Honeymoon Reveal
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

We had only been married for three years at the time and we had never enjoyed a proper honeymoon. The fact was that after we had met on a dating site and almost immediately, she had thrown herself in to caring for my young sons … and me. My sons and I had all been devastated by the loss of my first wife Marion, their mother, only a year before I met Cherise, but she helped to pull us all out of our dark mood. She said that it was all she wanted - to bury herself in a loving family.

So, here we are again. Please enjoy another random chapter of the weirdness.

We joined the other pair after two hours, Alys having stepped in halfway through with fresh cups of tea and a plate of non-greasy nibbles, plus a hug and cheek kiss for two of us. The story was even worse than the bare bones Mike had given us. Lexie was calm, gentle in fact, throughout, but I was picking so many cues from her face and hands it was clear how hard she was having to work to keep that poise. There was one episode Neil recounted, involving a particular dress, that made me want to hit someone. Lexie’s jaw muscles worked a little as she spoke.

It was a couple of weeks before I managed to find the right moment to talk with Neil, and I could feel the nerves wrapping themselves into tangles as I did the usual brew in the bunkhouse before his arrival, turning the kettle on as I heard the burble of his big German bike. The weather was not great, so we had the place to ourselves, and I left him to get out of his voluminous waterproofs before opening a pack of back bacon and lighting the hob.

Chapter 2 - Awakening in Another Body

Previously on Victorian Detective Dilemma...

Luis Ramirez fell asleep reading a mysterious first edition of "The Chronicles of Lady Vivienne Ashworth," only to wake in Victorian London—in the body of Lady Vivienne Ashworth. Now trapped in 1887, he must navigate a world of corsets, calling cards, and murder most foul.

* * *

Chapter 3: “Whispers of Conspiracy”

A Minor Job, a Major Gut Feeling

Chapter 1: “Dockside Ghosts”

Arrival at the Dock

The shuttle's recycled air tasted of protein slurry and something metallic—burnt capacitors, perhaps. A soft, low hum from the engines shook the shuttle. With every breath, Lena’s perfume—a bittersweet lavender ghost—clung to the air, triggering a phantom ache in my chest. I reached beneath my shirt, fingers brushing the outline of the Star of David pendant. My mother’s gift. A small, silent comfort in the rising tide of unease.

I rushed to the music hall, grabbed my bass from Mr. Smith and went into the empty studio used for small ensembles or practice for electric instruments. It was almost soundproof inside and I would take that to my advantage to run scales and patterns. I strapped my wood grain bass over me and started to play a somber sounding melody, at least I liked to think it was.

Bianca returns to Chicago for Thanksgiving and finds a few surprises awaiting her.

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