Source: (Picture of a ball of ice, lit with a fiery glow)
Her melodious laugh penetrated his heart with sharp, pointed icicles. For a moment, he couldn’t move. He could barely breath. He couldn’t explain why, but he knew her. He felt something for her.
Had she noticed him? He looked surreptitiously in her direction. She was engrossed in a conversation with another woman, with whom she was dining. She laughed, flipping her hair behind her shoulder. It fell in great golden waves, catching the sunlight and twinkling, like a million flirty winks.
He forgot not to stare greedily, until she stood and made her way toward the restroom. His breath still stuck, his frozen heart beating feebly, he could do nothing but sit stock still, waiting.
She caught his eye and smiled absentmindedly. Oh! He would die! He wasn’t sure he could recover from her nonchalance. He was drowning and she had just kept walking…
But she didn’t. She stopped. Something about their brief eye contact had affected her also. She knew him. She didn’t know how but she knew him. Her soul was suddenly aflame…
She turned automatically and walked back to his table. There was no time for consideration. She didn’t have a choice. Her feet moved of their own accord. She sat across from him and without even the slightest pause, grabbed his frigid hands in her warm ones.
His frozen heart melted. Her fiery soul calmed. The temperature was exactly right.
Source: (Picture of a blackboard with a clock drawn on it)
Summer vacation had arrived! No longer able to practice restraint, the kids jostled and jockeyed for position as they all ran for the busses. She didn’t mind. There was no reason to keep them in control anymore and besides, her heart soared as high as theirs. The final bell was her final bell, a reminder of a world she was leaving behind.
She packed her remaining items, erased the board for the last time and took a last nostalgic look at her classroom. It had been one hell of a run, not all good or bad but somewhere in between. A small moment of regret passed quickly through her. She didn’t let it linger, instead she turned quickly on her heel and walked out the door without looking back.
Originally published for Instagram’s Romance Writer Challenge July 2019, Ravishing the Romance Day 14 “Summer Vacation”
Source: (Picture of two full shot glasses with lemon)
One drink wasn’t enough. She had it down to a science. Two shots of tequila and she could talk, laugh and fit in.
She should do one shot, at least, before leaving the house but she barely ever drank and didn’t think to keep liquor in her cabinet. So she had shown up stone, cold sober and full of social anxiety. She sat in the car, acutely aware of the roundness in her belly and face, the stringyness of her flat lifeless hair and the inapropriateness of her outfit.
Her mother’s voice echoed in her head, more loudly than usual, “Becca, you’d be so pretty if you lost just ten pounds… Becca, lay off the birthday cake, you’re fat enough… Ugh Becca, are you really wearing that? What’s happening with your hair?”
She pulled down her visor and opened the mirror. The little light clicked on illuminating her face. A pair of smudged, forlorn eyes stared back accusingly, “You already fucked up your makeup. Can’t you do anything right?”
She sighed. Her friends were waiting in the bar but she was sure they weren’t waiting for her. She doubted if they’d notice she didn’t show. She started the car, put it in gear and… Almost left.
Her phone dinged. She considered ignoring it… And then she didn’t. She stopped and cut the engine. What the fuck was wrong with her. Her mother’s voice tried to answer, “Well, Becca, it’s…”
“No! Get out of my head. You are not welcome anymore, Mom! Go!!!”
Silence. “Good enough for you,” she thought, picking up her phone. The message read: Stop having a meltdown and get in here. We’re your friends. Cut the crap. I have two shots waiting.
She texted back: Ok. Be right there.
Originally published for Instagram’s Romance Writer Challenge July 2019, Ravishing the Romance Day 15 “Insecurities”
The lights came on suddenly illuminating our grievous sin to the church board in its entirety. I was mortified and pulled my pants up hurriedly to cover my shame but Reverend Tim was resolute. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way, Cleo.”
His wife stood unmoving at his matter of fact declaration. He had spoken in a rehearsed manner without the fiery intonation he typically demonstrated on Sunday. It chilled me somehow, and my, brain scrambled to make sense of it.
“Cleo, I’m sorry. Kenneth and I are in love. We have been for some time, haven’t we, Kenneth?”
Cleo turned her attention to me and the world began to spin. What was happening? I couldn’t breathe, much less talk. Through the blood rushing in my ears, I thought I heard Cleo respond from a million miles away, “What about the other young men and women? Did you really think I didn’t know, Tim?”
My world went black…
I woke to fire and brimstone, smoke and screams. My sins had brought the whole world to hell. Reverend Tim, Cleo and the rest of the board were nowhere to be seen. I tried to stand but stumbled. I thought I was done, dead and gone to hell but I felt myself being lifted into heaven. The world went black again…
A lightbulb went on… This time it was somewhere in the deep recesses of my brain. In the darkness, it had assembled the pieces… Father Tim wasn’t in love with me. He wasn’t even who he pretended to be. He lied… To all of us. This was the first of many revelations to come.
I slept fitfully for days while my body healed and my subconscious continued to work though the mystery. I was lucky. Many devotees required months of deprogramming but Reverend Tim had shown himself to me in a moment. The moment before we were rescued… The moment which changed my trajectory forever.
I woke to bright white light and the music of birdsong. It wasn’t heaven but neither was it hell. My road might be long but I knew my true self for the first time. From that point on, my path would remain always illuminated.
Originally published for Instagram’s Romance Writer Challenge July 2019, Ravishing the Romance Day 12 “Light Bulb Moment”
Source: (Picture of female presenting person looking through slats of wood)
Content warning: Story contains homophobic language and a depiction of confronting homophobic family, members.
They paused at the walkway, “Are you sure you want to do this? I’m sorry. I know you do… It’s just… I’m worried.”
“I know. I am too but I do want to go in… I know she might not be receptive and I might get hurt but she’s my mother and she’s dying and I want to give her the opportunity to make amends with her only son.”
“Leo… You are a good and kind man. A better man than she deserved. Remember that, ok? I love you and I’ll be with you.” The two men ascended the rickety step and rang the bell. Rob knew Leo’s upbringing had been, challenging, but he was unprepared for what met them when the door opened.
A stringy haired woman in stained thrift store clothes glared at them unwelcomingly. “Wasn’t ‘spectin’ you to show yer face here agian, Homo. I see you brought yer butt buddy with ya.”
“I’m here to see Mama, Becki Lyn… Not to subject myself to your homophobic slurs.”
“Oh. Fancy talkin’ homo is you? Best come in ‘for the neighbors see. Always did have to go ’bout flaunting yer business.”
Becki Lyn turned angrily and disappeared into the dark house through a maze of stacked papers and garbage on which knick knacks rested as if they were normal shelves. Rob entered carefully behind Leo and felt an immediate disgust wash over him.
The air itself felt oppressive and stank of something like cat feces. Rob looked around furtively for a cat and not finding one, decided desperately, it must be hiding in one of the stacks. He pulled his scarf over his face and resorted to short shallow breaths.
The walls, where you could see them through the junk, were covered in peeling wallpaper the design of which, Rob thought, had been indiscernable for a very long time. If there were widows in the house, they were lost or covered or camouflaged by garbage. The floor they walked on was covered in a thick layer of grime and dead bugs. He tried not imagine his feet treading on their carcasses, focusing instead on Leo’s bravery. How had he managed to survive in this place?
Rob pulled his coat even tighter around him protectively, wishing he could have saved his lover from this hell. He wasn’t sure if it was the dust or Becki Lyn’s hatred but he felt like if he let any of it touch him he might never recover. He maneuvered carefully, turning sideways at times to avoid contact with an offending item.
They stopped, finally, next to a blanket covered doorway. Leo leaned close and whispered, “Wait here, Love. I’m going to go say goodbye.” Rob shuddered as Leo disappeared behind the blanket. He was suddenly intensely aware of Becki Lyn’s disappearance. He fervently hoped she hadn’t gone for a weapon.
He stood, coat wrapped tightly around him, straining for sounds… Either yelling from the blanket covered door, or the sound of crunching bugs signifying Becki Lyn’s return. His anxiety was short lived. Leo reappeared swiftly, pulling him urgently through the stacks and out the door.
Relieved to inhale the fresh air, Rob didn’t ask, instead he followed Leo silently to the parked car. Once inside, they sat for a moment gathering themselves. Rob was sure he could still smell the cat feces and would have to dry clean his coat. He took it off, threw it in the back seat and turned to Leo who was staring out the window, traumatized and seemingly unaware of the smell.
“What happened? What did she say?”
“She didn’t… She… Rob, we have to call the police. She’s been dead for a while.”
Originally published for Instagram’s Romance Writer Challenge July 2019, Ravishing the Romance Day 10 “Antagonistic Aesthetic”
“This is bliss, isn’t it?” he pushed his feet deeper into the warm sand in front of his chair and let his body relax downward. Near the water a seagull stood with eyes on the horizon. On his right, his wife mirrored his pose, with a contented sigh.
“It’s wonderful. I’m so glad we did this. We won’t be alone for long,” she stroked her rounded belly, lovingly. She was torn between relishing this last moment of aloneness and imagining a little boy with dark curls playing excitedly in the sand with his father’s guidance. “You’re going to kick ass at parenting, you know.”
“I know.”
“And me? Will I kick ass?”
“Are you going to be like your mother? Because your brother is a pain in the ass.”
“Shut up!” she slapped him playfully.
“Well, don’t ask stupid questions. I wouldn’t have decided to have a baby with you if I didn’t think you were amazing.”
“Oh. I’ll be amazing then?”
He looked at her steadily, his brown eyes softening, “We’ll be amazing. I promise.”
“Doris?” The old man spoke quietly from the doorway. She sat in a chair by the window, wordlessly watching the birds. It had always been her favourite pastime.
She didn’t answer but he didn’t, mind, she never did… He pulled up his own chair and sat close to her. “I’ve brought you something… It’s a cat.
Here…” he placed the stuffed toy on her lap and she stroked it absentmindedly. Her eyes never left the birds.
“I thought you might name her Greta. She’s black like Greta. She was your favorite, remember? She would sit and watch the birds with you every day. Never quite took to me, though,” he thought this elicited a slight smile, or maybe a twinkle in her eyes… He, had to look closely to see it, like Doris herself, it was only, barely there.
Originally published for Intagram’s Romance Writer Challenge July 2019, Ravishing the Romance Day 8 “Barely There”
Source: (Picture of an abandoned cement room with a single chair)
“I’m not sitting there. There’s a smear of something gross looking.”
“I’m holding a gun to your head and I’m telling you to sit the chair. Sit in the fucking chair!”
“No, Vinnie. You know I don’t wear underwear and I’m not sitting because I don’t know what that smear is and it looks gross.”
“This is why we broke up because you’re always a fucking pain in the ass.”
“Fuck you, Vinnie. We broke up because I found out you killed a guy… And you can forget getting back together now that you kidnapped me at gunpoint. You’re going to be sorry when my cousin, Sal hears about this.”
“Cut the shit, Francesca. I’m not afraid of your cousin. Now sit in the fucking chair!”
“Put a towel down.”
“Jesus H. Christ! Fine! What the fuck did I see in you? Jimmy! Get a fucking towel!”
Jimmy trotted obediently to the bathroom and came, back empty handed, “There are no towels, Boss.”
“Fuck! Francesca just get in the fucking chair.”
“No. It looks like someone shit on it. Jeez, Vinnie, did someone shit on it?” Jimmy averted his eyes.
“Fuck! Ok. Fine. Sit on the floor.”
“No. You’ll get me a good chair, Vinnie Morelli or I’ll tell Jimmy all your secrets… And I mean ALL of them.”
“Fine! Jimmy get the office chair and take your shirt off to cover the seat. I’m tired of arguing with this bitch.”
Originally published for Instagram’s Cringeworthy Writing Challenge July 2019 Day 7 “smear”
“They’ve been in session for an hour already. Where have you been?”
“Love potions are delicate. Platonic love is much harder to mix. It requires a very steady hand.”
“Fine. Whatever. Did you manage it?”
“Of course. The fate of the world is at stake. Did you think I wouldn’t have given it the utmost attention?”
“Great. How do we do this?”
“It’s inhaled but has a limited range. We’ll need to disperse it evenly. Did you bring the vaporizers?”
“As requested.”
“Great. Just fill them up. This meeting should be a love fest in no time. No more bickering international leaders after today.”
Fifteen minutes later:
“It’s working. They’re hugging.”
“Oh wow. We did it! World peace, at last!”
“They really seem to be hugging a lot. Oh! Those two are kissing. Look! Oh. Now everyone is kissing… Hey… Um…”
“Oh. That was unintended.”
“Unintended! They’re undressing each other!! You said platonic… Oh… Now… For God’s sake World leaders performing oral sex on each other… That’s not what we talked about! Oh… I really didn’t want to see that.”
“Uh. Yeah. I think I made it too strong…”
“You think! This isn’t acceptable!”
“Well, I mean they aren’t fighting and we probably averted world war…”
“There’s some truth to that but still…”
“Half price, then?”
“Yeah. I guess that’s ok.”
“Shake on it?”
“Yeah. Ok. We have a deal. Ewww… These guys are kinkier than I needed to know about. Let’s get out of here.”
Originally published for Instagram’s Romance Writer Challenge July 2019, Ravishing the Romance Day 6 “International Kissing Day”
Natolie Webb 