Jillian Chantal

I’m back after a long hiatus. I had surgery and it almost seemed as if the doctor also removed my creativity, but I’m back. I started a Christmas story and here is the opening of it. The word of the week for Tuesday Tales is worn.

Check out the other tales here.

A blast of cold air smacked into Candace Miller’s body as if an arctic breeze had been let lose inside the flower shop.

She glanced up from the worn, wooden table covered in almost as many dings as flowers, greenery and baby’s breath, to find her best friend, Amy Chamberlain, standing there staring into the shop. “Shut that door. You’ll kill these roses with that frigid air.”

“That won’t happen. I know you keep them in a cooler any way.” Amy stepped inside and leaned against the door with her arms behind her back. “I’ve got news, Candy. Very interesting news.”

“What’s that? And it’s Candace, remember?” Candace didn’t really care about gossip but her pal loved to dish the dirt on their friends and neighbors.

“Yeah, yeah. Candace. I can’t seem to keep it straight that you don’t want to go by your nickname anymore.” Amy moved closer to Candace’s work table. She leaned on it. “Guess who came home for his sister’s wedding?” She nodded at the arrangement Candace was putting together.

“First of all, how can you keep forgetting about my name? It’s been eight years.”  Candace poked at the nearest gouge in the dark wood of the table, avoiding eye contact with her friend. “How is your news interesting? I already know what you’re going to say and did you really imagine Hank Kane wouldn’t attend his little sister’s wedding?” Candace looked up and shook her head as she poked some greens around the white roses. “He comes home every year at Christmas anyway. This wedding happens to fall during the festive season, so it was way more than likely he’d be here.”

“But you always avoid seeing him. And now you’ll have to since he’ll be at the wedding.”

“I can set up ahead of time and be long gone by the time of the ceremony.”

Candace nodded, making that her plan as the words left her mouth.

“You can’t disappoint Priscilla. The bride expects you there as a guest. After all, you’ve been friends since you and Hank dated. You can’t not show up.” Amy raised her eyebrows. “Besides, if you’re afraid to come face to face with his wife, the most interesting news is that he’s divorced.”

The news hit Candace in the gut as if a boxer had punched her. She could barely get the word out. “D-d-d-divorced?”

“I know. Shocking, isn’t it? I heard he lost his money and she left him.”