I had never enjoyed shopping more. My feet ached and we’d about doubled the mortgage on the house, but I had so much new stuff. We did just about manage to empty the back of the car in one trip when we arrived home, but only with both Mum and me carrying as many bags as would fit in each hand.

“What the hell is this?” Dad grumbled from his seat. The water on his table was untouched and there were a couple of extra beer cans beside the one I’d left him. Well, if he wanted to start Sunday with a hangover, that was his lookout.

Boys can dream, can’t they?.

Bryce and Paul were boyhood friends. Many Saturday afternoons had been spent horizontal on sofas watching sports on the TV. As the years went by the cans of cola were replaced by beer, razors were in each bathroom and their voices had broken, of course. Commercial breaks were now occupied by discussions of the attractiveness (or otherwise) of various girls of their mutual acquaintance and the ruses needed to get them wearing as little as possible, as quickly as possible.

Rose mingles with the people at the banquet. She keeps Sasha in sight, so she can talk to her. As for Ciarán, something about him was rubbing her the wrong way. It was a good thing she came prepared. She walks close to Ciarán and gently drops a small GPS tracker into his side pocket. She also scans his cell phone with hers.

While she is close to Ciarán, she listens in on what he is saying to some guy. They were talking about investments and the newest CEO of some company. Nothing that matters to her. She wasn’t into acquiring or having lots of money like her family.

CHAPTER 43
I didn’t sleep that well that night, and probably came across as a little grumpy over breakfast. Chad and Maryam were off quickly, Kul and I following a little later. The drive into work was a bit tense at first, as Kul clearly picked up on my mood.

“I never met her, Mike. Wish I could have”

“Sorry?”

“Me being silly. If I had been given the chance to meet her, you would never have ended up in Sheffield, so we’d never have met, us two that is, and well, yeah. You’re thinking betrayal, aren’t you?”

Part Sixteen

Just like that, things had shifted so Julia was the one running this part of the show. “Clasp her bra when I’m done, Amy?” she requested.

“Happy to,” Amy smiled. She circled around to stand behind her cousin, placing her hands on Chris’s shoulders, “Hold still, girl,” she reminded him.

April 22nd, 3040

As the USS New Horizons continued its journey toward Bermuda, the first rays of the sun began to break over the horizon, casting a warm, golden glow that painted the sky and the water's surface with a breathtaking palette of orange and yellow. The sea, now a glistening canvas of light, reflected the sun's radiant glow, heralding the arrival of a new day and a fresh start. The gentle sound of the waves lapping against the ship's hull added to the serene atmosphere, creating a symphony of nature's beauty.

Andy and Megan come up with a plan to hide him and protect him from the drugs gang while the police decide on immunity for him.

The Girl in the Mirror

By Julie D Cole

In which Cathy gets a plateful and Simon gets the bill.

Easy As Falling Off A Bike.
by Angharad & Rin Tin Tin.
part 41.

I staggered out on the heels and saw Simon's car drawing up at the roadside. He leant over and opened the door. "My God," he said looking at his watch, "pretty and punctual. Are you sure you're a woman?"

What am I doing?
By Daring Diane

“Billy, I let you move in, because I needed someone to cover half the rent and utilities. It’s been months and I’m running out of savings.”

“I spent everything completing my degree.”

“Great. You have a college degree. It’s time to get a job.”

“I apply every day. No one is hiring.”

“You need a job. Work at Starbucks or some restaurant.”

Flowers
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

A florist is not a job for a young man, or so my father told me. It was just that I was always a delicate person. I still am.

There is something about flowers that touched me deep in my soul. This is something that is made by nature to look pretty, smell enchanting and taste sweet. What is there in all creation that exists purely for joy? Well, perhaps there is another thing – certain nerve endings. Did you know that flowers are the sex organ of a plant? It is all about sex in the end.

I could hardly wait to call my sister Jennie and tell her all my news.

“Hi Jennie, it’s only me, have you got a few minutes to spare? I’ve had an amazing day, and I must tell you all about it.