He raises the plaid jacket from the chest and holds it up before him. A familiar laugh rises from behind his shoulder.

"Hey there Herb Tarlek!" Charlotte giggles, kneeling down next to him and nuzzling his neck. "I bet you look pretty sexy in that jacket…"

He joins her in her laughter. "All I need is the matching white belt and shoes." Then he sets the jacket back down in the trunk and turns to her. With slow and careful hands he takes hold of her growing belly. "But I do like the way you call me Herb."

She leans forward and breathes into his ear. "Anything else you'd like me to do?"

This brings a low grunt of assent. "Well we both know the secret saying…:

With flashing emerald eyes she faces him. Then she kisses him, a long soft kiss that pulls apart ever so delicately. They both hold each other and feel their mutual rhythm growing in the attic space.

"Simon says," she whispers.

Suddenly he notices Cindy at the door, pressed shyly against the doorjamb. Her face is a bright oval of worry. "Mommy? Daddy? There's some people outside of the house."

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This has been the Sixteenth Chapter of Act Two for my ongoing #freewrite serial story.

ACT TWO CHAPTERS

Chapter One *** Chapter Two *** Chapter Three

Chapter Four*** Chapter Five*** Chapter Six

Chapter Seven*** Chapter Eight*** Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten*** Chapter Eleven*** Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen*** Chapter Fourteen*** Chapter Fifteen

And here is the ACT ONE Chapter List, with all of the links for Act One.

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Written in five minutes from the writing prompts, "Plaid"and "belt as part of the #freewrite exercise. Image is by me as well. You can view the prompts here, and here. Try some of the other freewrites that are involved, on for size. Thanks to @mariannewest for creating and running this challenge that wanders from town to town, up and down the dial...

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Writing and images by Greg McCann, the author of this post and owner of this Steemit Channel. To view more of my work, please visit www.fireawaymarmot.com.