#christmas events massachusetts

[whispering-about-the-tmnt]

Current list of my TMNT Fanfics

✅ next to a fic means that it is complete

⏳ next to a fic means it is still being worked on

🔁 next to a fic means it will never be "finished" because it does not require completion (drabble collections, etc.)

I'm dividing these into two sections: fics in my 1970s AU iteration, and everything else.

1970s TMNT AU:

A TMNT Cookbook 🔁

Presented by Michelangelo, King of the Kitchen -- A collection of TMNT-inspired recipes and the very short stories behind them

Rating / Genre: G / Food & Cooking

Size: 5/? chapters (~2,140 words so far)

Notes: Ties into my 1970s AU, but works for just about any version

Duck And Cover ✅

January 28, 1977 -- When April O'Neil bought the building where she had spent her early childhood, she knew it was going to be a challenge fixing it up... but she never imagined that challenge would involve uncovering both evidence of the old owner's Cold War paranoia and a group of unusual "tenants" living twenty feet below her new property.

Rating / Genre: G / General

Size: 3/3 chapters (~13,800 words)

Notes: The first story in my 70s Au... centers around how April meets the Turtles

Other TMNT Fics:

A Cup Of Good Cheer ️✅

April is afraid that she got Donnie the wrong Christmas gift this year, but Leo tries to convince her otherwise.

Rating / Genre: G / Holiday, family, gen

Size: 1/1 chapters (~3,400 words)

Notes: Autistic Donnie vibes

All The Time In The World ✅

All Donatello wanted was a little more time to think…

Rating / Genre: T / Drama

Size: 8/8 chapters (~5,950 words)

Notes / Warnings: 2003 Universe; explosions, peril, guns, injuries

Displaced ️✅

An unprepared Donatello ends up on a Greyhound Bus to Springfield, Massachusetts

Rating / Genre: soft T / Mild drama, road trip, gen

Size: 6/6 chapters (~18,500 words)

Notes / Warnings: This was my first TMNT fic, which I originally posted some 25 years ago. It was written even earlier, though, right after the 1990s movies came out // Blood, guns, mild peril

Fleeting Thoughts 🔁

A collection of 100-word TMNT drabbles

Rating / Genre: G / Various, gen

Size: 9/? chapters (900 words so far)

Notes: I know it is hotly debated what the length of a drabble should be, but I was always firmly in the 100-word camp.

Just Breathe ️✅

Raphael has a frightening encounter on a chilly winter night.

Rating / Genre: G / Gen, mystery

Size: 1/1 chapter (~1,500 words)

Notes: Fits pretty much every iteration / mentions of suffocation

Midnight On The High Bridge ️✅

The High Bridge between Manhattan and the Bronx has always been one of Michelangelo's favorite places to go for a late night ride on his board; but on this cloudy evening, he finds more than just fresh air and freedom high above the Harlem River.

Rating / Genre: G / M/F, Meet-cute

Size: 3/3 chapters (~8,100 words)

Notes: Brings Oyuki into the 2007 universe; takes place a year after the events of the movie

Passage ️✅

Leonardo has an appointment with death.

Rating / Genre: T / Drama, supernatural

Size: 12/12 chapters (~16,000 words)

Notes / Warnings: Originally written back in the early 2000s // Death and dying, gore, blood, mentions of religion

Red Dust ️✅

I had a dream last night. It was a long, restless, wandering dream.

Rating / Genre: G / Drama, poetry, gen

Size: 1/1 chapter (~700 words)

Notes / Warnings: Donatello-centric, Post SAINW, originally written and posted back in 2007 // mentions of death and dying

Requiescat ️✅

Leonardo died today.

Rating / Genre: G / Drama, grief, poetry, gen

Size: 1/1 chapter (180 words)

Notes / Warnings: Written a couple decades ago // Death and dying

Second Time Around ⏳

Two years after the defeat and banishment of Krang and Shredder, the Turtles and their human friends now have different, more personal challenges to overcome -- challenges that are made all the more difficult to deal with when Baxter Stockman and Karai pull them into a conflict that involves disentangling the complexities time itself.

Rating / Genre: T / Script, gen

Size: 19/? chapters (~28,000 words so far)

Notes / Warnings : A screenplay for a third Bayverse movie // Character death mentioned

Something Wicked ⏳

He felt movement all around him; something like the wind, though the air was dead still. He backed against the curved sewer wall… holding his breath as his eyes scanned the pitch blackness. The feeling grew closer, touching him… a whisper against his damp skin…

Rating / Genre: M / Horror, suspense, gen

Size: 21/? chapters (~64,200 words so far)

Notes / Warnings: Originally written and posted a couple decades ago, now being put under an extensive rewrite // Blood, gore, possible character death, whump, etc.

Still Waters ️✅

They say I'm the quiet one…

Rating / Genre: G / Introspective, poetry, gen

Size: 1/1 chapters (~200 words)

Notes: Also from over twenty years ago. A Donatello introspective.

The Bone Garden ️✅

You gathered up old papers, old photos… and you flipped through them, one by one, remembering…

Rating / Genre: G / Drama, grief, gen

Size: 1/1 chapters (400 words)

Notes / Warnings: Originally written on Halloween, 2007 for the 2k3 episode, Same As It Never Was, but now I feel that it applies to The Last Ronin, as well... or really, any story where one Turtle remained after the others had passed on // Mentions of death

The Scent Of Violets ️✅

Donnie and Mike are trapped underground with a memory

Rating / Genre: T / Drama, gen

Size: 1/1 chapter (~1,800 words)

Notes / Warnings: Written in the late 90s, early 2000s // Blood, severe injury

Three Million Reminders ⏳

Master Leonardo and the other elders had told Casey about graveyards and cemeteries, but their descriptions had fallen far short of reality. In his life he had seen plenty of funeral pyres, lone burials, mass graves, vast tracts of scorched and scattered remains… but he had never been to a place like this, where families could come and visit the dead in peace, where mourning need not be rushed for the sake of escape.

Rating / Genre: G / drama / supernatural

Size: 2/3 chapters (~5,400 words so far)

Notes: Takes place post-ROTTMNT movie, as Leo lies unresponsive from his battle with the Krang

Under The Influence ️✅

Leo is under the influence of… something

Rating / Genre: G / humor, gen

Size: 4/4 chapters (400 words)

Notes: Just a silly little four-drabble story I wrote when I wasn't feeling so well a bunch of years back

When She Loved Me ️✅

She always said that I had his eyes. I don't know if I ever really believed her… after all, I never knew him. But I suppose they must be his. Her own eyes were deep and dark, almost black… reflective like mirrors. Mine are blue… light blue, like the sky...

Rating / Genre: G / Drama, gen

Size: 1/1 chapters (~2,500 words)

Notes / Warnings: Oyuki's backstory as I see it. Originally posted at FFnet back around 2000, though the fic is contemporary with the TMNTA Comics, setting its year at 1992 // Parental abandonment and neglect

[noelcollection]

An American Voice

Since the events of 2020, we have attempted to be more active and reach out to LSU Shreveport campus. This action of outreach is meant to help student, faculty, and campus personnel be aware of a rare and unique resource that is available to them, and any visiting persons to the campus. We have just started our 2024 J.S. Noel Collection Pop-up Exhibits, we aim to highlight a vary small section of the James Smith Noel Collection that might interest various research. This time we focused on one person, Paul Laurence Dunbar.

Paul Laurence Dunbar was born in June in 1872 after the United States’ Civil War, his parents were former slaves. He was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio; and started writing from a young age. He wrote is first poem at the age of 6 and read it aloud at the age of nine for a local church congregation, “An Easter Ode.” Dunbar was 16 when he published two poems in the Dayton’s newspaper The Herald; “Our Martyred Soldiers” and “On the River” in 1888. A few years later he would write and edit Dayton’s first weekly African-American newspaper, The Tattler. Paul L. Dunbar worked with two brothers that were his high-school acquaintances to print the paper that lasted six weeks. Those brothers were Wilbur and Orville Wright, the fathers of American aviation. Dunbar was the only African-American student at Central High School in Dayton.

Dunbar’s parents had been slaves in Kentucky, following the emancipation, his mother moved to Ohio, and his father escaped before the Civil War ended. Joshua Dunbar went to Massachusetts and volunteered with the 55th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. His parents, Matilda and Joshua, were married on Christmas Eve and Paul L. Dunbar arrived six months later. His parents had a troubled union, they separated after the birth on Paul’s sister; but his father would pass away in August in 1885 when Paul was only 13 years old. His mother played a key role in his education, she hoped her son would become a minister. He was elected president of his high school’s literary society which lead to him to become editor of the school newspaper and debate club member.

Paul Laurence Dunbar finished school in 1891 and took a job as an elevator operator to earn money for college where he hoped to study law. Dunbar had continued to write and soon a collection of poems he wanted to publish. He revisited the Wright brothers, but they no longer had a printing faculty and lead his to the United Brethren Publishing House in 1893. Oak and Ivy was soon published and he busied himself selling copies as he operated the elevator. The book contained two sections, Oak with its traditional verse; and Ivy was written in dialect.

His literary talents were recognized and Attorney Charles A. Thatcher offered to pay for college; however, his interest in law had shift to his writing. Dunbar had been encouraged by the sell of his poetry, and Thatcher helped by arranging for Dunbar to do readings in a nearby city. Psychiatrist Henry A. Tobey also took an interest and assisted in distributing Dunbar’s first book. The two contained to support Dunbar through the publication of his second collection of verse, Major and Minors, in 1896. While he was consistent at publishing, he was a reckless spender resulting in debt. He was a traditional struggling artist as he tried to support himself and his mother.

There was hope in the summer of 1896 when his second book received a positive review in Harper’s Weekly, William Dean Howells brought national attention to his poems; calling them “honest thinking and true feeling” and praising his dialectic poems. There was a growing appreciation for folk culture and black dialect. His popular works were written in the “Negro dialect” that is commonly associated with the antebellum South; though he also wrote in the Midwestern dialect that he grew-up hearing. Dunbar would write in various styles, including conversational English in poetry and novels. He is considered to be the first important African American sonnet writer. His use of the “Black dialect” in writing has been criticized as pan-handling to readers.

Dunbar was a diverse writer, he experimented with poetry, short stories, novels, plays, and a musical. He even ventured beyond the lens of the lives of African Americans and attempted to explore the struggles of a white minister. The Uncalled, Dunbar’s first novel, held similar names and themes of Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter and was not well favored. It was with his venture into novel writing that he dared to cross the “color line” with his first novel which focused solely on white society. He continued to try to capture white culture but the critics found them lacking.

He moved past novel writing and began to work with two composers, Dunbar wrote the lyrics for the first musical that would be preformed by an all African-American cast on Broadway; In Dahomey. Beyond his writing career, Dunbar was also active the early civil rights movements happening in 1897. He married after a trip to the United Kingdom in 1898, Alice Ruth Moore was also a poet and teacher from New Orleans. She also published a collection of short stories, and they wrote companion poems together. There was a play in 2001 based on their relationship.

Dunbar had taken a traditional job with the Library of Congress in D.C. and with his wife in tow they moved there. However, with his wife’s urging, he left his job to focus on his writings and his public readings. This also allowed him to attend Howard University for a time. However, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1900 and his doctors suggested that drinking whisky would alleviate the symptoms. They also moved to the cold dry mountains of Colorado for his health. This resulted in trouble in Paul and Alice’s marriage, they separated in 1902 but never formally divorced.

Dunbar returned to his hometown of Dayton, Ohio in 1904 to be with his mother, his health continued to decline and depression consumed his mind. Paul Laurence Dunbar died from tuberculosis at age 33 on February 9, 1906 and was interred in Dayton.

Dunbar did not become one of the forgotten poets of literature, his use of dialect in his poetry allowed for his works to remain relevant and important in poetic criticism. We of the James Smith Noel Collection at LSU Shreveport are proud to retain and maintain a small collection of his works and show case their importance.

[noneedtoamputate]

Happy holidays, @land-sh. I'm your HBO War Secret Santa, and I hope you like this modern holiday AU featuring Ron and Carwood. I know you don't live in the United States, so I wanted to let you in on a few things in case you didn't know (and my apologies if you already know). The Pentagon, where Ron works, is home to the U.S. Departmen of Defense, and Instacart is an app where you can order groceries and get them delivered to your house. Fair warning for anyone else reading, it's just a tad spicy toward the end. I hope you enjoy it and have a wonderful holiday season, no matter how you celebrate!

Ron stared at the calendar hanging in the kitchen. If looks could set paper ablaze, the month of December would have burnt to a crisp thirty seconds ago.

He took another sip of his steaming black coffee, careful not to let any get on his Army dress uniform.

He took the calendar down from its hook and walked over to the kitchen table they purchased three years ago, when Ron accepted a desk job at the Pentagon and Carwood left active service and started teaching history at a local high school. 

Car’s messy handwriting filled almost all of the squares. He had Army reserve duty the first weekend of the month, and as assistant coach of the boys’ junior varsity basketball team, there were practices or games almost every weeknight up until holiday break. There was the neighborhood cookie exchange, where he promised to make his famous gingerbread people, and then there was the Santa Paws fundraising event at the humane society. Car volunteered to dress up as Santa.

Ron’s small, neat cursive only filled Mondays for his personal training appointments and on December 22, with one word and arrow ending on December 30.

Home.

No one at work would ever guess that Lt. Col. Ronald Speirs loved Christmas. He loved the lights, the movies, the gifts, and, most importantly, being with the people he loved. He hadn't made it back to his parents in Massachusetts for the holidays since moving to Washington. He finally had enough seniority in his department to take an entire week off in December.

He couldn't wait to taste his mother’s shortbread, to be spoiled by his sisters, to take his nieces and nephews sledding. There really was nothing like Christmastime in New England. 

He heard Car come down the stairs of their townhouse. He wore a black turtleneck sweater, fitted tan pants, and loafers. If Ron’s teacher had looked as half as good as Car, Ron would never have passed U.S. History. 

Car smiled at him as he walked over to the coffee maker. 

“The calendar’s getting pretty full,” Ron said, trying to sound casual.

“December’s always busy,” Car replied as he sat down across from his husband. “But not too busy that we can't find time for each other.”

“Movies?” Ron asked. 

“Of course. Die Hard. Love Actually. We’ll watch them all.”

Ron leaned closer. 

“And we’ll drive around to look at the lights?” Ron was a sucker for Christmas lights.

Car nodded. “I’ll drive, so you can really look at the displays.”

Ron smiled. “Well, if that isn't love, I don't know what is.” He reached over to kiss Car.

“I gotta run.” Car picked up his travel mug. “Have a good day. I love you.”

“Love you, too,” Ron replied.

He finished his coffee and tried to get into work mode, the mode where no one would guess he loved watching Home Alone with his husband and dog and a fire roaring in their living room.

*

The next week, Ron looked at the calendar again. 

He was not happy.

“Why do you have ‘choir concert’ filled in on Wednesday?” Ron asked as Car buttered his toast.

“Yeah, about that …” Car trailed off as he nervously scratched his head. “Mrs. Ramirez needed some help setting up for the holiday show.”

“That was supposed to be movie night.” Ron tried not to sound too upset. 

“I know,” Car conceded. “Practice gets out early Friday night. We’ll have movie night then. I’ll even make the popcorn.”

“With extra butter?” Car nodded, Ron’s mouth curled up into what was almost a smile.

“It's a date,” Ron replied, and gave his husband a kiss.

But movie night never happened. A student teacher’s car wouldn't start in the faculty parking lot. Car tried jumping it, and when that didn't work, he waited while they called a tow company and gave them a ride to their apartment. 

By the time Car got home, Ron didn't feel like watching anything. 

“What was I supposed to do?” he asked Ron. “I couldn't just leave them there.”

“Of course not,” Ron agreed. 

But Ron lost his patience the following week when he walked into their home office and saw Car furiously typing away on the computer keyboard. 

“Dinner’s ready,” Ron said. He stood behind Car and put his hands on Car’s shoulders, giving them a gentle rub. 

Car moved away from Ron’s touch and rubbed his temples. 

“What's the matter?” Ron asked. 

“Two students asked for recommendation letters at the last minute. I need to finish these tonight.”

Ron narrowed his gaze. “You could have said no.”

Car sighed. “No, I couldn't. They’re great kids. Smart, responsible …”

Ron cut him off. “Asking for a recommendation letter at the last minute isn't responsible.”

The two just stared at each other. 

“You need to eat,” Ron finally said.

“I'll grab something when I'm finished.” Car went back to looking at the monitor. 

“And I guess this means no looking at lights tonight.” Ron crossed his arms.

Lulu came into the room and nuzzled up to Car, looking for some love. 

“Can you take her? I can't focus with her with trying to get attention “

“You don't even have time for the dog?” Ron asked, no longer hiding his anger. He leaned down to pet Lulu. “C’mon, girl, let's go for a walk.”

Ron set off on a good clip toward the park, Lulu happily keeping up the pace. 

Why does he do this? Why does he put everyone first?

He felt disloyal asking himself the question, because the way Car looked out for people was one of the reasons Ron loved him so much. 

Ron hated admitting that he felt jealous of all the attention Car had shown other people this month while making no time for him, or so it seemed.

And sadness crept over him. They seemed so distant over the last few weeks. No cuddling on the couch, binging the latest series. No long conversations over dinner. No spooning in bed before falling asleep.

And certainly no sex.

The brisk air and exercise cleared his head a bit, but he still paused for a second before opening the front door. The house stood quiet, and the chicken tetrazzini on top of the stove remained untouched. 

He threw the baking dish back into the oven to reheat and poured dog food into Lulu’s bowl. He ate dinner alone. He rinsed the dishes and loaded them into the dishwasher. He sorted the mail and cleaned out the fridge. When he ran out things to do, he poured himself two fingers of Scotch and tried to read a book, but he read the same page over and over. It was only 9:30 pm, and he wasn't tired, but he gave up and got ready for bed. 

It was just before midnight when Car finally made it upstairs. He didn't say anything as he took off his clothes and slipped into bed, staying far away from Ron’s side. 

“You're going to wear yourself out,” Ron said quietly.

“I'll be fine,” Car replied. Soon, his deep breaths signaled that he was asleep.

Ron put his hands behind his head and stayed awake for two more hours.

*

On the morning they planned to leave for Ron’s parents, Car woke up with the flu: Body aches, chills, and a pounding headache.

He wouldn't admit it. “Maybe I'll feel better tomorrow,” he told Ron. 

Ron titled his head to one side and gave Carwood that Ron Speirs look.

“It's possible,” Car said meekly, not really sounding convinced himself.

Ron called his mom and dad and explained the situation. Though disappointed, they completely understood and sent their love to Car.

He put in an Instacart order. There was not a lot of food in the house, as they planned to be gone for a week. Plenty of Gatorade, rice, bananas, bread for toast. All the ingredients for chicken soup, and easy meals for Ron to eat in between caregiving duties. 

The next day, he felt even worse. Ron added another bedspread on top of him for warmth and plugged in a heating pad for him to use. 

“You don’t need to stay here. Go to your parents. I can take care of …” Before Car get the last word of the sentence out, he started coughing. 

Ron rubbed his back. 

“I'm sorry,” Car said, once he caught his breath.

“No reason to apologize for coughing,” Ron replied. 

“No, not the coughing. For …” He started coughing again. 

Ron took a deep breath. He’d been trying to avoid thinking about what he was missing at home. His family, the epic games of Yahtzee, his mom's roast lamb on Christmas Day. 

But he knew Car hadn't gotten sick on purpose. If Ron had gotten sick right before they were supposed to go to West Virginia for the holidays, Car would have taken care of him without a second thought.

“It's okay,” Ron said. 

Ron couldn't have said that the day before and meant it. But today, he did.

*

On Christmas Day, Car felt well enough to get into the shower by himself. They exchanged gifts. Ron bought Car a new messenger bag for work, and Car bought Ron the watch he’d had his eye on for a while. Ron made chicken soup for lunch, and they finally watched Home Alone together on the couch. Car felt asleep halfway through, but Ron could tell he was finally on the mend. 

The rest of the week was mainly more of the same. Ron would make something for lunch, and they would watch one of the holiday movies they never got around to before Car got sick: Gremlins, Miracle on Thirty-Fourth Street, It's a Wonderful Life. Each day, they would sit a little closer on the couch to one another, hold hands, spoon. 

New Year’s Eve arrived, and Car felt great. They had an invitation to a party, but they decided it was bit soon to go out.

Ron, being a great cook, made steak and lobster tails for lunch. They splurged on a bottle of good champagne and talked and laughed like they hadn't the entire month of December. 

They turned on a football game, and Ron fell asleep before halftime. He woke up to the feeling of Car’s fingers in his hair.

“I didn't mean to take a nap,” he said, reaching for his husband's hand. 

“You needed it. You've been taking care of me all week.”

Ron stroked Car’s cheek and reached in for a kiss. 

They started slow, almost uncertain, the tension of the last few weeks still present. But then Car traced his tongue along Ron’s earlobe, a surefire way to get Ron hard. Wordlessly, they walked upstairs to the bedroom.

Car started undressing Ron, taking his time. Ron hadn't realized how touch starved he was for Car's hands and lips. He kissed his neck and worked his way down, nuzzling Ron’s chest with his stubble and gently biting Ron’s nipples. Ron couldn't help letting out a moan, and he could feel Car smile against him.

He let out an actual groan when Car grabbed him, stroking him exactly the way he liked. He put the head of Ron’s cock in his mouth and teased him, before taking it all in.

Ron tried to pull away, but Car shook him off. “I want to take care of you,” he said. 

Ron realized that for all the things Car did for other people, he would only do this for Ron. This was just for the two of them. He had no reason to be jealous.

Ron realized and ran his fingers through Car’s hair, staying in the moment and taking in every sensation. He knew he wouldn't last long, and that it wouldn't matter. 

Ron said his husband’s name as he came, and Car kept him in his mouth and teased the inside of his thighs as he came down. He took Ron in his arms, and Ron lay his head on Car’s chest. 

Another thing no one at the Pentagon would guess was how much Ron loved the time after making love, when they would hold each other and talk quietly. He didn't used to, not before he met Car. It was one of the ways he knew Car was the man for him. 

They stayed quiet for longer than usual, enjoying the closeness.

“I am sorry you didn't make it home for Christmas,” Car finally said. “You said was okay, but I know how much it meant to you.”

Ron kissed him. “I was home for Christmas.” He looked the man who meant everything to him in the eye.

“You are my home.”

[ladylooch]

Our Little Family - Returning to Denver [Miles Wood]

From the author ( 👢 anon): The next part is for our little family. There is sex in here. That's your warning.

The days after feels so off for you. You feel so vulnerable, Miles keeps breaking your walls, and him knowing that you have anxiety makes things a little harder for you.

You weren't expecting things to turn around like they did. Miles keeps checking on you, nothing crazy, being present. Looks like he's seeing you more than just his daughter's mom.

Things are good. The trip that you thought was going to ruin you guys made you stronger. That's a turn of events. Spending your last days in Massachusetts was awesome. Miles looks better and better. His summer gains drive you insane.

So, of course, you jump him a few times. The latest is this morning while Lily is asleep before you guys go to his parents to say goodbye. It felt so damn good like always.

Saying goodbye to his parents is a little hard, but it's time to go home. Preseason is going to start, and you miss your bed so damn much, your shower,and your things. So you're glad to be going home.

You and Cheryl make plans for her to visit on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Lily's first Christmas is going to be awesome. After all the goodbyes, you guys are on your way to the airport.

Lily is still not a fan of the plane, so she decides to cling to her dad. You don't blame her. You make sure she has all she needs. Once Miles is able to put her down, he comes and sits beside you.

You ask how she's doing and he says that fine for now. You nod closing your eyes to rest a little. The next shift it's yours. You're trying to rest when he asks if you had an anxiety attack the first night you guys got to Massachusetts. You reply that you kinda had at the house after the party. If your eyes where open you would see Miles reaction. He feels bad. "It's in the past now Miles, let's not go back there." You say softly as you lace your fingers and rest your head on his shoulder.

Miles kisses your head and holds you close. God, he overlooked you for so long, why he did that he doesn't know the reason.

He'll be sorry for the rest of your lives together, but he knows that you want him to move forward to have a good future together.

What happened will make your relationship better.

The next couple of hours to Denver are very chaotic. Lily struggled the whole time after she woke up. You tried to give Miles time to rest, but she wasn't having it. She wanted her dad. She was fussy on his chest, but not like she was with you. 

Now you're taking things to the car, while Miles settles her. He's a very sexy dad. Maybe you should worship his summer gains again later that night.

Since Lily is stuck on her dad, you drive your family home. Home, that's exactly where you want to be. You're so focus on the road that you don't catch Miles staring at you.

Lily is holding his finger, pacifier on looking peacefully for the first time since you guys left Massachusetts.

When you guys get home, you ask Miles to give Lily a bath, and you'll take care of the rest. Baby girl is not letting her dad go for now. So Miles will give her a bath, and you're going to start doing the laundry. You're starting, but there isn't any food, so you go check with Miles if he wants to eat something. He agrees, and you go downstairs to order something.

While waiting for food, you prepare something quick for Lily with what you guys have. Definitely need to go to the store tomorrow morning.

Miles comes downstairs with Lily wrapped in her towel, looking all cute. You just hope she's wearing a diaper. You feed Lily while he watches you, too.

Lily is very tired, so you know that she'll sleep quickly after eating something. You and Miles kind of don't have time for each other. It's just going to go right now.

After dinner, Lily in bed sleeping peacefully, another load of laundry done. You decide to call it. You asked Miles to organize his clothes to wash tomorrow, so that's what he's doing right now.

You pass through the nursery first before going to take a shower. You need a long, hot shower. You're in there with your eyes closed, enjoying the way the hot water hits your body when you feel a big frame behind you.

His arms wrap around your middle bringing you close to his body. Sighing you lean your head back.

"Sorry, Lily was a little clingy today." He apologizes, and you brush it off. "I would cling to you too. So I don't blame her." You reply, Miles kisses your forehead, "She got it from her mama, I see." It makes you chuckle, but she did.

When you thought you guys were going to have a nice soft shower. You start to feel Miles' erection against your ass cheeks.

"Hmm.. can I help you with something, sir ?" You ask softly, shaking your ass. His hands grip your hips so you stop. "We don't have to, babe, it's fine." He assures you.

His replies make you pout. You spin yourself in his arms, "but I want to." You really do. You need him right now. Miles arches his brow like, are you sure ? You nod because you're very sure. He smiles and kisses your lips.

"Cmon then, not fucking you in the shower" He says as he moves to turn the shower off. "Why ?" You ask with pursed lips, "because I'm going to make love to my fiance in our bed." That explanation it's good enough.

He exists the shower, brings you a towel, and wraps around you. "You know I'm not Lily, right ? You don't need to do this." Miles looks at you a little lost. "OH, trust me, I know, but it doesn't mean I can't take care of you the right way, I was lacking at that, and now I'm not going to anymore." You don't have any words, so you bring him in for a kiss.

Miles pulls away and slides his hands under your knees. You squeal because you weren't ready. He carries you to bed, placing you like you're going to break. Opening your towel to expose you to him.

Licking his lips, you stare at him, but when he looks at you like this. It makes you forget everything in this world. God, he's sexy. As he watches you, the thought of any man hurting you crosses his mind. He hates that you got hurt, but he's glad that he found you.

"Miles, please do something. She'll be up soon." You plead to him. You don't want him starting and not finishing this. "Also, can you pull the towel ? I'm not sleeping in a wet bed." That brings a giggle from him, making your heart full. You roll, and he helps, throwing both towels on the floor. You'll handle that later.

You bring him for a kiss. He lowers himself both bodies fitting like a puzzle. Your hands run over his body, wanting to feel every inch of his amazing body. You dig your heels on his ass. You need him inside you.

"Patience, my love." He says like it's nothing. You hate him so much right now. You whine, a please. He's taking way too long. He kisses you again. When you're lost in the kiss, that's when he slides inside you slowly. Bringing a moan from you and a  smile. You feel every inch of him. It's so good and exactly what you need.

What you weren't expecting is the fact of Miles moving so damn slow. You need more, a lot more. But he said that he was going to make love to you. You're just needy for him.

His back is getting lots of nail marks, but he doesn't care. Also, his biceps a little bit. It feels so good. You tug his hair, bringing a growl from his chest.

Miles kisses you and move his hand to rub circles on your clit. He's very close and he needs you to cum before him. He increase the pace hitting all that sweet spots inside you. He's whispering dirty things and kissing your neck. Little nibble here and there.

You call for him and he knows you're going to cum. So he kisses you to buff your moans, Lily doesn't need to hear you screaming. Miles works you through your orgasm, there is a small orgasm from you that milks him big time. He moans against your neck while you run your fingers through his hair.

That's exactly what you needed today.

He pulls out of you, making you whine in the process. Then he lays his head on your chest while you run your fingers through his wild hair. You love the post-sex cuddles.

You thank him softly. He chuckles because it doesn't make sense to thank him for having sex with you. But he knows that it's not just about sex. He kisses your chest, his way of saying he got you.

As much you love this naked post-sex cuddles, you need clothes, and he needs at least some boxers. Miles lets you go after a lot of groaning and whining. He doesn't want you to go. You throw him a pair of boxers and go to use the bathroom.

When you finish everything that you need in the bathroom. Miles is already out. You chuckle and kiss his forehead. Then you go to check on Lily. You spend a little time in her room. Giving her goodnight kisses and just watching her.

Now you can go back to bed and sleep. You needed to do that. Give her goodnight kisses, say how much she's loved, and she's smart and pretty. And she deserves that you give your best. She's your precious baby and the best accident of your life.

After you're back in bed, it doesn't take long for Lily to wake up. You tend to her needs, and love on her a little more because she's the cutest baby ever.

You wake early in the morning with her, and then it's go go go. You feed her, then it's tummy time. She's okay with that now, thank God. You play with her before she gets tired, and it's nap time.

You take her to lay on Miles chest. He is still out. You make sure that he has her secured on his chest before leaving them.

By the time Miles wake up with Lily. You're already in the third batch of clothes, and finishing putting the groceries away. It's not going to make Miles happy. Breakfast is almost ready, too. He doesn't know how you made all of that in so little time.

They're both very sleepy and Lily looks adorable on his chest. He gives you a look that you know you're in "trouble." You just shake it off and ask him to place Lily in her high chair for her to have breakfast.

He does that and then comes behind you, spinning you to face him. "Babe, you know the deal. I thought you were going to let me help more." You sigh because you didn't to upset him. It's just easier for you to just do it. "I'm sorry, but I just wanted things to get done soon." He can't stay mad at you when you look like that.

"Just promise next time, you'll let me help you. I'm home now, and I want to help and take care of you, like I said last night." You nod and hug him. He kisses the top of your head before bringing you for a soft kiss.

Lily coos because she's hungry and she likes that. You chuckle saying that breakfast is coming. Miles says that you're taking a nap with them later, as much you want to protest, you kind of need one.

[virgo-mess]

The Birds and the Bees

🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝

Chapter List

1.Alexithymia- The Inability to Express your Feelings Parts 1 and 2

2.The Woes of Adolescence/ What the heck Happened that Summer Parts 1 and 2

3.Caught in a Summer Storm/ What the heck Happened that Christmas.

4.Summer Bluffs? Part 1

5.Disco, Strippers, and Margaritassss Part 2

6.Sleepless in a Hotel Suite Part 3

7.Shades of Pink

8.The Things I’ve Dreamed Part 1

9.Renewal Part 2

🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝

TW: None really just two angsty pretty people that can't communicate, flirting, with a little fluff ....ENJOY!

Alexithymia- The Inability to Express Your Feelings Part 1

🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝

“For adults, summer was different- flatter, the way everything became flatter when you grew old, like the hills you once sledded and stood on your pedals to climb, like the Christmases and birthdays you once anticipated, even after you discovered they disappointed, again and again, until you became numb to their disappointment.”- Dana Cann

🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝

Shay’s Pov

Shay hummed softly to the radio while she inhaled the salty scent of the New England coast, she watched the deep blue of Plymouth Harbor flit past her car windows for the first time in two years. The ocean and their pretty beaches were one of the things she missed the most about coming back to her hometown of Plymouth Massachusetts, at least when they weren’t hidden under a thick blanket of winter snow. Winter was usually the only time of year Shay could afford to slip away from her job as Vice President of an investment banking firm on Wall Steet and make the nearly four-hour drive back home. She had moved to New York what felt like a lifetime ago to attend school at NYU but in reality, it was only seven years. She had only intended on majoring in marketing, but the allure of upper-class New York City living was too strong. Shay ended up toughing college life out for one more year to earn an MBA and before she knew it, she was calling NYC home and worked her way up the investment banking chain. The hours of being a VP of investment banking were grueling, but the pay was good with extra perks like end of the year bonuses and paid time off, but Shay had come to find the life of a workaholic was also incredibly lonely. The only reason she was even able to swing this trip home was because her boss, Harold Weber, had suggested she take a sabbatical after having a mild mental breakdown in front of a few clients a couple of weeks ago. A breakdown that landed her in the back of an ambulance. Needless to say, Shay jumped at the opportunity to expand her horizons for a few months and oddly enough home seemed like the best place to do it.

So, here Shay was back in her hometown about to meet up with some of her oldest childhood friends, her breakdown had conveniently lined up well with some major life events. Her best friends Daisy and Pete were getting married in a few weeks, and Shay was sweetly bestowed the title of Maid of Honor. Daisy had gone all out and had showed up at Shay’s New York loft to hand deliver the biggest bouquet of flowers and spa basket Shay had ever seen about three months ago. How could Shay say no after such a grand gesture? Truthfully, she would’ve accepted if Daisy had just shown up with a cupcake and a big hug it had been so long since she had gotten one of those. Shay turned her forest green Audi R8 into the 1620 Wine Bar parking lot at exactly 12 o’clock for her scheduled lunch date with Daisy Martin, soon to be Daisy Foster. They were meeting to not only catch up but to also put together some of the last-minute touches on the wedding Shay had promised she’d help her with as soon as she got the time. Luckily for them both, Shay seemingly had all the time in the world now after this sabbatical she wasn’t sure if she was going to stay in the world of investment banking or New York in general.

Shay sighed stepping out of her car and taking in the warm summer rays as she made her way up to the small wine bar at a leisurely pace. She only made one stop the entire four hour drive up and that was to put actual clothes on, so she didn’t show up to a fancy wine bar in a pair of skimpy pajamas with a set of hair rollers in her hair. Instead, she opted for a simple mint green floral mini sundress and a matching cardigan that matched her misty green eyes. She even took the time to apply some make up and the hair rollers helped her achieve her routine picture perfect 90s blowout in a sketchy gas station bathroom. Shay looked at her reflection in the glass for a moment before pushing the heavy door open and walking into the dim wine bar with an awed expression on her face. Soft jazz music lulled through the overhead speakers as Shay’s green eyes took in the antique furnishings, beautiful stone walls, and gilded ceilings.

“Welcome to Sips at 1620, do you have a reservation?” a girl’s voice came from behind the hostess stand pulling Shay out of her thoughts with a polite smile on her face. She couldn’t help but feel a bit underdressed and fidgeted with the hem of her sundress as she took the last few steps up to the hostess stand.

“Yeah, it should be under Daisy” Shay said feeling a bit out of place in such a pretty place despite how polite the hostess was being to her. She wondered why Daisy picked such a romantic looking establishment, it seemed more suited for a date night than to just be planning parts of your wedding with a childhood friend but perhaps they weren’t going to be alone, and Daisy was looking to make a good impression.

“Looks like you’re the first one here, do you have a seating preference we have our main room off to your left here or our patio overlooking the harbor is just through doors.” The hostess said with a knowing look in her eyes as she watched Shay fidget with the hem of her dress again.

“The patio sounds perfect” Shay admitted letting out a faint sigh of relief. She could push her suspicious train of thought to the back of her mind for a little while and worry about surprise guests later, for now all she really needed was a glass of wine.

“Good choice, I know it can be a little intimidating in here, but I promise we aren’t nearly that fancy you’re not underdressed. You can go out and have a seat wherever you want, I’ll send someone out to bring you refreshments while you wait.” She said with the same knowing look in her eyes and a soft smile. Shay let out a soft, embarrassed sounding giggle and wondered how some people were able to get a read on her so easily.

“Thanks, could you make the first refreshment a glass of sangria please” Shay asked with a sheepish smile on her face, the host chuckled nodding her head as she began to shuffle out from behind the desk.

“Sure, thing hon, I’ll be with you in just one second sir.” The hostess said giving her one last smile before disappearing through a back door. Shay took one last look around the bar to get a closer look at some of the pretty furnishings before heading towards the patio doors and stepping out into the warm late June sunshine. The patio was empty but had a much more relaxed feel to it than the main room. The tables were covered with black and white striped umbrellas and the chairs were a pleasing assortment of cushioned patio loveseats and cute wicker chairs with brightly colored pillows. Shay all but skipped to one of the tables closest to the rippling blue of Plymouth harbor, she sat her purse down and quickly discarded her cardigan before taking a seat on one of the comfortable loveseats. Her green eyes fixate on the crashing waves and a loved-up couple in the distance, the faint lull of soft music could still be heard floating through the balmy air. Only instead of smooth jazz, the soft notes of a dreamy sounding indie pop song graced Shay’s ears. She couldn’t help but get dewy-eyed as a small wistful type of smile made its way across her face because the music and the couple on the beach reminded her of the happy summers of her girlhood. Most of which were spent with the boy next door, her first crush, and also her best friend before she and Daisy got really close.

“Hey gorgeous, what are you doing over here by yourself?” a deep, flirtatious voice asked, Shay jumped slightly in surprise halting her daydreaming to focus on the tall man standing in front of her table with a flirty smile on his face. Shay blushed under his gaze as she let her eyes trail over the man’s tall, muscled body for a bit longer than socially acceptable. He’s dressed in a pair of dark fitted jeans, a white button down that gave her a very teasing display of his muscled chest, and a dark blue blazer. Cropped gray hair sits atop his head and a pair of dark sunglasses shield his eyes from Shay’s view but even with the sunglasses on she can tell he’s incredibly handsome in a mysterious, brooding type of way. Something about the man feels remarkably familiar to her but she can’t quite pinpoint what it is.

“I’m um, waiting for my friend and my glass of sangria” Shay said awkwardly letting her eyes sweep the patio to find it still completely empty save for her and the mysterious man wearing sunglasses in front of her that almost seemed to appear out of thin air. The man let out a soft chuckle under his breath that somehow had Shay’s stomach doing flips and her eyes giving him another quick once over because she swears, she’s heard that chuckle before.

“Sorry I startled you; would you mind if I keep you company while you wait pretty lady?” he asked in the same deep coquettish tone, Shay felt her cheeks flush a darker shade of pink as she gazed up at him for a long time. She couldn’t see his eyes but part of her knew he was gazing right back at her in a way that made her feel like he was undressing her and staring into her soul at the same time in a sensual, tantalizing sort of way.

“You’ve complimented me twice in under a minute that can’t be good, have a seat Casanova” Shay said coyly motioning to the two other chairs around the table. Mystery man let out another soft chuckle before plopping in the empty spot next to Shay on the patio chair close enough for his large thigh to ghost hers in the most teasing way. He flashed her another flirty smile as he propped an arm on the table and rested his chin in the palm of his hand. Shay rolled her eyes and let out a soft giggle of her own as she teasingly mirrored his action, placing her chin in the palm of her hand as she flashed him a coy smile before deciding to break the brief silence the pair of them had seemingly fallen into.

“Have we met before Mr…?” Shay trailed raising an eyebrow at him expectantly as her eyes continued to try and pinpoint why on earth, he felt so familiar yet oh so different at the same time. She watched him bite down on his lip like he was trying to bite back another chuckle. She concluded that the sunglasses were what was throwing off whatever picture she had of him in her head.

“Right or Perfect for you, whichever you prefer darling. You know I think we have met, in my dreams…” his tone had a playful edge to it this time and Shay could see one of his eyebrows peek up at her from behind his glasses, mirroring her expression with a teasing grin. Shay giggled, shaking her head as she felt the familiar fluttering of butterflies in her stomach.

“Yeah, okay Casanova. Let me guess, you’re in town for that big rodeo happening down at the fairgrounds and you need some ‘eye-candy’ in your cheering section…” Shay said with a coy smile on her face at her artfully subtle tack of asking the silver haired mystery what he’d be getting up to while he was in town. It’d been ages since Shay actually let loose and entertained a random guy that had the guts to brazenly flirt with her like this but part of her felt like the guy sitting next to her wasn’t just a random guy and that she’d known him her whole life. There was only one other guy Shay had felt such a thing for, someone she knew a lifetime ago back in those carefree days of her youth…

“I’m no cowboy, doll but you aren’t too far off about me wanting some eye candy and luckily I just happened to stumble upon the prettiest girl in Plymouth.” He all but purred, reaching out to brush his thumb against her flushed cheek affectionately, too affectionately for a supposed stranger… Shay eyed him suspiciously but couldn’t find it in her to pull away from him because everything about him had her utterly transfixed and once again feeling oddly homesick, homesick for a person rather than a place.

“Let me guess, you’re in town for that over-the-top Foster wedding, aren’t you blondie?” he crooned in a teasing tone. His long fingers left Shay’s flushed cheek to toy with a lock of her blonde hair and Shay found herself biting down on her lip to prevent a displeased whine from escaping her throat at the loss of contact. Familiar waves of conflicting feelings coursed through her veins as she gazed over at him with the same coy smile on her face.

“That obvious huh, seems a bit unfair that you know what I’m doing here when you still haven’t told me your name or what you’re doing here. To think I let you sit at my table with me and everything.” Shay said letting out an exaggerated sigh and ditching her coy smile for a playful, mock pout of sadness. He chuckled shaking his head to himself for a moment before settling his shield gaze back on her with a teasing smirk on his face.

“Oh, I’m just here looking for my soulmate maybe you’ve seen her. She’s wearing a cute little green dress that matches her eyes and has an adorable albeit, fake pout on her pretty face right now” he said in a teasing tone, still twirling a lock of her blonde hair on his long finger. Shay rolled her eyes playfully and found herself biting back a giggle.

“Do you use that line on everyone, Casanova?” Shay said nonchalantly, raising an eyebrow at him as she rested her chin back in the palm of her hand, she silently wished she could take his sunglasses off not just because she wanted to see who was behind them but more so to getting a better feel for what he was thinking. Interpreting his thoughts and expressions based on eyebrows alone was getting tedious.

“No, just a cute little blonde with pretty green eyes and an adorable button nose who also happens to be my soulmate. Haven’t you been listening?” he said in a low borderline seductive tone as he bit down on his lip and gave her a teasing bop on the tip of her nose with one of the long fingers that had just been toying with her hair. Shay didn’t resist the urge to giggle this time, finding the action mildly ridiculous but strangely adorable all the same. Her giggles took a second to die down but when they did, she found herself analyzing his face again.

“She’s got a cute laugh too…why are you staring at me like that ch…blondie?” he all but cooed, dragging a finger down her thigh delicately, staring at her in a way that implied he was searching her eyes for something. Shay tensed a bit at both the action and the intensity of his shielded gaze as she felt an unexpected wave of arousal creep up on her.

“You remind me of someone…” Shay breathed out tearing her eyes off the man for the first time since he had magically appeared in front of her table a mere twenty minutes ago because it finally dawned on her to dig through her purse for her cell phone. She doubted it was a coincidence he showed up at the exact time Daisy was supposed to be meeting her here. No, Daisy Martin was playing matchmaker again and she was in for an earful when she finally decided to grace her and mystery man with her presence.

“A good someone I hope, tall, handsome, pretty blue eyes, might be a cop, could’ve got suspended for beating up a dirtbag named Tyler in a hotel lobby in New York…” he trailed nonchalantly.

“Huh” Shay said though she wasn’t really listening to what he was saying as she unlocked her phone to see about ten text messages from Daisy.

“…Nothing, what’s your favorite flower?” he asked in the same nonchalant tone, pointedly running his fingers up Shay’s thigh again in a teasing matter to get her attention. Shay sighed, pausing her skim through Daisy’s messages to arch her brow at him again though this time it was in a snarkier manner than the previous ones she raised at him. He smiled over at her almost seeming sheepish under her gaze for the first time in the last twenty minutes or so.

“Why does that matter, you gonna buy me some Casanova?” Shay sighed, forcing a tight smile on her face before glancing back down at her phone to read the first few messages her meddlesome friend Daisy had sent her. Apparently, Pete had convinced Daisy to go up to Boston with him early this morning to take a look at some incredibly last-minute ideas for their reception décor, they hit a ton of unexpected traffic on their way back down but would be here at 12:40 by the latest.

“I don’t know maybe, women like that stuff you know, and I bet a favorite flower says a lot about a person. Looking at your phone when someone is trying to talk to you is rude blondie…” he said letting out an exasperated sigh before placing a long finger under her chin, urging her to look at him with a teasing grin plastered on his face. Shay scoffed, narrowing her misty green eyes at him.

“Well, if we’re really soulmates shouldn’t you be able to guess what my favorite flower is. Pretty sure I read that in the soulmate handbook, I can fact check that for you on my phone if you want…” Shay said coyly. Looking past him, she finally spotted a glimpse of Daisy’s black curls in the afternoon sun coming  out of the  patio doors with a disheveled looking Pete Foster in toe. “Sure… stuck in traffic…” Shay said sarcastically under her breath as she watched Daisy try to discreetly readjust her denim skirt.

“You don’t have to do that; I already know the answer is cherry blossoms Shay” he chuckled. Shay sharply settled her green eyes back on the not so mysterious man’s amused-looking smirk at the sound of her name and her childhood nickname coming out of his mouth in the same sentence. There was only one person that ever actually used that nickname for her on a regular basis, he had dark curls and a pair of carefree, captivating blue eyes.

“CASHTON MICHAEL EWING!” Shay all but snarled, reaching up to aggressively tear his obnoxious sunglasses off his face and carelessly tossed them down on the patio harder than necessary. Cash let out a deep annoyed sounding sigh as he watched the glasses clatter and skid against the stained wood with an audible smack.

“I just bought those, that was rude Cherry Blossom, bad girl” Cash chided her though his amused smirk and spread into a full grin as he teasingly bopped her on the tip of her nose with his finger again. Shay scowled at him through her lashes and swatted at his shoulder as hard as she could before finally scooting away from him. Shay crossed her arms over her chest and tried to process everything that happened between them in the last twenty minutes.

“You haven’t seen me in almost seven years, I was hoping to get a warmer greeting especially from you, Cherry Blossom. You’re not being very neighborly, you know.” Cash sighed with an unreadable emotion swirling in his eyes. Shay let out a sigh of her own but refused to meet his gaze even though he was in fact the person she’d been thinking of in the back of her mind this entire time. The someone she had known her whole life, the someone she was feeling homesick for. Cashton Michael “Cash” Ewing was Shay’s neighbor, the first friend she made when her parents moved into the Manomet neighborhood and her first crush though looking back on it now, it was more than just a crush. From the ages of four to fourteen Shay and Cash were basically inseparable, they did everything together back then and Shay had so many happy memories of those years. The innocent years, the ones before the dreads of awkward adolescence crept in on them both and set them down different paths to live separate lives that no longer involved the other.

“Well, we haven’t been neighbors in like eight years Cash… I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you with the hair…it’s looks great though really suits you, brings out your eyes” Shay tacked on awkwardly finally meeting his gaze with a timid look in her eyes. Cash gave her a half smile in response though there seemed to be a million thoughts running through his head as he gazed back at her with almost affectionate eyes. Shay was sure she was misreading the look in his eyes though; she felt the all too familiar bundle of conflicting emotions  Cashton Ewing often brought upon her were still coursing through every fiber of her being.

“You don’t have to apologize Cherry Blossom it’s not your fault, I figured Daisy didn’t tell you I was coming when you checked in with the hostess. I’m just surprised and only mildly offended it took you so long to piece it together” he said lightheartedly though his blue eyes were sincere as they stared back into her green ones for what felt like an eternity. Gazes like this always had Shay’s mind flooding with happy memories from those early years of their friendship but then she’d remember all the more dreadful, angst filled memories of her adolescence and somehow some way, Cash Ewing was at the center of them all. She could remember all the summers their families spent together down in Cape Cod and all the days she and Cash spent running up and down the beaches, the day trips up to Boston during Christmas, stargazing in her backyard, eating ice cream every Tuesday at the parlor downtown, and movie nights with pizza in Cash’s basement. The Cash in those memories was like the one sitting beside her, gazing at her with sincere blue eyes yet something about him still felt so foreign. In the early days they told each other everything and sought comfort in each other when one of them was upset or cried. Shay missed the way things used to be between them before she knew the depth of the feelings she had for her then best friend. Shay knew the distance between them was her fault, they say girls mature faster than boys and that was definitely the case for her and Cash. She still remembered the summer, everything changed though sometimes she really wished she could forget it.

“Shay… are you okay?” Cash asked, pulling Shay out of her moment of reminiscing by running his thumb along her still rosy cheek almost tenderly. Shay nodded her head in acknowledgement without even thinking about it, a habit she picked up that summer between middle school and high school. The summer she no longer felt comfortable letting Cash Ewing know every thought and feeling she ever had because the weight of her feelings and the heartbreak that came with having a crush on her best friend were too embarrassing to admit.

“I’m fine” Shay replied softly, not really knowing what else to say to him because she still felt mostly confused by his charade of choice. Shay knew she should be used to Cash giving her a hard time by now but given her still ever-present feelings for the doofus she can’t help but feel hurt by it. Cash and Pete had been routinely teasing her since they were Sophomores in high school. Shay always assumed it was just because she spent most of her time with Daisy after she pointedly distanced herself from Cash that sour summer, but she didn’t know why he bothered to keep it up after all this time.

“Good, I thought I lost you again” Cash said, flashing her an almost sheepish grin as his finger trailed the length of her thigh again. Shay gave him a weary look before gently pushing his hand off her leg and rising to her feet to greet Pete and Daisy, clad in their matching pastel pink polo shirts and denim bottoms like a couple out of a magazine spread.

“Hey guys, you’re a little late don’t you think” Shay said giving Daisy a pointed yet playful look as she pulled her into a hug. Daisy rolled her eyes but hugged her back, nonetheless before pulling away with an unmistakable impish glint in her brown eyes.

“Didn’t you get my text messages, Pete insisted on driving on up to Boston at the crack of dawn like a deranged rooster because we simply have to have this over-the-top archway at the end the isle. Long story short we’re already way over budget so this fanciful archway ain’t happenin’.” Daisy said giving Pete a pointed look of her own, Pete let out an exasperated sigh before pulling Cash into a brief half hug.

“Yeah, I did get your text messages and you failed to tell me Cash was gonna be joining us for lunch in all ten of them Daisy Martin. Also, don’t think I didn’t see you readjusting your skirt on your way out the door over there, stuck in traffic huh.” Shay said in a hushed tone, Daisy blushed giving Shay a sheepish smile.

“I could’ve sworn I told you that, what’s it matter anyway? You two sure looked nice and cozy together from what I saw. Love is definitely in the air” Daisy said wiggling her dark eyebrows suggestively. Shay let out a sad sounding sigh and gave Daisy a weary look.

“What you saw was Cash toying with me like always. Made a whole show of flirting with me because I didn’t recognize him right away. I’m sure it meant nothing…it never does” Shay said quietly, Daisy’s brown eyes softened a bit, and she reached over to place a comforting hand on Shay’s shoulder the same way she’d been doing since they were kids.

“Shay, you don’t know that alright. I think Cash just has a hard time flirting with you as himself, you can come off a little cold towards him sometimes you know. That doesn’t mean he isn’t being genuine, maybe you make him as nervous as he makes you. You two should really talk…” Daisy trailed; her tone implied that she knew something Shay didn’t, but Shay was already feeling too vulnerable for her comfort level.

“Cashton Micheal can’t have an honest conversation to save his life, Daisy even you know that. Let’s just eat alright, I’m starving, and the hostess forgot to bring me a glass of sangria” Shay said in a lighthearted tone, but sadness was swirling in her green eyes even as she glanced over at Cash and Pete who were having a hushed conversation of their own. Shay could still recall the last two serious conversations she and Cash Ewing had on the last Christmas Cash had come home for and the one on Thanskgiving seven years ago. A conversation that landed her in tears on a train to Cleveland, she was headed back to reassemble the shambles of her first traumatic break up with her ex-boyfriend, Tyler. The second break up happened a mere two years ago but Shay knew their relationship was over the first time around. She just didn't want to be alone...

“Okay, are these yours?” Daisy asked, grabbing Shay’s attention she held up Cash’s battered looking sunglasses with a raised eyebrow. Shay bit her lip to stifle a chuckle as Cash grumpily walked over and took the sunglasses out of Daisy’s hand. The annoyed look in his blue eyes as he looked over the scuffed lenses left Shay feeling oddly satisfied.

“No these are mine, Shaylee Rose thought she’d try her hand at being Walter Johnson before you got here. You owe me a new pair, Cherry Blossom, I know you can afford it, I saw you pull up in that fancy green Audi” Cash smirked with an all too familiar mischievous glint in his ocean blue eyes as he glanced at a surely grinning Pete behind her. Shay rolled her eyes and mentally prepared herself for Cash Ewing and Pete Fosters routine teasing session to begin.

“It was awful nice of you to take a break from your upper Manhattan circle and spend some time with us poor people, Shay. After you ditched us these last two Christmases, I was beginning to think you turned into Scrooge on us.” Pete chuckled, reaching over to pinch Shay’s cheek playfully. Shay scowled and let out an annoyed sounding sigh as she plopped down on one of the wicker patio chairs instead of the loveseat Cash weaponized to entice and torment her just for fun as it would seem.

“You didn’t come home for two whole years, and you couldn’t even come see me an hour car ride over in Jersey City, Cherry Blossom. I’m not too sure she hasn’t turned into a Scrooge after all Petey. That’s not your spot, Shaylee.” Cash said pointedly, sitting back down on the loveseat with a raised eyebrow. Shay stared back at Cash blankly watching his large hand patting the spot next to him almost…seductively. Shay felt her cheeks flush despite her growing annoyance towards him and his cocky attitude at the moment. She knew Cash moved a few years back, but she never realized he had only been a half hour drive from her on a good traffic day.

“Doors work both ways Cashy, I didn’t know you moved to Jersey City but if you wanted to visit me all you had to do was show up Daisy does it all the time.” Shay said flatly, pointedly ignoring his adamant ‘pleas’ for her to sit by him even though part of her wanted to more than anything. She was sure his insistence was just part of whatever this playful act of flirting with her was, she wouldn’t allow herself to fall for it this time.

“Well, I figured if you wanted anything to do with me you would’ve at least answered one of the letters I sent you. Now get out of Pete’s seat.” Cash said, matching her flat tone with a serious expression on his face. Shay furrowed her brows at his words, she hadn’t gotten a letter from Cash since her sophomore year at NYU. She’d received it shortly after that sad Thanksgiving at his mom’s house but at the time she’d been trying her hardest to forget about that day all together. So, she just never answered it with the vague after thought she’d just talk to Cash about it at Christmas if he ever brought it up. Of course, that was because Shay didn’t know Cash had no intention of ever coming back home for a holiday again…

“Pete can sit by you, what letters are talking about?” Shay asked in a gentle but serious tone as her green eyes searched his blue ones for an answer. Cash sighed and shifted uncomfortably under her gaze for the first-time since he walked up to her table which took Shay a bit by surprise. She could count the number of times Cashton Ewing had ever looked this vulnerable on one hand and most of those times were back when his abusive, alcoholic father, Huck Ewing was around. Seeing him like this had forgotten memories of a battered Cash crawling through her window with tears streaming down his face and Shay couldn’t help the twinge of guilt that came along with them. Shay wasn’t sure how her brain ever let her forget the way they used to cling and hold each other back then. Or why neither of their parents seemed to care Cash and her slept and cuddled in the same bed every night until they were fourteen, innocently of course, but Shay can’t recall them ever being supervised. Shay glanced over at Daisy and Pete who were looking between her and Cash like they were watching a daytime soap opera.

“Pete doesn’t want to sit by me, do you Pete?” Cash asked him sharply, taking a turn at ignoring part of Shay’s words this time. Shay sighed feeling some of her guilt subside to make way for her growing annoyance towards Cash once again.

“Nope, I’d very much like to sit by my future wife Shay, so, mosey on over there by your silver fox why don’t ya” Pete replied almost instantly, almost as if he and Cash had rehearsed it beforehand. Shay felt another blush sweep across her cheeks as she looked at the two feeling equal amounts annoyed, suspicious, and embarrassed that Cash had told him about her complimenting his hair.

“No can-do Pete, Daisy and I are planning for the wedding and the bachelor parties. I know Cashton is insufferable, annoying, and obnoxious but do you think you can manage sitting next to your best friend just for today?” Shay asked in an overly sweet tone. She stared up at Pete and batted her eyelashes while a trace of a smirk made its way onto her face at the annoyed look, she could see Cash making out of the corner of her eye. Pete looked like a deer in headlights, his brown eyes darted between Shay and Cash before settling on an amused looking Daisy.

“You didn’t find me that insufferable when you thought I was a total stranger Shaylee Rose. In fact, it looked like you were contemplating letting me get you out of that cute little dress before they got here, and all I had to do was touch your thigh.” Cash said with a coquettish smile plastered on his face. He barely even had to move from his planted spot on the loveseat to trail a pointedly teasing finger up Shay’s leg because his arms were just that long. Shay felt her whole face flush a bright shade of red as she swatted Cash’s hand away from her sharply despite the wave of arousal she felt radiate throughout her body.

“Don’t flatter yourself Cashton and mow I know better than to let someone sit at my table so, trust me it won’t happen again” Shay replied with a scowl on her face, Cash’s coquettish smile didn’t falter, and he opened his mouth to say something snarky back to her, but Daisy cut him off.

“Okay let’s pause the bickering like an old married couple just for a second here…” Daisy said clearing her throat awkwardly though her brown eyes looked very much amused as they looked between them. Shay narrowed her eyes at her comparison of choice but managed to not snap back at her even though she could feel Cash tugging on a few of her curls teasingly.

“Actually Shay, I think it would be easier to talk about things if you sat across from me so, you and Pete should switch. Cash will behave himself, won’t you Cash” Daisy said sharply, Shay heard Cash let out an annoyed sigh and his pestering pulls on hair stop immediately.

“Sure, I’ll behave myself but only if you do darling” Cash said, reaching over to bop Shay on the nose with the same coquettish smile on his face. Shay narrowed her eyes and looked between him and Daisy with an obvious pout on her face.

“Daisy, I don’t think that’s necessary…” Shay said through gritted teeth, Daisy batted her eyelashes innocently, but Shay didn’t miss the impish glint swirling in her eyes. Shay had a sinking suspicion her original train of thought had been correct; Daisy Martin was playing matchmaker and for whatever reason she’d decided Shay and Cash were going to be the new couple that emerged from her wedding party.

“Shay it’s just for lunch” Daisy said reassuringly but it did absolutely nothing to soothe the influx of conflicting thoughts and emotions running through Shay right now. Part of her wanted something to happen between her and Cash and yet part of her didn’t. Part of her wanted to believe Cash was being sincere and that his flirting wasn’t just him toying with her but part of her still felt like it was and ultimately, she’d be the one hurt in the end because she always was…

“Daisy…” Shay said looking at her with pathetic and pleading green eyes that seemed to be having Daisy rethinking something at least. Cash let out a dissatisfied sounding grunt and Shay felt him wrap his arm around her waist firmly enough that she couldn’t wiggle free.

“You heard her, Cherry Blossom, come on now, be a good girl and sit with me, please…I won’t bite you without your permission” Cash said, his tone was more playful than anything this time, but Shay couldn’t help but still feel annoyed with him and everyone really. She made sure to shoot every one of her friends with a menacing glare before she begrudgingly let Cash guide her into the spot next to him with one strong arm.

The minutes ticked by with a long-awaited waiter finally coming out to take their order. He returned sometime later with a pitcher full of sangria and a heartfelt apology for Shay never getting her glass. Shay was mildly aware the waiter was flirting with her at some point during said apology, but free wine is free wine, and she wasn’t about to let it go to waste. Cash had mostly stayed true to his promise to behave by the time the appetizers came out and Shay and Daisy had finally got around to discussing plans for the bachelor party. Shay noticed that Cash seemed to become increasingly grumpy every time, said waiter emerged from the wine bar but she chalked it up to him being annoyed he couldn’t pester her the way he really wanted to.

“Instead of doing separate parties for bachelor parties we could do one big, combined party and pick a fun theme” Shay said, trying her best to ignore the way Cash resumed twirling a lock of her hair. She could see him staring at her intently out of the corner of her eye but kept her gaze trained on Daisy. Daisy nodded her head and pondered the idea with a smile on her face.

“That could be fun everyone could dress up, what do you guys think?” Daisy said animatedly, looking over at Pete with hopeful eyes. Pete nodded his head in agreement because his mouth was full of spinach and artichoke dip at the moment.

“Depends what theme Shay thinks up in this pretty head of hers. I for one don’t fancy dressing up and I know a lot of the guys feel the same way” Cash shrugged nonchalantly. Shay rolled her eyes because you could always leave it up to Cashton Ewing to be a party pooper for the sake of being the cool tough guy. Shay hadn’t seen him dress up for anything other than a school dance since they were kids and of course he wasn’t dressing to impress her. Shay took a long swig of her glass of sangria as names of Cash’s past connections flashed in her head in big angry letters.

“Then I guess you won’t be coming to the party, how sad” Shay said dryly though her gaze was still fixated on a now uncomfortable looking Daisy. Cash didn’t reply but his finger halted twirling her strand of hair and his ocean blue eyes bore into the side of her face for a long moment.

“Well, I’m sure it’s okay if not everyone dresses up…it’ll still be fun” Daisy said, Shay shook her head just as their waiter reemerged from the bar with a tray full of their food.

“Nope, I’m putting it on the invite dressing up is required if people don’t want to dress up, they’re welcome not to but then they aren’t coming. They can stay in their suites and pout, I’m sure they’ll find someone to keep them company and warm their bed…” Shay shrugged, she felt Cash’s hand fall from her hair and another dissatisfied grunt escape his lips.

“Or we could just have separate parties like traditional people. The guys can do what they want to do, and you girls can play dress up and throw your party like you want to do. Then everyone wins because like I said a lot of the guys share my stance, right Pete?” Cash said, Pete once again looked like a deer in the headlights and didn’t seem to want to pick a side for once. His brown eyes grew wide as saucers and pleaded with Daisy to rescue him.

“Oh, please believe it or not, not everyone is a party pooper like you. Some people enjoy having fun and even if they don’t the party isn’t about them. I think you can afford to not be selfish for once and go to a party, smile pretty, and dress up for your best friend Cashton Michael. You can take Pete to the strip club on a different night, can’t you?” Shay said coolly, finally turning to meet his gaze with harsh green eyes. Cash’s face hardened into a glare and his blue eyes turned icy as they met hers in a way that oddly enough had her stomach doing flips again.

“Who said anything about a strip club, I just don’t want to dress up in a stupid costume for a party you just started planning five minutes ago and Pete already knows I don’t like dressing up. And why do you keep saying ‘your best friend’ like that when you’re the one who decided you didn’t want that title anymore, I didn’t take it from you. So, I’m really failing to see how you think I’m the one being selfish here Shaylee Rose, what about you” Cash said sharply, Shay stared at him blankly for a minute before rolling her eyes.

“What about me Cashton when have you ever done anything for me or anyone for that matter just to make them happy, huh? Because last I checked I was always the one bending over backwards to make you happy in our friendship and I just couldn’t do it anymore, sorry. I bet if Opal May, Winnifred, or any number of your girlfriends from Boston wanted you to dress up for their party you’d do it in a heartbeat, wouldn’t you” Shay said dryly, gulping the rest of her wine before angrily pouring herself another heaping glass. Cash stared at her with disbelief swirling in his blue eyes, he opened and closed his mouth several times appearing to finally be at a loss for words. “Yeah, that’s what I thought” Shay muttered taking another long swig of her fruity beverage.

“I don’t know what Opal May has to do with any of this…Is that why you planned a whole trip to Cancun for spring break and didn’t invite me because you think I’m selfish and prioritize other people over you…Are you talking about what happened at Thanksgiving with Winnifred because…” Cash asked her in a soft, careful tone with an unreadable expression swirling in his eyes. Shay pursed her lips and took another small sip of wine as she focused her seething gaze on the waves crashing on the shore in the distance.

“I didn’t invite you because I didn’t think you’d detach yourself from dear old Winnie long enough to get on a plane. Besides she shot down the idea about sunny vacation after she whisked you away to help your mom in the kitchen said something about redheads and the sun being mortal enemies or something… Where is Winnie anyway, not enough glory being the plus one to a small-town wedding?” Shay grumbled; she heard Cash let out a frustrated sounding sigh behind her, but she couldn’t bring herself to meet his gaze as unwanted flashbacks from that Thanksgiving trampled her brain. A thick layer of silence fell over their table with a level of awkwardness that matched the one that loomed over them the last holiday the four of them had spent together. That Thanksgiving was the first holiday and last, to Shay’s knowledge, that Cash had brought one of his girlfriends home only he seemed to fail to tell everyone about her including his mother. Everyone was shocked when a redheaded Winnifred Howards popped up out of seemingly nowhere, at least that’s what Daisy told Shay after she’d already gone back to Tyler and New York. Shay wasn’t stupid, she knew when nothing came of her seemingly unrequited crush on him in high school the day would eventually come that Cash showed up with someone better than her in every way on his arm. She had just hoped it would happen at the point in time when she was finally able to put her feelings for Cashton Ewing to rest. All her efforts to do so over the years had failed and Thanksgiving had been Shay’s biggest failure to date.

“Well gee, I guess I see where I fall on your friend roster Shay. You didn’t know I moved less than an hour from you and you apparently didn’t know Winnie and I haven’t seen each other since that Thanksgiving seven years ago either. You can say we broke up I guess but I’d hardly even call her my girlfriend, I just…” Cash trailed, his tone was low and serious but somehow had Shay’s annoyance and anger flaring tenfold. In her eyes Cash put her at the bottom of his friend pool long before she ever put him at hers, sure she distanced herself emotionally that sour summer but after that they still saw each other every day. They still talked regularly, which can only be expected when both of their other friends were dating each other. The emotional distance was more a necessity to protect what was left of her pride because she’d been stupid enough to fall for her best friend, the most desirable boy at their school. She’d also had been stupid enough to let herself believe that there might be something between them on far too many occasions for her liking. The last of which was that heavy conversation on Thanksgiving they had in his bedroom, which seemed more like a confessional more than anything to Shay now. Whatever hope of requited love she had during that conversation walked right out the door when an overtly perky redhead came in and insisted Cash help her and his mom in the kitchen. No amount of Cash pleading with Winnie to give them a few more minutes could ever make that level of heartbreak go away. It was a level that surpassed the angsty melodramatic one she felt most of that lonely summer with her aunt in LA but still it wasn’t quite as gut wrenching as walking into Tyler’s hotel suite in Cleveland later that evening.

Shay felt her green eyes well up with bitter, vulnerable tears before she finally turned her gaze back to Cash. Cash gazed back at her with intense, melancholy looking blue eyes that seemed to be searching hers for something. You could cut through the growing tension between the two with a knife as another awkward type of silence overtook their table.

🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝

“Daisy, she really looks like she might kill him right now maybe this wasn’t a good idea…” Pete said in a hushed voiced, his brown eyes were fixated on the two friends he’d known since his grade school years with a fearful type of fascination. Daisy sighed, still looking at the pair like she was very much watching a soap opera.

“I know, I don’t even know what happened. They looked so cute when we got here, maybe we should just let them have lunch alone. Cash seems to perform better that way, I know he’s nervous but this… this is just sad” Daisy muttered, Pete stifled a chuckle as he finally let his eyes fall on the love his life adoringly.

“We still can you know, lovely. Honestly, they probably won’t even notice at this point. We could go to the beach and sip cocktails, we could even…” Pete trailed, Daisy furrowed her dark brows at him although she was smiling at him as brightly as ever.

“We could even what?” Daisy asked.

“Leave the rest of the planning for the wedding and the parties up to them. The two of them working together might implore them to finally unpack allll of this” Pete said in the same hushed tone as he motioned between their two glowering best friends. Daisy bit her lip, pondering his proposal for a moment. Honestly, nothing could be worse than whatever was going on between the two now.

“I love it when you encourage me to play matchmaker, my lovely but what if Shay actually kills him?” Daisy said in a joking tone as she started jotting a quick letter for their unsuspecting best friends on a piece of paper. Pete stifled another chuckle.

“She loves him too much besides you and Shay weren’t going to get any real planning done with Cash doing… what his doing now?” Pete said letting out an almost disappointed sounding sigh as he took in the sight of Cash gripping Shay’s face in one of his large palms and gently squeezing her cheeks with a serious look in his eyes.

🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝🤝

Shay glowered at Cash for what felt like forever partly because she couldn’t decide if she just wanted to argue with him some more or just cry her eyes out. Those always seemed to be the only options she ever had with him since she was fourteen and she hated it.

“I don’t know how that’s my fault Cash, you bring him flings home and treat them like regular girlfriends and somehow it’s my job to be able to spot the difference?” Shay said in a low bitter tone, Cash sighed and with it his blue eyes softened up a bit.

“No, I’m saying you could’ve just asked me, Cherry Blossom, you used to ask me things you know and now you just shut me out…” Cash said in a careful tone, Shay opened her mouth to argue with him but part of her knew she couldn’t because he was right. She had shut him out and she wished she could tell him why, but her words always seemed to fail her when it came to him, and she could never figure out why. Talking to him used to be so easy and now it just felt like an up-hill battle, an endless trek that seemed to lead her nowhere.

“I don’t know what to ask you anymore, Cash, okay. Everything between us is weird and different and awkward, and I just don’t know how to talk to you anymore, I guess. So…” Shay’s rambling was cut short by Cash reaching over to grip her cheeks in the palm of his hand, gently squeezing them between his thumb and fingers with amusement swirling in his blue eyes though his expression was serious.

“So don’t talk, Cherry Blossom” Cash chuckled softly, Shay felt her cheeks flush at both the action and his words as familiar nervous, smitten butterflies swirled in her stomach. His squeeze loosened the slightest bit as the two of them stared deeply into each other’s eyes for what felt like an eternity. Unlike the previous silence they had fallen into over the twenty or so minute emotional rollercoaster they went on, this one was more comforting, more wholesome, and dare Shay allow herself to think it almost loving in an odd way because she for once felt like Cash heard her loud and clear.

“Your foods getting cold, Cherry Blossom…” Cash said just above a whisper though he made no move to let go of Shay’s face for some time even after the words left his mouth and hung in the air. The faint lull of another dreamy indie pop songs floated between them in a way that seemed oddly fitting for the odd little moment they were sharing.

“Well, I can’t really eat until you give me my face back, Cashy. Unless you want to feed me” Shay said almost timidly, she watched Cash’s lips curl into a genuine smile that reminded her of the ones he used to give her when they were silly kids running up and down the sandy beaches. And she swore she felt her heart flutter when his blue eyes lit up at her before looking over at Pete and Daisy.

“I’ll feed you if you want me to darling and I’ll even drive you home, preferably in that fancy new Audi of yours if you’ll let me but you’re definitely going to need a designated driver after lunch…” Cash chuckled,  turning Shay’s head to face their table full of food and cocktails with an amused smirk on his face.

“They ditched us” Shay gasped in disbelief taking in Pete and Daisy’s now vacant chairs with wide, mildly offended eyes. Surely the last twenty minutes of her and Cash’s bickering couldn’t have been that bad, no this was all part of meddlesome Daisy’s plan.

“Oh look, they left us a cute little note, how sweet of them” Cash said finally letting go of Shay’s face to grab the piece of paper neatly tucked under one of the cocktail glasses.

“It says and I quote, Dear Shay and Cash, if you're reading this it means you’ve finally noticed Pete and I ditched you bickering old bats to go to the beach or Cash is dead and the detectives assigned to solve his case are reading this…in which case it definitely was not Shaylee Harris. Cash is pretty and all but he ain’t that smart and I’m sure he just pissed off another blonde and got himself shot in the shoulder nothing to worry about…. Any who, during your insistent bickering Pete and I decided your problems would best be solved by you two spending some quality alone time together 😉. From here on out you two will be tasked with working out our wedding details and planning those parties TOGETHER. We know you can do it just put those pretty heads of yours together and figure it out, talk it out, kiss it out…. DO WHATEVER IT TAKES, just get on with it already. Lunch and cocktails are on us. Have fun, lots of fun, Love Pete and Daisy” Cash finished reading out loud.

“Ugh, they planned this you know” Shay said glancing over at Cash with the fainted pout on her face and rosy cheeks. Cash flashed her yet another uncharacteristically sheepish smile that had Shay narrowing her eyes at him in suspicion because she swore, he was blushing.

“Were you in on this too…Casanova?” Shay asked him pointedly, Cash shook his head and busied himself by twirling her pasta on a fork.

“No, Cherry Blossom, I can honestly say this…was all them but I’d be lying if I said having an excuse to be attached at your hip for the foreseeable future wasn’t making me giddy. Now be a good girl and eat some of this for me, I’d hate to see you hurl all over those nice leather seats of yours, beautiful” Cash said raising the fork to her mouth with a teasing smile on his face.

“This is going to be the longest few weeks of my entire life…” Shay muttered, picking up her wine glass with a soft, defeated sounding sigh despite how many flips her stomach was doing….

🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝🐦🐝

[polkadotsunshine]

Utilitarian transient passage of concrete

After attending the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, I drove my friends to Alewife Station for the T in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Once they left, I walked to the top of the parking garage alone. The structure stretched just high enough to look over its surrounding buildings and trees. Red sunlight stripes shone through bubbly clouds in the open air atop the garage. I walked along its border, following an increasing density of graffiti. As I reached the north edge I looked over slow ripples wrinkling Yates Pond below. It was beautiful but something was wrong. It wasn't like I remembered.

Back in 2018, I passed through Alewife Station every day for work. I fell in love with its solitude, its view, and its graffiti. Since 2018, I have gone out of my way to climb to the top of every parking garage I come across. I have cried on their rooftops. I have worked between their walls. I have slept in their staircases. I have painfully lingered in them to vainly delay sad goodbyes to dear friends. Their emotional importance has cemented them as landmarks in the pseudo-persistent geometry of my dreams; I often pass through dream parking garages as a way to travel from one location to another.

I also often dream of the house I grew up in - contrasting my dreams of parking garages. Dreams of that house are detailed; I have an accurate memory of every room down to the shine of its doorknob. When I return to that house in my waking life, the only difference I recognize is its scale, since I started dreaming of that place when I was 3 years old and many feet smaller. One time, when navigating my hometown during a Christmas visit, I only remembered how to get downtown because I have dreamt about those roads for decades.

When I watched the sunset reflect off of Yates Pond at the top of Alewife Station's parking garage, I realized what was wrong. My dreams of parking garages had no similarities to their waking life inspiration. I didn't even remember that pond existed. The glass roof over the central stairs surprised me. I never noticed the lampposts and concrete stands dotting the top floor. Even the sun felt out of place. I needed to ground myself.

I looked through layers of faded graffiti to find something I wrote in 2018, but I had no memory of what I left behind or where it was. This place had such a significant impact on me, but I remembered nothing about it. In turn, I had tried to leave my mark on it, but it did not remember me. I ventured deeper into the dead ends of the garage.

One week earlier, the 2024 CrowdStrike incident cancelled my flight, stranding me in New York City. As I waited 9 hours for a bus to eventually take me home, I visited The Metropolitan Museum of Art on Fifth Avenue. I walked until my legs gave out, settling me in the viewing room for Pierre Huyghe's Untitled (Human Mask). The next week I visited the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, attending their exhibit which drew the line from Korea's Joseon dynasty to Minecraft parodies of Gangnam Style.

Having done this immediately before driving to Alewife Station, I can say with certainty that the graffiti along this parking garage rivals the most famous pieces in the most prestigious museums in the world. I didn't remember any of the individual tags from my visits years prior, but I remembered their influence. I stopped where the spiral road looped underneath itself, dividing the ground with a line of shadow. There, years ago, I laid down in a dirty rainstorm devastated by an awful event I no longer remember.

I take pride in my overly detailed yet selective memory; it inspires my mawkish autobiographical writing. Yet as I stood in this deeply personal place, having remembered no details of my connection to it, my perspective changed. It was never the details that mattered. The sunset was still beautiful. The graffiti was still impactful. This parking garage carried me from adolescence into adulthood and while no memories remained, while no marks persisted, its impact on my life will last forever. Maybe I impacted it too.

I had transformed this utilitarian transient passage of concrete into something else. It had become a destination of its own.

[saintmeghanmarkle]

Archewell the Human First Coalition and Allegations of Abuse and Fraud in the Nonprofit NPO) World by u/QuesoFresca

Archewell, the Human First Coalition, and Allegations of Abuse and Fraud in the Nonprofit NPO) World Another group member posted something interesting about the dastardly duo's support The Afghan Women's Workshop earlier today. It was titled "Arsewell's The Welcome Project: Lynn, Massachusetts Edition"Made me think of an earlier attempt at supporting Afghanistan via the Human First Coalition. Aside from sounding a lot like the Human Fund, Archewell committed their support to the relatively new organization. Back in 2021-2022 the organization seemed to be closely entangled with H & M. Their Christmas card claimed they gave a donation on the recipients' behalf to the HFC and the org listed both H & M as honorees at their NYC gala. Curiously, they skipped the event at the last minute and instead sent an employee.At the time, the young founder of HFC was being showered with accolades (Forbes 30 Under 30, A Pat Tillman award etc.) but some of his back story seemed fantastical. So what is the organization up to now?They've posted nothing to their socials since last April. What happened? It seems founder Safi Rauf has been accused of mistreating refugees and fraud. "an ABC News investigation has learned of numerous allegations against Rauf and his organization -- none of which have previously been reported. A U.S. government-backed institution has sued Rauf and Human First Coalition, alleging the organization failed to evacuate its employees after it was paid over a half a million dollars for that rescue, and one former volunteer has said she raised questions about how funding to the organization was being spent. The group is also facing accusations that it mistreated some of the refugees it promised to help."Safi left us behind," said one refugee, who asked ABC News not to use her name. "He left us in darkness."The entire article is archived here: Forbes '30 Under 30' honoree's charity accused of mistreating refugees, sued for fraud post link: https://ift.tt/LIN7tec author: QuesoFresca submitted: December 17, 2023 at 11:01PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

[ambienthousewife]

the complete list of official state affirmations

arkansas: your next door neighbor is not planning on blowing up your house. he is a nice man who makes ziti and has NO interest in arson nor personal revenge.

alaska: the wolves are NOT gossiping behind your back about your truck decals. they appreciate a fine piece of machinery such as your gmc

california: you WILL be able to get your celery juice morning fix before work today. inflation has NOT risen its price to $11

delaware: the irs has NO interest in investigating you for an illegal importing business. the package at your doorstep labeled "bosnia" IS discreet and out of sight

florida: there are CERTAINLY enough parking spots available at the event you are attending. the city planners have SPECIFICALLY had this in mind when designing the map

hawaii: jimmy buffett is GUARANTEED to suffer a horrific accident in his remaining lifetime. he WILL suffer a tragic demise

illinois: your local grocery has NOT started putting eyeballs in your food. they have NO interest in doing such a thing

iowa: the makeup you got from the dollar store DOES look good and not tacky. the cheapest mascara WILL serve you well today

louisiana: the ghost of don pardo IS benign and friendly. he has NO interest in causing misfortune upon your property

maryland: you WILL one day be able to do anal. with enough lube and practice, it is a CERTAINTY and nothing to worry about

massachusetts: the position open as a 'professional accordion player' on indeed is NOT a scam. this IS the position you have been waiting for your entire life

minnesota: super mario 64 is just a video game and is in NO WAY a manifestation of your worst childhood nightmares. please get some solid rest

mississippi: you WILL impress your colleagues at the work karaoke party. "everybody knows" by leonard cohen is a SUPERB choice of song for this occasion

nevada: NOBODY knows about the time you peed yourself at comic con. it was discreet and you are the ONLY person that knows such a thing happened. and it's not even that big of a deal

new jersey: no, your mom did NOT call you on the 10 year anniversary of the night her house burnt down. she survived but passed away 4 years ago from unrelated causes.

new mexico: santa claus WILL bring you all the toys you wanted for christmas this year. you are NOT on his naughty list

new york: all the kids that bullied you for wanting to marry simon le bon from duran duran are IRRELEVANT now. you can plan your own fictional wedding with simon le bon from duran duran and there is NOTHING anyone can do to stop it

ohio: the giraffe that tried to kill you as an 8 year old is NOT the same one that just escaped the zoo. that is a different giraffe. the one that tried to kill you PERISHED 13 years ago in a boating accident

oregon: one day you WILL be able to vape your estrogen. the world's top scientists are working on it right now.

rhode island: you will NOT fall for another 'joe mama' joke. you know the rules now and your mind is as SHARP as a tack today

south dakota: this goth girl on tinder FOR SURE wants to have sexual intercourse with you. the invader zim hoodie is a GREAT choice of outfit for a first date

texas: everybody LOVED your noise show performance. the circuit bended childrens keyboard from goodwill you made did an AMAZING job

utah: all the other moms thought your casserole was DELICIOUS. they are NOT saying mean things to you behind your back because your husband made chocolate chip pancakes once. that alone does not make a man too fruity

washington: this costco is where a panic attack will NOT be had today. you WILL be able to get your bulk groceries and not cry in the store. in the car is fine enough

wisconsin: the exterminator you hired is NOT an ant in disguise. that is IMPOSSIBLE. he is also NOT a sex offender you checked the records before hiring him.

wyoming: that copy of infinite jest you have on the shelf will be FULLY read one day. you will get around to finishing it one day SOON

[theselfshippingwitch]

Home for The Holidays (Ray x Violet)

Rating: General Audiences

Word Count: 1113

Includes: fluff, gift exchanges, lots and lots of sweets

Summary: As the Ghostbusters take Christmas off, Ray goes to visit with Violet's family

Notes: I just need you all to know that Ray spent Christmas with his girlfriend's family and they all love him and how happy he makes her

“Hi, This is Dr. Peter Venkman. You’ve reached the Ghostbusters, and we’re currently on Christmas Vacation. If you’ve got a ghost problem, leave us a message and we’ll get back to you on the 26th. If it’s an emergency, you can do the same thing. If it’s an end-of-the-world and all humanity level event, we may consider taking the job, but do be warned we will quadruple our prices, and ask to be paid in full up front. Thank you, and Merry Christmas!”

-

“So, what’s the plan?”

Ray had left his and Violet’s house as soon as the work day was done. He and all the other Ghostbusters had had a collective holiday celebration dinner and gift exchange the night before, seeing as all of them had plans for the actual day. 

“Well, tomorrow we drive down to my parents’ house, and we can spend the night in my old room there, and then the day after that is Christmas, and then the day after THAT we visit my grandmother. You remember her? You seemed to get along really well with her boyfriend at Thanksgiving.”

 “Yeah! The guy who used to have a sailboat! He had some great stories.”

“But…” She wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “We have tonight for just us two.” They both giggled as he leaned in and kissed her. He wrapped his arms around her waist.  

“Alright then…” He said softly. “How about you and me, the old record player, a fire going in the fireplace?” 

“Hmm…” She buried her face in the crook of his neck. “Sounds perfect.” 

- 

They woke up the next morning, limbs tangled up in each other, hair messy. “Wake up, handsome.” She kissed his bare chest. “We’ve got a long drive.”

They take an hours-long drive in Ray’s vintage truck (an early Christmas gift from Violet which Ray absolutely delighted in fixing up and getting into working order) and suddenly they’re in Massachusetts, baking chocolate chip cookies. “Mom always makes too much food. I’m pretty sure after we’re done baking these cookies, we’ll have five different types of cookies in this house. Plus the ones my sister-in-law will definitely bring. Just, be prepared to be eating cookies for the next three weeks, at least.” 

That night, Ray listened amusedly as Violet and her parents reminisced about Christmases past. “...And your brothers would set up their new train sets and you would sit in the middle and just watch as the train went round and round, and God forbid if you touched the train, they’d scream at you, ‘VIOLET!’...”

Violet laughed, and Ray nudged her. “Kinda sounds like Slimer and Peter.” She snickered. 

That night, they all watched her mother’s favorite Christmas movie, then Ray and Violet retired to bed in Violet’s old bedroom, where they rearranged all the stuffed animals so they could both fit on the full size bed. 

-

The next morning, both woke up early, even though they had been told that gift exchanges and Christmas dinner would not happen until that afternoon.Still, the two sat alone in front of the Christmas tree as the sun rose and Violet’s parents were still asleep in their beds. Ray handed Violet an black velvet box about the size of her hand. Inside was a purple crystal heart necklace. “Oh, Ray, honey, it’s beautiful!” She took it out of the box and handed it to him to put it on her. She felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up as his warm fingers brushed her skin gently as he fastened the necklace. “You like it?” he asked nervously from behind her. “I know you wear a lot more expensive jewelry all the time for your photoshoots and con appearances and stuff, but I just wanted to save up and buy you something to make you feel as beautiful as you always are to me.”

“Sweetie…” She turned around and kissed him. “I love it. It’s the most beautiful and special thing I’ve ever seen. I don’t think I’ll ever take it off. But, you don’t have to save up your money for me. Honey, the most important thing in the world to me is just you.”

He blushed like crazy, and she kissed his cheek. “Now, my present is… well, it’s over here.” She reached under the tree and grabbed a somewhat lumpy, squishy package. When Ray unwrapped it, he found a pink and black striped scarf. “I knitted it myself.” Violet admitted bashfully. “I thought you might like something homemade, but now I feel bad, because you spent so much money on my gift, and I really didn’t spend any on yours…”

“You made this all by yourself? For me?” He smiled fondly at the scarf before unfolding it and eagerly putting it around his neck. 

“Yeah, I did.” She blushed.

He turned to her. “But you’ve been so busy lately! With the outline of your new novel, and the script revisions for the new movie they're gonna make based on your last book, where did you find the time?”

“Honey, I made time. It was important.”

He wrapped his arms around her. “No one has ever done anything like this for me in my whole life. Thank you.”

Violet smiled, hugging him back and smiling softly. “You’re welcome, Ray. I love you. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Violet. I love you, so much.” 

 -

The next day, Ray and Violet went with her parents to visit her grandmother, a white-haired old British woman, who reminded them that it was Boxing Day by pointing out the sweater covered with little gift boxes she was wearing - “It’s my Boxing Day sweater, see the boxes?” - and had even more cookies for them to eat. It was the first day that they had to get dressed up, and Ray’s usual outfit of a sweater vest, button-up shirt, and khakis (which for the holiday were red, maroon, and gray, respectively) was not dissimilar from the one Violet’s grandmother’s boyfriend wore. They spent the day in pleasant conversation, and after they left in the afternoon it was time for them to start the four hour drive back to Manhattan. Once they were back Ray stopped briefly at the house to drop Violet off before immediately returning to the firehouse. 

“Thanks again for letting me take an extra day off, guys.” he told the others.

“Hey, don’t mention it.” Winston said. “We didn’t get that many calls over Christmas anyway, and you’ve got at least 100 days of vacation saved up after not taking any for the four years this company has existed. How was your holiday?” 

Ray smiled fondly. “I think it’s the best one I’ve had in years.”

[bra-weyflorist]

Weymouth Florist

Picking the ideal flowers for your wedding event is an important element of your special day. Not only do they include charm and ambiance, but they also show the season in which your wedding event occurs. Find out how you can select your wedding event flowers by season, guaranteeing that your flower choices are not just gorgeous but seasonally suitable and affordable.

Spring Wedding Events: A Time for Renewal and Bloom Spring is a season of new beginnings, and the flower options are plentiful. Popular spring flowers consist of:

Tulips: Readily available in numerous colors, tulips represent joy and love. Peonies: Recognized for their lavish, full blooms, peonies represent love and success. Lilacs: With a charming scent, lilacs symbolize the very first feelings of love. Hyacinths: Their dynamic colors and sweet aroma make them a captivating option.

Summertime Wedding Events: Dynamic and Vibrant Floral Selections Summertime wedding events can include a vast array of intense and vibrant flowers. Perfect options for this season are:

Roses: A classic sign of love and charm, roses are ideal for a traditional summertime wedding event. Dahlias: Recognized for their special patterns and lively colors, dahlias represent dedication and an endless bond. Sunflowers: Representing love and commitment, sunflowers include a joyful touch to any wedding event. Zinnias: These flowers, offered in several colors, represent enduring love and are ideal for a vibrant summertime event.

Fall Wedding Events: Rich Hues and Earthy Tones Fall brings a color palette of deep, rich colors, and your flower options must show this seasonal shift:

Chrysanthemums: Representing happiness and charm, chrysanthemums are a staple of fall wedding events. Marigolds: With their strong shades, marigolds represent coziness and success. Dahlias: Continuing from summertime, dahlias stay a popular option for their depth of color and elaborate petals. Asters: Signifying love and knowledge, asters include a fragile touch to your autumnal wedding event.

Winter Season Weddings: Beauty in Cool Tones Winter season wedding events can be wonderful with the best flower choices. Think about these flowers for a winter season event:

Amaryllis: Recognized for their striking look, amaryllis represents superb appeal. Anemones: With their deep colors and white accents, anemones are ideal for a winter season color palette. Camellias: Representing adoration and excellence, camellias include sophistication to any winter season wedding event. Poinsettias: Though typically connected with Christmas, poinsettias can include a joyful touch to a winter season wedding event.

Tips for Picking Seasonal Wedding Event Flowers

Inspect Accessibility: Be sure your picked flowers remain in season to keep expenses down and quality high. Think About the Color Pattern: Match your flowers to your wedding event's color palette for a cohesive appearance. Tap the services of a Florist: Expert flower shops can offer important recommendations on seasonal accessibility and arrangements.

Picking wedding event flowers by season not just welcomes the natural charm of your wedding's season but also typically provides expense benefits and guarantees the freshness of the blossoms. Whether you're imagining a spring garden wedding event, a lively summer season event, a comfortable autumnal event, or a winter season wonderland, picking the best seasonal flowers will boost the charm and atmosphere of your wedding.

Flower Delivery Weymouth MA

Bra-Wey Florist is a local florist that has same-day flower delivery and exceptional floral design in Weymouth, Massachusetts. 

Since 1946, we have been actively catering to the city of Weymouth, helping the community make the best arrangements with fresh and vibrant flowers to fulfill their needs.

And with beyond seven decades of practical experience in the flower shop business, we know just how important it is to get your floral design exactly right. And that's why our florists put in the time to talk about your needs and be sure to give you only the most perfect flowers and arrangement.

Let us help you develop the most magnificent flower bouquets and arrangements!

Whether it's a bouquet of flowers to send to your mother on her special day, an exquisite sympathy wreath to send off to a funeral home, or some floral décor for the holiday season, Bra-Wey Florist is here to help you out.

We pride ourselves on the quality and freshness of our flowers, and the exquisite designs that only come along with the skill and expertise of our florists. Because of this, we are fully devoted to providing each customer only the best assistance and help them find the ideal blooms and arrangement for their needs.

Thinking of getting an assortment of pink, white and lavender flowers to send some love on Mother's Day to your mom, grandma, sister or aunt? You got it!

Have a loved one who could use a pick-me-up with some sunflowers? Perhaps lilies, roses, or orchids for a lovely whiff of floral fragrance? Even if they're not fond of flowers, we have an entire collection of lush plants and greens that you can choose from!

Heading home for the holidays and planning on bringing a floral centerpiece for the dinner table? We've got you covered! From Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, to Hanukkah, Valentine's Day and even Halloween-- we'll help you produce an arrangement that will wow your guests!

Our outstanding team knows that time is of the essence when it comes to presents. 

And that's why we provide prompt, speedy same-day flower delivery service, available all around the Weymouth and South Shore area in Massachusetts. Our friendly delivery crew will make sure the flowers are received in one piece, so fresh like they were just plucked out of the garden!

Need a gift for a birthday, Christmas or Valentine's Day? Want to find some beautiful flowers to do up your house for the holidays? Plan to send out a delightful floral arrangement to the hospital, nursing home or a funeral?

Whatever your floral needs are, we guarantee you'll get exactly the floral designs you asked for and more with Bra-Wey Florist!

All ready to do some shopping for some floral gifts and décor? Drop by our flower shop at Weymouth or go over to our website at https://www.braweyflorist.com to go through our variety of fresh blooms and first-rate floral designs!

Want some help in choosing the perfect flowers and arrangement? Considering getting a custom theme floral design? Our florists will be more than happy to help! Just call us at (781) 337-0288 or shoot us an email at florist@braweyflorist.com.

Flower Shop Weymouth

Bra-Wey Florist 94 Washington St, Weymouth, MA 02188, USA (781) 337-0288 https://www.braweyflorist.com

Read our Weymouth florist review

You can also find us on the Social Media:

Facebook

Pinterest

Yelp

Flower Delivery Weymouth

[wsct-wholesale-canopy-tents]

Promote Specialty Foods with Custom Pop-Up Tents

Gourmet Food Trucks Tacos from Austin, Texas

Custom Tent Idea: Vibrant, colorful designs featuring taco graphics and local landmarks. Highlight specialty taco ingredients and unique flavors like barbacoa or breakfast tacos. Philly Cheesesteaks from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Custom Tent Idea: Classic cheesesteak imagery with the city skyline. Use bold colors and logos to showcase different cheesesteak variations and toppings.

Regional Food Festivals Deep-Dish Pizza from Chicago, Illinois

Custom Tent Idea: A tent designed to look like a giant deep-dish pizza slice. Use mouth-watering images of cheese, sauce, and toppings to draw in pizza lovers. Clam Chowder from Boston, Massachusetts

Custom Tent Idea: Nautical-themed tent with clam chowder imagery. Incorporate elements of the Boston waterfront and seafood graphics.

Farmers Markets Fresh Apple Cider from the Midwest

Custom Tent Idea: Rustic design with apple and orchard graphics. Highlight the freshness and seasonal nature of the cider, with a farm-inspired look. Blueberry Pancakes from the Pacific Northwest

Custom Tent Idea: Bright and cheerful designs featuring blueberries and pancakes. Use visuals of lush blueberry fields and fluffy stacks of pancakes.

Street Food Events Beignets from New Orleans, Louisiana

Custom Tent Idea: Festive, French Quarter-inspired designs with beignet imagery. Use vibrant colors and New Orleans landmarks to attract attention. BBQ Ribs from Memphis, Tennessee

Custom Tent Idea: Bold, smoky graphics with BBQ rib visuals. Incorporate Memphis-style BBQ elements and a barbecue grill theme.

Outdoor Festivals Kettle Corn from the Midwest

Custom Tent Idea: Popcorn-themed design with playful, retro graphics. Highlight the sweet and salty nature of the kettle corn with large, eye-catching visuals. Lobster Rolls from Maine

Custom Tent Idea: Coastal design with lobster graphics and maritime colors. Emphasize the fresh, succulent lobster meat and New England charm.

Food & Drink Markets Craft Beer from Colorado

Custom Tent Idea: Mountain-themed design with craft beer imagery. Showcase various local breweries and their unique brews with a rustic, outdoor feel. Key Lime Pie from Florida

Custom Tent Idea: Bright, citrus-themed design featuring key lime pie graphics. Use tropical colors and imagery to evoke the essence of Florida.

Local Community Events Hot Dogs from New York City, New York

Custom Tent Idea: Urban design with iconic hot dog imagery. Highlight classic NYC-style hot dogs and famous street vendors. Chili from Texas

Custom Tent Idea: Bold, Southwestern design featuring chili peppers and bowls of chili. Incorporate Texas flags and motifs to capture the essence of Tex-Mex cuisine.

Holiday Markets Pumpkin Pie from the Midwest

Custom Tent Idea: Autumn-themed design with pumpkin pie graphics. Emphasize seasonal flavors and holiday cheer with warm, inviting colors. Eggnog from the South

Custom Tent Idea: Festive, holiday-themed design with eggnog imagery. Use traditional Christmas colors and motifs to attract seasonal shoppers. Using custom pop-up tents designed to reflect these local specialties will help you create a memorable and engaging experience for customers, making your booth stand out at events and markets.

[hashtagmagazine]

The History of Holidays: How These Celebrations Began

Holidays are more than breaks from routine; they are windows into humanity's soul, revealing our cultural richness, traditions, and collective memories. Behind each festive occasion lies a story that intertwines with the fabric of history. Let's embark on a journey to uncover the origins and evolution of eleven beloved holidays spanning religious, cultural, and national boundaries.

Christmas

Christmas, the cornerstone of Christian celebrations worldwide, merges ancient pagan rituals with Christian beliefs. While December 25th marks the official date of Christ's birth in the Christian calendar, it also coincides with the Roman festival of Saturnalia, a week-long festival of feasting and revelry honoring the agricultural god Saturn.

Additionally, the winter solstice was celebrated in many cultures as a time of rebirth and renewal, contributing to the timing of Christmas festivities. Over time, as Christianity spread, elements of pagan celebrations intertwined with religious traditions, giving rise to modern-day Christmas customs such as decorating trees, exchanging gifts, and gathering with loved ones.

Halloween

Halloween, with its ghoulish costumes and spooky tales, has its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain. Celebrated on October 31st, Samhain marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to blur. To ward off evil spirits, Celts lit bonfires and wore costumes made of animal skins. With the spread of Christianity, Samhain evolved into All Saints' Day, and eventually, Halloween emerged as a secular holiday celebrated with trick-or-treating, haunted houses, and costume parties.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, a quintessentially American holiday, traces its origins to a 1621 feast shared by Pilgrims and Wampanoag Indians in Plymouth, Massachusetts. However, the concept of giving thanks for a bountiful harvest predates this event by centuries. Harvest festivals were common in many cultures, including the ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. In the United States, Thanksgiving became an official holiday in 1863, proclaimed by President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated with turkey, pumpkin pie, and parades, symbolizing gratitude and unity.

Chinese New Year

Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most significant holiday in Chinese culture, with a history spanning over four thousand years. Its origins can be traced back to the agrarian society of ancient China, where the lunar calendar dictated agricultural activities. The festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring, symbolizing renewal and rebirth. Traditions such as dragon and lion dances, fireworks, and red envelope-giving are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck for the coming year. Each year is associated with one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac, with its unique characteristics and fortunes.

Easter

Easter, the holiest Day in the Christian calendar, commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Its roots lie in the Jewish Passover, which celebrates the Israelites' liberation from slavery in Egypt. Early Christians adapted Passover rituals to commemorate Jesus' crucifixion and resurrection, with Easter Sunday symbolizing the triumph of life over death.

The Easter Bunny and colored eggs are believed to have pagan origins, representing fertility and new life. Today, Easter is celebrated with church services, egg hunts, and feasting, uniting Christians around the world in faith and joy.

Diwali

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is one of the most significant festivals in Hinduism, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. Its origins can be traced back to ancient India, where it was celebrated as the homecoming of Lord Rama after defeating the demon king Ravana. The lighting of oil lamps, known as diyas, is central to Diwali celebrations, illuminating homes and temples to welcome the goddess Lakshmi, who brings wealth and prosperity. Diwali also holds cultural significance for Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists, with each community observing unique rituals and traditions during the festival.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem during the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the second century BCE. According to tradition, the temple's menorah miraculously burned for eight days with only a single day's worth of oil, inspiring the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah. Jewish families light the menorah, play dreidel games, and enjoy foods fried in oil, such as latkes and sufganiyot, to honor this miraculous event and reaffirm the enduring spirit of resilience and faith.

Independence Day

Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, declaring the thirteen American colonies' independence from British rule. The Declaration, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, asserted the colonies' right to self-governance and individual liberty, laying the foundation for the United States of America. Independence Day celebrations typically include fireworks, parades, concerts, and barbecues, fostering a sense of national pride and unity among Americans.

Eid al-Fitr

Eid al-Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast, marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting and spiritual reflection. It begins with the sighting of the new moon, signaling the start of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic lunar calendar. Eid al-Fitr is a time of joyous celebration as Muslims gather for communal prayers, share festive meals with family and friends, and give generously to those in need through acts of charity and compassion. The holiday embodies the values of gratitude, compassion, and solidarity, fostering bonds of kinship and community among Muslims worldwide.

Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day, celebrated on February 14th, is a day dedicated to love, romance, and affection. Its origins can be traced back to ancient Rome, where Lupercalia, a fertility festival dedicated to the god Lupercus, was celebrated in mid-February.

The holiday's association with romantic love began in the Middle Ages with the tradition of courtly love, popularized by Geoffrey Chaucer and other medieval poets, and over time, Valentine's Day evolved into a celebration of romantic love, with the exchange of love notes, flowers, and chocolates among sweethearts worldwide. Today, Valentine's Day is celebrated as a day to express love and appreciation for partners, family members, and friends, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers.

Wrap Up

Holidays serve as anchors in the tumultuous sea of human experience, grounding us in shared traditions and values that span generations and continents. Whether rooted in religious beliefs, cultural practices, or historical events, each holiday reflects the collective aspirations, struggles, and triumphs of humanity. As we celebrate these occasions with family, friends, and communities, let us cherish the rich tapestry of diversity that they represent, fostering understanding, empathy, and solidarity across cultures and borders. Read the full article

[little-caboose-on-big-adventures]

Tips from an official cute Massachusetts boy:

- You gotta try the seafood on the coast. Provincetown has a place called The Lobster Pot. It has what you’re looking for.

- Enjoy the music? Try the music scene in the western MA area! A bunch of my friends and family make great punk music! Check out Bassal or Skinner Mountain or Beach Blanket or the dozens of others on Spotify or YouTube or in person!

- Like trains like Lemon Demon does? Sign the petition to get a train running again on the Palmer to Boston line while you’re here.

- I recommend the fall season in MA for festivals and seeing the leaves change! Visit the Big E to learn about New England states while getting snacks, playing games, and maybe seeing the parade!

- Love history? Check out Sturbridge Village!!! It’s a treasure trove of information, and Christmas by Candlelight is coming up- it’s a great event where you can explore the town, hop on a horse drawn carriage, stop by the live shows, and learn about Massachusetts traditions!

i think lemon demon fans should start romanticizing massachusetts like weebs with japan

[enterprisewired]

7 Oldest Churches in America that will Rejuvenate your Soul

We all know that traveling is an introspection of the outer world and a journey within. It opens our hearts to the world and inspires the inner art. If you are searching for such artistic or spiritual inspiration this year, add the oldest churches in America to your bucket list!

These churches are appreciated for numerous reasons. Apart from serving as a place of worship, these monuments are seen as the epitome of enchanting art, magnificence, emotion-evoking architecture, and grandeur. 

The Oldest Churches in America are also known for their historical evidence. Along with the devotional and divine significance, the churches serve as an archive and a living proof of American development. From the Native Americans to Puritan settlers, one can see the pages of history unfolding in these churches. If you are trying to witness the unseen cultural and historical part of America, we have got you covered. 

7 Oldest churches in America: 

1. First Church in Salem, Massachusetts 

Location: Salem, Massachusetts

Year of establishment: 1629

Denomination: Unitarian Universalism

Nearest Airport: Logan International Airport, Boston 

History:

The First Church in Salem holds significant historical importance. It is considered one of the oldest churches in America. Founded by English Puritan settlers of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, this church introduced the congregational polity system of governance. If you appreciate early English Gothic-style architecture, this place will never fail to captivate you. 

Best time to visit: Fall is the most popular time to visit Salem, with tourists flocking there from September to November. Visitors can experience a variety of festivals and events in and around the church during this time. 

2. Old Ship Church, Massachusetts 

Location: Hingham, Massachusetts

Year of Establishment: 1681

Denomination: Unitarian Universalism

Nearest Airport: Boston

History: 

Built from curved timbers cut from the local forests, the old ship church played the role of both— a civic establishment and a place of worship. The Old ship church, built in 1681, is located on the main street. It is the only remaining 17th-century Puritan meeting house. If you are an enthusiast of Elizabethan Gothic architecture, add this place to your list of oldest churches in America. Apart from its architectural significance, the church also stands out as a symbol of America’s founding principles.

Best time to visit: While November is often regarded as the optimal time to visit Hingham, Massachusetts, the Old Ship Church welcomes visitors year-round.

3. Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow, New York 

Location: New York

Year of establishment: 1685

Denomination: Dutch Reformed congregation

Nearest Airport: Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, New York

History: 

If you’re a fan of Washington Irving’s short stories, you’re likely familiar with — The Old Dutch Church in New York. It gained considerable recognition following the release of ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,’ where its churchyard was prominently featured. Its atmospheric presence in Irving’s tales has drawn visitors seeking a glimpse into the eerie allure of the Hudson Valley’s folklore.

Best time to visit: The church is open to tourists all year round. One can visit the church during Halloween to experience the eye-captivating festivity.

Apart from Halloween, you can also catch the mesmerizing festivities during Good Friday, Easter, and Christmas Eve. 

4. Old Trinity Church, New York 

Location: New York

Year of establishment: 1698

Denomination: Anglican

Nearest Airport: New York Skyports Seaplane Base (NYS)

History:

Standing as the tallest building in New York City in its era, the Old Trinity Church is a landmark from the American Revolution. This church has seen the journey of New York City from the time it was known as New Amsterdam, making it one of the oldest churches in America. Emerging from a rich Dutch heritage, this church has witnessed centuries of change and growth. Its spire has reached towards the sky as a testament to resilience and continuity. Today, it serves as more than just a place of worship. It serves as a symbol of the city’s enduring spirit and history.

Best time to visit:  The church is open throughout the year. However, a visit in the fall is suggested by most of the tourists. 

5. San Miguel

Location: New Mexico

Year of establishment: 1610

Denomination: Spanish Colonial Mission

Nearest Airport: San Diego (SAN)

History: 

San Miguel is known as the oldest church in America. Located in Barrio De Analco, it is one of the most precious, ancient, and cultural treasures that New Mexico possesses. The church was first established by a group of Mexican Indians in Tlaxcala. Also known as Santa Fe, the Chapple has survived multiple revolts and attacks. 

Best time to visit: November to April is the best part of the year to visit the church. 

6. San Xavier del Bac

Location: Arizona

Year of establishment: 1700s

Denomination: Spanish Catholic mission

Nearest Airport: Murcia (RMU) Airport

History: 

San Xavier is a Spanish Colonial church in Arizona crafted from the earthy tones of low-fire clay bricks, sturdy stones, and ancient methods of lime mortar. Its crowning glory of masonry vaults, arching proudly over every inch of its structure, sets it apart from the oldest churches in America. 

Best time to visit: You can visit San Xavier del Bac during the winter months. The chapel is open all year round. 

7. Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá

Location: California

Year of establishment: 1769

Denomination: Roman Catholic

Nearest Airport: San Diego Airport (SAN) 

History: 

Established in 1769 by Father Junipero Serra, Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá stands as California’s inaugural historic mission. It boasts a captivating fusion of Spanish Colonial and Native American architectural styles. It is highlighted by its signature masonry vaults. Despite enduring trials such as earthquakes and fires, it remains a resilient emblem of cultural heritage and community spirit in San Diego, making it to the list of oldest churches in America. 

Best time to visit: For an unforgettable visit to San Diego church, aim for the prime seasons of March through May and September through November. These periods offer ideal weather and fewer crowds, ensuring an optimal experience to explore the city’s treasures.

Conclusion: 

The United States of America is known for its tall landscapes, amusement parks, hotels, museums, galleries, and recreation spots. However, the other side of the coin is equally eye-catching. One can witness the vibrant cultural heritage, historical evidence, devotional locations, and multiple spiritual sites that can rejuvenate the soul. 

The next time you are out introspecting the world and opening up your heart, plan to visit these oldest churches in America and let us know your favorite spots. 

[brookstonalmanac]

Beer Events 12.16

Events

John Hancock & John Adams hosted a party, donating a keg, at the Green Dragon Tavern for the Sons of Liberty before leading them on the Boston Tea Party (Massachusetts; 1773)

Stephan Moninger issued a license to brew by Karlsruhe local gov't (Germany; 1856)

Gerard Adriaan Heineken bought the Amsterdam Brewery (1863)

Albert Grossmann patented an Improvement in Apparatus for Pitching Beer Casks (1879)

James O’Connor patented an Apparatus for Forcing Beer From Casks (1879)

Albert Markmann patented a Tray for Beer Glasses (1902)

Pabst reached single year production of 2 million bottles (1941)

Schlitz Brewing patented Fermenting and Aging a Malt Beverage (1968)

Our Special Ale, Anchor's Christmas Ale, 1st bottled (1975)

Prince Charles visited the Craven Heifer pub and had a pint of Bitters as part of a PR effort to rescue local pubs (North Yorkshire, England; 2001)

The Brewing Network's "Can You Brew It?" debuted (2009)

Breweries Opened

Arrowhead Brewing (Pennsylvania; 1991)