Jingle of Coins

Jingle of Coins by C D Ledbetter

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Authors: C D Ledbetter
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woke Emily from her afternoon nap. Groggy with sleep, she flung one arm toward the offending noise, banged her wrist on the nightstand, and grabbed the receiver before the answering machine kicked in.
    “Emily, this is Clarise Forbes from the Emerald Lagoon. I didn’t call you at a bad time, did I?”
    “No, not at all,” Emily replied, rubbing the sore spot on her wrist. “What can I do for you?”
    “I know this is short notice, but we’re ready for you to take your drug test. Can you do it this afternoon? If all goes well, you can start in the morning at nine. You did say you could start anytime, right?”
    Emily’s heart sank. The last thing she wanted to do was go to a clinic and pee in a cup. However, she needed a steady paycheck more than she needed sleep—especially after her near disaster this morning. “Sure. Where do I go?”
    “I’ll give you the directions…”
    Ten minutes later Emily pulled her Jeep out of the parking lot and drove to the outpatient clinic the Emerald Lagoon used to process its drug screen tests. She signed into the clinic and took a seat, hoping she wouldn’t have long to wait. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that she’d skipped lunch and it was almost time for dinner. Landing the floral design job was cause for a celebration—the first one she’d had in a long time, and she intended to make the most of it by eating out. Heck, she might even splurge and order something really decadent—maybe even one of those triple-layered chocolate caramel deserts she’d seen stacked on the pastry carts.
    Some forty minutes later, the clerk called her name and escorted her to an examination room. After a cursory examination, Emily gave the attending physician a list of her medications, then left a urine sample in the appropriate cup. Her spirits soared as she drove toward town. She had a new job, a decent car, and a new apartment. If Glen worked out to be her new boyfriend, she’d be set. If not, she’d troll for someone else. Tonight the world was her oyster, and she fully intended to make it cough up at least one pearl before she turned it loose!
     
     
    I should have made my move earlier, Glen thought miserably as he sat in the hot vehicle, waiting for Emily to emerge from the clinic. Swearing under his breath, he tipped the edge of his baseball cap to rub his aching temple, then reached over and switched on the air conditioner. A few moments later he regretfully turned it off, praying that Emily would return before he either melted into a puddle of sweat or the engine overheated.
    There was only one reason she’d visit this particular clinic—to get a pre-employment drug screen test. She must have landed a job. Just as he was about to give up the chase, she emerged from the building, shoved a wad of papers into her purse, and drove away.
    He figured she’d head for home, but she surprised him by driving to the strip and pulling into the Emerald Lagoon’s parking lot. Following her was easy until he got tangled up in the middle of a group of little old ladies. By the time he’d extracted himself, she’d vanished. He hurried outside to try and figure out where she’d gone.
    It was now six-thirty. Would she go home, or had she decided to celebrate her new job by eating at one of the better restaurants? Assuming, of course, that she had gotten the job.
    Hoping that she’d opted to eat in town, he hurried down the sidewalk, glancing into the small casinos that lined every block. Two blocks later he spotted Emily’s red blouse in a group of people moving to the other side of the street.
    She passed several casinos, then ducked into the Silver Palace. Instead of taking time to view the silver coin exhibit, she walked directly to the slot area, wandered down several rows, and finally stopped in front of a quarter machine. Glen paused at the edge of her aisle while she stared at the machine. When it looked like she’d decided to play, he moved to the bar at the opposite end of

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