Preparations for L.A.

by | Apr 19, 2012 | Creative Writing, Short Stories, The Cottage | 0 comments

Janice was meticulous in her preparations for her departure. She wasn’t going to take much with her to America. It was going to be a new start for her. A new life in a new country. She packed one small suitcase with all she would need for her first few days in L.A. Then she planned to go shopping. Oh how she would shop!

Her boss had wished her well when she handed her notice in, although she hadn’t left him much time to find a replacement. She hadn’t told him the real reason why she was going, just that she was leaving Tony and going to stay with relatives in Los Angeles. Robert was a little surprised, but he had sensed a change in Janice over the past few months. She had gone from being miserable and frequently bad tempered since she lost her baby a few months ago, to being happy and contrite over the past few weeks. Having a Pisces star sign governed by Mercury, Robert was very intuitive. He suspected that really there was a new man in her life. He started to muse about who it could be.

But it wasn’t his business. Janice had a mysterious smile on her face these days, and the musky smell of her new perfume was very enticing, even to him. Janice now had that tell-tale sort of glow about her that he recognised. Janice was obviously in love. Robert thought it was madness. Her husband Tony was his friend, and to all intents and purposes they looked like they had it all. A lovely thatched cottage in the country, with a beautiful garden, two almost new cars, and two exotic holidays every year. They had shared interests too, and as they both had musical talents, they enjoyed piano and violin sessions together, and both played in the local orchestra together. What more could a girl want?

Janice left work at lunch time on her last day. She had plenty of time to pack before Tony would be home from work, and her flight to Los Angeles was not until nine pm, but she had booked a manicure and a new hairdo. She wanted a real fresh start. Magenta wasn’t her usual colour, but she had bought a new suit in that colour, and wanted her nails to match.

She was home now, suitcase packed and downstairs in the hallway. She went back upstairs for a last look around to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. She had written a note to Tony. How could she just go, and leave a note? But she couldn’t face the argument she knew would follow, there had been enough of them in the past. She was just applying a miniscule amount of lip gloss when she heard Tony’s key in the lock.

What was he doing home so early?

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April Creative Writing homework – to write a piece using the words:- Madness, Magenta, Manicure, Mercury, Meticulous, Miniscule, Musky, Mysterious. Adapted to a Prequel to my other homework “The Mobile Phone” for my serial called “The Cottage“.

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