Month: May 2021

Calliope

What sort of a name is Calliope? It’s not. It’s a musical instrument. Who names their darling daughter after a musical instrument? My mother. And I love her to pieces. Maybe not for my name but it could have been worse. Right? I definitely wouldn’t want to be named flute…or oboe. Ugh I’d cry if my name was tuba.

Alright I take it back. Calliope is a beautiful name, almost like a song. You can sing my name and you have a chance at not being laughed at for it. Not that I’ve tried.

Anyways, on to more important things. I have met someone. A boy.

Oh goodness. I just shrieked in the diner I’m at because I’m so excited. Kill me now. Everyone is looking at me funny. And I didn’t even sing my name! Maybe if I shrink down and silently do a happy dance everyone will forget my outburst.

So his name is Nate. And he isn’t like what everyone always says that they want when searching for their one and only. You could call him Aladdin. I could! A nickname. Maybe I should clear that with him first. Anyways the reason I brought up Aladdin is because of what he is called in the movie. A ‘diamond in the rough’. That’s Nate.

Now, that is not me saying that he is ugly. I’d say he looks normal. He just doesn’t fit the stereotypical mold of prince charming.

And the more I get to know him, the more I am so glad he doesn’t. He isn’t ashamed of his quirks and he has patience with mine.

I’ve always struggled to get out and be social. I’d rather just stay in and read a book or watch a cheesy romance movie. Hanging out with friends is fun and exhausting. I feel like it takes me a day or two to recover from being social. Yet when I am with Nate I don’t feel like I am going out of my way to be social or have to plan out time to ground myself afterward. I just am.

I’m even getting more comfortable with him knowing I’m not perfect. Shocker, right?! Every woman wants her man to think of her as perfect, right? Not me.

Perfection…all the time? What an unrealistic expectation. And how exhausting. No wonder I feel stretched out and worn thin when I even consider dating a person. Feeling like I am failing someone else’s expectation makes me feel like I am failing my own. And I don’t expect myself to be perfect.

Oh so back to the whole reason I brought this up. I’m in love and I have to tell someone about it.

The main problem is condensing the meet, first date, and the next few months of awesomeness down. Or maybe I shouldn’t. A book? I could write a book!

Hmm so I have to tell you parts of it now though because I might burst if I don’t.

We met at one of those super awkward social mixers for singles. I know, right. Anyways. I was standing next to the cookie table, consoling myself with sugar. No one would even talk to me, not even the women.

How horrible is that feeling when you are watching everyone else talking to a friend, group, or even a stranger and have no one to talk to because you don’t know how? Seriously, though.

I was standing there, alone, for at least 10 minutes. And I had promised myself that I wouldn’t get my phone out at all unless it was to put someone’s phone number in it. So that added to the stressful loneliness of it all, but I was determined to at least keep the promise I’d made to myself. I wouldn’t want to go home after and regret playing on my phone for an hour, not knowing if I might have met someone great if only I had been looking up.

And back to the story. Sorry for all the side notes. Think of it as me adding dimension to the story or something.

So I was about to head out of that stupid mixer with a firm resolve to never go to one of these things alone ever ever again when this guy walks up. Only an inch or taller than me, sandy brown hair with maybe a few streaks of sun through it, and brown eyes; this guy might not have caught my attention if I hadn’t desperately been wishing for someone to talk to me.

I am just not good at approaching people and starting up a conversation out of nowhere.

So he came straight up to me and said hello.

After managing to get out a hi that even sounded mildly flirty I took as subtle of a deep breath as I could manage.

“I’m Nate. I just got here so I’ve missed out on most of the evening. However, imagine my surprise when I saw you standing here without at least 5 other men hanging on your every word. Did I manage to catch you in between admirers?”

“Something like that.” I laughed. Maybe it is my nerves coloring my view of the evening but I think I sounded shrill. He didn’t flinch though so I am going to overlook my judgment of my laugh.

“Could I maybe get your name before some dashing prince comes back with your drink?”

“Oh, I’m Calliope. And no one is coming.” Pretty sure I blushed.

His grin widened. “It must be my lucky day then. And since luck seems to be on my side I think I will take the opportunity now to ask you out and if you decide I’m too weird you can cancel.” Nate cleared his throat dramatically. “Calliope. Will you be so kind as to agree to go on a date with me this coming Friday night?”

If you really are still wondering, I did say yes. The date was amazing and it’s been a blast ever since. Hard and real conversations included.

Ok so you know at least a little of what’s been going on in my life. I’ll update you more soon. Talk to you later!

Charity

The storm was pure raging perfection. A fury unmatched. The dark greys of the clouds swirled with the deep greens of the forest pine, fusing them together as the wind tore the needles from the treetops. A mere mile away from the rampaging storm stood a small walled city on high alert with guards staring in awe over the ramparts at the powerful brutality they were witnessing.

Hundreds of people could be seen fleeing toward the city with little more than what they could carry.

Only one of the guards was not watching the mighty storm as it approached, unconcerned with it. Searching among those fleeing, he was anxious to see with his own eyes that his daughter Charity had reached safety.

“Have you seen her?” An anxious voice sounded from his side.

Glancing at Charity’s fiancé, Dane, he could not muster the words to say no, nor did he dare look away for fear he might miss her. “I am still looking.”

Dane’s hand lightly rested on his arm for a minute before he too leaned against the wall to peer closer at the refugees approaching.

“Is that her?” Dane cried out a moment later, pointing out a tall dark haired woman in the back, struggling to carry a toddler and hurrying along two other young children. “What is she doing?”

Her father peered close in the direction Dane was pointing. “It looks to be her but it is still too great of a distance to be sure. Keep searching.”

“Where are those children’s parents?” Dane couldn’t tear his gaze away from her. She was lagging further behind. The storm edged closer, tearing up great gouges in the earth.

There was silence as both men stared.

Finally Dane could take no more. “I am going out there.”

“And if that is not her? Or you cannot find her because there are too many people jostling around out there? What help are you to her then? You yourself could be caught outside the protective barrier when it rises.”

“And if it is her?” Dane shot back. “Should I stay here and helplessly watch her fall victim to the storm? And if it is not her, should I not help that woman when we can both see that she is so obviously in need of assistance? Everyone else out there is fleeing for their lives, not looking around for who they can help. I am going.”

There was a pause of charged silence before Charity’s father nodded to him. “Charity would be proud of you.”

Dane did not wait a second longer, dashing down the great stoned steps set into the inner side of the wall and to the front gate. He was hard-pressed to fight past those rushing to get inside.

As he passed the guard at the entry he heard him holler out. “3 minutes until the shield goes up and no one else gets through. We can’t wait any longer.”

Dane picked up speed at the news. He had 3 minutes to get the love of his life safe within those walls or they would both be left to the mercy of mother nature’s latest brutal tantrum.

“Charity.” He yelled, heading in the direction he had seen the struggling woman and children. In seconds he had them in his sight and called out again. “Charity.”

This time the woman’s head rose to meet his, fear and relief flashed across her face. “Dane. Help me.”

Without pausing for a second he scooped up the two children she had been trying to tow alongside her. They looked to be anywhere from 4-7 years old, no older. The young one in her arms was barely 2.

As they ran back toward the gate he glanced over at her to make sure she was still keeping up. Her breathing was labored but she was keeping pace with him with a look of set determination on her face.

The relief on the guard’s face as they reached him was clear. “You are the last.” The man softly announced.

As he finished speaking a shimmering pale arc appeared just outside the wall, encapsulating the whole city in seconds. The wind’s howling dulled to barely a whisper as the storm was cut off from raining destruction down on them.

All around the city, outside of that shield, dirt, trees, and more flew around. It was as if the wind was tossing it all around like a toddler would when told it was time for a bath.

Charity’s face appeared before them, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes. She managed to smile softly at the children now clinging to Dane as she patted the back of the little girl she was still cuddling close.

It was almost an hour before Dane was able to pull her aside from helping out those who had been displaced.

After a heart-searing kiss he sighed into her hair. “Charity, I was scared I would lose you.”

Her chuckle was grim. “I was too. It was close. If you hadn’t come out I would not have made it with those children.”

Tears welled in her eyes as she mentioned the children she had set up in a corner of what was soon to be their home when they started their new life together.

“How did you manage to pick up children while out to gather herbs?”

“I found them.” She looked straight up at him. “I found them as I was fleeing from the storm. Dane, they had been abandoned. I am sure they had been left there to be taken by the storm. The poor things were holding onto each other, the eldest trying to calm the young one while crying herself. I couldn’t leave them.”

“I would never have asked you to.” He smiled down at her. “And it appears this little family of two has grown to five in one day.”

“Really?” She flung her arms around his neck and kissed him soundly.

“After what the five of us just went through, it doesn’t seem right to have them stay with anyone else.”

She cried into his shoulder. “I love you Dane Penrose.”

Alana

It had sounded like a good idea when I’d signed up. My friends had been with me and had been so encouraging. Helping me fill in the form with all the information and laughing with me at the thought of going.

But now, standing there alone in the killer red sheath dress my friend Gina had picked out for me, staring at the sign welcoming me to the seminar I felt a little stupid.

Maybe it was the sign. It was huge. In bright pink fluffy letters, for all the world to see, it asked ‘Why are you still single?’

Might as well stamp ‘reject’ on my forehead. And I had to go get my name tag at the table underneath it. Oh and all the fun free stuff the website said I would get would forever announce that I had gone to this thing.

I feel compelled to add that whoever made the sign probably didn’t think anyone would get stuck on that first line. Underneath in a beautiful dark red script is said. ‘Find out where your soulmate has been hiding.’

With a groan I took a step forward then took several back, right into someone.

“I am so sorry!” I burst out, spinning to see who I had practically demolished in my haste to flee the scene of that sign. I would not be admitting to the world my singleness today.

“That’s alright. You looked to be fleeing something in a hurry. I’m just sorry I stopped you from it.” The man I had trampled in my haste was in the middle of wiping my hot chocolate off his business suit and picking up my purse at the same time.

“I…thank you.” Tucking my hair behind my ear I swung my purse back onto my shoulder.

“Were you late to get somewhere or are you truly trying to escape?”

I knew the second he saw the sign behind me because his smile doubled in size. I didn’t know that was even possible but it did. It had my heart thumping even faster, causing my breath to hitch. Deep breaths. No swooning…or crumpling into a graceless unconscious heap.

“I see.” His chuckle rumbled from deep within his chest as if his whole being found me and my situation highly amusing. “Would you feel better if I walked over with you?”

My shoulders slumped. “Am I that pathetic that you automatically assume I’m a lost-cause single girl in need of a pity party from a gorgeous, obviously successful man?”

“Gorgeous, obviously successful man?” He looked around. “Is that supposed to be me? I’m flattered. And now I find I would like to insist on walking you over, even if it is to learn your name from the nametag you pick.”

My blush made an appearance as I felt my cheeks heat. “I can’t keep you from following me I guess.” Swallowing a giggle that almost followed those words I took a sly deep breath instead.

His grin was disarming but his full smile was devastating to my normal brain function.

“True.” His voice cajoling. “Unfortunately I doubt that tag has your phone number on it as well.” His eyebrow rose in question. “Or maybe it would, since it is a singles convention.”

“I wouldn’t know. I didn’t get that far.” With a shrug, I glanced back over to the table laden down with cute pink name tags.

“Shall we then?” He held out his arm.

“Don’t you have somewhere that you were needing to go? I doubt you were standing there waiting for someone to run over you so that you could escort them to wherever they need to go.”

“I do have somewhere I need to be so I suggest we get moving because I am serious about this mission to get your name and number.”

“I could just give it to you.” I laughed. At his hopeful face I added. “But you would have to ask me.”

He held out his arm again with that grin I was beginning to like very much. “Shall we?”

“I haven’t caught your name yet either.”

“You would have to ask.” His eyes sparked with mischievousness.

I rolled my eyes. Then, batting my eyes, I forced my voice into a soft but high falsetto. “Please kind sir. Would you tell me your name and current occupation so I can have a complete first impression assessment?”

“Once I get yours…over at the sign in table you are avoiding.”

Hooking my arm in his, I sighed. “Oh fine.”

The thirty second stroll over to the frothy pink table manned by two super smiley, gorgeous people was not as traumatic as I was thinking it would be. But maybe that was because of my escort.

“Hello there friends. Are you here to sign in?” A bubbly over-makeuped brunette stood to greet us. Well I take that back. She enthusiastically greeted my new crush, who was currently holding my arm. I knew she wasn’t greeting me because she didn’t take her eyes off him as she spoke.

He gestured over to me. “I believe my friend would like to get her name tag.”

“Name?” Her eyes were still glued to him.

I spoke up. “I’m over here.”

The girl turned her syrupy smile onto me. “Yes.  And I’m still waiting for the name.”

“Alana Tern.”

She handed me my phone numberless name tag and I could see his shoulders slump. As I worked on attaching it to my shirt he leaned in to half-whisper. “Can I have your number?”

I nodded. “Give me a second while I get this on.”

“Ok.” His attention turned back to Miss Sickly Sweet. “Jeremy Henderson.”

“Here you go.” She handed him a nametag of his own and my jaw dropped in shock.

He shrugged and shot me a side smile. “I told you I had somewhere I needed to be.”

“You are attending this conference?” It was like the information wouldn’t process in my head.

“Yes. And up until I was run over by you I was not looking forward to it.” He once again extended his arm. “Shall we?”

“Indeed we shall.” I hooked my arm with his.

As we walked through the doors and into the auditorium where our orientation would be starting he added. “I still would love to have your number.”

This conference was already worth it.

Lyndsey

Micah burst into her tiny apartment and immediately went to flop down on the couch and groan. From across the apartment, in the kitchen, Lyndsey laughed as she wiped down the table.

“What was that for?” She called over.

He groaned again, his eyes closed while his hand searched blindly for the tv remote. “I’m done.”

“With what?” She didn’t pause in her cleaning. If she stopped every time Micah came over she would never clean up anything. She half watched him with a laugh, continuing to stuff more dirty dishes into the sink in the process.

“Ha!” He yelled, having found the remote. “I’m done with dating. It hurts too much.” He turned on the TV.

“What happened to Shannon? I thought the two of you were great together.”

He slumped, flipping through the channels so fast he couldn’t possibly know what he was skipping past. “I did too. Apparently she didn’t. And decided to show me instead of telling me by showing up to our date with another date. She stole my reservation I had made months ago.”

“At least you didn’t have to pay for their date. That’s a plus.”

He groaned again. “Well, in any case, I am done.”

“Works for me.” She admitted. Lyndsey had finished cleaning up as much as she was going to for the time being and went to go join her bestie on the couch to wallow with him.

He sat up as she came over. His focus was completely on her even as the TV still flicked through channels. “Why does my lack of dating life work for you? Aren’t you supposed to have some random friend I’ve never met who you think would be perfect for me so you have to set us up now that I’m single?”

“Was that your thought process for crashing into my apartment like a bear and flopping over here as if your life was over?”

He laughed. “No. And again, why does my recent painful and somewhat traumatic breakup work for you?”

She shivered as his blue eyes focused solely on her face.

“We’ll have more time to hang out.” Lyndsey shrugged her shoulders and purposefully kept her eyes glued to the TV.

“How will Grant like having me around? The last time I dropped in he was here and didn’t take too kindly to the idea of me being so comfortable at your apartment that I hadn’t even had the good manners to knock.”

She could feel the weight of his gaze.

“I remember that.” She gave a sort of half-hearted laugh. “It’s funny the odd tidbits we remember after something happens. What I remember from that night was how he held me close the entire time you were there. I’d thought it was sweet at the time.”

“At the time?” Now Micah sat up completely and turned off the TV. “What happened?”

“I thought this was your pity party, not mine.” She hedged.

Picking up the pillow she had thrown to the floor when flopping on the couch she hugged it close.

“Yeah.” He leaned in and gave her a hug. “I changed my mind. What’s going on?”

Shaking her head she couldn’t get it out. Her mouth opened several times and still, no words came out. Micah sat there on the couch next to her, waiting. He was close enough to provide a hug or whatever if needed. Yet he held back. Probably because he knew her better than anyone and was waiting for her to crack and confess what was wrong.

She sighed. “Grant broke up with me.”

“What? Why?” He growled. “The idiot. Do I need to go beat some sense into him?”

That brought out a real laugh. “No. In fact, that would probably make him feel vindicated on why he broke up with me.”

That brought him up short. “Why would me beating on him make him feel justified in breaking up with you?”

“He thinks you and I are secretly dating. Which would mean he thinks I was cheating on him with you.”

“What an idiot.” He growled again, then a smile lit his face once again. “I can still go wail on him for a bit, if it makes you feel better. Who cares what he thinks.”

Sighing, she leaned over to lay her head on his shoulder. “I’d rather sit here and watch a movie with my best friend.”

“That I can do.” As he settled in to hold her he turned the TV back on. “Action or cheesy sappy romance?”

“As much as I know you want me to pick a romance I think I’m in the mood for action, just not a bloody one.” Lyndsey snuggled in closer. No matter how many boyfriends flaked out or quit the relationship, Micah was always there to snuggle with after.

“I can work with that.” He began flipping channels again and she closed her eyes. His solid comfort was exactly what she hadn’t realized she’d needed. It was only when the movie ended that she realized she hadn’t watched any of it. The entire time she had been soaking in his strength and confidence as well as his acceptance of who she was. She didn’t have to pretend or keep up appearances with him. He knew her.

Blinking her eyes open she looked up at him. He was passed out with his head tilted so far back his mouth was gaping open.

She laughed a little and his head popped up as his eyes blinked rapidly. “Movie done?” He muttered.

“Why have you never asked me out?” She whispered.

That got his attention immediately. He squeezed her tight with the arm he was already holding her with.

“You must like me at least a little if we’ve stayed so close all these years.” Her voice grew smaller. He didn’t answer. “Nevermind. Forget I asked. Let’s just call it my hormones running rampant over my heart and things just coming out.”

He shrugged but didn’t look her way. “I’ve been waiting.”

She stilled. “For what?”

He smiled sheepishly for a second then looked away again. “For you to notice me.”

Cordelia

“Ms Cordelia. Your uncle and fiancé are in the study awaiting your arrival. One more anxiously than the other. Would you like to join them or should I stall for a few minutes so that you can change into a dress?”

Cordelia stopped to smile at her old friend. He may have merely been the old butler to her family but to her he was one of her dear friends. “Are they dressed that formally, Jeffrey? I did not even know Rhett was coming today.”

“Very formal Ms Cordelia. If I could hazard a guess I would say that you might be going out to dinner together. But knowing your uncle and your fiancé my odds are on the Cheston Gala. I had not heard if your aunt had accepted that one.”

“Thank you. My aunt may or may not have but Rhett most definitely did and I completely forgot. I’ll go change as quickly as I can. Do they know that I have been out?”

“No, Ms. Cordelia. I may have misled your uncle to believe that you were still getting ready for the evening. Something about your unruly hair.”

“Perfect.” She dashed upstairs to change into whatever dress she found first. Instead she discovered her new cream silk gown elegantly laid out on her bed. Knowing her aunt, she must have been looking for her and figured to move the process along by setting out everything she would need.

As soon as she was in the dress and her hair was done, with lightning speed, she rushed to the study doors. Jeffrey was waiting for her there with a gloved hand on the doorknob.

“Beautiful.” He gave a small bow.

Having grown up in the overly large mansion she was accustomed to the formality her uncle demanded but the rebellious streak she had never really managed to squash reared to life as she flitted in before she could be announced. Both her uncle and fiancé turned to greet her. Her uncle with a scowl at her lack of manners and Rhett with a relieved smile.

Unlike her, Rhett held his true personality in check around her uncle. Her esteemed guardian was too influential to not. However, she was family and could get away with more.

“Cordelia.” Her uncle growled, not marring his carefully crafted pleasant smile. “It is not becoming of a young lady to keep a guest waiting so long. Even more so when it is your fiancé and future husband that is the one doing the waiting. When you are married you will be expected to always be directly on hand for whatever you husband may require of you.”

Cordelia covered her own scowl with a graceful curtsey. “Yes, uncle. Please forgive my tardiness. My hair just would not cooperate and I could not bear to see you disgraced by my untoward appearance.”

He appeared mollified at least a little by the explanation, ridiculous as it was.

Rhett crossed the room and bowed over her hand. His low tone set her nerves on fire. “Unruly hair indeed. You have been dearly missed, love, and” his voice grew louder so that her uncle could hear, “may I be so bold as to say that you are as lovely as ever.”

He softly and slowly kissed the back of her hand, as if giving her a promise of more later.

When he straightened he turned back to her uncle with deference. “We must be going if we are to make it to the Gala at a proper time.”

“Indeed indeed.” Her uncle practically clapped his hands with glee. “We will be following you shortly. Once my own wife is ready.” He leaned toward Rhett as if he were whispering a great secret to him. “She requires a lot more effort to appear comely these days.”

Rhett nodded but Cordelia could see the tightness around his mouth.

“We will look for you.” Rhett bowed and reached out his arm for Cordelia to take.

Once out of the house both Rhett and Cordelia heaved a sigh. “His unkind remarks are getting worse.” Rhett stated with a surprising lack of emotion.

“Really? That wasn’t so bad.” Cordelia hated feeling like she was making excuses for him because she had no doubt that her uncle was quite demeaning about her aunt’s appearances.

“It was what he said in private.” Rhett’s scowl spoke more than his words. “Someone needs to take him to task. Tonight I found myself longing for the day where I would no longer waiting around to please him so that I could stop his hateful words.” Rhett was usually far too even tempered to respond to her uncle’s snarky remarks.

He stopped as they neared the car and pulled her sharply to him. “I have been waiting patiently for this.” He swooped in for a kiss that left her near swooning. When they were once again headed to the awaiting car he smiled over at her. “Now, where were you when I arrived? I know you don’t take that long to get ready so you must have forgotten about the gala.”

“I did. I was over at Josephine’s house. Her dog just had puppies. And they were absolutely darling. There was this black little snuggler who was begging me to never leave. So I may have lost track of the time and almost lost my sense of reason as well.” She pouted his way with a smile. “I want a puppy, Rhett.”

He chuckled and hugged her. “I would give you one right this very minute if I didn’t think that your uncle would find some way to be rid of it before morning.”

“Why do we have to wait so long to be married?” She sighed as she laid her head on his shoulder, careful to not mess up her delicate curls.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “If it was up to me we would already be married. But these are the hoops we must jump through to receive your uncle’s approval.”

“Stupid approval.” She shot him a grin as he opened the door. “If we didn’t need it I would say to forget him and be married this instant.”

“I love you Cordelia. Any wait will be worth it if it means I will be married to you for eternity.”

She huffed with a smile directed up at him. “Well, when you put it that way, I suppose I can wait.”