Crocodile tears

December 9, 2013December 29, 2013 ~ Tara R. ~ 41 Comments

“You can stop the crocodile tears. You know whining gets you nowhere with me.” I try to keep my voice even, not needing to share our conversation with my fellow cafe denizens. All I want is a quiet morning to just sit and sip my latte. “This is settled. I’m not arguing with you.” Holding … Continue reading Crocodile tears

Cheers

December 2, 2013December 3, 2013 ~ Tara R. ~ 20 Comments

It was a time-honored rite of passage. The Shapiro men all had their first drink together at the Xavier Club. A snifter of fine, aged brandy to commemorate 21st birthdays and the official beginning of adulthood. This night Trey, Harold Matthew Shapiro III, was being feted. His grandfather and father raised their glasses for the … Continue reading Cheers

Into the light

November 30, 2013January 7, 2015 ~ Tara R. ~ 27 Comments

Finally, after meager years lost in the wilderness, Willys and his family escape the pinewood jungle. Squinting against dazzling sunlight, they face an unfamiliar and frightening world. Turning ‘round, they return to Shangri-La. NaBloPoMo 30/30

Dream lover

November 26, 2013 ~ Tara R. ~ 12 Comments

The shrill bleating of the smoke detector woke me from a deliciously salacious dream. Of course, as my syrup-thick brain swam up through a deep sleep, I didn’t immediately realize the sound was a fire alarm, and not the enthusiastic cries of my REM lover. My husband didn't believed that my nocturnal ecstasy was purely … Continue reading Dream lover

Five more sleeps

November 19, 2013November 19, 2013 ~ Tara R. ~ 23 Comments

Steel-toed Timberlands made a distinct sound on the concrete floor - an ominous click amplified by the three-story open ceilings. At random intervals, the guard raked his club across cell bars, adding to the cacophony of jailhouse night noises. After months of confinement, I became accustom to the endless discord. It was my heartbeat, my … Continue reading Five more sleeps

Gone fishin’

November 12, 2013January 6, 2015 ~ Tara R. ~ 13 Comments

The teenagers took a break from their digging. Using the old shovels they took from their grandpa’s tool shed as levers, they climbed out of the waist-deep hole. They tossed the shovels across mounds of loose dirt, then found shade under a spreading oak. Sprawling out on the soft grass, Joss pulled his dusty T-shirt … Continue reading Gone fishin’