A FOOL'S FOOL by Sandra K Marshall
Pranks are carried too far.Kathy O'Reilly, a strong-willed woman doesn't allow men to walk over her or anyone else. When one of the co-owner's of Gagsters, Norm Jokes, is allowed to get away with playing pranks, she speaks up to her boss.
Jason Barrone, co-owner of Gagsters is attracted to his assistant and will not allow his best friend to cause him to lose her. Jason wants them to be friends because he doesn't want to have to make a choice of who goes and who stays.
REMEMBERING ANDY by Sandra Sookoo
Devastated after her fiancé dies in Iraq, Claudia Foster packs up her life and moves to the city of Indianapolis. She's a small town girl and she wants to lose herself in the noise, sites, and sounds of a place so foreign from her upbringing, nothing could possibly remind her of her guilt surrounding Andy's death. But fate has other plans.
Daniel Sorenson has put all thoughts of his brother Andy's death from his mind just to get through the day but running into Claudia again stirs up all the hidden feelings he has struggled so hard to hide. How can you love the girl who was supposed to marry your dead brother? How can that be normal?
As the two share their grief, they also share something deeper: laughter. But is it enough? Or will they spend their whole lives simply remembering Andy and never embrace the love that could be theirs if only they could have the courage to reach for it.
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Excerpt:
A Fool’s Fool by Sandra K. Marshall
Chapter One
Kathy O'Reilly walked softly behind Norm Jokes as he crept up the aisle between the cubicles, making sure he didn't know she was near. It was obvious he was planning to sneak up on someone to either scare or do something worse.
Norm was as obnoxious as any guy she'd ever met, but for some reason her friend, Allyson Metzl, thought the joker just needed attention.
Uh oh—Norm sped up, and she saw the reason why.
Allyson stood just a few feet away, waving her hands as she leaned in a cubicle to talk to a co-worker. Her friend’s back was to him; Allyson's long dark hair covered the derrière of her diminutive figure.
Her pal had just gone through a divorce, and was feeling frail. There was no way Kathy would let anyone hurt her friend again. Kathy called out, "Allyson."
Allyson wheeled around, her mouth opened in a big O when she almost smacked into Norm.
He put his hands on Allyson’s shoulders. “Don’t move so suddenly. You almost knocked me down, and I would’ve fell on top of you.” He glanced over his shoulder at Kathy.
With an inward laugh, she joined them. "Stopped you from being an obnoxious ass.” She watched him, knowing by his grin that he’d enjoyed himself. "You're going to get into big trouble one day." His right eye ticked knowing he'd been caught in the act. Too bad fellow.
"Did someone want me?" Allyson asked; her black lashes fluttered as she glanced between Kathy and Norm.
His face reddening, Norm stuttered, "I wanted to tell you how pretty you look in your outfit."
"Thank you for noticing, Norm." Allyson peeked up at him. "It's new."
The skunk, he hadn't even noticed her friend's lime green outfit until he needed to get his ass out of a jam. "Allyson, I wanted to talk to you a moment."
"Uh, I'll leave you two to it," Norm muttered.
Kathy glared after him as he slinked toward his office. He had nerve pretending to have noticed Allyson other than her butt. She hoped her friend didn't fall for his Mr. Nice Guy act.
Allyson's cherry red lips turned up, laughing she showed perfect white teeth and her milk chocolate gaze focused on Kathy. "The way you're scowling at Norm he must've been up to no good."
"He almost got you, but I managed to save you."
Allyson laughed, her eyes sparkling. She shook her head, her long straight hair swaying from side to side. "Thanks, but who knows? Maybe I would have liked it.”
Her friend hadn’t dated since her divorce, and she constantly defended Norm to the other girls in the building. Why? Kathy couldn’t understand unless Allyson secretly had a crush on him. Kathy hoped not, because in truth, the man terrorized all of them. They were afraid to say anything for fear of losing their jobs. Luckily, she wasn’t in the same circumstance since she worked for the head boss.
"Next time I’ll let him get you.” She grimaced. “You need to get out more if that guy interests you.” He almost pinched her friend’s bottom. He liked to pinch the other girls and play pranks on them.
“Now you’re just being mean.” Allyson’s perfect white teeth chewed her bottom lip. “I think he’s cute.”
"To each their own, but something has to be done to stop him from picking on all the women."
Allyson giggled. “I might be able to help. We could play a trick on him. April Fool’s Day will be here soon and it would be an appropriate time to do something to him.”
"Great. I would like nothing better than to get revenge on the skinny runt."
Her dark brows rose and Allyson asked, “Has he done anything to you?”
“He better not or I’ll make his life miserable.” If Norm ever pinched her, she would bring a harassment lawsuit against him and the company, Gagsters, Incorporated.
"You won't do anything to hurt his feelings, will you Kath?" Allyson’s brows knit together slightly.
Well, on second thought not against Gagsters, just Norm. She didn't want to hurt her boss, Jason Barrone. As his administrative assistant, Kathy was treated courteously and as an equal. Not only was he a perfect gentleman, he was a very handsome one. She liked his cleft chin and green brown-flecked eyes. Besides, he often told her he couldn't do without her— she was his right arm.
For some reason, she was drawn to Jason even though normally, she went for the tall, dark, and dangerous bad boys. Jason was the exact opposite with his light brown hair streaked blond from the sun. The one time she accidentally bumped into him he was solid as a rock and just as dependable.
A veil lifted from Allyson’s face and a light shone in her eyes. Her friend’s hound dog nose twitched on the scent of a mystery. She’d better say something quick. "Feelings. I doubt if Norm has any, he's such a dope. His antics have to be stopped."
She leaned toward Allyson with her hands fisted, but at the widening of her friends eyes, Kathy drew back, took a deep breath, and relaxed her hands. "You know the other girls won't step out of their cubicles when he's around, and when they go to the lunchroom or bathroom they're constantly looking for him over their shoulders."
Allyson nodded. "I know. Some of the younger girls have even talked to me about it."
"Then you’re completely with me on this?"
“I have an idea of something we can do that would get the message across without hurting him.”
“What?” Kathy watched excitement build on her friend’s face.
“I’m an artist. I could make a poster to put in his office or hang overhead somewhere.”
Smiling, Kathy said, “Okay.”
"Later. My phone is ringing." Allyson hurried away to answer the call.
Kathy wondered what kind of drawing Ally would come up with. She hoped Norm could take a joke. After all, he dished out plenty of them. It was time for him to have some pranks pulled on him. Besides, it was going to be April Fool’s Day in a week.
* * * * *
Jason stood in the doorway of his office pretending to read some papers while covertly watching the women scurrying excitedly from one cubicle to another. They whispered for a few minutes, giggled, and looked nervously around as if afraid of being caught.
He'd been traveling on business for a month, and when he came back from his trip he’d noticed a difference in the office. He’d watched the women for days and the ringleader appeared to be assistant's friend, Allyson.
His gaze turned to Kathy, noting the freckles sprinkled across her pale cheeks while a couple more dotted her nose. She tried to hid them with makeup, but he thought they were cute. She seemed immune to the activity outside her window.
Ever since she'd started working for him, he'd wanted to grab a handful of the thick red, blonde-streaked hair that fell around her shoulders. He wanted to rub his face in the strands. Whenever he was near her he would inhale her fresh citrus scent, and he wanted to get closer to her, nibble on her neck, and see what she would look like naked.
There was something about this matter-of-fact woman that fascinated him. She drew him to her on a sexual level. He couldn't help wondering what she was like away from work or in bed.
She looked fantastic in anything she wore but this top fit her lovely shaped breasts like a second layer of skin. Would the buds be pink or brown, he wondered.
Kathy raised her head and turned to look intently at him. "Do you want something?"
Oops, he'd been caught staring. He gazed into her topaz eyes then turned to look out her window before saying, "I'm wondering what the girls are up to."
Her eyebrows rose and her head tilted to one side. "What makes you think they're up to anything?"
Ah ha, he'd surprised her. She glanced at her desk, and he realized he was right, she knew more than she would admit. "They're all abuzz about something. Kind of like a bunch of busy bees in their hives."
Lowering her chin, she gazed at him with a smile on her lips and in her light yellow-brown eyes. "Well, you know a special day is coming up for us."
"Ah." Jason leaned more comfortably against the doorframe. "You're referring to April Fool’s Day." Just as he thought, they were planning a practical joke for one of them, either Norm or himself. He hoped it wasn't his friend.
Jason didn't know how Norm would react to someone pulling a stunt on him. He'd always been a jokester. He used it to defend himself against school bullies and to hide the fact that he didn’t have a normal family. If he thought they were tormenting, him, he'd get even.
Kathy nodded her head. "The girls thought it might be time to take a more active part developing pranks, and what better way to start than on April 1st?"
"Just as long as no one gets hurt," he said, turning back into his room. Jason knew Norm was sensitive, even though he didn’t show that side of himself at work. He needed to understand that other people might have those same feelings.
"Oh, not likely," she said.
Her annoyed tone warned him that there was more going on than Kathy was telling him. He just hoped it was nothing that required him to fire someone.
* * * * *
Kathy watched Allison sketch swiftly at a worktable by the sliding glass doors, sunlight streaming in through them. She leaned over a large piece of pale pink paper sketching a pig snorting around a bunch of females.
Sticking the pencil between her lips, she gazed at the caricature with Norm’s face. She giggled, dropped the pencil as she gasped and giggled again.
Kathy laughed. “It’s a perfect likeness of Norm.” Shaking her head, she added, “I’m not so sure we should do this. I don’t want you to get fired.”
“I’m not backing out now, Kath. This is the one all the girls chose, and it really is the nicest one.” Ally giggled. “I was afraid they’d pick the one of the stallion mounting the mare.”
“No, you didn’t draw something like that.” She covered her mouth laughing as she watched her friend nod her head. “Well, I’m glad everyone had sense not to pick that one. We would all get fired then.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Remembering Andy by Sandra Sookoo
Chapter One
“Hello?” Claudia Foster held the cellphone to her ear even as she gestured with her other hand for her giggling friends to be quiet. “Hi, Mrs. Sorenson, how are you? I’m at Bridal Belles going through the final fitting on my gown. I’m so excited! Andy’ll be home in two weeks and then we can get this wedding started!” She grinned at her two bottle-blonde, fashion-forward friends who sat on an ivory velvet sofa.
“Oh, I wish you’d called me. This is not going to go well.” From day one, Andy’s mom had always been doom and gloom. Why would it be any different now?
“Why? It’s just little alterations. No big deal, but we’re all going out to lunch afterward. You’re welcome to come.” The invitation was offered because Claudia knew Mrs. Sorenson would never accept. She stared at her reflection in the three-way mirror as the seamstress knelt on the floor, pinning a spot at the hem. The sleeveless wedding dress already fit like a second skin, highlighting her bust and hiding the hips that had always been a little fuller than Claudia would have liked. Tiny crystal beads made the waist and hem sparkle under the florescent shop lights.
Belatedly, she realized her future mother-in-law was still talking and sounded as if she’d been crying. “Janet, are you okay? I would have called you but figured I wouldn’t be here for very long. I hope you’ll come to lunch.” Suddenly, the need for a greater understanding of Andy’s mom tugged strong on her mind. Hard on the heels of that thought came a new one. This wedding was real, it was life changing, and yet…
She frowned at her reflection, making a mental note to have someone color her hair, all other thoughts forgotten.
“Dear, listen to me. I’m afraid I have some very sad news.”
“Oh, no. Don’t tell me the florist can’t come through with the lilies.” Why didn’t I have a professional do the flowers instead of the people at the grocery store? “I realize it’s kind of last minute but—”
“Claudia, listen!” Flat out grief and frustration rang through the phone, intense enough to cut into her distraction. “It’s Andy. I’m afraid…”
“Don’t tell me Andy’s making you play a joke on me.” Concerned chattering from her friends brought questions to her mind and a sinking feeling to the pit of her stomach. “What, he’s calling off the wedding?” She rolled her eyes at her friends. “Changed his mind, that rascal. Don’t believe him, Mrs. Sorenson. Andy’s always playing tricks on me. He probably has a bet going with Daniel to see how fast I’ll freak out if you tell me that.”
An image of Daniel flickered into her mind. Always Andy’s opposite in every way, he’d been the voice of reason during their growing up years. He’d been the one she and Andy had looked to for advice, guidance and approval.
Claudia’s chest tightened and she gripped the phone more firmly. At one time she’d thought he’d be the Sorenson brother she’d marry, but when he’d left to chase his own dreams, she’d had no choice except to forget him.
The sound of Mrs. Sorenson blowing her nose brought Claudia back to the present. “It’s not a joke between my boys. Let me finish.” Tears choked Mrs. Sorenson’s voice and finally she regained control enough to say, “Andy’s been killed by an Improvised Explosive Device. Soldiers in the vehicle behind Andy’s said the guys never saw the roadside bomb. He died instantly…”
“Oh, my God.” The cellphone slipped from her hand, bouncing on the pedestal where she stood, and crashed into the bottom of a mirror. A thin, hairline crack edged up the reflective surface, only stopping after it had grown three inches.
In that one moment, everything she’d kept buried inside since she was thirteen came rushing into her mind and shattered much like the mirror. Nothing would ever be the same again. Andy was dead and Daniel might as well have been for the void he’d left behind. Both issues could be laid squarely on her doorstep, thanks to her own stupidity.
* * * * *
Six months later
Claudia darted across a busy street, narrowly avoiding an oncoming taxi cab as the annoyed blast of a horn followed her to the other side. She shrugged off the driver’s finger gesture, beyond caring what people thought.
Ahead, Military Park—the oldest green space and gathering place in Indianapolis—teemed with life in the early morning air. Men and women wearing military fatigues mingled with folks dressed in business attire, and regular citizens in jeans and sweatshirts, jackets and more than a few sets of gloves. Apparently, Mother Nature didn’t get the note that late March was supposed to usher in springtime, not hold on to the last vestiges of winter.
Skirting around a cluster of military men, she quickly glanced away from their combat boots when her heart did an odd flip-flop. Tears she thought she’d banished clustered tightly in her throat. Six months hadn’t been enough time to acclimate to Andy’s absence; it had hardly been enough time for her to come to grips with the new life she was determined—no, forced—to live.
Life went on, no matter what happened. It was the people death left behind who changed irrevocably.
She wasn’t allowed to retreat into thoughts, though, as the blood-pumping notes of a patriotic song rent the air. Claudia glared in the direction of the sound, cringed at the delighted laughter and squeals of happiness which blended with the melody. What right did any of these people have to be happy when every day another life was lost in that Godforsaken country? Didn’t any of these people care that innocent men and women were over there, working for the greater good—for their future freedom?
What about my future? Immediately contrite, she let the waves of grief and sadness surround her. Of course they cared. Why else would they be gathered here on a chilly Monday morning if not to show support for the troops overseas and to lend support to those still waiting for them to return. I gave up my right for a future months ago with a selfish decision in a game I didn’t understand how to play. Shoving her hands into the pockets of a wool pea-coat, Claudia hunched her shoulders against the cool breeze. It was too bad these stupid emotions attacked her the day she decided to reenter the world of the living. Hadn’t she spent too many days crying her eyes out over circumstances that wouldn’t change?
She pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind and continued along a walkway that was damp with the remnants of melting snow. It didn’t matter now. She wasn’t the same woman she’d been during those long ago months, the woman who had the world at her feet, planning her wedding and looking forward to all the parties, gifts and well-wishes that came along with such an event. God, what an idiot I was to even think I could have a shot at the perfect life.
Now, she’d become a bit more jaded, a lot more wary and hugely reluctant to mingle with her fellow city dwellers or join anything that would remotely make her feel happy outside of teaching. Too much life at one time became overwhelming but there was no going back. Not ever.
“Claudia! Wait up.” The high-pitched squeal rang over the buzz of conversation and the noise of the band.
She turned, quelling the urge to roll her eyes at the last minute. “Beth, what are you doing here? You told me you hated crowds.” The woman jogging toward her had a long, blonde ponytail that swished from side to side with each sinuous movement, and a tall, slim body set off in athletic gear emblazoned with a popular sports logo. She could be the poster girl for physical fitness.
As much as the arrival of her friend and co-worker lifted her spirits, Claudia didn’t want to relive such raw feelings the first time out in front of Beth. Not to mention seeing her pal triggered an avalanche of insecurities about the extra twenty pounds she’d put on since moving to the city, giving her too many curves and a waistline that mourned the loss of its favorite belt.
“I do, but since you didn’t answer your cell, I had no choice.” Beth came to a stop in front of Claudia. Darn it, the girl wasn’t even winded. “Do you remember that really cute guy we met at Continuing Education last weekend?”
Vaguely. She nodded anyway. “And?”
“I found out today he’s been reassigned to our school, starting after spring break. He’s newly divorced. And looking.” A huge smile parted Beth’s lips, revealing a mouthful of teeth worthy of a certain Hollywood actress.
Claudia groaned. “Thanks for your dedication at pushing me into the dating world. However, I think I’ll pass. I’m just not in the mood for a relationship right now.” The thought of having to make inane small talk with some strange guy over mediocre food at a cheesy restaurant didn’t appeal to her.
“Are you sure? Everyone’s been commenting on how unhappy you are. They think it’s because of them. If you don’t snap out of it, I bet you’ll have to go in for counseling.”
Snap out of it. Sure, I’ll simply turn the emotions from hot to cold. Easy peasy. “Trust me, it’s not the school, co-workers or anything like that.” She wished she could have a Pollyanna outlook on life like Beth did, but those days had long since vanished. “It’s just taking me longer to get over Andy’s death than I thought. I’m sure once spring comes and the flowers start growing, I’ll be fine.”
Yeah right. The last time I smelled fresh flowers was at the funeral, and there is no way I want to relive that. Remembering the pomp and circumstance of the military send off, the droning, emotion-filled speeches, the folding of the flag as it was presented to Andy’s mom, and the expression of guilt and anger in Daniel’s eyes was enough to bring on a new wave of tears.
“Okay, well don’t ever say I didn’t try.” Beth’s cheerful gaze scanned the growing crowd, carefully not looking at her friend. “Maybe I’ll ask him out and see what happens.”
Claudia pasted a false grin on her lips. “Sounds like a plan.”
“See ya!”
She waved as Beth resumed her jog. More than a few male heads turned to admire her as she went by. Claudia sighed, glad to let go of the fake chipper attitude. What was so wrong with wanting to stay wrapped in the grief and loneliness for awhile longer? Yes, she’d moved to Indianapolis shortly after Andy was buried in an effort to distance herself from the life she’d had with him, but the sad fact was she couldn’t shake the memories and that bothered her more than anything else.
I don’t want to remember. I don’t want to get involved with someone else and open myself up to more pain and hurt. Because trapped within the memories was the specter of the life she’d always thought she’d have. A perfect marriage like her parents. Two perfect kids—a boy and a girl. A perfect dog and cat. The perfect house and environmentally friendly cars. A perfect husband who loved to laugh and never took anything too seriously.
Now, thanks to one stupid incident of terror, she would have none of those things, and that saddened her more than merely missing Andy.
She mourned for her dreams, too.
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