Teaser from CRASH!!!

Lee-Lee walked up to the lady and extended her hand.  “In that case, let me introduce myself.  My name is Elysie Blake, but everybody calls me Lee-Lee.”  She pointed to Monica.  “That’s Monica, my roommate.  We live in 6B.  Those two are Jocasta and Neveyah.  They live in 6C.”

The lady didn’t extend her hand and Lee-Lee stared at her.  “Your name is…?”

She smoothed her hair and glanced at the movers, who were finishing up.  Her ring caught the light and the stone sparkled like a diamond.  “I suppose I could offer my name.” 

“It’d be nice,” Monica said, trying to keep the sarcasm out of her voice and failing.  “We do live on the same floor.”

The woman sighed again and still didn’t extend her hand.  Instead she patted her hair once more.  “My name is Cressida J. Brinton.  But it is not a pleasure, as I have a broken mirror and a damaged end table to handle.  These are by far the most incompetent moving men I have ever dealt with.”

“Jeez,” Lee-Lee said.  “You should complain.”

“I plan to.  Now if it is all the same to you,” Cressida said, side-eyeing Jocasta, “I have business to attend to.”

“You better not let me catch you in the hall!” Jo said.  “I will kick your ass!”

Cressida continued looking at Jo and Neveyah and a nasty little gleam shone in her eyes.  “Jocasta, is it?  Hmm, Oedipus’ mother.  Is there anything going on in your family? Are you a daddy’s girl in every sense of the word?”

“Damn,” Monica said. 

“Whoa,” Lee-Lee murmured.

“Oh shit,” Neveyah groaned, and braced herself.

Jo bristled, yelled “BITCH!” and went for Cressida.  Neveyah grabbed her again and held her tight, this time barely able to hold on.  Her roommate was furious, and she could understand why; the woman had absolutely no reason to insult Jo or her father.  She considered letting Jo go but thought better of it.  Jocasta would beat the brakes off that uppity bitch and probably get arrested.  She couldn’t do that to Jo’s father, a man she loved almost as much as she did her own.  Neveyah glared at Cressida as Jo started to push her forward.  “I wouldn’t talk about Jo’s dad if I were you.  I’m trying to keep you from getting your ass kicked.  You could help me, you know.”

Cressida ignored Neveyah and continued to address Jo.  “This is quite tiresome.  Surely you must be bored with this line of conversation, for I certainly am.”  She yawned elaborately and went into her loft, closing the door.  Neveyah let Jo go and fell back, exhausted.  Jo pushed Lee-Lee out of the way and went up to Cressida’s door, fist raised to knock.

“That’s it!  I’m going to…”

Neveyah had had enough.  She went over to her friend.  “What you’re going to do is go back to bed, Jo.  You’re tired, I’m tired, we’re both faded, and you need to calm the hell down.  She’s not worth all this.  Let’s go.”  She grabbed Jo’s arm.

Monica nodded; already weary of the day’s events.  “She’s right, Jo.  Let it go.”

Jo yanked her arm out of Neveyah’s hand and rolled her eyes at Monica. Monica raised her eyebrows and looked at her neighbor.  “You don’t want it with me either, Jo.  Neveyah, get her home before she has a stroke.”  

“I’m trying,” she said, grabbing Jo’s arm once more.  This time, Jo let her roommate lead her down the hall. 

Monica headed towards Six-B.  “I definitely need more coffee and a chat with the Lord.  Lee-Lee, you coming?”

“In a minute,” she replied.

Jo shook off Neveyah’s arm as they stood in front of their door and scowled at her.  “Neveyah, if we weren’t besties, I’d kick your ass.  I’m going to kill that bitch.”

          “Feel free to try any time, Jo.  But do it on some other day, will you?  Can we 

go in?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now available at Amazon.com.