The Disastrous Betrayal - Fiction Friday (on Saturday)

The story of the Spinster house: The House, The Couple, Another meeting, The Shop and Anna's last year.

Anna's Last Year - Part II: The Disastrous Betrayal

Richard's bellow reverberated through the offices and down the hall where Anna was filling her "I heart dog kisses" coffee mug.  She had never heard him yell, let alone in the office, and let alone her name.

She set her mug down n the counter and turned.  None of her movements were hurried, but she was soon heading back down towards Richard's office closer to the back of the floor.  Anna cast a quick look at a few co-workers with a raised brow as if to say "Do you know what's going on?" but each of them met her eyes with confusion.

Even as Richard's legal assistant, it was unprofessional for him to bellow at her. As Richard's girlfriend, it was inexcusable.  Anna stopped in the entryway to his office as his secretary, Rhonda, slipped by her with her head down and eyes glued to the floor.

Richard appeared uncommonly frazzled. His otherwise impeccable suit was disheveled and his tie was askew. Anna entered the office and asked "What is it, Richard?"

He looked up, tension marring his handsome face and spewed "I can't find it!" He grasped a large file in one hand while he pushed through piles of paper with the other.  His normal calm demeanour gone, he continued. "It was here.  The Jones file was here yesterday and now it is gone. I have to be in a meeting with them in 20 minutes.  Rhonda can't find it. I can't find it."

Anna knew how important the Jones file was for Richard's career.  She had helped him research and gather documents for weeks in preparation for today. In fact, she had made sure it was all in place the night before she went home.  Anna stepped closer to the desk and to calmly go through where he had seen the documents last.

Richard spun to face her, "What did you do with them? I know you had them last. You've always been so damn jealous of my career. You knew what this would do to me!" Anna sputtered at the accusal. Richard picked up his office phone and ordered security to come to his office.

"I want you out of here. Now. Go pack you things. I knew I could never trust you."

That was how Anna got to the place of walking down the long hallway to the elevator flanked by security.  She waited to let the tears fall until she was safely behind the doors of the elevator. She felt stunned by the accusal that she would have done something wrong, but also by the change in Richard's demeanor. He hadn't even allowed her to speak!

Anna got into her car and drove towards her condo. She would give him time to cool down, she decided.  Time to find the files, realize she had nothing to do with them missing, and to come to her and apologize.  She would wait for him to come to his senses.

She waited a week. All she received was a termination letter and her last paycheque.

It was over.

Next: Hope's Journal

Anchor -- Four years of love: Post from the Past

I thought this post was fitting for this week. Today is our 4 year anniversary.  I wrote this 2 1/2 years ago on March 29, 2011. Since then, The Guy has become more to me than I could have even imagined.  Four years of marriage has been an adventure.  I'm thankful he came into my life every day. 

******************************

Four years ago in February, I was sitting alone in my house.  I had three dogs, two sisters, and no direction.  I realized that the men I had dated were not what was good for me and I was going to have to do something differently if I wanted to change that.  I signed up for Lava Life the next day.

I knew if I didn't, I was going to live in the spinster house forever.

After chatting with a few different people, I ran across Woodrow (later know to you as The Guy).  His comments were witty, his grammar decent and his picture flattering.  We decided to meet for coffee to see if the online matched with the real life.

Here is an account of our first date.

Thankfully, we continued to see each other.  Each date was better than the last.  Although, there was a brief hiccup when a friend teased me about our upcoming third date so much I got a migraine from the worry that The Guy would be angry if I didn't put out.  (Just so you know: I didn't and he wasn't.)

It was our fifth date that I knew I was done for.  We walked across the room and he gently rested his hand on my lower back.  Right then, I was caught.  The thought of being without him was more than I could bear, so I knew I had to keep him.

I'm so very glad I did.

He has become my court jester, my champion, my mind reader, my best friend.

Now, if only he'd be my Sugar Daddy too.

Ahoy Matey: Pirate Beards

I'm not sure if you know, but tomorrow is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Why do I know this? Well, because I got married on Sept 19 and was immediately regaled with friends and family "Ahoy"ing and "Argh"ing all over the place. 

Sigh. 

However, a year or two ago, a teacher friend was putting on a school play about pirates. She asked me to make some pirate beards for each colour of pirate in the play.  Finally, a great reason to put my pirate knowledge to good use.

I made 9 beards (see them all here) of all types and colours. It was the most fun I've had in a long time. I've shared them before here and there because I love showing them off.  In honour of my 4th ITLP Day, I wanted to show them to you.  

A small sample of my favourite beards

The beards were a big success and I have had orders for big and little kids alike. I've made them for adults attached to their winter hats and I've made them for my nephews (B's 3) for Christmas. They often play Hunting for Treasure, so I was happy to make them something I knew they would love.  Even if only for a little while.

I've decided that, for one of our anniversary parties, I will someday throw a Pirate party. What a better way to celebrate a happy occasion and a wonderful non-holiday? A new friend has been very kind and gathered all the things I will need to know when I plan our 5 Year Anniversary Pirate Party next year.

I'm sure The Guy will be thrilled.

*******************
If you want to order a beard for your very own, you can contact me: 
email  or  Etsy 

And the winner of the coffee cozy is... Scott A.!

Last week, I started my first give away for a coffee cozy.  There was a great turn out and I could not have been happier!

Yay for Scott!

I meant to do this early this morning so no one was waiting anxiously, but I wasn't organized enough to do it.  So here it is.  The winner is Scott A!!

I have emailed Scott and let him know he won.

Scott is a great guy.  He stumbled on my old blog after I had already closed it down and he tracked me to FB. I read his posts with great enjoyment and have enjoyed getting to know him (albeit across the ocean!) I could not be more thrilled.

Now, don't despair!  You too can have your very own coffee cozy.  Check out my Etsy page Knit Monkies and order one.  Don't see what you like? Email me at bronwyn(dot)maybe(at)gmail(dot)com and I will make you one to your specs.

Otherwise, stay tuned.  Next give away will be in time for Christmas!

Would I lie to you?

I'm a pretty open person. I've never had a personal thought I haven't felt the need to share with someone. I will tell you about all the dumb or mean things I've done. I will tell you about the time I nearly pooped in public. I have no shame nor privacy.

Tomorrow, I am going to have to test that.

In attempting to broaden my career, I have applied for a job that requires more screening than the CIA and all the airports in the world. It seems to be a thousand step process and I am enjoying them all so far. I do appreciate they do not want bad people working for them and I have no problem submitting to all their questions and things.

So, when I answered the 31 page questionnaire asking about all the bad, dumb, illegal, and/or immoral things I'd ever done, I thought "I can do this! I tell people this without them even asking!"

I did not do this graffiti.

And so tomorrow, I will be hooked up to a polygraph and I will share my deepest secrets with a stranger. For 6 hours.

Now, you think you're an open person until you start thinking for weeks about the questions they asked and how you will have to admit to the bad and/or illegal things you have ever done all while being judged if they are too bad for you to work with the public.

I will have to look a complete stranger in the eye and talk about the time I stole a pad of paper when I was 17. Not to mention other things I do not plan to mention on this site or anywhere else because I didn't know it was bad and it's super embarrassing that it was bad and I will have to tell this stranger all about it.  Awesome.

I expect I will be mortified throughout the entire process and will never share anything with anyone again. I think the only one who will be relieved by that will be The Guy.

Anna's last year: Fiction Friday

The story of the Spinster house: The House, The Couple, Another meeting and The Shop. 

Chapter 4: Anna's last year (Part I)

When Anna got back to the house, she was ready for a little alone time.  Spending time with Zoe was fantastic, but being reminded of her Aunt Hope was weighing on her.  Anna still felt guilty for not coming to help when Hope called.  She knew Hope had understood, but her illness and subsequent death followed so quickly afterward that Anna could not help but feel responsible.

Anna was greeted at the door by a wiggly Trouble clutching a ragged stuffed monkey in his mouth.  His entire body shook with joy at having Anna back again as though he had been without her for years rather than mere hours.  He turned his head away from her as she reached for his toy. Trouble never wanted her to play with the monkey, he just wanted to show it to her so she knew she was accepted with his prized possessions.

Soon Trouble was wiggling for another reason.  Putting her purse down, she walked through the house to the back door where she would let him into the yard.  He set his monkey down gingerly by the step and raced outside as though experiencing freedom for the first time.  Trouble was a blur of black fur as he ran from corner to corner of the yard barking at squirrels and letting his presence be known.

Anna smiled and turned back to the kitchen.  She started the kettle for tea and went back to the entry way to retrieve her purse.  On the way, she looked about the house which was half unpacked and still a mess of opened boxes. Though she was starting to feel more settled here - in The Spinster House, she thought wryly - she was instantly reminded of the reason she came back.

*********
2 months prior

The box weighed her down despite having very little in it but for an African violet, a silver framed picture of herself and her sisters, and her ceramic coffee cup in the shape of a dog. Gravity pulled the box further into her arms as she walked slowly down the hallway that seemed to stretch endlessly before her.

Coworkers watched in silence as security walked just behind her as policy dictated. They glanced away quickly as Anna met their eyes, her head held high despite the overwhelming feelings swirling around her mind. Disbelief warred with panic and shame for top contender as she left the office of her dreams for the last time.

Anna had known getting involved with her boss was a bad idea. He was too handsome, too suave, and too influential on her career.  However, he was relentless and soon she agreed to have dinner with him. She was pleasantly surprised by their easy conversation and the smooth transition into a real relationship.  Six months in, Anna was head over heels and assumed Richard was as well.

He had certainly acted the part. Gifts, flowers, fancy suppers, and late night phone calls.  She had even met his parents on more than one occasion.  Any worry she had of problems at the office was gently deflected by elegant words and assurances.  Anna may have been his legal assistant, but Richard was a professional and an up-and-coming lawyer in line for partnership, he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize either of their careers.

When Aunt Hope had called and requested Anna come back to run the shop, Anna was happily in love and at the top of her career. She was respected, adored, and working 60 hour weeks.  Anna thought she had made the right decision until the week that blew everything apart.

Who knew one legal document misplaced would ruin a career, a relationship, and a future proposal?

Next: The Disastrous Betrayal

I MayB dog tired

Anyone who knows me knows I work shift work.  Each week is a new set of shifts to make my own personal time zone. I've always said it's like I've been jet-lagged for 14 years.

Add that to the fact I have never been a good sleeper and I am a bit of a zombie.

This does not stop me from trying to be über productive even when I'm on nights like I have been this week.  I seem to think scheduling something in the middle of my "night" is a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

I am not very bright.

This week, because I picked up an extra shift, I will work 5 night shifts in a row.  Every single day I have had an appointment some time in the middle of the afternoon.  Something I could not possibly move or miss or sleep through.

Did I mention I'm starting to see things?

Not really, but you get my point.

Today. TODAY. Today is the first day of 4 where I will be able to sleep for as long as I want to. I can lounge in bed with the dog while he gets his second full night's sleep (he's like a Hobbit with breakfasts. Second bedtime is his favourite) and I can sleep and sleep and sleep.

Napping with his favourite chew bone. If he could do both, he would.

Don't be alarmed if you can hear snoring.