Sunday Snippet: Yanking the Pipe

Getting a late start to my day because my sleep schedule is out of whack. This has affected my great cleanout project, and I'm still determined to get back on track and at least do small things each day. Stay tuned!

On a different note, I did get about ten pounds of ground beef cooked and in the freezer. Also got three bags of grapes cleaned and in the fridge. So, the cleanout project took a back burner, but I did get other things done.

Work is still busy with new projects coming in and I'm enjoying the variety of things I have right now. I've also been able to do some catchup on my own stuff. I've been striving for better balance between my editing work and my writing.

Had a solid viewing week and made a full round of my regular shows and my two back burner shows. I'll be starting a new one this week, I think. Looking forward to picking up with a new season of something.

Started the week with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the episode and getting some Dr. Mac backstory.

Think I finished up the first season of Art Detectives. I really enjoyed this show and hope to see another season. They left enough seeds to pick up if they get one.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise and ended up really loving the mystery. Not a standard path and the twists were good.

Enjoyed another episode of Poirot. It's one I'd seen most of before and I remembered most of the plot. Good episode.

Watched an episode of Elementary. Gotta say I love Joan being totally unafraid of the elder Holmes. Their interactions were very fun. And her getting the goods on him rocked the entire episode.

Caught an episode of Batman Beyond. It's one I remembered but forgot about. Does that make sense. Great episode too.

Enjoyed an episode of Lower Decks. This show is kind of wonky but usually adorable. Just enough tongue in cheek to keep things interesting and fresh.

Watched the opening of Peak Practice season eleven. Sam is on a precarious journey, and I think his exit is set up nicely. Not really sure about Will and Kate. I'm not really interested in them becoming the new Andrew and whatever his partner's name is.

Also caught another episode of Reacher. Man. This show. If I ever find the time, I want to do a deep dive and dig into some of the themes and tropes I love.

And that's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Yanking the Pipe, a novella that pulls a couple apart when they choose to travel different paths.

Here's the miniblurb:

Sammie Shields and Firth Fairmountain have fun yanking the pipe—pulling anonymous pranks—until one of their fellow soldiers gets injured. Their commanding officer gives them a choice—transfer to a marine unit to learn discipline or get busted down a rank. Sammie opts for demotion, but Firth chooses the alternate and finds a new mission, which Sammie struggles to accept.

And a sneaky peek…

Sammie moved her belongings to the junior pilot quarters. The roaring in her ears started when reaction finally set in. She didn't quite know how to deal with the idea Firth wouldn't be in her corner anymore.

Their last conversation replayed on a loop in her mind.

Firth scoffed. "I'm not leaving you."

Sammie's eyes widened. "Yes. You are. We won't see each other if you're going to be with the marines." How could he not get that?

Firth frowned then sighed. "You can look at it that way if you want to. But I will still see you." He threw the rest of his stuff in a rucksack and headed out of quarters.

Right. He'd still see her if they bumped into each other in the corridor. Maybe.

She started unpacking her gear.

"Hey, Lieutenant. Welcome to the lower ranks."

"Wow. Does this mean I don't have to take orders from you anymore?"

"This bunkroom operates by seniority. Previous rank doesn't count. You're low man on the ladder now."

Getting ribbed by her former junior officers sucked balls. But she'd have to grin and bear it. She could listen to this for a month … right? Because she didn't plan to accept a demotion for anything longer than thirty days.

Placing her personal belongings in her locker, she faced her new bunkmates. "Get your licks in now. But remember this … my time here will be short, but my memory is very long." She slammed the door shut. "Choose your digs carefully…" With a mock salute, she turned and exited the room.

The next month would be brutal. But she would not dive into the grunt factory and kowtow to a bunch of marines. She couldn't believe Firth opted for the harder route.

One that took him away from her. "Some friend he turned out to be." She wouldn't miss him one damn bit.

I'm happy with how this scene turned out and I'm excited to get Sammie and Firth through this conflict.

 

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

ML Skye