🙂 Tuesday = #Blogbattle
I haven’t joined in for a couple of weeks again, oh how I’ve missed writing, nonetheless, excited to be back at it!!
#BlogBattle is a weekly short story challenge using a single word for inspiration. Hosted by the talented Rachael Ritchey. Feel free to join in, or click here to read the current week’s stories and vote for your favorites.
This week’s word: Chasm
Genre: Romance
The Next Step
Even though it is her day off, Nita goes in early to her Hair Salon. Her younger sister Kaycee is in town, and will be in later. Whenever Kaycee is in town, Nita schedules her for a color, cut, style, manicure and a facial. Kaycee gets some pampering, and Nita savors the time spent with her sister.
She walks in and is greeted by her business partner, Michael, “Morning Honey Bun, I didn’t expect to see you here this early. What time is Kaycee coming in?”
“Hey Michael. She’ll be in once she rolls out of bed, probably around 10 or 10:30. I thought I’d come in and catch up on some paperwork.”
“I left the inventory sheets on your desk. I see she still lives the charmed life, is she still seeing the same guy?”
Nita says with a sigh, “Yes…Only my sister would find a guy who seems to have walked off the page of a romance novel.
Michael holds up the palms of his hands and shakes his head with a look that asks, what does that mean?
“You know, over six feet tall, rich, unspeakably handsome, with six-pack abs. Well…I can’t verify the six-pack abs, but you know what I mean.”
“No, Sweetpea, actually I don’t. I don’t read romance novels, and I haven’t seen the guy.” Just then a timer rings, and Michael is out the door to tend to his client.
Once Nita is done with her paperwork, Kaycee comes in around 10, with her Grande Mocha Latte. Michael greets her by wrapping her in a big hug, “Hello Gorgeous, is that man of yours spoiling you rotten?”
“He certainly is Michael,” as she welcomes the hug. She steps back, with a gleam in her eye and a playful laugh she adds, “But I’m sooo worth it.”
Michael squeezes her shoulders and says, “You certainly are, Beautiful, and never forget it. You look fabulous!!”
Nita has all the supplies ready when Kaycee sits down in her chair. Not only does Kaycee get highlights in her naturally blonde hair, but she also adds some lowlights. It’s a process, yet there will be no break in their conversation once they get started.
Kaycee sits down, and takes a sip of her Starbucks, with concern in her voice she says, “I had that same dream again last night.”
Michael walks up just as she says it, and asks, “What dream?”
Kaycee lets out a breath and explains, “I’ve had this dream several times now. It’s a bright sunny day and I’m walking through this big grassy field, and just as I’m about to walk forward, a big chasm opens up in the ground. Then this wooden bridge appears over it, like I can safely walk across it, but the bridge disappears into the clouds and I can’t see what’s on the other side.”
With a hand raised Michael questions, “A chasm? Don’t you sound all smarticle.”
With wide eyes Kaycee exclaims, “I know right!!” With a shrug she confesses, “I have a word of the day app…it was my word yesterday.”
“Ah…gotcha.” Michael nods and points a finger at her. “So what does this dream mean?”
“I have no idea.”
“Sit tight Chica, I can help. Well…my friend Jasmine can help, she has this uncanny ability to interpret dreams…she’s pretty much always right. Oh, and when’s your birthday? She’ll ask me that for some reason.”
“March 16th.”
“Got it, let me give her a call.”
Nita continues working, but assures Kaycee, “I forgot about Jasmine, Michael has told me how she can interpret dreams.”
Michael comes back and as he sets up his workstation for his next client, he reports, “OK. So. Jasmine says that it’s the fear of taking the next step in your life. She asked if you were in a relationship, and said that your boyfriend probably wants to take the relationship to the next level.”
Kaycee raises her hand to her mouth, and with her eyes as wide as saucers she says, “OMG that’s amazing!! That’s it!! Julian has been making more comments about us living together, and then the other night we even talked about marriage, just in a general sense, like ‘at what age do you see yourself getting married’ kind of stuff.”
Excited, yet a little concerned, Nita asks, “So what did you tell him? Does he know about your past, and about Kevin?”
Kaycee replies. “Yes, I told him all about Kevin. Like I said, it wasn’t like a deep conversation. But for me, I’ve really been thinking about it lately. That’s probably the reason for the dream.”
“So do you see a future with Julian? Are you ready for that yet?” Nita inquires without interrogating.
“Actually, Nita, I think I am. It seems the more time I spend with him, the less doubts I have.”
As if on cue, Kaycee’s phone chirps with an incoming text message. “It’s a text from Julian.” Her smile could not get any brighter.
“Of course it is.” Nita mumbles good-naturedly.
“Ohhh….look.” Kaycee mewls as she holds up her phone for Nita to see.
Hope you are having fun. It doesn’t
matter what your sister does to your
hair, you’ll always be beautiful to me.
Miss you.
“Let’s cut your hair off and dye it green, and see what he says then!!” Nita jokes.
“Not funny!!”
As Nita puts the finishing touches on Kaycee’s hair, she says, “Kaycee, you are a beautiful woman, but you’re also smart, confident, funny, and you have a big heart. You deserve to be loved by someone who loves you for all those things, and I believe Julian does, he’s a great guy.”
Kaycee jumps out of the chair, and wraps Nita in a big hug, “Thanks Nita, I love you.”
“Love you too.” As Nita steps back, she takes her sister by the shoulders and turns her to face the mirror, “But for the record, now that I’m done with you, you’re breathtakingly beautiful.”
🙂 997 words!!
©2016 Carrie Ann
Carrie Ann Alexis 