Heir Force Novel: Kate Attends a Baby Shower

Previously on HFN: Kate Gets Orders

A few days later, Kate ran into Spencer in the hallway at work. He had to catch her to prevent her from falling. “Oh, hi, Spencer. Sorry.” She backed up a few steps.

“No problem. You look like you’re on a mission.”

“Just going to lunch with some of the girls. Kind of like a baby shower, but a lunch hour version.”

“Ah, well have fun.” He walked away a few steps and then turned back around. “Hey, Kate, have you heard from John lately?”

Kate stopped and turned back toward Spencer. “We’ve been skyping each other including last night, but he hasn’t had much to say. Guess he’s fine.”

“Good. He replied to my email too, but didn’t say much either. Well, have fun at the shower.”

Heir Force Novel: Kate Gets Orders

Previously on HFN: Kate and Spencer Enjoy Meatloaf

The next morning after arriving at the office, Kate’s boss informed her she’d be leaving in a week or two at most for a remote location. “Get your affairs in order, you know the drill.” Sergeant Thompson dismissed her. Kate groaned silently. But she had to do what she had to do. It couldn’t be helped if the guy she was replacing had needed surgery and got sent home. These things happened. She drove home after work and ran through her mental TDY list:

Clean out the fridge

Empty all garbage cans

Stop the paper and mail

Call the kennel to make reservations for Buttons

Get caught up on laundry

Water the two plants still living

She pulled out her green duffle bag and left it on the bedroom floor. She gathered uniforms and some civilian clothes to wash and started a load of laundry to stay caught up so it wouldn’t be piled up when she had to leave. She called the local kennel she used and made a reservation for Buttons to ensure they would have space when she needed it.

Heir Force Novel: Kate and Spencer Enjoy Meatloaf

Previously on HFN: Kate Cooks and Spencer Installs

With the potatoes boiling along, Kate took out the salad fixings and a bowl and sliced the onion, romaine, mushrooms and tomato. She was looking forward to this meal and the leftovers she could have for lunch. She would also send some home with Spencer.

She peeked around the corner and saw Spencer sitting at her desk, pulling some cords up. She had forgotten to offer him something to drink, so went to remedy that. “Would you like something to drink?”

He stopped tugging for a second and turned toward her. “Please. Do you have any tea?”

“Sure. I’ll be right back.” She went back to the kitchen to get his tea and water for herself. Afterward, she went back to the kitchen and put the meatloaf in the oven. She would put in the bread the last five minutes of baking time. She took the salad to the dining table and took out dressings from the fridge. She wiped down the counters and washed all the prep dishes before setting the table. Each time she reentered the dining room, Spencer was doing something different. She sat at the table and asked, “How’s it going?”

“Good. I’m almost done, since Murphy didn’t show up today for a change.” He turned back to her and grinned.

“Fantastic. Dinner will be in about twenty minutes.”

“Smells fabulous. I feel like you’re getting the short end of the stick.”

“How so?”

“I do this stuff every day.”

“Well I cook almost every day. Or at least every week,” she confessed.

“You cook a whole lot more than I do. Lean Cuisine and pizza for one is the extent of my cooking, unless I grill.”

“Well, we’re even.”

“I suppose.”

Heir Force Novel: Questions for you

Hi there,

I’ve been reading some books and blogs about blogging, writing, etc. I wanted to ask you guys some questions. Do you like this story so far? Are you following it okay? Is it difficult to follow? Are the posts too long, too short or just right? I’ve never blogged a novel before or read one that way and am curious what you guys think.

Also, are you a reader and a writer or just one or the other? I’m interested to see what you think so far and if you have any suggestions for improvement. And if you started following mid-way, did you go back to the beginning posts are just jump in?

I’ll post the next novel segment tomorrow.

Thanks for any feedback!

Michelle

Heir Force Novel: Kate Cooks and Spencer Installs

Previously on HFN: Kate and Spencer Spar

Kate took out the packages from the plastic bag and looked through them. She was glad Spencer was a computer geek in addition to his military role. She was already lost. She glanced through the car window and noticed the storm had eased up and would probably be only a memory by the time they got home and changed. She figured Spencer probably had clothes in the car, to make it easier to crawl around on the floor under and behind her desk.

After they got to her place and got Buttons to settle down at the prospect of a new playmate, they changed out of their wet clothes. Spencer asked, “Do you have a place I can hang this sopping thing?” He held up his uniform.

“I’ll get you a hanger and you can put it over the shower head.”

“Very practical.”

“Don’t start.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Spencer dropped his head in mock submission. Secretly he was wishing he could dry her off, but he had to reign in those thoughts.

Heir Force Novel: Kate and Spencer Spar

Previously on HFN: Storms and Skype
Kate nodded. She looked out the window. “Looks like it let up some. Want to run for it?”

“Sure. I’ll get your door,” he said, but Kate was already out and running for it.

Spencer shook his head, running after her. Kate waited for him inside the door. “Well, that was fun,” she said.

“Something like that. Come on.” He led her to the area where they could find the equipment he needed. Spencer picked up a few packages and some cables. Kate just followed, letting him do his thing. This was definitely out of her realm. “Got everything I need. You need anything?”

“I’m good.”

Spencer walked over to the checkout. Kate pulled out her wallet, but Spencer said, “Let me get it. It’ll be faster.”

She didn’t want to protest and make a scene, so she kept silent. Spencer paid cash which surprised her. She took the bag while he got his change. “I’ll pay you back in the car,” she said. “I’ve got cash.”

“Nope. I got it.” He headed out the door.

Brief Update

Hello Friends,

I don’t know how many of you are following me or my writing friends at bredkrums.wordpress.com, but we are moving from that site to paddlecreekwriters.com.  I just didn’t want any of you to get left behind. 🙂  We are starting over, to focus our blog more on writing and encouraging writers there.  We will give readers a few days to finish at bredkrums, but we have opened paddlecreekwriters.com, though not much is there yet.  It’s sort of still under construction.

Thanks so much!

And tomorrow, back to our regularly scheduled Heir Force segment!

Happy reading and/or writing!

Michelle

Heir Force Novel: Storms and Shopping for Skype Equipment

Previously on HFN: Kate and Spencer at Lunch

Author’s note:  I am not a techie person, so I may not get all the Skype details right.  Especially since I’ve never used it and I don’t know if it can be used by Security Forces across the world due to technology available and/or security issues.  Just remember this is a fictional story 🙂

 

After work it was raining, much to Kate’s frustration. But Spencer said they could at least buy the equipment and worry about installation later if they had to. Spencer held up an umbrella and so they walked in a stilted fashion to his car, trying to stay in step. He was at least four inches taller than her so it wasn’t easy.

The rain drove down at an angle, soaking them. They tried to walk faster, but it was awkward. “We’re getting soaked,” Kate groaned.

“I hope you don’t melt,” Spencer teased.

“Ha ha.” They reached his car and he opened the door. She slid in, trying to dry off with a tissue from her purse. She heard him open the trunk, but she couldn’t see what he was doing. When he got in, he handed her a towel. “Oh, thanks. This is much better.”

She finished drying off, while he started the car and turned on the defrost. She finished drying off her uniform the best she could and started on Spencer’s. She dried off his sleeve and his cheeks. “There. That’s the best I can do.” She handed him the towel and their fingers touched, sending an electric shock through her arm. It was so unexpected, she gasped.

Heir Force Novel: Kate and Spencer at Lunch

Previously on HFN: Spencer Asks Kate to Lunch

When it was lunch time, Kate walked to Spencer’s area to find him. “Pasta Garden sound good?” He asked, his long legs slowing to match her shorter ones.

“We don’t have to go that fancy,” she replied, looking at him.

“We need someplace quiet.” He stopped walking and stilled his keys.

“We do?” Her heart skipped a beat. She wondered why they needed a quiet place, but she didn’t voice it aloud.

Suddenly it felt like there was a boxing match going on in her stomach. She gulped, trying to remain calm. Spencer beeped the locks to his sedan several feet away and rushed ahead to open the door for Kate. “Spence,” she started to protest. She used his shortened name, but in frustration, not friendliness this time.

“Kate.” Spencer looked down on her, a serious expression on his face.

“You don’t need to open my door,” she finished.

“I don’t mind, ladies first and all that.” He swept his arm toward the car.

“You’re quite the gentleman, as usual.”

“I try.” He waited for her to get in and shut the door.

Heir Force Novel: Spencer Asks Kate to Lunch

Previously on HFN: Spencer’s Secret

Scott Air Force Base spreads across over 3,500 acres in the western part of southern Illinois and employed about 5,500 active duty personnel, another 2,300 Air National Guard and Reserve members and close to 5,000 civilian employees. Adding over 1.5 billion dollars to the area’s economy, it’s considered one of the largest employers in the state.

Several times the base has narrowly missed the base closing and realignment list. Named after the first enlisted man who died in an air accident back in 1912, Corporal Frank S. Scott, the base has since grown to include many groups under the 375th Air Mobility Wing, and under each group, several squadrons. Kate, John, Spencer, Andrew and other friends worked for the Security Forces Squadron, or SFS for short. Kate sometimes thought it was all rather complicated and was glad she didn’t have to keep it all straight.

She was having a hard enough time keeping her life straight. John and Ruth were now both gone, and she was fretful of one and relieved of the other. Each day that passed, seemed to make Kate feel worse. She said a quick prayer each night and morning for John, not sure that anybody heard them, she not being particularly religious.