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Lauren McLaughlin

Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2021

Stories (6)

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6 Stories

123 karma pts

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29 for Dinner

Lauren McLaughlin

Submitted to Contest #100

29 for Dinner From her vantage point at the kitchen counter, Addison could see that the conversation on the patio was flowing smoothly. A promising sign since eight virtual strangers were meeting for the first time. They were all neighbors on one cul-de-sac in a newly constructed community, and Addison had made this grand gesture, a dinner party to get to know her those who would be living closest to her family. So far, it seemed to be going well. She removed a pan of warm canapés from the oven, transferred them to a serving plate,...

9 likes

One Baby Step at a Time

Lauren McLaughlin

Submitted to Contest #99

The fire burned steadily, the teapot was in its cozy, Alexa was playing Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, and the novel Chloe had been wading her way through lay open on the table behind her. She stood in front of the French doors leading out to the terrace and watched the rain – the steadily falling rain. It formed a grey curtain that muted everything else in sight. The droning sound the rain made was peaceful, except for interruptions when a big wind blew down from the hills with a fierceness that was, at the very least, unsettling. Twenty-fou...

8 likes

I Need to Say Goodbye Before I Can Say Hello

Lauren McLaughlin

Submitted to Contest #98

I Need to Say Goodbye Before I Can Say Hello "Who was that on the phone?" Nancy asked reluctantly Jim sank into the chair next to her and sighed. "That was our Realtor, telling us that she really couldn't give us any more time and wishing us well in finding our new home." "I really can't blame her, Sweetheart," Nan admitted. She's worked very hard for us. I'm not surprised she gave up on me. I'm just surprised you haven't." "I love you, Nan. You know that. And I can see this –whatever the hell it is – is tearing you apart. I'm not givi...

7 likes

A Window of Opportunity

Lauren McLaughlin

Submitted to Contest #97

Selia Stanton rolled over and opened one eye, just wide enough to see the clock beside her bed. It said 4:30 AM – the same time it had said the day before and the day before that and every day for the past two weeks. It didn’t seem to matter what time she went to bed – 4:30 was her new wake-up time, and she was learning to live with it. She made a pot of coffee and sat down in her favorite chair – which recently she had placed in front of a large window in her living room. And looking out at the world before her, shrouded in d...

7 likes

Your Room Is Ready . . .

Lauren McLaughlin

Submitted to Contest #96

Your Room Is Ready . . . Janis was arriving on a plane at 4:00, and she needed a safe spot in which to recover. So Meredith woke up with just one clear thought in her mind that morning, I’ve run out of time and I’ve run out of excuses. I have to clean the guest room – NOW! She got out of bed, slipped into her Mom jeans and a tee shirt, and went right to the guestroom. She stripped the sheets off the bed and put them in the washer. Then she went to the kitchen and made a pot of coffee. Carrying her coffee mug back to the guest room, sh...

17 likes

How do you feel?

Lauren McLaughlin

Submitted to Contest #95

In the elevator heading for his hotel room, Tony found himself thinking about Molly - again. He could hardly wait to be back home, to see her again, to tell her all about his trip. The idea of being back with her again excited him more than he cared for, but it also terrified him. His history with personal relationships was very sketchy and he was more than reluctant to commit to any one person for life. And truth be told, Molly was the first woman he had even considered spending his whole life with, ever. He had been the driver for the last...

10 likes