#chicago wedding studio

[thatone-brightstar]

More than all the stars (Carmy Berzatto x Fem!Reader) (The Bear & The Fox Series)

Chapter 1: Peelers, pears & 'I'll be there's

Words: 3.8k

summary: Packing up the old, to bring in the new.

a/n: Hi, hope you enjoy! Remember comments, likes and reposts are truly appreciated even in old chapters. Also a lot of fluff cuz i think these two are missing it lol

Prologue.

Carmy had left a few hours ago, before sunlight could even break through the frosted windows and with you almost not noticing it. He made it past your bed and to the opened door on soft steps, but the heel of his boot scraped the wood unnecessarily hard; and a light shuffle from the bed followed the noise instantly.

“Carmy?” You asked quietly, voice muffled by the thickness of the comforter. 

You shuffled again to push yourself up as Carmy made his way to your side, leaning over you.

“Hey, yeah sorry- I didn’t wanna wake you…” He gently pushed your shoulder back to the mattress and watched you tuck both palms between the pillow and your cheek. “I gotta go in early, but you get some sleep, okay?” 

He leaned down to place a soft kiss over your temple, making you smile and move closer to the hand coming over your hair.

“Okay…” You mumbled back without bothering to open your eyes. “I’ll go visit later.”

“Yeah, sure. Get some rest.”

Carmy gave you a final kiss and before he could pull his hand away from your face, yours reached for it, giving it a light kiss on the discolored ‘S’ under his knuckles.

“Love you, Bear.” You said letting him go and pulled the covers over you once more.

“Love you, Bear.” He repeated without a thought.

His boot scraped the wood again once he noticed the naturality of the words and a sudden wave of cold anxiety washed over him in fear that you might have heard them. He turned his head to the cocoon of blankets you were buried under- undisturbed- and let out a breath of relief. He quickly made his way out the bedroom and past the apartment door into the hall, pushing back the crazy thought that has haunted him for later.

The freezing Chicago weather had kept you in bed for as long as possible, afraid of the chill that would seep through your socks once your feet stepped on the wooden floors. Still, you couldn’t stay more than usual once awake and instead forced yourself up and out to make something of your only day off. With a cup of fresh coffee in your hands and your hair still wet from the warm shower, you took a seat in front of your recently arranged studio in Carmy’s living room- your shared living room.

It still felt strange to call it that, because despite the fact that you had been sleeping at his place for a while now, living together was a whole different situation. You felt like so much had happened in a short period of time that there was still a lot you tried to wrap your head around. From the money, to Joyce’s wedding, to moving in with Carmy, all in under a month.

As your mind wanders away in all the ways your life has changed, your attention is swept away by swirls of light yellows, greens and reds that bounce bright over a shimmering lake. Carmy’s stereo plays one of the usual acoustic songs you use to fill the room while you work on the details, back hunched over in concentration. A few vertebrae pop in protest once you finally straighten your posture and move to rinse your hands of the paint.

Twenty minutes later and despite the cold, you shut the main door to the building and turn in direction to the one coffee shop Carmy likes, the one he always boasted about having the best hash browns in the city, and wait your turn in line to order.

You hadn’t been able to help as much at The Beef, the gallery had been buzzing with patrons since the charity event, that you rarely got a chance to leave the building before sundown. Many times you thought you’d reach the restaurant in time, but as everyone was leaving, covered in grime from head to toe, a part of you grew guilty for not being able to help as much as you’d like. So your contribution would come today in the form of coffee and lunch, because knowing Syd and your boyfriend, eating was probably the last thing on their mind.

Once your order is done and you have to juggle the sandwiches and steaming cups in your arms, the idea to go back for the car pops into your head. But you haven’t tried driving on your own yet and it doesn’t sound so appealing the more you think about it. Instead, you rearrange the paper bags and cup holders into a more comfortable grip and walk the twelve minutes it takes you to reach The Beef- ‘The Bear’ you correct in your head.

By the time you get there, your nose has grown red from the cold and your gloved hands almost lose their grip on the flimsy cup holders.

“G’mornin, hands please!” You yell once you manage to pry the front door open, in hopes that anyone is close enough to hear you.

“Me! I got hands, I’m comin’!” You hear Neil shout from where the steward section used to be, then you hear his shoes and the jingle of his keys move quickly towards you. “Ooh, is that chorizo!?” He asks sniffing around, taking the bags from your hands.

“Yeah- dude you got a good nose…”

“Thanks, my bro says I’m like a Bloodhound when it comes to food- can I?”

“Yeah, go ‘head.”

“Sweet…”

“Hey-” Syd greets you as she enters the room and offers you a quick side hug. “How’s apartment hunting?”

“Fuckin’ nightmare…” You grumble and carefully hand her the Chai with her name scribbled on it, then yell “I brought family! Come get it before Fak eats it all!”.

Ignoring the small ‘I’m not gonna eat it all’ from the man beside you, you begin pulling the aluminum wrappers and gently stack them over a paper bag to avoid the dust. One by one, the guys come littering in, with tired expressions over their faces, greeting you and grabbing a cup.

“Why don’t you just stay where you are now?” She asks, unwrapping her sandwich.

“Cause Carmy’s landlord’s an asshole.” 

“Carmy’s an asshole?” Marcus jokes, walking past you with a smile and ruffling your hair the way an older brother would.

You roll your eyes and swat his hand away. “Y’know, I’m really lovin’ all this contribution to the conversation.”

“Why’s your landlord an asshole?”

You sigh deep and take a sip of your cup. “Since it states in the contract that it’s only being rented for one person, a.k.a. Carmy, me being there is a violation, which breaks the contract, which means he can raise the rent cause he’s an-”

“Asshole.” Marcus finishes up for you and you point towards him in agreement. “Got it.”

“Wait, he can’t do that, can he?” Syd asks through a frown.

“I guess, I don’t know, I don’t know any lawyers.”

Her head immediately turns to Gary, whose attention is fully involved in the blueberry muffin in his hands. He raises his head at the sensation of your stares and after a few seconds asks;

“Is it rent controlled?”

“No.”

“Carmy bother to ask for a copy of the contract?”

“...no.”

“Then no. Sorry.” He answers with a shrug and digs back into his muffin. “...man I love these things…”

You sigh and look at Syd again, your eyes travel down to the familiar shade of blue, recognition cocking your head lightly to the side. “Is that my sweater?”

She looks down from her sandwich and shakes her head, stretching out her arm so you can see the little embroidered name on the sleeve. “Matching one’s , remember?”

“Oh, yeah…” You say with a head, remembering the day you bought the matching sweaters, along with the dress for Joyce’s wedding. “I like the little pattern.”

She swallows her bite and gives you a proud smile, posing from side to side so you can see the design better. You snigger at her little movements while everyone falls into a soft hum of conversation, mostly discussing the things that they still have to finish. You’re half way through your coffee when Carmy and Natalie finally walk into the room, immersed in a heated discussion over not having enough budget to cover the cost of ‘some stupidly ridiculous door knobs that no one’s even gonna notice, Carmen.’ 

“I’m gonna notice, okay?” 

“Yeah, well if you’ve got six grand to spare, go pick ‘em up from Italy yourself, they’re a no Carm- hey hun.” Natalie cuts off the conversation by greeting you, leaning in to give you a hug and missing the frown over her brother’s face. 

She sighs into the hug, holding on to you longer than usual. You don’t make an effort to move away, instead you rub your palms lightly over her back and ask a quiet ‘Everything okay Nat?’ into her hair.

“Yeah-” She says, pulling away and clearing her throat. “-yeah. Just that time of the month, y’know.” 

Natalie brushes your worry away with a thin smile and turns to grab her lunch. Your eyes follow her through the room until she disappears into the kitchen, then you look back to the untouched cup of coffee with her name wrapped around the middle. 

You can feel Carmy’s presence lingering beside you and the warmth of his hand on your center back sparks a smile over your lips. “Hey.”

“Hi.” He repeats, bright eyes darting around your soft features as his palm rubs timid circles between your shoulder blades. 

Carmy isn’t one for a public display of affection, instead he enjoys the quiet touches. The lingering looks across a crowded room and wrapping his fingers over your soft hand when he thinks no one is looking.

“I brought you hashbrowns.” You say and push a grease stained paper bag in his direction.

“Oh. thanks.” He says only letting you go once the savory scent reaches his nose. You notice the familiar chase of blue again, except now keeping your boyfriend warm and you smile to yourself. “Kasama?” He asks.

“No- I wish, but they’re closed today. It’s Minelli’s from down the street. Second best…”

“Yeah-” He chuckles lightly. “-second best. Thank you.” 

Your grin grows to your tinted cheeks, blue irises drawing you in and you look away in fear that your cheeks might burst from cuteness. 

“Yo, everyone say thank you for the food?” Carmy asks loudly around the room.

A chorus of jumbled up yes dad’s and thank you’s echoes back and makes you laugh. “It’s no problem. I was planning on helping out today anyway-”

Carmy shakes his head and chews faster, wiping the crumbs of the hashbrown off his hands and onto the sides of his jeans.

“Thank you, but no- you’ve already done enough-” He tries to dismiss before Syd cuts him off.

“That’s perfect actually- I need someone to finish packing dishware.”

“Yeah, I can do that-”

“-No…”

“-Carmy-”

“-Syd-”

“-Carmy.” You interrupt in an overly sweet tone that has his eyes darting in your direction. There’s a shuffle of movement as the staff take their food and slowly begin to shuffle away, leaving only you two. “Why not?” 

“It’s your day off. I don’t want you spending it stuck in here…” He answers with a sigh. 

“It’s just dishware…” You shrug and tilt your head slightly, hoping that he gives in with the look you’re giving him.

Carmy searches around your face for a few seconds then pinches the bridge of his nose and nods. “...okay fine, just- don’t hurt yourself… everything’s fuckin’ gross right now.” He runs a hand through his hair and watches you agree happily. “Alright, I gotta go talk to Nat ‘bout some stuff, but I’ll check on you later.”

Carmy reaches out a hand to gently knead your forearm, then quickly turns around. 

”Hey-wait-” You call out to him, lowering your voice to a whisper. “Don’t you see somethin’ weird about your sister?” You ask, eying her suspiciously through the little window that peeks into the kitchen.  

“What? What d'you mean?” Carmy answers. 

“I dunno. She just seems… off.”

“Stress… I guess- I dunno. Probably nothin’.” He brushes off, but you eye her for a few seconds longer as he moves again towards the back.

**********

There isn’t a part of you that’s not covered in a thin layer of dust or sweat since you got to The Beef- The Bear- 'Dammit.’ It’s a strange situation to see, you had never known the place could be so quiet, gloomy or empty. 

The walls had been stripped of any trace of personality, leaving only the dusty shadows of frames marking the white paint. The front windows were patched with old newspapers, blocking out the light and giving the space a more depressing feel each time you climbed back up the basement stairs. 

You have spent all afternoon packing up utensils and throwing out silverware that had known better days. Carmy had passed by a few times and insisted you should save yourself before the place swallowed you up, but all he got was a snigger and a soft pat on the cheek. ‘It already has.’ You say with a smile, before moving to tape up one of the boxes. 

Between scrolling through apartment listings and packing most of the dishware up, you hadn’t noticed you were almost working in the dark until Richie flicked the switch and you were startled by the change in lighting.

“Thanks.” You say with a head nod that he reciprocates. “You good?”

He nods again, though mostly by inertia. “Yeah- yeah I’m good. Just, um, dropped off Ava at her mom’s.”

“How is she?”

“Oh I dunno- I didn’t see her-”

“-I meant Ava.”

“Oh, she’s great!” He answers with a new found glow over his face. “Yeah- she’s been really getting into painting recently. Oh, you should see her- she’s so good! I’ve been thinking about signing her up for classes, but they’re fuckin’ expensive, y’know?”

“Why don’t you just put her in mine?” You state like it’s obvious and shrug, sorting out the last pile of forks. 

“Yo-wait, seriously?” Richie asks in a perplexed tone.

“Sure, I can talk Marge into a family discount or somethin’, if you want.” 

“Yeah- no that’d be great, I’ma go tell her the good news… thanks.” You shrug again and offer him a smile before he turns back around. Then you hear his familiar voice from inside the kitchen shout “Yo cuz, your girl’s The O.G.!”

His excitement causes you to shake your head and a small chuckle to escape through your nose as your attention falls back into the silverware. The repetitive action keeps you busy enough in your head that you don’t notice Carmy’s steps moving in your direction.

“Here.” He says, placing a glass of water by the pile of stained forks and quickly leaning down to peck your hair.

“Oh, thanks.” You say back with a small smile and crack your strained knuckles before holding the glass up and taking a sip.

“I think I’ll be a bit longer, Syd wants to talk menu. You don’t mind?” 

You nod and swallow the fresh liquid. “No, don’t mind.”

“Y’sure? It’s pretty late and I don’t know how long it’ll take.” He asks again, one hand pushing back the stray hairs that have fallen out of your ponytail throughout the day. “I know you’re probably tired, sorry.”

You shake your head and reach a hand up to rub the stubble on his cheek. “ Carm, you’re good. Go take care of the menu. I’ll finish here and you can look for me in the office once you’re done.” You smile up at him and give him a gentle pat.

Carmy wraps his hand carefully around your wrist and turns his head to kiss the heart of your palm. There’s still a faint scar of your accident with the pears and the peeler, but he tries not to mention it. He lets go of your hand with a shy smile and a sigh and moves back into the kitchen, where he’s spent most of the afternoon.

The rest of the silverware doesn’t take you more than fifteen minutes to finish and you only notice the slight protesting ache coming from your knees while dropping off the last box downstairs. Rolling out the tension on your neck, you move into the empty office and slouch over the old chair that you hope they replace in the future.

With only the dim yellow desk lamp illuminating the room and the sudden fatigue falling on your shoulders, the corners of your vision begin to blur. You fold your arms over the desk and rest your head above it with eyes closed, getting ready for a short nap. Carmy would wake you up in a few minutes anyway and you’d finally get to go home.

**********

A sense of guilt deepened the frown over his face when he saw the uncomfortable position you were sitting in, one outstretched arm holding your head while the other hand curled under your chin. He didn’t expect for the first ideas of the menu to take that long- half an hour at most- but when he pulled his phone out to show Syd a reference photo, the clock read ten minutes to midnight and his brows raised in shock. He called it a day and promised Syd they’d continue tomorrow, then scrambled to the office where he found you heavily asleep.

He moves towards your slump body and crouches down to your side, hand moving away the pieces of hair that have fallen over your face.

“Honey...” You grumble softly and hide your face deeper into your arm. “Baby, c’mon let’s go home.” 

Carmy tries to stifle the smile that forms from his words and from the cute noise you make in protest.

“What time is it…?” You ask, finally opening your eyes and stretching out your numb arms.

“Almost midnight- m’sorry, I didn’t notice the time.”

You blink your eyes several times to try and refocus your gaze, then smile lightly when you catch his stare. “What’s wrong?”

His grin turns slightly down in confusion. “Why, uhm, why would- why would you think that?” He asks in a low voice.

Pushing yourself off the desk, you prop up your elbow and rest your head over your palm, sleepy eyes set on him. “You’re over apologizing again.”

Carmy's eyes widen lightly then shrink with a grin, turning to the floor. He looks back up to your amused smile and points a finger to your nose. “wow…” He whispers and leans his forehead against yours.

After a few silent seconds, Carmy takes in a deep breath and pulls away after kissing the space between your eyes.

“So what is it?” You ask again and watch him straighten his knees and lean beside you on the desk.

“Turns out we might be over budget…”

“Over the whole 300k?” You repeat in slight surprise as he nods. “How much?”

“‘Bout 130k and counting.”

“...shit.” Is the only appropriate response that comes to mind.

“Yeah…” He agrees absentmindedly. 

“So… Jimmy?” You say after a while. knowing the answer before he even finishes pinching the bridge of his nose.

“...yeah. He’s comin’ in tomorrow mornin’.”

You slowly nod back in acknowledgment, then push away from the desk to stand beside him. Your head drops to his shoulder and his’ immediately follows yours. “You’re gonna need a killer pitch.” You mumble and he responds with a short laugh.

Carmy wraps an arm around you and guides you both out the office, switching off the light and closing the door. 

“Before I forget, I have some places for us to check out next week, you’re sure you can make it?” You ask him once outside the warm building, wrapping your jacket tighter around you before your teeth begin to chatter.

“Yeah, I’ll probably have to meet you there, though.” He answers as he finishes locking the side door.

“That’s fine- I just wanna make sure you’re there… I don’t wanna choose somethin’ you’re not gonna like.”

“I’ll be there.” He assures with an insistent nod.

Carmy notices how the peaks of your face begin to dust with a slight pink and he leans closer, putting an arm around your shoulders, for warmth. You look up at his face with a soft smile, eyes tracing over his features- mostly hidden under the shade of his baseball hat- and your hand holding onto his arm. As simple as that, you believe him.

**********

Taglist: @pearlstiare @teteminne, @beebslebobs, @harrysmatcha, @yum-yahgurt, @pussy-f41ry, @kirakombat, @redsakura101 , @hobisunshine13 and that’s it lmao

[sidekick-hero]

(steddie | mature | 2.1k | tags: mutual pining, Eddie/OMC (nothing explicit), memory of the past | second part to are you still mine? where Steve remembers another moment from their shared past | @steddielovemonth prompts Love is keeping a spare sweater/blanket in the car because they always get cold by @steddieasitgoes and Love is showing up when someone doesn’t ask ❤️by @steddieas-shegoes | AO3)

Steve thinks that making out with Eddie on the dance floor at Dustin and El's wedding is probably not the most polite thing to do. Especially as the best man.

But boy, is it hard to stop once they start kissing, twenty years of longing and dreaming all flowing into an almost desperate need to get closer and closer. Eddie kisses Steve like he wants to crawl inside him so he'll never have to leave again, and by God, Steve wants him to. Now that he's finally feeling Eddie, tasting him, he's not sure he can ever give it up.

It reminds him of Christmas Eve '93.

He was in Hawkins for the holidays, staying with Claudia and Dustin, as he had done every year since he and Robin had moved to Chicago in '87. His parents usually spent the holidays in Florida anyway, claiming the weather was more to their liking. He had a standing invitation to join them there, but Steve never took them up on it.

He'd rather spend Christmas with his real family.

So every year, on the day before Christmas, their little close-knit group would come over to Joyce and Hopper's house and gather for a family dinner. It was a tradition, almost an unspoken rule. Christmas Eve was spent at the Byers-Hopper residence.

Even Eddie would come, come hell or high water. In fact, he once told Steve that it was part of every contract he had signed since their first record deal in '88. Eddie would have time off between December 23rd and New Year's. The rest of the year was pretty unpredictable; they never knew when they would get a chance to talk to Eddie on the phone or even see him in person, but Christmas Eve was set in stone.

The last time Steve had seen Eddie in person had been at Dustin's graduation in May. Eddie had come all the way from LA just to see Dustin graduate, and Steve had been so excited to see him. More so than usual, since Steve had just graduated from teaching after drifting aimlessly for a while before deciding to go to community college to become a teacher.

He was also single for the first time in a long time. And he had thought that maybe this could be their chance. For a future together. Because Steve could teach in LA just as well as he could in Chicago. Or maybe Eddie could make music while living in Chicago; the city had a great music scene and recording studios as well. It wouldn't matter where, just that it was them.

Steve had never stopped hoping.

That's why he'd wanted to ask Eddie out while they watched the kid they kinda co-parented graduate. Only the words had died in his mouth the second he realized that Eddie hadn't come alone.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is Tom. Tom, these are my friends, Dustin, Mike, Will, Lucas, Max, El, Robin and Steve."

"You're a friend of Eddie's too?" Dustin had asked the guy, and Steve marveled at how dense their token genius could be sometimes.

Tom had smiled at Dustin and taken Eddie's hand. "His boyfriend, actually. Is that okay with you guys?"

No, Steve had wanted to say, piss off.

But he hadn't. Instead, he had avoided Eddie and Tom altogether, barely exchanging more than a few words with Eddie and ignoring the hurt look Eddie gave him whenever Steve pretended to be too busy to talk to him. It was for the best, really.

Their Christmas Eve gathering was a family affair, no outsiders allowed. It meant that Steve would at least not have to deal with watching Tom all night, enjoying what Steve himself had hoped to have one day: Eddie's love.

But even without Tom physically being there, he was like a ghost haunting him. It wasn't even that Eddie talked much about him or anything like that. In fact, he was too busy asking Steve questions about his new job as a middle school teacher and about the cat he and Robin had adopted and how their crazy neighbor was doing.

It made it easier to forget about Tom. The eggnog helped, too, and by the time he had finished his fourth glass, he was leaning heavily against Eddie's side, warm and cozy and surrounded by his still familiar smell. It almost felt like back in '86, before LA. When they drove Eddie's van to the quarry and lay on a mattress in the back with the doors open, looking at the night sky.

Eddie always kept a spare blanket in the van, just for Steve, because Steve always, always forgot his jacket. By the end of September, when Eddie had left, the blanket had begun to smell of them both.

"This is nice," Steve said, his tongue loose and his inhibitions low. "Just like the van, remember?"

Eddie's arm was on the back of the couch behind Steve, and he used it to pull Steve even closer. "Yeah."

And then, in a lower voice, "I missed you, Stevie."

When Tom stood in the doorway to pick up Eddie, reality came crashing down on him.

Everything went downhill after that.

Because after Eddie and Tom left, Steve decided he couldn't stay a minute longer either. He couldn't handle the laughter and joy, and especially the worried looks Robin was sending his way. So he told everyone that he was walking home to get some fresh air and to clear his head of the eggnog.

"Are you sure? I can drive you. Or you can stay with me at my parents'; you know they wouldn't mind."

"Thanks, Robbie, but I want to be alone for a little while, okay? Just for tonight. We'll talk tomorrow, I promise."

She gave him a long, searching look before nodding and pulling him into a tight hug. "Take care of yourself, okay? I need my best friend."

His downfall was the bar on the way to the Henderson house, because he had just enough money in his pocket to get sufficiently shitfaced.

And just enough spare change to call Eddie from the pay phone outside.

It rang for several long minutes, and Steve was almost ready to hang up and try again when a sleepy voice on the other end grumbled, "This better be important."

"Eddiiieee," Steve cheered, "thought you wouldn't pick up. Thought maybe you were too busy screwing Tom to answer the phone." Steve slurred his words badly and wondered if Eddie could even understand what he was saying.

"Jesus, Stevie, you're drunk as a skunk! What happened?"

"You," Steve whispered, and then louder. "'Nothin'. Just, y'know, spending Christmas Eve alone and drunk. Got to get used to that, I guess."

There was a long silence on the other end, and Steve would have thought Eddie had hung up if not for the sound of his breathing.

"Eddie?" Steve had to ask, the silence between them worse than anything he could imagine.

"Where are you?" Eddie had asked suddenly, and Steve had just enough time to tell him before the line went truly silent and the dial tone rang through the speaker, the phone demanding more coins Steve didn't have.

Cursing under his breath, he leaned his head against the glass of the phone booth and pinched his nose to keep the tears at bay.

He must have fallen asleep, because the next thing he knew, Eddie's hand was on his shoulder, shaking him gently. "Steve, hey. Stevie, come on, wake up. Time to get you home."

Blinking up at Eddie, Steve was sure he must be dreaming. "Eddie? What -?"

"You sounded like you needed someone, so I came. Come on, you must be freezing, man, you're shaking."

"Am I?" Steve asked, his voice sounding dazed, and Eddie sighed. With an arm around Steve's waist, he led him over to his old van. The one he'd left behind after his first visit to Hawkins after moving west, realizing it wouldn't survive the trip back. Wayne was taking care of it so that it would still be able to drive short distances in and around Hawkins, ensuring that Eddie would always have a ride when he visited.

"Your chariot awaits, my prince," Eddie said, helping Steve inside. It still smelled like it did back then. The inside of the old van had a distinct aroma that mixed the musty scent of the worn upholstery with the lingering hints of herbal sweetness and Eddie's cologne. It felt like a snapshot from his memory, as if no time had passed since he had last sat here.

God, Steve had missed this car.

He patted the dashboard clumsily but lovingly. "I missed you, baby."

"Did you just tell my car you missed her?" Eddie asked incredulously.

Steve pouted at him as Eddie turned the ignition and the engine roared to life. "She's a lady, Eds. You said so yourself. And she was always there for us."

Eddie's eyes were soft as he looked over at Steve.

"You're right, Stevie. She was." And then he leaned to the side and turned in his seat to rummage in the back until he emerged with a burgundy blanket. He draped it over Steve with gentle hands until only Steve's head was sticking out. "You're still shaking."

Steve was too stunned for words, and maybe that was better, because Eddie had shifted into drive and pulled onto the blissfully empty streets of Hawkins.

It was Steve's blanket. The one Eddie had put in the van for him.

The drive over to the Henderson's was a quiet one, both men lost in their thoughts. It was only when Eddie pulled up to the curb in front of the house that Steve spoke again, his brain a little more alert than when he had called Eddie.

"Thanks, Eds. You didn't have to do that," he told Eddie as earnestly as he could while feeling like the car was still moving underneath him.

"I know. I wanted to, though. I'll always want to, you don't have to ask."

"Why?"

"'Cause it's you." He said it so simply, as if it were just another fact. The sun rises in the east, monsters exist, and Eddie would always be there when Steve needed him, even when he didn't ask.

"Kiss me," Steve begged, suddenly desperate in a way he couldn't understand. All he knew was that if he let Eddie go right now, this moment between them would be over and he would have lost Eddie.

Again.

"Please, Eddie." His voice broke at Eddie's name.

A soft touch on his cheek, feather light as calloused fingers caressed his skin before a warm hand cupped his cold face.

"I can't," Eddie whispered even as he leaned in, his eyes so dark they looked almost black.

Steve leaned forward as well, willing to meet Eddie halfway, something he wished he'd done so much sooner.

"Why?" Almost inaudibly.

"Because I don't think I could stop if I kissed you now," Eddie replied, pressing a tender kiss to Steve's forehead, right between his eyebrows. "Go inside, Stevie. Sleep it off. You'll feel better in the morning."

And Steve went, if only to hide the tears on his face.

He didn't feel better the next day. Or the day after that.

It was a year before he spoke to Eddie again.

"Remember Christmas Eve '93?" Steve asks Eddie after they finally break apart.

Eddie's eyes are glazed and it takes him a second to get his bearings. He makes a questioning sound, clearly trying to catch up with where Steve's mind had gone, but then his face clears.

"Of course. God, you have no idea how much I wanted to kiss you that night. It took everything in me to let you go."

"I wish you had. I wanted you to."

"I know, sweetheart. But you were also really drunk and upset, and I had a boyfriend. And even though he wasn't you, I didn't want to hurt him. He didn't deserve that. But most of all, I didn't want to make you the other guy. I remember how much you hated your dad cheating on your mom, and I couldn't make you a part of something like that."

Steve kisses him again to show Eddie that he understands and that he's grateful. Because it's true, he wanted Eddie to choose him, but not like that. Not by hurting someone else like that.

"But I loved you then. Which I guess wasn't fair to Tom either, but I just didn't know how not to."

"I know. I think a part of me knew then, too. Which made it hurt even more."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. What did you say in your toast? 'If you're willing to take the long and winding road, you know that whatever's at the other end is worth it.' You are worth it."

Later, in Steve's hotel room, sweaty and sticky and still catching his breath, Eddie vows to show Steve every day that he's worth it. That they're worth it.

[blogger360ncislarules]

THE CHOSEN creator Dallas Jenkins recently opened up about the success of the crowd-funded TV show during a recent interview with Chicago WGN Radio.

Jenkins explained what makes it stand out from other biblical shows.

“The thing that makes it different…you see Jesus laughing with his friends, you see him dancing with his friends at a wedding.  You see the disciples and even the enemies of Jesus as real human beings with lives and struggles and questions and doubts, dealing with the same issues that we’re dealing with today,” he said.

When asked what about the show connects with viewers, Jenkins responded, “I think the biggest thing is…the humanity of it, I think I hear that term more than anything, it’s like ‘wow these people feel real.’”

Movieguide® previously described why THE CHOSEN is so different from other retellings of Jesus’ life.

While the Gospel tells us Who Jesus is, THE CHOSEN shows Him having life-changing conversations and interactions. The actor speaks Scripture, but is far from the stoic, flat Jesus of movies past. He cracks jokes, He empathizes, He builds friendships, and, yes, He’s sassy. Roumie’s performances induce sobs. He adds depth to the stories many people have heard since childhood. Deliverance takes on a new meaning as viewers watch him cast demons out of friends. Freedom bubbles over as characters embrace the Master. Doubt fades as Scripture comes alive.

“This is the first multi-season show in history about the life of Christ,” Jenkins added. “This is a show that feels like a normal TV show. It just happens to be about the people of first-century Galilee.”

CBN recently reported on the major impact THE CHOSEN has had across the world.

“The Chosen has been streamed more than 500 million times and has now been seen by more than 108 million people since Season 1 premiered,” CBN shared. “The series is available to watch for free on The Chosen App or the Angel Studios App. It’s also available on popular streaming services including Peacock, Apple TV, fubo TV, Google Play, Netflix, and Amazon Prime.”

[markonpark]

Bride and groom resemblance. Undated wedding portrait by Ray Studios of Chicago. https://markonpark.etsy.com/listing/1699016360

[gacmediadaily]

Great American Family is rolling out the red carpet for Danica McKellar's new royal-themed Christmas movie, A Royal Christmas Ball!

This movie is the latest to be filmed and promoted on their channel for the upcoming 2024 Great American Christmas movie season. See the promo for this movie below.

Here's what we know, so far, about this movie:

A Royal Christmas Ball will include waltzes choreographed by “Dancing With the Stars” professional dancer Gleb Savchencko. It is currently set to premiere this November on Great American Family.

Story synopsis via Great American Media: "In A Royal Christmas Ball, Chelsea Jones (Danica McKellar) is a dance instructor and studio owner in Chicago who inspires kids to find themselves through dance. Just before Christmas, Chelsea discovers a photo she’s never seen before. Chelsea thinks the young woman is her birth mother who passed away when she was only five years old. The woman is in a wedding dress tugging on the hand of a man wearing a wedding ring, but that is all that can be seen of the man Chelsea believes may be her father. The photo’s handwritten inscription reads, “Our place, Havenshire, December 23, 1984.” With only the internet, a plane ticket, and lifelong determination to go on, Chelsea now has four days in Havenshire to solve the mystery of her birth family. Along the way, she’ll have to sneak into a castle, teach a stubborn Prince how to dance, and be in just the right place on Christmas Eve when the bells toll."

A Royal Christmas Ball Promo:

Great American Family is currently using the title A Royal Christmas Ball to promote this film; however, there is a previous ION Christmas movie with the same title from 2017. Danica has said the title may change to A Cinderella Christmas Ball or something similar, so be sure to stay tuned IF there are any title changes or updates.

Of course, Danica McKellar is well-known for a number of TV and Christmas movies; notably, A Crown for Christmas is her most popular royal-themed Christmas movie to date. A Royal Christmas Ball will be her third royal film for Great American Family. The Winter Palace aired in 2022, and A Royal Date for Christmas aired in 2023.

More Great American Family News - In Case You Missed It:

Christmas in July is coming to Great American Family! Great American Media CEO Bill Abbott shared this exciting news in his latest insider email with this statement, "Movie enthusiasts can rest assured that we will go back to movies with Christmas in July, and then we will have a very strong slate of new, original movies through the end of 2024!"

Further information has not been released yet about when Christmas in July will begin, so please be sure to stay tuned for additional details. Last year, Great American Family ran Christmas movies 24/7 from July 1st to July 17th, and then from July 18th to July 30th, the channel aired three Christmas movies each night, from 6pm to 12am (EST). We will have to wait and see if the network plans to run a similar programming slate for Christmas in July this year.

At the end of July, Bill shared with his followers that we can expect to see the return of Great American Pure Flix films on Monday nights, beginning with GOD’S COUNTRY SONG on Monday, July 29th, and HEAVEN SENT on Monday, August 6th. MR. MANHATTAN, starring Alexa and Carlos PenaVega, will premiere May 23rd on the streaming source Great American Pure Flix and is projected to premiere on Great American Family in September.

Bill also promises, "There be much more to come in August, September and certainly at Christmas, including a mystery featuring Candace..." The Ainsley McGregor Mysteries: A Case for the Winemaker, starring Candace Cameron Bure, is set to premiere sometime later this year.

At this point, I know some viewers are disappointed with the reruns of classic programming airing on Great American Family. Hopefully, this explanation from Bill Abbott will help explain, "The reason we have been airing older series content is the number of people who watch these shows is double, and sometimes triple, the number who watch movies according to Nielsen. While we also love our movies and would much prefer to offer these rather than old series, we need to reach the biggest audience possible to be viable to advertisers."

So, if you want to support Great American Family and the content they are building on their network, we will all have to wait a little longer as the network continues to grow its library of films and expands its viewership. When Christmas in July or the movies begin again, be sure to tell your family and friends to tune in.

[sunflower-chai]

8, 13, 29 and 30!!

(this is for the "three songs" ask game)

finally getting around to answering this!

8. three songs that remind you most of summer and vacation

summer belongs to you - phineas and ferb - you know i had to include at least one pnf song and this one really embodies the spirit of summer

saturday in the park - chicago - this is one my parents introduced me to as a kid and we listen to it on our boat during the summer. it also talks about the fourth of july in the song

as it was - harry styles - during the summer of '22 i listened to the album on loop it's just so fun

13. three songs you want at your funeral

great is thy faithfulness - traditional hymn - my best friend played this at her wedding ceremony and i think it would also work well for a funeral

the old rugged cross - traditional hymn - my brother plays this on flugelhorn/trumpet at church and it's so beautiful it makes me cry

it is well with my soul - traditional hymn - i mean just look at these lyrics: "no pang shall be mine, for in death as in life / Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul"

29. three songs that influenced you most

no longer slaves - bethel music - i heard this song for the first time when i was 15 and going through a period of doubting the Lord. it helped me to put my trust back in Him

one short day - wicked - this was the song that got me into musical theatre! my dance studio did wicked for our recital one year and we did a dance to this song

waltz of the flowers - the nutcracker - this was the role i performed the most in the nutcracker (5 years in a row!). i've grown very attached to the music because of this and watching this part of the ballet from the audience makes me tear up every year because i miss it so much

30. three songs you really want your followers to know

thus always to tyrants - the oh hellos - i HAD to include the oh hellos because they're my favorite band, and this is one of my favorite songs. it's so upbeat and fun and it literally references the second coming of Christ, what's not to love?

ceilings - lizzy mcalpine - i went through a phase where i would just loop this song while laying on my bed because it's just so darn beautiful

weep with me - rend collective - one of my favorite worship songs because it reminds me that the Lord is with me in my suffering and He literally weeps with me. but also reminds me that He is still good even when I cannot see it. i can choose to worship through the darkness

[projazznet]

Penny Goodwin – Portrait Of A Gemini

Penny Goodwin grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin singing in church with Al Jarreau, doing weddings, talent competitions and bar mitzvahs. When she left school she started singing in popular mob run clubs such as Alfie’s, Sardino’s, and King’s Four graduating to clubs in Chicago and Caesar’s Palace in Vegas. Despite her huge talent only this one studio LP exists, a mix of covers by Marvin Gaye, Gill Scott Heron plus original songs by herself and manager Sy Lefco. The LP also featuring strings by members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and jazz guitar legend Phil Upchurch. One of the great american jazz vocal LP’s by Milwaukee’s unsung queen of jazz. Penny Goodwin - vocals

[hallmark-movie-fanatics]

TORREY DEVITTO, YANNIS TSIMITSELIS AND MARINA SIRTIS STAR IN ‘LOVE’S GREEK TO ME,’ A NEW, ORIGINAL MOVIE PREMIERING JUNE 10, ON HALLMARK CHANNEL

Part of the Network’s June Weddings Programing Event

Shot Partially on Location on the Island of Santorini

STUDIO CITY, CA – May 22, 2023 – Torrey DeVitto (“Twas the Night Before Christmas,” “Chicago Med”), Yannis Tsimitselis (“Mary Mary Mary”) and Marina Sirtis (“Star Trek: Picard,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation”) “Love’s Greek to Me,” a new, original movie premiering Saturday, June 10 (8 p.m. ET/PT), on Hallmark Channel as part of the network’s June Weddings programming event. The movie shot partially on location on the island of Santorini.

Ilana (DeVitto) and her Greek boyfriend Mike (Tsimitselis) travel to Santorini for his sister Alex’s (Katerina Konstas) wedding, where all his relatives immediately welcome her with open arms. When Mike surprises Ilana by asking her to marry him at the same lighthouse where his father proposed many years prior, his well-meaning – and overly enthusiastic – mother Athena (Sirtis) shifts into overdrive, excited to be gaining another daughter. Ilana gets caught in the vortex of Athena’s attempts to “help,” including purchasing a wedding gown for her future daughter-in-law and booking the church...even though Ilana and Mike aren’t rushing to set a date or plan on having a big fat Greek wedding. As Alex’s big day nears and the preparations ramp up, Ilana becomes more uneasy about what the future may hold for her and Mike, leading her to wonder if they’re truly meant to be together or if love is all Greek to her.

“Love’s Greek to Me” is from Hallmark Media. Cameron Johann is executive producer. The movie is produced by Jeffery Beach and Phillip Roth. Producers are Kristina Kambitova and Maria Komninos. Michael Robison directed from a script by Joie Botkin.

[marsdenlee]

A MEMORY: THEY'RE NOT EVEN LISTENING Synopsis: Mars, age 22 and living in a 1 bedroom apartment in the North Side of Chicago, tells his wife that he's quitting ballet. Soundtrack: Inside Voices by Too Close To Touch (tw argument, tw alcohol mention, tw implied assault, tw non-consensual acts)

"I did it. I can't believe I did it," he let out, half a laugh bubbling within his throat and escaping in a breath. His wife sat at the kitchen counter with a glass of red wine in one hand and her laptop open in the other. She often drank while studying, claimed it helped her focus and made her feel more mature, manifesting the lifestyle that she wanted where she was older in a nice house and reviewing legal notes for her actual case load instead of pretend ones for her classes.

"Did what?" She asked, sipping her wine, setting it down carefully so the glass didn't clink too loudly against the faux granite countertop. She couldn't help but start to mirror his smile, it had been a while since she'd seen it that big, the last few days and even weeks he'd been so serious, focusing on his interview and performance for the new ballet company he had been applying for. "Did you get in?" Anticipated excitement rising.

Mars blinked, "Well. Yes, but--"

"That's great, honey!" She cheered and stood up, moving around the kitchen counter island to grab him a wine glass from the cabinet, "We should celebrate!"

"No," Mars stepped forward, stopped her hands from opening the cabinet doors and held them within his own, long slender fingers decorated only by a silver wedding band on his left hand, "No, that's not it. I quit," and he smiled, broad and wide as if it was something to be proud of but she didn't understand and her brows furrowed.

"What do you mean you quit? You just said you got in?"

Mars squeezed her hands, "I did but I'm done. I don't want to do it anymore. I told you I was thinking about quitting and I did it. Starting tomorrow I'm a free man." Finally, finally, after years, he could be free and he waited, searching her face for a positive reaction but all she did was pull her hands out from his.

"I don't understand. I thought you wanted to work for this new company. I mean, why even apply if you weren't going to do it?" She questioned, confused and agitated. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened," he responded a bit too quickly, too defensively, body stiffening in response. "I told you already. Weren't you listening?" And he repeated it again though he'd told her countless times before though with a bit more ice and pent up malice in his tone, "I don't want to do ballet anymore."

She exhaled harshly, "Why not? Did something happen? Whatever it is you can just apologize--" Mars scoffed "--What?" She snapped at him.

"Why do you automatically assume it's something I did?" Mars questioned her sharply, moving around her to put some space between them but she followed.

"Because you've been so weird lately. Talking about quitting, saying you hate ballet when you love it. You've worked towards this your entire life and you're just going to let it all go to waste? Are you really going to be that petty that you'd purposefully ruin the rest of your life?"

"I'm not being petty," Mars replied, jaw tense, muscles flexing as he pulled open the fridge and peered inside though he wasn't looking at anything in particular and reached in on impulse to grab a beer can. "And I don't love ballet. I hate it," he slammed the door and cracked open the beer can, alcohol fizzing and foaming out the opening at the top, "I hate da fucking hours. I hate da fucking outfits. I hate da fucking wood floors and da goddamn mirror. Da stupid fucking mirror. If I never step foot into another studio again for da rest of my life I'd die happy." If he never saw his reflection again either he'd be even happier.

"What the fuck wrong with you?" She questioned, voice inevitably rising to match his volume.

"Da fuck is wrong with me?" He shouted her words back at her, anger rising like battery acid, sour at the back of his throat, throwing the beer can into the sink where it exploded in a spray of bitter alcohol, "Da fuck is wrong with you? Why can't you just fuckin' support me? Why isn't anyone listenin' to me? Why doesn't anyone fucking believe me when I say I'm done?" Everything coming out like a tidal wave, "I hate this. I hate myself. I'm fucking suffocating. How come when I say no it doesn't mean anythin'? Why ain't my no good enough? Why can't I say no? It's supposed to mean somethin' but it-- an' ya ain't listenin' to me. I keep sayin' I want to stop. I don't wanna do dis anymore, I don't--" his hands scrambled over his body, tearing off his jacket and throwing it across the room as sobs erupted out from somewhere deep within his belly, he'd shoved down his feelings for so many years and kept them locked up inside of a chest within himself but it was overflowing and the hinges were breaking, emotion leaking out from between the seams and into his daily life until now where it reached a point where it could no longer be contained and it all came rushing out and he was powerless and weak from fighting it that he could do nothing against the onslaught now but let it out not even capable of holding himself upright so he slumped to the floor, collapsing like all the air and life was sucked out from his body as his lungs and shoulders heaved with a tidal wave of unfelt feelings that now demanded to be felt.

His wife stood by, not knowing what to do. She'd never ever seen him break down like this before in their entire life of knowing each other, had never seen him cry this deeply. It was terrifying, watching someone she had always known to be her rock suddenly fall into pieces in front of her eyes, like he was shattering and all she felt capable of doing was to stand there and watch as the man she loved fell apart, unable to pick the pieces up and glue them back together. She tried but the movements felt awkwardly mechanical and without feeling, kneeling down to his level where she reached out, trying to wrap her arms around him but he flinched away from her touch.

"Don't touch me," he cried out in between whimpering sobs, "Don't touch me."

So she didn't and held her knees instead, fingers squeezing against bare skin, "I don't know what you want me to do," she said quietly and he couldn't answer her.

[ryosukekiyasu]

Ryosuke Kiyasu U.S. tour 2025

11 Feb. Tue - Phoenix, AZ at Palo Verde Lounge

12 Feb. Wed - San Diego, CA at Che cafe

13 Feb. Thur - Seattle, WA at Bulldog News from 16:00

13 Feb. Thur - Seattle, WA at bad bar from 19:30

14 Feb. Fri - Corvallis, OR at interzone *afternoon

14 Feb. Fri - Portland, OR at Turn! Turn! Turn!

15 Feb. Sat - Los Angels, CA at Zebulon

16 Feb. Sun - San Antonio, TX at Odeath Cafe

17 Feb. Mon - Austin, TX at HowMuch Studios

18 Feb. Tue - Denton, TX at Rubber Gloves

19 Feb. Wed - Orlando, FL at The S.P.O.T.

20 Feb. Thur - Atlanta, GA at eyedrum

21 Feb. Fri - Nashville, TN at Random Sample

22 Feb. Sat - Chicago, IL at space01

23 Feb. Sun - Detroit, MI at Jobstoppers Inc

24 Feb. Mon - Dayton, OH at Skeleton Dust

25 Feb. Tue - Cleveland, OH at Lorain Cinematheque

26 Feb. Wed - Pittsburgh, PA at The Rock Room

27 Feb. Thur - Philadelphia, PA at tba

28 Feb. Fri - New York, NY at tba

1 Mar. Sat - New York, NY *evening

1 Mar. Sat - New Jersey, NJ at Silver Stream Studios *night

2 Mar. Sun - Newburgh, NY at Untouchable Bar *evening

2 Mar. Sun - New York, NY at Trans-Peco *night

3 Mar. Mon - New York, NY at Fringe Records *afternoon

[leopoldogout]

•

@povosgallery Last week for 𝘌𝘓𝘌𝘍𝘈𝘕𝘛𝘌!

Pigeon Dreams of Stag

Ballpoint pen, charcoal on dropcloth

118" x 110"

2018-2024

Leopoldo Goût

This iconic ballpoint pen drawing began 5+ years ago, lived on the artists studio wall the entire time, and is on view for the first time publicly in 𝘌𝘓𝘌𝘍𝘈𝘕𝘛𝘌

Come see this exhibition before the end of the year! *Closed Christmas Day*

•••

📍Povos West Town - 1541 W Chicago ave

Wed-Sat: 11-6 and by appointment

[videostudiojimenez]

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Maternity Photographer Chicago, Chicago Wedding Photographers, Photo Studio Chicago, Chicago Photographers, Photographers Near Me

[uniquejellyfishqueen]

IBYTAM- 9 buttons

11/10/24 KC Chiefs game- 8 buttons

Her cat is named after Benjamin Button nickname Benji

12/18/2018 born

4/26/2019 adopted

4/26/2019: Instagram photo introducing him “This is Benjamin Button. He’s a good boy”

“Like if Cleopatra grew up in a small town and all the bad boys would be good boys if they only had a chance to love her”

“Good boy, that’s right come close”

4/26: International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day (1986)

4/26/1977: New York City’s most famous disco, Studio 45 opens

4/26/1977: The Morgan Creek Bridge is Chapel Hill, NC is renamed the James Taylor Bridge

-Taylor was named after James Taylor.

-11/22/2011 N2 MSG, NYC Speak Now World Tour James Taylor joined TS for performance of “Fire and Rain”

*it was during this performance on 11/22/2011 that the arm lyrics she had down her left arm: “Bring all the pretenders, one day. We will be remembered.” These were her own lyrics from Long Live.

-Long Live is track 14 on 3rd album.

-it has been played 46 times on tour, it was part of the set list but it was removed. Most recent played: London N7, Lisbon N2, Singapore N6.

726 is the area code for San Antonio—

Cities: San Antonio, Schertz, Universal City, Converse, Balcones Heights, Cross Mountain, Elmendorf, Garden Ridge, Helotes, Hill Country Village, Hollywood Park, Kirby, Leming, Live Oak, Olmos Park, Selma, St. Hedwig, Terrell Hills, and Windcrest

4/26/1905: Jack McCarthy, of the Chicago Cubs is the first fielder to throw out 3 runners at home plate in one game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

4/26/1912: The 1st home run hit at Fenway park, in Boston MA was by Hugh Bradley of the Red Sox.

4/26/1995: Coors Field opens in Denver, Co

-ground was broke on 10/16/1992

*The Denver Masonic Temple Building (5 minutes from Coors Field) a Richardsonian Romanesque style building from 1889. It was added to the NRHP on 11/22/1977. Okay because they really like to plan they have a temple on both side of the field… no expenses spared I see, they are 10 minutes apart. Okay and their oldest one #5 just celebrated 100 years on 7/10/24. Denver has over 104 lodges, around 16,000 members, many who are members of the York and Scottish Rite of Freemasonary. (p.s Pennsylvania is the largest Masonic Jurisdiciton in the US claiming more than 80,000 members at the end of 2021 (more than any other state, nice..)

TS said that he is a purr box, “Karma is a cat purring in my lap cause it loves me.” The cat in the music video is Olivia Benson

-Mariska Hargitay posted on Instagram on 11/30/2023 a picture of her Siamese cat. “Karma is a cat, @taylorswift Meet Karma.”

(all numbers below added = 12)

O 15 B 2

251 is the area code for southwestern Alabama, including Mobile, Baldwin, and Washington. Created on 6/18/2001 -> 6/18/2024 ET #103 N1/1 Cardiff

B 2 B 2

#22 N3/3 Philadelphia SS guitar 11/11. And on piano were 412 which is the area code for Pittsburgh.

——-Turtle Creek is a borough in Allegheny County, PA 12 miles SE from Pittsburgh. Their lodge is #613. 6/13/2024 was #100 on the ET N1/3 in Liverpool. The surprise songs #s make the area code for McDonald, Missouri.

-> -> -> 6/13 is national sewing machine day (she featured a sewing machine in one of her fortnight videos.) And also 6/13/1991 the first all sports daily newspaper, the National stops publication.

*6/13/1995 Jagged Little Pill released

*6/13/2008 there was a wedding

*6/13/2015 TS brings Rachel Platten on stage to sing “Fight Song” during the show in Philadelphia.

->6th album 13 track is “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things.” This has been played 2x on the ET. Seattle N1/2 #44 7/22/23 and Cardiff N1/1 #103 6/18/2023. The difference between the two #s is 59. Show #59 N2/3 Buenos Aires. 1st mashup played first time End Game was played mashed up with Out of the Woods and Is it Over Now? Those 2 1989 songs are repeated again on #59 N2/4 Paris on 5/10/2024, the difference being instead of End Game she played album 11 track 3 MBOBHFT

Seattle & Buenos Aires SBA (sweet baby Angel?)-> -> -> SBA Small Business Administration: an independent agency of the US government that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. Formed on 7/30/1953 -> 7/30/2011 Speak Now World Tour Quicken Loans Arena Cleveland, OH

—-Evermore (9th album) Coney Island (9th Track) ft the National released on 12/11/2020. The National and TS released The Alcott on 4/28/2023

* Benjamin is named after the character portrayed by actor Brad Pitt in the 2008 film
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Which was released in 12/25/2008 (merry ho ho) (17 days after the last night) (7 days until NYD) (turning 16 this year- like My Super Sweet 16? Theme song was Hilary Duff, 10 seasons 49 episodes premiered on 1/18/2005 and ended on 9/11/2017)

* His face is featured in the music video for "You Need To Calm Down" on the wristwatch with cat design, and in Taylor's Amazon music ad.

*A fun fact I learned was that Amazon has only been selling music and videos since 1998. That is only 26 years and how many of us remember the last CD we bought at the store? People sometimes get shocked when you talk about how it used to be, when it wasn’t that long ago to begin with.

* He was featured on Swift's TIME magazine cover for 2023's Person of the Year. (*this and the one above are both clues to time, like Benjamin is the clue for time)

* He has an IMDb credit for his role in the "ME!" music video.

* Benjamin has his own TSantiherochallenge video.

[gacmediadaily]

 Danica McKellar (A Royal Date for Christmas, Swing Into Romance) and Oliver Rice (Firefly Lane, Magic In Mistletoe) have booked their next flick for Great American Family. The duo will star in A Royal Christmas Ball, with waltzes choreographed by Dancing With the Stars pro Gleb Savchenko.

Production begins this week on the movie that will premiere this November as part of Great American Christmas 2024.

In A Royal Christmas Ball, Chelsea Jones (McKellar) is a dance instructor and studio owner in Chicago who inspires kids to find themselves through dance. Just before Christmas, Chelsea discovers a photo she’s never seen before. Chelsea thinks the young woman is her birth mother who passed away when she was only five years old. The woman is in a wedding dress tugging on the hand of a man wearing a wedding ring, but that is all that can be seen of the man Chelsea believes may be her father.

The photo’s handwritten inscription reads, “Our place, Havenshire, December 23, 1984.” With only the internet, a plane ticket, and lifelong determination to go on, Chelsea now has four days in Havenshire to solve the mystery of her birth family. Along the way, she’ll have to sneak into a castle, teach a stubborn Prince how to dance, and be in just the right place on Christmas Eve when the bells toll.

“Royal movies are among our viewers’ favorites,” said Bill Abbott, President & CEO, Great American Media. “Finding love when and where you least expect it is the heart of royal fan fiction and Danica and Oliver do a brilliant job of making heartfelt wishes come true.”

“Oliver Rice exudes a dashing Cary Elwes-vibe,” added McKellar. “Oliver grew up in London and graduated from Oxford School of Drama and brings genuine nobility to the role of Prince Phillip. I cannot wait for fans to see him in the film.”

A Royal Christmas Ball is executive produced by Brad Krevoy, Amy Krell, Vince Balzano, McKellar, Jimmy Townsend, Susie Belzberg Krevoy, and Don McBrearty. Producer is David Anselmo. Supervising producers are Kelly Martin, Michael Shepard, Michael Beard, and James Mou.

A Royal Christmas Ball is written by Marcy Holland. Story is from McKellar and Marcy Holland.