4338.211 · July 30, 2018 AD
Firewood, Spiders, and Flirtation
Gladys Cramer waits at the Owen property for a routine firewood delivery, armed with only a bottle of Shiraz and mounting frustration. When a huntsman spider invades her sanctuary, terror meets comedy. Then Jim Hedger arrives—rough-edged, dependable, unexpectedly charming. What begins as a transaction becomes something else entirely: awkward attraction, a stolen kiss, and a moment of connection shattered by unfortunate timing and a visitor who changes everything.
Sometimes the worst morning becomes something unexpectedly human before it all goes wrong again.
Gladys Cramer is not having a good day. Parked at the Owens' remote Collinsvale property on Luke Smith's orders, she's waiting for a firewood delivery that masks something far less innocent. The police are circling. Her bottle of Shiraz offers little comfort. And now a huntsman spider—massive, furry, demonic—has invaded her car.
When Jim Hedger arrives with his truck full of firewood, he's exactly what the morning needs: solid, uncomplicated, real. There's a warmth to him that cuts through Gladys's cynicism. The way he doesn't judge the wine at her feet or the panic in her eyes. The rough kindness of calloused hands and easy humour.
What begins as transaction becomes flirtation. A moment stretches. A kiss happens—unexpected, sweet, interrupting the chaos of her life with something genuine.
Then it shatters. A poorly-timed spit. An uncomfortable silence. And the arrival of Adrian Pafistis, a stranger whose presence transforms the morning from romantic comedy to something far more dangerous.
