Delayed Departure
the Smashwords Edition of
a Dawn Downey Publication
Copyright © 2011 Dawn Downey
Smashwords License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment. All rights are reserved. It may not be resold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to the same bookseller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the author's work.
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Disclaimer
This is a work of fiction, a product of the author's imagination. Any resemblance or similarity to any actual events or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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Credits
Formatting and cover photo and design by Harvey Stanbrough.
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Dedication
for Uncle Al
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Delayed Departure
a very short story about a very short journey
Dawn Downey
"I've decided to be unpredictable." Justine's announcement sounded pricklier than she'd intended. She wanted her husband to notice her new hairdo, but dammit she was still mad at him.
Charlie looked up, wary. "Oh... that's why your hair—"
"So I had Scarlett color my gray." She popped a bagel in the toaster.
"Looks nice. I thought maybe you'd watched another make-over show."
"No, Charlie." She turned her back to him, on pretense of watering a plant in the kitchen window.
Charlie's reflection peeked over reading glasses as he leaned against the fridge, newspaper in hand.
"Something else going on?" he asked.
"Yes, as a matter of fact. I'm driving up to Des Moines for Thanksgiving. Maybe leave first thing Thursday morning and come back Friday."
"Anybody up there know about this?"
The toaster dinged. Justine grabbed the bagel and scraped a pat of butter across it. "Nope. It's a spontaneous plan."
"What about—"
"Jen? She's spur-of-the-minute, just like you. She'll be glad I'm loosening up."
Charlie tossed the newspaper onto the counter. "Okay, I see what's going on. I'm sorry I called you Madame Boy Scout the other night."
"You should be. What am I supposed to do when somebody breaks their glasses? Not help?"
"I couldn't believe you had super glue in your purse, that's all."