#also i got this from libby and opened it up and it was in french??? why does my library only have the fr ebook and eng audiobook lmao

[aroaessidhe]

2024 reads / storygraph

Rose/House

scifi thriller novella

follows a woman who was left an AI house by a famous architect who taught her, and is the only person allowed in to look at his archives and interact with the house, one week per year

when the house self reports a dead body inside - which should be impossible, because it’s not the dead architect or his student - a local officer has to investigate, and find a way in along with the ex-student

[blysse-and-blunder]

I posted 6,790 times in 2022

That's 346 more posts than 2021!

58 posts created (1%)

6,732 posts reblogged (99%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@leitharstjarna

@masteroffoolhardyplans

@knifepadme

@fade-steppin

@dying-suffering-french-stalkers

I tagged 2,104 of my posts in 2022

#the untamed - 287 posts

#art - 204 posts

#cql - 179 posts

#the untamed fanart - 165 posts

#mdzs - 87 posts

#goncharov - 86 posts

#the goncharoverse - 74 posts

#unreality cw - 63 posts

#postry - 53 posts

#ilcb - 47 posts

Longest Tag: 129 characters

#‘you’re right i did need to see that’ ‘if you share the link i can watch from here!’ ‘i missed this but that’s so cool thank you’

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

in lieu of a moon cake

aug 29 - sept 11, 2022

where have the ilcb posts been the last four weeks, i hear you cry? well genuinely, the end of summer took me and i wandered out of time and thought. did watch the moon rise rich and golden last night, though, so--on balance--we're doing just fine.

reading finished my ancillary justice re-read this morning and i got so much more out of it the second time, newly attuned to the little differences between this and all the other space opera i've been enjoying. also finished obernewtyn (isobel carmodie), one of the growing list of YA sci/fantasy i'm catching up on using libby. spent a lot of last week reading or what you will, jo walton, which i think i will have more to say about when i finish it, and listening to ann leckie's the raven tower as an audiobook on various commutes-- perhaps not the best medium for it, but the reader's absolutely eating the accent work which does liven things up. i also acquired a romance novel from @dimir-charmer which is Certainly Something, not quite up to the level of some of the classics @pandolfo-malatesta would review but which has made me say out loud 'stop using that word, i do not think it means what you think it means!' every time this poor author tries to call someone 'contemporaries.'

listening so i know we all remember (for better or worse) passenger's 'let her go' from 2013 or whenever, but i have very specific tender feelings and memories attached to that whole album. a recent re-listen, followed by a tour through his recent, extensive new discography (like five albums since i last checked, holy shit), has shown me that i'm not even remotely capable of being objective, but i do think? that none of the new stuff has grabbed me? like it all sounds consistent, it all sounds, uh, the same, and the nuances and things i can pick out in the tracks from all the little lights (2012) or hell even whisper (2014) are just...not discernible (is this just a question of production)(possibly). to quote one of the new songs, uh, it leaves me cold? whereas 'feather on clyde' is still revealing and teaching me new things to get teary-eyed about (this time it was the line 'well god knows that i've failed, but he knows that i've tried'), and just...plus the string duet at the opening of 'things that stop you dreaming,' the way it builds up so, so sweetly, the lyrics taking you by surprise by leaving no breaks or breaths until the chorus, playing with pace and rhythm--still not tired of it.

watching i spent most of last week cycling between 'sandman', 'doulou continent', and 'oath of love', with a brief detour to the mdzs donghua with @hematiterings as per us-- sandman is good, though i haven't finished it. i got to the death episode and did briefly cry actual human tears about the old violinist and the young honeymooners, only to have the rest of the episode with its chronological humor (reminding me of ep 3 of 'good omens', what with the 'let's put our cast in several different centuries and enjoy what that does to their hair', thank you neilman) give me slight emotional whiplash. the problem with my cdrama habit is that, especially with duolou continent, i've had a hard time believing i've seen as many episodes as i actually have (also viki is...incapable of keeping my place) so i tend to back up to whichever episode number sort of feels right? which means i've seen episodes 11-15 like three times each. at least now i'm getting people's names.

playing finished up summer and fall of year two in stardew, won the grange fair and the ice fishing contest now that it's winter, and just bought a duck! (her name is fern)

making i think the garden is fading, we're still harvesting tomatoes but a lot of the leaves have turned yellow and crinkly, meanwhile the squash (?) vines have all withered except for one, perplexingly round little green squash (?) with a few nibbles out of it courtesy of the neighborhood fauna. when do i pluck it? is it still...getting anything out of being on its vine?

working on *cue panicked laughter* chapter 1! also that presentation / conference paper based on chapter-1-or-possibly-the-old-book-practicum! also that presentation based on chapter-2-or-possibly-chapters-1-and-2-OR-possibly-the-diss-proposal! with all the complaining i've done to various friends and colleagues, its no wonder there's not been any. further writing. distracting myself by insisting on doing things for the incoming students, which has been very fun and diverting since they are cute and much easier to help.

20 notes - Posted September 11, 2022

#4

in lieu of a break

10pm, sept 25, 2022

the title is a lie, today and yesterday have both been breaks in their own ways! but the days do start coming and they really don't stop coming, do they. kay @girlfriendsofthegalaxy did a really nice couple of posts not long ago explaining the Theory of her tuesdayposts, to which i have only to add that-- i think for me these are turning into a steam valve, where i let out whatever is happening in my head that has built up over the past little while; they are analytical or creative endeavors in their own way, sometimes, but i mainly write them for myself and my own recall (so that i can go back and check out what i wrote about first watching the untamed, for example, please see iclb 2 or 3 from way back), and to keep track of my days. which is going to mean they aren't Reviews or really Criticism, though i may dabble in both, and any enjoyment or enlightenment anyone else gets out of reading these is incidental. for this one, it's a real head empty no thoughts list of titles, so hold on to your butts let's go.

reading the big mention here is that i just finished susanna clarke's piranesi, which i didn't know how to feel about until like 30% of the way in, and then began to enjoy quite a bit as the whole conceit became clearer, and then found...melancholy but beautiful by the end. honorable mentions over the past mumblemumble weeks to (checks storygraph): squire by tamora pierce (reread), ancillary justice by ann leckie (also a reread); the raven tower (not a reread, also by ann leckie--though i still haven't finished it); and the duchess romance which i did finish mostly out of morbid curiosity.

watching strangely this will be the largest section for once! the escapism has been strong lately-- and there have been many excellent movie and tv show friendship opportunities. in reverse order, i have now seen two episodes of the new netflix bee and puppycat and find it delightful if inscrutable; i have now seen two episodes of the second season of fate: a winx saga also on netflix which i found less delightful, even more inscrutable (since i hadn't seen the first season or the previous show, lmao) but extremely funny to watch alongside more deeply invested jammies; i have now seen the first three episodes of andor and found diego luna as charming as ever; i have now seen the prestige (2006) and it did lodge in my brain in the way only very rare movies do; i have now seen the newest three (?) episodes of star trek: lower decks and did think the most recent one with the recruiting booth and the rutherford memories plotline to be incredible star trek and some of the best lower deck stuff yet; i did make my housemates watch a double-feature of the princess diaries (2001) and the princess diaries 2: royal engagement (2004), which were extremely fun and also wild opportunities for early- oughts media criticism and an in-depth examination of the portrayal of hereditary monarchy (and on the heels of qe 2's death, no less);

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20 notes - Posted September 25, 2022

#3

In lieu of a commonplace book: summer nights

begun 9pm, monday, july 25, 2022 continued 11pm, monday, august 1

this post is like a week overdue, and has been tricky to write because i've had such high hopes for it. because this post? full of things that sparked joy. so i want to do them justice! finally finished a bunch of books, finally started listening to some new music which has been so good for my mood; it's felt like (last week and this weekend in particular) there's been novelty and enrichment in my enclosure. wrote my way into something i think i can now be happy with, at least; it's long, but it's true, and i can be grateful for the small victories.

reading i want to commemorate the fact that, somehow, i ended up finishing hilary mantel's the mirror and the light on the exact day, july 28, that it ends-- *spoilers* the anniversary of cromwell's death *spoilers*-- which given that i probably started reading it like 18 months ago at this point, feels absolutely fated. also if you're laughing at the fact that i felt the need to spoiler that, just know that i didn't know he died at the end. also, didn't know his involvement in the anne of cleves marriage! also didn't quite know political the kathryn howard marriage was-- but of course it must have been, had to have been. the last, oh, maybe 100 pages of this book, where it all starts to unravel, were the most engaging of the whole thing. i think the goal for the book, the intended tone, was this slowly mounting sense of melancholy, or of fatigue, of things falling apart, but it didn't translate to suspense or tension or uhhh pathos for me, except for maybe a few brief chunks in the last five pages that were then overwritten by how...tacky the last few lines were? i wish i could say that my feelings upon finishing this book were more than just, well thank goodness that's over. i think this one was a victim of its predecessors' success, in the sense that-- it took what i liked or what worked from the first two, and overdid it.

in contrast, and what an interesting world it is that i ended up getting to read these two in conversation, my loan for victoria goddard's the hands of the emperor came in on july 18 and, despite being actually longer than mirror and the light i have already finished it, and in fact started it over again from the beginning immediately. it...stunned me a little to think about the broad similarities between these two, but think about it: two main characters who are, essentially, self-made men who worked in and through governmental policies to change the world on behalf of a monarch ruling with the force of state and church and tradition, whose succession is a Big Issue and whose temperament, for better or worse, makes all the difference. i wouldn't say that's necessarily what hote is actually *about*, but putting it out like that was a fun thought-experiment.

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22 notes - Posted August 2, 2022

#2

in lieu of a commonplace book has fans??

8 pm, july 11, 2022

wow y'all . in the last week i've been tagged in three (three? 3!!) other weekly roundup post from... loyal readers, what the fuck. friends!! first, i love that this series has been entertaining for literally anyone apart from its intended audience (i.e. future me). indescribable feeling. second, feeling flattered but dismayed by the folks who say they have never liked or commented on an ilcb post, but have apparently been reading them this whole time. wild. i had...no idea. you are all hereby empowered to engage, if you'd like (which i'd like!), and i'll do the same on yours! i love this for you guys. please revel in all the things you like and the delights that are you.

now, this post is delayed (again), because as much as i like to have them published on weekends, weekends are also where i tend to get the material i talk about. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ read on for some discussion of stranger things s4 episodes 1-5, and an extremely goofy medieval-renaissance video game. mild spoilers for the lloyd alexander novel the black cauldron.

reading i finished lloyd alexander's the black cauldron after having lingered on the last 3 pages for like....multiple weeks. (i thought there was more to go, but it turned out the last few pages were a preview of the last book.) i know a lot of people in welsh / celtic studies have nostalgia for these books but at the same time may or may not actually like them, because of the way they play with characters or lore from the Four Branches. personally i'm kind of into it? i didn't read them as a kid, so i don't have nostalgia per se-- i'm into the fact that i can recognize things, tone or theme as much as substance, and that i can imagine reading this aloud and enjoying the pronunciations and inspiring whatever children might be listening. also, the change from the first book to this one, and the changes made between this book and the movie, made me really enjoy this book. i liked adaon, and i was okay with the presence of ellidyr (he's very consistent with the spirit of efnysien, if not the reality, which could also be said about most of the book). i was...almost ecstatic about the way it wasn't gurgi, in the end, it just made so much more sense this way. this falls into the same category of reading YA fantasy i missed as a kid, initiated by the dianna wynne jones books and alison croggon's books of pellinor last year, and contrasts interestingly with the tamora pierce reread i've been doing.

listening a weird mashup of the a short hike soundtrack and the reddit manwhore playlist , because work and focus has continued to be. weird and challenging. the video game 'energizing but also focus' music is usually helpful but i nearly dozed off at my desk yesterday. still, i like that i've discovered a new game ost (owlboy) which is a lot of fun. do i know anything about the game? no! i'll have to investigate it.

watching episodes 1-5 of stranger things season 4. i'm not...having as much fun with this season as i remember having with season 3? it's something about how spread out and disconnected the cast are (they split the party ☹️) and partly also, that... as the kids have grown up, the differences in acting skill level have become more obvious. i just...have so much more fun watching joe keery and sadie sink and millie bobbie brown do their things, than i do the rest of them? the fact that david harbour basically doesn't get to speak for these whole first five episodes (plus the fact that his whole story line is just not that interesting?) feels like such a waste. a lot of what they give joyce and robin to say also feel like a waste? murray is fun but like...he's light comic relief now. what happened. the first episode of this season felt like it had a coherent vision with the dnd / hellfire stuff, but it's diffused a lot at this point. though i do giggle like a maniac when they so earnestly name-drop vecna-- having listened to crit role campaign one, i go 'oh hey i know him!' every time. i guess the thing for me is, i've always come to this show for the way it imitates and references horror/80s thrillers/etc, for the loving callbacks, more than these things themselves. i don't want or need it to be like. actually these things. and the more it tries to be, the less fun i have?

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25 notes - Posted July 12, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

My dash did a thing I thought amusing

175 notes - Posted November 1, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[ellen-reincarnated1967]

Memento Hurley

Summary: Choice phrases from Hugo “Hurley” Reyes from the show LOST and his inner dialogue.

A/N: I have written 7 seasons of LOST with an OFC including roughly 4 original characters to add to the already complicated series. My OFC is “Elizabeth ‘Elle’ Grecco with a crazy past, present, future, and whatever it was that LOST led us to believe.  Sawyer and Hurley were my favorite characters and while Juliet was seen as the “enemy” I soon grew to love her as well.  She and Elle become best friends. If anyone is interested in my LOST stories, they can be found on fanfiction.net or you can message me for the links.  Now, onto Hurley.

"I have no food, alright? And for the record, I'm down a notch in my belt. I'm a big guy, it's going to be a while before you're going to want to give me a piggy back ride, okay?"

Seriously, he thought to himself, you'd think after all these years, people would stop using the fat card. Oh sure, the big guy's got all this hidden food, well, that's sorta true-brain fart- but it's a secret stash for a reason- he strums on his guitar because he's sad or freakin' out, Locke hunts boar, surprisingly, that man scares the be Jesus out of me…sorry Ma, but he does. I secretly hide food in the man cave for that reason- it's a safety net. Instead of shooting up people like the A-team does so almost every other minute, I snack. It's comfort food for a reason. Just because I'm not dropping down three sizes, even though everything I eat, and I mean everything has gone through me like a case of the bends, I'm still, quite, pleasantly, plump. That's right, Charlie- while you got your rocker good looks, and Sawyer's got his southern drawl, and Jack's got the whole I'm your hero, insert Superman's theme music here, I'm Hugo Reyes. Hurley's my nickname and no, dude, I'm not tellin'.

"I wanna do a cannonball. I've been walking up and down this beach every day and looking out at this water. And I wanna do a cannonball."

So this is it, he thought to himself, Charlie's out saving the world and here I am, ambling, nah, that's a word they'd use for the token fat guy and I'm not the token fatty. I'm like you know, pleasantly plump…but here I am, we've been stuck on this island with no sign of normalcy, the golf games ended a long time ago, Michael went Commander Nutso and well, if this is it, I'm doin' this. Bernard, still can't get over the fact that he's white, but he's a pretty cool dude, for you know, being up there in the age brackets, he told me to go for it. The water, its crisp and it bites at my skin, I do not float immediately to the top and I think, great, sure, so this is how I go out? I sink? Token fat guy my plump butt! But I let out the breath I was holding since I started to run, comically towards the blue abyss and my body's weightless. I weigh nothing. Dude, I could be a space man. I surface and I no longer want to be in space. I want to see Charlie. Desmond's back, I can see him now. Just why can't I see Charlie?

"Look, I don't know about you, but things have really sucked for me lately, and I could really use a victory. So let's get one, dude! Let's get this car started. Let's look death in the face and say: "Whatever, man!""

It took a couple turns of the key but I got it to work. Dude, I can't believe it! Something from flashback to the 80s came on the radio but I didn't care. We were free fallin', coastin' down the valley, and that's when I realized it; we were coasting. The brakes weren't working. I kept slamming on them but they just pressed to the floor like the weight of Kong had come upon them. Kong, he laughed to himself, Sawyer would have loved that. Speakin' of the red…neck…man…I can't believe we got him out here. I mean, sure the skunked beer, was like a worm to a fish, but seriously, the dude helped. He also freaked out when he saw Roger. You'd think after shooting a polar bear in the middle of the jungle, he'd be used to seeing crazy stuff like that. Pansy. I mean, it's an old VW van, with older than dirt beer, and tea stained papers with numbers and names and stuff. Why wouldn't there be a dead guy in the back seat? Stranger things have happened. Take, the French Chick. She's just out there. Totally out there, like Mork- Na*nu Na*nu. Charlie's in the passenger seat and he's got this look of pure adrenaline on his face. 100 percent pure this rocks my socks off excitement. He's awesome. Too bad you'll never get to meet him. Lucky for us, well, we did. And while some may have seen him as some VH1 has been, others saw him as spry, comical, and down to earth. I mean, if you consider black nail polish on a dude, down to earth, than yeah, that's Charlie-my best friend.

"Did either of you see a guy run through here... in a bathrobe... with a coconut?"

So I had a break down? Big deal. So Jumbotron had a mental slip up. The hick takes all his crap out on everyone else; Kate, while she's all pretty hot and tempting, she's like, you know a fugitive. Just give it some time; she'll crack up too. And Jack, while his bed side manner sucks, royally, well, I've seen him coming 'thisclose' to breaking and let me tell you, I wouldn't want him operating on me when he's freakin' out. Keep all shiny, sharp objects from the doctor. Funny, they use to say that around me, back at St. Anna's. Take your pills Hugo. Dave's not real, Hugo. If he's not real, then why's he here? Why am I standing at the edge of this cliff, staring at him, falling to his demise? She took my hand that day. She kissed me. Libby. She's you know, some sort of head shrink, Dr. Feel Good, and boy does she make me feel good. She believes in me. P.S. takin' down Sawyer was like all the years I saved up holding back the anger, the hate for myself, the guilt…the dude had it coming.

"There you go! Life's not so bad right? I mean sure the others are coming like to eat us all and every once in a while someone blows up all over you but you do get to sleep in every morning..."

Jack's a piece of work. He's a good guy, don't get me wrong. But he obviously has the hots for Kate and he spends half his time watchin' her from his medical tent. Like no one notices? Everyone knows, dude. Just man up, I want to tell him, grow a set, Sawyer would say. You only live once. I mean there's the risk she'll shoot you in the back, but behind those crazy eyes of hers, she's got a thing for the doctor too. I mean, everyone does. No, uh, that came out wrong. I personally don't have a 'thing' for Jack. That's just not me. But who's to say Scott or Steve do or don't? Seriously, I'm the only one here who can tell them apart. Who's to say, dude? Who's…to…say?

"You just totally scooby-doo'd me didn't you?"

She's a tricky one, that fugitive. Using her feminine wiles to get what she wants. I mean, she could use all of them if she wanted, but she doesn't even have to. The dude's got this knack for getting what she wants. When Kate wants something, well, let's just say, step aside. She kicks ass. And when she's not kicking ass, she's takin' names, or in this case, a food tray that Locke specifically told me I had to deliver to Miles. Damn, he's going to be so pissed. Why me?

"Dudes... listen. Our lives suck! Everyone's nerves are stretched to the max! I mean, we're lost on an island, running from boars, and monsters... freakin' polar bears!"

So yeah, we were stretched to our limits. Everyone is going crazy with the boars, the polar bears, which, sorry, dude, I didn't know Michael had no idea about the bears. But whatever man. Some man eating giraffe is tearing down trees for fun and we just sit around, on the beach, or in the caves. My CD player died. I'd ask Sawyer for some batteries, but all I'd get from him is a 'screw off' or another nickname, and well, seriously, I'm not down with that. I want to have fun. So I made our own little golf course. Michael's freaking out. So I shove a golf club into his hands and tell him to take it out on the ball. No one wants to hear him screaming anymore. So he does. He swings at the golf ball and it goes soaring- I mean, the dude's got some form. He can't control himself; he's actually trying to hold back a smile. He's trying to be all smokin' cool Joe, but deep down, he's thrilled. And I gave him that. Too bad, later on, he takes all that goodness, that I started to get back into my life, away. He takes it away and says it was an accident. The dude's got issues.

"Dude! Looks like someone steam-rolled Harry Potter!"

It's about time someone put him in his place. Jack had a blast playin' up Sawyer's medical condition. I overheard him asking his about his past conquests. Dude, I'm bettin' Sawyer comes with his own Instruction Manual- that guy's got VD written all over his face. God knows where else. Forgive me, Madre, but, if you met him, you'd be crossing yourself and prayin' to Saint Fiacre for the man's soul. Bet you didn't know there was a saint for venereal diseases. Then again, he's also the saint for taxi drivers. Whatever. Mi madre says there's a saint for everything. I believe her. So, back to Sawyer. The guy's so transparent, you can see when a new one liner is comin' before he even opens his mouth. He gets this look in his eyes; my mother would call it los ojos del Diablo, this tiny speck of sin and before you know it, you're no longer Kate, you're She-ra. You're no longer Jack, you're Dr. Giggles. You're no longer Hugo Reyes, you're Stay Puft. The dude's not even that clever. Along with the instruction manual, he secretly holds this letter, and I swear to you, dude, that letter is nothin' but nicknames and one liners. He should be a stand up comedian. We don't have tomatoes on this island, but, hey, whatever, we can always throw mangoes. He's got 'my tapioca' or something. Whatever it's called. The dude needed reading glasses. You should have seen the pair Sayid made with his bond like training. Strange thing is though, after I said that to him, there was this split second he smiled. He's such an attention whore. I have to go to confession. Too bad Eko wasn't around yet.

"So, Rose's husband's white. Didn't see that one coming."

Bernard. The guy's got class. And his wife, Rose, she's the sweetest lady, ever. Aside from mi madre and the Virgin Mary of course. Of course, you echo. There were days where she'd sit at the shoreline, watching the water ebb and flow, yeah, man, I said ebb and flow. I'm calling this out right now- I may stutter and say 'dude' a lot, but deep down, underneath all of this (I just grabbed my belly and jiggled it for effect) I'm pretty prolific. That means, I'm wordy. I think. Goes to show that just when you think you know someone, well you don't. I mean we just assumed Bernard, Rose's husband would be Black. Then again, on this island, what you assume and what you get are quite left field. The Dark Territory though, uh, that was spot on. Rose prayed and prayed and I swear, my mother would have loved to have her over for dinner. They could sit around our Golden Jesus and talk about their love for God. She knew, deep down, that her husband was alive. It took 48 days, but she never gave up. She prayed with Charlie when Claire was taken by that creepy guy Ethan-who, thank you very much, I found out wasn't on the plane. Does anyone say, way to go Hurley? No. They just arm themselves with guns and go barreling through the jungle on some rescue mission, while I sit back and dry my shirts over a fire pit. Rose would have patted me on the back. If she wasn't too busy praying. She's cool people. She's just got this grandmother like orb that flows around her. I mean, everyone loves a Hugo Reyes hug, but those are nothing compared to Rose's. Whatever, don't think less of me, because I have feelings and I express them. I'm not Sawyer.

"Dude, you got some... Arnzt on you."

Leslie. That dude, seriously, I don't know where he came from. Yeah, some school teacher form somewhere not interesting. But he just showed up and decided, yeah, I'm going to tag along, and be part of the A-team. Sorry dude, but all the roles were taken. I'm still strugglin' tryin' to figure out just who was Mr. T. My money's on Kate. She's one tough chick. The Others, were comin' to eat us, or kill us, because we crossed a line, and I use 'we' lightly here, because, well, I didn't cross any lines. Any lines drawn on the sand clearly wash away with the tide. But whatever, the Others, and no, Sawyer didn't name them. Come to think of it, if he did, they'd be something catchy like, 'podpeople' or 'stranger danger'…but, whatever. They were coming and we had nowhere to hide. I mean, they knew all the hot spots. So the French Chick, she took us to the Black Rock. Here, I bet you're thinking, what's so cool about some large stone. But you'd be wrong; it's this ancient slave ship; it's name, rightfully so-The Black Rock. Mind you, it capsized in the middle of the jungle. I'd ask you how something like that happens, but Rousseau, already gave me the whole, 'are you on the same island as I am' line. You think she and Sawyer knew one another in a past life or something. So Arnzt. Leslie, again, a bitchin' name. He hears we're going for dynamite to blow up this hatch, that Locke found, instead of protein in the shape of a hairy boar, bygones. He travels with and he's complaining and complaining. I never thought I'd say I was happy to see that smokey thing, but it sent him running for the hills. But yeah, then he came back. He's there, handling the dynamite like it's a baby chick, telling us we 'have to be careful', 'we shouldn't hover', yadda yadda yadda, and what happens? The dude blew up right in front of my face. Seriously. Like this piñata that was stuffed with a stick of dynamite, his guts were everywhere. Jack had some of Leslie on his face. Just picturing that makes me wanna chuckle…and hurl.

[mariacedano-blog-blog]

Beautiful Homes of Instagram I can’t tell you how happy I am for sharing Molly’s, of @mk_interiors_, new home. I’ve known Molly and her beautiful work at MK Interiors for some time now. In fact, we have been talking about featuring her newly-built home even before it was built, so you can imagine how much I waited to share this post with all of you on Home Bunch. Keep reading and you will see why it was worth the wait to tour Molly’s home! “Hi, I’m Molly Kay and here is a little bit about me and our home! My husband is a general contractor who builds custom homes, does additions, and remodeling. He is also a master woodworker. Having him build our current home has been a blessing for us as he has built homes for several others and we had always hoped to have him build for us in the near future. We designed our home together and one of the highlights of my life is getting to work with my husband on projects. We each own separate businesses and have our own clients but sometimes we are hired as a team and we love that! We have been married 20 years and have 3 children. We live in the beautiful rolling hills at the foot of the Blue Ridge mountains in Northern Virginia 45 minutes west of Washington DC. We love our rural small town and love living on a one lane gravel road on 5 acres. We also love being able to be close to a big city and really having the best of both worlds! I am passionate about interior design and love making all things beautiful! I feel so blessed to of always been able to stay home with my children and run a successful business as an interior designer. I hope you enjoy this glimpse of our custom home! It was a definite labor of love and still a work in progress!” Beautiful Homes of Instagram I didn’t have a covered porch in our last home so it’s something I really wanted in this one! This is just one side of the porch and this was taken shortly after we moved in before we painted the porch floor or took down the construction fence! Indoor/outdoor rug by Mohawk. Siding is Hardie Plank concrete siding by James Hardie in Night Gray. Foyer My entryway I kept simple but elegant with the grid board and batten paneled walls and crisp white paint. Foyer bench is from Joss & Main. Other inspiring options: here & here. Pillows are custom. Lighting I wanted my chandelier by Hinkley Lighting to take center stage! You should of seem the amount of scaffolding and people it took to hang it! It was love at very first sight for me! Grey Doors Interior door color for all of my interior doors in the entire house is a custom mix of Stardew, Uncertain Gray by Sherwin Williams with a little Wales Gray by Benjamin Moore. Entry set crystal doorknobs from Grandeur Hardware. Wall Paint Color Paint color is All White by Farrow & Ball. My grandmother’s desk from the 1940’s was made over by me with 2 tone Annie Sloan chalk paint in Paris Gray and Pure White and it fits perfectly there. Hardwood Floors Floors are Dream Home X20 laminate in Misty Morning Oak from Lumber Liquidators. Mirror The geometric frame and golden finish mirror is from Joss & Main. Dining Room Our dining area is open to the family room and kitchen. I did not want a separate room that no one would ever go in. I also chose not to have an eating area in the kitchen which is just steps away. I wanted this room to be where we ate and gathered unless we were at the island which has plenty of room for the 5 of us! I had my husband do more of the paneled wall boxes in here and kept them white for the time being knowing it would be easy down the road to paint that wall a color should I decide I want a change. Paint color is All White by Farrow & Ball. Crown Molding is Ultra Pure White by Behr. Table was purchased at an antique shop and is refinished in Annie Sloan chalk paint. French Linen and Pure White. Chairs were an antique store find about 16 years ago. I got 6 of them for $50! I had my husband take them apart and re-nail them to make sure they were sturdy. He then painted them and I reupholstered them. I want to get new chairs soon but these have been great for many many years and certainly worth well more than the price I paid! White cane end chairs were also an antique shop find and I painted them and reupholstered them. The pair for $20! Christmas sign by Signs of Hope. Chairs flanking sideboard from Restoration Hardware. Lighting My husband made the sideboard which used to be our media console in the old house. Chandelier by Hinkley Lighting from Lighting Design Company. Lamps by Horchow. Kitchen I could not be happier with how our kitchen turned out! I put less expensive materials in other places so that I could make sure to get the things I wanted in the kitchen. Because it is quite large, even when being very budget conscience with choices, it can quickly add up because you need so much! I definitely knew we couldn’t afford commercial appliances or very high end ones. I did a ton of research as we had a cut and dry number that I could not go above for all of our appliances in our house. I chose the Fridgidaire Gallery line and so far so good! We have an induction cooktop and I really love it. Kitchen Island & Hood Range Hood made my husband. He also made the island and did the same X detail on island ends, side of fridge, and built in doors in family room. Pendant lights by Golden Lighting. Island is 10 feet long by 4 feet wide. Countertop Counters are white Carrara marble which I knew I had to have even though they can get a bad reputation. I knew nothing else compared to the look of marble so I am fine with a little more maintenance. Sink & Faucet Sink is by Kohler. Faucet is American Standard. Pulls are Hickory Hardware. Backsplash Backsplash is Arabescato Carrara marble in a herringbone pattern. Counterstools Acrylic barstools by Gabby Home. Open Layout In our old house, the family room was separated from the kitchen by a wall that we couldn’t take down so another must have for this house we built was having the kitchen and family room together. Because of that design, it was important the 2 rooms flow and have same design elements. Family Room Sofa by Craftmaster – similar here. Rug by Nourison from the Kathy Ireland collection. Custom pillows by Cruel Mountain Designs. Built-ins The built-ins with x door detail and the shiplap backs were made by my husband and painted our house trim color: Ultra Pure White by Behr. Satin brass hardware can be found here. Chandelier by Crystorama designed by Libby Langdon. Brass swing arm sconces by Savoy House. Gold and glass table from Home Goods. Chairs White Chairs are from Lamps Plus. Ottomans Blue X leg ottomans from Joss and Main. Barn Door A grey barn door conceals a modern farmhouse-inspired mudroom. Mudroom I didn’t have a mudroom in our previous home that we lived in for 16 years so it was first on my list of needs for this home! I wanted the blue built-ins my husband made to really stand out so I kept the walls the same crisp white as the rest of the house. That paint color is All White by Farrow & Ball. I also wanted a fun patterned tile and I wanted durability so I chose a patterned porcelain tile by Merola that I bought from Wayfair. Chandelier by Hinkley Lighting. Satin Brass door knobs from Baldwin Hardware. Grey Doors: Custom mix of Stardew, Uncertain Gray by Sherwin Williams with a little Wales Gray by Benjamin Moore. Master Bedroom Our master bedroom is one the main level. It is part of a bump out in the rear of the house with amazing views. Our house is on 5 acres and we have beautiful fields, woods, and rolling hills all around us. We chose to put mainly windows on the whole back wall for this reason. I wanted a very bright airy room so I chose to use the crisp white paint in here. If you didn’t already know, I love white!! White walls make me happy and draw your attention to furniture pieces and art. We still need to add molding to this room as part of my design plan from the beginning but some things we just haven’t gotten to yet! Custom upholstered headboard from The Tufted Frog. Bedding from Linens and Hutch. End of bed leather bench from Joss & Main. White Tree from Joss & Main. Custom pillows from Cruel Mountain Designs. Table lamps from Home Goods. Brass chandelier from Lamps Plus – similar here. White fabric Roman shades from Blinds.com – similar here. Rug by Surya Rugs. Master Bath Our master bath is another space where I chose to scrimp on other bathrooms so that I could put the materials I wanted in here. We chose to pare down the size of the bathroom to allow for a larger closet for me which is through that pocket door. Again, my love for cool white and gray marble ruled all of my decisions. Floor is Carrara marble 12×24 tiles laid in a herringbone pattern. Counters are Mont Blanc marble and are 9 feet long. I used square undermount sinks. Wallpaper by York Wallcoverings. It’s a raised textured paper. Turkish towels by Olive and Linen. Chandelier by Artcraft Lighting. Details I wanted to use a mirror that covered the entire wall so I chose to have my sconces mounted to the mirror. Lucite and polished nickel sconces by Savoy House. Faucets are American Standard. Cabinet hardware in polished nickel from Amerock Hardware. Stool from Joss and Main. Shower Shower floor is Carrara marble hexagon tile and walls are Carrara 3×6 subway tile. Shower seat is a solid slab of Mont Blanc marble. Daughter’s Room My daughter is the only girl so we are all about making everything girly for her! The wallpaper in her room takes the focus so I wanted to leave her other 3 walls crisp white. I chose to do the ceiling in a blush pink – Intimate White by Sherwin Williams. It adds some fun to her ceiling. Her bed, nightstands, and bench are all french antiques. Bedding from Beddy’s. Pillows from Home Goods. Wallpaper by York Wallcoverings. Chandelier from Pottery Barn. 8×10 Rug from esale rugs. Same flooring upstairs as we have downstairs. Daughter’s Bathroom My only daughter gets the bedroom with the ensuite bathroom. Her counter is Quartzite. She also has the only bathtub in the house. I chose white 3×12 elongated subway tile laid in a herringbone pattern for her shower walls. Antique chair I painted the ceiling color – SW Intimate white (which oddly enough is a blush pink). Walls are like her room All White by Farrow & Ball. Floor tile is 12×24 tile from Home Depot. All cabinetry in the house from J&K Cabinetry. Shower curtain from Home Goods. Chandelier from Wayfair. Oldest Son’s room My oldest just so happened to get the largest of the kids’ rooms. In our last house, all of their bedrooms were about 10×10 so it is so amazing having so much space! His room is about 13×17. Lucky Kid! He also has the largest of the closets. I did gray painted walls in his room. Paint color is Seattle by Sherwin Williams. One wall is wallpapered in paper from MK Wallpaper designed by Jullian Harris. Bed, nightstand, and desk are all refinished antique shop finds. Gray braided chair from Lamp Plus. Leather butterfly chair from Home Goods. Task Lamp from Home Goods. Light fixture from Lighting Design Company. Tommy Hilfiger drapes from Home Goods. Middle Son’s Room The 8×10 rug by Mohawk. Bedding by Beddy’s. Light fixture from Lighting Design Company. Wood planked wall from Stikwood. Antique lockers are salvaged and bought at a flea market. Bed was also a flea market find and I repainted it. Wall color is Kentucky Haze by Benjamin Moore. Pillows by Summed Classics. Meet the Homeowers Make sure to follow Molly from @mk_interiors_ on Instagram and stop by her website to see more photos of her beautiful home! Holiday Deals Pottery Barn: The Holiday Event: 20 to 25% OFF + Free Shipping: Use Code: SNOWMAN Wayfair: Weekend Mega Deals – 80% Off + Many New Items on Clearance!!! West Elm: Up to 40% Off + Free Shipping. Use Code: MERRY One Kings Lane: 30% Sitewide & Free Shipping on orders over $100 with Code: OKLFREESHIP Serena & Lily: Get started on your holiday shopping with 20% off everything at Serena and Lily. Use code CHEERS Williams & Sonoma: Up to 50% off + Free Shipping with Code: EXTRA Nordstrom: Up to 40% off select styles plus an extra 20% off sale items. J.Crew: Take an 30% off extra. 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You can follow my pins here: Pinterest/HomeBunch See more Inspiring Interior Design Ideas in my Archives. Popular Paint Color Posts: The Best Benjamin Moore Paint Colors 2016 Paint Color Ideas for your Home Interior Paint Color and Color Palette Pictures Interior Paint Color and Color Palette Ideas Inspiring Interior Paint Color Ideas Interior Paint Color and Color Palette New 2015 Paint Color Ideas Interior Paint Color Ideas Interior Design Ideas: Paint Color Interior Ideas: Paint Color More Paint Color Ideas Hello my friends, Pinterest: Many of you have written emails asking me why you aren’t being able to pin lately. Pinterest is working to resolve this issue ( I have sent them many emails – feel free to send them an email too – that might help them to act faster!) and hopefully we’ll be able to pin soon. Meanwhile, feel free to pin from my Instagram or repin my pins here. 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[riseandshinelittleblossom]

Hoping for Home Ch 4~ Scar

Summary: Sixteen years ago Libby Scott was supposed to become Queen of Cordonia, but Fate had other plans. Catch up here (ya know ya wanna).

Song for this chapter: “Scar” by Foxes

Disclaimer: I don’t own the TRR characters, they own me

Tags: @fullbeaumonty @speedyoperarascalparty @cocomaxley@leelee10898 @ao719 @hopefulmoonobject@itsstillnotwhatyouthink @choiceswreckedme @indiacater@drakesensworld @carabeth @daniv2278 @cosigottahavefaith @gibbles82  @innerpostmentality @blackcoffee85@perfectprofessorherokid  @darley1101 @jovialyouthmusic@liamxs-world @thequeenofcronuts @blznbaby@stopforamoment @zilch3382 @wannabemc2 @jlouise88  @lodberg

    Liam awoke before the sun rose and slipped quietly from his bed to avoid waking his queen.

      He picked up his phone and shot off a text to Bastien, his head of security. He knew that Bas would never let him make so far a journey without a guard, but perhaps if he let the man know his intentions Bastien would assign to him someone a bit more discreet than his usual security, if only for today.

      Liam hopped into the shower, not bathing right away, instead he stood with one hand planted on the cool tile allowing the steaming water to cascade over him. The shower was the only place that a king was ever truly alone with his thoughts, so Liam didn't dare squander the opportunity.

    *********

     Las Vegas, Nevada- 16 years ago

     “What do you mean you have no idea where she is, Mara? You are her bodyguard.” Liam seethed. He was doing his best to keep an even tone, but his patience was quickly waning.

    “Alexi was on duty by her door, Your Highness. It was shift change. I have spoken with him extensively and-” Mara tried to explain.

   “Enough!” The King barked. “Where is Alexi? Bring him to me.”

   After a few moments the young King's guard strode into the room trying-but failing-to hide his nervousness.

  “I want a complete rundown of Duchess Libby's evening after my departure from her in the hotel lobby.” Liam snapped, palm landing hard on the desktop before him, cutting straight to the point.

    “She and Lord Beaumont got into the elevator together. When I arrived on her floor I saw her closing the door to her room. I took up my regular post outside of her door. A few hours passed and Lord Beaumont slipped out of the room. He was alone. That was at 3am, Sir. By 5am, as my shift was ending, I used the master key to gain access to the Duchess's room where I found her asleep on the sofa in her suite's sitting area, so I slipped off to the bathroom. After I returned to my post an hour more passed before Mara relieved me. No one else came or went, Sir.

    It's my professional opinion that the Duchess's absence is...by design,Sir. There appears to be no sign of a struggle. I believe she left of her own volition.”

   Liam stroked his chin a moment before finally nodding. “Thank you, Alexi. You're excused. Please go and collect Lord Beaumont for me. I'd like to speak to him at once.”

     Maxwell was ushered in my Mara and Alexi looking as panic-stricken as everyone else.

  “Liam, where's Libby?” He asked immediately.

  “That's exactly what I wanted to ask you, old friend. It seems you were the last person to-ahem- speak to her.”

   Maxwell's body tensed as he readied to defend himself.

   “Are you interrogating me, Your Majesty?”  he asked incredulously.

   “Maxwell, last night you were in my fiance's bed and this morning she is missing. What would you do in my situation?” Liam steepled his hands as he rested his elbows on the desk.

  “Well I sure as hell wouldn't be questioning the only person that cares about her as much as I do in this fashion. Especially when we're supposed to be friends. Liam, you had royal guards escort me here. Don't you trust me?” Maxwell barked as Bastien took a few steps towards him.

   Liam waved off the security.

   “Maxwell, we've been friends for a very long time, and as much as it pains me to say this- no. I do not trust you. Not when it comes to Libby. I know the two of you are….Do you know where she is?”

   Maxwell balked. “No, Liam. I don't have a clue as to where she is.”

**************

      The Royal Palace-Present day

     Olivia was awake by the time Liam had dressed after his shower. He filled her in on his plans for today, asking her to take his place during a brunch with the French Ambassador.

    “I can handle brunch for you, sure. But are you sure you want to drive to Ramsford alone? Things between you and Maxwell aren't exactly...as they once were.”

   Liam sighed. “I know, darling. I'm hoping that he will hear me out. I'm not saying that Maxwell can't handle himself, but there's no doubt he's been invited to Valtoria as well. My feelings for Libby are complicated but I've mended. Maxwell has not. Whatever they had all those years ago….it was very real to him, Liv. He still wears his heartbreak like an open wound. I just want to be sure he hasn't…”

   “Fallen off the wagon? I guess I can see that. Just let me know when you make it there, okay? You know I'll worry.” She kissed her husband's cheek before smoothing his t-shirt over his shoulders.

     “I will be back this evening. And Liv?”

   She raised an eyebrow.

    “Thank you for understanding. All of this. I know it isn't very fair to you.”

   She waved her hand. “Liam, Libby was one of a very select few that I considered to be my friend, and she hurt me too. She's been gone for so long now it's almost as if she's come back from the dead. When I got that invitation to tomorrow night's ball I assumed it would be an emotional few days for all us. Besides, I know you love me, and we've talked about this. Just go and make sure Maxwell is okay. I'll be fine.”

    He gripped the steering wheel of his Rolls Royce as the engine roared to life. He'd barely made it out of the palace gates when his eyes flicked to the rearview mirror noticing the security SUV behind him.

   He silently thanked Bastien for understanding his need to do this “alone” and settled in for the journey to Ramsford.

****************

       Valtoria- Cordonia- 14 years ago

     Liam stepped cautiously into the study at Valtoria. He found the room was empty and he couldn't mask his disappointment that she wasn't there yet.

   “I'll inform the Duchess of your arrival, Your Majesty.” Tessa, the majordomo, said with a curtsy and the king nodded.

   After a few moments Libby entered the room. She wore an oversized, white, turtleneck sweater and a pair of black leggings, her strawberry blonde hair was braided over her shoulder.

  Liam felt his heart drop into his stomach at the sight of her.

  “Libby. I... I'm glad to see you.” He said finally.

  She was staring at the floor, but her eyes flicked up to meet his briefly as she motioned to the brown leather sofa beside them. He joined her and the room filled up with a silence so deafening it made Liam's ears ring.

  “I want to start out by saying how truly, truly sorry I am, Li.” She broke the ice.

  “I'm sure you had your reasons.”

  Libby scoffed. “There is no reason that makes up for what I did to you, Your Majesty.”

  Liam reached for her hand and she let him take it in his.

  “I felt like I owed you an explanation. I didn't want to do it over the phone. My life has been…. eventful since I left, but I came back as soon as I could.”

   He nodded. “Well then, tell me...what happened? Why did you leave in the first place? Tell me what you've been up to all this time. Tell me everything.”

   Libby took a deep breath, exhaling audibly before she began.

   “Do you remember the night you proposed to me, Liam? Do you remember what I said to you?”

   Liam nodded. When she didn't continue, he said, “You told me that you loved me. That you would always love me, but that there was another that held your heart. Libby I... I was hopeful then that one day you would change your mind. If we married, I thought that I could love you….like that...enough for the both of us. I, well I realize now that that was... selfish of me.”

   Libby squeezed his hand. “No more selfish than me running away. After Vegas, I…” she swallowed hard before looking deep into his eyes, “ ...didn't want to pretend anymore. I knew how you felt and I didn't return those feelings. I also knew that you deserved to be married to someone that did.

     After...he...left that night, I wondered what life would be like in Cordonia without either of you. I knew that even if you and I called off the wedding that you would let me stay-what we were doing for the country was too important. But imagining a life where I had to keep both you and Maxwell at arm's length forever….Liam I wasn't strong enough to face that.”

     The King was quiet as he soaked up her words, chewing them over before he finally said, “What kind of man would I be-what kind of a king-if I kept you from your heart's true desires, Libby? You, of course, will always have a home in Cordonia as long as I am king. And had you chosen to stay I would have never faulted you for choosing Maxwell.”

   She blinked back hot tears as she looked into Liam's eyes, her voice cracking as she whispered, “I never thought that you would. After the scandal I caused-.”

   “My father caused that scandal, Libby. It was never your fault.” Liam interrupted.

  “Well it was meant to embarrass you and I was at it's center. And then the assassination attempts, also meant to discredit you...leaving you two days before our wedding to marry Max? I would never, ever do that to you,Li. The press would've had a field day. The assassins would've been one step closer to winning. The best thing for me to do was what I did. I slipped quietly into the night, just as quickly as I came. I figured it was the least I could do for you and for Maxwell and Bertrand who-despite everything- still believed I'd be a good queen.”

   Liam reached up and tucked a strand of hair back into her braid before using his thumb to wipe away a stray tear from her cheek.

  “Elizabeth Scott, I love you. I will probably always love you, because your first love only happens once. And I admire your intentions to try and bare the brunt for all of us involved, but you don't have to. Please come home. We don't have to be together-that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking you to come back to Cordonia. This country still needs you. I- Maxwell, Drake, Hana, Liv- we all still need you.”

   “It's not that simple, Liam. My life...there are things... I have a new life now.”

************”*****

Ramsford, Cordonia - Present Day

       Maxwell entered the study, stumbling back a few steps when he saw Liam on the settee.

    “Your Majesty,” he bowed. “What do I owe this honor?”

     Liam stood and crossed the floor pulling the stupefied man into a tight squeeze.

    “You look good, Max.” he told him.

    “Oh, this is a personal call? It's only been, what? Maybe 5 years since you've made one of those.”

    The brunette walked over to a cabinet, opening it to reveal an assortment of liquors. “You want something, Li? I think I might need something if you're here to discuss the invitation to Valtoria I received.”

   Liam forced a chuckle as he sat back down. “Sure, a scotch on the rocks, please.”

     What felt like an eternity of awkward silence passed between the once close friends as they clutched their drinks.

   “So she has heirs. Babies. Twins, I'm assuming.” Maxwell finally said, sucking his teeth as he pulled his glass from his lips.

   “That's how it would appear.” The King began. “How are you handling things?”

   “Look, Liam. I haven't gone off the deep end on some wild drinking binge, okay? I've been grading midterms and trying to decide if I should even go.”

  “I am merely asking a question, Maxwell. No need to get hostile. Despite our...strained past, I do care about what happens to you. You're still my friend.”

Maxwell sighed.

   “I don't know. Part of me can't wait to see her, but part of me feels like if I never saw her again it would be too soon.”

   Liam nodded as he watched his friend rake his fingers through his hair before he continued.

  “I- I think she called me the other day, Liam. I would put money on it. She hung up so fast, but….how would she even get my number? Hana?”

  “I would think if Hana had given it to her she'd have done so many years ago. I also think that if that were the case, Libby would have used it sooner.”

Maxwell winced at the sound of her name.

   “If I were you I would go, Max. You need the closure.” Liam rested his hand on the other man's knee and Maxwell nodded.

   “After so many years you'd think the pain would go away. But it's still there, Liam, right under the surface. I wanna yell at her. After everything Bertrand and I did for her. After everything you did for her. And Hana and Drake. She just…” Maxwell used his fingers to mime a person running.

  “How dare she? It's like she waltzed in here-pun definitely intended- and bewitched everyone and then..”

  “You're still in love with her. Even after all this time?” The King interrupted.

   Maxwell sank back in his seat exasperated, running a hand down his face. “Aren't you? You're telling me you feel nothing?”

  “Not nothing, but surely not love. I feel more of a fondness in the place of what once was. I've moved on from that years ago. I think, however there is a lot to be said for the fact that you haven't.”

  Maxwell narrowed his eyes and knocked back the rest of his drink. “Well not all of us are exalted kings, Liam. Some of us are still only mere mortals.”

***************

Valtoria, Cordonia - present day

     Drake sighed an exaggerated sigh.

    “Okay so I know why she's here.” He pointed to his daughter. “And them.” He gestured towards the twins and Hana's son, Abel.

    “Remind me why I'm here again.”

     Libby rolled her eyes as she set the needle on the record player. She set her body into the starting position for the Cordonian Waltz.

     “Get over here, Walker. You said you'd help give the twins some courtly lessons. All that's left to teach them is how to dance.”

    Reluctantly Drake set his body as a mirror image of Libby's, pulling her into the dance.

   Will burst into laughter. “Okay, Mom. You've asked us to believe some pretty far out there things the last month or so, but the fact that Drake knows how to dance has the be the best one yet.”

   Drake cocked an eyebrow. “I'll have you know I'm an excellent waltzer. And ya know what? Your ole Mom here taught me. So zip it and learn something.”

    He twirled Libby effortlessly through the empty ballroom and when the waltz finally ended she beamed at him.

   “Good to see you haven't lost your touch there, Scott.” Drake smiled.

   “You weren't too bad yourself, Walker. Now kids, pair off. Emma and Will I want you to start so that when the time comes to switch partners I can see how well each of you do.” Libby instructed.

      The kids did very well to start, and when it was time, Abel expertly spun McKenzie into Will's arms.

     “Well hi!” She giggled.

      Will blinked at her, losing his footing. “I'm sorry,” he winced as he smashed both of her feet, one after the other.

   “It's fine. I don't need them for anything. You're doing great, Romeo.”

     Will spun her under his arm, her chocolate locks fanning around her. A smile played on her lips as she returned to him, her back pressed against his chest, and Will's breath caught in his throat at the sight. He had never seen anything as angelic as McKenzie Walker.

  “R-romeo?” He questioned. She sunk her body into him for a moment.

  “You heard me.”

  “So does that make you my Juliette?” He whispered in her ear and she giggled.

    “Only time will tell.”

     Emma swayed happily in time wrapped  in Abel's strong arms. She wasn't sure exactly what had changed since she'd seen him last summer, but suddenly she found herself giddy in his presence, her stomach churning blissfully when he smiled at her.

   “You're rather good at this.” He commented as he moved his body with hers.

   Emma's cheeks flashed crimson.

   “I want to get this right, ya know? This is important to Mom.”

   “But is it important to you? My opinion is that it should be, because this is your life, after all. Life is far too short to put such effort into anything that doesn't set your soul on fire.” Abel winked at her.

   “Well there are certainly worse ways to spend my afternoon than dancing with you.” She told him.

     Libby sighed, leaning her head on Drake's shoulder as they watched the teenagers twirl.

   “I never thought it would be this hard.” Libby commented.

   “What's that? Training your kids for the court?”

   She giggled. “No. Watching them all fall in love while dancing the Cordonian Waltz, just like I did so many years ago. It really is an enchanting dance.”

   Drake's eyes went wide as he peered over at McKenzie. There was a difference in the way her smile reached her eyes and the look she was giving Will was very reminiscent of the one his late wife used to give him.

   He shook his head. “Scott, you're crazy.”

    “Am I, Walker? Maybe that's what it is that's wrong with me.”