No Love, No Tears, No Pain, Etc.

This week's Trifecta Writing Challenge is to come up with 33 words about love gone wrong; however, the piece cannot include the following words:

love, sad, tears, wept, heart, pain

Here are my 33:

Whispers yell
Rumors swell

My past sin
Your chagrin

Passion wanes
Our knot strains

Your mistrust
Breeds my lust

"Lock the door,
Paramour"

You suspect
I deflect

And you stay
While I stray

A Melt With Three Sides

William’s already working when I arrive. I take my place across the table and start stuffing fliers. He flashes that smile—the one that always manages to melt my insides. Geez, I sound like a lovesick schoolgirl.

I love the way William clears his throat to fill awkward silences. I love that he goes by his full name, not Will or—Lord help me—Billy. I love that he cares enough about animals to volunteer at the Animal Rescue League. And, on a purely shallow level, he’s freakin’ hot.

We have a connection. I think. On the way over here, I talked myself into making a move. Ugh! Can't do it.

 *

I worked with Jordan today. It could be wishful thinking, but I feel such a connection. Sometimes the feeling is so strong I want to scream, “Hey, let’s do this thing!” I can barely stand when there’s silence, because the urge is overwhelming.

Besides being drop-dead gorgeous, Jordan has the biggest heart. And I'm a total sucker for the brown hair/blue eyes combo. We have so much in common.

Every time we work together, I leave pissed off at myself for letting another opportunity pass. Why can't I just grow some balls? I’m scared to put myself out there again, that’s why. But I can’t go on like this much longer.

 *

“Oh, those kids,” I groan under my breath as the last volunteer walks out the door. “Gah!”

“Who?”

“William and Jordan.”

“Still no progress, huh?” Jan, my co-volunteer coordinator shakes her head, chuckling. “Maybe we outta lock them in the storeroom. Remember that game Seven Minutes in Heaven?”

“I really thought William would make a move today. He seemed like he was working himself up to it.”

“Just keep scheduling them together, Cupid,” she says. “If something’s there, it’ll happen.”

I scoop up the stuffed envelopes, turn off the coffee pot, and grab my jacket and purse.

“I don’t know,” I sigh. “One of those boys seriously needs to man up.”

#

I woke up with this story in my head. Usually my first thought is about some crappy crap I have to do, so this was a much nicer start to my day. And the prompt word seemed to fit well. Oh, and may I please have extra credit for making each perspective 111 words? Thank you kindly.

This week's Trifecta Writing Challenge: The entry must be 33-333 words and include the word "melt" as defined below:

MELT

to make tender or gentle. SOFTEN

Word count: 333

Their Spot

This weekend's Trifextra Writing Challenge is to come up with 33 words inspired by the photo below. Restrictions: no creepy, dark stuff allowed.

 

Read about this amazing photo project: http://eirikso.com/2011/01/04/one-year-in-one-image/

Leaves snapped beneath them.
"Can I see you again?" He asked.

Snowflakes poured through unadorned branches.
"I'm pregnant," she announced.

Warm rain danced against the white tent.
"I do," their baby girl vowed.

The Only Love Story You'll Ever Read with the Word "Excrement" in It

Once upon a time there was a giant named D. He lived in the kingdom of Iowa. The kingdom was divided into two areas: Farmland and Everywhere Else. D lived in Farmland where stars shine brightly, corn stalks scrape the sky, and the air smells of pig excrement.

The giant often fantasized about what lie beyond Farmland's gravel roads. 

"Son, you must never enter Everywhere Else," his father cautioned. "The air is full of smoke and the people eat frozen vegetables."

Still, D felt destined for the land of mega-malls and mini-marts. He knew his father could never grasp this yearning. So one night D packed his chewing tobacco and snuck away to Everywhere Else. 

Life in Everywhere Else was certainly different. D would go entire days without ever encountering an animal. The people were the biggest surprise. They weren't just white; they were black and brown, too!

D the giant was lonely. He decided to seek the heart of a fair maiden. He considered the friendly lass who often stood on the corner, but he wasn't absolutely sure she was indeed female. He had almost given up on love when he met I.

D regaled I with stories of cow inseminations. I captivated D with tales of buying milk from a store. D was besotted. He didn't care that she couldn't tell a tractor from a combine. But what would his father think of the short, black maiden from Everywhere Else?

D brought I to meet his father. The people of Farmland were somewhat taken aback that she didn't own a single pair of cowboy boots. But they quickly accepted I, and D's father gave them his blessing.

D and I married and had two beautiful children, one of them a giant like his father. They moved to the kingdom of South Carolina, where they speak a strange new language, y'all, and consume mass quantities of a mystical potion called sweet tea.

And they all lived happily ever after

#

This week's Trifecta writing challenge: The entry must be 33-333 words and include the word "grasp" as defined below:

GRASP
to lay hold of with the mind : comprehend

Word count: 333

A Reel Love Story

Our family loves movies. We have weekly movie nights. The family calendar includes theatrical release dates. So, as you can probably imagine, the Academy Awards are a huge deal in our house. We fill out ballots in advance and let the kids stay up to watch the telecast. We trash talk when our picks win and hold grudges when a favorite nominee loses. (Meryl Streep over Viola Davis? Are you freakin' serious?!)

Since movies are such a big part of our lives, I decided to compose a valentine to Hubs incorporating titles of Best Picture Oscar winners throughout history. So, grab some popcorn, silence your cellphone, and enjoy the show.

Dear Hubs,

I'd pretty much given up on love when It Happened. One Night I went on my first ever blind date, not expecting a whole lot. You see, I hadn't had much luck in the dating department. I’d had my share of Dances With Wolves in sheep's clothing. Once I met you, though, things seemed to finally be Going My Way. On our second date, I knew you were "the one." When we kissed goodnight, I swear I heard The Sound of Music.

I fell faster than the Titanic. I didn’t tell you this, of course. But, if you’d asked me to, I would’ve followed you Around the World. In 80 Days or so, you moved in with me. (It was a good thing, too, because The Apartment you lived in was a dump.) We moved lightning fast, but when you know, you know, right? And then, just one month later, you risked The Sting of rejection and asked me to be your wife. They say it’s good luck if your wedding day brings Rain. Man, we must really be lucky. It snowed on that sunny April afternoon as we vowed to be one From Here to Eternity.

We had A Beautiful, Mind-altering honeymoon. We didn’t stay at some Grand Hotel. That’s not our style. We went on our first Disney cruise and visited Disney World. Nine months later, our honeymoon souvenir arrived: a bouncing baby boy. A couple years passed, and then we added a baby girl to our family. With two little ones, our carefree days were Gone With the Wind.

Marriage isn’t easy. We’ve seen many a union Crash and burn, but that won’t happen to us. Sure, we've had Rocky patches. After all, we’re just two Ordinary People with plenty of faults and quirks. As you know, putting up with me requires a Braveheart and a lot of patience. We have our disagreements, but no problem goes unresolved; no mistake is Unforgiven. As The Artist, Auguste Renoir, once said, "The pain passes and the beauty remains." The obstacles we've overcome in our marriage have strengthened our bond.

I think the secret to our success is that we don’t take each other for granted. We let the other know we care daily—be it with Terms of Endearment or a simple “I love you.” We’ve also never lost our passion. In the Heat of the Night we still have that heat (wink, wink). If you ever stop Patton my rear end when I walk by, I’ll know we’re in serious trouble.

Honey, you’re my Million Dollar Baby ... because that’s how much life insurance I have on you. Aww, come on; you know I’m kidding. I wouldn’t trade what we have for all the money in the world. I mean, money is nice, but You Can’t Take It With You. A love like ours is forever.

We've had 15 amazing years together, but I believe The Best Years of Our Lives are yet to come. Happy Valentine’s Day to my one and only leading man!

XOXOXO

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