tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71241248714958667502024-02-08T09:37:20.430-08:00Brandy's RamblingsBrandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-50749334355830338922011-12-14T10:41:00.001-08:002011-12-14T10:41:47.473-08:00My nightmare<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" id="twttrHubFrame" name="twttrHubFrame" scrolling="no" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/hub.html" style="height: 10px; position: absolute; top: -9999em; width: 10px;" tabindex="0"></iframe>So I had a incredibly disturbing nightmare last night and a long one at that. I have to blog it out because it needs to go somewhere besides my head so please forgive me but this will not be a fun read. It began nice enough. I was up north at my grandparent's old property in Grayling with my family. We were talking about going canoeing or intertubing. But we had to go into town to buy more intertubes because when they sold the property they gave all the old ones away. Somehow we eneded up getting the property back. My cousin & I decided to go to the store. Details here are a little fuzzy but before we leave to go to town I get kidnapped by some old gray haired man. <br />
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He takes me to this farm house and rapes me. The first time he does it (yes it happens multiple times) I don't feel anything just see his image above me as he is violating me and then my nightgown (why am I wearing a nightgown idk) in the corner. I pass out and wake up to an empty house. I go into an adjoining part of the house, which must be an office or store, and see several phones. But none of the phones have hand sets. So I think fast & hit the speaker phone button dialing 911. A dispatcher gets on the line and I tell her I have been kidnapped & raped. I don't know where I am but please hurry because he will kill me then I see a truck pull up and hang up the phone. I am running to get back to the room he left me in so I won't get caught. I get back into bed just in time. It is not just him this time, but he has a gray haired lady that is assisting him. She comes in and turns on the tv for me to watch. I keep looking at my night shirt in the corner. Things get fragmented a bit but next thing I know someone is at the door. A very young blonde girl, maybe 18 yrs old and I apparently know her (not in real life tho). He kidnaps her now as well. <br />
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Then he makes us all pb&j sandwiches which is when I realize there is more young women here. I am terrified for not just myself but the blond girl. I am back in my room and he rapes me a second time. Only this time I feel it happen in the dreams.....the way my underwear felt rubbing against my skin and the utter terror I felt realizing he was taking them off. The burning pain of him inside my why he violated me repeatedly and the sickening crawling feeling on my skin while he touched & kissed me. The silent scream inside my head. <br />
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Then I am next to a window looking out while the others are eating sandwiches in another room. I see a campground with lots of trailers straight ahead about 200 feet ahead and I think maybe I could get out through the window and get help. But then I realize it's too close. He'd find me and kill me for sure. Farther out to the left is a building and for some reason I feel there is where I should go. I look around the room and find the perfect window. <br />
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Then I am in the building and realize it's full of my old co-workers from First Step (the sexual assault & domestic fviolence agency).I go to one of them Valerie (a supervisor) and ask for help. I tell her whats happening and beg her to call the police. She ignores me and goes into a room to sleep. I am trying to get someone to listen and it's like I'm invisible. I start screaming for help and that he's gonna kill me if he finds me. I scream that I was raped. Then I start clawing at my skin and screaming over & over that "I was raped and need to take a shower right now!" <br />
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Then I wake up.....remembering every detail.Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-10835951349896325712011-03-21T21:41:00.000-07:002011-03-21T21:41:26.990-07:00Story (Contiued)<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">Here is the new section of my story....I reposted the whole thing for new readers. Those who want to just read the addittion it's noted in bold (NEW SECTION). Let me know your thoughts!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif";">M</span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">en are pigs!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"> thought<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel as she stared out the gray streaked window, watching millions of rain drops dancing on the surface of the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a lesson her Mother had been trying to teach her since she was a young child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why hadn’t she learned that by now was beyond her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some things never change she supposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to finally find out the truth and face it, just to get this ache in her heart to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grabbed the keys off the coffee table and headed out the door.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth Parker had been a fixture in her life and heart since she was a teenager, which Rachel supposed could be construed as super romantic or pathetically sad considering she was reaching her mid-thirties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last four years they had been “dating,” but not serious…..i.e. habitually sleeping together with no real commitment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No commitment was Seth’s deal not hers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel was more than willing to give Seth a commitment of not just her mind & body, but her soul as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>However if you had asked her friends and family they would have told you Rachel was crazy to put her heart in the hands of Seth Parker, original bad boy and player extraordinaire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the looks with his 6-foot frame, dark sandy blond hair, broad shoulders, and piercing blue eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you add the charm, sexual charisma, and intelligence Seth Parker was one hard man to say no too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is history had shown the masses that Seth was just about incapable of being faithful to any woman, not even his ex-wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, Rachel was the only one who knew that last tidbit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>These thoughts swirled in her head as she locked the door to her house and climbed into her red Sonoma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shaking off the raindrops, Rachel looked in the rear view mirror and for the millionth time lectured herself, <i>Why did you go down that road with him again? Are you a complete idiot?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you forget what happened ten years ago?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because now he says you are one of the most important people in his life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he lost you he’d lose everything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That doesn’t mean he LOVES you, moron!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No it just sounds like he does,” she sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Rachel gunned the engine to her beloved red truck before backing it out the driveway onto Brighton Lake Rd. heading towards Grand River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing about Seth was he is a creature of habit, a fact Rachel thanked God for at the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was lunchtime at his law office and she knew right where to find him and it was time they had a talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Face to face this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She deserved that much from the person who claimed to be her best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one who said he’d always be there for her. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet somehow over the last few months, Seth seemed to have forgotten she existed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right around the time Rachel started having medical problems where doctors were using the words cancer or infertility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had slipped into a deep, dark, depression where she had lain in bed for days not wanting to get up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the few times she had talked to Seth telling him about her fears, he blew off her concerns and left her alone to deal with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she had tried to confront him on that his excuse was he thought she wanted to be left alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your best friend talks about wanting to throw herself off the roof of a building and you think she needs to be left alone!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Something wasn’t adding up because Seth had never been a cold hearted person, at least not where she was concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel figured now that she managed to finally get out of her depression, thanks to some real friends, it was time to find out the truth about what is going on with Seth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus today’s lunch surprise at Quiznos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Turning right onto Grand River Rachel followed the lunch time traffic down to the mini-mall containing Seth’s favorite lunch spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling into the parking lot and finding an obscure spot in the back, she took a deep breath to prepare herself for what was going to come next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staring out the windshield watching the sprinkles of rain, Rachel tried to think of how she was going to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Once she mustered up enough courage she stepped out into the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking towards the glass doors of the restaurant, she noticed Seth’s yellow mustang a few spots over and felt her heart beat speed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The butterflies in her stomach were going warp speed and not in the good way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something felt off about the whole thing and she couldn’t pin point why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before opening the door, Rachel stopped and peered through the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Several tables back she saw him, but he wasn’t alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting in the booth next to him was a woman with long bleach blond hair and big boobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it wasn’t any blonde; Rachel would recognize that face anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Dianna the crazy bitch that broke Seth’s heart about a year ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one Rachel spent many nights listening to her then drunken friend, now lover, cry over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one Seth claimed Rachel helped him get over and one he’d never be stupid enough to go back too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel’s stomach dropped when she realized they were holding hands!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then as if right on cue Seth leaned over and started kissing her!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rachel could feel the tiny tear in her heart begin as the rage inside built to a screaming roar in her ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Robotically she turned around and started walking back towards her truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half way there she stopped staring at the yellow mustang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling a slip of paper & pen out of her purse, Rachel scribbled a simple message:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope it was worth losing everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She folded the message in fourths and slapped it under the wiper of the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Back in her truck, Rachel could feel the rage shaking her body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not believe that what happened 10 years ago was replaying itself again only worse!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time Seth hadn’t stopped talking to her all together he had kept sleeping with her and filling her head with nonsensical garbage that he really cared about her!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She really was only his In Between Girl…..no even better she was the Back Up Plan Girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one if he couldn’t find someone better he’d settle for or use up until a better option came along!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The sad fact is everyone tried to warn her he really was that kind of person, but Rachel refused to listen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had believed in the good in Seth and loved him unconditionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had crept into her heart, always knowing how to make her smile or laugh and constantly saying things that made her think she was special to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had wanted nothing more than to give him everything she had in her heart and share a life with him someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst part, the most hurtful part, was when she really needed him as a friend he was too busy chasing a piece of ass to be bothered!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the real pathetic thing is she had devalued herself enough to become his whore in the process!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">NEVER AGAIN were the words that screamed in her head as she gunned her truck out into traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel was on auto pilot speeding through traffic with no concrete direction in mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All she knew is she needed to get FAR away and FAST!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A tornado of thoughts whirled in her head;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>“I just wanted to make this the most romantic day ever for you”…..”If I lost you I’d lose everything,”…..”you know if I kiss a girl, I must really like her,”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Close to twenty years of friendship, romantic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>memories, everything that meant anything felt like a lie….meaningless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As the reality of those thoughts sunk in, Rachel could literally feel the splintering of her heart while it disintegrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain ripping a hole straight through her causing her to start hyperventilating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Why not just stop breathing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does anything even matter anymore?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As If in an unconscious attempt to out run the process, she pushed her vehicle faster. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel had somehow ended up on Argentine road going towards Linden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Argentine road is a typical paved country road with twisty and winding curves that those who loved to drive fast could never resist, and Rachel was taking those curves at easily twice the legal limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trees and farms whipped passed in a blur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Sonoma rounded an extreme curve and Rachel lost control of her vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard a loud crunch and then the world turned on it’s head.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Are you sure she hasn’t tried calling and you just missed the call?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Yeah, the phone has been silent all morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“I just want to make sure she is okay that’s all.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“And exactly why wouldn’t Rachel be okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“I don’t know.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“You don’t know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seth, what the hell is going on?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Chill Lucy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing is going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just let me know if you hear from her okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Seth Parker if you have done something to hurt her again, I swear I will personally kick your ass!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so tired of you messing with my best friend!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“I didn’t do anything,” was the mumbled response.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Click</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Angry and frustrated Lucy slammed the phone back on the charger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not believe the gall of this man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seth always did think he was God’s gift to women, when really he is just a dangerous predator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kind of man who knows exactly how to make women fall in love with him, not because he loved them back, but just so he could use them to fulfill his own needs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Lucy Levano was the kind of woman who easily saw through other people’s bullshit and didn’t have a problem calling them on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say it did not take long for Seth’s penchant for exactly that to come to the surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Less than impressed Lucy was able to dodge that bullet, only to watch it smash right into her childhood best friend Rachel Hart.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Over the last 10 years or more Lucy had done her best to try to convince Rachel of the fact Seth could not be trusted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But no matter how hard Lucy tried it just seemed to push Rachel closer to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Lucy had finally given up trying and let her friend go the path her heart led her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Lucy felt slightly uneasy about the phone call, but knew if something was truly wrong Rachel would call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However she could always check in just to make sure everything was alright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as the thought entered her head the phone began to ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking at the caller ID, Lucy picked it up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Hello there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just about to call you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Start talking chickie”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“My Sophie has been hurt,” a deep male voice answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A chill crept over Lucy’s skin raising goose bumps.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you mean Rachel and how the hell did you get her phone?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“She needs help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is on Argentine rd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ambulance is coming.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Click</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Thoughts raced through Lucy’s head as she quickly redialed Rachel’s number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Damn it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if this was just some idea of a sick joke?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel could have lost her phone and this was some pervert’s idea of a good time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did use the wrong name……wait Sofie was what Rachel’s Aunt Maddie always called her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something about her middle name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told Lucy this was no joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Trying to make sense of the tornado in her head, Lucy was busy throwing on her Red Wings hoodie and sneakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grabbed her keys off the kitchen table and booked out the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Argentine road was just one turn off the road Lucy lived on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it was definitely possible Rachel had been on that road today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she had a fight with Seth the first place she would have gone was Lucy’s house.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Even when the world was upside down automatic bodily functions like breathing should still manage to continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should it not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least that was the thought currently in Rachel’s head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However for some reason she was struggling with that basic task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was then she realized something was covering her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The need for self-preservation kicking in, Rachel grabbed at the material covering her face and pushed it away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rachel realized the truck’s airbag must have been deployed during the crash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>The crash, omigod!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I hit someone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is anyone hurt?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These thoughts turned to raw panic as Rachel attempted to reach her arm towards the door handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately a wave of pain and dizziness hit when she tried to move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last thing Rachel saw was a pair of worn brown leather work boots outside the driver side window before the wings of darkness enfolded her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Slowly the darkness began to form images and sounds one after another.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Children’s laughter and bright sunlight bursting through colored trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A young blond girl with amazing violet eyes smiling and spinning……sky turns overcast blending dark……a woman’s back kneeling at the bottom of a staircase holding a blond child in her arms and sobbing…..a dark silo reaching out of the darkness moving closer……a voice screaming “RUN SOPHIE RUN!!”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">SOPHIE!!</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">****<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rachel sat on the bed under the brash lighting listening to a mix of random beeps and her best friend Lucy Levano’s voice rambling on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel tried to tune into what Lucy was saying, but most of it passed through her like muted raindrops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She caught words here and there, such as ‘worried,’ ‘lucky,’ and ‘reckless.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for the most part Lucy’s words were lost in the vastness of the hospital, an entertaining diatribe for bored family & friends of other patients to focus on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Did you hear a Word I just sad?” Lucy raged, “Hello, McFly!” Lucy bore into her with those chocolate brown eyes and stopped short of smacking the back of Rachel’s head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Sorry….um….what?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel flinched</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Exactly!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You NEVER listen to a word I say!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What could have possessed you to be driving so recklessly down Argentine in the rain?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are so lucky the only casualties where your truck and Mr. Seymore’s precious rose bushes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want to tell me what the HELL is going on?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Not really no.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel couldn’t quite get the fuzzy images from her brief glimpse of unconsciousness-before the ambulance had arrived, out of her head let alone answer Lucy’s questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to mention the overwhelming pain in her whole body right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Yeah I figured!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well eventually you will talk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now do as the good doctor ordered and get dressed so we can blow this pop stand,” and with that she flounced out of the hospital room as only Lucy Levano could.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rachel stared after her dreading the inevitable inquisition that would follow on the way home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the last place she wanted to be right now was in the ER room feeling like the world’s biggest idiot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What she had done was stupid and reckless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem was she wasn’t sure how much she cared right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Thankfully her only injuries were several broken ribs and a mild concussion, with a few minor scratches thrown in for good measure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What Rachel was most relieved about though was that nobody else had been involved in the accident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was much easier swallowing one’s own stupidity when the only people they hurt are themselves.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">As Rachel slipped off the bed to get dressed, she made the classic concussion mistake and rose too quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world started to sway and she found her rear end quickly reconnecting with mattress below her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She giggled at herself more out of nervous embarrassment than humor and tried again…..slowly this time…….Success!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Now she just had to manage getting her jeans, pinks sweater, and Nike shoes on without killing herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel thought the odds might be in her favor on that one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She figured if she focused hard enough on the task she could keep her mind off the situation with Seth…….. <i>Seth</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word hurt just to hear it even just in her head…..<i>Just breathe</i> she reminds herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not, however, keep the image of him kissing Dianna out of her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>STOP!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She commanded herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Breathing slowly in and out, Rachel pushed all thoughts out of her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she began getting dressed and found the pain involved required her to focus solely on the task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was just finishing up the shoes when the nurse arrived with the discharge papers followed by the hospital aid with the wheelchair. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Ready Ms. Hart?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bet you can’t wait to get into your own bed,” a friendly blonde, twenty -something aid smiled at Rachel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel could only imagine what twenty-something in her pink hello kitty scrubs was thinking of the crazy old lady who rolled her truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was sure she didn’t want to know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty-something smiled down at Rachel with her big blue doe eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One more thing Rachel could envy about her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was sure those eyes & dimples broke more than a few hearts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Admiring the radiating youth of twenty-something and the bounce in her step, Rachel ached for her own lost innocence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where had all the years gone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wasted on loving someone who never even cared about her all that much, let alone loved her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah that would be the answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Memories washed over her wonderful heart wrenching memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nights under the stars talking for hours finishing each other’s sentences, the first kiss, whispered sweet nothings.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">She could feel the pain start to beat at her chest making it difficult to breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Refusing to let Seth Parker humiliate her further by falling apart among strangers, Rachel pushed her feelings deep inside & did not let the tears welling in her eyes fall. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Ms. Hart are you okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Yeah, sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m ready.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel focused her energies on getting into the black wheelchair.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Yes, broken ribs are awfully painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But don’t worry the doctor prescribed some good pain killers for you” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Good”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel wondered if those big white pills would kill the pain of a broken heart, somehow she didn’t think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She reminded herself that she would have plenty of time to fall apart in the arms of her best friend later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until then she would focus on the business she would need to take care of due to her carelessness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Like calling Principal Eggert in the morning to tell him about the accident and that she would probably have to take off these last few weeks before summer break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel could have tried to work through the pain, but she had some vacation time becoming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides she didn’t think that working while on strong pain killers was appropriate, not to mention being on her feet for long periods is not recommended for someone with a concussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Although there were several students that Rachel would miss, she was glad for the break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lately she was less than satisfied with her chosen career as English teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow she had never thought about what would happen if she ended up with a class full of spoiled junior high children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Students who could care less about reading anything that didn’t have Beyonce or Justin Beiber on the cover and God forbid you actually wanted them to write something!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The cool breeze washing over her face from the hospital door opening brought Rachel out of her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She noticed the sun was already setting, turning the horizon above the trees a purplish pink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Sky blue pink Aunt Maddie always calls it.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Here we are Ms Hart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that your ride’s car there?” Twenty-something asked pointing to a silver Kia pulling up to the door.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Yes, that is Lucy’s car.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Let me help you get inside,” Twenty-something came around the wheel chair grabbing Rachel’s arm like she was an elderly woman crossing the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel could not help but chuckle, until she stood up and the world started to tilt again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Oops, here we go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gotcha.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty something firmed her grip & put her other hand behind Rachel’s back, helping her climb into the little car.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Thank you” was Rachel’s grumbled response.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“No problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have a good evening Ms. Hart.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty-something shut the car door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Closing her eyes against the flicker of pain, Rachel tried to mentally prepare herself for the onslaught she knew was about to happen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“So how ya feeling trooper?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wanna get something to eat?” Lucy’s sardonic smile & arched brow did not mix with tone of her voice as she pulled out of the hospital parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Like I got run over by a Mack truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen I know you’re mad-“</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“I’m not Mad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope not at all,” Lucy cut in, “My best friend decides to drive like she is in the Indy 500, during one of the first rains of the season, on a dangerously curved road!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what could I possibly be mad about?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“That your best friend is a complete and utter moron.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Well that is one thing we agree on today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh and would you mind telling me what I was supposed to tell your mother who is in Alaska, had you not survived?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let alone your Aunt Maddie up north? Hmm?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“I’m really sorry Luc!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was absolutely reckless and stupid thing for me to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get that, really I do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But please tell me you did NOT call my mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That really is the last thing I need right now.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“NEED?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What you NEED is to tell me what the hell is going on.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucy’s chocolate brown eyes pinned Rachel to the seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shifting uncomfortably, Rachel scrambled for something to prolong the inevitable I told you so conversation about Seth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Quit stalling and SPILL IT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I already know it has something to do with Seth.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“How do you know that?” Rachel sighed</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“When is it not about Seth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides that he called me right before your creepy good Samaritan.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Good Samaritan? I have a creepy good Samaritan?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Uh yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently he called 911 right before me, according to the EMS I spoke too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus he knew your middle name…..called you his Sophie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any clue who he is?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That IS creepy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How the hell does he know my middle name?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“I was hoping you would know.” Lucy turned on Grand River heading towards their favorite eating spot, Max’s Sweet Shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An old fashioned burger & soda fountain joint.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Maybe he read my license?” Rachel shrugged, trying to think of who this man could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem was she was drawing a complete blank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Then why would he call you HIS Sophie?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Right, very creepy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no idea.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel looked out at the beautiful sunset, rubbing against the goose bumps forming on her arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucy swung into a parking spot next to the giant 50s neon sign and turned towards Rachel.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“Yea that’s kinda scary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok now that we have creepy good Samaritan guy out of the way, what the hell is up with you & Seth?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Seth…Seth….Seth.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word repeating in her mind like a living creature she couldn’t control brought with it the pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain beat against her chest and stealing her breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God how she hated herself forever believing in him or the words he had said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Unable to hold it together any longer the words burst through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under the safe scrutiny of her best friend Rachel let it all go, the whole story, every emotion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until she was through that she realized she had her arms around her middle like she was trying to hold herself together and tears were streaming down her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Lucy grabbed Lucy’s hand, pulled her face up so she could look her in the eyes and said, “Oh honey, what you need right now is some chocolate & tequila.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The night progressed with greasy burgers, mountains of fries, and old fashioned chocolate sodas along with a healthy dose of girl talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel spent most of the evening caught between laughing until she cried, crying until she laughed, and the random urge to smash things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">However Lucy did her due diligence as best friend with the real talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reminding Rachel that while yes she had trusted someone with her heart that she knew might break it, it does not wash Seth of the responsibility of his actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He purposely led her on and filled her head with words he didn’t mean to keep her waiting for something that would never happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Lucy further reminded Rachel that even though her heart was in a million pieces right now, her mind & soul still belonged to herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What Seth did does not give Rachel the ok to bury herself in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finishing up with the obvious it will get better with time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Eventually they ended up at Rachel’s with a half pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream & a bottle of tequila.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ice cream they shared and Lucy indulged in the tequila while Rachel popped another pain pill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together they decided what Rachel needed most right now was to get away to the place she loved most and her beloved Aunt Maddie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So together they packed.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">****</span></b></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rachel sits on the bank of the river wrapped in sunlight, amidst the ageless beauty of the pine & fir trees scattered about. The cool September breeze caresses her face as she frees her fiery red hair from its ponytail, allowing the wind to carry it. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">She closes her eyes tapping into the vibrating energy of the living things surrounding her. She can feel it humming inside her and grasps onto the connection, which so many times soothed hurts of the past. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">This time it's healing power only seems to mute the pain inside. She can feel the tears welling up in her eyes and fights with all her being to push them away. How could things have gone so wrong so quickly?</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A series of beeps like a signal from the real world draws her attention to the cell phone in her hand. She had almost forgotten she was holding it.....almost. <em>Damn it! Several missed calls and a voice mail. I bet! Screw youl!</em> She tosses it into the bushes all the frustration from the last few months behind it. </span></div><div align="center" style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">****</span></div><div align="center" style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He ponders her from afar, bathed in sunlight, her red hair blowing in the wind. She is a solitary figure with an aura of sadness about her, like someone haunted by ghosts of the past. He wonders if he should approach or leave her be when he sees an object hurtling through the air landing only a few feet from him. He's never been one to ignore a sign so he ambles towards the landing spot. Bending down he sees a rectangular object flashing at him. He picks up the sleek black phone and chuckles when he realizes what it is. <em>Well she definitely has spunk, even if she isn't very cautious......or smart. One of the two. </em></span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Smiling to himself he approaches the young girl sitting on the steps leading to the river, noticing she is dressed appropriately for summer in a pair of black shorts and red t-shirt. Although it is obvious she hasn't spent much time outdoors by the creamy paleness of her skin. He tries to make his approach obvious and clears his throat to get her attention so not to scare the bejesus out of her. Her head whips around in an auburn whirlwind and he finds himself looking into a pair of the most exotic eyes he has ever seen. Big, dark green, almond shaped pools, surrounded by thick black lashes and filled with surprise. Her unexpected beauty gives him pause and takes him a moment to get his bearings back.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Sorry miss. I didn't mean to scare you, but I think you might have lost something," hand out stretched he tries to hand her the rapidly flashing phone.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Oh...uh...it's ok," she looks at the phone like one afraid of a snake that might strike at any moment, so he sets it down on the step next her. "Thank you"</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"No problem. My name is Sam," he ambles towards the opposite side of the step and sits. It is obvious to Sam by the faint pink stain on the young woman's cheeks she is embarrassed at being caught during such a private moment. So he decides the best strategy is to ignore the fact he saw it. Women can be quite sensitive that way if he remembers anything from his youth.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Rachel. It's nice to meet you." Rachel can't seem to stop staring at this tall stranger that caught her by surprise. His height, angular shape, black wavy hair, and deep blue eyes were mild in comparison to the smoky voice attached to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something about it was like…..<i>coming home</i>. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"I-I'm sorry. I'm not usually so....um...rude. You just surprised me." Rachel stammered, befuddled by her own thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sultry images of moonlit water with mist skimming the surface danced in her head.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Sorry about that. It is a very beautiful afternoon we have here isn't it?"</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Yea it’s quite breathtaking actually," Rachel returned her gaze out towards the river, admiring the beautiful horizon. A brilliant blue sky with tall pines reaching up to meet it, their shadow mirrored in the lazy river idling by the two strangers. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"The old Manistee is known for its charm with the ladies," Sam teased trying to break the obvious tension of their meeting. He was relieved when he heard the soft chuckle accompanying Rachel's response.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Yes the ageless beauty and steadfast strength is a combination hard to resist. And the best part is he doesn't talk back." </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The hearty outburst of Sam's laughter had Rachel turning and bestowing him with a radiant smile. He found himself catching his breath again as the two grinned at each other.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"I know a few men who would be more than eager to agree with that point Rachel."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Yeah I'm sure their wives or girlfriends are more than happy to let them have their fun with Mistress Manistee if it will get them out of their hair for awhile," Rachel winked as she stretched out her legs feeling relaxed for the first time since she arrived.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Ha, Ha...true, so very true. So may I ask how you know these parts? I don't believe I've seen you around before."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Well I've had a long standing love affair with this place. Going on almost 25 years now."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"></span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"That's a mighty long time for one to be in the whirlwinds of an affair. Seems like it may be a bit more serious than that."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Longest relationship I've ever had." Sam saw the brief flicker of sadness return to Rachel's eyes. He couldn't help but wonder what could cause such pain to this beautiful and charismatic young woman. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">If it was a man, as so often the case, he was a damn fool whoever he is. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The humor that was there only seconds before seemed to be replaced by a somber quietness as Rachel turned her gaze back over the water. Sam was busily trying to figure out a way to bring that light back into her eyes, when a series of beeps interrupted his thoughts.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rachel jolted and turned towards the phone sitting next to her. She snatched it up again feeling the urge to hurtle it, only into the watery abyss that would cause it to stop forever. Realizing that was not an option at this point & eventually she was going to have to face her life, she stood instead.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"It was a pleasure meeting you Sam, but I really must go."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"So soon? Well I'd love to continue our conversation another time."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">"Umm.....maybe. I'll see you around." With that she was half way down the path towards the entrance of the campground before Sam could respond.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 11pt;"></span></div><div align="center" style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: center;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 11pt;">****</span></b></div><div align="center" style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><strong>NEW SECTION</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel stalked down the sandy path leading towards the entrance of Camp Grayling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She tried desperately to find solace in the familiarity of its heat beneath her toes, the whispering trees, and the spicy smell of the river, old friends who always seemed to soothe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However it did nothing to abate the whirlwind of thoughts in her head or the throbbing pain creeping in now that her pain meds are wearing off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Swearing softly, Rachel slowed her pace and stopped to relax.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How could she have been so stupid to believe things were really going to change?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s okay the fake blond with the dark roots and bipolar disposition can have the bastard because I’m done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So done!</i></span></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Rachel was positive the voice mail on her phone was from Seth inquiring about her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucy told her about the phone call she had received from him yesterday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She made Lucy promise not to call him back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seth was worried he could take those concerns to his precious Dianna.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rachel knew the only reason he even gave a damn is because he might lose something out of the deal, not because of any genuine feelings for her. All she had ever been for Seth was another woman he could use to distract himself until the next pretty toy came along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst part is he usually already had another toy lined up before the current one realized she was broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now Rachel had become another one added to the Island of Misfit Toys.</span></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">But Rachel had come to another realization last night with the help of her best friend and a little man named José Quervo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was not going to shed another tear for some useless person who didn’t deserve it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew it was going to hurt for a long time, but refused to let it take over her life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It was this revelation that had led Rachel to pack her bags and retreat to the one place that always made life better, Aunt Maddie’s place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it was Aunt Maddie along with Lucy that was going to kick her ass if they found out how far she had wondered off unsupervised on narcotics, not to mention the endless lecture of how she shouldn’t be over extending herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">They thought she had just taken a walk down to the other dock, past the bunkhouse to sit and watch the water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In reality, Rachel had decided to go the other way into the campground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But Rachel couldn’t help it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had needed to get away from all the well intentioned smothering and clear her head a bit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It wasn’t just the situation with Seth that was on her mind, but the creepy note she had found in her mailbox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pulled it out of the pocked she had stuffed it into that morning before Lucy could see it and read it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b>My Little Sophie, </b></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b>I am glad you are ok !</b></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b>xoxo </b></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b>D</b></div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Ever since she found it this morning, Rachel could not shake this uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who was this person?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is he or she following me? How does they know my middle name?</div><div class="MsoBodyTextIndent" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">A slight breeze whispered through the trees and once again Rachel was overcome with that feeling of being watched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">This is inane!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I really am losing my mind</i>!! She could feel her nerves start to jump so she stopped and took a deep breath to steady herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead a wave of dizziness hit with such force that the trees surrounding her began to swirl and a gust of wind slammed into her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sky seemed to turn dark quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just like her…..<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> nightmare?</i></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">****</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sam sat on the steps leading to the water pondering the unusual meeting with his new acquaintance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel was definitely an interesting twist to his day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam had come to the campground for leisurely walk after his shift ended at the radio station, expecting the usual solitude that greeted him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was pleasantly surprised when he glimpsed a figure in the distance and definitely intrigued when her phone landed only a few feet from him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sam couldn’t help but wonder how old she was because when he first glimpsed her Sam thought she was quite young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But after approaching her he realized his initial impression was wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam had not expected the response he had to the woman though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was definitely attractive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But not in astoundingly beautiful way like most of the women he was attracted too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But those eyes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t recall ever seeing someone with that brilliant shade of green before framed with such dark lashes….it would cause anyone to lose their breath for a moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Rachel was also taller and had a larger frame than most women he preferred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He generally went for the petite type with tiny waists and almost fragile looking. Rachel had a bit larger frame, curvier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fragile was the last thing that came to mind when Sam thought of Rachel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam supposed that wasn’t a bad thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel did seem blessed in the womanly asset department and watching her walk away was definitely easy on the eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam grinned at the thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>D<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">amn those curves!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in all the right places!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What the hell!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t like him to get so fixated on a woman, especially after just meeting her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sam tried to distract himself picking up a few pebbles tossing them into the water and focusing his thoughts in another direction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could not believe that it had been almost a year since he had moved back to his hometown of Grayling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam is pretty sure that most of his old friends thinks he is having some kind of breakdown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Giving up a successful career, as a big city attorney to move back up here and working his old high school job as a DJ, was something most people didn’t understand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe they were right and he is going a little crazy. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">He had returned to Grayling for the funeral of his Grandfather almost a year ago and never left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam had realized during the time he took to grieve Maxwell Lyons’s death that being a big city lawyer was not only exhausting, but also not where he truly belonged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam, much like his grandfather, loved the northern land and the life that came with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He never seemed to gain peace anywhere else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Maxwell Lyons had been a champion of the land, an avid hunter, and protector of nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He taught his beliefs and philosophies to his only son’s child, Samuel Lyons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of those teachings Sam had formed an everlasting bond with his grandfather that even his passing couldn’t break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maxwell had also been a descendent of local timber baron Rasmus Hanson who was famous for amassing a great fortune on timber in Grayling, but also for helping to create The Grayling Fish Hatchery and initiating the grant for Camp Grayling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The inheritance that had been left to Maxwell by his maternal grandfather he shrewdly invested back into the community he loved and amassed himself a small fortune.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">It was this fortune that was passed on to Sam, as he was the only living relative of Maxwell’s, and is now allowing him the luxury to work as a DJ while dealing with the loss of the only parent he ever had.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Unable to stop, Sam’s thoughts wandered to the abrupt ending of his meeting with Rachel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He couldn’t help but wonder what had been troubling her so much?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She seemed so melancholy too, like someone who had gone through the impossible and survived to find they had lost something important inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam knew all to well what that was like.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe that’s what is intriguing him the most about Rachel, the aura of mystery.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He supposed it didn’t matter much because the chances of seeing her again were unlikely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Odd…. that thought caused a pang of regret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sam stood up wiping the dust off his hands left from the pebbles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Scanning the tree line he noticed the sun was working its way towards the horizon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">About time to head home I suppose</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead of heading back to the main entrance where he began, Sam decided to take the scenic route.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Following the same path as Rachel, he made his way to the outlet at the back of the grounds lost in his own thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">For the most part the path was clear through this parcel of the grounds, even with the curves snaking through it, the DNR had kept the brush to a minimum allowing one to see far distances ahead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until one got closer to the outlet that vision became limited.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam was almost through the last bend in the path before he noticed an odd shape heaped smack in the middle of the path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He slowed his pace automatically knowing from experience it could be an animal hurt or foraging for food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But his gut told him that didn’t seem to fit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever it was it wasn’t moving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">What the hell?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not an animal…. holy shit!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a person!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam’s reaction was instant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was pulling out his cell while running towards the person calling out and getting no response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frustrations overwrought him at the realization he once again had no signal and slammed the phone back in his pocket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He almost tripped over the person…<i>woman</i>….before stopping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Immediately Sam bent down to check for signs of breathing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until he turned her face he realized he was staring at his latest acquaintance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">****<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span></span></div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-1279910534343731262011-01-22T17:33:00.000-08:002011-01-22T17:33:05.540-08:00The Begining (Story)Here is another section in the story. Hopefully more to come soon. Let me know what you think!<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The night progressed with greasy burgers, mountains of fries, and old fashioned chocolate sodas along with a healthy dose of girl talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel spent most of the evening caught between laughing until she cried, crying until she laughed, and the random urge to smash things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">However Lucy did her due diligence as best friend with the real talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reminding Rachel that while yes she had trusted someone with her heart that she knew might break it, it does not wash Seth of the responsibility of his actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He purposely led her on and filled her head with words he didn’t mean to keep her waiting for something that would never happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lucy further reminded Rachel that even though her heart was in a million pieces right now, her mind & soul still belonged to herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What Seth did does not give Rachel the ok to bury herself in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Finishing up with the obvious it will get better with time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Eventually they ended up at Rachel’s with a half pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream & a bottle of tequila.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ice cream they shared and Lucy indulged in the tequila while Rachel popped another pain pill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Together they decided what Rachel needed most right now was to get away to the place she loved most and her beloved Aunt Maddie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So together they packed.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">****</span></b></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rachel sits on the bank of the river wrapped in sunlight, amidst the ageless beauty of the pine & fir trees scattered about. The cool September breeze caresses her face as she frees her fiery red hair from its ponytail, allowing the wind to carry it. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">She closes her eyes tapping into the vibrating energy of the living things surrounding her. She can feel it humming inside her and grasps onto the connection which so many times soothed hurts of the past. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This time it's healing power only seems to mute the pain inside. She can feel the tears welling up in her eyes and fights with all her being to push them away. How could things have gone so wrong so quickly?</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A series of beeps like a signal from the real world draws her attention to the cell phone in her hand. She had almost forgotten she was holding it.....almost. <em><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Damn it! Several missed calls and a voice mail. I bet! Screw youl!</span></em> She tosses it into the bushes all the frustration from the last few months behind it. </span></div><div align="center" style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">****</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">He ponders her from afar, bathed in sunlight, her red hair blowing in the wind. She is a solitary figure with an aura of sadness about her, like someone haunted by ghosts of the past. He wonders if he should approach or leave her be when he sees an object hurtling through the air landing only a few feet from him. He's never been one to ignore a sign so he ambles towards the landing spot. Bending down he sees a rectangular object flashing at him. He picks up the sleek black phone and chuckles when he realizes what it is. <em><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Well she definitely has spunk, even if she isn't very cautious......or smart. One of the two. </span></em></span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Smiling to himself he approaches the young girl sitting on the steps leading to the river, noticing she is dressed appropriately for summer in a pair of black shorts and red t-shirt. Although it is obvious she hasn't spent much time outdoors by the creamy paleness of her skin. He tries to make his approach obvious and clears his throat to get her attention so not to scare the bejesus out of her. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Her head whips around in an auburn whirlwind and he finds himself looking into a pair of the most exotic eyes he has ever seen. Big, dark green, almond shaped pools, surrounded by thick black lashes and filled with surprise. Her unexpected beauty gives him pause and takes him a moment to get his bearings back.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Sorry miss. I didn't mean to scare you, but I think you might have lost something," hand out stretched he tries to hand her the rapidly flashing phone.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Oh...uh...it's ok," she looks at the phone like one afraid of a snake that might strike at any moment, so he sets it down on the step next her. "Thank you"</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"No problem. My name is Sam," he ambles towards the opposite side of the step and sits. It is obvious to Sam by the faint pink stain on the young woman's cheeks she is embarrassed at being caught during such a private moment. So he decides the best strategy is to ignore the fact he saw it. Women can be quite sensitive that way if he remembers anything from his youth.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Rachel. It's nice to meet you." Rachel can't seem to stop staring at this tall stranger that caught her by surprise. His height, angular shape, black wavy hair, and deep blue eyes were mild in comparison to the smoky voice attached to it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something about it was like…..<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">coming home</i>. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"I-I'm sorry. I'm not usually so....um...rude. You just surprised me." Rachel stammered, befuddled by her own thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sultry images of moonlit water with mist skimming the surface danced in her head.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Sorry about that. It is a very beautiful afternoon we have here isn't it?"</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Yea it’s quite breathtaking actually," Rachel returned her gaze out towards the river, admiring the beautiful horizon. A brilliant blue sky with tall pines reaching up to meet it, their shadow mirrored in the lazy river idling by the two strangers. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"The old Manistee is known for its charm with the ladies," Sam teased trying to break the obvious tension of their meeting. He was relieved when he heard the soft chuckle accompanying Rachel's response.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Yes the ageless beauty and steadfast strength is a combination hard to resist. And the best part is he doesn't talk back." </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The hearty outburst of Sam's laughter had Rachel turning and bestowing him with a radiant smile. He found himself catching his breath again as the two grinned at each other.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"I know a few men who would be more than eager to agree with that point Rachel."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Yeah I'm sure their wives or girlfriends are more than happy to let them have their fun with Mistress Manistee if it will get them out of their hair for awhile," Rachel winked as she stretched out her legs feeling relaxed for the first time since she arrived.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Ha, Ha...true, so very true. So may I ask how you know these parts? I don't believe I've seen you around before."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Well I've had a long standing love affair with this place. Going on almost 25 years now."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"That's a mighty long time for one to be in the whirlwinds of an affair. Seems like it may be a bit more serious than that."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Longest relationship I've ever had." Sam saw the brief flicker of sadness return to Rachel's eyes. He couldn't help but wonder what could cause such pain to this beautiful and charismatic young woman. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If it was a man, as so often the case, he was a damn fool whoever he is. </span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The humor that was there only seconds before seemed to be replaced by a somber quietness as Rachel turned her gaze back over the water. Sam was busily trying to figure out a way to bring that light back into her eyes, when a series of beeps interrupted his thoughts.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Rachel jolted and turned towards the phone sitting next to her. She snatched it up again feeling the urge to hurtle it, only into the watery abyss that would cause it to stop forever. Realizing that was not an option at this point & eventually she was going to have to face her life, she stood instead.</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"It was a pleasure meeting you Sam, but I really must go."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"So soon? Well I'd love to continue our conversation another time."</span></div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 14.4pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">"Umm.....maybe. I'll see you around." With that she was half way down the path towards the entrance of the campground before Sam could respond.</span></div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-72553182448837928292011-01-18T17:14:00.000-08:002011-01-18T17:14:24.042-08:00The Beginning (Story)Ok my dedicated readers, I have finally finished the next section of my story. Due to recent interes, I am reposting the whole story thus far in this blog. Please leave me plenty of comments to let me know what you think!<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men are pigs!</i> thought<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel as she stared out the gray streaked window, watching millions of rain drops dancing on the surface of the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a lesson her Mother had been trying to teach her since she was a young child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why hadn’t she learned that by now was beyond her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some things never change she supposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to finally find out the truth and face it, just to get this ache in her heart to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grabbed the keys off the coffee table and headed out the door.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth Parker had been a fixture in her life and heart since she was a teenager, which Rachel supposed could be construed as super romantic or pathetically sad considering she was reaching her mid-thirties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last four years they had been “dating,” but not serious…..i.e. habitually sleeping together with no real commitment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No commitment was Seth’s deal not hers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel was more than willing to give Seth a commitment of not just her mind & body, but her soul as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>However if you had asked her friends and family they would have told you Rachel was crazy to put her heart in the hands of Seth Parker, original bad boy and player extraordinaire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the looks with his 6 foot frame, dark sandy blond hair, broad shoulders, and piercing blue eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you add the charm, sexual charisma, and intelligence Seth Parker was one hard man to say no too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is history had shown the masses that Seth was just about incapable of being faithful to any woman, not even his ex-wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, Rachel was the only one who knew that last tidbit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>These thoughts swirled in her head as she locked the door to her house and climbed into her red <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Sonoma</place></city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shaking off the rain drops, Rachel looked in the rear view mirror and for the millionth time lectured herself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why did you go down that road with him again? Are you a complete idiot?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you forget what happened ten years ago?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because now he says you are one of the most important people in his life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he lost you he’d lose everything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That doesn’t mean he LOVES you, moron!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No it just sounds like he does,” she sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Rachel gunned the engine to her beloved red truck before backing it out the driveway onto <street w:st="on"><address w:st="on">Brighton Lake Rd.</address></street> heading towards <place w:st="on">Grand River</place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing about Seth was he is a creature of habit, a fact Rachel thanked God for at the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was lunch time at his law office and she knew right where to find him and it was time they had a talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Face to face this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She deserved that much from the person who claimed to be her best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one who said he’d always be there for her. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet somehow over the last few months, Seth seemed to have forgotten she existed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right around the time Rachel started having medical problems where doctors were using the words cancer or infertility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had slipped into a deep, dark, depression where she had lain in bed for days not wanting to get up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the few times she had talked to Seth telling him about her fears, he blew off her concerns and left her alone to deal with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she had tried to confront him on that his excuse was he thought she wanted to be left alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your best friend talks about wanting to throw herself off the roof of a building and you think she needs to be left alone!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Something wasn’t adding up because Seth had never been a cold hearted person, at least not where she was concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel figured now that she managed to finally get out of her depression, thanks to some real friends, it was time to find out the truth about what is going on with Seth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus today’s lunch surprise at Quiznos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Turning right onto Grand River Rachel followed the lunch time traffic down to the mini-mall containing Seth’s favorite lunch spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling into the parking lot and finding an obscure spot in the back, she took a deep breath to prepare herself for what was going to come next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staring out the windshield watching the sprinkles of rain, Rachel tried to think of how she was going to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once she mustered up enough courage she stepped out into the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking towards the glass doors of the restaurant, she noticed Seth’s yellow mustang a few spots over and felt her heart beat speed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The butterflies in her stomach were going warp speed and not in the good way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something felt off about the whole thing and she couldn’t pin point why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before opening the door, Rachel stopped and peered through the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Several tables back she saw him, but he wasn’t alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting in the booth next to him was a woman with long bleach blond hair and big boobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it wasn’t any blonde; Rachel would recognize that face anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Dianna the crazy bitch that broke Seth’s heart about a year ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one Rachel spent many nights listening to her then drunken friend, now lover, cry over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one Seth claimed Rachel helped him get over and one he’d never be stupid enough to go back too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel’s stomach dropped when she realized they were holding hands!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then as if right on cue Seth leaned over and started kissing her!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rachel could feel the tiny tear in her heart begin as the rage inside built to a screaming roar in her ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Robotically she turned around and started walking back towards her truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half way there she stopped staring at the yellow mustang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling a slip of paper & pen out of her purse, Rachel scribbled a simple message:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope it was worth losing everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She folded the message in fourths and slapped it under the wiper of the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back in her truck, Rachel could feel the rage shaking her body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not believe that what happened 10 years ago was replaying itself again only worse!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time Seth hadn’t stopped talking to her all together he had kept sleeping with her and filling her head with nonsensical garbage that he really cared about her!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She really was only his In Between Girl…..no even better she was the Back Up Plan Girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one if he couldn’t find someone better he’d settle for or use up until a better option came along!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The sad fact is everyone tried to warn her he really was that kind of person, but Rachel refused to listen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had believed in the good in Seth and loved him unconditionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had crept into her heart, always knowing how to make her smile or laugh and constantly saying things that made her think she was special to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had wanted nothing more than to give him everything she had in her heart and share a life with him someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst part, the most hurtful part, was when she really needed him as a friend he was too busy chasing a piece of ass to be bothered!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the real pathetic thing is she had devalued herself enough to become his whore in the process!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">NEVER AGAIN were the words that screamed in her head as she gunned her truck out into traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel was on auto pilot speeding through traffic with no concrete direction in mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All she knew is she needed to get FAR away and FAST!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A tornado of thoughts whirled in her head;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I just wanted to make this the most romantic day ever for you”…..”If I lost you I’d lose everything,”…..”you know if I kiss a girl, I must really like her,”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Close to twenty years of friendship, romantic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>memories, everything that meant anything felt like a lie….meaningless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As the reality of those thoughts sunk in, Rachel could literally feel the splintering of her heart while it disintegrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain ripping a hole straight through her causing her to start hyperventilating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why not just stop breathing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does anything even matter anymore?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As If in an unconscious attempt to out run the process, she pushed her vehicle faster. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel had somehow ended up on Argentine road going towards <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Linden</place></city>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Argentine road is a typical paved country road with twisty and winding curves that those who loved to drive fast could never resist, and Rachel was taking those curves at easily twice the legal limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trees and farms whipped passed in a blur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Sonoma</place></city> rounded an extreme curve and Rachel lost control of her vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard a loud crunch and then the world turned on it’s head.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Are you sure she hasn’t tried calling and you just missed the call?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Yeah, the phone has been silent all morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I just want to make sure she is okay that’s all.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“And exactly why wouldn’t Rachel be okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I don’t know.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“You don’t know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seth, what the hell is going on?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Chill Lucy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing is going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just let me know if you hear from her okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Seth Parker if you have done something to hurt her again, I swear I will personally kick your ass!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so tired of you messing with my best friend!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I didn’t do anything,” was the mumbled response.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Click</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Angry and frustrated Lucy slammed the phone back on the charger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not believe the gall of this man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seth always did think he was God’s gift to women, when really he is just a dangerous predator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kind of man who knows exactly how to make women fall in love with him, not because he loved them back, but just so he could use them to fulfill his own needs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lucy Levano was the kind of woman who easily saw through other people’s bullshit and didn’t have a problem calling them on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say it did not take long for Seth’s penchant for exactly that to come to the surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Less than impressed Lucy was able to dodge that bullet, only to watch it smash right into her childhood best friend Rachel Hart.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over the last 10 years or more Lucy had done her best to try to convince Rachel of the fact Seth could not be trusted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But no matter how hard Lucy tried it just seemed to push Rachel closer to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Lucy had finally given up trying and let her friend go the path her heart led her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lucy felt slightly uneasy about the phone call, but knew if something was truly wrong Rachel would call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However she could always check in just to make sure everything was alright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as the thought entered her head the phone began to ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking at the caller ID, Lucy picked it up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Hello there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just about to call you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Start talking chickie”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“My Sophie has been hurt,” a deep male voice answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A chill crept over Lucy’s skin raising goose bumps.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you mean Rachel and how the hell did you get her phone?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“She needs help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is on Argentine rd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ambulance is coming.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Click</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thoughts raced through Lucy’s head as she quickly redialed Rachel’s number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Damn it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if this was just some idea of a sick joke?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel could have lost her phone and this was some pervert’s idea of a good time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did use the wrong name……wait Sofie was what Rachel’s Aunt Maddie always called her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something about her middle name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told Lucy this was no joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Trying to make sense of the tornado in her head, Lucy was busy throwing on her Red Wings hoodie and sneakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grabbed her keys off the kitchen table and booked out the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Argentine road was just one turn off the road Lucy lived on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it was definitely possible Rachel had been on that road today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she had a fight with Seth the first place she would have gone was Lucy’s house.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Even when the world was upside down automatic bodily functions like breathing should still manage to continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should it not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least that was the thought currently in Rachel’s head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However for some reason she was struggling with that basic task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was then she realized something was covering her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The need for self-preservation kicking in, Rachel grabbed at the material covering her face and pushed it away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rachel realized the truck’s airbag must have been deployed during the crash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The crash, omigod!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I hit someone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is anyone hurt?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These thoughts turned to raw panic as Rachel attempted to reach her arm towards the door handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately a wave of pain and dizziness hit when she tried to move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last thing Rachel saw was a pair of worn brown leather work boots outside the driver side window before the wings of darkness enfolded her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Slowly the darkness began to form images and sounds one after another.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Children’s laughter and bright sunlight bursting through colored trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A young blond girl with amazing violet eyes smiling and spinning……sky turns overcast blending dark……a woman’s back kneeling at the bottom of a staircase holding a blond child in her arms and sobbing…..a dark silo reaching out of the darkness moving closer……a voice screaming “RUN SOPHIE RUN!!”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">SOPHIE!!</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">****<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rachel sat on the bed under the brash lighting listening to a mix of random beeps and her best friend Lucy Levano’s voice rambling on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel tried to tune into what Lucy was saying, but most of it passed through her like muted rain drops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She caught words here and there, such as ‘worried,’ ‘lucky,’ and ‘reckless.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for the most part Lucy’s words were lost in the vastness of the hospital, an entertaining diatribe for bored family & friends of other patients to focus on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Did you hear a Word I just sad?” Lucy raged, “Hello, McFly!” Lucy bore into her with those chocolate brown eyes and stopped short of smacking the back of Rachel’s head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Sorry….um….what?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel flinched</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Exactly!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You NEVER listen to a word I say!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What could have possessed you to be driving so recklessly down Argentine in the rain?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are so lucky the only casualties where your truck and Mr. Seymore’s precious rose bushes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want to tell me what the HELL is going on?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Not really no.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel couldn’t quite get the fuzzy images from her brief glimpse of unconsciousness-before the ambulance had arrived, out of her head let alone answer Lucy’s questions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not to mention the overwhelming pain in her whole body right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Yeah I figured!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well eventually you will talk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now do as the good doctor ordered and get dressed so we can blow this pop stand,” and with that she flounced out of the hospital room as only Lucy Levano could.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rachel stared after her dreading the inevitable inquisition that would follow on the way home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the last place she wanted to be right now was in the ER room feeling like the world’s biggest idiot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What she had done was stupid and reckless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She knew that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem was she wasn’t sure how much she cared right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thankfully her only injuries were several broken ribs and a mild concussion, with a few minor scratches thrown in for good measure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What Rachel was most relieved about though was that nobody else had been involved in the accident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was much easier swallowing one’s own stupidity when the only person they hurt is themselves.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As Rachel slipped off the bed to get dressed, she made the classic concussion mistake and rose too quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The world started to sway and she found her rear end quickly reconnecting with mattress below her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She giggled at herself more out of nervous embarrassment than humor and tried again…..slowly this time…….Success!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now she just had to manage getting her jeans, pinks sweater, and Nike shoes on without killing herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel thought the odds might be in her favor on that one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She figured if she focused hard enough on the task she could keep her mind off the situation with Seth…….. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seth</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word hurt just to hear it even just in her head…..<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Just breathe</i> she reminds herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not, however, keep the image of him kissing Dianna out of her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">STOP!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She commanded herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Breathing slowly in and out, Rachel pushed all thoughts out of her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she began getting dressed and found the pain involved required her to focus solely on the task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was just finishing up the shoes when the nurse arrived with the discharge papers followed by the hospital aid with the wheelchair. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Ready Ms. Hart?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I bet you can’t wait to get into your own bed,” a friendly blonde, twenty -something aid smiled at Rachel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel could only imagine what twenty-something in her pink hello kitty scrubs was thinking of the crazy old lady who rolled her truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was sure she didn’t want to know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty-something smiled down at Rachel with her big blue doe eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One more thing Rachel could envy about her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was sure those eyes & dimples broke more than a few hearts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Admiring the radiating youth of twenty-something and the bounce in her step, Rachel ached for her own lost innocence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Where had all the years gone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wasted on loving someone who never even cared about her all that much, let alone loved her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah that would be the answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Memories washed over her wonderful heart wrenching memories.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nights under the stars talking for hours finishing each other’s sentences, the first kiss, whispered sweet nothings.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She could feel the pain start to beat at her chest making it difficult to breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Refusing to let Seth Parker humiliate her further by falling apart among strangers, Rachel pushed her feelings deep inside & did not let the tears welling in her eyes fall. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Ms. Hart are you okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Yeah, sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m ready.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel focused her energies on getting into the black wheelchair.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Yes, broken ribs are awfully painful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But don’t worry the doctor prescribed some good pain killers for you” </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Good”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel wondered if those big white pills would kill the pain of a broken heart, somehow she didn’t think so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She reminded herself that she would have plenty of time to fall apart in the arms of her best friend later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Until then she would focus on the business she would need to take care of due to her carelessness.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like calling Principal Eggert in the morning to tell him about the accident and that she would probably have to take off these last few weeks before summer break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel could have tried to work through the pain, but she had some vacation time becoming.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides she didn’t think that working while on strong pain killers was appropriate, not to mention being on her feet for long periods is not recommended for someone with a concussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Although there were several students that Rachel would miss, she was glad for the break.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lately she was less than satisfied with her chosen career as English teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Somehow she had never thought about what would happen if she ended up with a class full of spoiled junior high children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Students who could care less about reading anything that didn’t have Beyonce or Justin Beiber on the cover and God forbid you actually wanted them to write something!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The cool breeze washing over her face from the hospital door opening brought Rachel out of her head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She noticed the sun was already setting, turning the horizon above the trees a purplish pink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sky blue pink Aunt Maddie always calls it.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Here we are Ms Hart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that your ride’s car there?” Twenty-something asked pointing to a silver Kia pulling up to the door.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Yes, that is Lucy’s car.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Let me help you get inside,” Twenty-something came around the wheel chair grabbing Rachel’s arm like she was an elderly woman crossing the street.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel could not help but chuckle, until she stood up and the world started to tilt again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Oops, here we go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I gotcha.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty something firmed her grip & put her other hand behind Rachel’s back, helping her climb into the little car.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Thank you” was Rachel’s grumbled response.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“No problem.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have a good evening Ms. Hart.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty-something shut the car door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Closing her eyes against the flicker of pain, Rachel tried to mentally prepare herself for the onslaught she knew was about to happen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“So how ya feeling trooper?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wanna get something to eat?” Lucy’s sardonic smile & arched brow did not mix with tone of her voice as she pulled out of the hospital parking lot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Like I got run over by a Mack truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Listen I know you’re mad-“</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I’m not Mad.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nope not at all,” Lucy cut in, “My best friend decides to drive like she is in the Indy 500, during one of the first rains of the season, on a dangerously curved road! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what could I possibly be mad about?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“That your best friend is a complete and utter moron.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Well that is one thing we agree on today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh and would you mind telling me what I was supposed to tell your mother who is in Alaska, had you not survived?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let alone your Aunt Maddie up north? Hmm?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I’m really sorry Luc!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was absolutely reckless and stupid thing for me to do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get that, really I do!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But please tell me you did NOT call my mother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That really is the last thing I need right now.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“NEED?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What you NEED is to tell me what the hell is going on.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucy’s chocolate brown eyes pinned Rachel to the seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shifting uncomfortably, Rachel scrambled for something to prolong the inevitable I told you so conversation about Seth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Quit stalling and SPILL IT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I already know it has something to do with Seth.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“How do you know that?” Rachel sighed</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“When is it not about Seth?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides that he called me right before your creepy good Samaritan.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Good Samaritan? I have a creepy good Samaritan?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Uh yeah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Apparently he called 911 right before me, according to the EMS I spoke too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus he knew your middle name…..called you his Sophie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any clue who he is?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“No.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That IS creepy!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How the hell does he know my middle name?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I was hoping you would know.” Lucy turned on Grand River heading towards their favorite eating spot, Max’s Sweet Shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An old fashioned burger & soda fountain joint.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Maybe he read my license?” Rachel shrugged, trying to think of who this man could be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem was she was drawing a complete blank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Then why would he call you HIS Sophie?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Right, very creepy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have no idea.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel looked out at the beautiful sunset, rubbing against the goose bumps forming on her arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lucy swung into a parking spot next to the giant 50s neon sign and turned towards Rachel.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Yea that’s kinda scary.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ok now that we have creepy good Samaritan guy out of the way, what the hell is up with you & Seth?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Seth…Seth….Seth.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word repeating in her mind like a living creature she couldn’t control brought with it the pain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain beating against her chest and stealing her breath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God how she hated herself for ever believing in him or the words he said.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unable to hold it together any longer the words burst through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under the safe scrutiny of her best friend Rachel let it all go, the whole story, every emotion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t until she was through that she realized she had her arms around her middle like she was trying to hold herself together and tears were streaming down her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Lucy grabbed Lucy’s hand, pulled her face up so she could look her in the eyes and said, “Oh honey, what you need right now is some chocolate & tequila.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-88349338236153782722010-11-22T17:05:00.000-08:002010-11-22T17:05:50.908-08:00Manic Monday (Rambling)There is absolutely no better description for my day than Monday! Started out running very late for work, leaving w/out coffee or breakfast :/ Then it was a continual roller coaster going down hill FAST from there. We were incredibly busy at work, ALL day. I didn't even get lunch until two hours before my shift ended and to top it all off I have had a monster headache since 2:00 p.m. that won't disappear. It is now 8:00 p.m. The one bright spot to the day? It's almost OVER and this is only a 3 day work week!! YAY!!Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-85885582154408678392010-11-10T00:59:00.000-08:002010-11-10T00:59:52.603-08:00The Beginning (Story Cont.)<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Here is my story with the next section added to it. I decided to repost the whole thing for those who are reading it for the first time or forgot details from the first section. Please let me know what you think!</strong></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men are pigs!</i> thought<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel as she stared out the gray streaked window, watching millions of rain drops dancing on the surface of the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a lesson her Mother had been trying to teach her since she was a young child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why hadn’t she learned that by now was beyond her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some things never change she supposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to finally find out the truth and face it, just to get this ache in her heart to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grabbed the keys off the coffee table and headed out the door.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth Parker had been a fixture in her life and heart since she was a teenager, which Rachel supposed could be construed as super romantic or pathetically sad considering she was reaching her mid-thirties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last four years they had been “dating,” but not serious…..i.e. habitually sleeping together with no real commitment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No commitment was Seth’s deal not hers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel was more than willing to give Seth a commitment of not just her mind & body, but her soul as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>However if you had asked her friends and family they would have told you Rachel was crazy to put her heart in the hands of Seth Parker, original bad boy and player extraordinaire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the looks with his 6 foot frame, dark sandy blond hair, broad shoulders, and piercing blue eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you add the charm, sexual charisma, and intelligence Seth Parker was one hard man to say no too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is history had shown the masses that Seth was just about incapable of being faithful to any woman, not even his ex-wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, Rachel was the only one who knew that last tidbit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>These thoughts swirled in her head as she locked the door to her house and climbed into her red <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Sonoma</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shaking off the rain drops, Rachel looked in the rear view mirror and for the millionth time lectured herself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why did you go down that road with him again? Are you a complete idiot?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you forget what happened ten years ago?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because now he says you are one of the most important people in his life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he lost you he’d lose everything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That doesn’t mean he LOVES you, moron!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No it just sounds like he does,” she sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Rachel gunned the engine to her beloved red truck before backing it out the driveway onto </span><br />
<address w:st="on"><street w:st="on">Brighton Lake Rd.</street></address>heading towards <place w:st="on">Grand River</place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing about Seth was he is a creature of habit, a fact Rachel thanked God for at the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was lunch time at his law office and she knew right where to find him and it was time they had a talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Face to face this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She deserved that much from the person who claimed to be her best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one who said he’d always be there for her. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet somehow over the last few months, Seth seemed to have forgotten she existed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right around the time Rachel started having medical problems where doctors were using the words cancer or infertility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had slipped into a deep, dark, depression where she had lain in bed for days not wanting to get up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the few times she had talked to Seth telling him about her fears, he blew off her concerns and left her alone to deal with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she had tried to confront him on that his excuse was he thought she wanted to be left alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your best friend talks about wanting to throw herself off the roof of a building and you think she needs to be left alone!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Something wasn’t adding up because Seth had never been a cold hearted person, at least not where she was concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel figured now that she managed to finally get out of her depression, thanks to some real friends, it was time to find out the truth about what is going on with Seth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus today’s lunch surprise at Quiznos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Turning right onto Grand River Rachel followed the lunch time traffic down to the mini-mall containing Seth’s favorite lunch spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling into the parking lot and finding an obscure spot in the back, she took a deep breath to prepare herself for what was going to come next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staring out the windshield watching the sprinkles of rain, Rachel tried to think of how she was going to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once she mustered up enough courage she stepped out into the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking towards the glass doors of the restaurant, she noticed Seth’s yellow mustang a few spots over and felt her heart beat speed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The butterflies in her stomach were going warp speed and not in the good way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something felt off about the whole thing and she couldn’t pin point why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before opening the door, Rachel stopped and peered through the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Several tables back she saw him, but he wasn’t alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting in the booth next to him was a woman with long bleach blond hair and big boobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it wasn’t any blonde; Rachel would recognize that face anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Dianna the crazy bitch that broke Seth’s heart about a year ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one Rachel spent many nights listening to her then drunken friend, now lover, cry over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one Seth claimed Rachel helped him get over and one he’d never be stupid enough to go back too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel’s stomach dropped when she realized they were holding hands!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then as if right on cue Seth leaned over and started kissing her!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rachel could feel the tiny tear in her heart begin as the rage inside built to a screaming roar in her ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Robotically she turned around and started walking back towards her truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half way there she stopped staring at the yellow mustang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling a slip of paper & pen out of her purse, Rachel scribbled a simple message:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope it was worth losing everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She folded the message in fourths and slapped it under the wiper of the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Back in her truck, Rachel could feel the rage shaking her body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not believe that what happened 10 years ago was replaying itself again only worse!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time Seth hadn’t stopped talking to her all together he had kept sleeping with her and filling her head with nonsensical garbage that he really cared about her!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She really was only his In Between Girl…..no even better she was the Back Up Plan Girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one if he couldn’t find someone better he’d settle for or use up until a better option came along!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The sad fact is everyone tried to warn her he really was that kind of person, but Rachel refused to listen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had believed in the good in Seth and loved him unconditionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had crept into her heart, always knowing how to make her smile or laugh and constantly saying things that made her think she was special to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had wanted nothing more than to give him everything she had in her heart and share a life with him someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst part, the most hurtful part, was when she really needed him as a friend he was too busy chasing a piece of ass to be bothered!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the real pathetic thing is she had devalued herself enough to become his whore in the process!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">NEVER AGAIN were the words that screamed in her head as she gunned her truck out into traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel was on auto pilot speeding through traffic with no concrete direction in mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All she knew is she needed to get FAR away and FAST!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A tornado of thoughts whirled in her head;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I just wanted to make this the most romantic day ever for you”…..”If I lost you I’d lose everything,”…..”you know if I kiss a girl, I must really like her,”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Close to twenty years of friendship, romantic<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>memories, everything that meant anything felt like a lie….meaningless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As the reality of those thoughts sunk in, Rachel could literally feel the splintering of her heart while it disintegrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain ripping a hole straight through her causing her to start hyperventilating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why not just stop breathing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does anything even matter anymore?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As If in an unconscious attempt to out run the process, she pushed her vehicle faster. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel had somehow ended up on Argentine road going towards <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Linden</city></place>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Argentine road is a typical paved country road with twisty and winding curves that those who loved to drive fast could never resist, and Rachel was taking those curves at easily twice the legal limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trees and farms whipped passed in a blur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Sonoma</city></place> rounded an extreme curve and Rachel lost control of her vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard a loud crunch and then the world turned on it’s head.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Are you sure she hasn’t tried calling and you just missed the call?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Yeah, the phone has been silent all morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I just want to make sure she is okay that’s all.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“And exactly why wouldn’t Rachel be okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I don’t know.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“You don’t know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seth, what the hell is going on?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Chill Lucy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing is going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just let me know if you hear from her okay?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Seth Parker if you have done something to hurt her again, I swear I will personally kick your ass!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am so tired of you messing with my best friend!”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“I didn’t do anything,” was the mumbled response.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Click</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Angry and frustrated Lucy slammed the phone back on the charger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not believe the gall of this man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seth always did think he was God’s gift to women, when really he is just a dangerous predator.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The kind of man who knows exactly how to make women fall in love with him, not because he loved them back, but just so he could use them to fulfill his own needs</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lucy Levano was the kind of woman who easily saw through other people’s bullshit and didn’t have a problem calling them on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Needless to say it did not take long for Seth’s penchant for exactly that to come to the surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Less than impressed Lucy was able to dodge that bullet, only to watch it smash right into her childhood best friend Rachel Hart.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Over the last 10 years or more Lucy had done her best to try to convince Rachel of the fact Seth could not be trusted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But no matter how hard Lucy tried it just seemed to push Rachel closer to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So Lucy had finally given up trying and let her friend go the path her heart led her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lucy felt slightly uneasy about the phone call, but knew if something was truly wrong Rachel would call.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However she could always check in just to make sure everything was alright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as the thought entered her head the phone began to ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Looking at the caller ID, Lucy picked it up.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Hello there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was just about to call you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Start talking chickie”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“My Sophie has been hurt,” a deep male voice answered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A chill crept over Lucy’s skin raising goose bumps.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you mean Rachel and how the hell did you get her phone?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“She needs help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She is on Argentine rd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ambulance is coming.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Click</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Thoughts raced through Lucy’s head as she quickly redialed Rachel’s number.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No answer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Damn it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if this was just some idea of a sick joke?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel could have lost her phone and this was some pervert’s idea of a good time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He did use the wrong name……wait Sofie was what Rachel’s Aunt Maddie always called her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something about her middle name.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach told Lucy this was no joke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Trying to make sense of the tornado in her head, Lucy was busy throwing on her Red Wings hoodie and sneakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grabbed her keys off the kitchen table and booked out the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Argentine road was just one turn off the road Lucy lived on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So it was definitely possible Rachel had been on that road today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If she had a fight with Seth the first place she would have gone was Lucy’s house.</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">****</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Even when the world was upside down automatic bodily functions like breathing should still manage to continue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Should it not?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least that was the thought currently in Rachel’s head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However for some reason she was struggling with that basic task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was then she realized something was covering her face.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The need for self-preservation kicking in, Rachel grabbed at the material covering her face and pushed it away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rachel realized the truck’s airbag must have been deployed during the crash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The crash, omigod!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did I hit someone?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is anyone hurt?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These thoughts turned to raw panic as Rachel attempted to reach her arm towards the door handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately a wave of pain and dizziness hit when she tried to move.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last thing Rachel saw was a pair of worn brown leather work boots outside the driver side window before the wings of darkness enfolded her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Slowly the darkness began to form images and sounds one after another.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Children’s laughter and bright sunlight bursting through colored trees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A young blond girl with amazing violet eyes smiling and spinning……sky turns overcast blending dark……a woman’s back kneeling at the bottom of a staircase holding a blond child in her arms and sobbing…..a dark silo reaching out of the darkness moving closer……a voice screaming “RUN SOPHIE RUN!!”</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">SOPHIE!!</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">****<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rachel sat on the bed under the brash lighting listening to a mix of random beeps and her best friend Lucy Levano’s voice rambling on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel tried to tune into what Lucy was saying, but most of it passed through her like muted rain drops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She caught words here and there, such as ‘worried,’ ‘lucky,’ and ‘reckless.’<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But for the most part Lucy’s words were lost in the vastness of the hospital, an entertaining diatribe for bored family & friends of other patients to focus on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Did you hear a Word I just sad?” Lucy raged, “Hello, McFly!” Lucy bore into her with those chocolate brown eyes and stopped short of smacking the back of Rachel’s head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Sorry….um….what?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel flinched</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Exactly!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You NEVER listen to a word I say!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What could have possessed you to be driving so recklessly down Argentine in the rain?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are so lucky the only casualties where your truck and Mr. Seymore’s precious rose bushes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do you want to tell me what the HELL is going on?”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Not really no.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Yeah I figured!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well eventually you will talk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now do as the good doctor ordered and get dressed so we can blow this pop stand,” and with that she flounced out of the hospital room as only Lucy Levano could.</span></div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-20786326775018301312010-11-01T14:22:00.000-07:002010-11-02T16:40:14.341-07:00Right At Margaret's (Rambling)So this past weekend I had an interesting experience going to visit my Grandfather in his new home at the demtia care facility. My grandfather has been living with the disease of Alzheimer's for the past few years. Anybody who has had experience witht his disease knows just how difficult it can be for both the parient and family. <br />
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The care facility my grandfather is in has only about 30 residents so the staff have the chance to connect with each patient, which puts family member's minds at ease that their loved ones aren't just a number. Atleast it did mine and my grandmother's anyway.<br />
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When I arrived their with my Grandma for the first time I was a little nervous about what I would find. But to my suprise it was a very cozy and clean facility. Walls painted a warm yellow that feels inviting. My grandma gave me a quick tour of the facility. <br />
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I remembered the way back to my Grandfather's room was to take a right at Margaret's door. This stuck in my mind mostly because the first day Grandma kept telling me when we passed the door she had yet to meet Margaret yet. It's odd the pictures that stick in your mind during moments of stress or difficulty, lol.<br />
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My biggest concern or nervousness if you will was how I would handle the state my gramps would be in when I saw him. The first day wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. He spent a lot of time closing his eyes while we talked and only responding minimally. Ofcourse it was obvious he didn't quite know who we were other than we were important to him. Leaving was when it got hard because he got confused and sad that we were leaving. He didn't quite understand. It did break my heart a bit.<br />
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The second day was much more difficult, as staff alerted us to the fact that he was having a 'difficult' day. One in which staff had found him waiting at the door with pictures of his family in his hand.....wanting to go somewhere, but not knowing where.....obviously missing someone, but not knowing who. =(<br />
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But eventually Grandma & I were able to talk him out of his neighbor's room and into the dining area for tea & cookies. I attempted conversation that he probably didn't totally understand, but I think he enjoyed the effort. However when I mentioned I met a woman at church that day that He had taught to swim, gramps lit up! Just the same as he would have if he had been lucid and he laughed! It was music to my ears and heart!<br />
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This was also the time Grandma & I met Margaret. A lovely woman in a wheelchair who talked non-stop about something I didn't understand, but I enjoyed interacting her & seeing her smile :)<br />
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It was a difficult thing to see my gramps lost the way he is, but out of Respect & Love I will continue to visit him. No matter what the emotional cost is to me, it's worth it for me to know that I can give that much to the man who did anything he could for me to make sure I was safe & happy my whole life. Now is the time for his family to give back to him, knowing if the tables were turned, he'd do the same for us.Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-72880061799025884002010-10-28T20:04:00.000-07:002010-11-01T12:28:18.416-07:00Passion (Poem)<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Shimering darkness,</span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">mysterious waters</span></i><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>beneath moonlit sky</span></i><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>fire sultry incnse,</span></i><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>burning hot</span></i><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lustful passion flies</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><br />
<br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Gentle arms </span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">tenderly caress</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>desirability lost</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>felt once again</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>bodies connected</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ignite sweet lust</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>honest attraction begins</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lips upon sweet lips,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">intoxicating words,</span></i><br />
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">sexuality set free</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>desired as a woman</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>passion burns,</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>celebrating me</span></i></div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-43636299118080815422010-10-28T20:00:00.000-07:002010-10-28T20:00:21.170-07:00Glances (Poem)<div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Is there anyone out there</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Can anyone here me</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Words lost in the darkness of comotion</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Runnin, spinnin, gettin through the day</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Nobody sees anybody anymore</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Hearts pour out to strangers passing by</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Glances are all the time our souls have to spare</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Jumpin, jogging, thought to fleeting thought</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Thinking is a novelty of the past</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Freud had too much time on his hands</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Just blame it on the mother</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Stabbing, hurting pain seeps through the soul</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Everyone has it so just deal</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Everyone knows it isn't real</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Take pill, who needs to feel</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Is there anyone out there</span></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana", "sans-serif"; font-size: 10pt;">Can anyone hear me</span></div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-67016209389028409562010-10-28T19:57:00.000-07:002010-10-28T19:57:16.122-07:00Heaven (Poem)<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Heaven</span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Sky blue pink sunset</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Fades ocean blue</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Cascading moonlight enveloping</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Breathless there’s you</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Graceful sweetness unfolding</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Fluttering deep inside</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Winds of Heaven dance freely</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Honesty upheld in virgin eyes</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Soulful gaze penetrating</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Caressing the heart</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Two souls bonded by heaven’s kiss</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Distance separates eternity never parts</span></i></div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-53760418755593198022010-10-25T18:19:00.000-07:002010-10-25T18:19:17.879-07:00Still Moments (Rambling)So many times in life our minds get filled with constant chaos. The chaos of life around us...work, relationships, world peace. Who knows, but we are bombarded with on a daily basis. Along with the industrial revolution and teechnological evolution, seemed to come the over powering need for society to be constantly stimulated. Always moving, changing, and evolving. And while growing is usually a positive step, the value of being still seems to have gotten lost admist the chaos. <br />
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Now don't confuse still with stagnant. I am not negating the fact that growth is necessary for the individual and society as a whole. However how can we as individuals, or society as a whole, progress positively forward if we never take the time to SLOW DOWN and re-energize ourselves. Recognize the value in sitting quietly under the tree admiring all the wonderful & beautiful things around us. Taking time to listen to the hum of life beyond the human race? I believe if more of us, myself included, took the time to do these things we may start to see something amazing happen. The chaos and the noise in our heads....the whirling thoughts and worries that go so LOUD and overwhelming....they just may still for a moment. And for that moment we may all find a little more peace in our lives.Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-45224961121648137072010-10-22T22:42:00.000-07:002010-10-22T22:48:21.662-07:00Circles (Poem)No matter which direction I go<br />
here I am again<br />
Round & round in cirlces<br />
only to end where I began.<br />
<br />
Dizzy Miss Lizzy<br />
wandering at sea<br />
looking for her anchor<br />
only then will I be freeBrandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-7333445851822037142010-09-30T23:44:00.000-07:002010-09-30T23:44:26.960-07:00Following & CommentsI feel a tad lonely today. Nobody seems to want to follow me or comment :( I know people are reading based on my stats, but nobody is sticking. Please tell me what I can do to improve your blog reading experience & get ya motivated to interact? Tell dirty jokes? ;) Flash the twins? o.O Post naked celebrity pics?? <br />
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PLEASE JUST TALK TO ME!! ;DBrandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-90105160529985661072010-09-24T17:12:00.000-07:002010-09-24T17:12:38.689-07:00Walking Fall (Rambling)Due to the somewhat sad nature of my last post, I wanted to put out something a bit more positive. I went on one of my "centering" walks yesterday and was blown away by the changes around me. Somewhere between work, family & life I missed the arrival. Fall has finally arrived! Despite the hot temperatures Mother Earth hasn't forgetten my beloved time of year. <br />
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I couldn't help but smile looking at the changing color of the leaves.....oranges, reds, browns. Hearing the crunch of the fallen ones beneath my feet along the dirt road. Indulging in the spicy scent of earth and wind. Watcing the birds fly over the already yellow faded corn fields just as the sun was setting. It was truly a breath taking exerience!<br />
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So if you haven't t done so already STOP and take the time to really look around you. You might find it worth the trouble ;) Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-5440854422527430482010-09-21T15:26:00.000-07:002010-09-21T15:26:10.997-07:00Health & Stress (Rambling)I think we can all agree that stress and physical health are related. In today's society, where 80% of the population is on mood stabilizers, you would be hard pressed to prove otherwise. Well this week....no scratch that.....this Year has been the worst in both spheres of my life. Contrary to what some may think, I have really been working hard on changing my frame of mind to "being more positive." <br />
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But somehow things in my life just keep getting tougher & tougher. First it started with mostly my own medical issues, surgeries, illness, etc and then turned to mental stress. The stress of not making enough $ to even survive, not finding a job that meets my education level w/looming school loan payments in the future, not finding a part time job to make ends meet, having a mother in very poor health, a grandfather w/progressing alzheimer's, shall I continue? lol....it all just seemed to build to me being in the hospital w/chest pains.<br />
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I tell you that scared me half to death. Only 35 and in the hospital for my heart!?!?! WTF! So I started walking 2 miles several times a week and trying to focus on the "Positivity" everyone keeps talking about. Well in the last week I've had someone very close to me threaten/attempt suicide (please do not ask who), my step father has been in the ER twice & has to have a biopsy for prostate cancer AND I am now sick with ANOTHER friggin sinus infection! <br />
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While now I have NO DOUBT in my mind about the connection between stress & health......I would like to know how DAMN POSITIVE do I need to be before the sun comes back out??? REALLY?? Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-57073256494833131232010-09-14T17:22:00.000-07:002010-09-18T16:43:23.372-07:00The Beginning (Story Intro)<div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><div>Here is the begining of my story. It is a new intro to a story I started a long time ago, but hadn't quite liked it. So I started over. Please let me know what you think!<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Men are pigs!</i> thought<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel as she stared out the gray streaked window, watching millions of rain drops dancing on the surface of the lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a lesson her Mother had been trying to teach her since she was a young child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why hadn’t she learned that by now was beyond her?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some things never change she supposed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to finally find out the truth and face it, just to get this ache in her heart to stop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She grabbed the keys off the coffee table and headed out the door.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Seth Parker had been a fixture in her life and heart since she was a teenager, which Rachel supposed could be construed as super romantic or pathetically sad considering she was reaching her mid-thirties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last four years they had been “dating,” but not serious…..i.e. habitually sleeping together with no real commitment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No commitment was Seth’s deal not hers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel was more than willing to give Seth a commitment of not just her mind & body, but her soul as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>However if you had asked her friends and family they would have told you Rachel was crazy to put her heart in the hands of Seth Parker, original bad boy and player extraordinaire. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had the looks with his 6 foot frame, dark sandy blond hair, broad shoulders, and piercing blue eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you add the charm, sexual charisma, and intelligence Seth Parker was one hard man to say no too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is history had shown the masses that Seth was just about incapable of being faithful to any woman, not even his ex-wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course, Rachel was the only one who knew that last tidbit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>These thoughts swirled in her head as she locked the door to her house and climbed into her red Sonoma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Shaking off the rain drops, Rachel looked in the rear view mirror and for the millionth time lectured herself, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why did you go down that road with him again? Are you a complete idiot?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did you forget what happened ten years ago?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just because now he says you are one of the most important people in his life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he lost you he’d lose everything?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That doesn’t mean he LOVES you, moron!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“No it just sounds like he does,” she sighed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Rachel gunned the engine to her beloved red truck before backing it out the driveway onto Brighton Lake Rd. heading towards Grand River.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One thing about Seth was he is a creature of habit, a fact Rachel thanked God for at the moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was lunch time at his law office and she knew right where to find him and it was time they had a talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Face to face this time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She deserved that much from the person who claimed to be her best friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one who said he’d always be there for her. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet somehow over the last few months, Seth seemed to have forgotten she existed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right around the time Rachel started having medical problems where doctors were using the words cancer or infertility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had slipped into a deep, dark, depression where she had lain in bed for days not wanting to get up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the few times she had talked to Seth telling him about her fears, he blew off her concerns and left her alone to deal with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she had tried to confront him on that his excuse was he thought she wanted to be left alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your best friend talks about wanting to throw herself off the roof of a building and you think she needs to be left alone!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Something wasn’t adding up because Seth had never been a cold hearted person, at least not where she was concerned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel figured now that she managed to finally get out of her depression, thanks to some real friends, it was time to find out the truth about what is going on with Seth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus today’s lunch surprise at Quiznos.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Turning right onto Grand River Rachel followed the lunch time traffic down to the mini-mall containing Seth’s favorite lunch spot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling into the parking lot and finding an obscure spot in the back, she took a deep breath to prepare herself for what was going to come next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staring out the windshield watching the sprinkles of rain, Rachel tried to think of how she was going to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Once she mustered up enough courage she stepped out into the rain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking towards the glass doors of the restaurant, she noticed Seth’s yellow mustang a few spots over and felt her heart beat speed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The butterflies in her stomach were going warp speed and not in the good way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something felt off about the whole thing and she couldn’t pin point why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Before opening the door, Rachel stopped and peered through the window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Several tables back she saw him, but he wasn’t alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sitting in the booth next to him was a woman with long bleach blond hair and big boobs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it wasn’t any blonde; Rachel would recognize that face anywhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was Dianna the crazy bitch that broke Seth’s heart about a year ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one Rachel spent many nights listening to her then drunken friend, now lover, cry over.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one Seth claimed Rachel helped him get over and one he’d never be stupid enough to go back too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel’s stomach dropped when she realized they were holding hands!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then as if right on cue Seth leaned over and started kissing her!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Rachel could feel the tiny tear in her heart begin as the rage inside built to a screaming roar in her ears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Robotically she turned around and started walking back towards her truck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Half way there she stopped staring at the yellow mustang.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling a slip of paper & pen out of her purse, Rachel scribbled a simple message:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hope it was worth losing everything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She folded the message in fourths and slapped it under the wiper of the car.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">Back in her truck, Rachel could feel the rage shaking her body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She could not believe that what happened 10 years ago was replaying itself again only worse!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This time Seth hadn’t stopped talking to her all together he had kept sleeping with her and filling her head with nonsensical garbage that he really cared about her! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She really was only his In Between Girl…..no even better she was the Back Up Plan Girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The one if he couldn’t find someone better he’d settle for or use up until a better option came along!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The sad fact is everyone tried to warn her he really was that kind of person, but Rachel refused to listen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had believed in the good in Seth and loved him unconditionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had crept into her heart, always knowing how to make her smile or laugh and constantly saying things that made her think she was special to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She had wanted nothing more than to give him everything she had in her heart and share a life with him someday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The worst part, the most hurtful part, was when she really needed him as a friend he was too busy chasing a piece of ass to be bothered!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the real pathetic thing is she had devalued herself enough to become his whore in the process! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">NEVER AGAIN were the words that screamed in her head as she gunned her truck out into traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel was on auto pilot speeding through traffic with no concrete direction in mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All she knew is she needed to get FAR away and FAST!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A tornado of thoughts whirled in her head;<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“I just wanted to make this the most romantic day ever for you”…..”If I lost you I’d lose everything,”…..”you know if I kiss a girl, I must really like her,”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Close to twenty years of friendship, romantic <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>memories, everything that meant anything felt like a lie….meaningless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Empty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">As the reality of those thoughts sunk in, Rachel could literally feel the splintering of her heart while it disintegrated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pain ripping a hole straight through her causing her to start hyperventilating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why not just stop breathing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does anything even matter anymore?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As If in an unconscious attempt to out run the process, she pushed her vehicle faster. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rachel had somehow ended up on Argentine road going towards Linden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Argentine</span> road is a typical paved country road with twisty and winding curves that those who loved to drive fast could never resist, and Rachel was taking those curves at easily twice the legal limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Trees and farms whipped passed in a blur.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Sonoma rounded an extreme curve and Rachel lost control of her vehicle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She heard a loud crunch and then the world turned on it’s head.</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: small;">****</span></div></div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-15081342210893383922010-09-14T17:19:00.001-07:002010-09-15T21:39:38.900-07:00Broken<div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><div class="blogSubject"><label id="pBlogSubject_527802644">Broken</label> <br />
<b>Category:</b> Writing and Poetry </div><div class="blogContent" id="pBlogBody_527802644"><div align="center">*I do Not own picture. Found on Google.com<br />
<a href="http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewAlbums2&friendID=415794885&view=true"><img border="0" src="http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/97/l_d87db749b4e94ff6a80a553bba9217e9.jpg" title="Kenneth Newbury" width="325" /></a><br />
<br />
Love is a myth<br />
it's existence never real<br />
My heart is a zombie <br />
you were the vampire<br />
taking it's last meal<br />
I gave you all of me<br />
now there's a hole inside <br />
I can't breathe<br />
I am broken</div></div><br />
<br />
</div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-47874096318900867402010-09-14T17:18:00.001-07:002010-09-14T17:18:36.106-07:00Pasion (Poem)<div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Passion</span></u></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Shimering darkness,</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mysterious waters</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>beneath moonlit sky</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>fire sultry incnse,</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>burning hot</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lustful passion flies</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Gentle arms tenderly caress</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>desirability lost</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>felt once again</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>bodies connected</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ignite sweet lust</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>honest attraction begins</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lips upon sweet lips,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>iIntoxicating words,</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>sexuality set free</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>desired as a woman</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>passion burns,</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>celebrating me</span></i></div><br />
<br />
</div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7124124871495866750.post-5815631434974180892010-09-14T17:17:00.000-07:002010-09-14T17:28:29.834-07:00First Kiss (Poem)<div style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; color: black; overflow: hidden; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;"><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-size: 14pt;">First Kiss</span></u></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Mary Jane's Last Dance plays softly</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Drops of moonlight</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Caressing skin</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eyes penetrate mine</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Searching where they've been</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unbelievably close to you</i></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">River of emotions</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>running fast and deep</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>feelings of the heart</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>lips could never speak</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">amazed at my thoughts</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Warm soft lips touching mine</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>spiraling emotions </span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>fluttering deep inside</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>you always knew</span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span></i></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soul meets soul</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tender and sweet</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Warm and gentle</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turning to liquid heat</span></div><br />
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</div>Brandyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09395850548625003346noreply@blogger.com0