Bree was out of options; lost in life’s maze of betrayals, mistakes and jealousy. The embossed letter bearing the golden insignia of Jack’s solicitor felt cold as a coffin nail.
Gripping the paper knife she considered if it was sharp enough for an end; but finally she decided to open the envelope.
Surprised she saw that it only contained a single handwritten note:
Jack has decided not to challenge the pre-nup, next time we can meet as man and woman
Rick
Smilingly Bree put her nose to the note, kissed its smell; a ray of hope penetrating her darkness.
Copyright – Melanie Greenwood
So this week I went for a romantic tale. Not my usual style and I feel that the narrative a bit like a cliche, and I feel like I might be contacted by Harlequin next. I still think writing things out your comfort zone is one of the purposes of blogging. He he.
Friday Fictioneers is a blogging community that write fiction to the same picture each week. 100 words a narrative and you are ready. It’s run by our chief Rochelle Wissoff-Fields.
As there is some doubt about the ending I add a poll on what you think is the most likely outcome of the story.
—
February 4, 2015
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Well, Jack certainly chose the wrong solicitor here. It probably won’t be long before Rick is defrocked or whatever they do to solicitors if he continues in this vein. Run, Bree, run.
I think she will find a great way out of her maze.
That’s quite romantic, Bjorn. Well done. I wonder what was in the pre-nup. 🙂 — Suzanne
She could keep the house.. and her ex would leave her alone-
not too much of a cliche but i did love that ray of hope line as it does penetrate…
I think it’s what needed to get out of the maze…
a bit of a web you’ve created
Thank you 🙂
I like that you focused on the light and came up with a romantic tale. It’s good to step out of one’s comfort zone every now and again. You did well.
Oh yes to see some light is romantic if you have been in a dark place
Awww. Romance seems to be in the air for this prompt. And good for you, stepping out of your comfort zone.
Yes.. romance is very far from what I like to write.
I liked the last line. THAT was romantic!
Thank you 🙂
Nothing wrong with romance. Too many people dying or being murdered on FF:-)
You are right.. but I think it has been some time since I killed anyone the last time.
This is really good!
Thank you 🙂
Good for you – out of the comfort zone!
I think I will return to something darker later
🙂
It’s a-MAZE-ing all the different themes we have this week for this one picture. I always like romance, as does most of the world. Remember, it is absolutely the biggest selling genre of novels around the world, bar none. It always has been and, no doubt, always will be. So, hey, maybe you WILL get a call from Harlequin. I love to make myself step out of my comfort zone too. And I did that this week as well. But I do love the way you set up the story and your take on the “maze.”
Thank you Sandra.. yes I know how the world romance.. still I think it often follows the same narrative …
A lovely story with some hope at the end. It sounds like she had all but given up.
I think she had sunk deep into darkness.
I don’t think Jack will find much help from his solicitor any time soon. Poor him.
Ha.. I wonder if this could develop to something more.. Bree might be the villain in this 🙂
It would certainly be an interesting read if it did.
i am glad for the happy turn there in the end…what a relief from her eh?
Ha.. indeed .. at least on the financial side.
Great job, sometimes it’s good to be uncomfortable 😉
Yes.. just like a singer you sometimes have to develop your voice by singing in a choir.
So.. the big mystery. What is in the pre-nup? Rick? That’s what is sounds like to me. I apologize, I’m a bit slow.
I think the pre-nup was favorable to Bree at least.. wonder if Rick is part of the package or not.. but I think he wants it that way.
Thank you for explaining.
This is so romantic and sweet. And you’re right – its good to wander away from our comfort zone. You never know what might turn up!
Indeed.. and I think I have already thought of a narrative that continues this back into my comfort zone.
Dear Bjorn, I truly love your story – it’s romantic and good! I think you have certainly broadened your comfort zone! Good job! Nan 🙂
Thank you Nan, this was really fun.. wonder what it will be next week.
She’s a happy woman, and I’m glad she now has a ray of hope to lead her out of the maze. You’re good at romance, Bjorn. You’ve got me wondering all sorts of things about these characters.
I think I can think of many possible alternatives..
i like third sentence, i think its hard hitting
I think the alternative of her using the paperknife would have made it quite unsettling…:-)
Dear Björn,
You’ve packed an entire romance novel into this piece. I read it a couple of times to get it, but I didn’t mind. 😉 I enjoyed the read. Smiling.
Shalom,
Rochelle
I think if I would chose a genre to fit a novel into 100 words it would be romance. 🙂
So are you modelling this foray into romance on Nicolas Sparks or Barbara Cartland? 🙂
I applaud the stretch into romance – not somewhere I have gone yet in my own writing, and I find it more daunting than erotica.
IMO – I think you did well. ‘Kissed the smell’ of the letter… a particularly great line.
KT
I have no idea which on who would be my guiding star in romance, I have not read them (yet)..
I was surprised to see you tackle romance writing. Not surprised that it turned out to be so successful. Nicely done.
Ha.. we have to try ourselves at all genres .. 🙂
I really liked how you focused on the ray of sunshine in the picture as opposed to the maze while still giving a nod to the maze. The line about Bree considering a final option before she opened the letter added depth to the story. I guess I was confused by the ending though. Was Bree happy because she was free or because she was having an affair with Rick?
The end I actually leave open.. She could be a betrayed woman who see new love (which is the romantic angle) or she could be a manipulate lady who will ditch Rick now when she had solved her financial problem.. should I add a questionnaire on that?
I added a poll with options for the end.
Unlike the maze in the garden, life’s mazes, especially when that intense, don’t provide people with such an enchanting view
Excellent! I voted…
I enjoyed the poll as much as the story. What a tangled web…maze. Nicely done!
why do i have this suspicion that bree is just using rick?
I too stepped out of my writing comfort zone and went with a romantic theme this week (sort of). It must be the picture that inspired all the love 🙂
Great story!
Well done, great surprise. It will be her and Rick, no doubt!
Cold as a coffin nail. Good line, though I thought her a bit feeble for considering suicide – no man is worth that!
New to the challenge myself but I’m already liking pushing myself to write something more short and precise. It’s great seeing what everyone else came up with too! 😀
I’m wondering what she will do and how exactly this came to be, her and Rick. Has it already happened? Or is that the implied progression of the story? That next time they will meet for real not as his solicitor and she the divorcee…Hmm…? Nice job.
The letter arrived at a very appropriate time. Bree’s wandering, lost in the maze, suddenly ends and she can look to the future with a smile. Very sweet story – but in which direction will that ray of hope take her? I think she’s probably had enough of marriage for a while, though she may well test the waters with Rick. Interesting to speculate . . . Good one. 🙂
I think the solicitor should not mix business with pleasure. Thou shall not covet thy client’s wife.
Bjorn, I’m certainly not surprised that you are tackling the romance genre. I knew you had it in you. So much packed in here. Certainly, this could be your first romantic novel. You could include poetry in it. 🙂 Well done.
Good morning Mr. Rudberg,
My name is Holly Wood and I’m with Harlequin Romance. We’d like you to develop this into a film script. We plan to cast Rachel Bjerke as Bree, Perry Block as Jack, and the dashingly handsome Russell Gayer as Rick. Clean off a spot on your mantel for an Oscar.
sincerely, Holly
I love the light of romance. She gets to keep the house and have Rick!
Lily
Romance is a nice diversion and doesn’t always have to lead any where at all. I hope Rick and Bree have a memorable celebration over the news.
Ellespeth
Bjorn,
I like the phrase “cold as a coffin nail.” That’s awesome. The idea to include a poll was fun. I voted in the way I thought was “most obvious” only to find that several others had differing opinions. Great way to get reader interaction.
All my best,
Marie Gail
I foresee an interesting meeting in the future between Jack, his ex and his ex-lawyer.