Sample Saturday: Happy Halloween #3

Sample Saturday is back. Here's a third snippet from my holiday story, Happy Halloween.
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Mary Beth’s eyes traveled from the pool deck, up two strong legs topped by gray swim trunks, over a wide chest with a peculiar scar, past a towel slung around solid shoulders, and into a pair of concerned gray eyes set in a broad face. She carefully stretched to make sure nothing was broken.

“I think so, but my pride sure aches.”

“Hey, Mom. Wasn’t that a belly flop?” Sam grinned at her from the ladder.

“I’m afraid so, son. My flip turned out to be a real flop.”

“You’d better practice more, Mom.” Sam turned away and swam lazily around the pool.

A deep voice at her shoulder compelled her attention and Mary Beth turned to look at the man.

“You’d best lie down a minute. Get your breath back.” He turned to a pair of children who stared wide-eyed from behind his legs. “You two go play in the shallow end. I’ll be there in a little while.” His gray eyes returned to Mary Beth’s face. “Really. There are plenty of lounges here to rest on. That was a whopper of a belly flop, and you need your wind back before you go back in the pool.” His mouth turned up in an ironic smile, but Mary Beth could read solicitude in his eyes.

“All right. I guess I do hurt more than I thought.” She led the way to a plastic chaise lounge, and when she stumbled a bit, the man grabbed her arm to steady her.

Mary Beth settled into the wide strips of rubbery plastic, warm from the morning’s sun. Meanwhile, the man slacked his long body down into a web-covered chair and leaned forward, elbows on his knees.

“You looked like you knew what you were doing until you left the board. What happened?”
~~~

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Mary Beth Larson emerges from the fog of loss in a new location with two young children, determined to start her life again. Glen Hampton and his little kids have already survived their own tragedy. Maybe this Halloween means something besides Trick or Treat. A "Misty Moments" short story.

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