She married the friends, parties and troubles along with the man.

She liked to believe everything was black and white, except her own biases.

It was too quiet now that Jake's wife had taken the kids and moved to Jacksonville, abandoning their now desolate home. 

Things slipped through and he was forced to admit he had lost his edge.

My horse hated me and would take any opportunity to drag me through the underbrush or bite me when my back was turned.

A shadow fell across her face and hung there, momentarily allowing her true feelings to show through before the bright sunlight brought back the mask of a smile.

They lay passed out in a pile of torn wrapping paper and twisted ribbons exhausted from their gift-giving frenzy.