It was time to get ready for work.  Time to put on the uniform.  Time to pin on the badge.  Time to strap on the gun holster.  It was the time of day James hated the most.  He sat by the front door dreading the long hours ahead.  There had been a time when he was the one putting on the uniform, badge, and gun.  Now he spent his days sitting in his wheelchair and waiting for Christina to come home.

Arlene had been bitter most of her life. She had been mistreated and abused as a child. She had been hurt as a young adult and was never able to recover. Blaming that one incident for all her difficulties, she was an angry, bitter woman. The bitterness had destroyed any close relationship she had attempted. She had many friends, but none that she could count on in a storm. She had had a few romances in her life, but none lasted for very long. After a while they got tired of being around someone who was always upset about something and impossible to please.
Arlene had tried therapy but it seemed 

They didn't come any harder than Carlene. She looked and acted the part. As the old saying goes, she’d go bear hunting with a switch. She was afraid of nothing and no one. Her demeanor and inappropriate language told everyone, ‘back off buddy.’ And everyone did exactly that.

The day she walked her son into Mrs. Abernathy’s first grade class was a memorable one—for Mrs. Abernathy.

I live in a quiet neighborhood where we know and help each other. I was born here, went to school here, graduated, went away to college, and returned to remain in my hometown for the rest of my life. I’m not one of those people who could hardly wait to leave their home and set out into the world on their own. I was content here. I like that I know my neighbors and they know me. Oh yes, there are some drawbacks like even thinking about a clandestine meeting will have the preacher and city council on your doorstep. But for the most part, I was happy and didn't plan to leave. However, last fall things changed for me.

The phone woke me and I turned groggily to look at the clock. It said 1:13 a.m.Who would be calling me at this hour? "Hello?" I said in a daze.

Lunch was at Wanda's house this month.  The group of women, friends since college, rotated the hostess of their monthly social gathering.  They started this ritual right after graduation to maintain their close bond with one another.  Each month they met at the host house and ate a light lunch, then played cards or dominoes until time to return to their regular duties as wives and mothers. Through the years only two women had left the group.  The others looked forward to visiting together without the interference of spouses or children.  

"Lunch was delicious, Wanda."  Clarissa said.

"Yes it was.  What was the dressing in the honeydew and grape salad?"  Sherri asked.

Elizabeth had looked forward to this massage all day.  She had made the mistake of having lunch with Daphne.  Elizabeth tried to enjoy her salad, but it was difficult with Daphne's crying--again.    There had been way too many lunches with Daphne's tears over her marriage or something her husband had or had not said.  Listening to Daphne made her glad she had never married.  But right now she just wanted to enjoy her massage.

Elizabeth hadn't intended to stay single for life, it had just turned out that way. 

Arlene had been bitter most of her life. She had been mistreated and abused as a child. She had been hurt as a young adult and was never able to recover. Blaming that one incident for all her difficulties, she was an angry, bitter woman. The bitterness had destroyed any close relationship she had attempted. She had many friends, but none that she could count on in a storm. She had had a few romances in her life, but none lasted for very long. After a while they got tired of being around someone who was always upset about something and impossible to please.
Arlene had tried therapy