ROMANTIC BONES - a 100 word story for Friday Fictioneers

ROMANTIC BONES

Mum hasn’t got a romantic bone in her body.

I asked her once, “You must have fallen in love with Dad?” but she soon shattered that illusion. “I got pregnant with you.”

Her garden is full of vegetables – she loathes flowers. “Dead in days and drop mess everywhere.”

She said the same when I wanted a puppy – except for the dead part, of course.

In a last-ditch attempt to ignite her romantic spark I took her to the famous Exhibition Hall.

She stared at the magnificent roof and said, “I wouldn’t fancy having to clean that.”

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I think of myself as a romantic, but I have a strong streak of practicality which asks, 'How would one clean that roof?' Possibly by employing my grandson Joe, an abseiler who tackles jobs just like that. At the moment he is in Sydney, working at their famous cricket ground - my husband is green with envy.

Thanks to Roger Bultot for this week's photo and to Rochelle for hosting Friday Fictioneers on her blog https://rochellewisoff.com/

I have finally got round to opening an Author Page on Goodreads, so if you have read either of my books - A Volcanic Race or Helter-Skelter - do please consider writing a review.    https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18537528.Liz_Young

And if you haven't read them yet, now is your chance!

BIRTHDAY PRESENT - a 100 word story

BIRTHDAY PRESENT

“Come on, Mum – you haven’t chosen anything yet!”

Betty shook her head, too breathless to speak. It was sweet of Joe to take her shopping, and no doubt the Mall was a marvel of modern design, but why did everything have to be so spread out? Ten minutes just to cross the car park before they even reached the shops. Give her an old-fashioned High Street any day.

She clutched Joe’s arm. “Just take me to the nearest cafė, darling – I need a coffee.”

“But what about your birthday present?”

“You choose – I like surprises.”

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You'll probably GUESS (see what I did there?) from this story that I don't like Malls any more than Betty does - marathon shopping isn't my idea of fun - so I sympathize with the woman in this photo, taken by Jilly Funell for Friday Fictioneers. Thanks to our indefatigable leader Rochelle, who blogs on  https://rochellewisoff.com/

If you enjoyed this story, why not scroll through my archives and read some of the others? At my first ever Author Fair last Saturday I gave away little scrolls with a story on each one, hoping to attract more readers, though it was worth all the effort of printing and rolling them just to see the pleasure on people's faces at being given something for nothing!  

I reached a milestone last week when I sent off to my proofreader the second book in my Living Rock series. All being well, WOLF PACK will be out early in the New Year - watch this space!

PRINCESS - a hundred word story

PRINCESS

“You said no?”

“I said no.”

“How could you? He’s such a nice boy.”

“And so rich.”

“That’s not what I meant, but having money isn’t such a bad thing.”

“He’s boring and possessive.”

“He’d treat you like a princess.”

“Yeah, right – give me diamonds and lock me up in his castle.”

“But you’re thirty – you might not ...”

“Get another offer? Thanks Mum.”

“Don’t you want to be married and have babies?”

“Give you grandchildren, you mean? When I get married – if I ever do – I want to share my castle with a prince, not a gaoler.”

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I just didn't fancy the idea of living in this building, with its slit windows, minimal light, and no way out, which prompted this week's story. Apologies to Rochelle who took the picture, and who also hosts Friday Fictioneers at https://rochellewisoff.com/

I have been extra busy this week, as I am going to my first ever Local Author Fair on Saturday at Crawley Library. Crawley is in Sussex, so if any of you are down that way on Saturday morning, do please pop in and visit my stand, where I shall be displaying - and hopefully selling copies of - my recent book Helter-Skelter, the cover of which is at the top of my blog - click on it to buy your copy.

SHELL GAME - a story in a hundred words

SHELL GAME

Dave was out there as usual this morning in his car, waiting to follow me.

I did my normal Tuesday shop then met the girls for coffee, and while the babies played we went over the plan meticulously – we would only get one chance.

After an hour Sally left wearing my clothes, with her shopping in my buggy, Rene tucked my baby in with hers and walked off to the Mall, while I jogged across the park, my face hidden in Sally’s hoodie.

That evening we celebrated in the Refuge – Dave is no match for three women playing the shell game.

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Here we are again, another week, another raft of stories courtesy of Rochelle at   https://rochellewisoff.com/  who manages our group of writers, and thanks to Sandra Crook who took the photograph.

For any reader who doesn't understand my reference, the shell game is a sleight of hand trick played with three conical shells and a pea, similar to Find the Lady.
Local Author Fair - and if anyone is in Crawley on Saturday 13th OCtober, come and visit my stall at the Library (opposite Debenhams) where I shall be giving away more of my flash fiction.