LDs, I'd love to have your input...that is, if you're a reader and likes the romancy-stuff.
Ya see, I've got a story that I just can't work out how K & mum semi-reconcile their differences (if they even do). K ran away from home when she was sixteen because of abuse. She's pushed her family out of her mind and doesn't want to think about them. Eleven years later, she runs into her mum and doesn't recognize her...until two days later. She's getting married, and she wants to either put her mum out of her life completely, or work toward rebuilding that relationship.
I've been getting some cheese-tastic ideas - most of them involve K going and shanking her mum in the middle of the beach or something equally violent.
While there for a while, that's what I wanted to do to my mum and stepdad when I was still living with them, this is a romance, and I'd really like there to be a happy ending (not that kind, feckin pervs).
If anyone out there has some input from a psychological or personal experience perspective (you don't have to tell me which one; stay anon for all I care). I'm just stuck.
Mind you this, K is still planning a wedding, selling a couple of art studios, and getting ready to move all the way from California to South Carolina.
Thoughts? Ideas? Tell me to shank mum on the beach? :) I'm not above using Facebook, Twitter, or any of the other social media sites for initial contact. You'll have to suspend your disbelief in the fact that in eleven years, K really has had NO desire to contact her mother (who is now on her third marriage).
If you want, email me and we can talk about it. I know there are some of you on my FB page (see sidebar); there was a discussion going a few months ago, but it was kind of vague (at least for me).
Help a sister out.
Heepwah, and be safe out there.
Ms D
Showing posts with label WWW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WWW. Show all posts
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Written Word Wednesday
I know I've been lax on the WWW, LDs, and I am sorry. It's been getting away from me; not only am I not writing here, I'm not writing at all. I'm stuck, as usual. If I could have a week to just be: be calm, be quiet, and be creative; I might get some writing done. Alas, my week vacation isn't until September, so I might get some done then. I'm going to try to spend a couple of days soaking up the nature in southern Illinois.
So, if you're still interested in Ashley and Andrew, let me know. If you just skip over these, let me know. I don't want to keep posting if no one's reading. :)
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
~~
The buildings were tall trees of brick and wood and glass. We came to a stop outside of the Hale, Booth, and Sanders building. Daddy was Cole Sanders, one of the best lawyers in the state of Mississippi. He exited the carriage and helped me down. I brushed small wrinkles out of my dress, straightened my bonnet, and took Daddy's arm to walk into the building. Inside, large fans manned by light-skinned quadroons circulated the air, making it feel cooler; the marble floors helped keep the temperature down. We walked past the guard, who tipped his hat, up to the second floor, and into Daddy's office. I sat down in one of his chairs after pick up a paper fan off of the corner of his desk. He went over to his safe and opened it. Turning, he handed me ten dollars.
"Should this be enough until I find you?"
"Daddy, this will be plenty! I wand to find some lace and new material for a dress Matty's going to make me." He nodded, helped me up, and escorted me to the door.
"I'll be here for about an hour, and then I'll come over and we'll shop together. I do need a new tie, and probably a new shirt as well. You'll have to help me on that, darlin'. Have to look good for the ball this weekend." I'd completely forgotten! I was looking forward to the dance. Music, food, enjoyable conversation, and hopefully a young man to come calling in the future. I quickly kissed Daddy's cheek and swept down the stairs, tucking the fan into my wrist bag. The guard near the front door tipped his hat to me, then rushed to open the door. I gave him a polite 'thank you' and he smiled back. I walked outside into the sunshine and headed down the block.
There was a large dry goods store in the building next to Daddy's and that's where I expected to find the perfect summer dress material. Matty was wonderful at understanding my scrawlings for new clothing. I walked up the front stairs under a large awning that read "Stewart's Sundries" and into the store. Pleasantly cool and full of the wonderful smells of spices and wood and oil on the first floor, I walked toward the purchasing counter. A petite woman was dusting the glass behind the counter and stopped when she heard my footsteps approach.
"Good morning, miss. Is there something that I could help you find?"
"I don't think so. The materials are on the second floor, correct?"
"Yes. I've just received several bolts of lighter weight summer materials in lovely pastels."
"Thank you," I replied and headed for the stairs. I stepped off of the top step into a large, open-air room with seemingly hundreds of different materials. There were large wall racks of rolls of unbleached muslin and sheeting and denim, along with racks of bolts full of color. I saw gingham and satin, cotton, and canvas, most with colors and patterns to please the eye. I walked around the center, searching for the perfect cotton for my dress when I heard giggling. There wasn't anyone but me on the second floor that I could tell. The windows were open, so I assumed it was children outside. Then I heard footsteps on the stairs, and the giggle came again, louder this time.
"Catherine's on her way, miss!" I heard from below. Who was Catherine? Just then, a girl poked her head around the corner at the top of the stairs. This must be Catherine, I concluded. I wasn't sure if she saw me or not, because she looked back down the stairs with a huge smile on her face, then took off for a back corner. I hid behind a rack of cloth, wanting to see where she was and what she was doing. I heard a heavier set of steps; belonging to a man, I guessed.
"Catherine, what are you doing?" I heard him ask. "Where are you, little one?" By the tone of his voice, I wondered if they were father and daughter. I wanted to pop out and tell him she'd headed for the south corner, but I didn't want to scare either one, and the mischeviousness in me wanted to see how this would end. "Catherine, come on. Mother's waiting downstairs!" He continued toward the back of the room.
Suddenly, a small hand poked out from under the curtained bottom of the rack I was next to and touched my arm. I gasped, but reached for the hand and helped the girl it was attached to out from under the rack. She stood up, brushed the dark brown fringe from out of her perfect brown eyes, looked straight into mine, and said:
"You're beautiful. Andrew will love you eternally." Then she turned and bolted for the stairs. Who was Andrew? I stood up and was promptly knocked back to the floor. I hit my head, but wasn't hurt, thanks to the bonnet and my knot of hair.
"Oh, Lord, I'm so sorry!" someone exclaimed. I attempted to sit up, but the corset wasn't giving me much room. I opened my eyes to see a young man crouched down next to me. I looked into eyes of cerulean blue and flushed. I had never been so close to a man before in such an intimate way. Dancing, yes, but never like this! He reached out his hand to help me up. I placed my hand in his, and a shock traveled down my arm and settled in my heart. He helped me to my feet and then attempted the help brush me off. I wanted to slap him for bolting into me so rudely, but I didn't want to mar that perfect cheek. Of course, if I did, I would be touching it.
"Are you ok, ma'am?" he asked, both concerned for my health, yet not willing to let me go that easily.
"I'm fine. Nothing broken, nothing bruised...yet," I responded.
"I'm quite sorry. I was just trying to corral my sister Catherine. Why were you hiding?"
"I didn't want to scare you or your sister," I said, secretly relieved that 'Mother' meant exactly that. "I was just trying to stay out of the way."
"I'm Andrew."
"Ashley." The fluttering in my heart blossomed to my stomach and became more pronounced.
"I don't recall seeing such an angelic face here before. Are you from Hattiesburg?"
"No, my father works here and it's our Thursday outing. He works next door."
"Really? So does mine - Paul Hale."
"Cole Sanders is my father."
"Well, Miss Ashley, we have that much in common."
"I don't think I've seen you around here either."
"I go to school at the university. I'm studying business and law," he said, unconsciously straightening up. I smiled.
"Why were you chasing your sister?"
"Catherine is...well, she's a little rambunctious. She loves coming up here and playing. She pretends she's a queen or something. We were going into our fathers' office to meet him for lunch and she bolted this way. She said something about a princess. I didn't here the rest, but Mother sent me in here after her. The woman downstairs is my aunt. She finds Catherine refreshing and amusing." I nodded. As I was thinking of something else to say, Catherine came up and tugged on Andrew's shirtsleeve.
"Mother says it's time to go," she said, looking at Andrew and then at me. She smiled, and it was slightly unnerving the way she looked at me; like she knew me and what my future held. Andrew reached out for her hand and she took it. Then she reached for mine. "There. Now we're a circle." I didn't understand until I looked down and realized that Andrew was still holding my hand. He looked down as well, and just as quickly, we released our hands. His face flushed, as I know mine did. I could feel the heat all the way into my toes. He and Catherine turned to walk downstairs, and I heard her say, "See? Princess."
He turned to look at me, then turned back to Catherine and whispered, "No. Angel." They walked down the stairs together, and I had to find a chair.
"He called me an angel!" I almost fainted right then. I took several deep breaths, willing myself not to faint. My legs felt like waving palmetto fronds. I stood and went to the nearest rack and began looking through the materials. I wasn't really seeing them. I was anticipating the next time that Andrew might 'run' into me.
~~
Thoughts? ConCrit?
Heepwah, and be safe out there.
Ms. Dreamer
So, if you're still interested in Ashley and Andrew, let me know. If you just skip over these, let me know. I don't want to keep posting if no one's reading. :)
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
~~
The buildings were tall trees of brick and wood and glass. We came to a stop outside of the Hale, Booth, and Sanders building. Daddy was Cole Sanders, one of the best lawyers in the state of Mississippi. He exited the carriage and helped me down. I brushed small wrinkles out of my dress, straightened my bonnet, and took Daddy's arm to walk into the building. Inside, large fans manned by light-skinned quadroons circulated the air, making it feel cooler; the marble floors helped keep the temperature down. We walked past the guard, who tipped his hat, up to the second floor, and into Daddy's office. I sat down in one of his chairs after pick up a paper fan off of the corner of his desk. He went over to his safe and opened it. Turning, he handed me ten dollars.
"Should this be enough until I find you?"
"Daddy, this will be plenty! I wand to find some lace and new material for a dress Matty's going to make me." He nodded, helped me up, and escorted me to the door.
"I'll be here for about an hour, and then I'll come over and we'll shop together. I do need a new tie, and probably a new shirt as well. You'll have to help me on that, darlin'. Have to look good for the ball this weekend." I'd completely forgotten! I was looking forward to the dance. Music, food, enjoyable conversation, and hopefully a young man to come calling in the future. I quickly kissed Daddy's cheek and swept down the stairs, tucking the fan into my wrist bag. The guard near the front door tipped his hat to me, then rushed to open the door. I gave him a polite 'thank you' and he smiled back. I walked outside into the sunshine and headed down the block.
There was a large dry goods store in the building next to Daddy's and that's where I expected to find the perfect summer dress material. Matty was wonderful at understanding my scrawlings for new clothing. I walked up the front stairs under a large awning that read "Stewart's Sundries" and into the store. Pleasantly cool and full of the wonderful smells of spices and wood and oil on the first floor, I walked toward the purchasing counter. A petite woman was dusting the glass behind the counter and stopped when she heard my footsteps approach.
"Good morning, miss. Is there something that I could help you find?"
"I don't think so. The materials are on the second floor, correct?"
"Yes. I've just received several bolts of lighter weight summer materials in lovely pastels."
"Thank you," I replied and headed for the stairs. I stepped off of the top step into a large, open-air room with seemingly hundreds of different materials. There were large wall racks of rolls of unbleached muslin and sheeting and denim, along with racks of bolts full of color. I saw gingham and satin, cotton, and canvas, most with colors and patterns to please the eye. I walked around the center, searching for the perfect cotton for my dress when I heard giggling. There wasn't anyone but me on the second floor that I could tell. The windows were open, so I assumed it was children outside. Then I heard footsteps on the stairs, and the giggle came again, louder this time.
"Catherine's on her way, miss!" I heard from below. Who was Catherine? Just then, a girl poked her head around the corner at the top of the stairs. This must be Catherine, I concluded. I wasn't sure if she saw me or not, because she looked back down the stairs with a huge smile on her face, then took off for a back corner. I hid behind a rack of cloth, wanting to see where she was and what she was doing. I heard a heavier set of steps; belonging to a man, I guessed.
"Catherine, what are you doing?" I heard him ask. "Where are you, little one?" By the tone of his voice, I wondered if they were father and daughter. I wanted to pop out and tell him she'd headed for the south corner, but I didn't want to scare either one, and the mischeviousness in me wanted to see how this would end. "Catherine, come on. Mother's waiting downstairs!" He continued toward the back of the room.
Suddenly, a small hand poked out from under the curtained bottom of the rack I was next to and touched my arm. I gasped, but reached for the hand and helped the girl it was attached to out from under the rack. She stood up, brushed the dark brown fringe from out of her perfect brown eyes, looked straight into mine, and said:
"You're beautiful. Andrew will love you eternally." Then she turned and bolted for the stairs. Who was Andrew? I stood up and was promptly knocked back to the floor. I hit my head, but wasn't hurt, thanks to the bonnet and my knot of hair.
"Oh, Lord, I'm so sorry!" someone exclaimed. I attempted to sit up, but the corset wasn't giving me much room. I opened my eyes to see a young man crouched down next to me. I looked into eyes of cerulean blue and flushed. I had never been so close to a man before in such an intimate way. Dancing, yes, but never like this! He reached out his hand to help me up. I placed my hand in his, and a shock traveled down my arm and settled in my heart. He helped me to my feet and then attempted the help brush me off. I wanted to slap him for bolting into me so rudely, but I didn't want to mar that perfect cheek. Of course, if I did, I would be touching it.
"Are you ok, ma'am?" he asked, both concerned for my health, yet not willing to let me go that easily.
"I'm fine. Nothing broken, nothing bruised...yet," I responded.
"I'm quite sorry. I was just trying to corral my sister Catherine. Why were you hiding?"
"I didn't want to scare you or your sister," I said, secretly relieved that 'Mother' meant exactly that. "I was just trying to stay out of the way."
"I'm Andrew."
"Ashley." The fluttering in my heart blossomed to my stomach and became more pronounced.
"I don't recall seeing such an angelic face here before. Are you from Hattiesburg?"
"No, my father works here and it's our Thursday outing. He works next door."
"Really? So does mine - Paul Hale."
"Cole Sanders is my father."
"Well, Miss Ashley, we have that much in common."
"I don't think I've seen you around here either."
"I go to school at the university. I'm studying business and law," he said, unconsciously straightening up. I smiled.
"Why were you chasing your sister?"
"Catherine is...well, she's a little rambunctious. She loves coming up here and playing. She pretends she's a queen or something. We were going into our fathers' office to meet him for lunch and she bolted this way. She said something about a princess. I didn't here the rest, but Mother sent me in here after her. The woman downstairs is my aunt. She finds Catherine refreshing and amusing." I nodded. As I was thinking of something else to say, Catherine came up and tugged on Andrew's shirtsleeve.
"Mother says it's time to go," she said, looking at Andrew and then at me. She smiled, and it was slightly unnerving the way she looked at me; like she knew me and what my future held. Andrew reached out for her hand and she took it. Then she reached for mine. "There. Now we're a circle." I didn't understand until I looked down and realized that Andrew was still holding my hand. He looked down as well, and just as quickly, we released our hands. His face flushed, as I know mine did. I could feel the heat all the way into my toes. He and Catherine turned to walk downstairs, and I heard her say, "See? Princess."
He turned to look at me, then turned back to Catherine and whispered, "No. Angel." They walked down the stairs together, and I had to find a chair.
"He called me an angel!" I almost fainted right then. I took several deep breaths, willing myself not to faint. My legs felt like waving palmetto fronds. I stood and went to the nearest rack and began looking through the materials. I wasn't really seeing them. I was anticipating the next time that Andrew might 'run' into me.
~~
Thoughts? ConCrit?
Heepwah, and be safe out there.
Ms. Dreamer
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Written Word Wednesday
Ok, LDs. Today, I'm not going to give you Ashley and Andrew. This is something that I wrote in about three minutes about six months ago. It's not haunting me, per se; just...speaking. I can see this in one picture.
And I want my friend to draw it for me.
gun-toting, sword-wielding angel
defender of the underdog
kick your ass broad
who paints with an evil stroke of
genius and could
kill you with a look or spoken
word dragon who devours
souls with a toasty
smile
as you sit in your mild room of comfort,
dreaming the shallow dreams of your own existence
she's left you in a pile of your own
failings
shortcomings
and
blood.
Heepwah, and be safe out there.
Mrs D
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Written Word Wednesday
I know...I'm such a horrible person. I haven't updated you with Ashley and Andrew for a while. This is why today (and every week) will be Written Word Wednesday. I need to find a kick-ass picture and have someone help me make a kick-ass picture....New followers, just check out the label "Time Beyond". It's a temporary title.
I'm going to try to do something different every week. Mostly I'll try to post Ashley and Andrew's story, but it might be my thoughts on a book I just finished. But for tonight, on with Ashley and Andrew...
~~
"Miss Ashley? You a'right?" Matty asked me. I had been staring at the Flower Garden pattern of the quilt on my bed. I shook my head to clear it of the memory and smiled.
"I'm fine, Matty. What time is it?"
"Goodness! It be about eight o'clock!" she exclaimed, getting up and moving toward the fireplace. I flung my legs over the edge of my bed and slid my feet into satin slippers that had been a birthday present from Daddy. I walked across the room to join Matty at the fireplace where she was just dumping the last pail of hot water into the hip bath. I loved bathing in the mornings. It woke me up and gave me energy for the day. She pulled a thrice-folded screen from the wall and set it up around the bath. A large piece of mirrored glass was placed on the center screen so that the heat and light of the fire would be reflected to my wrong side. I shed my long cotton nightdress, tossed it over one edge of the screen, and stepped into the hot, fragrant waters. Matty had put just a bit of lemon oil in the water this morning. The bath was deep enough that I could scoot down and duck under the water to scrub my head. I came up for air and reached for the rough cloth and the lemon soap Cook made me. I scrubbed myself down, then laid my head back and closed my eyes. The warm water was so relaxing. What seemed like moments later, I heard Matty come over.
"Miss Ashely, you gon' stay in there all day? It almost eight thirty!" I opened my eyes and sighed.
"Yes, Matty. Give me a moment and I shall be dried off." I climbed out of the bath and rubbed myself vigorously down with a large square of cotton. I slid the chemise Matty had hung from one end of the screen over my head, put my feet back in my slippers, and walked around the screen, squeezing water from my hair. Matty was waiting for me. She pulled the screen back against the wall. I sat down on a small stool and and began to dry my hair in front of the fire. Matty pulled up another stool with brush and pins in hand. she sat, brushing out the snarls that sleep and water had created. As she brushed one section, I continued drying another. Even as long as my hair was, it only took us fifteen minutes to get it completely dry. Then came the hair pins. With Matilda's deft and nimble fingers, she had my hair up beautifully, with just the faintest whisper of curls at the nape of my neck and the sides of my face. I stepped into the white muslin pantaloons first, followed by the starched petticoats and then the corset. I held onto the bedpost as Matty tightened the laces.
"Glad you still slender, Miss Ashley!" she grunted. Laces tied tightly, we walked over to the dress stand where she had the sky blue lawn waiting. I crouched down as much as I could and raised my arms above my head. Matty worked the dress over my head, and I slid my arms into the sleeves as Matty buttoned up the back. The sleeves ended just above my elbows, trimmed in white lace I had made. Matty made sure that the back was gathered properly. As she finished, I reached over to a peg on the wall and handed her a wide, deep blue sash that she tied around my waist into a bow in the back, the ends trailing down to the middle of the skirt. I walked over to a chest and picked up a small gold locket. It had belonged to my grandmother, then my mother; now it was mine. I fastened the clasp and hung the locket in the center of my chest. Matty tied a blue ribbon that matched the sash of my dress and pinned it just in front of the knot of hair. She bent down and worked stockings onto my feet and up my calves, then the soft leather ankle boots that I was fond of rounded out my dress. When she was finished, she stood up and looked at me with an appraising eye.
"Chile, you look beautiful!" Matty exclaimed. I blushed. "You sure gon' turn some heads today." I looked back into the large mirrored glass, pinched my cheeks to give them more color, and smiled.
"All the more reason for the dress, Matty," I responded. Daddy and I had our outings for a purpose - he hoped to find me a Southern gentleman that would treat me the way I deserved to be. I swept back over to the pegs and found the blue wristlet that I could carry my handkerchief in, along with a small vial of lemon oil and some pin money that I had, in case I found some ribbon or a hair comb or 'such nonsense,' as Daddy called it, that I liked. He always said it with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, so I knew he was teasing me. Matty and I left my room and headed downstairs, arm in arm, Matty carrying my bonnet. Daddy was standing at the bottom, waiting.
"You look absolutely wonderful, Ashley," Daddy commented. I beamed. We reached the bottom where Matty helped me with my bonnet, tying the ribbons to the right side of my chin. I took my father's arm after putting on my gloves and we walked out to the carriage. He helped me in, climbed in, and whistled to our driver.
"Where are we going today, Daddy?"
"Well, I actually do have to go into my office, but not for very long. Do you think you can amuse yourself for about an hour while I am working?"
"Of course, Daddy. How much trouble could I get into?" I said as a smile crept over my lips. He shook his head.
"Darlin', you don't want me to respond to that. I remember a certain young lady that took out an entire rack of men's clothing, along with the tailor's pin table!"
"Daddy!" I chided him. "I haven't done that since I was ten," I laughed, shaking my head at him. He laughed back, and we rode along into Hattiesburg, into the business district.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Chapter One
Good evening, all. I'm slacking (as usual). I did promise to post a story, and I've done a horrendous job at doing so. So...here you go. If you're lost, go back and read "Prologue" (it's labeled under ashley/andrew).
I had been especially rotten one day. I remember being about six years old and had done nothing but upset plant stands, dumped the maid's mop pail down the stairs, and ran through the clean hallway after I had been playing outside with Matty's son Ezekiel. There were twigs in my hair and my pretty blue dress and doll were covered in the black dirt that our area was famous for. Matty couldn't control me at all and was at her wits' end. I was running around the huge dining room table, singing at the top of my lungs, when my father came in and stomped one great foot.
"Ashley Elizabeth!" he thundered. "What are you doing?"
"Playing," I replied abashedly. With that one stomp, I'd lost all my energy. I could tell Daddy was mad.
"Young lady, did you not hear Matilda asking you to stop?" he asked, bending down to be at my level. I could see Matty behind him, looking very unhappy and wringing her hands in her apron. Suddenly, my dander was back up.
"I heard her, and I don't care!" I stomped my foot back at him. "She's not my mama and I don't have to listen to her! I want MY mama!" I stood there for a scant second, then burst into tears, fled upstairs to my room, slammed the door shut, and flung myself into my bed, sobbing. I heard my father come in my room and felt him sit down on the edge of the bed. After a few minutes, I rolled over to look at him, perched there, staring out the window that overlooked the pond. "I didn't mean to be bad, Daddy."
"I know, little one. It's just that...I just miss your mama that much more." I crawled into his lap, doll forgotten on the bed.
"Daddy, why isn't Mama here?" He took a deep breath.
"Ashley, about a year after you were born, both you and your mama got yellow fever. You were both so very sick. Doc Barnard didn't know how to make you better. I couldn't do anything but offer prayers up to the Good Lord. One afternoon, almost a week after you both got sick, Charity called for me and Matilda." I looked at him, puzzled.
"Who's Charity?" He smiled.
"That is your mama's name, Ashley."
"Oh." I snuggled deeper into his embrace.
"We both came in, and she had Matilda get you from your room. You were just a-screamin'. The fever was so bad that anyone's touch made you cry. Matty handed you to me, so I sat down on the bed and she reached out your small fist. I could see her mouth movin', but I couldn't hear her words. I leaned in and she was prayin'. 'Lord God, take this pain away.' At first, I wasn't sure what she was meanin', but then she said, 'A child this young shouldn't suffer so. Lord, let me have her pain. Heal her. Take me instead.' I couldn't bear the thought of losing you or your mama, but this was her prayer. You began to quiet down, and I could tell that Charity's pain was getting worse. The look on her face told me she was ready to go home. Her last words were, 'I love you, Ashley Elizabeth. Cole, I'll always be here with you two.' You settled into the first peaceful sleep you'd had in a week, and your mama drew her last breath."
I looked up into his face, and saw tears in the prairie green eyes he'd handed on to me. It scared me - Daddy was big and strong and boys weren't supposed to cry. I curled up tighter in his lap and he held me close. We mourned together; me for the mother I never knew and missed terribly, my father for his anchor and the love of his life....
I had been especially rotten one day. I remember being about six years old and had done nothing but upset plant stands, dumped the maid's mop pail down the stairs, and ran through the clean hallway after I had been playing outside with Matty's son Ezekiel. There were twigs in my hair and my pretty blue dress and doll were covered in the black dirt that our area was famous for. Matty couldn't control me at all and was at her wits' end. I was running around the huge dining room table, singing at the top of my lungs, when my father came in and stomped one great foot.
"Ashley Elizabeth!" he thundered. "What are you doing?"
"Playing," I replied abashedly. With that one stomp, I'd lost all my energy. I could tell Daddy was mad.
"Young lady, did you not hear Matilda asking you to stop?" he asked, bending down to be at my level. I could see Matty behind him, looking very unhappy and wringing her hands in her apron. Suddenly, my dander was back up.
"I heard her, and I don't care!" I stomped my foot back at him. "She's not my mama and I don't have to listen to her! I want MY mama!" I stood there for a scant second, then burst into tears, fled upstairs to my room, slammed the door shut, and flung myself into my bed, sobbing. I heard my father come in my room and felt him sit down on the edge of the bed. After a few minutes, I rolled over to look at him, perched there, staring out the window that overlooked the pond. "I didn't mean to be bad, Daddy."
"I know, little one. It's just that...I just miss your mama that much more." I crawled into his lap, doll forgotten on the bed.
"Daddy, why isn't Mama here?" He took a deep breath.
"Ashley, about a year after you were born, both you and your mama got yellow fever. You were both so very sick. Doc Barnard didn't know how to make you better. I couldn't do anything but offer prayers up to the Good Lord. One afternoon, almost a week after you both got sick, Charity called for me and Matilda." I looked at him, puzzled.
"Who's Charity?" He smiled.
"That is your mama's name, Ashley."
"Oh." I snuggled deeper into his embrace.
"We both came in, and she had Matilda get you from your room. You were just a-screamin'. The fever was so bad that anyone's touch made you cry. Matty handed you to me, so I sat down on the bed and she reached out your small fist. I could see her mouth movin', but I couldn't hear her words. I leaned in and she was prayin'. 'Lord God, take this pain away.' At first, I wasn't sure what she was meanin', but then she said, 'A child this young shouldn't suffer so. Lord, let me have her pain. Heal her. Take me instead.' I couldn't bear the thought of losing you or your mama, but this was her prayer. You began to quiet down, and I could tell that Charity's pain was getting worse. The look on her face told me she was ready to go home. Her last words were, 'I love you, Ashley Elizabeth. Cole, I'll always be here with you two.' You settled into the first peaceful sleep you'd had in a week, and your mama drew her last breath."
I looked up into his face, and saw tears in the prairie green eyes he'd handed on to me. It scared me - Daddy was big and strong and boys weren't supposed to cry. I curled up tighter in his lap and he held me close. We mourned together; me for the mother I never knew and missed terribly, my father for his anchor and the love of his life....
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Prologue
I'm not really writing a prologue here. I'm going to give you some insight into the story.
Ashley Elizabeth Sanders: 17, chestnut hair and green eyes. About 5'7", slender.
Andrew Michael Hale: 19, dark brown hair and blue eyes. Right at 6', strong. He attends the University of Alabama studying business and law.
Ashley's mother died a year after Ashley was born. Every other Thursday, Cole (Ashley's father) takes her into Hattiesburg with him and they spend the afternoon together. Cole and Andrew's father Paul are partners in a law firm. Andrew is home for the summer. (although it sounds a little far-fetched, trust me when I say 'they've never met.') Andrew's younger sister Catherine is gifted (both she and her aunt can 'see' things) and knows of Ashley the moment they meet. A ball occurs, an evil man hatches a plan to get what he wants. Months pass, and two weeks before he's scheduled to go back to school, Andrew proposes. Another dance. A week later, Ashley is taken from her home. Days later, they find her, but her spirit's been broken. Even Andrew can't bring her back...but it's not the end.
I'll bring you into Ashley's world tomorrow, but for now, I leave you with this...
"Mornin, chile," Matilda, one of our housekeepers and my personal maid said, drawing back the curtains to let the morning sun in. It was a brisk April morning in Mississippi - the kind that started off cool enough to need a wrap, but made it completely useless by afternoon. I stretched under the soft down quilt my grandmother had made years ago and threw a pillow at Matty. She laughed that deep, beautiful laugh of hers, picked up the pillow, and threw it back at me. I ducked under the covers and it bounced off of my head. I came out of hiding to find her standing at the side of my bed. After seventeen years, I still couldn't figure out how she moved so quickly or so silently! She sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the hair out of my eyes.
"What dress we gon' wear today, Miss Ashley? The blue lawn or the green poplin?" What day was it...Thursday, and it was my twice-monthly visit to Hattiesburg with Daddy! Today, we were going shopping.
"Matty, I think that I will wear the blue lawn. It's my day out with Daddy!"
"Goodness, it be two weeks already? How time does fly! Where you gon' today?"
"Last time, Daddy surprised me with a trip to New Orleans for the weekend, so I think we'll just be in Hattiesburg today. I do love spending the day with him," I grinned at her.
"I know you do. Your daddy a fine man. It be good to still have you after your momma died." My mother had died of malaria just a year after I was born. I almost died as well. I remembered the first time I was old enough to understand to ask Daddy where Mama was...
Keep going?
Be safe out there, and heepwah
Ashley Elizabeth Sanders: 17, chestnut hair and green eyes. About 5'7", slender.
Andrew Michael Hale: 19, dark brown hair and blue eyes. Right at 6', strong. He attends the University of Alabama studying business and law.
Ashley's mother died a year after Ashley was born. Every other Thursday, Cole (Ashley's father) takes her into Hattiesburg with him and they spend the afternoon together. Cole and Andrew's father Paul are partners in a law firm. Andrew is home for the summer. (although it sounds a little far-fetched, trust me when I say 'they've never met.') Andrew's younger sister Catherine is gifted (both she and her aunt can 'see' things) and knows of Ashley the moment they meet. A ball occurs, an evil man hatches a plan to get what he wants. Months pass, and two weeks before he's scheduled to go back to school, Andrew proposes. Another dance. A week later, Ashley is taken from her home. Days later, they find her, but her spirit's been broken. Even Andrew can't bring her back...but it's not the end.
I'll bring you into Ashley's world tomorrow, but for now, I leave you with this...
"Mornin, chile," Matilda, one of our housekeepers and my personal maid said, drawing back the curtains to let the morning sun in. It was a brisk April morning in Mississippi - the kind that started off cool enough to need a wrap, but made it completely useless by afternoon. I stretched under the soft down quilt my grandmother had made years ago and threw a pillow at Matty. She laughed that deep, beautiful laugh of hers, picked up the pillow, and threw it back at me. I ducked under the covers and it bounced off of my head. I came out of hiding to find her standing at the side of my bed. After seventeen years, I still couldn't figure out how she moved so quickly or so silently! She sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the hair out of my eyes.
"What dress we gon' wear today, Miss Ashley? The blue lawn or the green poplin?" What day was it...Thursday, and it was my twice-monthly visit to Hattiesburg with Daddy! Today, we were going shopping.
"Matty, I think that I will wear the blue lawn. It's my day out with Daddy!"
"Goodness, it be two weeks already? How time does fly! Where you gon' today?"
"Last time, Daddy surprised me with a trip to New Orleans for the weekend, so I think we'll just be in Hattiesburg today. I do love spending the day with him," I grinned at her.
"I know you do. Your daddy a fine man. It be good to still have you after your momma died." My mother had died of malaria just a year after I was born. I almost died as well. I remembered the first time I was old enough to understand to ask Daddy where Mama was...
Keep going?
Be safe out there, and heepwah
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