The Sandstone Affair (An Erotic Romance Novel) by Priscilla West Page A

and waited for her
to go with the rest of her golden “how to” tips. But her superior attitude and
over-use of the word “professional” was like waving the red cape in front of
the bull. So, of course, I charged at her. “Really? You only do what you get paid to do? That
doesn’t sound like journalism to me. It sounds more like prostitution.” The
class gasped and Dr. Louden started walking toward the front of the room. “Excuse me? Did you just call me a prostitute,
Miss Sharp? I will have you know I am both an accomplished writer and editor of
a national magazine.” “Pffft, Ladies World,” I responded. “That’s
not even journalism. Recipes and articles about stars and their pets, self-help
tips for depressed housewives and gardening stories? The day’s going to come
when a smart women’s magazine that showcases real news comes along and wipes
Ladies World off the rack.” “I doubt you’ll see that day, Miss Sharp.
Because you’ll be working at Walmart which is the only place I can imagine that
would hire someone as rude as you,” she said, red in the face and furious. Dr.
Louden intervened. “I can see we’ve gotten off track. Let’s take
a five minute break and when we come back Miss James will talk about portfolios
and what today’s publishers are looking for,” he said waving everyone out of
the room. I stayed to talk with her more, but Dr. Louden motioned for me to go
to his office. “We don’t treat one of the most successful
alumni of the school like that !” he sneered as he sat behind the desk
with me standing there like a chastised child. “She works for a bloated, old-school kitchen
rag. What could she possibly have that I would even care about?” “Oh my dear.” Dr. Louden laughed in a sinister
way I’d never heard before. “You may not like her style but she has more
connections in this city than you have words in your vocabulary. I hope you
like writing for the Oklahoma Shopper Express because when she’s done with you–they’ll
be the only place that will take you.” Poor Dad. I railed and screamed and carried on
about Valerie James every time I was denied a job. I talked about how corrupt
the system was, how unfair life could be, how I was being oppressed because I
was so much more talented than she had ever been. Every time I got told no, Dad
would listen, and nod and say, “You started it.” Dr. Louden was wrong about me ending up writing
ads at the Oklahoma Shopper Express. Even they wouldn’t hire me. So I did the
only thing that I could do. I started the magazine that would wipe Ladies World
off the racks. If only Valerie James hadn’t played dirty, Lynx would have been
that magazine in only a few more years.
    I finally end up at the hospital and a
volunteer guides me to my dad’s room. The nurse catches me right before I
enter. She talks to me to mentally prepare me to see Dad in his condition. “He’s heavily sedated and requires the
breathing tube but is off the ventilator. He slips and out of consciousness,”
she explains. “When will he be fully awake and alert again?”
I ask hopefully. She looks down at the floor and bites her bottom lip. As an ICU
nurse I’m sure she has said this stuff a hundred times but she genuinely looks
like she cares. “He may never,” she says softly. “The
treatment center has done all they can, and this last embolism has weakened him
past where we may be able to bring him back. He can understand you sometimes,
but he’s going to be out of it more than in from this point forward.” “But you can still save him, right? He can
turn the corner, can’t he?” I know I’m badgering her to tell me what I want to
hear–what I need to hear. “I don’t know,” she says solemnly. “His eyes
are open now, so why don’t you go in and spend some time with him while he’s
awake.” “I… ah… I don’t know what to say,” I confess.
She reaches out and puts a compassionate hand on my arm. “Tell him you’re here.