Archive for Serial Stories
The Mission: I Ginny, take thee Elijah (part 19 and The End)
Wedding receptions normally come after the ceremony. In the event of Ginny and Elijah’s wedding, it came first. It was after all, a New Year’s Eve party too. The ball room sparkled with snowy white linens and flowers, touched in silver and gold. Tall candelabra stood on each table surrounded by mounds of white flowers. […]
Badger Creek
Badger Creek, in happy geographic serendipity, lies on a nearly-perfect north–south axis atop a gentle rising mound near the edge of the caprock. It’s a split in the earth—a closed canyon—but more like the crack in a cake that rose too fast from baking in a too-hot oven. At the north end of the split, […]
The Superintendent of Badger Creek ISD
Orlando Bara was tired and getting impatient, waiting on the wooden bench outside the superintendent’s office. He stood up and walked around a bit, looking at the school photos on the walls and watching the secretary, as she watched him back. On the counter he saw a newspaper. “Can I see this?” he asked. “You […]
The Mission: Homecoming (part 18)
Larry Gregg brought home two surprises for Ginny. The first was Elijah, who hitched a ride with the Admiral on a transport out of Langley AFB to Ellington Field. Ginny didn’t spot Elijah right away; she was busy hugging her father, who spun her round and round, then stopped her right in front of Elijah […]
The Mission: Oh What a Night (part 17)
The clock on the microwave said 2:14, and Georgina Gregg stood barefooted in the dark kitchen, wolfing down a banana and drinking a glass of cold water. She debated over a handful of cookies, and just after compromising on two cookies, the front door shattered and a man kicked his way into the living room. […]
The Mission: Honeymoon Plans (part 16)
“Ginny sweetheart,” started Elijah, “Where would you like to go for a honeymoon? I’ve been visiting with travel agents, and none of their suggestions seem quite right.” “I have a little travel trailer. We could take it anywhere. It’s a shame we can’t pull it with the Dragonfly!” Ginny laughed. “If my parents weren’t staying […]
The Mission: Reality Check (part 15)
“I can’t believe you want me to pick out the china,” said Elijah. “And crystal too,” said Ginny. “Tell me again why I need to do this?” “Because I’ve picked out everything else, including cookware and linens.” “Towels! I could pick out towels. White!” “Too late. Come on Eli. I trust you. Men always complain […]
The Mission: The Girls (part 14)
“I don’t know why you have to choose,” said Sandy Madden. “Wear the 1920s wedding dress for the New Year’s Eve party, then change into this dress for the marriage ceremony.” “I agree,” said Georgina. “It’s perfect.” Ginny had bought the dresses when she found them one day in a Houston resale shop. Both dresses […]
The Mission: Georgina Gregg (part 13)
Fifteen days after Ginny called her parents in Belgium to tell them she was engaged and getting married, Georgina Gregg flew home. She stopped for a few days on the east coast, to see Ace and meet Elijah, then flew into Houston with a total lack of fanfare. “Ginny darling!” Ginny stepped to the side […]
The Mission: Ginny Makes a Promise (part 12)
It took all her courage to telephone Eli, so when his answering machine picked up and demanded that she leave her name and phone number, she did precisely that and nothing else. She was still holding the phone a few moments later when it buzzed in her hand. “Hello, this is Ginny.” “Ginny! I was […]