Halfway through the third piece of chocolate, my apartment bell rang.
Too late for a UPS delivery or for a friend to stop by.
Definitely too late for Bob (see last week’s The Wrong One...).
I hit my pink-manicured finger on the speaker and asked, “Yes?” Only it sounded more like, “Yethhh?” since I was swallowing the last bit of dark chocolate caramel.
“Sloan?” a male voice inquired. “Ms. Molly Sloan?”
I had a bad feeling about this, but I couldn’t deny the inevitable.
“That’s me!” I admitted too cheerily.
The man sighed with vigor. “Thank God. I hope I’m not too late!”
“For what?” My mouth was pressed up against the speaker and, weirdly, I felt like I was having an intimate conversation with a stranger who, somehow, I knew.
“I believe you have my suitcase,” he blurted out.
I hit the ENTER button, and with that buzz, my life became forever altered.
But of course, I didn’t know that. Instead, I ran to the brown suitcase still sitting on my bed, threw the box of candy on top of the negligee and bathrobe, zipped up the bag, and placed it on the hallway floor.
The quick knock on my front door caused me to jump. What was the matter with me? I had nothing to feel guilty about.
I wiped the lingering chocolate off my lips, revising my indignation. Well, I had little reason to feel guilty.
But when I peered through the peephole, I gasped. Then I opened the door. The man’s look was one of confusion and, perhaps, embarrassment. “Do I know you?” he asked.
Relieved that he didn’t remember, I deflected his question. “You’re carrying a brown suitcase just like mine,” I replied.
With earnest hazel eyes and lips that lifted a bit crookedly, the man explained: “I got to the baggage area late.” He carried his sincerity well on a tall cyclist’s frame that wore his khaki slacks and button-down shirt with nary a wrinkle. “This suitcase was one of the few left on the carousel. It looked exactly like the one I checked in at the airport.”
“So you flew in from Tampa also?” I tried to not appear overly curious but invited him to come inside with a swing of my hand. His eyes swiftly scanned the room: tan couch and two comfy side chairs, a tall antique bookcase stuffed with hardback books, a thriving green plant overlooking curtained windows.
“Nice place,” he said, then answered, “Yes, one-day business trip. 3D.”
“Aha,” I answered. “Visiting family. 21D.”
His booming laugh bounced against my lonely walls.
“Derek,” I said, softly.
His expression changed from blank to a dawning realization.
[Who’s Derek? The first one who guesses the right answer gets a copy of my book: The Right Wrong Man. (E-book for an outside-the-US winner.) Final installment of this flash fiction story next week…]
Good morning 🐞
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Happy Day!
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Happy days 🐞
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Ah, curious to find out more. Nice piece of flash. 🙂
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Thanks Marje- I enjoy putting together story puzzlers. 🙃
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Oh I think missed out not following this story.
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A three-parter per readers’ request. First one: The Wrong One, then this Summertime Baggage. The puzzle is solved, romantically of course, next Friday. ❤
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I do some back reading and watch out for the finale later in the week.
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Well perhaps Derek is an old boyfriend… one she should have kept since he was bringing his gal a negligee and a box of See’s! Will be tuning in next week fir part three.
Have a wonderful weekend!
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Hmmm, perhaps, Sharon. Happy Weekend to you! xo
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Hmmm, this is very tantalizing!
Who’s Derek? We know that he’s from Tampa, Florida. He has an athletic frame and earnest hazel eyes….and currently in a relationship with another woman.
An acquaintance….not yet a lover…but soon to change her life?
I can’t wait to read more!
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You read carefully, Donna, and got SOME of the clues correctly….! 🙂
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Oh man! Now I’m even more curious! It was Charlotte and Andrew in the bookstore…but it does have that familiar feel. They didn’t sit next to each other on the plane (3D and 22D). And you said I had SOME of the clues right, so they were lovers in the past! Must have been short and long ago…or he has a very bad memory (for such an obviously romantic guy)!
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Ooooooooh. Nice. I especially liked the “Yeth” touch. I have no idea who Derek is. Maybe a long lost brother?
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Ha ha. Long-lost brother would be a nice touch. But I deal with romanticism in my fictional fantasy…. 🙂
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I’m clueless. Luckily, I’ve already read and loved The Right Wrong Man. 🙂
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You are a star, Jill, because you also gave The Right Wrong Man an excellent review. xo Yes, this “wrong one” is a totally different story of some people who just need a little push to find each other. Oh, that was such a good clue…!!!!
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Tell me! Tell me! I just know this is going to be good … although somehow I just know she’s going to regret eating that chocolate 😉
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Joanne – NO ONE should EVER regret eating chocolate. 🙂 🙂 🙂
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You have me in suspense here , how long do we have to wait until all is revealed?
I did note that she said “Derek” softly. Ohh..so there is or has been something going on.😉💕
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Six more days until the answer will be revealed in next Friday’s post (she says, softly with a slight wicked grin). xo
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I don’t think Derek could be a recent lover, if he didn’t remember her at first. Perhaps her old high school boyfriend? Well done, Pam!
I thought at first this was going to be a story about your recent flight. 🙂
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Ha Ha. Merril, I survived my flight and now have pushed it to the dark recess of my mind – until I have to return next week. ACK. In the meantime, who would want to talk to a recent lover who FORGOT you? That, indeed, would be a different kind of story. 🙂
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Am enjoying this story! Great job!
I think Derek was someone she had met long ago. They had a little 1 week fling when he was on a business trip and then they parted ways, but she never forgot.
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So far, you have gotten closest to the answer. Let’s say you’re warm, not hot. I’m so glad you’re enjoying my flash fiction escapism. Stay tuned for next Friday’s reveal. xo
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Oh cool! Now you have me thinking again. Excited for Friday. 🙂
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I think that Derek is the cat who just walked into the room carrying something he swiped from the man’s suitcase earlier while the narrator was eating chocolate. The cat’s presence will confirm that our narrator was nosy– and that’s what the man is realizing.
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I love your guess because it made me laugh out loud. At first I thought you meant a REAL cat, and that caught my funny bone too. You have a terrific imagination… 🙂
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Was Derek the guy in the bookshop?
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Ohhh, Anneli. I love that you went back to my bookshop story.
But no, that was not Derek.
Fabulous fun guess, though. xo
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Got me hooked.
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Stay on the line…! 🙂
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Hmm, what kind of business trip requires a shaving kit, a negligee and chocolates?
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One would wonder, wouldn’t one….??? ❤
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You do know how to keep us wanting!
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Yay! That’s my intention, and I’m glad you’re wanting more. Stay tuned for the final installment next Friday. 🙂
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Oh dear I don’t know who Derek is but I definitely want to know what happens next!
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I have a feeling it could be quite a shocker, Sue. :-0
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Derek = a blast from the past ~> someone who will make her forget all about Bob (even if that means disappointing her parents . . . again).
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You and Joyroses13 are on the right track….. xo
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Sounds like Derek must have camped out in the wrong room some time before. Mix up in rooms then and mixup in bags now. They are destined to be together. I love this story. Can’t wait for more.
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Fun, fun guess. Kind of reminds me of the great wacky Doris Day/Rock Hudson movies “way back when.” ❤
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I’m going to guess Derek is an old school friend. On the other hand, if he was Derek–AKA Dr. McDreamy–from Grey’s Anatomy, that wouldn’t be so bad either. 😉
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Hmmm, no, that wouldn’t be so bad at all, Carrie. 🙂 Thanks for your guess. Stay tuned for next Friday’s reveal. xo
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Gee whiz, Pamela, you and your mysteries. Derek is some lover or was almost a lover from her past. But maybe not. Anyhow, I love nice mysteries that don’t involve violence. I still must get your other book, the one about “right’ or ‘wrong” or something or the other about a man. I’m so sorry, I’m too lazy to look it up. 🙂
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I do seem to like writing about WRONG men, don’t I? :-0 My book is THE RIGHT WRONG MAN.
https://www.amazon.com/The-Right-Wrong-Pamela-Wight/dp/0989932400/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1386943889&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Right+Wrong+Man – paperback or e-book. xo
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I plan to order it one day, I hope very soon. I was afraid I’d get the titile backwards in my comment, such as the wrong, right man. 🙂 Xo Thanks, Pamela.
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I think the title works both ways. The man that’s right is wrong, and the man that’s wrong seems really right. 🙂
Excellent guess re this story … What’s the old expression? “Close but no cigar.” xo
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Love your expression- never heard of that one before. I must remember it. “Close but no cigar. ”
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My dad used to say it when I was a kid. I have no idea what it means, but somehow it helps when you don’t quite ‘get’ something – whatever it is – but know you were close to the answer or goal.
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A high school crush or an old acquaintance? Nice twist Pam…waiting for the next instalment. Have a lovely weekend 🙂
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Happy Weekend to you, Balroop! I like your guesses. Hmmmm, could either of them be correct? Find out next Friday. 🙂 xo
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I’ll have to admit that was clever! Loved it! Derek — a past love or sibling.
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I’m so happy that my hook has got you hooked and guessing, Patricia. I love ‘clever’ – that word is not used enough. You’ve made my day. See you next Friday…! xo
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A page-turner here with everyone hooked, judging from the comments.
I could take some dialogue-writing-suspense-creating lessons from you, Pam. Seriously! 🙂
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Well, you’re already a good writer, Marian. But how much fun would we have if you attended my creative writing classes??!! A bundle. 🙂
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Ahh…now it’s heating up..;)
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….and about to boil over, methinks, George. 🙂
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I enjoyed reading The Right Wrong Man and I have no idea who this guy is. I am sorry I missed you in Tiberon.
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That would have been a bit of a drive for you, Gerlinde (75 minutes?). But one of these days we will meet up – I’m determined! I’m due a trip down to your beautiful town. The Library Presentation on Birds of Paradise was full house and loads of fun. Now I’m enjoying some of this hot sun on the SF Bay before I return home. Hope you’re having a wonderful weekend! xo
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The future grandfather of your grandchildren? Is that who Derek is….?
Ah we do enjoy your style of writing and your humor. But like any good series, we are left wanting more…. Positively tragic that we can’t fast forward past the commercials to the next installment.
Peta (& Ben)
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Thanks for the smiles, you two. I wrote the last part of the lost baggage series on the plane flying across country and was rather shocked to discover the answer. Hold on to your hats (sandals?) and be ready for the ‘rest of the story’ next Friday. ❤
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No idea who Derek is Pam, but I love the start of the story and the fact that her life changed for every when she answered the doorbell suggests interesting things to come!
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Thanks for being an interested involved reader of this fun 3-part fiction series, Andrea. Sometimes I just have too much fun with these stories. 🙂 The ending will hopefully be quite enlightening. xo
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Hi dear friend–wonderful story!!
I think they’re acting out a tantalizing, fun, planned without specific details tryst!!!! Xoxo
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Ahhh, sexy idea, Pat. 🙂 ❤
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Can’t wait to see… I think Derek might be her ex-boss??
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Hmmmm. And we all know ex-bosses can be trouble. 🙂
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OK, I have nothing but praise and questions. Good grief.
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😛
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I already own a (signed!) copy of The Right Wrong Man, but I’m gonna guess anyway.
Derek is a former high school crush, who now sells negligees and chocolate door to door.
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Best guess yet, Mike. Also, the furthest one from the answer…. 🙂
P.S. You have a new fan, below. Check out the last comment in this post.
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heylookawriterfellow—don’t know if I can reply to a replier lol…but I just loved your funny comment…
so that would be like a fuller brush man or an insurance salesman, but he carries negligees and chocolates!!!! LOLLOL
can’t wait to hear the end of this story, Pam!!!!
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Personally, I would answer the door to a salesman selling negligees and chocolates. Just sayin’. 🙂
xo hugs to you Pat.
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Good one! Who’s Derek? The guy your mom wanted to fix you up with when you were younger? LOL Love it!
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Like me, you have a romantic heart within you. Check out the ‘answer’ next week. You are sooooo close. ❤
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OOOOOOOOOOOhhh, Ok, bank on it! 🙂 xx
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Maybe Derek was the geeky unpopular kid at school that she always secretly liked and now he’s grown into a handsome hunk of a man. 😀
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I do love the way you think (fantasize), Dianne. ❤ 🙂
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Who’s Derek? Clearly a lover from a one night stand in Paris a decade ago.
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Clearly. – ha ha.
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You mean I didn’t guess it?
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Find out Friday… 😎
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Yeah, so glad she tucked into the chocolates!!😃 This is a lovely tasty middle section with SO many questions raised…hmm…somehow I’m beginning to pity Derek but not sure why and probably way off the mark! I look forward to the grand finale!😃
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I think Derek would appreciate your empathy for his situation. Check out the final installment (today’s post) to see if he came out of this situation in better shape. 🙂
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I’ll need to concede that was cunning! Adored it! Derek — a past adoration or kin…
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How I love that expression “a past adoration”-yummy!
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Ohhh I’m reading the second installment and loving it! I laughed when she threw the half-eaten box of chocolates back into the suitcase 😉 As for why he looks familiar, hmmm, I’m thinking they had a one night stand!! 😉
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I’d love to know where that expression came form, Christy – a one night ‘stand.’ Why are they standing? Tee hee. I’m bad. Check out answer in today’s post. xo
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This is great – I can picture everything so easily – especially the chocolates and Boston. I’m wondering why he’d have those things in his suitcase – maybe they were there for her all along? But then he didn’t recognize her, so I’ll have to guess either an old boyfriend or an obscure friend of Bob’s.
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Aha! That would have been fun – if he’d planned those items in the suitcase all along. But…. the answer is different. Check it out in my final segment posted today – THE SWITCH. 🙂
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MARVELOUS! Give the world the best you have, and the best will come to you! I want you to know that I really appreciate your efforts. Keep it up!
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Well, you just made my day! Thanks for reading my fun fast fiction. I’ll keep up the effort, believe me. ❤
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