world news and I don’t want to miss it.”
“Oh, great, the world news. Like I don’t feel bad enough?”
“Come on, Critter. I just want to hear the headlines. Then I’ll turn it off so we can talk.”
“Critter? You promised you’d stop calling me that! Please don’t tell Brian that was your pet name for me. He’ll never let me live it down.” She saw the devious twinkle in his eyes. He was so guilty. “You already did, didn’t you?” Stephanie watched him race out of the room. It’s a good thing I love you, Dad.
***
Stephanie snuggled up to her dad in the family room. She glanced up at him. As usual, he was watching the world news with acute interest, so she turned her focus to the TV.
The commentator delivered the grim report with a sober face. “The war between Iran and Iraq is heating up tonight as Russian-backed Iraqi troops continue to pound the Iranian border with massive artillery. The Iranian government has reported heavy casualties to both civilian and military life. It now appears as though Iraq will be able to keep its vow to take Tehran. Just how far will this war go? Fred Peterson is live in Saudi Arabia to give us an up-to-date report.”
The television flashed to a live picture of Fred Peterson standing inside a military base in Saudi Arabia. Fred began, “The recent developments here in Saudi Arabia are just as grim as the war between Iran and Iraq. Tonight there are rumors that King Abdullah Hamid will close his military base to American forces. White House and top Pentagon officials are scrambling to find out why King Hamid has suddenly changed his foreign policy. Their only hope is to bring King Hamid to the bargaining table. Without this strategic military base, it will be virtually impossible for the United States to intervene in the Iran-Iraq war. And the life-blood of oil flowing to the western world would cease…This is Fred Peterson, reporting live from Saudi Arabia.”
Stephanie was feeling the calming effect of the sedative, and she was not alarmed by the report. Disruptions in the Persian Gulf were nothing new; besides, the war was in a distant land, and she was in the safety of her home snuggled up close to her brawny dad.
Chapter Six:
Today was Stephanie’s wedding day, the most special day of her life. She and her maid-of-honor, Kaitlyn McFadden, were dressed in silk undergarments as they lay upon Stephanie’s bed and leaned against the headboard on fluffy pillows. Stephanie wiggled her toes. “Don’t you just love our pedicures?” she asked as she took a sip of her mimosa. “I think we picked the right shade of red, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Kaitlyn said as she waved her hand in the air to show off her manicure as though she were a beauty queen. “I thought I would die laughing when the manicurist said the shade was called, ‘I’m in the Mood for Love.’ It’s a good sign, Steph. You’re starting out right.”
Stephanie giggled and let out a dreamy sigh. “I didn’t think I could ever be this happy, Kaitlyn, but I am. Brian is the most wonderful man in the world. Just the thought of being with him makes my skin sizzle.”
“Wow, the nail polish is really doing the trick. Down girl!”
Stephanie screamed with laughter. “I think the mimosas are doing the trick. Pour me one more, will you?”
Kaitlyn crawled over Stephanie’s body to reach the pitcher of mimosas on the nightstand while balancing her own mimosa as she did. She caught her long golden-brown hair under her knee and then she buckled on top of Stephanie. Kaitlyn burst out laughing. “Help me, Steph. I’m stuck!”
Stephanie thought Kaitlyn’s predicament was the funniest thing she had ever seen. The more Kaitlyn struggled, the more distorted her body looked. They both laughed so hard that Stephanie could feel the bed shaking. Then Kaitlyn tumbled off of the bed, head first, and onto the
“Oh, great, the world news. Like I don’t feel bad enough?”
“Come on, Critter. I just want to hear the headlines. Then I’ll turn it off so we can talk.”
“Critter? You promised you’d stop calling me that! Please don’t tell Brian that was your pet name for me. He’ll never let me live it down.” She saw the devious twinkle in his eyes. He was so guilty. “You already did, didn’t you?” Stephanie watched him race out of the room. It’s a good thing I love you, Dad.
***
Stephanie snuggled up to her dad in the family room. She glanced up at him. As usual, he was watching the world news with acute interest, so she turned her focus to the TV.
The commentator delivered the grim report with a sober face. “The war between Iran and Iraq is heating up tonight as Russian-backed Iraqi troops continue to pound the Iranian border with massive artillery. The Iranian government has reported heavy casualties to both civilian and military life. It now appears as though Iraq will be able to keep its vow to take Tehran. Just how far will this war go? Fred Peterson is live in Saudi Arabia to give us an up-to-date report.”
The television flashed to a live picture of Fred Peterson standing inside a military base in Saudi Arabia. Fred began, “The recent developments here in Saudi Arabia are just as grim as the war between Iran and Iraq. Tonight there are rumors that King Abdullah Hamid will close his military base to American forces. White House and top Pentagon officials are scrambling to find out why King Hamid has suddenly changed his foreign policy. Their only hope is to bring King Hamid to the bargaining table. Without this strategic military base, it will be virtually impossible for the United States to intervene in the Iran-Iraq war. And the life-blood of oil flowing to the western world would cease…This is Fred Peterson, reporting live from Saudi Arabia.”
Stephanie was feeling the calming effect of the sedative, and she was not alarmed by the report. Disruptions in the Persian Gulf were nothing new; besides, the war was in a distant land, and she was in the safety of her home snuggled up close to her brawny dad.
Chapter Six:
Today was Stephanie’s wedding day, the most special day of her life. She and her maid-of-honor, Kaitlyn McFadden, were dressed in silk undergarments as they lay upon Stephanie’s bed and leaned against the headboard on fluffy pillows. Stephanie wiggled her toes. “Don’t you just love our pedicures?” she asked as she took a sip of her mimosa. “I think we picked the right shade of red, don’t you?”
“Yes,” Kaitlyn said as she waved her hand in the air to show off her manicure as though she were a beauty queen. “I thought I would die laughing when the manicurist said the shade was called, ‘I’m in the Mood for Love.’ It’s a good sign, Steph. You’re starting out right.”
Stephanie giggled and let out a dreamy sigh. “I didn’t think I could ever be this happy, Kaitlyn, but I am. Brian is the most wonderful man in the world. Just the thought of being with him makes my skin sizzle.”
“Wow, the nail polish is really doing the trick. Down girl!”
Stephanie screamed with laughter. “I think the mimosas are doing the trick. Pour me one more, will you?”
Kaitlyn crawled over Stephanie’s body to reach the pitcher of mimosas on the nightstand while balancing her own mimosa as she did. She caught her long golden-brown hair under her knee and then she buckled on top of Stephanie. Kaitlyn burst out laughing. “Help me, Steph. I’m stuck!”
Stephanie thought Kaitlyn’s predicament was the funniest thing she had ever seen. The more Kaitlyn struggled, the more distorted her body looked. They both laughed so hard that Stephanie could feel the bed shaking. Then Kaitlyn tumbled off of the bed, head first, and onto the
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