Grace Ombry

Novelist

Category: State of Love & Trust (Page 1 of 3)

baby dandelion

“Baby” – All or None – State of Love & Trust

May 20, 2019 /

Author’s note

State of Love & Trust - review

State of Love & Trust, a novel by Grace Ombry

I’m serializing the first 10% of State of Love & Trust here on my blog. It’s a story about Pearl Jam fans in Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, Corktown.

Begin with the first installment. This post is #5 post in the series.

 

Chapter 4 – All or None – “Baby” (part 1)

Clive – Belknap Township, Mich. – Friday, June 30, 2006

The happiest man alive. That was me from the snowy day last March when Becca had agreed to marry me, until this very moment in the blazing heat. I should have known something like this would happen. I had my reasons, I swear, that one little word could double me over with the force of a gut punch right there in our backyard garden.

I stumbled backward and stepped on a rotting tomato. Embryonic slime oozed warm between my toes. I scraped my bare foot in the rough crabgrass while she continued kneeling in the dirt. Steady. Stable. Oblivious to the earwig flailing in her water glass. She quit looking at me for a reply and forced her weed digger between twin dandelions.Continue Reading “Baby” – All or None – State of Love & Trust

Ellie observes Saint while peeling carrots

“Saint” – Pilate – State of Love & Trust

May 19, 2019 /

Author’s note

State of Love & Trust - review

State of Love & Trust, a novel by Grace Ombry

I’m serializing the first 10% of State of Love & Trust here on my blog. It’s a story about Pearl Jam fans in Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, Corktown.

Begin with the first installment. This post is #4 in the series.

 

Chapter 3 – Pilate – “Saint” (part 1)

Ellie – Detroit, Mich. – Friday, June 30, 2006

Saint caught me dangling his codpiece over the kitchen wastebasket. He stomped in and snatched it from my hand. “You wouldn’t dare.” He half smiled, clutching it to his chest.

“Yeah, actually I would.”

“Harsh. You know I need it.” His round eyes were all innocence. “You were really gonna toss it?”

“Yup. Don’t leave it on my counter again. Man, that’s just gross.”Continue Reading “Saint” – Pilate – State of Love & Trust

Cabbage, Tigers baseball and parakeets at the Le Fanch's
Cabbage, Tigers Baseball and parakeets at the LeFanch house

“Cabbage” – Corduroy – State of Love & Trust

May 18, 2019 /

Author’s note

State of Love & Trust - review

State of Love & Trust, a novel by Grace Ombry

I’m serializing the first 10% of State of Love & Trust here on my blog. It’s a story about Pearl Jam fans in Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, Corktown.

Begin with the first installment. This post is #3 in the series.

 

Chapter 2 – Corduroy “Cabbage” (part 2)

Reece’s folks lived in an aluminum-sided one-story in Hazel Park, which we called Hazeltucky.

Today their house smelled like green apple ReNuzIt, corned beef and cabbage.

“I made it especially for you,” Marjorie LeFanch said. “There’s plenty of veggies.” After four years, she’d finally quit putting meat on my plate and lecturing me about iron. Tonight she’d serve me limp cabbage with overcooked potatoes in meat juice, with a side dish of boiled celery. Like being a vegetarian made me the rabbit in Fatal Attraction. I should have eaten a pretzel.Continue Reading “Cabbage” – Corduroy – State of Love & Trust

Mr. Salty's House of Pretzels
caption

“Pretzels” Corduroy – State of Love & Trust

May 17, 2019 /

Author’s note

State of Love & Trust - review

State of Love & Trust, a novel by Grace Ombry

I’m serializing the first 10% of State of Love & Trust here on my blog. It’s a story about Pearl Jam fans in Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, Corktown.

Begin with the first installment. This is post #2 in the series.

 

Chapter 2 – Corduroy “Pretzels” (part 1)

Ellie – Detroit, Mich. – Sunday, June 25, 2006

I rang up three soft pretzels with five sides of melted cheese and a mega large Diet Pepsi for a lady who was paying in rolls of nickels. My shift didn’t end for another fifteen minutes, but Reece had already parked his Buick Roadmaster in front of Mr. Salty’s House of Pretzels. Shelby Williams, my manager, frowned on early departures. She also didn’t like employees having visitors.

We’d called that car the Roadbastard since before Reece’s dad sold it to him. It was a freaking yacht, a shameless gas hog, a rolling representation of why Detroit was all but out of business. Old Mr. LeFanch still got misty-eyed about that car. Water droplets glimmered on the front bumper—Reece had the car ready for his dad to inspect. I, on the other hand, was hardly ready to choke down my least favorite meal of the month, Sunday dinner at the LeFanch’s.Continue Reading “Pretzels” Corduroy – State of Love & Trust

Yield bus
Ellie's painted Yield bus

“On the Bus” Getting in Tune – State of Love & Trust

May 16, 2019 /

Author’s note

State of Love & Trust - review

State of Love & Trust, a novel by Grace Ombry

I’m serializing the first 10% of State of Love & Trust here on my blog. It’s a story about Pearl Jam fans in Detroit’s oldest neighborhood, Corktown.

This is the first installment.

Ellie – Detroit, Mich. – Tuesday, May 20, 2006

I pulled the Yield bus into a rest stop somewhere between Grand Rapids and Detroit. Seeing Pearl Jam three times in four days was the kind of thing I lived for, but at two in the morning after the third show, I was cracked.

“C’mon you guys. Break time, then someone else has to take a turn driving this beast.” I tossed a pillow at the futon where my boyfriend Reece was kicking back, smearing marshmallow fluff onto an Oreo.Continue Reading “On the Bus” Getting in Tune – State of Love & Trust

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