"Bertie's taking on too much pressure, and Rachel knows how to release it"
It had been weeks since Rachel’s last gig. It was the beginning of the summer season, and the university students who had packed the club to hear her spin tunes and sing every weekend since September had gone home. Her...
"Rachel contemplates maturity... and butt stuff."
Rachel had been getting little hints for almost a week now. The first sign had been at the club a week ago – one of the women attending her friends’ second bachelorette party had spent twenty minutes trying to recall...
"A return to Bertie's childhood home reveals secrets and desires"
Nine o’clock. Despite the (relative) earliness of the hour, she could see that Bertie was getting tired. His eyes were beginning to show that glazed look, and his attention was wandering.“Are you ready for bed, sweetie?” she offered.He shook his...
"In which Rachel's eagerness to play gets the better of her"
Rachel glanced again at the clock. Where was he? She’d expected Bertie to be home almost an hour ago. She acknowledged that it could be traffic keeping her boyfriend out of her arms, but for this long? No, something was...
"In which our couple take in a movie"
It wasn’t often that nights could be this quiet. His restaurant had recently made the decision to hire a manager specifically for the kitchen on weekday nights, and for the first time in years Bertie was able to relax in...
"Nothing goes right as Rachel plans for Bertie's upcoming birthday."
Rachel stood next to naked in the corner, considering her options. She begrudgingly admitted she’d put herself in this position, but by her count, she still had several hours to find a solution to the problem she’d created.It was Bertie’s...
"Rachel learns about Bertie's hidden fantasy, and sets a trap"
The sky was clear, the sun shone, and Bertie was standing back in the apartment that he shared with his girlfriend.He rolled his neck as he stepped through the door – the heavy snow had forced him into staying at...
"When Bertie has an unusual request, Rachel seeks out clarity from the last man she wants to see"
Rachel whistled. The volume of the snow outside her apartment window had doubled since the last time she’d looked out, less than a half hour ago. The sounds from other tenants spinning their wheels in the parking lot was becoming...
"The sleep of reason produces monsters"
He rubbed his eyes. From the distant kitchen, he could read the glow from the clock on the stove – 3:25 AM. Soon, he’d have to be up and active anyhow to make the drive to work. Soon – but...
"In which a walk down Memory Lane quickly becomes a slog."
Rachel had found herself in the dark, praying for illumination as to what could possibly be wrong with him. Bertie had been withdrawn for the last week, quieter even than usual, and while her boyfriend was a classic introvert at...