The Huntress
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Maid of Orleans
A Short Story based on Fact
By Maryanne Peters

House Spouse
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I worked alongside Matt Linaker for three years. I had no idea that he was anything other than a normal guy. I knew that he was married, so the fact that he had a slightly effeminate appearance I simply put down to “metrosexuality”.

Summer Intern
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Who could believe such an asshole could become my closest friend? I put it down to the power of womanhood. When it comes down to it, we are the superior sex. Our chemistry can dominate and drown out the worst things about men.

The Governess
A Short Story based on American History
By Maryanne Peters

It was in the year 1703, 20 years ago, that I first came to work for Edward Hyde, His Lordship Lord Cornbury, then His High Mightiness the Governor of the Colony of New Amsterdam, now the state of New York in the Americas. Now I am Lord Cornbury, soon to die, while he who once was His Lordship, leads the life he always wanted on those distant shores.

A Friend when Needed
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Tad looked suddenly very serious. The game was long over and the last two pieces of pizza had gone cold. Beer had been drunk: enough to lower the inhibitions but not enough to drop them both into a stupor. He looked at Jason, squarely in the eyes.

“I can trust you, man,” he said, “I know I can. We’ve been true pals for so long that I feel I can tell you anything. I can, can’t I?”

Molly Grows Up
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Laundromat
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Despite the fact that they were the only two people in the laundromat at that hour, she came over to use the machine next to his.

She was tall. Her hair was blonde, in a short bob with slight curls. She wore makeup despite her clothing being casual. She was looking at his load of laundry.

Father of the Bride
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

“Dad has every right to bring a partner to my wedding, having paid for all of this,” said Sonia, waving her hand around the reception area.  There were hours to go before the ceremony, but they had already been to the hairdresser and she wanted a final inspection of the facilities.

Triplets
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Is it not every guy’s fantasy? To have a threesome with a pair of gorgeous twins? My only problem was that there was only one difference between Meghan and Moira Spillane, and it was not an obvious one – Moira is a lesbian.

Weddings
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Wedding Number One

“Come on, it will be fun,” Maggie McMullen said. “It will be them against us. The McMullen ladies against the Cavendish gentlemen.”

“You have to see how crazy this is,” said Rory. “Why the hell does Charlie want us to turn up to your wedding in wigs and frocks?”

Goat
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Rob and Maria Dunleavy had lived next to Dean Rusbatch for almost 10 years. Rob and Maria had achieved an ambition in setting up a milking goat farm on 20 acres at the bottom of Whistledown Valley, and further up the valley road Dean kept cattle. They lived with their two pre-school children in a small farmhouse that Rob had largely built with his own hands.

Obsession
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I know what obsession is. I used to live with it every day.

I just thought that I was a person who just did not like dirt. Dirt harbors germs. Germs cause disease. Disease causes death. Dirt is deadly. You should be clean. I just pushed it a little too far.

Lady Luck
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

It is the dream of millions, but for us it came true. We won the lottery. The three of us, toiling away quietly in the huge warehouse where I had gone to work for a month or two and ended up staying 6 years, won the lottery. Me, with old man Gus, and little Paul, won the big one. 54 million dollars in one lump sum. $18,000,000 each.

Cheer Coach
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

To me, it was a natural extension from gymnastics. At college I was a gymnast, but injury put an end to my career.

Prison Therapy
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I never shared a cell with Saus Solnick. I like to think that if we ever had, if we had talked this through, none of this would have happened. If I knew who he was, I never would have followed him on this path.

Squaddie
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

The Special Air Service is one of the most prestigious of special forces units, if not the most prestigious. All other special forces units have been modelled on it or some of its practices. One key element is that membership is on merit as assessed by a secret and non-reviewable internal selection process. This has always been seen as a strength. But it has been observed that it may also account for the fact that no woman has ever been admitted to the unit.

False Memory Syndrome
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

You have to understand why I did it. I had suffered more than anybody I know. Even if I had not been convicted, the shame of it would have been enough to ruin my life. It did ruin my life. I was accused of molesting my own daughter. Who could imagine such a thing.

All of the accusations were based on “recovered memory”. Have you heard of that?

The Poet
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

You may have heard of my Uncle Cyrus. He was a minor celebrity of sorts, a few years back. He wrote a small book about how men could charm women. It was a book based loosely on the assistance that he gave my cousin Chris in winning his lovely wife Roxy. It sold quite a few copies and Uncle Cyrus was interviewed on radio and local TV.

Rehabilitation
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

“I am sure that you have the best of intentions, but I have to tell you that I do not approve of what you are doing.”

“Why?” she asked, although she did not appear hurt.

Swiss Clinic
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

Part 1

“Gil, Is that you?” The voice on the phone seemed to be his, but a little higher.

“It’s me, Kane” his client confirmed, clearing his throat. “I’m in Switzerland.”

Cruelty
A Short Story (with images)
By Maryanne Peters

Call for Help
A Short Story
By Maryanne Peters

I could hear the distress in her voice, my little Hannah: “Help Daddy. Mommy is really sick. Please come.” A heart-rending call for help.

“I can’t do that sweetie,” I explained. “Daddy is not allowed to be with you without the special ‘yes’ that I told you about, remember?”

“Please Daddy, please,” she said. I could hear Melody crying in the background. The sound of both of my children in distress was too hard to stand. What father could refuse to act, even in the face of the Court order.