He put out his hand and bowed slightly, assuming it would be expected when greeting an English girl. “Adriaan Hindrick Klass Van Cortland de Koningh III,” he said. Her reaction told him all he needed to know about his new house guest. “I’m twelve years old,” he added. Her expression changed not at all under… Continue Reading
Certain Liberties – Chapter One
Emily was a hostage. She could taste the stale air from heavy brocade draperies pulled shut to keep out the light; or perhaps to keep her in; she never knew which. They needn’t have bothered. The death rattle rumbling in her chest with every breath in and out guaranteed her submission and killed any hope… Continue Reading
Cold Feet- Christmas in Stowe
“I hate Christmas in New York.” My father muttered his message loud enough to be heard. My mother and I looked at each other, neither one of us able to pretend we were shocked by his Scrooge-like attitude. She winked at me. “No wonder,” she said, sympathetically. Even in the 1950’s, enjoyment of Christmas in… Continue Reading
“Crumbs!”
I’m not sure what my parents thought of my friends, but I did enjoy theirs and liked doing things with them. Dinner parties offered great opportunities for fascinating stories. I had no time to become bored, nor did I ever want to retreat from the adults. When their talk sounded like a foreign language, I… Continue Reading
Musical Muscle Memory
Ker-thump! Ker-thump! The same sound repeated over and over again with short breaks between percussions. The thump was loud enough to send a tremor through the floor. It reached out under the closed door to the music room, where Emily sat in the hall propped up with her legs sticking straight out in front of… Continue Reading
Hurricane Ginger
She always surprised. That first day I met her, she came up to me in the classroom, stood in front of me and said, “My name is Ginger.” I remember staring at her and mumbling, “It can’t be.” I thought ‘Ginger’ was what people named their cats, not their children. She was certainly new in… Continue Reading