Moments for the Heart

Hello February. It has been cold here in South Texas the past week. Much more chillier than usual. I have found one device in my home that has aided in keeping warm. It was a Christmas gift that was supposed to help with back issues. It’s a heating pad. First of all, if you don’t recall, our home has tile flooring. So it stays chilly no matter where the thermostat is set. So, I am usually wrapped up in a throw, sitting at my kitchen table as I write. But I have realized this heating pad is multi-purpose. I have it resting across my lap on it’s low setting and it does wonders for the draft that permeates my home. I can now complete my assignments, edits, and write my WeWriWa snippets in comfort. I think even my characters have benefited from my new-found comfort.

But enough about me. Let’s get back to Stephanie and see how she is faring this week.

SYNOPSIS:

Stephanie Marshall is the owner of a successful Charlotte, NC writing firm. She and her staff advertise for some of the biggest names up and down the east coast. Even though the writer’s life is exciting, and her company is in demand, she struggles with the monotony of home life. Stephanie is on the verge of an affair and has chosen to take the next step in that relationship.

… And then there is Carter.

Our angelic friend is back, and he visits Stephanie to teach her three lessons about her life. One that involves her past, one about her present life, and one that will challenge her to the reality of the choices she makes.

SNIPPET:

Summary:
Last week we left Stephanie contemplating what she should about leaving town with Kenneth, her co-worker, for the weekend. She came to the conclusion that she wanted more adventure out of her life than her current home life was bringing.


First a bit from last time:

Stephanie rubbed the back of her neck. She could feel the tension; it ran down her arms into her hands. Standing, she paced her office, walked to the window, and looked at the passing traffic. So many people coming and going, oblivious to what she was going through. What was she going to do? She looked back at her phone, then to her office door. There was a decision to make, and since life was half about being as happy as you can make yourself, she chose to throw caution to the wind. Jason made her happy, but Kenneth made her feel wanted. And she had to explore that option. She just had to go home and grab a few things.



Now let’ get into our new snippet:

We are picking up right were we left off. Stephanie has left her office to go home and pack so she can head out on her trip with Kenneth. Let’s dive right in.

Stephanie swallowed hard when she saw Jason’s truck in the driveway. She thought this would be a quick grab-and-dash. Now she would have to face the man she was about to lie to. Either way, she had a plan. Over the phone or face to face, it had to be done. She parked her car, and by the warmth and engine pings of his truck, she could tell he had just arrived himself. Perhaps her ignored calls caused more of a reaction than she thought. But now it was time to put her plan into action. She drew a breath and walked through the door.

The house was silent when she entered. “Jason?” Stephanie called out.

He didn’t reply. Did he know? Was he waiting to confront her about with she was about to do?


There is your ten (or so). And now we continue on to finish out the scene:


“Jase? Where are you?” Stephanie didn’t see him in the kitchen or living room. The refrigerator cycled on, causing her to jump. She clenched her chest and shook her head.

The sound of a toilet flush came from upstairs. Stephanie rolled her eyes. She took another breath and headed upstairs, replaying her excuse in her mind.

“Jason?” she spoke to the running water as she climbed the stairs.

“Hey, Steph. I thought I heard you pull up,” he smiled as he turned to her, kissing her on the cheek.

“Yeah. I’m back. But not for long,” Stephanie handed him a towel.

“Thanks,” his brows furrowed. “Where you headed?”

“One of our clients is upset we were late submitting our article. It missed their printed release, and they are not happy campers. So, they’re threatening to cancel our contract.”

“Can they do that?”

“We failed to live up to our end of it. Unfortunately, they can. You know how it is with not performing as expected.”

Jason nodded.

“To prevent them from taking the weekend to think about it and having their minds made up Monday morning, I’m going down there to convince them we are serious about their business and to remain our clients. I figure a face-to-face meeting would be better than a phone call, or worse, a cold email.”

“That’s true. Seeing you in person will mean more. It’ll show them you are serious about their business.”

“They are my oldest client, Jase. I have to go. They’re in Wilmington, on the coast. So, I—”

“Steph, relax,” Jason said, raising his hands. “Go. I’m not stopping you.”

Stephanie realized she was pushing it and getting defensive. She relaxed her shoulders and headed into the closet for a suitcase.

Lying to Jason was easier than she thought it would be. With the three-hour drive, she said she might stay down there and get a hotel room rather than try to drive back and risk having an accident. Jason agreed. She then blamed Kenneth for the foul-up to push attention away from him rather than draw attention to him. Stephanie vented to the clothes and suitcase as she spoke. Jason remained in the room. She felt she would be fine if she didn’t have to make eye contact.

Oh, boy. Stephanie’s hole seems to be getting deeper. She thought she would come home to an empty house and make a quick get away. Now she has to lie to Jason’s face, making matters worse. But how much will this cost her in the end?


Join me next week and we will see how far Stephanie is willing to take this. How much hold does Kenneth really have on her?

God bless you faithful Weekend Writing Warriors. Talk to you next time. Scroll to see my current set up. 😀

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Monday is Memory Monday
We remember an important event that occurred on that Monday or sometime that week.

Tuesday is Two Twenty-Two Tuesday
A weekly vlog where I talk about writing or something that’s been on my heart, all in two minutes and twenty-two seconds.
This is posted on my YouTube channel.

Wednesday is when I will post my blog for the week.
I speak from my heart on various topics from writing to faith.

Thursday is This or That Thursday
A weekly two-option poll that raises the question, do you like this, or do you prefer that?
I host this on this on Twitter, IG, and Facebook.

Friday is Fun Fact Friday
I find and share interesting or obscure facts on my pages.

Saturday is for Weekend Writing Warriors
Saturday is for Snippets from a current piece or past work.

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THIS WEEK’S WRAP-UP

Thanks for reading this week. The writing client whom I said woke up last week found a cave to go back to sleep in. I barely heard a peep out of other than to ask for tax info to send me my 1099. Seasons come and seasons go. Praying for a more plentiful harvest this coming week. Just glad we got our return this past week. Yeah, he had asked me for the info, after I had already filed and received my return. But all of that was already worked out because all of that is handled through UpWork. He just has to send it to me for tax purposes. Y’all know how all of this goes though with your businesses, though. I’s dotted and T’s crossed.

Here is my set up with me and my now body warmer. AND the dreaded ice box tile flooring I must deal with. — The paint scars are from Carolyn. She paints, and is pretty good. I shard her stuff here from time to time.
You also know her from the covers to the Little Reminder series. She painted them.




Have a blessed week everyone.

In His Exciting Service,

Jeff S. Bray

Check out amazing established and emerging writers at Weekend Writing Warriors. Each week we post new snippets from either published works or works in progress for each other to comment on. Gain insight into how the mind of a writer works and a behind-the-scenes look at works before they hit bookstands everywhere.