Karen Watts

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Nov, 2020

Stories (5)

5 Stories

93 karma pts

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“It's not always raining” by Karen Watts

Submitted to Contest #85

“Renoviction? Is that even a word?” “In Vancouver it is, and it just happened to you, Jill.” Still clutching the poorly worded eviction notice, and trying not to sob into the phone, Jill waited for her friend, a long-time Vancouverite, to explain. “Let’s say you want to double the rent. You can’t legally do that, but you can force your tenant to move out for renovations that turn the place into a bigger or better suite, and then the new rent for the next tenant is justified.” “And this happens to lots of people?” Jill sniffed and looked arou...

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“Just Say Yes” by Karen Watts

Submitted to Contest #74

“Will you marry me?”“Oh, God. It’s beautiful.”“Just say yes, and I’ll make you so happy.”One Mississippi. It’s a heart-shaped diamond, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything so stunning or expensive up close before. “Are you surprised?”“I think I need to sit down.”Two Mississippi. Yes, I’m surprised. We’re only eighteen and nineteen and six months out of high school. Right now though, I’m mostly cold. I wish you wouldn’t insist I wear skirts all the time. My knees are freezing. We sit down on a park bench under a street light. Every word ...

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“Three French Hens” by Karen Watts

Submitted to Contest #73

“Don’t send me any more gifts. Let’s just have dinner tomorrow night and plan a romantic Christmas Eve, that’s all I want.” The first box, containing a frozen partridge, surprised Amber because she wondered why Derek would gift her with a meat-of-the-month membership. The next day two frozen squab arrived, and she realized what he was doing. “But, Derek the twelve days start on Christmas, and really I don’t think you’ve thought this out. Unless you mean to start sending performers to my house dancing and leaping and whatnot. The neighbors ...

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“The Taste of Matrimony” by Karen Watts

Submitted to Contest #70

The bride had asked for “a cake with hints of ginger and citrus. Vegan.” Jean and Jane, owners of Two Sisters Bakery, agreed. They’d made a cake for every bride in the town for the last twenty-five years. Of course, they’d made the same cake for every bride, but they were confident, until they did some reading. “Whoever heard of a cake with no milk, butter, or eggs? What in the world is wrong with Sarah Grace?” “You mean S.G. Monroe.” Jean dropped the recipe book she was looking through onto the table, “Yes, the famous S.G. Monroe. I ...

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“Thankful” by Karen Watts

Submitted to Contest #69

"Ew, Michael, Grandma can see you. Moooom! Make him stop." I resisted the urge to add to the screaming. This day had already been so long. "Michael, go to the bathroom and blow your nose, and wash your hands. Thoroughly." My four year old dashed down the hallway giggling the whole way. "Go with him, Katie. Make sure he washes his hands." Twelve year old Katie trudged after her brother, grumbling about disgusting brats and weird computer Thanksgiving. I was sympathetic. The last thing her father and I wanted to do was have another...

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Author bio

College Humanities teacher online, and writer in my own mind. Business coach in between.