Copyright -John Nixon
Stepping into Joe’s Bar, Stephanie worryingly registered the absence of music.
Her husband looked disapprovingly at the abandoned piano.
“Louis, we’re back. Where’s Julio?”
“Very sad, Sir. He no longer with us. Jealous husband kill him.”
Stephanie gasped. The code was broken. The meaning of the mid-stream slide from ‘Strangers in the night’ to ‘Come Fly with me’ discovered. Never again would Julio ‘fly her to the moon.’
“You must get another piano player. Julio was part of the attraction of returning each year; his playing pleased my wife so.”
He meant it, but his thoughts traded pleased for pleasured.
Written for Friday Fictioneers – a 100 words story based on a photo prompt. Hosted by Rochelle. Read the other entries here.
Michael Wynn 
Quite the tangled web of relationships going on there!
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Thanks. They’re that complicated I’m not sure what’s what.
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What a shock for poor Stephanie! I like the song references too – they express the atmosphere of previous visits so well.
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Thank you. It’s about a bar in Madeira, although the piano player wasn’t a lothario, he was an old man with a wig.
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Hm, I wonder if Stephanie is worried about who that killer husband is. Great take on the prompt, I love it.
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Thanks very much. I was wondering that too. Was he jealous or glad to get her off his hands for a couple of weeks a year?
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Probably relieved!
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Hmm, husband seemed to approve. I loved the song references too.
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Thank you. I tried to pick the song titles to have innuendo relevance
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I think being to pleasing with the audience has it’s risk.. loved the moon-trip reference.
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Thanks Bjorn
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I too was struck by the inclusion of the song titles. They added so much. Excellent
‘B Gone’…my 100 word story
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Thanks and also sorry for the late reply
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Interesting husband character. Wonder why he’s not jealous of his wife’s annual trip to the moon with Julio?
Nice story.
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I think he’s no longer in love with her and welcomes Julio taking her off his hands for a bit.
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I think he’s a very tolerant husband – or is he? Clever use of song titles and a story that leaves me wondering. Well told.
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Thanks Margaret
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Dear Michael,
You have me wondering about that husband. All those codes. Hm?
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yes. He either doesn’t care about his wife or cares enough to kill Julio.
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Intriguing. I also like the not-so-secret song code.
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Thank-you.Sorry for the late reply
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