Cupid’s Arrow ~ Take Two

It is the third week of Friday Fiction with Ronovan Writes, and the prompt was the plane picture above. I immediately thought of some fiction I wrote back in February, so I thought I would post that for this challenge. (Assuming that is ok since it is still my work, just an older post.)

I would love to get some honest feedback on it as fiction is my most challenging goal right now. Yet, it was my main goal of starting this blog. Therefore, here goes my first submission for Friday Fiction.

Standing on the plane, my bag in hand, I begin to sweat. I feel nervous, excited and terrified all at the same time. As I creep forward I think, my life is about to change forever. Once I fall into his embrace, I am done. This will either be the most romantic and passionate weekend of my life or I will find my heart utterly shattered, but still not wanting to change a thing.

Who would have thought that I would be meeting Sam after 25 years! Sam, my former high school sweetheart. In minutes, I will see him face to face after months of talking. My heart is pounding. My belly is fluttering. It is like I am 17 again…minus the awesome flat abs and wrinkleless face. Damn the aging process! What the hell? I never understood why men looked more rugged and distinguished in age and women…well, they just look old. Not fair Mother Nature. Not fair.

Finally, people start to make progress and my feeble legs manage to walk. I head toward the baggage area and text Sam that I am on the way. “OMG. I am so nervous! But, here I come.”

“I am nervous too baby. No worries, we’ve waited long enough. Now hurry up, so I can kiss you,” Sam quickly replies.

I am so excited that I have to stop by the bathroom to breath, check myself in the mirror and dab my sweat. Looking in the mirror is not that 17-year-old girl anymore, but instead, a confident woman. “I can do this. Breathe. And for the love of God, stop sweating! Now go. He will like you,” I chant to my reflection. I walk down the long corridor. I swear it seems ironically long as the 25 years that have passed since I last saw Sam. “How long is this damn hallway?” I mutter.

Raging with nerves, my scattered thoughts think about our high school romance. We were so into each other back then. He was on the football team. I was a cheerleader. We were the best of friends too. Oh, and we were both so shy. It’s a miracle that we even went out since it took forever for us to summon the courage to talk to each other. After football games, we would go to the pizza house with all of our friends. We would walk around hand in hand. We would talk and laugh by each other’s lockers at school. We would take long drives to be near each other. Everyone thought we were the cutest couple.

I giggle. People must be wondering why I look so stupidly happy as I walk down this ridiculously long hall. But I can’t stop smiling. And much to my displeasure, I am still sweating. “Ugh. Well, I sure hope he is sweating as much as I am. Maybe then, it won’t be as obvious,” I think.

Finally, I see the door. I stop for a brief second. I breathe. I look down to make sure there is no toilet paper on my shoe. My dress is straight. “OK. This is it,” I tell myself literally out loud. Yep, I have resorted to talking to myself. I am that nervous. Hopefully, no one noticed that. If so, who cares! I am about to kiss Sam. “Oh my God! My breath! Where is my gum? Does my breath smell bad?” Yes, I am having a moment of panic and I stand there rummaging through my purse.

Suddenly, my phone beeps with a text. “I can see you. Get out here! I can’t wait to kiss you. So whatever you are worried about is not real. I can see you already and I know I want to kiss you! Walk through the door,” Sam’s text reads. I laugh and look up. The door is the only thing separating the 20-foot distance between us. And there he is smiling and standing there…waiting for me.

I walk out the door and up to him. We are looking at each other and standing so close I can feel his breath on my face…and it smells good. We just stare into each other’s eyes for a moment. I don’t even know how long even – 10 seconds? 30 seconds? 1 minute? I don’t know, but we just stand there, taking each other in. I gaze into his blue eyes and I know, I am done. I am so done. We smile and then he grabs my face and pulls me to his lips. I immediate drop my bag from my hand and wrap my arms around his shoulders and kiss him back eagerly. He steps back after we have a full, long passionate kiss and says, “Um, hi. Welcome to California.”

I laugh, “Yeah. Hi to you too. That’s the best welcome a state has ever given me. I need to fly more often if this is the reception at airports these days.”

Sam’s eyes laugh and he blushes some. “Let me grab your bag. Oh, and I got you these,” he says as he hands me small bundle of colorful flowers that were down by his feet. I grab the flowers, bring them to my nose and smell, thinking he is so sweet because the bundle has little tiny pink carnations in it. That was the homecoming corsage he got for me decades ago, and we joked about it in one of our recent conversations. I stop and grab his arm. “Sam.”

“What? Is something wrong?” he looks alarmed.

“Oh no. I just wanted to say thank you,” and with that, I lean into him and kiss him on the cheek. “I am so glad I am here.” Relief washes over his face.

“I am too baby. I have been waiting for this day for a long time. Let’s get out of here. I will show you my town, and if you’re lucky, I just may kiss you again,” he teases me.

With the biggest grin on my face, I say, “I kind of have a feeling, I’m lucky. I mean who gets a second chance to kiss their homecoming date, football star, super-hot boyfriend after 25 years!”

“I guess you do my sexy cheerleader. Yeah, you are so getting lucky today” Sam laughs as he grabs me, pulling me into his arms again and kissing me deeply. All the years we spent apart start to fade away as I stand in his embrace. I am 17 and falling in love again, with my whole future ahead of me, but I stop and look up at him seriously.

“Sam. I don’t think we should get too lucky at the airport.” He drops his hands and a boyish grin crosses his face.

“You are absolutely right. If we keep this up, we could end up in jail for the next four days. Let’s go get reacquainted baby doll.” And with that, we exit the airport and head out to wherever this second chance is leading us. Neither one of us knows where that may be, but we sure as hell are not missing the chance to try.

 ~~~~~~~~~~~

 

The Man No One Wants to See

It was a bright, crisp morning, but Mark dreaded the day already. He hated mornings like this. Not the perfect weather itself of course, but mornings when he had this task.

Nothing but pain came on these days, and he was the one to bring it. His only solace was that he was giving the family answers. They needed answers, though this was not the answer they wanted. No one ever wanted this answer. Who could?

But he threw on his uniform nonetheless. The least he could do was look professional when he showed up at their home to ruin their lives. However, from experience, he knew the solemn look on his face and just his mere presence would say all that the family needed to know. One look at him in his uniform, at their door, would tell the family that their missing son was found, but lost to them forever. Informing a mother and father that their missing soldier son was finally found, but dead, was not something you did over a phone call. The soldier and his family deserved more than that.

No, this heart-wrenching task had to be in person. It would require all the strength and patience he had to remain strong for the family. To provide them with information that gave them closure, but left them without nightmares. Dying in combat is an honorable death, but there is no respect in the details of war. Some things are just better not known, Mark thought. Only pain and tears would come today, and he would tuck them away as he stayed strong for the family. He would listen to their cries, and hold their hands, giving them time to understand the news he delivered. Soak in the fact that their 24-year-old son was never coming home. He would never give them grandchildren. He would never see their Christmas tree or the gifts under it for him.

This was a job of horror and honor at the same time. To be the one who brought such pain upon a family tore at his heart. Yet, on the other hand, it was a great duty to provide a war hero’s family with the account of his sacrifice. To tell them how greatly he served and how America could never repay this debt. To be the strength for a fellow veteran’s loved ones was an ultimate tribute of respect to the fallen soldier. None of those facts made it any easier though.

He may as well get started early. Bad news never gets better with age, especially if the media were to release it first. He cringed at the thought. No, the awful news must come from a fellow soldier, and in their home. So with that
thought, Mark drove off in his speedy car to ruin an entire family’s holiday-all before lunch.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is for the Daily Prompt ~ Trio 4, to use speedy car, phone call and bright crisp morning.

Saved by an Angel ~Tipsy Lit Flash Fiction Contest Entry

The alley was damp. Samantha should be afraid, but she wasn’t. She knew Alex was with her. Her skin always tingled when he was near, and it tingled ever so wonderfully now. She knew he would keep her safe, but she walked briskly to keep herself warm.

The path was unsafe, but was shortest route to the subway. She stayed late at work and went out with the team in attempt to fit in. She never did though. There was always something missing and felt like an outsider. She promised Alex she would try though. Only he seemed to understand her, motivate her. It was nearly a year ago now that she met him, her one true love, and he had literally saved her life.

Last year, after a horrible descending spiral of events, Samantha stood there contemplating life. There at her cottage that sat at the edge of the ocean cliff, she was ready to die. The view was spectacular. It was a perfect place to die. The magnificent sunset sky glowed while the water slapped up on the rocks below. The gentle breeze whispered around her skin. She was ready to end her pain and it seemed that the night was calling to her. “Come to me. You will suffer no more.” As she inched her way to the edge though, she suddenly felt his warm hands on her and they sent shivers down her spin. He guided her back to safety. Once she was away from the edge, he spoke. Her Alex. His voice was like silk wrapping her in comfort. He pleaded with her to fight. He reassured her she was not alone. He could be there for her, be her friend.

Since that day, their friendship had blossomed into a romance. It was all that any woman desires. Together they would laugh for hours, talking about everything. They would walk along the shore. When she looked into his eyes, she saw heaven. Alex’s touch was more than she had ever experienced too. His hands were like magic, his kisses like jolts of life pumping though her. Never before had she felt such passion. He was perfection, except one problem. He was an angel.

Suddenly, Samantha snapped out of her daydream and back into reality. There before her, stood an ominous man. She stopped cold, unable to move. As the man approached like animal stalking its prey, he cackled, “Hey little kitty. Don’t be afraid. I just want to play.” She called for Alex. He always saved her from danger before.

Before she knew it, the man was on her. He was going to kill her, she could feel it. She started to panic and then…she heard her Alex’s voice. “Don’t worry my love. This will be over soon, and when it is, you can be with me forever. I found a way for you to become an angel, like me.” With that, she stopped fighting, knowing she was going home to him, forever.

This my entry for the Tipsy Flash Fiction Contest.

The angel picture was found online with an Bing search that lead me to Soul Healing’s blog. Beautiful images there!