#FlashFictionFriday March 2, 2018 – #BonusScene To Love and To Cherish

Welcome to my (fairly) regular weekly Flash Fiction Friday post, where I take the prompt words left in the comments of the previous week’s FFF post and use them in a new bit of flash.

This one uses the 4 words:

macrobiotic – ice bag – wheal – gallipot

…that were left in the comments of the Feb 23 FFF post.

I don’t think Nell Iris is going to stop feeding me medical terms as prompt words until I give her some more Emmitt and Nash 💖, so I played nice this week and wrote another bonus scene for To Love and To Cherish. 😁💕

And I found the perfect picture to go with this scene, featuring the same model as the book’s cover!

Depositphotos_12250697_m-2015 - 600x440

Click here for more bonus scenes for To Love and To Cherish.

Check out the menu, above, or click these links for all my bonus scene and flash fiction options.

This week’s scene picks up a short time after the last To Love and To Cherish bonus scene way back in October. You can expand this spoiler tag if you missed it or need a refresher of the significant event happening in Nash and Emmitt’s life:

Jumping to Conclusions? (Oct. 27, 2017)

Uses the 3 prompt words (flow – motivation – missing) left in the comments of the previous week’s Flash Fiction Friday post.

Told from Nash’s 3rd-person POV:

“Huh.” Nash halted in the middle of the walking track and stared at the text message on his phone: Can you cut it short and come back up please?

Grampy stopped beside him and leaned on his cane. Nash showed him Emmitt’s message and asked, “What do you make of that?”

Chortling, Grampy replied, “I learned a long time ago to just take things at face value. Go with the flow and don’t let my imagination get the better of me.”

“You mean you’re not going to help me read between the lines?” Nash put his hands on his hips in mock consternation.

“Nothing’s missing between any lines.” Grampy winked and started toward the exit. “Come on, whippersnapper, before you start jumping to conclusions like you’re prone to do.”

Nash didn’t need any additional motivation to follow. Having his tendency pointed out to him kept him from voicing his concerns aloud, and he at least tried not to picture any worst-case scenarios. Never mind that it was only because his imagination couldn’t come up with anything that made sense.

The elevator seemed slow enough it was easy to fancy a cluster of trolls pulling it up with a rope and pulley rather than the smooth mechanical system his rational self knew was behind it. Although Nash was pretty sure he wasn’t projecting any yearning for Grampy to walk faster once they finally reached their floor, Grampy’s sly grin made him question that.

When they finally reentered their apartment, Emmitt was standing by the kitchen island with a huge wide grin.

“What?” Nash put a hand to his heart. At least it was clearly good news, but still…

“It’s been a while since we talked about it, so I wanted to speak to you before proceeding.”

“Please, just say it!”

“Are you still okay with having older children placed with us, or would you rather hold out for an infant? We got a call. Three brothers need a home.”

Nash had to put a hand on the wall to steady himself. He was incapable of words, but he was pretty sure his beaming smile and frantically bobbing head did the job.

This scene is told from Nash’s 3rd-person POV:


Memory Lane

After a whirlwind shopping expedition to switch out the spare bedroom’s furniture with a space-saving bunk bed with a trundle, along with a short book case, a rack of bins for small toys, and a toy box, Nash and Emmitt were at least physically ready to welcome the six-year-old, and twin four-year-old boys into their home.

Of course they were both elated at the prospect of welcoming their new sons, but emotionally Nash was relieved to find Emmitt as much a wreck as he was. Meanwhile, Grampy was no-holds-barred thrilled out of his mind, practically bouncing with anticipation. His trip down memory lane wasn’t exactly helping Nash and Emmitt’s predicament.

“If they’re anything like Emmitt, we’ll wish we had eyes in the back of our heads.” Grampy chortled as he shook his head at Emmitt. “Every other time your mother turned around you were earning another trip to the ER.”

“That’s so different from how he is today.” Nash poured a glass of orange juice and turned to face Emmitt. “You’re so careful and precise in everything you do.”

Emmitt opened his mouth to reply, but Grampy beat him to it. “Oh, he was very careful and precise while shoving all those beads up his nose.”

Nash sputtered and covered his mouth as juice spurted out his nose. Emmitt sighed and rubbed Nash’s back. “In my defense, I was three.”

Nash coughed and wiped his face. “Grampy, darn it, I thought you’d spilled all the beans by now. Are you still holding out on me?”

“What did you think all those beads saved in that old ceramic thing on the shelf over yonder were from?”

“You saved them?” Nash laughed. “What ceramic thing?”

“The gallipot,” Emmitt said. “Second shelf.”

“Oh yeah.” Nash had unpacked Emmitt’s knickknacks for him and had wondered about those beads at the time, but he’d long since forgotten about it. “Bet all those trips to the ER are why you got interested in medicine.”

“Probably, although Grampy likes to joke it might have been the other way around.”

“I think those stitches you got on your arm were the turning point,” Grampy said. “You were five, weren’t you? That’s when you turned into a little ghoul, fascinated by anything bloody.”

“I still remember that.” Emmitt pointed out the faint scar on his forearm and looked at Nash. “You know the little wheal that’ll pop up with a local anesthetic injection?”

Nash nodded.

“I was transfixed by that little bubble, then of course watching the doctor stitch up the gash was even more riveting. Grampy’s right. I was hooked after that.”

“Later, you kept removing the ice bag,” Grampy said. “And trying to pull off the bandage so you could ogle those stitches.”

“Well,” Nash said, “I think we’ll be pretty darned lucky if our boys are anything like Emmitt.”

Emmitt grinned. “Careful what you wish for.” He glanced at his watch. “They’ll be here any time. You got everything we needed at the grocery store this morning?”

Nash pointedly hiked up a brow. Emmitt had helped him put the stuff away.

The boys’ birth parents had had their family on a strict macrobiotic diet, and Nash and Emmitt had agreed they’d transition the kids to the same healthy balanced diet they consumed themselves. There were some similarities—they avoided sodas and refined/packaged foods, bought organic, and prepared their meals from fresh, fruits, vegetables, grains, etc., but they included meat, eggs, dairy, and spices in their diet, drank fruit juice, and didn’t totally eliminate sugar. They certainly didn’t avoid chocolate. But Nash had made a point of picking up more fish and beans to help with the diet shift.

“Sorry,” Emmitt said. “I’m just…”

“Nervous?” Grampy asked.

“Your stories aren’t helping any, you know.”

Grampy’s answering grin told them he knew exactly the effect his stories were having. But he relented. “You two are going to make wonderful parents. Quit worrying.”

The buzzer sounded, alerting them that they had someone downstairs looking to make it past the security door. They froze and stared at each other for a moment before Emmitt stood and strode to the console.

They were about to find out if Grampy was right.

Leave as many prompt words as you like in the comments, but I’ll only promise to use one from each contributor in my next flash fiction post (although I’ll try to use them all).


To Love and To Cherish

Jilted by his fiancé two weeks before their wedding, Nash Marino’s outlook on life in general, and love in particular, is jaded. After months of couch-surfing, Nash is fed up. He’s sick and tired of his living conditions, worn out by the demands of his nursing job, and despairs of ever finding love again. In fact, he doesn’t think he’s capable of true love. Monogamy, commitment, companionship, and regular sex…that’s all he wants, and the sooner, the better.

When Nash crosses paths with a like-minded man who’s also in need of a live-in nurse for a beloved relative, Nash figures all his problems are solved. Matters are complicated by a freak accident and amnesia. When Nash’s marriage of convenience scheme is muddied by notions of love after his memory reboot, will their plans go awry, or will Nash’s new outlook on life be just what the doctor ordered?

To Love and To Cherish - Cover

8 thoughts on “#FlashFictionFriday March 2, 2018 – #BonusScene To Love and To Cherish

  1. What?? Are you calling me stubborn?? I’ve no idea what you’re talking about 😉

    And awwwww. So cute. And those childhood stories made me love Emmitt even more ❤️ But what a terrible place to quit! Have I told you lately you’re a terrible tease? 🙂

    Words for next week:
    – yoga (because I started doing it recently and it’s the only form of exercise I’ve ever liked),
    – Yggdrasil (because it was the word of the day somewhere on Twitter)
    – yoctosecond (because I thought you needed three words starting with a Y and went hunting for a fun one and found it! Don’t you agree? 🙂 )

    1. Tease? Moi? Surely not! Hahahaha. 😉

      Thank you! Emmitt turned out to be much more of a sweetie than his first impression would imply. 😄

      Egads! I think those words might be a job for my wacky Ben & Jerry characters. 😳

      1. I actually had an idea! I got my own idea for a #SuperShort using those words I gave you and how I can combine them with the ones you gave me. Wouldn’t it be fun if we both used the same words in our flashfics for next week and see what we can come up with? 🙂

        The words you gave me were bed, phone, and waffle. Up for it? 🙂 (You are of course allowed to say no if you don’t think it’s a fun idea! 🙂 )

            1. WooHoo! I’m looking forward to reading it. Meanwhile, I’ve yet to come up with a concept for mine. 😏

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