Jillian Chantal

This week’s word for the Tuesday Tales authors is pick.  I am still working on my paranormal tale.

Check out the other tales here. 

Peering down at it, he realized it was a jar of instant coffee. He opened the lid. It smelled fresh. Turning on the hot water tap, he waited a few moments, but it didn’t get warm. The dead woman’s family must’ve turned off the water heater. If it was still on, even with the power out, it would still have some in the tank. Max had hoped to bring Stella some coffee to maybe help relax her. He thought the caffeine wouldn’t be too bad and he knew a lot of people who used the drink to settle their nerves.

Shrugging, he opened the closest cabinet and located a couple of mugs. The crystals might not dissolve, but perhaps she could use the drink anyway.

After making two cups, he held them in one hand by their handles and made his way to the candelabra.

The liquid sloshed over the sides a bit, but he made it back to Stella with most of it still in the mugs. He set them on the table and once he had the candelabra steadied, he pulled the matchbook from his pocket.

“What took you so long? I was thinking that man who followed me here had finally made his way inside and got you.” Stella stood and shook off the blanket. “You knew I was worried yet you didn’t come back fast.”

“I thought I’d make us some instant coffee.” Max nodded to the cups on the table. “Take the one on the left. There was no hot water, but I think I was able to get the crystals stirred in better in that one.”

“Oh no thank you. I’ll take the one on the right.” She stepped over to the table.

“Suit yourself. Pick whichever one makes you happy.”

“Are you sure? Do I really need to have the one on the left?”

Puzzled, he looked at her. “What are you going on about?”

“You don’t think you can fool me, do you? I know you put a tranquilizer in that mug. You think I’m irrational and want to subdue me, but I’m not crazy. I know I saw what I saw.” Stella reached out for the cup on the right then, at the last second, grabbed the one on the left instead. She tipped it toward her lips.

Before she could drink it, Max said, “If you think I drugged the left one—which I didn’t, by the way—why pick it to drink from?”

“Because you think you’re clever and I think you knew I’d catch on and would grab the right one and you’d succeed in getting the Valium in me.”

“Lady, you have some thought processes there.” He laughed. “Quite frankly, if I hadn’t lost the keys to open the deadbolt to get out of this house, I’d go out to my car, grab my medical bag and take all the Xanax I have myself. I could use the rest.”