Hope you are enjoying the day with friends and loved ones.

In my previous post, I described Susanna Leonard Hill’s Valentiny Writing Contest 2018. A few days ago, I submitted an entry about love under the sea. Then yesterday, two puppies entered my head. They claimed all the space and I had to bang out their love story so new thoughts could enter again.

Today, I took some time to take a 584-word story (AAHHHHH!) down to the SLH limit: 214!

Writing tight is tough! It’s certainly one of the biggest challenges that I face. But that’s what makes contests like this so important! Contests set the rules. They give you parameters. They show you the bullseye!

Caramel and Dooley are adorable with their new-found affection for one another, but they didn’t make it easy on me. They wanted every edge of their story told. But, I cut. I sliced. I peeled away a few extra layers. And… I’m happy to report that their love story is now 214 words . . . precisely!

Meet Dooley!

He’s a pup in love, for sure! He’s been wandering into the same restaurant for weeks trying to get the nerve up to proclaim his love for his hot doodle of a waitress! Now, thanks to Susanna Leonard Hill, he finally gets his chance. Will he win her heart?

 

Meet Caramel!

She’s a shy, young waitress who’s made sure she’s on the Friday schedule for weeks now just in case that Dooley comes back in. Spaghetti and meatballs every Friday night? Yuck! But he orders it so she keeps on bringing it. If he come back in tonight, he’s going to get more than he bargained for! Will he get the message?

I hope you enjoy BE MINE FUREVER! If you do, please let me know what you think!

BE MINE FUREVER

Dooley had a secret crush on Caramel. She had one on him, too. She’d been his waitress at the Kennel Club Café for weeks. But, it was time their true hearts were revealed!

–              –              –

Dooley froze. He’d planned to confess his love right away, but was startled when seated in a dark room filled with candlelight.

“You like?”

“Sure . . . just like camping.”

Caramel tried again.

Dooley tried again, too, but was stunned when she came back with bread shaped like Cupid’s arrow.

“You like?”

“Certainly . . . I love archery.”

One. More. Time.

He was ready, too, but out she came carrying a bowl of spaghetti with heart-shaped meatballs.

“You like?”

“Absolutely. Hearts are my favorite candies,” he blurted out.

That did it! Caramel started to…

“I want-ed to make to-night spe-cial,” she cried.

Dooley was shocked!

“Don’t cry! I’m sorry the power’s out.”

“Nnn… Nnn… Nnn…!”

“You can’t help the bread machine’s wacky!”

“Boohoo!”

“It’s o.k. I eat funny-shaped food.” Sluuuuuurp! “Delicious,” he added.

“Whaaaaa!”

The more he tried; the harder she cried. Dooley did what any love-sick pup would do. He jumped up and howled a sweet love song.

“Caramel, will you be my Valentine?”

She answered with a cake that read, “Dooley, Be Mine Furever!”