Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #82 (17.2)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Vinnie and Ethan are on their way to see the unnamable actress. That can't go wrong, can it? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #82 (17.2)

I half-expected to find this fancy place had valet parking, but no, that was just an illusion based on my own assumptions. We parked in the circular drive at the front and entered. The young lady at the reception desk exuded serenity as we approached. Maybe it went with the territory. Can’t risk stirring up the patients, right? Of course she recognized Troy right away, and spent ten minutes gushing over him and how she’d seen every one of his movies. He listened to her politely, of course, but I noticed he kept one arm securely around Brendan. Not that he wasn’t openly gay, but sometimes it didn’t hurt to remind his public of that, I guess.

“Oh yes, she’s here,” she replied to his question concerning the wayward actress. “I believe she is expecting you in the solarium. Let me show you the way.” Apparently he’d contacted her to let her know he was coming. Probably a smooth move on his part.

“Thank you very much, Miss…”

“Mandy,” she replied with a blush.

“Miss Mandy,” he repeated with a courtly bow. I had to refrain from rolling my eyes. Troy could be such a ham sometimes.

Troy turned toward Ethan and me. “I’ll text you when it’s safe to come in.”

Ethan nodded. I hoped the solarium wasn’t hard to find as I suspected we would not be offered the same assistance in locating it.

“No worries,” Ethan said as we made ourselves comfortable in two plush blue chairs in the waiting area. “I’m sure we can ask someone for directions.”

Glancing around at our surroundings, I noticed there was a wing on either side of the main entrance, and a long staircase going up. But the building was also modern enough to have elevators,. Old fashioned ones with antique gold gates.

If you didn’t know this was some sort of hospital, you wouldn’t have known that by the people we saw. Not a nurse’s or orderly’s uniform in sight. And not a single person wearing pajamas, even posh ones. All very laid-back and low-key.

“Think she’ll get away with it again?” I asked Ethan. He too was observing the people around us just as carefully as I was.

He glanced at me and shrugged. “I wish I knew, baby. When you have money, you can afford to hire good lawyers. I guess it’ll depend on how she spins her flimsy story of auditioning for some unknown director.”

“Yeah,” I glumly agreed. “She might seem to be twice as crazy for that.” Maybe she didn’t really know, but that just made her delusional. And gullible. Guess you couldn’t fault a person for that.

Ethan leaned in to me, his hand on my leg as he looked into my eyes. For a moment, I worried that something was wrong. Until he said, “Once all this is behind us, maybe you and I should set a date.”

Of course I realized what he was talking about right away. We’d been engaged since Christmas Eve, and wore the matching bands to prove it, but we’d never actually set a date. Most of that was probably my fault. That fear of commitment thing. An open-ended engagement was one thing, but picking an actual date and making actual plans was something else.

But it wasn’t like I didn’t want to marry Ethan. I most certainly did. I needed to get out of my own head. Learn to relax and trust. I did trust Ethan with all my heart. Which he also owned.

“We should do that,” I agreed and was rewarded with a beautiful smile. The kind that I lived for.

Just then Ethan’s phone beeped. He glanced down at it then back at me. “Looks like it’s time to join them.” He raised his brows at me, and I knew what he was thinking without him having to say a word.

“I’ll behave,” I promised.

At least I would try.

 to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #68 (14.3)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Well, that was unexpected! The policemen aren't real policemen at all but... See what's going on in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. J Ray Lamb is back this week, give him a proper welcome! Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #68 (14.3)

Caroline St. Clair—for it was indeed none other than the Wicked Witch of Hollywood herself—was grinning broadly, like the proverbial feline who had just consumed an avian snack. She took another gracious bow for her imaginary audience and then began to throw out kisses. No doubt she was visualizing the invisible members of the Academy as they conferred upon her an equally imaginary Oscar.

Seriously, what was wrong with that woman?

“I had you going, didn’t I?” the actress chortled. “You never knew it was me, did you? It’s been me this whole time.”

Whole time…what?

Troy had reached her by that time and demanded the surrender of the handcuff key, although in far nicer tones than I would have used. She didn’t even argue or fuss, as though all of that meant nothing to her any more. He wasted no time in releasing Ethan, who rubbed his wrists as he quickly strode to my side.

“I’m fine, Vinnie,” he reassured me as he hugged me, before I even had a chance to ask. Told you, he knows me very well.

“Carrie, why are you even here? What’s going on?” Troy sounded both sad and exasperated. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. She was his friend, even if she was utterly cuckoo.

Sarah edged up to us, little Alex on her hip. Even he seemed speechless, as he tried to absorb what was happening around him. “Is that who I think it is?” she asked in an incredulous voice.

“I’m afraid so,” Ethan replied.

Ethan’s parents quickly joined us. Maureen’s “Are you okay, Ethan?” was echoed by the minister’s query of “Are you all right, son?” He reassured them he was fine.

In the meantime, the other agents were looking to us for some sort of explanation.

“Do you have any idea what’s going on?” Carlos asked.

 I pointed toward St. Clair with one hand and drew a circle by my head with the other. “She’s nuts,” I replied, although that wasn’t really an adequate explanation, was it? I turned my attention back to the curious tableau before us. The other person in the scenario, the one she’d addressed as Helen, had taken a protective stance by her side.

“What do you mean, audition?” Troy was saying.

The actress giggled, suddenly distracted by Brendan’s presence at Troy’s side.  “Hi Brendan!” She waved at him, and he managed a wave back. It occurred to me that perhaps he’d accompanied Troy to visit her, so she was undoubtedly aware of who he was.

“Carrie,” Troy attempted to get her to focus on his words. “Please tell me why you’re even here. And why did Marlene take your place in rehab?” He took one of her hands in his, as if to ground her.

“You know how this business is,” she said in a chipper voice. “Out of sight, out of mind. People forget you exist, and try getting any good roles then! I didn’t want to become a has-been, did I? And I was just languishing there, doing nothing, when I needed to be out there, working…”

Her voice trailed away as she glanced around her. Everyone was staring at her, for obvious reasons. Her glance lighted on me and she began to smile, even as she waved.

“Vinnie! I got you good, didn’t it? Admit it! You thought that Mangler guy was after you again, didn’t you? I scared the bejesus out of you, and you never knew it was me.”

I never wanted to hit someone as badly as I wanted to deck her, but my mother didn’t raise me to hit women. But my mouth sometimes worked faster than my brain, as I spat out, “You bitch!”

I was starting to believe she was indeed responsible for our ills, at least some of them. But her explanation was just not making sense.

 to be continued

Now go see what's up with the other Briefers!~

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

 

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #55 (11.5) by Julie Lynn Hayes

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

The fun continues at the Thorne residence! See what's happening in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Then go visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #55 (11.5)

“That sounds like fun,” Maureen said. “We wouldn’t miss seeing our boys’ film debut for the world.”

My heart warmed when Ethan’s mother included me in such a way. And then I realized she’d actually spoken for her husband as well, at least as far as accepting Troy’s generous invitation. Maybe things had changed for the better here, at least as far as they were concerned. Certainly not their oldest son.

More small talk was made, but it was getting late. I had a feeling little Alex was not one for sleeping in. On the other hand, I didn’t see Sarah cutting short this chance to be close to her idol any sooner than she had to.

But that also brought up the question of Troy and Brendan. Ethan and I exchanged glances and then looked toward our friends, who were doing the same. We all four rose at the same time.

“We’re going to stretch our legs, be back in a minute,” Ethan explained for his parents’ benefit. For a moment, I thought Sarah might join us, but she cast a quick glance up, as if listening for something, and then didn’t move. Probably making sure she could hear Alex if he needed something. She’s such a good mother.

We all trooped out onto the porch, taking up paired positions on the steps.

“Now that I have you all gathered here, I shall unmask the murderer!” Troy announced melodramatically. His words produced a laugh from all of us, but then we instantly sobered as we realized we didn’t really know what was going on here.

“I still don’t understand why someone told you to come here,” Ethan confessed. “But most of all, how did anyone know about my parents’ house? That has me more than a little worried.”

“Are you sure that nutjob is still safely put away?” I asked. I know I’d already asked him that, but who else would even connect us? Although that didn’t explain how she found out this address. But people with money have their ways.

“I’m sure,” Troy solemnly assured us.

“What about that Florida guy,” Brendan suggested. “You know, the Mangler.”

“I thought maybe he was threatening Vinnie,” Ethan admitted. “I even wondered if maybe he did have some kind of confederate who’s still on the outside. But even if he did, he wouldn’t know about us being friends with you guys. And he wouldn’t know about Uncle Benny.”

Absolutely nothing was making sense at this moment.

“I’m worried about you two,” Troy said. “That’s why we hightailed it down here. I’m glad you’re okay, yet I can’t help but feel something isn’t right, that you’re in some kind of danger.”

I could understand his feelings, since I happened to share those same concerns.

“How about if Bren and I go to a motel and come back tomorrow to make sure everything’s okay? I don’t want to impose on your mother or anything. How about I take us all about to breakfast?”

“I know someone who won’t complain about that,” I said, producing more laughter.

“Then I’ll tender an offer immediately,” Troy said. “Then we can get out of your hair. You’ll call us if anything happens, right?”

“You know we will,” Ethan replied and I nodded my agreement.

“Want us to take Benny with us?” Brendan asked.

“He should be okay with us,” Ethan said. “But I’ll ask my mom, just to be sure.”

As it turned out, Maureen said our pup was welcome, and we quickly assured her he was very housebroken, and we would make sure to walk him regularly. Of course, Sarah was disappointed to learn that Troy was leaving for the night, but her sorrow turned to excitement at the prospect of seeing him the next day and breaking bread with him.

This seemed to be a signal for the evening to conclude. Troy and Brendan said their good nights and headed out. Reverend Thorne announced his intention of retiring. I couldn’t help but notice the expectant glance he gave his wife.

“Good idea, it’s getting late,” she said, stifling a yawn.

Sarah yawned as well. “Sounds good,” she said. “I bet little man will be up early so he can play with puppy again.”

Final good nights were said and they all headed upstairs.

That just left the boys club, aka Ethan, Benny, Joey and me. Oh joy.

 to be continued

Now go visit the other Briefers and see what's up!

Cia Nordwell

 

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #54 (11.4)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Troy and Brendan have just arrived at Ethan's family's home and just as everyone is settled, in comes the minister. What will he have to say? See what is happening in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #54 (11.4)

Benny began to rise, no doubt with the intention of vacating his brother-in-law’s usual seat, but the minister waved him back down and made himself comfortable in the other armchair, closer to us. I know, shocking, right? And totally unexpected. Introductions were made, hands shaken, and we were just settling in… for what, I don’t know, as the sudden closing of the front door reminded me there was actually someone missing from this scenario. I confess I had completely forgotten about Joe Jr., but who could really blame me?

His sullen face soon appeared in the doorway as he glanced suspiciously at all of us. Like there was some kind of conspiracy going on, and he was the target. I had a feeling it was on the tip of his tongue to ask something like who the hell is this? But what little common sense he possessed—and the presence of his father, no doubt—gave him pause. He probably wanted to run, but realized there was nowhere to go other than back outside. But his father’s words quickly ended that avenue of escape.

“Come in, Joe, and meet our guests,” Joseph said in a tone that clearly indicated he would tolerate no nonsense from his oldest child.

Fresh introductions were made, but Joey didn’t seem singularly impressed. When he tried to complain that there were no seats to be had, his sister spoke up.

“There’s plenty of room on the floor.”

No arguing with that.

Joe Jr claimed a spot as far from everyone else as he could get, but that wasn’t saying much when there were so many of us. I couldn’t help but be amused at his antics, and I could see Ethan found him funny too. Not that we would ever say anything. At least not in front of everyone. In private was an entirely different matter. Although when we would have that private time was also a matter of conjecture. Certainly not that night.

“So, Troy, are you shooting something down here?” Sarah asked, her voice almost dripping with excitement. “Or maybe scouting out a location?”

Ever the gentleman, Troy replied, “They wouldn’t send me to do that. Not my area of expertise, I’m afraid.”

“You’re too modest,” Brendan spoke up, albeit softly. “You’re good at anything you choose to do.”

How cute was that? They were just adorable. I know Sarah thought so too, as I heard her squee quietly.

“Are you still working on that football film?” Ethan asked, which question produced a wince from yours truly. I couldn’t help but remember the little scenario related to that film that ended up with me being injured (entirely my fault) and Ethan inadvertently ending up in DC in the mist of a hostage crisis.

“It’s going into post-production,” Troy said. “Might have to re-shoot a scene or two, or do some dubs, but otherwise I’m done.”

“You ever going to tell me the ending?” I teased him with a playful grin. Brandon snickered, while Troy just shook his head.

“Vinny, you are incorrigible, aren’t you? And I think you know better than that. You’ll have to see for yourself.”

“What about that Civil War film?” Sarah asked. “I’ve been wanting to see that for some time. What’s the name? Oh yeah, Sweet Surrender. When’s that coming out?”

For a moment, I couldn’t place the title. And then I remembered. That stupid film with that stupid actress, she who doesn’t serve to be named. My arch nemesis. I couldn’t contain my scowl, but I bit my tongue and said nothing.

Ethan took my hand in his and squeezed tightly. He knew how upset I became at the mere mention of the woman.

“In the fall,” Troy replied. “I don’t know the exact date. I would love to have you all as my guests at the premiere.”

Oh goody. My enthusiasm knew no bounds. Of course Sarah, on the other hand, was extremely ecstatic. Especially when he added, “I bet you you won’t be able to find either Ethan or Vinnie in the film.”

“Say what?” Sarah turned startled eyes toward us. My scowl only deepened. “Are you telling me they’re both in your film?” Her question was aimed at Troy, of course, despite the death glare she was throwing our way.

“Oh yes, they both have small parts. I think Vinnie got a couple of scenes. Once as a soldier and once as a Southern belle during the reel scene.”

Oh Lord. I felt heat climb up my cheeks. Not that Ethan’s family hadn’t seen me in a dress, as they most certainly had. But not in hoop skirts. And certainly not on the big screen.

“I wouldn’t miss seeing that for the world,” Sarah said with what I felt was a malicious grin…or I could be reading into it.

Did Joe Jr. actually snicker?

to be continued

Go see what the other Briefers are doing!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb