キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか? しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか? 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな?』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう?もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
For the past four days, I’ve had a low-grade headache just kind of hovering behind my forehead, but yesterday it exploded into a full-flown migraine. It was awful. My head was pounding too much for me to be able to sleep it off, and my stomach was upset so I couldn’t take any medication.
Luckily, I had taken a couple Tylenol and willow bark with some soymilk before my stomach rebelled, so I wasn’t totally without drugs. The only thing I could do was lie in bed with the windows darkened and a cold compress on my head and eyes. However, the pain was too much and I couldn’t sleep, but it was also heartily boring lying in bed in pain, so I put on an audiobook and listened to that in the dark. I went through three cold compresses before the headache died down.
Even after I got up, I still had a low-grade headache and my head felt fragile, like glass. I tried doing work and couldn’t--I was in too much pain, and I was afraid that looking at the computer screen was making my headache get worse again, so I stopped.
But I was so frustrated because I have so much work to do! I’m working on blurbs for my Love Inspired Suspense editor, which I should have had done a couple weeks ago, but some personal problems kept me from working on them sooner. I also need to be working on a manuscript due October 15th.
I am also taking an online history class, my first academic class in years. Originally, I would have had my manuscript done before the class started, but the manuscript deadline was extended because my synopsis wasn’t approved earlier, so the deadline is now October 15th, and so I have the class at the same time as the manuscript writing.
Perhaps my migraine was triggered by the stress of the past month. I had some personal problems and excessive stress about the amount of work that piled up.
I’d had such a nice, neat schedule for myself that got completely sidelined. Deadlines were changed, extra work piled up, unanticipated problems arose. Now my online class time is packed with two other projects that were supposed to be finished before the class started.
I am feeling better today, although I still have a low-grade headache. However, I am not tired and feel full of energy--my head just feels a little fragile from the pounding it took yesterday.
Please pray for me that I can get all my work done. I need God’s help to not only get it done, but also to not be frustrated by all the problems I’ve had. Thanks, guys!
Luckily, I had taken a couple Tylenol and willow bark with some soymilk before my stomach rebelled, so I wasn’t totally without drugs. The only thing I could do was lie in bed with the windows darkened and a cold compress on my head and eyes. However, the pain was too much and I couldn’t sleep, but it was also heartily boring lying in bed in pain, so I put on an audiobook and listened to that in the dark. I went through three cold compresses before the headache died down.
Even after I got up, I still had a low-grade headache and my head felt fragile, like glass. I tried doing work and couldn’t--I was in too much pain, and I was afraid that looking at the computer screen was making my headache get worse again, so I stopped.
But I was so frustrated because I have so much work to do! I’m working on blurbs for my Love Inspired Suspense editor, which I should have had done a couple weeks ago, but some personal problems kept me from working on them sooner. I also need to be working on a manuscript due October 15th.
I am also taking an online history class, my first academic class in years. Originally, I would have had my manuscript done before the class started, but the manuscript deadline was extended because my synopsis wasn’t approved earlier, so the deadline is now October 15th, and so I have the class at the same time as the manuscript writing.
Perhaps my migraine was triggered by the stress of the past month. I had some personal problems and excessive stress about the amount of work that piled up.
I’d had such a nice, neat schedule for myself that got completely sidelined. Deadlines were changed, extra work piled up, unanticipated problems arose. Now my online class time is packed with two other projects that were supposed to be finished before the class started.
I am feeling better today, although I still have a low-grade headache. However, I am not tired and feel full of energy--my head just feels a little fragile from the pounding it took yesterday.
Please pray for me that I can get all my work done. I need God’s help to not only get it done, but also to not be frustrated by all the problems I’ve had. Thanks, guys!
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