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Chapter or Story 
Chapter or Story
Disclaimer: The characters and events in these stories are fictitious. Andy similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. "The Pretender" is a protected trademark of MTM and NBC television. The characters of that series are used here with no intent or desire for remuneration. It is a fan tribute to excellent television and the wonderful characters of the show.
Copyright: 1997
Vignette 1:
“Remembrance”
JasmineSky
Sonya Bartley sat on her porch swing and sipped a glass of icy lemonade, reflecting on her life. A smile came to her face as she remembered a summer twenty years ago. She and her twin sister Tonya---who were 'sweet sixteen' had been chosen to participate in a special study at a place in Delaware. They were to live on the campus of the place for two weeks and participate in a variety of tests and games. It sounded interesting and their parents were getting paid to let them come, so it seems like a good idea.
The truth in fact, it turned out that their stay gave new meaning to the word 'boring'. All day, they took test after test, then were locked in their rooms after supper.
There was no TV---just books. Boring books. Tonya had been content to read and sleep, but Sonya had always been the wild one, somewhat hyper.
On the fourth afternoon, the tests were done early. Hours in that dull room would be unbearable to Sonya. She soon spotted the vent cover, pryed it open and crawled in.
She made her way through the maze of metal until she heard a sound.
She crawled to the opening grate and peeked through.
A man smoking a cigarette was fussing a boy that appeared to be just a bit older than herself. He appeared to be trying to do something on a computer.
"You have to do it. You won't get any supper until you finish it!" the man said, apparently disgusted with the boy. He stalked out of the room.
The boy barely reacted when she pushed the cover open and dropped through.
He only looked up at her with sad eyes.
She looked at the computer screen---it was a huge puzzle, something like a jigsaw puzzle.
"Hello! I'm Sonya. Maybe I can help. What does the completed picture look like?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
She studied the pieces for several minutes and made a suggestion. The boy's hands flew over the keyboard. Several pieces fit into place. He looked up at her with a huge grin.
She placed her hands on his shoulders and he jumped.
"Oh, sorry!" she said, but he reached back and placed her hands on his shoulders once again. She told him several more correct moves. Soon, she pulled a chair up beside him. Her arm brushed against his as she found some more correct fits. Soon, they had the puzzle---a grizzly bear attacking a man--complete.
"Will that man be pleased now?"
He smiled and nodded. He looked so sweet and lonely, she couldn't resist leaning over and pressing her lips against his. At first he didn't react, then he returned the kiss. They separated for a moment, then tried it again with more passion.
Footsteps coming down the hall caused them to part.
"What's your name?" she asked quickly.
He whispered in her ear, then she jumped back in the vent.
The next afternoon, she hoped to find the shy, sweet boy again.
This time, however, another boy was in the room. The same ill tempered man was yelling at him. He yelled some directions to the boy, then huffed out.
She entered the room and saw that he had a 3-D puzzle to work. She looked at the numerous pieces laying on the table.
"I'm Sonya. Maybe I can help."
He appeared to ignore her and continued putting pieces together.
She stepped closer to him. Suddenly, he turned and glared at her. She quickly returned to the vent.
It was hard to believe that it had been twenty years. Twenty years and three marriages ago. Sonya sighed as she remember her first kiss. She wondered what had become of the shy, sweet Angelo. She shivered slightly as she recalled the ice cold gaze of the other boy. She'd be willing to bet that the gray-eyed boy had wound up on the wrong side of the law.
* * * *
Angelo lay on his bunk, thinking about all the havoc that had gone on at the Centre lately. He sighed as he remembered a summer twenty years ago.
Copyright: 1997
“Remembrance”
JasmineSky
Sonya Bartley sat on her porch swing and sipped a glass of icy lemonade, reflecting on her life. A smile came to her face as she remembered a summer twenty years ago. She and her twin sister Tonya---who were 'sweet sixteen' had been chosen to participate in a special study at a place in Delaware. They were to live on the campus of the place for two weeks and participate in a variety of tests and games. It sounded interesting and their parents were getting paid to let them come, so it seems like a good idea.
The truth in fact, it turned out that their stay gave new meaning to the word 'boring'. All day, they took test after test, then were locked in their rooms after supper.
There was no TV---just books. Boring books. Tonya had been content to read and sleep, but Sonya had always been the wild one, somewhat hyper.
On the fourth afternoon, the tests were done early. Hours in that dull room would be unbearable to Sonya. She soon spotted the vent cover, pryed it open and crawled in.
She made her way through the maze of metal until she heard a sound.
She crawled to the opening grate and peeked through.
A man smoking a cigarette was fussing a boy that appeared to be just a bit older than herself. He appeared to be trying to do something on a computer.
"You have to do it. You won't get any supper until you finish it!" the man said, apparently disgusted with the boy. He stalked out of the room.
The boy barely reacted when she pushed the cover open and dropped through.
He only looked up at her with sad eyes.
She looked at the computer screen---it was a huge puzzle, something like a jigsaw puzzle.
"Hello! I'm Sonya. Maybe I can help. What does the completed picture look like?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
She studied the pieces for several minutes and made a suggestion. The boy's hands flew over the keyboard. Several pieces fit into place. He looked up at her with a huge grin.
She placed her hands on his shoulders and he jumped.
"Oh, sorry!" she said, but he reached back and placed her hands on his shoulders once again. She told him several more correct moves. Soon, she pulled a chair up beside him. Her arm brushed against his as she found some more correct fits. Soon, they had the puzzle---a grizzly bear attacking a man--complete.
"Will that man be pleased now?"
He smiled and nodded. He looked so sweet and lonely, she couldn't resist leaning over and pressing her lips against his. At first he didn't react, then he returned the kiss. They separated for a moment, then tried it again with more passion.
Footsteps coming down the hall caused them to part.
"What's your name?" she asked quickly.
He whispered in her ear, then she jumped back in the vent.
The next afternoon, she hoped to find the shy, sweet boy again.
This time, however, another boy was in the room. The same ill tempered man was yelling at him. He yelled some directions to the boy, then huffed out.
She entered the room and saw that he had a 3-D puzzle to work. She looked at the numerous pieces laying on the table.
"I'm Sonya. Maybe I can help."
He appeared to ignore her and continued putting pieces together.
She stepped closer to him. Suddenly, he turned and glared at her. She quickly returned to the vent.
It was hard to believe that it had been twenty years. Twenty years and three marriages ago. Sonya sighed as she remember her first kiss. She wondered what had become of the shy, sweet Angelo. She shivered slightly as she recalled the ice cold gaze of the other boy. She'd be willing to bet that the gray-eyed boy had wound up on the wrong side of the law.
Angelo lay on his bunk, thinking about all the havoc that had gone on at the Centre lately. He sighed as he remembered a summer twenty years ago.
