While Mikey and I were trolling the internet for customs, cultures and quirks of the various countries we would be visiting, my phone chirped with a text.

I figured it would be Dez, although I considered it might be Eoin or Kirk. A little voice in the back of my head thought it could even be Bianca.

Nope.

I swallowed hard when I saw the 203 area code.

What the hell happened?

I quickly excused myself from Mikey and curled up into a chair in the corner where I cradled the phone between my folded knees and texted her back.

An Itsy Bitsy Vacation
By Anon Allsop

My stomach was in my throat, I had been building to this very moment for nearly three years. Standing before the mirror in the women's locker room, I trembled like a leaf. Draping a huge beach blanket over my shoulders, it surrounded me like a shroud.

I hesitatingly looked toward the door, "It's now or never, Kris." I whispered to myself, regretting the bet I had made with myself so long ago - to lose the weight and complete the transition. Hearing a tap on the door, I felt my heart racing - I knew it was my childhood friend.

*Before…

The trick is to not to put the popcorn in until last when the dough is all done and you mix it one good time and then bake them off fast before the popcorn gets soggy.
And you have peanut butter...chocolate...then salty and crunchy and buttery popcorn.
I only have one and a half... I share one with Mary Jane but Dad has three and Becky's dad has five and we get some for Mom and Aunt Elsbeth.
Dad says. "You girls get ready after you help clean up okay it's getting late."
"Okay Daddy!"
I get a look after I hug Dad and head inside and I hear Becky's Dad say. "Okay...I still don't get all of it but...that's your daughter of close enough that I'm done worrying about it. Besides...."
And Dad's like. "Besides?”
And Becky's Dad’s all... "Becky's had honestly brought worse friends over Rob, you and her are welcome over here like any time."
I can't help but be all grins and the girls are looking at and we all yay cheer and happy dance into the kitchenette to clean up.

The Favour

© 2015 D.L.

"You look frustrated", Josh stated as he sat down at the table opposite Stephany. The snarl of annoyance she had emitted only moments before made the statement exceedingly obvious. It was a look Josh had become familiar with over the past few months.

THE DREAM Of
MY LIFE

Alex takes the zipper of the jacket and he does it up and zips me all the way up as far as it would go and I’m teased in my body and inside too…I mean that was actually funny. And I’m laughing because it’s just awesome.

“I take it that’s a yes then?”

He gives me another kiss and then he walks to the Café where he has to work and I watch him go and it’s such a nice sight.

And the kissing and The jacket thing and I’m actually happy again and I actually skip a little on my way to work and hopefully I can dish about Alex and me over a cuppa with the boss.

THE DREAM Of
MY LIFE

I see a camera flash and I see one of the school paper people I think and they’re taking pictures of me and Katherine and Jenn and Cindy and Alex and I look at him when he turns my way a gain and do a little friendly hand wave and he snaps a picture and I do a few funny faces for him too which he seems to like.

He turns his attention to the others and I stop to watch Alex.

Yeah as much as he’s not into football he is too and he’s good at it, it’s just not all of what he’s about.

But yeah I love the way he looks doing this stuff even…especially when he’s doing that wet hair thing when his helmet comes off.