Copyright JHardy
She’s been depleted by it all.
The whispers, accusations, police, lawyers, the attention-seeking dewy-eyed young women queuing up for their fifteen minutes of fame.
Justice may have ultimately prevailed, but at what cost to his reputation, their social standing, even lifelong friendships, both his and hers.
They’ll all come crawling back soon though. Some already have.
Meanwhile she’s keeping herself busy, hanging up his pristine shirts, folding away his cashmere sweaters, pairing his socks.
But it’s the soft rustle of something taped to the underside of his handkerchief drawer that signals it’s not yet over.
Not by a long shot.
It seems that every time I miss a week I return to find WordPress has modified itself yet again. I assume they believe that we’ve all got so much time on our hands there’s nothing we’d like better than to fill our hours puzzling our way through their new format and weird terminology. I’m beginning to contemplate a time when it may not be worth the effort. 😦 I would sadly miss my weekly foray with Friday Fictioneers though. Thanks once again for hosting, Rochelle.
castelsarrasin 
I give up.
So much in so little.
Another masterclass in saying just enough…
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Aww thanks for reading and commenting, CE.
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This would make a good tv drama.
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Thanks, Tanille.
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Dear Sandra,
The woman who’s damaged the most in a highly publicized sex scandal. You’ve depicted her well.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So very true. Thanks for reading Rochelle.
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The art of writing flash is to make use of the empty space. Brilliantly done, Sandra. Please don’t give up on WordPress. I enjoy your writing too much
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Aww thanks Neil. I’ve decided to try to put some time aside to ‘bottom’ this new stuff. It’s just so irritating when all you want to do is write, post and run, and then you find a whole new ball game has emerged whilst you’ve been away for a few days.
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Yes, I’m still getting to grips with it too, Though you have the option of using the old editor
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Oh, do tell, kind sir. I couldn’t find it and got so frustrated I wish I hadn’t submitted my half-backed FF story.
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https://wordpress.org/plugins/classic-editor/
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Without paying extra, use the admin page. Then click on Posts on the left. Once you’ve done that, at the top you will see the word Posts and Add new in a box with an arrow beside it. Click the arrow and chose “Classic Editor”
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Many thanks for that Dale. I’ve been opting for the Classic Editor but somehow last week I just couldn’t find my way to the option. And this week your comment here was very helpful when the same thing appeared to happen. 🙂
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If you don’t see it, you can search a long time! Glad I could help.
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It flipped me out. I hadn’t posted in a while, and when I logged in I was totally lost–still am.
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I know what you mean. I’d got fairly used to opting for the classic editor mode, but today everything else had changed too, the way you publicise, shedule publication, add pics, do links.
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Thank goodness I wasn’t the only one! I’m too dang old to learn new WordPress tricks.
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I hear your cry about wordpress, really, I do. More things to complicate our already complicated lives. Don’t give up, though. We’d really REALLY miss you. Love this story. So many secrets we hide… hmm, maybe I better take that envie off the bottom of the sock drawer now… hehehe!
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Thanks so much. I’ll put aside some time to bottom this new stuff. So much of everything that amounted to normal life is being eroded right now, I don’t think I can afford to let this blogging stuff go. 🙂
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The story behind the lurid tabloid headlines. Superbly done as always.
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Many thanks, Iain.
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Choosing the best weapons?
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Blunt force trauma might do the job.
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likely! a club meeting? I used to tell my kids we would have a club meeting and wave my bat at them/
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Sandra, I look forward to your stories every week. Always clear, concise, and holding a powerful punch. This one is no exception.
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Thanks so much Linda, that’s lovely to hear.
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Well done as always.
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Many thanks, Danny.
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You show us how it’s done, Sandra. Please don’t leave WP as we would miss you and your creative talents so much.
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Thanks so much Dora. I’ve decided I’ll have to stick with it. Can’t afford to lose yet another part of my life.
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Wonderful ! 😀
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Superb and elegant story.
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Many thanks Josh. And for the ‘interesting’ photo.
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I told Rochelle I have no recollection of that picture! Thanks.
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A story filled with ambiguity. Beautifully written. Please, please, please don’t abandon FF – You give us far too much enjoyment!
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Thanks so much Penny. I’ll have to buckle down to it, I guess. FF means a lot to me.
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Wonderfully and heartbreakingly rendered. Nice!
As for WordPress’s icky new editor, I just go to the “classic block” and write everything in that one block … It is still not as good as it was before, but it is better than the nonsense they put in there now …
Na’ama
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Yes, I’ve been doing that. But this week I couldn’t even get to the usual screen, the one with the black column down the left hand side. It had all changed. Even now I can hardly believe I managed to navigate it. :0
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Yeah, I REALLY REALLY REALLY don’t like this new ‘editor’ which only messes up editing IMO …
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The tech tweaks are annoying as ever. But the FF stories as a good as I remember. Nice writing!
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It was lovely to see you back again Honie. And thanks for visiting.
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Another excellent story with depth in only one hundred words!
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Many thanks Brenda.
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How sad to be living in a world filled with so much mistrust, really well told. And as a post script, I agree with the issue of WordPress changing, but i’ve finally found a way through to, all be it i’m not posting as much as I used to; November is going to be different, I’ve got a plan
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You need to share that plan. I’ve decided to try a few test posts to see if I can come to terms with the new stuff. Thanks for dropping by.
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An intriguing tale and once again you won the battle with WordPress!
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Yes. I’m amazed. I really need to devote some time to getting used to the new stuff, but every week, all of a sudden, it’s FF time and I’m faced with all those as yet unresolved issues. I’ll get there.
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Wow. Too good👏👏
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Such a lot in a short story – well done again. And what have WordPress done now? I have the same with Blogspot a couple of months back, and as I only use my blog once a wek for FF I am only just getting used to it.
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Thanks Liz. Yes, I hadn’t posted for a couple of weeks, and just when I thought I’d got on top of one set of changes it seems there is another. Duh!
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somehow your story seems to be a metaphor for the disgust and resignation we experience dealing with wordpress lately. how long we can hang on is a different matter altogether. 🙂
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Here, here.
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I wonder what she’ll do with her discovery? I like what you say here as much as what you don’t. Very nicely done, Sandra.
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Many thanks 🙂
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You’re welcome.
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More secrets still to be discovered…
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As ever…
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You know people are upscale when they have an entire drawer dedicated to hankies. It’s odd how scandals wreck some people’s lives and others seem to profit from the fame.
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And how there’s always collateral damage. Thanks for reading Russell, hope all is well.
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Oh dear, it’s not over. And neither should be your experience with WP, though constant changes are frustrating for sure. Love your story Sandra.
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Thanks for visiting. I’m not ready to give up. 😏
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Oh, so well done! Thank you!
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Thank you!
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Every time I read one of your stories I try to figure out how I can learn from your masterful subtlety. This one’s among the best of your best. You can’t quit. I have far too much to learn.
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That’s a lovely compliment! 🙂
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Brilliantly done, Sandra. So much said in so few words and going through it all is heartbreaking, frustrating and in her case, not even the end of it!
I left a suggestion above on how to go around the annoyance of the Block Editor…
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Many thanks for reading Dale, and for the tip. I had occasion to use it this morning. 🙂
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So glad it worked for you!
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