Sunset Beach
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

From a personal perspective, the conference was a disaster. They had listened to her but from the podium she could see that wave of realization start to take hold in the audience. Although she could not hear, she could see the lips and guess what they were saying. “That’s a guy.”

I looked down at two unfamiliar shoes running on a green surface that resembled a carpet made from artificial grass. My hands were gripping an L-shaped piece of sports equipment, and looking to my right, I could see a white ball making its way to my exact position. I crossed over a curved white line on the ground while stopping the plastic ball in its tracks using my stick. A high-pitched voice yelled out behind me, but due to my concentration on the physical activity, I was unable to make out the words.

“You used the wish, didn’t you?” I whispered as we entered the locker room with our shirts back on.
“I didn’t think about anything except how I just wanted to win just once, maybe that triggered it, like a sub-conscious thought made the connection.”
The score was thirty-six to zero by the time the coach yelled for us to hit the showers.

I entered the pilot quarters, the first door on the left after leaving the bridge. The room was cozy, with dimmed lighting and a comfortable-looking bed. As I stepped inside, the door slid closed behind me, sealing me off from the rest of the ship.

Alternate endings to the Scheherazade/Arabian Nights story. All vignettes, 3-20 lines.

Chapter 2

She laughed and went back to her desk. Tomorrow, she hoped, a few more answers would be forthcoming. This one had the feel of her last big case, in her mind, this could be just the tip of the iceberg.

The next day, the three detectives went north to see the doctor and the bank manager. The first would see them, in his clinic, at ten, the other, at the bank after eleven. Sally had spoken to her friend, and they had agreed to meet on his lunch break, at a café in Burton.

13 and 14
Moving On and Highland Games

Time is marching on. Spring has slipped away and summer is fully come. Time to get ready for the 4th of July. Since Alex and Carrie hosted the Memorial Day barbeque Mike and Lisa are hosting for the Fourth. It makes sense since their backyard overlooks a great fireworks display at Oaks Park. Alex wears a new pair of Crocs sporting blue camo motif that kind of pushes his outfit toward the feminine side of butch. With careful thought, that is used to soften Lisa’s attitude hopefully to, in some way, make it easier to accept that Carrie really is OK with all that will be revealed at a later date.

Carrie reminds them that last year they had planned to attend the Highland Game with the two guys expressing their Scottish ancestry by wearing kilts. To no one’s surprise, Lisa flatly states that Mike won’t be wearing a kilt.

Alex and Carrie hold fast to the commitment made the year before and assemble suitable Scots themed outfits for the two of them. To spite Lisa’s ongoing hardline handling of Mike’s indiscretion the Games are attended and the day goes well. Alex notices that Lisa can appreciate the kilt wearing physique of the competitors in the caber toss.

Orphan Petal

June 2023 - Part 3

Shirley now is at an orphanage where Aunty works. He now will start a new journey. What path will he take?

This is a spin-off to the story "The Teenage Years of Alexander Horten"

Chapter 29

The lunch was very nice. Discussion was launched on whether we would be able to do solo violin concerts in future seasons, and a question was put to me about a piano concert some time. We told them to get in touch with Allan as he could work out likely dates but that we may be busy with the “For those who Served” shows next year and were unlikely to be touring as we were this summer.

The Ambassador's Wife - update.
By
Angharad.

The ongoing trials and tribulations of Ronin Kassius as he assumes the identity of Isabel val Sanreal and returns to Ar Telica City. Having survived the encounter with the Gun Queen of Ar Telica, Ronin returns to Ar Telica and begins his/her new dual life as Isabel val Sanreal, illegitimate daughter of the uber rich Sanreal Family, and as the Gun Princess, Mirai, an artificially created entity with preternatural abilities.