Serial Holiday Shorts: Mr. Mysterious - Labor Day
Mr.
Mysterious is one branch of a three-pronged holiday short series by
myself and two of my alter-egos. We follow three women through the year,
each with a different goal that may be achieved in ways they can't even
fathom just yet. This is Laura's story. You can read the first part here. All stories are posted in draft form. The combined, edited version will be released in December 2013.
***Warning - if you are under 18 yrs old, or easily offended by graphic material,
do not read further.***
Valentine's Day | St. Patrick's Day | Easter | Memorial Day | Independence Day |
The Decision
“I have something important to tell you both,” Laura said as she took a seat at the tall pub table across from her two best friends. The last eight weeks had been a blur of activity, and she hadn’t seen either of them since the Fourth of July. So much had happened, she wasn’t even sure where to start, but there was no more hiding it.
“So you decided to pick the cheesiest bar in town to do it in?” Jodi asked, wrinkling her nose as she looked pointedly at the leopard-print carpet and mirrored walls. “How on earth did you find this place anyway? It looks less Dingo’s, more cheetah...as in Chester, that is.”
“I chose the bar,” Melanie said with a grin. “A friend of a friend told me it’s the hottest cougar bar around. Rawrr!” She laughed, making a claw with her fingers and play-scratching at Jodi, who looked less than amused.
“Ahem,” Laura cleared her throat. “Can we focus please, before the guys show up?” They both nodded, Melanie folding her hands on the table with a look of mock seriousness that Laura decided to ignore.
Taking a deep breath, she decided to just spit out quickly.
“I’ve decided to become an FBI agent.”
Melanie and Jodi looked at each other, then burst out laughing. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Laura waited patiently while they cackled, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She’d known they would be less than supportive, but she hadn’t expected this.
“Good one!” Jodi said finally, shaking her head as she took deep breaths. “Oh man, I needed that.” She took a sip of her drink. swiping at moisture from her eyes with a napkin.
Melanie looked Laura in the eye, still giggling. “Oh come on - don’t be like that. You didn’t expect us to believe that, did you? It’s crazy! You can’t just ‘decide’ to join the FBI...”
Laura slid off the barstool, slinging her purse over her shoulder. The smiles and remaining laughter faded as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“As a matter of fact, you can, if you have the right qualifications. And I happen to qualify for a couple of their entry programs, so I’ve already started the process. I just thought you two might want to know why I’ll be away for awhile, but apparently I misjudged you. Thanks for your support, both of you.”
She started to walk away when a hand grabbed her shoulder.
“Laura wait,” Jodi said from behind her. “You’re not doing this because of him, are you? Even if he’s not a fraud, you don’t just pick up and change your whole life for some guy you barely know. You’d be the first one to tell us the same thing, if it was one of us.”
Turning slightly, Laura shrugged. “Initially it was for him, but the more I learn, the more I want to do this for me. I feel like this is what I’m supposed to do, after years of working a job I hate. It’s just a bonus that he’s an agent too. It means we have a chance.”
Or they might, if he’d bother to return any of her calls. When she’d told him what she wanted to do, he’d refused to help and walked away.
Melanie shook her head. “You’re kidding yourself, Laura. Just because you both work for them, doesn’t mean you’ll get assigned together. You’re not thinking straight here. This guy’s got you all turned around.”
Blinking fast, Laura shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve finally found something I really want to do, and I was hoping you’d at least be interested enough to talk about it. But I guess I know where we stand. I’ll...see you around. Or not.”
Shrugging off Jodi’s hand, she weaved through the thickening crowd, relieved when she finally pushed through the front door. Hold it together, she told herself silently. She was scheduled to leave in a week, and tonight after a glass of wine and a long journal entry, she’d start the process of packing and sorting. On of the job requirements was that she’d be available to go where ever they needed her to, so the next few years would probably involve a lot of moving, which was fine by her.
It was clear her life needed a good shake-up. And David or no David, friends or no friends, she was ready for something new.
The drive home was quick, and as she pulled into the driveway her heart quickened at the sight of a male figure gracing her front steps in the late dusky light. She couldn’t see his face, but she’d know that body anywhere.
She stopped a couple feet from him, watching him for a couple of seconds. His eyes never left hers, never wavered from the stare.
“David.”
“Laura.” His voice was raspy, like it hadn’t been used in days, and she wondered if he’d been on assignment.
“What are you doing here?”
She waited for what seemed like hours, though it couldn’t have been more than five minutes. Finally giving up, she moved to go up the stairs past him, stopping only when a hand closed around one of her ankles. Closer now, she could look deeper into his eyes, and the anguish and need there nearly made her recoil.
“I couldn’t...I can’t stay away. I need you.”
She looked up at the door, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear.
“I’m joining the FBI. You can’t stop that - it’s done.”
His fingers massaged her skin lightly. “I know.”
She nodded, still not looking at him. Did she dare hope that he’d changed his mind? That he’d still want to be with her after all of his strident protests? Was she strong enough to send him away?
“Would you like to come in?”
He stood, releasing her ankle and reaching for her hand.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Her heart raced as she fitted the key in the lock, his touch making every thought in her brain float away. They needed to talk, to clarify things, sure, but the only thing she could focus on was getting him behind closed doors. And out of his clothes.
He grunted behind her, his hand tugging hard on hers before sliding away. Frowning, she looked over her shoulder as something stung the back of her leg. As she registered David’s prone form lying on the ground behind her, the world started spinning and everything went black.
###
Join us for the next installment of Laura's story right here on Halloween - October 31, 2013.
Curious about what Melanie and Jodi were up to while Laura was reconciling with
Mysterious? Check in on Melanie at AlexWesthaven.com (horror), and Jodi at TrinityMarlow.com (erotic romance) - both installments will be posted later today. Thanks for reading! Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Mysterious is one branch of a three-pronged holiday short series by
myself and two of my alter-egos. We follow three women through the year,
each with a different goal that may be achieved in ways they can't even
fathom just yet. This is Laura's story. You can read the first part here. All stories are posted in draft form. The combined, edited version will be released in December 2013.
***Warning - if you are under 18 yrs old, or easily offended by graphic material,
do not read further.***
Valentine's Day | St. Patrick's Day | Easter | Memorial Day | Independence Day |
The Decision
“I have something important to tell you both,” Laura said as she took a seat at the tall pub table across from her two best friends. The last eight weeks had been a blur of activity, and she hadn’t seen either of them since the Fourth of July. So much had happened, she wasn’t even sure where to start, but there was no more hiding it.
“So you decided to pick the cheesiest bar in town to do it in?” Jodi asked, wrinkling her nose as she looked pointedly at the leopard-print carpet and mirrored walls. “How on earth did you find this place anyway? It looks less Dingo’s, more cheetah...as in Chester, that is.”
“I chose the bar,” Melanie said with a grin. “A friend of a friend told me it’s the hottest cougar bar around. Rawrr!” She laughed, making a claw with her fingers and play-scratching at Jodi, who looked less than amused.
“Ahem,” Laura cleared her throat. “Can we focus please, before the guys show up?” They both nodded, Melanie folding her hands on the table with a look of mock seriousness that Laura decided to ignore.
Taking a deep breath, she decided to just spit out quickly.
“I’ve decided to become an FBI agent.”
Melanie and Jodi looked at each other, then burst out laughing. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, Laura waited patiently while they cackled, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She’d known they would be less than supportive, but she hadn’t expected this.
“Good one!” Jodi said finally, shaking her head as she took deep breaths. “Oh man, I needed that.” She took a sip of her drink. swiping at moisture from her eyes with a napkin.
Melanie looked Laura in the eye, still giggling. “Oh come on - don’t be like that. You didn’t expect us to believe that, did you? It’s crazy! You can’t just ‘decide’ to join the FBI...”
Laura slid off the barstool, slinging her purse over her shoulder. The smiles and remaining laughter faded as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“As a matter of fact, you can, if you have the right qualifications. And I happen to qualify for a couple of their entry programs, so I’ve already started the process. I just thought you two might want to know why I’ll be away for awhile, but apparently I misjudged you. Thanks for your support, both of you.”
She started to walk away when a hand grabbed her shoulder.
“Laura wait,” Jodi said from behind her. “You’re not doing this because of him, are you? Even if he’s not a fraud, you don’t just pick up and change your whole life for some guy you barely know. You’d be the first one to tell us the same thing, if it was one of us.”
Turning slightly, Laura shrugged. “Initially it was for him, but the more I learn, the more I want to do this for me. I feel like this is what I’m supposed to do, after years of working a job I hate. It’s just a bonus that he’s an agent too. It means we have a chance.”
Or they might, if he’d bother to return any of her calls. When she’d told him what she wanted to do, he’d refused to help and walked away.
Melanie shook her head. “You’re kidding yourself, Laura. Just because you both work for them, doesn’t mean you’ll get assigned together. You’re not thinking straight here. This guy’s got you all turned around.”
Blinking fast, Laura shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve finally found something I really want to do, and I was hoping you’d at least be interested enough to talk about it. But I guess I know where we stand. I’ll...see you around. Or not.”
Shrugging off Jodi’s hand, she weaved through the thickening crowd, relieved when she finally pushed through the front door. Hold it together, she told herself silently. She was scheduled to leave in a week, and tonight after a glass of wine and a long journal entry, she’d start the process of packing and sorting. On of the job requirements was that she’d be available to go where ever they needed her to, so the next few years would probably involve a lot of moving, which was fine by her.
It was clear her life needed a good shake-up. And David or no David, friends or no friends, she was ready for something new.
The drive home was quick, and as she pulled into the driveway her heart quickened at the sight of a male figure gracing her front steps in the late dusky light. She couldn’t see his face, but she’d know that body anywhere.
She stopped a couple feet from him, watching him for a couple of seconds. His eyes never left hers, never wavered from the stare.
“David.”
“Laura.” His voice was raspy, like it hadn’t been used in days, and she wondered if he’d been on assignment.
“What are you doing here?”
She waited for what seemed like hours, though it couldn’t have been more than five minutes. Finally giving up, she moved to go up the stairs past him, stopping only when a hand closed around one of her ankles. Closer now, she could look deeper into his eyes, and the anguish and need there nearly made her recoil.
“I couldn’t...I can’t stay away. I need you.”
She looked up at the door, tucking a strand of hair behind one ear.
“I’m joining the FBI. You can’t stop that - it’s done.”
His fingers massaged her skin lightly. “I know.”
She nodded, still not looking at him. Did she dare hope that he’d changed his mind? That he’d still want to be with her after all of his strident protests? Was she strong enough to send him away?
“Would you like to come in?”
He stood, releasing her ankle and reaching for her hand.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Her heart raced as she fitted the key in the lock, his touch making every thought in her brain float away. They needed to talk, to clarify things, sure, but the only thing she could focus on was getting him behind closed doors. And out of his clothes.
He grunted behind her, his hand tugging hard on hers before sliding away. Frowning, she looked over her shoulder as something stung the back of her leg. As she registered David’s prone form lying on the ground behind her, the world started spinning and everything went black.
###
Join us for the next installment of Laura's story right here on Halloween - October 31, 2013.
Curious about what Melanie and Jodi were up to while Laura was reconciling with
Mysterious? Check in on Melanie at AlexWesthaven.com (horror), and Jodi at TrinityMarlow.com (erotic romance) - both installments will be posted later today. Thanks for reading! Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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