Sunday Snippet: Off the Hook

February 11, 2018

Greetings! Ohio has crazy weather patterns rolling through the state again. I'm at the point with winter where I'd be happy if it made up its mind and either stayed cold or got warmer. The back forth is hell on my sinuses.

Great week in television. The Flash had a good episode and I'm interested to see where things go now. In all honesty, the slow reveal of evil plans is getting to the point of annoyance. Get on with it already.

Black Lightning, on the other hand, is staying on form. I like the world building of this show. Keep on keeping on.

Riverdale is going down another dark road and I like it. I have to watch this week's episode but I caught up on last week and Archie continues to fail in spectacular fashion. I love all the bad decisions he makes.

Arrow did not go where I thought it might and I'm happy about that. I'm thrilled with the left turn the plot made. It's always the quiet ones people need to watch out for.

I'm moving along on Chicago Fire and I've started season four. I'm slowly but surely getting caught up to the current season. I love having the crossover episodes on the DVDs and following the storyline all the way through. Nicely done.

I'm caught up for the most part on Murdoch Mysteries. I loved the cooking competition episode. One of my favorite things about Murdoch is taking a modern trend and making it a trope in the show's setting. And it's always fun to have the spy versus spy episodes.

Need to catch up on Frankie Drake Mysteries and I might have time later today. Legends of Tomorrow returns this week and I'm excited to see what's next for the legends.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Off the Hook, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of writing a scene about a character's crash.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Esti Warf's relationship with Wyatt Corben is tested when she agrees to give his younger brother a chance to pass basic flight. Wyatt knows in his gut his brother doesn't have the chops, but he can't get Esti to budge on her decision, especially when his old man pressured her into accepting Wilton as a cadet. Both are on the hook, trying to keep peace in the family and still maintain their bond as a couple.

And a sneaky peek…

Esti glanced up when knocking drew her attention from the entrance exams. Wharton Corben stood, one shoulder propped on the door jamb. Esti placed the tests aside and waited for her superior officer to state his reason for being there.

Wharton entered and closed the door behind him. "Lieutenant, how's my boy treating you?" He took a chair across from her and settled into it.

The closed door clued Esti in about which son he wanted to discuss. Wilton. The youngest, the one who'd failed his entrance exam into flight school. Granted, he'd missed the mark by two points, but he hadn't passed and Wharton would have problems with the fact. Besides, the elder Corben had no reason to doubt his oldest son's treatment of Esti. They'd had dinner with Wharton last night.

Esti cut to the chase. "Since Wyatt and I saw you less than twelve hours ago, I'll assume the small talk is perfunctory. You're here to discuss Wilton's test, aren't you?" Thankfully, she didn't bear the responsibility of giving him the failing grade.

Wharton nodded. "I've always appreciated your ability to cut through the niceties and get to the point." He leaned forward, resting his forearms on her desk. "I want you to accept Wilton in your basic flight class." He met and held her gaze.

Esti blew out a slow breath. "Permission to speak freely, sir?" She settled back, feigning a relaxed stance she didn't feel.

Wharton waved his hand. "As if it's necessary to ask. Granted, Lieutenant." He didn't give an inch, electing to stay leaned in close.

More or less directly in her face.

Esti shook her head. "I don't think you've thought this through. Putting Wilton in my class is going to set the scuttlebutt off the chart." Not to mention put her in the universe's most awkward position. "It's one thing to pull strings to get your son into basic flight after he missed the mark on the entrance exam; it quite another to drop said son into the class of your other son's significant other." She hesitated a moment. "You're setting both of us up to fail." Maybe a little harsh, but she'd be on the hook for Wilton's advancement.

Wharton narrowed his eyes. "You're suggesting I don't know what's best for Wilton?" Phrased as a question, his meaning still came through.

Put Wilton in her class. If she didn't, there would be repercussions. When it came to his younger son's flying or not, her relationship with Wyatt wouldn't protect her.

Esti shook her head. "I wouldn't presume to do so and you know it. But you're putting my career on the line, not to mention Wilton's and yours. You'd better be damned sure of this request, because you're not giving me room to say no." He wouldn't appreciate her harsh tone, but he'd given her leeway to speak plainly.

Wharton relaxed his stance. "I'm confident you'll give him a fair shot and that's all I care about. From experience, we both understand the entrance exam isn't foolproof. Sometimes it weeds out good candidates." He settled back in the seat. "Wilton doesn't test well. He never has. I want him with someone who believes everyone deserves a shot. I want him with you." Their conversation over dinner last night took on a whole new significance.

The crafty bastard well and truly set her up and nailed her to the wall.

Esti inclined her chin. "So be it, then. I'll add him to the class roster and issue an acceptance letter this afternoon." She reached for her stack of tests, ones where a command officer wouldn't be able to pull strings if the cadet didn't make the mark.

Yes, the gesture basically dismissed the superior officer. Yes, it probably pissed Wharton off. Esti didn't care at the moment. She had a job to do and Captain Corben's interference just made it one hell of a lot harder.

The scrape of the chair legs on the floor didn't pull her from her task. Wharton walked to the door and opened it. She breathed a little easier. She could vent some serious frustration when he left.

"Esti."

Of course he'd go personal before he made his exit.

She glanced up, tapping her pen on the page in front of her.

"Thank you."

She held his gaze. "Don't thank me, sir. As you know, there're no guarantees he'll pass."

He gave her a brusque nod and left her office, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.

Esti growled and flung her pen across the room. "Dammit."

The next six weeks are going to suck.

Esti is not going to have fun with her new class. The men in her life are going to complicate things on a grand scale.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye