like Arrival? It’s as sci-fi as sci-fi can be.”
Renee shrugged at Trevor’s question, tossing a fresh handful of Skittles into her mouth. “I hate paradoxes. Have Hawkeye blow the ship up and it’s a better movie.”
Returning the DVD case to the shelf, I glanced over my shoulder. “So Empire Strikes Back or Independence Day.”
She nearly fell out of the plastic chair while slapping the small table. “Heck yeah! We should get one of those.”
An Extra Something to Spice Up Life
I knocked my head against the window, glaring at the treasonous pear tree. Months of waiting for the foliage to thicken. Days of praying for honeybees to pollinate the teeny blossoms. Wondering if the season was wrong or the heavy downpours too much.
All I wanted was a sweet, juicy pear. Not the canned monstrosities from the local store that Mom bought in bulk. A real pear from a real tree from nature itself.
Not a peep echoed through the house.
Undesired Introductions to Ignorant Lords
“How dare you foist some ill-fated lord upon me!”
Timothy glanced at Eleanor from the corner of his eye, the maid shrinking under his weathered gaze. “I guess I should define the term discreet.”
I stood up, regaining my brother’s attention. “Father wouldn’t have done this.”
Uncrossing his legs, he scooted closer to the dining table. “No, but Mother would. In fact, she sent the inquiry to Sir and Lady Velaneer before they departed.”
Journal of Unraveling Conspiracies
January 9th, 1962
I’m compelled to write my thoughts as it will be the only record of my work. My family has abandoned me; my friends pretend to not know my name. Nevertheless, I must persevere. Time is of the essence, and I can’t stand aside.
The truth must be revealed.
Three months ago, I discovered large amounts of money disappearing from the company books. While it’s not odd for sheet metal and rubber to be purchased, the senders were never medical facilities. And we don’t have a branch in Colorado. I had approached my supervisor with this knowledge, and he’d insisted I was mistaken. My wife wanted me to leave it be, but I couldn’t.
An Undesired Extravagant Christmas
“Where are my dogs, John!”
John rolled his eyes while unpacking a box of plastic corgis with reindeer antlers. The infernal critters took their place in the flower bed, coming to life with barking sounds when he plugged them in. “I think we’ve done enough, babe.”
“Then you haven’t looked across the street,” Marie scolded over her shoulder. Her glittery red heels tapped on the sidewalk as her pampered nose turned up at the grandiloquence of the Kampoons’ front yard. The sun had barely begun to set, yet the street seemed ablaze with red and gold lights dancing along the white-washed columns and walls of their estate.
Constant Complaints About Well-Meaning Friends
I tuned out her jeremiad while spooning liquid chocolate. Swinging the utensil over a bowl of popcorn, satisfying dark drizzles covered the fluffy treat. A handful of crushed peppermint made the mixture drool-worthy.
“Are you listening?”
“Absolutely,” I said while sneaking a taste. Oof, Trevor and Renee couldn’t come soon enough. Cooled popcorn was never as good.
“William.” I lifted my eye to my red-faced sister, her posture quirked awkwardly. “Stop obsessing over your popcorn and listen to my rant.”
Seeking Knowledge of Past Veterans
Carson peeked around the bend, finding an empty hall. Stepping carefully along the creaky wood, he traced his fingers along the tomes that lined the tall shelves. Skirting a ladder, he read the titles. Histories, shipping ledgers, wars. Geographies, sciences, literature. A wealth of knowledge hidden in the attics of the manor.
His progress stopped. Carson grasped the worn binding of a hagiography dated to the 8th century. Removing the large book, he shuffled down the hall until he reached a desk near the back of the room. Dust billowed when the tome landed.