Entirely appropriate? Bullshit. How the hell do you think she got into the house in the first place? She broke in through the back window, and took my keys to the truck, ransacked the cupboard and helped herself to the fuckin' chinawear she claimed she said was hers. I don't give a good goddamn about some fuckin' china pattern. I would have given her the goddamn dishes had she asked. She conveniently waited till dark, when she knew I was at the gym. Locked her keys in the car, my ass. She planned the whole fuckin' thing down to the crying routine in front of the police who caught her in my house. She is lucky I did not catch her. Crazy bitch.

(Note: This was originally posted in the Flash Fiction section of The Untitled Forum, and was so composed.)

Parallel Lines

"Is it a penny, or a nickel?" asked Toby, pulling on his boot where it had stuck in the mud of the swampy trail that lined the track.

"A penny, stupid. You don't want to waste a whole nickel." Isabella dug into her pocket and pulled out a small handful of change. "I've got a quarter, too."

"Where'd you get that?"

"Mom."

"She gave it to you?"

Isabella didn't answer, just smiled slyly and slipped the coins back into the pocket of her overalls. "Come on, it's almost time."