Excerpts

WARNING!! This is first draft stuff. It has not been edited. Read at your own risk! (and don't tell me about it!)

These are not in order. I've just picked excerpts that I feel I can share. So, in no particular order:

Crazy Lady
I was so excited about leaving our crappy little townhouse. I just wanted out and never to look back. The neighborhood we lived in was never very safe, and I found the neighbors not to be too friendly. It always seemed to me that people were suspicious of each other.

And then there was the problem of the "crazy lady" who lived across the street from us. She did very strange things all the time. She liked to water her plants every day, no matter what season. I saw her one winter digging out her plants out of the snow and then bringing out her hose to water them.

But that was not the most disturbing thing about the "crazy lady". She had, I learned from another neighbor, several personalities living within that little brain of hers.

One day, she stood on her front porch and started yelling obscenities to no one in particular.

Then she would mutter something to herself and followed up the muttering with another "Fuck you!"

That same night after the obscenity yelling the cops arrived at her doorstep. Apparantly, she had called the cops on herself. She said she had heard someone yelling obscenities and she was afraid.

About a month after this incident, I notice a mini-van had pulled up to her driveway and blocked the driveway, as well as the car that stood in it. I wondered what was going on, so being the nosy neighbor I was, I watched. This very large woman of stern appearance got out of the mini-van and walked up to "crazy lady's" front door. She knocked loudly on the door. Now, usually crazy lady won't answer the door, but for some strange reason she answered it today. I overheard a bit of the conversation.

"Ms. Stovekoski? You are being served with papers concerning the custody of your daughter, Mary-Lou Stovekoski." The large lady then thrust a large pack of papers into crazy lady's hands and proceeded to walk back to her still-running van.

"Well, fuck you too." Said crazy lady and she slammed the door. I guess that crazy lady was going to be losing custody of her eleven year old daughter. And the better for the poor girl to be living with her father than this scary woman.

Not an hour later I heard intense screaming coming from crazy lady's house. I couldn't tell if she was actually screaming at someone, or just herself. Then, just as the screeming got even louder, I heard a huge smash and the front picture window that leads into her living room shattered into millions of pieces.

A chair had been thrown through the window and I could see crazy lady raging inside. By herself.

It took a few days before crazy lady boarded up that window. And then it took over a month before she had someone come into replace the window.

Almost as soon as the window was replaced, a handmade For Sale sign was nailed to the pathetic tree that stood in her front yard. I doubted that anyone would ever buy that sad house, and I was glad that my family and I now had the opportunity to leave that neighborhood.

Poker Game
"Well, I'm headed to the poker table." Jason announced. "Nothing like high stakes for me."

Suddenly I felt very uneasy about the whole situation. Derek and Jason playing poker against each other could not be a good idea.

The two men headed straight for the most expensive table on the floor. I wasn't even convinced that Derek knew how to play poker, let alone, win at it.

I told Derek I had to go to the bathroom, and that I would join him in a little bit. I just couldn't bear to watch the game, and I thought I'd buy some time by heading to the washroom. Paige came with me, and much to my displeasure, so did Korina.

Once we were in the ladies room, Korina started in on our attire once again. "I still can't believe you have a Von Staamp. And not only that, you have two! I'm so jealous of you two." She said to us.

I didn't want to tell her I knew she was jealous and that, really, I wished she would go away. Then she admitted something to me I found to be very strange. "Jason sleeps in the other bed, you know." She looked at me pointedly, as if it were my fault.

"Um, what do you want me to say?" I responded with. I really wasn't sure what she was trying to get at.

"I just wanted you to know, he's really not taking advantage of me. In fact, he completed admitted that he just wanted to come on this trip so bad, that he lead you and Derek to believe that he and I had become a couple so you'd feel comfortable with inviting us to come along."

"Why did he want to come on this trip so bad anyway?" I asked her. I looked into her dark brown eyes, outlined with perfect makeup trying to find an answer I had been seeking for so long.

"I don't know. But what I do know is that he's on his cell phone quite a lot saying things like 'no, I havn't been able to talk to him yet. Yes I will do it soon.' and stuff like that. I have no clue as to who he needs to talk to." She seemed to be telling me the truth, and I had no reason to believe otherwise.

"Well, I don't know either." I said, tying not to commit myself to too much. The three of us finally finished up in the bathroom, and we returned to the casino part of the party.

When we got back into the room, I noticed the dining room was being cleared, for I was sure, a dancing part of the party. I located the poker table that Derek and Jason were sitting at. At quick glance their piles of chips seemed to be the same, and then I noticed the small pile of $100 chips that Jason had moved over to the side. He was obviously winning more than Derek and my heart sank at the idea. I quietly sat down beside Derek and gave him a weak smile.

He didn't seem to notice that I was not too happy with the poker game. I watched them play for some time, and I watched Derek's pile of money chips get smaller and smaller. Fairly soon, I couldn't stand to watch any more, and I brought out a $1000 francs placing it on the table.

"But you don't know how to play." Derek whispered. It was obvious to me my husband was the one who didn't know how to play. I was fairly confident that the last hour I had just spent watching them play that I knew enough. And besides, I used to play with my friends when I was in college years before.

"Don't worry. Just play." I hissed at him, and I turned to give the dealer, the other players, and Jason a large smile.

Jason was smirking at me, as if he thought I couldn't play as well. This made me resolve to win at all costs, especially against him.

The dealer dealt me in, and we proceeded to play. I ended up winning the next 3 out of 5 hands. I looked at the other players and noticed I was the only woman playing at that table. I didn't think that seemed to matter, but it did appear that I was winning more than the others. I was able to suck some of the money that Derek lost to Jason away from Jason. I won so much from Jason, that his precious pile of $100 F started to dwindle. I was beginning to feel quite smug about my winnings until I lost one hand. It cost me almost $5000 F and it made my pile of chips decrease by half. And then we played the last hand for me that evening.

The dealer dealt the cards, one by one, to each player. I glanced over my shoulder, and notice that all my other friends had crowded around the table. I felt as if they were all rooting for me to win, and not Jason nor Derek. I smiled inwardly at the silent support.

I collected my cards and arranged them in my hand as I always did at the beginning of a round. I quickly glanced at the cards, noting the combination that I had, and calculating what I could bid. I paused to look at Derek and Jason's faces, and they both carried looks of stone. Poker faces, one might say. The bidding began.

A German man started the bidding with $100 F. Next, an obviously American man, dressed in business attire, raised by $150 F. The bidding came to myself, and I heard myself say raise to $500 F. Next, Derek and Jason both raised the bid. During the next round, both the German and American dropped out.

I called on the bid, and then Derek, looking rather sheepish, decided to fold as well. It was just Jason and myself. Jason sat, pondering his cards for just a single moment. And then, he did something strange. He took his watch off. I hadn't noticed it before, but his watch was a Rolex, and very expensive.

Jason proceeded to shove all of his chips and the Rolex into the middle of the table. "I raise you," He paused to count the chips "$7000 F plus this Rolex watch." There was a quiet gasp from the people surrounding our table. The dealer motioned for the pit boss to come an verify the authenticity of the watch.

After examination, the pit boss ok'd the bid and the dealer asked me for my response. I once again looked at my cards, and I felt confident I could beat that bastard. He was really beginning to piss me off, and I couldn't wait to see the look on his face when I won. I removed my engagement ring. It was the only piece of jewerely that I still wore from times when Derek and I were poor. I knew it had value, since Derek had told me it had been his Great Grandmother's and she had received it from a rich man. The diamond itself I'd had appraised soon after I'd won the money. It was valued at $3000 Canadian.

Derek saw me take off the ring and he whispered "Not your engagement ring!" He looked frightened. He also looked like he had no confidence that I would win. It looked like I was going to be showing up Derek as well. I ignored Derek's protests and placed the ring plus $8000 F into the middle of the table.

"Call." I said defiently. The pit boss, who hadn't left when he'd check the watch, picked up my ring and examined it with a jewelers glass. He pronounced the ring an appropriate bid and placed it back in the middle of the table.

Jason gave me a huge smile. "Think you've won, eh? Take a look." He produced his hand for all to see. He had a full house. Tens over threes. A very good hand. But I had one better and I delighted in showing Jason and the crowd my hand.

"I have a straight flush." I said to him and showed my hand, 6 of hearts to the 10 of hearts, all in a row. There was a collective gasp in the crowd. And then they started clapping. I couldn't believe I had just won, and I heard Derek let out an audible sigh of relief. Then he hugged me and quickly oppologised for doubting my poker ability. I felt great. I smiled as sweetly as possible as I raked in the winnings, including Jason's watch.

"No. I know when to quit." I said. "Besides, I think I'd like to do some celebratory dancing now. Come on guys!" I said as I slipped the watch on my wrist. Even though it was a man's watch, I just felt like I wanted to wear it. It was my winnings afterall.

When I was walking towards the dance floor, I took off the watch to have a look at it. As I turned it over I noticed an inscription on the back.

“Well, what are you up to for the rest of the day? It’s not like I’m allowed to go back to my room, or anything.” He said. He almost seemed happy to be getting rid of Korina.

“Don’t you think you should go an appologise to her?” I asked.

“Nah. It wasn’t working out anyway. I’d rather spend the time with you.” He said, leaning towards me, with a devilish grin on his face.

The warning bells in my head started ringing. But, for some reason, I just couldn’t resist his smile, and his dark, good looks. I should have left at that point, but I didn’t.

“I tell you what. I hear that’s there a wonderful horse and wagon ride that takes you around the resort. Do you want to go? The wagon holds more than just two, so we won’t be alone, if that’s your problem.” He added. “You could bring your camera…” He tempted me with the right thing.

“mmm, ok, I guess. You’re right, that I don’t want to be alone with you. But I do like the idea of the wagon ride. I’ll call Christine and see what the kids are doing.” I said. I noticed he seemed a little disappointed that the kids might come too. I whipped out my cell phone, and called the apartment chalet. Christine said the morning of tobogganing had completely wiped out the kids, and they were fast asleep in their beds. That just left Jason and I. I told Christine what I would be doing, and that she should call me on the cell if the kids needed me.

Jason helped me on with my coat, such a gentlemanly action, and I tried to ignore it. I dashed to my chalet to grab my camera and returned to meet Jason at the wagon stop. When I arrived, there was only another family of four, besides Jason waiting for the wagon.

“Ok, got the camera. Ready.” I said slightly out of breath. “How long do we have to wait?” I asked.

“Not long.” Jason said, pointing at the horse and hay wagon coming towards us. I took out my camera and took some photos of the horse. It was such a beautiful horse, a Clydesdale, very large, and very powerful. I almost was expecting the horse to be pulling a wagon filled with beer kegs instead of a wagon filled with hay and happy people.

The people off loaded the wagon, and it was our turn to get on. Jason tried to help me, by holding my hand, but I wouldn’t let him. Once we were all settled, we were off.

As we went along, a light snow started to fall. Once we were off the busy parking lot of the resort, and into a back road, it suddenly got very quiet, and very peaceful. The snow, lightly falling, gave me a feeling of tranquility, that I tried to remember for the future. I snapped pictures here and there. I was able to get some good photos of birds, perched precariously on thin branches, the snow swirling around them.

I turned to look at Jason. He look very handsome, just sitting there, enjoying the ride. I couldn’t resist the photo, so I took a picture of him, the snow framing his face, a dark blue toque on his head, black leather jacket and a black scarf wrapped around his neck.

“Smile.” I said to him as I aimed the camera. He looked at me, and smiled. But in his smile was more than just happiness. The smile almost said to me, that he knew a secret that I didn’t know, and he wasn’t going to share it. It surprised me, and I quickly went to taking photos of other elements of the landscape.

Jason was surprisingly a gentleman throughout the entire journey. He didn’t once make any off colour suggestions, and I was thankful. When the wagon ride was over, I let him take my hand as I got off the wagon.

“Well. I’m going to see if I’m allowed back in my room now.” He said to me. He didn’t even suggest that we have dinner together. I found this very odd behaviour for him, since previously he’d been so insistent that we spend time together.

“Ok. Whatever you like. Thanks for the wagon ride.” I said.

“Yeah, and thanks for letting me win my watch back. I know you are a better scrabble player than that. Remember we use to play in high school?” And as soon as he said that, I did remember, and I remember vividly beating him each and everytime. I guess I had sub-consciously lost, but not for the reasons he was thinking.

We parted company. I went to the photography store and left the photos I took that afternoon to be developed.

I dined with my family. I told them about the wagon ride and I said I’d take them on it before we left. Emily thought this was a grand idea, since she was expecting to be getting a horse at our home back in Canada.

After dinner I picked up the developed photos from the shop. As I thumbed through them, I found the one of Jason sitting on the wagon. He looked positively handsome, and yet there was something odd about his expression. I shrugged, and went on to the next photo. It was mainly of scenery, trees, snow, and… I had to look closer but there seemed to be something in the bush that I hadn’t noticed before. Was it a man? Yes, I had thought, it certainly looked like a man, dressed in camoflauge, and he had a camera. Pointed straight at me in the wagon.