#guest muse (nicole)

[pocket-sized-lawyer]

"Junie, last time ya blocked me from going into your room I literally lifted you out of the way~"

"Jun-Boy, last time you told me I couldn't have my way I gave you the look and you cried <3"

"Papa, you once said I couldn't have two scoops and the moment I kicked up a fuss you apologised and bought me thre-"

"I get the gist! I could not stop Hans Gruber! You can stop now!"

"Last time you-"

"WHO EVEN ARE YOU!!"

[the-wild-card-hand]

“Wait Red Shirts die? Oh that’s a relief...I’m classified as a Red Coat so I guess that means I won’t die then.” Nicol overheard the conversation about Red Shirts and Suletta

[laurenairay]

A reason to start over new - T. Jost

Summary: It’s been five years since Lucy has seen her ex-boyfriend Tyson. Can his grandparents’ Christmas party fix their broken hearts?

Happy birthday @senditcolton! This is my fic for your birthday bingo – I had a lot of fun with this one! I chose The Hand Touch, Exes to Lovers, Free Space (Resolved Angst), “You’re Too Good for Me”, and Winter Romance, making it a full bingo! Hope you have a wonderful day Nicole.

A massive thank you to @jostyriggslover96 for reading through this!

Words: 3.3k

Warnings: angst, flashback to breakup, some bad language, self-deprecation.

Title from The Reason, by Hoobastank

~

I've found a reason for me, To change who I used to be, A reason to start over new, And the reason is you.

~

“Oh wow, Val and Jim have really outdone themselves this year, haven’t they?”

Lucy glanced around at the Christmas decorations surrounding them, smiling at her mom’s words.

“Full of holiday cheer, as always!” she nodded.

She took off her thick coat and gloves, glad to be out of the icy air, hanging them up on the rack put out for guests.

“Now honey, if it’s too much, you can slip out back and head home, okay?” her mom said seriously, albeit quietly.

“You said that last year. And the year before that. For the last five years, actually,” Lucy mused.

“And I’ve meant it every year. They might be our neighbours, but you are my baby. And my priority, always,” her mom said seriously.

Not for the first time, Lucy was thankful to have the mom she did.

“And I appreciate it. But I’m going to be fine,” she said, smiling fondly.

“Alright, if you’re sure. You just send me a sneaky text if you change your mind though, yes?”

“Yeah, thanks mom,” Lucy beamed.

The Christmas Eve Party thrown by her neighbours was a tradition she’d attended her entire life, and even though she hadn’t dated their grandson in half a decade, Val and John had always insisted that she still came along. A lingering effect of being childhood sweethearts, she supposed.

“Amy! Gary! Lucy!”

The welcome from their neighbours was warm and effervescent as it always was, and soon enough Lucy found herself swept in by conversation and catching up. She may have gone to college in UBC Okanagan in Kelowna for both her degrees, barely away from home, but she’d lived in campus residence for all four years of her bachelor’s degree and moved out of her parents’ house properly into a small apartment near campus for her master’s degree. It would’ve been easy to move home after guaranteed accommodation ended, but Lucy had wanted to keep the independence she had grown to love, and it wasn’t as if she didn’t visit her parents at least every other weekend.

But it was still nice to be able to talk about her accomplishments with the people that she’d grown up alongside, especially now that she was in the final year of her master’s degree and looking like she was on track for starting the PhD she’d always aimed for.

After a couple of hours, she escaped the crowds in the living and dining areas, grateful for the sanctuary of the kitchen. There were a few plates of cookies and other Christmas treats laid out, and Lucy couldn’t resist reaching out for a snickerdoodle…

…at the exact time as someone else.

She jumped in surprise as a large hand rested on top of hers, not realising anyone was next to her, but as she looked up, she couldn’t but to freeze despite the warmth of his touch. Tyson. It was Tyson’s hand touching hers.

“Oh fuck, I’m sorry, I…Lucy?”

“Hey Tys,” she managed to breathe.

The familiar curls, the big beautiful eyes, the sweet smile, and now a little bit of stubble? He looked good. Of course he looked good.

Tyson quickly drew his hand away from hers, breaking her out of her thoughts.

“Uh, you have it, I shouldn’t be eating baked goods too much anyway,” Tyson said, rubbing the back of his neck a little sheepishly.

Lucy pursed her lips and broke a third of the snickerdoodle off, handing it to Tyson with a raised eyebrow. Tyson huffed out a laugh but accepted the offered treat, sending her a small smile of thanks. Fuck, it may have been five years since they broke up, but he really hadn’t changed, had he?

“So, uh, you still come to these parties?” Tyson asked.

Lucy bit her bottom lip but nodded.

“Yeah, your grandparents insist. I hope that’s okay,” she winced.

“Of course it is,” Tyson said quickly, “They always loved you.”

Well that was something at least. Why did this feel so awkward? Sure, it had been five years since she’d seen Tyson, but they dated from eight years – surely they had more than this?

“I don’t usually come to these. Well, I guess you already know that, if you come every year. I, uh, I have the 24th to the 26th off this year, so I didn’t want to miss another Christmas with my grandparents,” Tyson explained.

“I bet Val and Jim were over the moon when you told them,” Lucy mused.

Tyson laughed softly, nodding. “They were. Mom and Kacey didn’t hesitate to come to Kelowna to join us, so it’s a big family Christmas this year.”

“That’s great, Tys. Really. Spending Christmas with your loved ones is important,” she said softly, smiling.

His smile dimmed a little, but he nodded.

“How’s, uh, how’s your degree going? Gramps said you’re doing a master’s now?”

He knew that? Did he ask? Or did Jim just tell him?

“Uh, yeah. I graduated my bachelor's degree magna cum laude back in 2020 and went straight into starting my graduate program there. I’m a paid teaching assistant for my supervisory professor too.”

“That’s incredible, Luce. Still doing Earth and Environmental Sciences?” Tyson prompted.

He remembered? After all this time?

“Yeah, yeah it is. Focusing in on environmental impact assessment for my master’s thesis,” she nodded, a little stunned, “I didn’t think…I didn’t think you’d remember.”

“Of course I remember. You were always so passionate about your studies – it was one of the things I loved most about you,” he said softly.

“Tyson…” Lucy said faintly, trailing off when no words would come.

He smiled sadly at her, shaking his head.

“Sounds like…it sounds like everything was worth it for you,” Tyson murmured.

~

2019

“So you can’t make it over?”

“No, Tys, I can’t, I have labs to do,” Lucy sighed.

“We haven’t seen each other in so long!”

“I can’t just not go to my classes because you want me in Denver! You know this!” she groaned.

“I know, I know, but it sucks.”

Lucy frowned, even though he couldn’t see her. “You’re the one who didn’t come home for Christmas, remember?”

“The schedule didn’t make sense, and I offered to fly you down?”

“Tyson!” she groaned.

He stayed silent on the other end of the phone, a silence that sent an ominous shiver down her spine.

“So where do we go from here?”

“W-What?” she said, confused at the dull tone of his voice.

“Your priority is college, my priority is hockey, and neither of us can compromise. I would never ask you to compromise, just like you wouldn’t ask me. We have different priorities, clearly. So where do we go from here?”

“Tyson, are you really saying what I think you’re saying?” she whimpered.

“Yeah, I think we should break up.”

“We’ve been together for eight years! You’re the only boyfriend I’ve ever had, the only guy I’ve ever wanted. And you want to break up, just like that?”

“I don’t want to break up, Luce. But what other option do we have? Neither of us can give the other what we need right now. We have to focus on ourselves, don’t we? For our own careers? You have so much ahead of you and I can’t be there to celebrate it. And you can’t be by my side cheering me on from the stands. I love you, Lucy. But this isn’t working anymore.”

~

“Tyson, why would you say it like that? You think it’s been easy for me?” Lucy asked, throat a little choked.

“No, no, of course not,” he groaned.

“Then what do you mean?”

“Look, forget I said anything, okay? It was really good to see you, Luce.”

Before Lucy could say a word, Tyson walked away, leaving her alone in the kitchen with her head spinning. What the hell was that?

For the final few hours of the party, Lucy indulged in a couple more glasses of wine than she intended, sticking solidly by her parents’ sides. She did her best to keep a smile on her face and ease into the Christmas festivity, even when Laura and Kacey said their hellos, but her mind just kept going back to Tyson.

“We’re going to start saying our goodbyes, okay honey? Why don’t you find all our coats.”

Lucy just nodded at her mom’s suggestion, grateful for the opportunity to escape the crowd. Well, she was grateful, until she saw Tyson sitting on the bench next to the coat rack, face flushed and eyes glassy. He was drunk, at least moderately so.

“Ah, fuck, I didn’t want you to see me like this,” he said, voice slurring.

What did he mean by that?

“I’m just getting our coats. We’re heading out,” she murmured, trying to ignore the whoosh in her stomach.

“Already?”

“It’s nearly midnight, Tys,” she said, smiling wryly.

“Well, fuck. Time flies when you’re having whiskey, I guess,” he groaned, putting his empty glass on the bench next to him.

She huffed out a laugh, unhooking the coats when she finally spotted them.

“You look good, Luce,” he murmured, looking up at her through his eyelashes.

“I do?” she blurted.

Damn it.

But Tyson just grinned. “Yeah, you really do. You always looked good, but damn you’ve really settled into your own skin, eh?”

“I love who I am, yeah,” she nodded.

She wasn’t lying, or even placating. Her studies in environmental impact had opened up a whole new side of her she hadn’t even realised was there, and she loved everything about the person she’d become through it. She just hadn’t realised it was obvious on the outside.

Then again, if anyone was going to notice something like that about her, it was going to be Tyson, wasn’t it?

“You’re too good for me.”

Oh fuck.

“That’s not true. Not even slightly,” Lucy said, frowning.

“No? I can barely get a team to keep me, and you’re soaring ahead with your academic career, just like you deserve,” Tyson scoffed.

This was just the alcohol talking. It had to be.

“Tys, those teams are the ones missing out. You’re amazing,” she said softly.

He paused for a moment, before shaking his head.

“If I’m so amazing, why did we break up?”

Because he had to put hockey first.

Because she had to put college first.

Because neither of them were each other’s first choice.

“That’s not fair, Tyson. We were kids when we first started dating. Barely 13 years old. And we were together for eight years! We had an incredible relationship! It just…we wanted different things. Our priorities were different, our passions were different – we might have grown up together, but we’d also grown apart. Your life is hockey and my life is academics, and that’s okay! That doesn’t mean we didn’t have love, yeah?”

The way that Tyson’s eyes filled up with tears made her own eyes water, dangerous lump rising in her throat.

“If I could go back and change it all, I would. I’d choose you. I’d always choose you.”

His soft words tore a sob from her throat and she shook her head. How could he be so cruel?

“Don’t say that. We made the right decision five years ago and you know it,” she whimpered.

Tyson’s face fell at her devastated expression, and he staggered to his feet.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m sorry,” he said sadly.

And yet here she was, broken hearted all over again.

“I should go. I need to go,” was all she could manage to choke out.

“Lucy, baby, please…”

But Lucy just shook her head, clutching the coats in her hands, shaky smile on her lips as the tears finally fell. “Merry Christmas, Tyson.”

~

“So what happened at the Christmas Eve Party that has you all torn up like this?”

Lucy flinched at her mom’s voice, turning her head to see her standing in the doorway to her bedroom.

“Nothing,” she said quickly.

“Uh huh, and I’m a fairy princess,” her mom snorted.

Lucy couldn’t help but giggle, earning a fond smile as her mom walked into the room and sat down next to her on her bed. Lucy placed a bookmark in the book she’d been reading to give her mom her full attention. She’d needed a little respite from all the preparations to hold her dad’s family for a late lunch, after all the intensity of having her mom’s family over yesterday on Christmas Day, but she’d found herself reliving her conversation with Tyson over and over.

“Sounds like…it sounds like everything was worth it for you.”

“You’re too good for me.”

“If I’m so amazing, why did we break up?”

“If I could go back and change it all, I would. I’d choose you. I’d always choose you.”

So really, her mom coming up to talk to her was a welcome break from all of that as well.

“If you know it was the Christmas Eve Party then you can take a guess,” Lucy said, shrugging.

“I’d rather hear it from you, when Tyson’s involved,” her mom mused.

Well at least her mom was blunt about it.

“We had a couple of conversations, and it stirred up old emotions, old drama. He…mom, he said he’d go back and change it all if he could. That he’d always choose me. What am I supposed to do with that?”

Her mom blinked a couple of times, lips parted in a surprised, before she coughed out a laugh.

“Well I could never accuse Tyson of being subtle.”

“Mom, seriously. This is stressing me out. I can’t stop thinking about it,” Lucy groaned.

“I think that’s an answer in itself, sweetheart,” she said softly.

“What?”

Her mom stayed silent, just nudging Lucy with her shoulder, and Lucy nudged back out of habit. What did she mean, that was an answer in itself?

“Lucy, honey, if you can’t stop thinking about Tyson choosing you above everything else, that means something,” her mom eventually said with a huffed laugh.

“But how can it? He still has his hockey, and I still have academics. Neither of those are going to change any time soon,” Lucy said sadly.

Because at the end of the day, that was the bottom line of it all. Their priorities haven’t changed.

“Just because your both still have your passions doesn’t mean that they have to be your only love. You can have both,” her mom said firmly.

What?

“How can I have both?” Lucy asked, confused.

“Do you love him?” was all she said.

“What?” Lucy said, surprised.

“Do you love him?” her mom repeated.

Lucy opened her mouth, shutting it again before huffing out a laugh. There was only one answer to that.

“Yeah, I never stopped,” she replied.

“Then you can have both. You spent the last five years missing him, and I know damn well that that boy missed you too - neither of you deserve that for another second. You can have both,” her mom said decisively.

She could have both?

How could she have both?

“You love him.”

“I love him,” Lucy whispered.

“Go get him.”

Lucy whimpered as she looked into her mom’s eyes, but she only saw warmth and encouragement. Her mom was right. She loved Tyson. She loved Tyson and if seeing him again this Christmas had taught her anything, it was that she was stupid if she tried to deny how much she missed him. If she didn’t tell him now, when would she?

“He leaves today. I need to go now,” she said suddenly.

“Well damn, okay then. Put on a sweater and I’ll find your snow boots,” her mom grinned.

Lucy felt like she was in a haze as she walked as quickly down the street as was safe, heart pounding as she spotted Tyson loading bags into his grandpa’s car.

“Tyson!”

His head whipped around at her shout, eyes going wide as he saw her walking towards him. Tyson shuffled down the driveway, missing Jim’s fond smile as he himself went back into the house, and the moment that she was standing in front of him, Tyson cupped his hands over her elbows to steady her.

“What are you doing here?”

“I love you,” she breathed.

Tyson whimpered, but Lucy wasn’t discouraged, not when she saw the wonder that filled his expression.

“You love me?”

“I love you. I love you so much and I can’t stop thinking about everything you said the other night,” she blurted out.

“Luce, I’m sorry, I know I upset you but…”

“No, Tys, it’s okay,” Lucy said, shaking her head as she interrupted, “While I stand by what I said, that we made the right decision at the time, maybe we could make a different decision now?”

“What are you saying?”

She could understand his hesitation, really she could. It wasn’t as if she wasn’t coming out with this out of the blue, after five years of nothing at all. After five years of heartbreak and heartache. But her mom was right – she missed him so fiercely and she couldn’t bear the thought of him not knowing that.

“I want us to start over new. I never stopped loving you, not for one moment. We could have both. We could have our passions and our love, and I hate that it’s taken me this long to even consider that? I miss you and I love you and I know you’re heading to the airport to fly back to Raleigh, but tell me I’m not crazy for thinking we could do this?”

Tyson’s jaw dropped as he processed her long rant, and it was only his firm grip on her elbows that stopped her from giving up hope.

“That was a lot,” Tyson said.

She winced. “I know, but…”

“And you poured out a lot of emotion there,” he interrupted.

Lucy kept her mouth shut this time, as much as she wanted to beg him to say more.

“It’s been agony for five years, for so many reasons, but hearing you say that you love me and you want to give our relationship another shot? I just…”

Tyson trailed off, letting out a long breath.

“I understand if I’m too late,” she murmured.

But Tyson huffed out a laugh, raising one hand from her elbow to cup her face in a gentle motion that had her breath hitching in her throat.

“There is no world in which you’d be too late,” Tyson said softly.

“Really?”

“I love you too, Lucy. I never stopped either,” he murmured.

She couldn’t stop the incredulous laugh that tumbled from her lips, smiling back up at Tyson as he smiled at her.

“We’re really doing this?” she asked, giddy.

“Yeah, baby, we are. I don’t know how we’re going to do this, or what it’s going to look like, but we’re both adult enough to know how to put in more effort this time round right, yeah? I’ll fly home for the all-star break, and I’ll fly you out for spring break, and we’ll have video calls that neither of us are going to miss. And everything else. We’re going to make it work this time,” he said, tone serious but face grinning.

“And we’re going to communicate, yeah? When one of us is finding it hard? We’ll find little compromises, as we can’t do the big compromises. We’re worth it,” Lucy added, not caring that her cheeks were aching with her smile.

“Yeah, we are. I love you, so much Lucy,” Tyson grinned.

“I love you too.”

Tyson didn’t waste any time in leaning down to press his lips to hers, their last first kiss.

[notsocheezy]

Welcome to The Author's Archive

I'm Cassandra Erica, local girlish-shaped thing carrying she/they pronouns under each arm (despite how much more difficult it makes grocery shopping). I write every day and aim to reach a full year of daily Brain Curds without missing a single one. So far, so good - and I’ve proven to myself just how many ideas I really have swimming around in here! Many of them have proven worth refining.

"So," you're wondering, "what have you written so far? What are you working on? Are you going to keep up this weird reflexive second-person perspective?" To answer back-to-front: no, many things, and not quite as many things. Here are some lists!

~~~

RELEASED ON NOTSOCHEEZY.COM!

The Real Me (2022, Short Story)

There's something a bit off about businessman Mr. Shirley Jones. What's he hiding?

Three Takes on Death (2022, Short Story)

What might happen when we die?

Pink Bow (2022, Novella)

Who knew trying on one dress at the mall could change a person's entire life? Chris - or, uh, Kris - certainly didn't. Was it just a dress inside that box with the pink bow, or was it something more?

Passable. Episode One - The Virgin (2024, Writer's Block Short)

The pilot episode (of sorts) for a trans sitcom. Lily gets herself a date with a little something extra. Sarah racks her brain to keep her boyfriend sexually satisfied without breaking chastity. Alice and Brayden run a 'scientific' study with a virgin busboy.

Plus some other things, don't worry about it.

~~~

BRAIN CURDS

Brain Curds are lightly edited daily writing - usually flash fiction and sometimes terrible on purpose. Click here to see some of the greatest hits! Here are some of the more notable series:

The Frank Program

Frank hosts a podcast with high profile guests, and he's not afraid to tell you "what they don't want you to know," but he has plenty of his own secrets.

Quantum Fates

On a day that ought to be like any other, Trevor wakes up from a nightmare with a splitting headache, a voice in his head, and visions of the near future.

Passable.

Four trans college students share an apartment in Irvine and screw up each others' lives through sheer lack of scruples.

Government Man

Government Man is from the government.

Cole Nicole

Genderfluid femboy model, Cole Nicole, navigates life just outside the spotlight.

Veronica

Via gruesome means, Veronica gets her revenge - a dish best served at 98.6 degrees.

The Prom Consort

Kelly finds herself roped in to an arrangement (don't call it a love triangle) that might just be profitable. That is, if old wounds don't prove too painful.

~~~

WIP!

Anthill Theory (Short Film) Finished - Waiting for Soundtrack

An exploration of free will through a time loop that the protagonist doesn't know he's in.

A Covenant of Rust (Novella) Expansion and Rewrite Phase

A newlywed couple moves into a 1950s prefab home in early 2020, but finds more hidden beneath the surface than the floor plan could reveal. Will forgotten secrets and isolation bring them together, or tear them apart?

Blue Rabbit (Short Story) Pre-Final

Sequel/companion to A Covenant of Rust. I keep telling myself I'm going to finally finish this one, but it'll have to wait for its sibling project.

One Late Night Easter Morning (Short Story) First Draft

A chance encounter at a bar leads to late-night musings about humanity.

The Order of the Degenerati (Novel) Outlining

A secret society was formed after the tragedy of the holocaust to make sure it never happened again. Unfortunately, nowadays the most they can do is make YouTube videos go viral.

It Goes Up (Never Never NEVER NEVER NEVER) Complete

You will never read it.

Memories Retained (Novella?) Mostly Cancelled

Ever had a dream where you were back in high school, before it all went to shit, and you decided to do something differently? Ever woke up and found out it really happened?

Seeing Other People (Novel?) I Hate It Now

A story of love, polyamory, Dissociative Identity Disorder, and heartbreak.

And MORE! THERE IS ALWAYS MORE!

~~~

MY BOOK!(?)

Publishers don't seem super interested in collections of short stories, and I'm afraid a collection of short stories and novellas may make a literary agent's head explode, so expect to see Tales from Starved Childhoods as a self-published debut! It includes a fully rewritten new version of Everyone Has Their Price (2017); newly revised versions of Next Day Delivery (2017), The Real Me (2022), Three Takes on Death (2022) and Pink Bow (2022); and all-new stories still in progress.

Tales from Starved Childhoods is set to be the physical manifestation of my early career as a writer, so stay tuned and look for it someplace books are sold!

~~~

If you'd like to be one of my readers or vice versa, don't hesitate to reach out! I'm shy but I won't bite without consent.

I'm always happy to have more eyes on what I'm making and I'm always happy to read something new. It helps with the burnout. I'm open to most any genre - I don't really think much about labels when coming up with ideas.

If you work for a publisher and you see something you like, send an email to publishing@notsocheezy.com with the subject line, "Business Factory."

[kylieswift31]

Box of lies

"A present is on it’s way, keep your eyes peeled closely."

Just like Taylor is affectionately known as Tayliar, she has shown us time and again that she is the unreliable narrator. To give us a chance to see the love story hidden between the lines she has left a trail of breadcrumbs in obscure places like this series of skits, but you might just find that the use of mascots, symbolism and references to Taylor’s music foreshadowed more than just her muse…

The items in the box of lies game featured on the tonight show starring Jimmy Fallon are full of hidden references to Taylor's love story. Just like a game of ping pong, this skit is set up so each opponent go back and forth as they attempt to bluff each other by describing what's in their box. This typically starts with the guest picking a box from the shelf as they take turns, so these are in order unless otherwise stated.

Tina Fey part 1 and 2

Black dress

Part 1

Box 5 -colander full of ping pong balls

Box 3 -long handled fork, telescopic handle

(You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours)

Lied -red Swiss army bartender tools

Part 2

Box 7 -taxidermy squirrel

Lied -Patrick Stewart doll, 6 inches

Box 9 -facial wax strips

Box 1 -hotdog in a ziplock bag

Julia Bowen

Dark gold dress

Box 4 -wavy bowl with a taxidermy tarantula

Box 3 -black card with a tiny rubber chicken 

Lied -feather glued to paper

Box 8 -toupee in its package

Lied -replica stripper on a stage 

Melissa McCarthy

Black dress, bird necklace

Box 4 -joint in a ziplock bag

Lied -dispenser for Dixie cups

Box 6 -ransom style note written with magazine letters 

“mElisSa mcCartTy is aWesomE!”

Lied -Fort Lauderdale magnet

Box 7 -Jane Fonda workout VHS in a large focaccia sandwich

Jenifer Lawrence

Dark blue dress

Box 9 -Rubik's cube inside jelly

Box 3 -Full house Jesse barbie doll box and doll, Hershey kisses

Lied -back street boys action figure

Box 4 -egg roll burrito in a birds nest

Lied -mini horse, flinstone vitamins

Kate Hudson part 1 and 2

Black dress, white details

Part 1

Box 7 -bowl of pennies and a spoon

Box 6 -orange burger and fries, American flag pick

Lied- tiny slot machine, three Harry Styles heads as jackpot

Part 2

Box 4 -plate of yellow jello, turtle 

“What’s like a turtle, but not a turtle?”

(part 1 = hare and part 2 = tortoise)

Kerry Washington

Blue and white half dress

Box 4 -pumpkin full of spaghetti

Box 3 -necklace with troll dolls

Lied -iPhone 6+, figurine, Justin Bieber tattoo

Emma Stone

Black and white shirt and skirt 

Box 4 -tray with a ‘frozen poster’ frozen in an ice block

Lied -3-4 instruction cards from a deck of cards that you throw out before you play the game, stacked in the shape of a salamander 🦎 

Box 5 -faux plastic hand with watch

Lied -plate with a tiny squirrel surfing on lettuce

Channing Tatum

“First male guest ever to play this game”

Box 3 -jello on a blue plate with a Chewbacca action figure inside

Lied -bowl of chilli frozen in gelatine 

Box 2 -hot water bottle wrapped in sports bandage

Lied -sugar cube, teabag thread, sticker that says “lick me or legalise it”

Box 4 -baby ET swaddled in pink crown patterned sleeping bag 

Nicole Kidman

Black striped dress 

Box 4 -fed ex book with a piece of pizza stuck on front

Lied -old cheese sandwich with bite taken out

Box 2 -hammer covered in postage stamps 

Lied -3 pound statue

Box 8 -box of matches and red matchbox car

Lied -condom

Scarlett Johansson

White dress

Box 4 -Scarlett and Gumby on a park bench

Lied -hotdog bun shaped like the hulk

Box 5 -mannequin head, goggles filled with balls

Box 3 -“people love this number!” 

Starbucks iced coffee filled with baked beans

Heidi Klum

Black dress

Box 3 -fireball whiskey minis in a pink claw bath

Lied -butterfly shadow box with chewed gum (lego house reference?)

“That’s cinnamon whiskey” (both take a shot)

“You’re my best friend!” -Jimmy 

Box 8 -slinky full of Monopoly money, $1 on front

Lied -jello mould, Justin Bieber doll head 

Box 7 -grass, rubber red lips 

Lied -burrito, started over and told the truth

Julianne Moore

White dress suit

Box 1 -(meek voice) Oscar the grouch, MAGA hat

Box 9 -naked Ken doll wearing roller skates

Lied -book, Jimmy, macaroni, abc

“You should give me the Oscar”

Box 5 -“it’s like a zeitgeist thing” (talking about box 5)

Friends forever photo frame of Julianne and Jimmy

Lied -silver paddle brush, knitted sock cozy

Adele

Black dress, red details

Box 2 -t-rex in cowboy outfit

Lied -t-Rex dressed as a fairy

Box 5 -Simon button game, 💚❤️💙💛 wheel, four noses attached to each one, 💙 is 🤥 (Tayliar)

Lied -GI Joe dressed as Santa, candy cane Chinese throwing star

Box 9 -giraffe, 3 doughnuts as a necklace

Vince Vaughn

Box 9 -Hulk in a bowl of crayons 

Box 8 -jelly bean taco

“You like Jim Carrey?”

Lied -ruler made out of a celery stick

Russell Crowe

Box 7 -toy xylophone, Australian dogs (pairs)

Box 3 -junk drawer

“Empty roll of scotch tape”

Box 5 -starfish, plastic hands on tips

(Jimmy highlights his pinky ring) 

Lena Dunham

Black dress, diamond shaped earrings

Box 4 -Leo DiCaprio leaflets that say 'Frances McDormand'

Lied -Banana, sideshow bob hair, raisin nose

Box 9 -chariot helmet full of rubber duckies

Lied -Barbie hot tub, 3 Brady bunch kids

Box 1 -red Grimm’s fairytales book with tree trunks on the cover

Pull tab to reveal a Tennessee whiskey bottle

Matt Damon

Box 4 -Gnome bonsai

Lied -slinky, phallic symbol, pinnochio 

Box 3 -glass piggy bank full of shrimp

Lied -hot tub, Luke Skywalker

“Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump and Justin Bieber in a bathtub”

Emily Blunt

Black dress

Box 4 -record player with pizza as the record

Box 3 -a number 3 box within another number 3 box etc

Pretended it was heavy "why would they put that on the top shelf?"

(Russian doll style box of lies boxes)

Box 5 -“you’re acting like you’ve seen this before”

Monster in a clown costume

Lied -my little pony with a syringe stuck in it

Megyn Kelly

Maroon dress

Box 4 -iPhones body, deer head and dinosaur tail

Box 6 -furby with a beer hat

Box 8 -deck of cards with flubber tube through the middle.

Jack of spades as the back card ♠️

Alec Baldwin

Purple shirt

Box 9 -baby gummy bear, dummy, blanket

Box 4 -plastic glove full of olives and wearing a wedding ring

Lied -shavings of pickle, tiny door mat “ermehgerd welcome”

Box 1 -Chewbacca mask, blonde wig

Lied -burrito filled with bananas, Trump joke

Gal Gadot

Gold dress

Box 5 -lucky Chinese cat, cats rule giant hand

Lied -plastic elephant trunk

Box 2 -pineapple, giant ears, purple top

Lied -cabbage patch doll head, cheerio afro 

Box 7 -plastic foot, ski slope

Ends with guy doing Wonder Woman dance

Halle Berry

Maroon red dress, Jimmy wearing a pink spotted tie

Box 3 -blank CD tower cake, 1 piece sliced, 5 candles

Lied -elephant, snake wrapped around it

Box 5 -red faced moustache, pencil sharpener machine, pretzel matchsticks to feed it

Box 4 -(put box 3 back in box 4 space on purpose)

“I know a magic trick when I see one. Something just happened”

24 hour dry cleaning shop, characters lined up

“This has got a lot of characters involved”

Margot Robbie

Maroon dress, gold necklaces

Box 4 -“saucy” red lobster

Lied -Jimmy’s head, Jessica rabbit’s body, bobble head “giant”

Box 6 -large hotdog, feet bun, rice, mustard

Lied -ice cream, baseball hat, Trump hair

Box 2 -Egg and nest, face picture of Nicholas Cage

Lied -salad dish, paperweight, bandaids, toy car

Cardi B

Bronze dress

Box 4 -picket fence, grass circle, rolling fluffy balls

Said “Not a peen*” and Jimmy walks away (cat balls)

Box 3 -cowboy pug, Freddy Kruger claw and outfit

(She was pregnant and standoffish)

Chris Pratt

Plaid shirt and suit

“Pick the first box, box, box”

Box 4 -five garden gnomes (dwarfs) in a yoga class

Box 6 -jurassic park, Jello, Geoff Goldblum

Box 5 -spinning ballerina dinosaur

Lied -bedazzled raccoon/fox skull with sharp teeth

John Cena

Blue suit, orange tie

Box 4 -open and twist cosmetic lipstick

“It’s something bejewelled”

Jimmy opened it to reveal a tiny hand

“You shanghaied me!”

Box 3 -praying mantis, bees skipping double Dutch

"Two doubles" "Welcome to my world"

Box 1 -orange head, tap🚰 and blue bandana

Lied -red and black 1970’s Chevy car, the Fonz

Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Black dress, string tied sides, red ring

Box 4 -Stormtrooper, rocking chair, knitting, lamp, cat

Lied -“are you familiar with a closet?”

A horse, huge collection of sandals and heels

Box 3 -table tennis paddle (red side) plugged into a power socket that’s been ripped from the wall

Lied -two contestants from the masked singer, in a tiny hot tub of jello

Box 2 -paint brush, hair with braided ends

"Am I familiar with a closet? Yes." -Jimmy

Chance the Rapper

Blue shirt, khaki pants, red stripe, b+w hat

Box 5 -box of lies set, box for head, head for box

“That is so meta, dude!” 

Box 2 -furby, ipod, ostrich egg nest, headphones

Lied -taco shell filled with papa Smurfs 

Box 4 -pretended it was empty “antelope grazing” -Jimmy

Pickles strung up like a link of sausages

Emilia Clarke

Black suit, red ring 

Box 4 - Coffin, Dracula corn dog, open coffin

Lied -small frog wearing a monocle (mr peanut)

"What should I pick? (Uno!) Uno?"

Box 3 -McDonald’s fries, open burger, hockey puck and sticks

Lied -Donald Trump, lady and the tramp scene

Box 2 -salad bowl full of money, one dollar notes

Blake Lively

Black dress, rings, diamond earrings

“I feel like I’m on the price is right!”

Box 4 -Time turner sand timer, rainbow cereal, milk

Box 3 -the Rock on a rock (alfalfa reference from Blake?)

Lied -brass matte mask, dead pool head on top

Swapped items “I just activated the cereal” -Jimmy

Box 5 -Devin Sawa J14 “pedestal” chilli bird pecker in a park

Kate Beckingsale

White dress, hugged

Box 5 -corndog bouquet, faux pink carnations

“I’ve never touched a corn dog before”

Box 6 -Nintendo console, grilled cheese hunt game

Box 2 -(Jimmy again) mini skateboard, Easter bunny peeps, each holding signs that spell “sup?” (purple, pink, yellow, blue bunnies)

Lied -little dolls, olympic medals, frosted mini wheats, podium

"We have to try American cereals!" -Jimmy

Ana de Armas

Ana de Armas 2 years 🖤

Red wet leather dress "doing this with heels is not good"

Box 5 -pumpkin jacuzzi, three people inside, mix of Star Wars and horror movie characters (Halloween, Jarjar Binks, Friday 13th), holding red nail polish bottle and blue nail polish bottles

Box 3 -Cream lunch box, marriage story poster and rotating scene inside like a ballerina music box

Box 1 -basketball court game, devils vs nuns, orange ball

Lied -turtle, hamburger shell, lives inside the burger

"the turtle lives in the burger"

Taylor Swift

White dress

Box 1 -binoculars, corn, 'I see corn' lanyard (picture to burn)

Lied -Selena Gomez 'wizards of Waverly place' DVD

Box 5 -Chewbacca walking a black beetle in a park, girl on picnic blanket holding a rubber chicken, lady walking a pug on the grass

Lied -family of pinecones playing trouble

"We're the worst poker players. We shouldn't even be allowed outside!"

Box 3 -grey book, biography written by Grimace, picture of his character on the front, 'my life under the golden arches', pull tab with burger and fries inside

Hugh Jackman

And Jimmy Kimmel as the host

Box 3 -barber shop with wolverine character, checkerboard floor

Box 6 -shrimp cocktail birthday cake (Hugh and Ryan reference)

Millie Bobby Brown

Purple outfit, feathery neckline

Box 4 -ET painting, stranger things monster painting with her rainbow makeup palette (IET phone home)

Emphasised ET and Elliot character. “Why mess with the best”

Box 2 -spaghetti and baseballs

Lied -said that it was Elon Musk’s head

Box 5 -baby Yoda, pink outfit, writing on shirt, writing says 'this is the namast-way'

Lied -croc shoe, pasta, watermelon sour patch kid

Box 3 -“lets do it!” baseball hat, pink peptobismal, hot sauce (sriracha)

“I learned from the best!” -Jimmy

Jenna Ortega

Jenna Ortega 1 year ago 🖤

Black dress

Jenna also hosting SNL with 1975. Jimmy said ‘too late’ repeatedly

Box 3 -park scene, cousin it, corgi, trash can, Chewbacca vanity fair magazine

Jimmy dressed as a cowboy in the audience screaming “two!”

Box 5 -Mona Lisa painting, dressed as Woody, cowboy hat, sports flag (similar to Taylor's vintage cat head portraits)

Lied - said that it was colonel sanders from KFC

Box 1 -cowboy hat, racer wheels, Elvis bobble head, marshmallow

Lied -said that it was Peter Pan in a suit and a Leonard Cohen hat

Julia Roberts

Box 5 -Alf on the shelf, peppermint candy

-Peppermint candy picture frame, "Christmas gift to take home?"

(Pretends to smoke and flicks the ash -Matty reference?)

Box 2 -hair dye for the greying grinch, grey and green before and after samples on display "very niche audience"

Lied -bathtub with five barbie dolls, George Santos head

Box 1 -tinned baloney spaghetti, split the points: “first time ever”

Baloney: a lie without caring if it’s true or false

Seth McFarlane

Box 4 -anti hero funeral scene for the cool aid man, 2 apple juice boxes, cool aid man portrait, purple flowers

Lie -Bradley Cooper's nose on a bed of lettuce

Box 2 -heavy, CEO beat magazine, C3PO on cover with tech CEOs

Lied -clothes pin doll, brother and sister, Osmonds scissoring?

"Would broadcast standards on NBC allow that?" -Seth

Box 3 -painting of skunks drinking beer, yellow dunk tank

Demi Moore

Demi Moore 2 weeks 🤍

Pink dress, Questlove wearing pink too

Box 1 -broccoli tree house, angry tomato, ‘no tomatoez allowed’ sign

“Liar, liar, pants on fire” (rotten tomatoes reference?)

Box 5 -class of 1700 yearbook, message to Beethoven from Mozart, Dude!

Lied -yogurt leaflet, small Yoda

Box 3 -Flip phone on the beach, iPhone lounge chair, margarita, cocktail and umbrella, shoes, Mickey Mouse hands

I didn't have enough room to add anymore photos, but feel free to check out the videos for yourself.

"You don't know what you don't know" ✌🏼👩🏼👩🏼‍🦰

A tortured poet,

Kylie x

[jamieroxxartist]

✔ Mark Your Calendars: Thurs Sept 14 on 🎨#JamieRoxx’s Pop Roxx Radio 🎙️#TalkShow and 🎧#Podcast w/ Featured Guest:

#ArielleSilver Arielle Silver Music ​(#IndieFolk, #Americana)

☎ Lines will be open (347) 850.8598 Call in with your Questions and Comments Live on the Air.

● Click here to Set a Reminder: http://tobtr.com/12265869

Pop Art Painter Jamie #Roxx (www.JamieRoxx.us) welcomes Arielle Silver (Indie Folk, Americana) to the Show!

● WEB: ariellesilvermusic.com ● FB: @ariellesilvermusic ● IG: @ariellesilver ● YT: @ariellesilver ● BC: @ariellesilver ● X: @relsilver

Arielle Silver is a consummate storyteller whose rich, expressive voice and acoustic guitar frame expansive melodies that echo her tours and travels across the American heartland. Raised on folk festival fields and synagogue pews, in woodsy and watery places up and down the Atlantic Seaboard, Arielle now lives in Los Angeles, just a traffic jam away from the Pacific Ocean.

Out in Fall 2023, her fifth album WATERSHED is an earthy, luminous, and literate collection of songs that emerged from the watershed moments of the pandemic. This follows her 2020 album, A THOUSAND TINY TORCHES. Music Connection calls her "“A born communicator... exudes intelligence and humanity.” The SoCal Sound program director calls her "an incredible singer-songwriter right in our backyard." She has performed solo, with violinist Daryl S, and full band at venues across the U.S., including Rockwood Music Hall (NYC), Hamel Music Center (Madison, WI), Folk Project (Morristown, NJ), Hotel Cafe (Los Angeles), Ojai Underground Exchange (Ojai, CA), Club Passim (Boston), John Anson Ford Amphitheater (Los Angeles), FocusMusic (D.C./Baltimore), Eddie's Attic (Atlanta), and The Evening Muse (Charlotte, NC).

​Arielle teaches Creative Writing Antioch University, is co-owner of Bhavana Flow Yoga, directs programs at The SONA Foundation, and was recent faculty at UWisc-Madison's Summer Music Clinic and the International Women's Writing Guild, and currently serves as Board President of Folk Alliance Region-West.

● Media Inquiries: Nicole Poulos nicole@sideways-media.com Sideways Media

[thaliaryan]

Task Eleven → Intro & Connections

Thalia Ryan

Character Information*

The Basics*

FULL NAME: thalia ryan

NICKNAME: tal, lia

GENDER: female

PRONOUNS: she/her

AGE: thirty-six

OCCUPATION: comedian & member of the muses

FACECLAIM: nicole byer

ORIENTATION: tbd

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: divorced & single

PETS: n/a

The Personality*

+ Funny, Energetic, Honest - Uncouth, Tactless, Compulsive

For as long as anyone could remember, Thalia Ryan was the life and soul of the party. With jokes for days, fearless fun having and her ability to hold court whenever she opened her mouth, it was no surprise to anyone that knew her when she shot to stardom in the comedy world. She possessed an infectious energy that was rare to find in a male dominated industry and adding her quick wit to the pot, Thalia found her space in on the stage as early as she could talk. She honed in on her craft the more she experienced life and made jokes of any and all of her life disasters. Job interviews, love life, and disastrous embarrassments, nothing was off limits. 

Thalia wouldn’t find her step to stardom until college where she met wider community that really pulled her into her hometown comedy scene. In between her studies, her jobs and general shenanigans, she ended up doing some small performances which led to voluntary stand up shows when she found she needed an outlet. It wasn’t long before she was selling out shows and earning paycheques for getting to crack some laughs. Thalia was living the dream. But what was comedy without an existential crisis and crippling imposter syndrome. As much as she loved comedy, it wasn’t covering all costs for a fashionable funny lady on the go (apartment included). 

Realising she was going to have to get a side hustle going to survive, Thalia started her own podcast called “and that’s the gospel truth” that allowed her to run her mouth about pop culture and continue with her comedy. When life was looking up, it got even better when she met Lucius Best. A hunky dreamboat and if she had it her way she would have slapped his face on every vase because that man was a piece of art. 

Married life was great, for a while. When they were good, they were great. But when things were off they struggled to recover and eventually their relationship ended amicably with them citing irreconcilable differences when the divorce papers were filed. There wasn’t one reason they were divorcing, but there wan’t a main reason either. It left Thalia in limbo for a while and she found it daunting to start over. 

Coping the only way she knew how, Thalia dived into work and found herself back on the comedy scene and she was killing it. During a comedy improv night that she was introduced to Calliope, Clio and Melanie of The Muses fame and as they say, the rest was history.

Additional Notes*

ex wife to lucius best

classically trained trumpet player & yes, she will toot her own trumpet about it

creator and host of 'and that's the gospel truth' podcast. a podcast about life and pop culture.

didn't take the divorce from lucis as well as she acted like she did, she felt like a failure for her marriage falling apart

she's outrageous in the best possible way

Wanted Connections*

friends

ex’s

other muses

general dislike

neighbours

comedians

other musicians & actors

neighbours

podcasts guests

family friends - everyone close to lucius and thalia that would've known them before their divorce.

lucius' friends

the muses friends

Wanted Plots / Plot Ideas*

open to anything tbh

Taken Connections*

ex husband - @iceice-best

colleagues - the muses

hunkules - @henrikhera

neigh-bour - @pegasusstxrm

close friends - @elliefredricksxn @cxrlfredricksen @helenpxrr @robertpxrr @itsmarygibbs @magicaladamlegrand @bayoubaby-ray @jane-pxrter

niece - @vixletparr

nephews - dash & jack-jack parr

an adorable slice of sweet potato pie - @ollie-olliebaby (thalia is the fun aunt)

designer & friend - edna mode

Other*

One character from the open tag you would like to see taken / added to the Most Wanted page -  from the most wanted page - alberto scorfano & from the open tag to be added to the most wanted page - the musessssssss

One Character you want to see a bio for in relation to this specific character - colette

[rxscss]

“𝒷𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽 𝒷𝑒𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝓂𝑜𝓃𝑒𝓎, 𝓎'𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓈𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓂𝑒 𝓌𝑒𝓁𝓁 𝑒𝓃𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽. 𝒷𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽 𝒷𝑒𝓉𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝓎 𝓂𝑜𝓃𝑒𝓎, 𝓅𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓈𝑒 𝒹𝑜𝓃'𝓉 𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓂𝑒 𝑜𝓃 𝓂𝓎 𝒷𝓁𝓊𝒻𝒻. 𝓅𝒶𝓎 𝓂𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝑜𝓌𝑒 𝓂𝑒, 𝒷𝒶𝓁𝓁𝒾𝓃' 𝒷𝒾𝑔𝑔𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝒶𝓃 𝓁𝑒𝒷𝓇𝑜𝓃. 𝒷𝒾𝓉𝒸𝒽, 𝑔𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓂𝑜𝓃𝑒𝓎. 𝓌𝒽𝑜 𝓎'𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓃𝓀 𝓎'𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝒻𝓇𝑜𝓃𝓉𝒾𝓃' 𝑜𝓃?”

(—) ★ spotted!! georgina harsha on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid! many say that the 27 year old looks like gigi hadid, but i don’t really see it. while  the podcaster/influencer is known for being blunt my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be nosy i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song bitch better have my money { she/her, cisfemale} - candice

𝓵𝓲𝓷𝓴𝓼

wanted connections + connections || musings || pinterest || instagram || headcanons

𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓬𝓼

name: georgina iman harsha

age: twenty seven

nicknames: georgie, daddy g

date of birth: october 3rd, 1996

astrological sign: libra

place of birth: albany, new york

occupation: podcaster/influencer.

career claim: alexandra cooper from call her daddy

label: the self-made

positive traits: blunt, empathetic, understanding, supportive

negative traits: nosy, loud, raunchy, no-filter

characters/celebrities she’s like: alexandra cooper from call her daddy,  viola from she’s the man, nicole richie, samantha jones from sex and the city

𝓫𝓲𝓸𝓰𝓻𝓪𝓹𝓱𝔂

born to omar harsha and jannette gregor-harsha in upstate, new york, there was nothing special or abnormal about georgina’s life.

she was a regular girl, the youngest of four, raised around three older brothers and with her father being the football coach of university at albany, her childhood was spent on football fields and she loved every second of it.

she was a tried and true tomboy - always wanting to roughhouse with the boys and played every sport in the book - from softball to basketball, but her true love was always soccer.

she played soccer all throughout her life and it was her father’s dream for her to play at university at albany, where all of her brothers had played before her.

but the big city was calling her and as soon as she got accepted to nyu, she was packing her bags and moving to new york city.

there, she met her roommate and best friend, and the two began getting into the most wild things together - taking on the nyc party scene, dating a plethora of athletes and truly living their best lives.

so many friends of theirs would be in shock listening to them tell the stories of the things they got into and always told them that they needed their own show and thus, ‘the call her daddy’ podcast was born.

they started out with a small following - it being about the two girls shooting the shit, using secret codenames to talk about all the boys they had been dating, giving life and romance advice to girl’s their age who wrote into the show and eventually, barstool sports caught on and signed the two to their media company.

this took the podcast to a whole other level and from 2017 to 2022, the two remained at the top - having special guests every now and then and topping the podcasts charts week after week for being blunt, batshit crazy, absolutely hilarious and relatable.

however, it all almost came crashing down last year. after the girls saw how much money they were pulling in for the network verses how much they were taking home in their paychecks, they demanded a pay raise which barstool denied and the two decided to walk, even if that meant losing everything.

but when one door closes another one opens - the girls were offered a 60 million dollar contract with spotify, were moved out to los angeles and are now living their absolute best lives.

the podcast has shifted dramatically, focusing mostly on scandalous interviews with high profile celebrities, being the only two who are able to get down to the nitty gritty details that the audience just wants to know with them and aside from their usual sex talk, have also shifted more into women empowerment and mental health topics, as well.

but deep down, georgina is still the same girl she once was - almost never catching her not in sweatpants, thirsting over athletes, every once in a while having episodes that mirror the old ones and just being a true, down to earth, real girl who has no idea what to do with the fame other than be her wild and crazy, silly self.

𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓮𝓮𝓻

podcast career

the call her daddy podcast - independent - from 2015-2017

the call her daddy podcast - presented by barstool sports - from 2017-2022

the call her daddy podcast - presented by spotify - from 2022-present

[dollycas]

Mystery in Marseille: A Bite-Sized Art Heist Mystery (Sophie's Adventures) by Nupur Tustin About Mystery in Marseille Mystery in Marseille: A Bite-Sized Art Heist Mystery (Sophie's Adventures) Travel Cozy Mystery 3rd in Series Setting - Marseille, France Publisher ‏ : ‎ Foiled Plots Press (October 18, 2024) Paperback ‏ : ‎ 168 pages Digital ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0DJK8MLSY A holiday in France; an art thief on the run! Art sleuth Sophie must stay a step ahead of a brash criminal . . . A rare Matisse in Marseille provides a convenient cover for undercover art sleuth Sophie Poisson’s covert romantic plans in the city. But when the painting is unexpectedly stolen, Sophie finds herself chasing an art thief instead of romance. With a wily thief one step ahead of her and her undercover partner, Uncle Arthur, out of town, can Sophie devise a strategy to recover the Matisse before it sails out of Marseille, never to be seen again? Dollycas's Thoughts Sophie and her friend Nicole are touring Marseille for another madcap mystery. They had come to meet with the General Curator at the Cantini just in time to learn a rare Matisse painting that was on loan there from the Musée d’Orsay Museum, where Nicole works, had gone missing. This is the second time the Cantini has had a theft of a painting from the Musée d’Orsay. Never fear. Sophie and Nicole are on another adventure to reel in the thief of the missing Matisse. ____ This was another fun read from Nupur Tustin. Sophie's adventures are always exciting. She and Nicole's methods are a little unorthodox, and sometimes their ideas come out of left field. They also jump to some crazy conclusions. This time they board a tour bus in their quest to find the painting, don disguises as police to question witnesses and people of interest, and even stalk people they think may be involved while wearing stilettos for most of their escapade. Readers are treated to a quick trip around the city and learn some of the history of Marseille, the artists, and the paintings. I appreciated the author's detail in setting each scene. She also served up fine twists and turns and a variety of suspects.  She packs a lot into this Bite-Sized Art Heist Mystery that mystery lovers will enjoy. Mystery in Marseille is an entertaining story with amusing characters set in a beautiful port city in Southern France. I had a delightful time tagging along with Sophie and Nicole and enjoyed all their hijinks. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC. Your Escape Into A Good Book Travel Agent About Nupur Tustin A former journalist with a Ph.D. in Communication, Nupur Tustin orchestrates murder in the historical Joseph Haydn Mystery series and paints intrigue in her contemporary Celine Skye Psychic Mystery series, based on the true story of the unsolved Gardner Museum theft. Travel, disguises, and stolen art form the basis of undercover art sleuth Sophie’s adventures in the Sophie’s Adventure series. Author Links Website    Blog   Shop  Facebook  Goodreads  Bookbub Purchase Links: Also written by Nupur Tustin Amazon - Barnes & Noble    Kobo   Apple iBooks  This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using my links, I will receive a small commission from the sale at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting Escape With Dollycas. TOUR PARTICIPANTS - Please visit all the stops.  December 2 – Maureen's Musings – SPOTLIGHT December 2 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW December 3 – Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT December 3 – Ascroft, eh? – AUTHOR GUEST POST December 3 – Ruff Drafts – SPOTLIGHT December 4 – Christy's Cozy Corners – AUTHOR GUEST POST December 4 – Jody's Bookish Haven – SPOTLIGHT   December 5 – Books, Ramblings, and Tea – SPOTLIGHT December 5 – Reading Is My SuperPower – SPOTLIGHT December 5 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book - REVIEW December 6 – Baroness Book Trove – SPOTLIGHT December 6 – StoreyBook Reviews – AUTHOR GUEST POST December 6 – MJB Reviewers – SPOTLIGHT December 7 – Guatemala Paula Loves to Read – REVIEW December 7 – Sapphyria's Book Reviews – SPOTLIGHT December 7 – Frugal Freelancer – SPOTLIGHT December 8 – Cassidy's Bookshelves – REVIEW a Rafflecopter giveaway Have you signed up to be a Tour Host? Click Here to Find Details and Sign Up Today! Want to Book a Tour? Click Here Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.”   Read the full article

[coolrpblog]

At the very least, Frank made it to the guest room this time. Honestly, the bed was made with stuff she got specifically for him anyway. Its borderline his room now since she doesn't bring guests over aside from him. She had heard him come in, but he didn't really give anything except a very sleepy wave of acknowledgement. She got it, he was finally going to sleep. When he did, she made sure he was comfortable and went on with her day as usual.

Come within the next thirty hours, she's prepared a bento box for him. There was nothing going on and she felt like doing something else aside from leaving snacks out for him. It took a bit of effort, but it was cute and she felt proud making it! But as the hour ticked on, she found herself bored, then drowsy.

A small nap will do her some good. Nicole is quiet as she climbs into bed next to Frank, cuddling up to him with her face in the crook of his neck, and drifting off to sleep. He won't mind if she naps with him, right?

It was one of those days where he slept longer than a day. Stiring groggy as all hell as well as having his stomach scolding him for sleeping so long. As he laid there, he finally grew more aware of his surroundings, his gaze moving now to Nicole that slept on him. Smiling tiredly, he rubs her back gently before seeing what she had set near him.

"You really know what I need when I wake huh..?" He muses softly before reaching for the bento box, soon opening it and eating. God damn that was good.

[muse-in-a-box]

"Hey, at least yours didn't almost get adopted by ghost types when she was eight."

He's using the term adopted because the ghost wouldn't hurt his kid, but still!

[projectlightfox]

Upgrades:

@terminalvelocityau

Tails had passed out, face flat against the workbench he’s been sitting at for horus, the unfinished mess of wires and other machinery that was shaped like a dog off to the side of the table. Upon the voice of someone else, Tails quickly shot upright and his eyes went wide. He listened to what Nicole said and nodded just a little.

“U- Uh, yeah! There’s an entire storage room in the back of the lab, there should be a little box already open too..”

     The miniature hololynx standing on the screen of Volt’s handheld that he had placed nearby bowed politely and then paused. [I apologize for the inconvenience but I’m currently only able to transmit the program as my nanites were not brought into your world by Voltage and I can’t be there physically. Although if you would carry this handheld over to the storage device, I should be able to synchronize with it to complete the download.] 

     “I guess I should have mentioned earlier, Nicole is the Freedom Fighter’s Head of Security and Communications. She’s an AI.” Volt had spent the majority of yesterday and part of today working on exploring a bit around the area to get an idea of what was needed. The handheld had been left to make getting a hold of his easier. He just never expected Nicole to pop up with the holoprojector. Another bow was given after the introductions. 

     [I’ve already sent the program to your communicator Voltage and updated your handheld. Rotor and Tails have also inquired if there would be any other schematics that you may need while you are here.] That question had been more directed at the fox at the workbench than the hybrid approaching it. 

[fortruechaos-moved]

try nicole v_v

“You made this whole city?”

“Well, I...” Nicole’s voice trails off sheepishly, an embarrassed flush rising to her cheeks. “Sort of?” Was it really fair to call New Mobotropolis her city? The nanites were their own organisms...they had just opted to help after everything with A.D.A.M.. They wanted new leadership. Fair guidance. And Nicole had gifted it to them.

Okay, maybe the Nanites weren’t exactly alive, but they were sentient. And being an A.I. herself, Nicole could get kind of touchy when people suggested otherwise. But how do you explain that to people who weren’t A.I. themselves?

“Umm...let’s see. The nanites communicate in a way that you could liken to a biochemical energy signal that you see in the Chaos Emeralds. The nanites aren’t alive, but they have personality. I just used that to guide my vision in crafting New Mobotropolis.”

“They could have been far more difficult with me. It would have taken some recoding on my part if they had.” Nervously, Nicole presses her fingers together, still smiling bashfully.

“I hope that made sense. Sally often tells me that I am bad at simplifying my answers.”

[equallyshaw]

The Medicated Series: features OC’s with medical issues such as depression, anxiety, physical disabilities such as MS or Rheumatoid Arthritis as well as any other autoimmune disease such as Crohn’s, endometriosis, infertility, etc. (not an autoimmune but you get it) I feel, as a person with a physical disability, that there is a lack of representation and have always wanted to see myself in y/n stories.

Cale Makar Medicated Series Master Post:

Links for information regarding rheumatoid arthritis:

https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/rheumatoid-arthritis.html

triggers/warnings:

Original Character: Eliza Nicole James, 23 years old. Brunette Hair, Blue Eyes, short and curvy.

Word Count:

Part Six:

Eliza's POV:

—

Today was Tuesday, the day I would be telling Martha that I would be leaving, and that today was my last day. Also, I would be meeting with Joe Sakic after I got off of work around 3pm today. Today was a big day, even though I wasn't looking forward to it, Cale was being so sweet about it. He picked me up for work, after his morning workout and got me my favorite coffee + breakfast sandwich and told me he would be around at 3 to take me to the arena. He had been so incredibly sweet and considerate after I spent the night at his place, though we did not do anything, he still was a gentleman and made sure I was okay with staying over. It was weird for me, but getting to wake up next to him made it worth it.

I dragged my feet into Erics' office around 2pm and he knew the moment I crossed the threshold, what I was about to tell him. "Eliza, Im so happy for you!" He beamed getting out his chair and meeting me, to give me a hug. "I'm gonna miss you so so much." He said tearing up, and pulling down his mask. I frowned, pulling down mine as well. "I'm gonna miss you so much, Eric! You've been my rock these past years." I said wiping some tears from my face. "I know, but now you can reach SO many more people Chica." He mused and I nodded softly, "Guess I have an excuse to come back though." I smiled. He nodded laughing, "Yes! Martha will not allow it if you don't promise to come back every week." He joked. "Cale, said that he would visit with me if he wanted me to. Before, it was just an excuse to see me but he actually likes Martha and the other kids." I commented sitting down next to him in the two guest chairs. He nodded, "I know! He seems to want to be more hands on too. He came to talk to me last week about what or if there was anything that he could do himself. Volunteer, donate-" I cut him off. "Really?" I said with happy tears pooling into my eyes. "Yes Chica! Cale is a fucking gem. If he wasn't for team women, i'd snatch him up so quickly" He joked and I laughed, shaking my head. I rubbed the back of my neck, "It still feels weird y'know? Like this is all I had wanted for 13 years and now to leave- feels weird. Exciting and scary at the same time." I explained. "We are always here for you, we always have a spot open specifically for Eliza James. Our founding warrior." He said sweetly, rubbing my arm. I nodded, "Well, I am so glad to have your support Eric, it means the world. Now, I just gotta rip the band aid off and tell the kiddos. Today." I exclaimed. "Let's go tell them." He said stnading up and pulling me with him.

We walked into the playroom that housed many kids today, all my regulars. Eric walked in and got there attention as soon as he stepped through the glass doors. "Hi Guys! How are we today?" He questioned. They all responded chaotically and could not help but laugh. "Im glad you guys are doing well! I want you guys to listen to Eliza for a second, ok?" He said stepping out of my way for me to stand in front of them. "Auntie E!" and "Miss Eliza" all came my way, and I frowned sadly at it. I was going to miss those nicknames. "Hi guys, I have something really importnant to tell you ok?" I started off pulling a chair to the center so I could get closer to there level. I rested my elbows on my knees sighing softly, "I have some big news to tell you guys today." I paused making sure that all 12 of them heard me. "I have decided to leave Hillside Pavillion today, for good." I stated and that's when the meltdowns started. "Guys guys!" I said trying to calm them down, but nobody wanted that. Eric helped me out, and finally after a few minutes of trying to calm them- they did. I pulled some hair behind my ear and contemplated my next words, "I have enjoyed my time here with you guys. Who would of thought we'd be here two years ago? I didn't and I am so ecstatic that Eric and you guys get to continue being the pride and joy or Hillside Pavillion. I see myself in you guys so much, but I also see so much more confidence and self love than when I was your age. And I am so grateful, that I got to be a little bit of help in helping you guys reach your ever growing potential. You guys are like my kiddos, and I am going to miss you so much. And know, that this was such a difficult decision. I thought of you guys in all my thinking and conversations, and even though you may be angry or sad- both feelings are acceptable, I will be able to reach even more kids like you and others who are going through unimaginable things." I paused and smiled at few who were coming forward to burrow into my side. I wrapped my arms around them, trying to hold back the ever growing tears. "Besides, I won't be far away. I'll be working with the Colorado Avalanche, and am always a phone call away. I might also be able to invite you guys for games, wouldn't that be fun?" I questioned looking down at the two in my arms, and then to Martha who seemed to perk up at that. "I love you guys so much, and always remember that you are stronger than you appear. That you are more than just your illness, or diagnosis. You guys are warriors, and inspire me everyday." I mused looking at all of them. It was like a silent aknowledgment before the kids came up and hugged me. Eric came up behind me and joined in as well. "Im gonna miss my barbie partner!" one kid eclaimed and another said, "Im gonna miss reading with you everyday." and I softly frowned, but I smiled as Martha spoke. "Im gonna miss you coming in everyday with a smile on your face,de-despite any pain you have. Im gonna miss seeing you smile." She said and I nodded wiping back a tear. I was gonna miss them so much.

A few minutes later, I met up with Martha and sat her down in her favorite reading nook. "Do you really have to go?" She said sadly, and I nodded. "Yes, I do BUT Cale and I will both be back for different events and to see you. Besides, I have an open policy in my new office for you guys anyday. Ok? Your mom can call me whenever you need to talk." I said trying to read her face. She nodded softly, before lunging towards me and hugging me. I pulled her in, and rubbed her hair. She softly sobbed, and I wiped silent tears away. I loved this girl like my own, I saw myself in her but she also had so many traits and fierceness that I did not posess at age 8. She was such a brightlight these past two years, and having been there since the first few weeks of diagnosis- meant that we held a bond like no other. I would see her 4-5 days a week if she wasn't at ballet, theater, softball or soccer to name a few. Through all the up's and down's, and the unknowns and questions, I was there. I was there for her, like I had wished somebody was there for me. I knew her deepest darkest secrets, that she didn't even tell her mom. She trusted me and I trusted her. I pulled away, and wiped her tears from her small eyes and smiled. "Pretty as always." I mused rubbing her cheek. She smiled, before looking past me and smiling ever wider. She jumped out of my arms, and I knew who was there before I turned around and heard her squeal. I grinned turning around in my seat, and seeing Cale kneel down to the kid's level and talk to them. I looked at the front desk ladies that were looking in, and winked at them. They knew exactly what they were doing, even if the higher ups did not like it. I met Eric at the door as well, and leaned into him. Smiling sadly. Eric noticed and motioned towards the door and I nodded, before walking out.

"I know you wish that that would be you, right?" He asked softly as we moved away from the door. I nodded, "I can't help but think that it's wrong that I don't want kids. But like, it's 2022. Not every woman needs to bear children. But looking and watching him with kids ,makes me sad. And also hopeful, that because he is good with kids that it wouldn't be so bad. He's the partner that I had been hoping for." I explained and Eric nodded, pulling me back into my office. It was not 2:50 and needed to clear out my things. "Well, just by the looks of it- I don't think that having kids with him would be an issue. By the way he looks at you and talks about you, he would bend over backwards for you." Eric commented and I nodded. "When he picked you up two weeks ago, the front desk ladies let it slip that he was asking what books to read, or documentaries, or schlolary articles to read about Rheumatoid Arthritis. He wanted to know also how to take care of you if you needed it, and things he should look for regarding any flare ups and stuff. He spoke to them for about a half hour before I came and told you he was at the door." Eric paused, and I gave him wide eyes. "No way." I said smiling like an idiot, "Way!" Eric exclaimed. "And then he's been texting with me, on stuff he is finding out. Obviously, I am no expert but your teachings these past three years have helped me out in that department. When I tell you that lover boy is hooked, committed and willing to help each and every way- I am not exagerating. No man his age would even think about educating himself or comprehend what he's reading about. He literally read three books in a week after he spoke to them. And now I think he's at 6 books. Im like how the hell do you have so much time? Especially if he's spending time with you?" He joked, sending me a wink. I fake gagged and continued putting my books and plaques away in a box. I froze, thinking about what Eric had confessed. "Wow." was all I could say. No person in my life had ever done that, much research. Hell, after thirteen years my parents and sisters had never done much. It was always me being the one to educate them, and tell them shit they wouldn't even remember five minutes after. Cale was something else, he could be something more if he stayed on this path of acceptnance, understading, compassion and love. But, I guess time will tell.

Around 3:05, a knock was heard at my office door. I looked up at saw Cale, giving me a smile. "Hi!" I beamed, moving away from my box and meeting him at the door. "Hello Auntie E." He mused, pulling me in for a hug. "Awe, im gonna miss that nickname." I said softly frowning as we pulled apart. "But you'll have new ones." he said on the brightside and I nodded. "What can I take?" He questioned at the four boxed, that laid on the floor. "You can take those two, and I will have Eric take the others." I said putting my phone in my bag and zipping my purse closed. He nodded, walking out and Eric came in to grab the other two. I softly smiled grabbing the Peonies that the front desk ladies had given me this morning, and I slowly walked towards my door. I had done so much these past two years officially in this role. The late nights, and early morning coffee runs I had to make or well Eric did. The presentations that were scraped the minute Eric showed me them, because they were too colorful and the highers up would not like it. Constantly telling me that they needed a little Gay in there life, never failing to amuse me. The countless meltdowns I witnessed or the one's Eric witnessed with me, as we tried to navigate this whole thing. Though bittersweet, I was excited to move on and start putting my footprinte some place new. Cale met me at the door, and held out his hand and we walked into the hallway. "I just need one last goodbye. Ok?" I said looking up at him and he nodded, taking my purse and flowers. I walked into the playroom and all the kids stopped what they were doing and ran towards me. "Oh no! Don't run me over." I joked as they hugged me. "please come back soon!" Jess mused and that got a chorus of yes'. I nodded, taking in there faces one last time in this capacity. "I will be back soon. Maybe I will even bring some treats or some familiar faces." I grinned and they grew excited at that. "Be good for Eric, remember not to push his buttons too much." I joked causing them to laugh. They all stepped back after a few minutes, and I smiled at Martha who moved in for one last hug. "I'l always be here, Martha. I promise." I whispered and she nodded before releasing. I stepped back, to take in all the kiddos one last time in this position and I turned back around and Cale stood there waiting for me. "Ready?" he asked and I nodded, taking my bag from him.

We arrived at the arena around 3:45 pm, and I grew even more nervous. Tomorrow, would be my official first day but I wanted to speak to Joe a little more so he could understand my health and what came with it. But as Eric said before, he'd have there heads on a stick and he would dorp a lawsuit on them SO quickly if they even so much looked at me the wrong way. Hopefully, I would not have to use that card and could become apart of the team smoothly. and without issue.

Cale and I walked towards the players entrance, and I noticed that there were a lot of cars here. "Nothing special is happening, guys probably just wanted to workout and skate. That's all." he said after I asked him if anything was happening. "Okay." I responded, breathing in and out. We walked towards an elevator that was right off the door, and I mentally thanked whichever person thought to put it in such a conveniant spot. "Smells a lot nicer, than I imagined." I sacastically said as we went up to the fourth floor. Cale chuckled, understading exactly where I was coming from. We walked out into the offices area, and walked towards Joe Sakics' office. "Do I look okay?" I asked stopping halfway there and started to self doubt. "I hope he likes me." I threw out there as well, and Cale shook his head. "I promise you, he does and you look great as always. Now please, get in there so I don't have to hear how I took so long to get you here . GO!" he said softly nudging me towards the door and I softly giggled, before saluting him. I turned around and walked towards the door. I softly knocked, getting his attention. "Ms.James!" Joe Sakic said, shocking me with how much excitment her had. "Hi!" I responded as he motioned for me to sit down.

"How have you been? You excited for your first day tomorrow?" He asked and I nodded smiling. "Yes! Im very excited, but obviously nervous about meeting so many new people." I confessed and he waved me off. "Everybody in this orginization and team, are class act. They are all excited to meet you as well. They wanna meet the mastermind behind the HillSide's fieldtrip here. They enjoyed it and would love to do it again." He explained and I nodded, trying to process everything. "That's amazing!" I said, smiling. "That means a lot. I am glad, to be working with people who are excited about the intitatives that our group will be undertaking and continuing. I know that a lot of the Wags thouroughly enjoy charity work and I will continue that and hopefully make it even bigger." I commented, and Joe nodded enthusastically. "Can I ask you a question?" I asked and he nodded, giving me the floor. "Why didn't you want to interview me? Not that I am complaining by any means, but it just seemed so fast that it confused me a bit." I asked honestly, and he nodded. "Well, when you invited the team to Hillside, I was curious. I was curious to see who had ran it so well. And then after getting in contact with Eric, he explained to me that it was all you. And that it had been you for the past two years while he ran the buisness side of things. Then once I asked you to facilitate the Hillside Night- I just had a feeling that you'd be an awesome addition to our team as Head of Community Outreach. It was a no brainer. And then I asked the team what they thought of the events, and they wanted you apart of the team if possible. Especially Cale, he said that he'd never seen somebody so passionate before. And I got that from a lot of them as well like Gabe, EJ, Nazem, Nate and Mikko. So I thought, why not?" He mused and I nodded. "Well that answers my question." I said laughing and he did too. "SO what did you want to talk to me about today?" He asked and I pushed some hair behind my ear, my nervous tick.

"Well as you may know I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and I wanted to let you know a little bit about that and how it effects me. Though I know you can't legally do anything about it and I know you definetly don't want Eric coming in here and torching the place." I paused as he laughed, and I laughed too. "But I wanted to let you know that it can affect me day to day sometimes. I am at a place, where I can pretty much figure out how I will wake up the next day but sometimes I don't and it blindsides me. Sometimes you may see me with a cane and then the next day I will be without it. Others I will walk slower and others I can pretty much do a fast mom walk. Some days, I have really bad fatigue but other days I am ok. Everything is up and down, and I really hope you don't get upset if I have to call off for a day or maybe a week. It has happened and it will happen eventually. But even if I call off, I still work from home because even though I might be having a flare up, I am at home so I am more comfortable. SO yeah, again you cant technically do much but I just wanted to let you know up front." I said and he nodded thankfully. "Well thankyou for sharing that, you did not have to but am glad that you felt comfortable enough and trusted me to let me know. We actually have a few people here who have medical issues, and nobody will treat you any differently. If something comes up, let me know and I will take care if it right away. Finally, I am always here if you need anything. Bednar too, who you will meet tomorrow. Anything that comes up, we are a phone call, text or office away. We also have others here who you can speak to if something happens, god forbid it does but know that you have safety here and people that look out for one another." he finished and I nodded, extremely grateful for his attitude and compassion. Feeling safe and included, was at the top of my list.

Cale's POV:

I watched Eliza walk into the office and as soon as I heard them talking, I bolted down the stairs to the floor below to helpe the guys. It was Gabe and Andre's idea to decorate her office a bit. Welcoming her into the work family, she was probably gonna regret joining. Just joking. I walked into the office and saw the balloons all done, and they saw a orchid on her desk. They had also put up a welcome sign, decked out in Avalanche colors. "You don't think it's too much right?" Nazem asked as I walked in. I inspected everything and shook my head, "No she will love it." I said and they all cheered. "Mel, told me that she enjoys coffee and what she likes, so I am gonna stop and get that on the way as a little treat. EJ is also getting her some flowers, well Jackie is- there is no way in hell he can't tell what is what." Gabe said and EJ began bickering with him, the other guys joined in too. Mikko, Andre, Gabe and Naz were super excited to have her join the orginization that they decicded to surprise her. They all really liked her from what I said about her, as well as when they spoke at the Hillside event at the hospital and the Hillside night. Such a random group of guys, but I liked it. It was for sure chaotic trying to have them decide on the color scheme and then decide to do the avs colors to play it safe. Then one person said someting about a banner, and then another about flowers or a plant. Then it esclated from there, and now it seemed they were chipping in for a supply of coffee for a year most likely. This is what she needed coming into this role, not only staff that supports her but having some guys on the team support her as well? She was winning even before she stepped through the door. My phone buzzed, and there was a texted from Eliza, stating that she was done and that she was confused on where I was. I told her I would meet her at the elevator in five. "I gotta go." I said taking one last look around, before putting some more tape up.

Eliza' POV:

Joe Sakic left, to go meet with somebody so I stood in the hallway waiting for Cale to come meet me again. I leaned up against the wall, and looked at the floor thinking abot tomorrow and the work that I was hoping to do. I was excited, but nervous about meeting the team too. That's the part that really terrified me but I had Cale and Joe in my corner. Bednar too, but I hadn't even met the dude yet. I pulled out my phone to text Cale again when I heard footsteps. I looked up and saw a player, obvioulsy. No way in hell, that it was just a regular staff memeber. I looked down nervously and started to text Cale. "You're Eliza right?" The voice questioned, and I looked up before nodding. "Yes and you are?" I asked. He rubbed the back of his neck, "Im Nathan Mackinnon. I work with Cale." He stated and I nodded, breathing in heavily. He was the dude that didn't think Nate and I had a future together. "Listen I just wanna say-" I cut him off, "I really don't wanna hear what you have to say Nathan, I don't. You don't even know me first off and secondly, you commented on something that you probably don't know anything about. And if you had came to the Hillside event, you would have learned a bit about it." I remarked and he nodded, looking down. "You don't know me enough to comment on my life or my health ok? So please dont apologize and say that you didn't mean it. You clearly did, if you said it to Cale yourself." I finished, walking past him to the elevator. I pushed the button, and it opened revealing Cale himself. He could see the sense of relief as I saw him. I walked in, pressing the garage level and leaned agains the wall. He knew, without having me to voice it.

We pulled up to my apartment and we headed up towards my floor. Becca was out of town for the next few days, so I knew I would be alone when Cale left tomorrow evening for a away game after the home game. When we walked inside, he set the two boxes down and went to go get the other two. I pulled out my phone, letting him know I was taking a quick shower. I quickly grabbed my clothes and towel, and made my way into my shower. I turned it on, and then turned on some music, and waited for it to heat up. I sat on the toilet, looking towards the floor, and sighed. The faitgue was coming on fast, as the adrenaline was coming down from the day. I hopped in the shower and quickly washed me hair, body and face. And then stood for a few minutes, taking in the hot water before getting out. After another five minutes I stepp back out onto the rug and quickly dried myself off and wrapped myself in the towel.I slipped on my house shoes and cursed myself, I didn't grab my brush from my room. I hurriedly tried to open the bathroom without Cale noticing from the living room. That wouldn't have been an issue if he wasn't in my room tidying up for me. I froze as I caught sight of him, as he was doing so. I tried stepping back out of my room ,hoping he wouldn't catch me but he heard me and turned around. He looked down at the towel, before meeting my gaze. "Sorry I uh was trying to get my brush." I said nervoulsy walking in and grabbing it before shuffling back out. I locked myself in the bathroom and cringed. I sighed, leaning against the door and cursed myself. How could I have been so stupid? But I also did not think he'd be tidying up my room for me so I didn't have to worry about it. He knew how I liked not going to bed sometimes wiht a messy apartment and that Becca helped me but since she was not here- he had decided to help without me asking him. And ofcourse, that wouldn't have been a big issue if I wasn't you know nude under this towel. It wouldn't have been weird if we had done anything, and that's the thing we haven't. Like obviously, I had thought about it but having never done it before, it scared me. It was a big step not only as a couple but as a female. Losing it for the first time, scared me. It made me embarrsed because it's not like I could do what they did in movies, my body wouldn't allow it. And that's also partially why I stayed away from boys in college. I was embarrased about what I could and could not do. I sighed, brushing out my hair and trying to ease back into the music. I quickly changed and did my skincare, before venturing back out into the hall.

I heard Cale from the kitchen, so that mean the ghost was clear. I walked into my room that was newly cleaned, and I smiled putting my clothes in the hamper. Sweetie pie, I thought. I walked back out, going straight for the fridge to grab a water. Cale was currently putting away the dishes into the dishwater and I smiled as he did it. I re opened the fridge and began to look for the mexican food I had saved from yesterday and I tapped my foot as I searched for it. "What did you want for dinner?" Cale asked and I froze, before shutting the fridge. "Anything is fine." I respnded, but knew I would have something to say about each place he offered up. "Actually- there is a place down the street that has to die for pierogis. We can order it on doordash so we don't have to leave." I suggested and he nodded, as I pulled out my phone. I opened up the menu, handing him my phone since I knew I was gonna get my regular order. He scrolled down and back up, before figuring out what he wanted. "What are you getting?" He asked as I placed the order. "Well, I ordered a appetizer of grilled chicken and there amazing sauce. Potato and Sweet Cheese pierogis, sausage and Pączki's. Which you have to try!!! The dessert if a fan favorite." I mused and he nodded, "Will have enough for lunch tomorrow, which makes me not have to worry about it." I added as I hopped off the bar stool and walked into my room for a second, searching for a book that I wanted him to read. Now with some new knowledge, I think Cale would like the book. I walked back in and set the book down, "What's this?" he asked opening it. "Its my favorite book on arthritis. I heard that you have taken a interest to the subject." I grinned sipping some water. He nodded, skimming over the opening pages. "Ye-yeah." he said confirming it. He looked up and smiled, "Thankyou for this. Thankyou for allowing me even more into your life." He said thankfully. I nodded, "Thankyou for taking it upon yourself to research it. Eric told me about the conversations you and he have had as well as talking to the front desk ladies. It means a lot Cale, more than you know." I smiled as I rounded the counter. I put my hands on his cheeks softly, pulling him in for a kiss. He responded immediatly, pulling me in closer by my waist. I couldn't get enough of him, intoxicated by him. I moved my arm so now it was around his neck, trying to get closer if possible. His hands continued to rest on my waist, pulling me in.

I startled him as I began to kiss down his chin onto his neck, taking in my newfound energy. He froze for a brief moment, and I stopped and stepped back. I looked at him, trying to read his face. "Did I do something wrong?" I asked sheepishly, and he shook his head. "No, I just don't want you to do anything you don't want to that's all. I don't want you to get uncomfortable at all." He explained. I rubbed my eyes with my hand, and turned around and moved away from him. Well yeah I didn't want to have sex but I did want to make out. Was that a crime? "Im sorry." he said and I waved him off, "It's whatever." I said un enthused. "I didn't mean to upset you." he said standing up and walking over to me. I didn't move. "Liz..." He said putting a soft hand on my lower back, and I sighed shutting my eyes. I turned to face him and stared at him with a small glare. "I wanted to makeout. That is all. I would have stopped." I said and he nodded, "I just wanted to make sure." he responded and I nodded. I rubbed the back of my neck, "It's fine, thankyou though. But you realize that at some point I would like to you know have sex?" I said and he nodded. "I know, but I want it to be special and the right time." He smiled softly wrapping his arms around me. I did the same, taking in his presence. I was going to miss it, for the next few days.

The Next Day:

So Cale told me before he went home, that I would not need to worry about getting coffee or a breakfast sandwich- which he knew was a weakeness of mine. That he had it all taken care of, and I obliged much to my dismay. I pulled into my new spot at the arena with the rest of the staff, and sighed taking it all in. This is freaking crazy, how the heck did I end up here? I hopped out, and saw Cale sweetly waiting at the staff entrance for me. I smiled as I got closer, my nerves fading just a tad bit. "Good morning, you excited?" He questioned as I stepped right next to him. He opened the door and I nodded, "Yes, very. And thankyou." I responded. "You know, you don't have to come with me. You can go get ready for your morning skate. Ill be okay." I said, and he shook his head. "Nah, I can't not walk you to your office. Besides, I need to see your reaction to your surprise." He non chalantly said as the elevator opened up to the third floor. I eyed him as he allowed me to go first, I sighed and stopped to look out at the sheet of ice. It was so much bigger without people in it. "Woah." I exclaimed softly, and Cale nodded. "You get used to it, eventrually." He mused and I nodded, turning back around an walked towards my office again. I eyed the walls that held numbers outside of them, looking for room number 22- my favorite number. My old sports number before I got diagnosed. Who woulda thought that that was the very number, i'd get for my office?

As soon as we walked up to my office, I stopped seeing balloons and a banner. I looked up towards Cale and playfully slapped his arm. "Ugh, I hate you." I mused and he put his hands up in defense, "It wasn't just me." He said and I cocked my head to the side, before turning to walk into the room. That's when I saw them. Gabe, EJ, Nazem and Andre scattered throughout the room. EJ sat in my desk chair, Gabe and Nazem sat in the two in front of my desk, and Andre sat in the comfy one in the corner. They were bickering about something as I walked in, and as soon as they noticed me, they all stood up and yelled 'Surprise!'. I brought a hand to my chest and smiled, taking in all the decorations, a orchid that laid on my desk, and my coffee + breakfast combo. I turned towards Cale, taking in his smile and ever rosy cheeks. "Oh my god!" I exclaimed, setting my back down next to my desk. "Thankyou guys! This was so sweet." I mused looking down at the orchid and then to EJ who sat back down in my chair. I raised an eyebrow, and without saying anything he hopped up like he had been pricked. I softly giggled, pushing some hair behind my ear. "Thankyou guys, and thankyou to whoever got me this." I smiled pulling the coffee closer. "And you go it right!" I beamed. It was the little things that did it for me.

"Ofcourse! Once Cale let it slip that you were coming to work here we knew we wanted to surprise you." Gabe explained, "And you can thank Mel. She remembered your coffee order." He added and I grinned. She had remembered our random conversation from that dreadful game. I mentally took note, to text her and thank her. Perhaps, maybe taking her out to get some coffee. "Well, I will have to thank her today. But seariously, you did not need to do this at all." I said refercning the room and they all waved it off. "Our pleasure, and here." Andre or who I presume is Andre since the others I had seen over facetime or Nazem at the restaurant. "No, you did not!" I said taking the card from him, opening it and seeing a Starbucks giftcard that had $200 on it. "No no, this is too much!" I said giving him a look of gratefulness and mixed with a frown. "NO! Cale has told us how much coffee you need in the morning to be bearable so this saves us." He added and I playfully rolled my eyes. "Rude." I threw at Cale who only chuckled, but blushed profusley. "OH! Can't forget about these." EJ said picking up a bouquet of hidden flowers and I smiled. "Thankyou!" I said taking the bouquet of blush hydrangas- must have been a pretty penny. "My god, these are gorgeous." I mused taking a second to look at them. "Thankyou." I said again to all of them, and then Nazem pulled out a bag of expensive looking candle brand. Joan Malone it read, and beamed. "Working here, you'll need something to smell nice." He said sliding over the bag and took it, taking a quick peek in the bag. "Can never have too many candles." I mused shutting the bag. I looked around at all of them, "Thankyou again. This is all way too much but thankyou." I said gratefully and they nodded. They left a few minutes after, already on about something Andre did something stupid this morning and they were gonna run with it at practice.

I giggled, sitting at my desk and smiling. This was real. "You okay?" Cale said sitting across from my desk, and I nodded. "Yeah, just hard to think i'd ever be anywhere but Hillside and then that happens? Oh my god, I've hit the jackpot." I mused shutting my eyes for a brief second. "Ofcourse! They love and care about you, just like I do." He responded and I pretended to not look deeper into that comment. "Here." he said alerting me, and when I reopened my eyes I saw that he was holding out a bag from the giftshop. "Cale." I said in a sing song voice, pretending to be annoyed. But he knew the differance between the voices, he knew when I was annoyed. "ohmygod." I rambled looking into the bag and seeing the third jersey. My favorite jersey. I looked up at Cale, unsure of what to say or do. I set the bag on the ground after I pulled it out. I opened it up and stared at the logo, and beamed. I then turned it around, and saw the famous number 8 number and Makar. I frowned, and Cale thought I was upset. He rubbed the back of his neck and looked down. I shook my head and put it back in the bag, before rounding my desk and grabbing his hands. "Thankyou Cale, I love it. You didn't have to but I appreciate it so much. Besides, I do remember a text saying that you would be fixing my no avalanche merch problem." I smirked as he looked up at me. The fear in his eyes were washed away as he did so, a huge smile dawned his face. I bent down and gave him a kiss on the cheek, before walking back to my desk. I moved everything either to the ground or behind me at another desk. I turned around after organizing everything, to knocks at my door. Cale and I's heads shot over to the doorway and saw Joe Sakic and Coach Bednar.

"Good morning Miss James, how are you doing this morning?" Joe announced as he walked in. "Good morning, Mr.Sakic. Im doing well, you?" I asked stepping up from my seat. "Good good, I just wanted to pop in with coach Bednar to introduce you two before heading to skate." He said eyeing Cale at the last part. Cale excused himself, and headed out the door. "Yes, it is great to meet you Coach Bednar." I said walking over and extending my hand. "You as well Miss James, but please call me just Bednar." He said accepting my hand shake. I nodded, "And call me Joe." Joe added and I nodded. "What does your schedule look like this morning?" Coach Bednar asked. I looked to Joe for a brief second, "I have a meeting with some staff at 10." I explained, and Bednar looked down at his apple watch. "You still have a good 2 hours- how would you like to watch some men on skates chasing a puck?" He joked and I giggled. "Yes, let's go watch them do just that." Joe answered for me and I nodded. Bednar left first, and Joe stayed behind. I went back to my desk for a brief second, to make sure my purse was secure in my desk drawer. "Eliza, can you please be honest with me?" Joe said startling me. I shut the drawer and nodded, standing up all the way. He stepped on his feet unsure of how to start, "I just want to confirm that you and Cale are together? Just so we can make sure that when you two are at work- no funny buisness. All professionalism." He stated and I nodded. "Yes, we have been dating for a bit. I promise though, that nothing will happen. I promise." I confirmed and he nodded. "I know, just wanted to make sure." He said and ushered me to follow him down to the ice.

We sat a few rows away in the 200 section, the level the suites were on. I eyed the team, taking in all the crisp sounds and noises coming off the ice. "Have you been a fan of the team for awhile or did you grow up watching them?" Joe asked a little while later. I sighed softly, "I watched them a little bit when I was younger with my dad. Around the time I was diagnosed my dad and I would stay up late watching games to pass the time when I couldn't sleep when I was in a lot of pain. But after a few years, and finally being able to sleep I kinda stopped watching. So I watched from 2012-2015 and then stopped." I answered honestly and he nodded, "Did your dad miss having a hockey buddy to watch the games with him?" He asked curiously. I nodded my head softly, "Yeah for sure. He's never said it but I remember the first time I told him that I was going to do something other than watch the game and well yeah. I think I also outgrew the sport in general, but watching Cale and also meeting the team the first time, I got hooked again and my dad actually enjoys what I have to say about the Avs." I responded. "They are defintly the team to watch." He mused and I nodded. "Also, im not sure if you knew this but staff gets tickets to all the home games and away games if you wanted to travel with the team." He added and I looked towards him, my smile growing. "Really? Oh wow, I'll need to get my dad to a game. God knows, he deserves one. And a beer or two." I joked and Joe laughed. "I am sure he will enjoy it." He mused and I nodded looking back at the ice. "Well, Eliza- looks like it 10 am. Time to hit the ground running." Joe said alerting me. I nodded, standing up and walking back up towards the hallway.

I pulled out my phone in the elevator, opening up Cale's and I's messages.

[Eliza: I don't know how I will ever thank you enough. Thankyou thankyou thankyou, Cale. I will forever be grateful how you didn't take no for answer when we first spoke. And now I am here, and most importantly around people who may or may not like me lol. The guy's are the sweetest but Im sure it was there other half who helped them. Just overall, sweetie pies. You being the biggest one. Im the luckiest girl in the world. okay thats all.]

I hope you all enjoyed!!! Please reblog/ comment, it would mean so much. I would love the feedback. Also, how cute is the group of guys? Honestly, writing what I would love to have happen to me.

[lepusrufus]

To bargain for immortality pt.3

As it turns out, poison did not kill her. Not by a long shot. Not if the numerous tests with different kinds of poisons were to be believed.

Nicole was currently bent over the sink placed in the corner of Miranda's lab, her assistant hovering behind her with a timer in hand. What was it this time? Hemlock? Belladonna?

She stopped caring when a new wave of blood carrying the replaced tissue from internal damage came rising in her esophagus. With a disgusting gag, it came splashing onto the white porcelain, now stained and coated in crimson multiple times over. She coughed, trying not to let any of the burning mixture remain stagnant in her throat, and focused on the feeling of her body healing itself. It felt, for lack of a better word, like static coursing through her nerves and organs. After that too was gone, and the only thing that remained was the nauseating coppery taste in her mouth, she raised a shaky hand, too tired to speak up.

"Seven minutes, thirty four seconds," Emma announced.

Mother Miranda noted it down, fingers typing quickly over the keyboard.

It was a miracle that Nicole was still able to stand, although leaning a good part of her body weight on the sink thankfully secured to the wall did help. She took a few deep breaths, doing her best to not sound too croaky when she spoke.

"Can I see the results once we're done?"

She could keep track of everything herself of course, but it got difficult when her body was fighting toxins meant to shut it down. And she'd be lying if she said that she wasn't dying of curiosity.

"It's none of your concern," Miranda replied coldly.

That got a scowl to appear on thin blood stained lips, partially hidden by her hunched position. "I stood here quietly while you shoved pill after pill made from every poisonous plant you could get your hands on down my throat. At least grant me the grace of knowing my own body's limitations."

Her reply was little more than a tongue click. She couldn't help a scoff when Miranda simply ignored her request and told her assistant to continue with the next test on their list. Emma picked up one of the numerous pill bottles lined on her employer's desk and came over to Nicole, who unceremoniously grabbed one pill and swallowed it before looking at the label. Cyanide.

Oh for fuck's sake.

Her body's reaction was immediate, heart starting to beat painfully quick while her head started to spin. It was nauseating, the ache seeming to flood her chest and going up her spine in a searing migraine. Not to mention the deep breaths that didn't seem deep enough, as air itself seemed choking, the oxygen not quite reaching where it should. Mild panic started to settle in when black splotches began to cloud her vision and the tingling sensation seemed to battle with the pain for dominance. Before she knew it, her shaky legs gave out under her and the white ceiling of the lab blurred out of focus.

---

She woke up with a start, the bluish lights a painful glare to her eyes. The sound of ticking stopped and Nicole realized it was Emma's timer. She looked down at herself, haphazardly placed on a bed and then at Miranda, typing down a result the ringing in her ears hadn't allowed her to hear. With a few shakes of her head to try and chase the fog in her brain, Nicole finally croaked out: "What the hell happened?"

"The cyanide was damaging cells and keeping them from taking in any oxygen at a slightly faster rate than those cells were getting replaced. Which caused you to lose consciousness."

Miranda's tone was just as cold and clinical as ever, but a slight smirk tugged at her lips when she continued, the excited scientists buried under the mask of a goddess showing a crumb of itself.

"Although I'm quite certain we solved the mystery behind the accelerated heart rate. All previous tests show that it takes no longer than a few minutes to recover, while this took over twenty five."

Nicole was still fighting some mild dizziness, but she put all the focus on Miranda's words.

"We'll have to rerun the tests under anesthesia, but for now it's safe to assume the healing slows down while unconscious."

She acknowledged the theory with an oh. She wasn't really capable of much conversation at the moment, but she let the thought be metaphorically chewed in her brain. That made sense. If healing was slower after passing out, then her body had a damn good reason to keep her awake, hence the unnaturally high heart rate.

A slow shuddring sigh was let out when Miranda asked her assistant to prepare the anesthetic, laying back down. At least she wouldn't be awake for this one.

It took around double the normal dose to finally get her unconscious. She kept her eyes glued to the needle embedded in her arm until her vision was starting to fail her, the surrounding room becoming nothing more than dark blurs and vague beeping sounds.

People do not dream under anesthesia.

Nicole knew that of course. But as the lab blurred into odd shapes and more or less familiar places, there wasn't really a better word to describe it. Perhaps a result, she would later muse, of her overactive brain, fighting for consciousness at any given moment as it now had an instinctual need to stay awake.

That need manifested itself in the vague image of one of the castle's hallways. It was in an old wing, not frequently used by many other than the cleaning staff. She was walking along the wall, using it to compensate for her wobbly legs, and looked around for something. What exactly, was beyond her comprehension at the moment, but that didn't stop her from stumbling inside each room on her path, looking around the bright and beautifully decorated space, only to exit and continue down the hallway.

Something. Something ugh.

Nicole tried not to lean on the wall too much when she got to the golden frame of a painting, not wanting to risk damaging it. Slowly walking around, she threw a glance at the canvas when she was fully in front of it. She frowned.

It was the familiar portrait of all three sisters, dressed in period appropriate clothing and hair up into small curls. Their eyes, painted in such a way that they seemed to follow any onlookers around, greeted her with soft expressions. Some details seemed different though. They were small, and it took a bit of effort to notice how the brushstrokes seemed to have shifted ever so slightly in places. A familiar rose tattoo was present, albeit quite faint, on each of their foreheads, and their features seemed a little less soft and more akin to how Alcina would paint them. Nicole stopped to look at Cassandra's hand for a little longer, as if something was supposed to have changed there too. But before she had time to dwell on that, the realization that the painting should not be there dawned on her. Why would Alcina move it? And to a near abandoned wing of the castle no less. If she remembered correctly, that portrait had been at the main entrance for decades.

Nevermind that, she could just ask Alcina herself if they crossed paths. She kept walking down the hallway, trying to ignore the nagging feeling at the back of her mind that something was off. Off, like the slightly misplaced furniture, or the lack of certain decorations, or antique objects that she knew for a fact were on display on a completely different wing. No, Nicole kept looking through every room she came across, in search of something her foggy mind couldn't quite grasp the memory of.

She finally reached one of the more populated areas, and although still not fully able to grasp her surroundings and walk around without any support, a shiver still ran down her spine. The off-putting feeling turned to dread with the realization that she was completely alone. No maid or other staff member has crossed paths with her in what felt like an eternity. No sound could be heard aside from her own breathing and a faint beeping coming from outside. At that moment, Nicole longed for the sound of giggling or the shuffling of a broom, hell even the sound of lycans howling outside. Anything.

By that point, shuffling against the wall felt more of a psychological need than a physical one. There was a fear that accompanied anyone when you found yourself in a place that seemed so unlike its normal self, and Nicole tried to make herself smaller than she already was in the eventuality that something would pounce out from the silence and tear her to shreds.

She found herself traversing another corridor littered with numerous doors to guest bedrooms or simply storage rooms. Each was opened one by one, whatever laid behind it inspected, and then shut again. Rinse and repeat. Repeat until Nicole found herself in front of an oddly familiar door. It had nothing special, the crest and color exactly the same as the ones she had left behind, but its position seemed to tug at her memories.

The door was pushed open, a slight creak accompanying the movement, and Nicole found herself in a well lit office. It was obviously a rarely used one, the shelves only holding a small number of oddly organized files and boxes, while the chair was tucked under a large desk. The plush carpet underfoot caught her attention, beautiful black, white and golden motifs waved around each other in an intricate pattern. She walked across it, up to the desk and crouched down to run her fingers on the old worn wood of small drawers. The iron handles used to open them seemed to be gone from all but the topmost one, which she opened slowly.

Oh.

The drawer was empty save for two familiar objects, a pair of matching rings with minuscule branches in flower engraved on them. She picked them both up but almost dropped them back when a set of hurried footsteps sliced through the dead silence just outside the room.

There was no time to scramble for a hiding spot, especially not with how her head started to spin the moment she stood up again. All she could do was put the hand that wasn't holding the rings on the desk to support herself and watch as the door swung open.

A sigh of relief flew past cracked lips at the sight of confused golden eyes framed by dark locks of hair. Cassandra was standing at the entrance, head cocked slightly to the side.

"Did you lose it again?"

There was a hint of annoyance in her tone, but it was mostly drowned out by an amused chuckle as she walked up to her.

"No, I-..." Did I? "I'm sorry."

Cassandra simply took one of the bands and wordlessly slid it on Nicole's ring finger, gesture that was imitated in turn.

"Why are they here?" Nicole's question was barely a whisper, either due to the dizziness she felt or the cemetery-like silence that almost demanded not to be disturbed. "I know I instructed the staff to bring mine to my room if they find it."

"Oh it wasn't any of the staff members," Cassandra replied matter of factly, even waving a hand to dismiss the apparently absurd idea.

"Then who?"

"I don't know."

Nicole frowned. She pinched the bridge of her nose trying to chase away the eerie feeling that seemed to have made its roots deep inside her mind. Cassandra's voice seemed off, and that beeping from earlier seemed to close in ever so slightly.

"Why here?" She repeated.

Her wife only shrugged and looked around the room, taking her time with the reply.

"Isn't this where we first saw each other?"

Right. That's why the office was so familiar. The memory of Lady Dimitrescu, so beyond intimidating at the time, sitting in the chair and interviewing her for a maid's position came flooding her foggy brain. Then the giggles and the rather dramatic entry and the small bickering.

"Are you waking up?"

If Cassandra wasn't so close to her, she would've thought a third person had spoken. Her wife's voice seemed off before, but now it didn't even sound like her own. Familiar, yes, but the regal icy tone belonged to someone else.

Nicole tried to instinctively put some space between them, only for Cassandra's expression to twist with concern, furrowed brows over soft golden, always so uncharacteristically soft when pointed at her. Cassandra opened her mouth to speak again, but the beeping came in louder, almost as if making its way from her throat with the sole purpose of attempting to bust her eardrums.

The room seemed to rapidly bleed out of focus, details replaced by black dots and blurry lines. Cassandra's shape slowly morphed, her beautiful black dress leaving way to a plain lab coat and golden eyes turning into icy green, ever calculating and scrutinizing. Incessant beeps from the cardiac monitor brought her back to consciousness more rudely than she would've liked.

Nicole shook her head slightly, trying to chase away the last effects of anesthesia. Her body seemed eager to oblige, quickly trying to wake up and be back on her feet. Not that she had any intention of actually getting up, but soon enough, she was looking around the space and all the pristine equipment held within. Emma was busy arranging vials and pill bottles inside a cabinet while Miranda was by the bed typing away, nails annoyingly loud on the keyboard. She shook her head once again, and looked to the opposite wall, where a clock was ticking. It was almost 11 p.m. and Nicole let out a soft groan thinking about how she'd been under anesthesia for about three hours and how her family was probably waiting for her to get back.

She laid her head on the uncomfortable pillow while waiting for the goddess wannabe to be done with her observations on her current lab rat, which meant Nicole, and finally dismiss her.

It took a moment to realize that Miranda had turned towards her and pushed her laptop close to the side of the desk, screen facing Nicole. After receiving a confused look, the woman rolled her eyes as if she were a teacher explaining basic maths for the hundredth time.

"You wanted to see the results."

Nicole's confused expression did not change, though now it was more directed towards the suspicious willingness to give what she asked for. Nonetheless she scooted to the side of the bed, letting her legs dangle over the edge, and she narrowed her eyes at the file on the screen.

---

Date: 23rd April 2012

Subject: Nicole [REDACTED] Dimitrescu

Mutation experiments - 2 (Regeneration - 2)

Resistance and healing time to various poisonous plants (in the form of highly concentrated pills or injectable) and other toxins. First number refers to the healing time while conscious and the second while unconscious.

Belladonna (Atropa belladonna) - 2'13" // 6'30"

Rosary pea (Abrus precatorius) - 2'20" // 7'02"

Crowbane (Cicuta virosa) - 2'40" // 7'12"

Wolfsbane (Aconitum lycoctonum) - 3'30" // 8'11"

Hemlock (Conium maculatum) - 3'18" // 8'28"

Oleander (Nerium oleander) - 3'55" // 10'17"

Ricin (Ricinus communis) - 5'58" // 16'19"

Arsenic, 100mg - 7'34" // 21'38"

Cyanide, 50mg - / // 26'53"

[jamieroxxartist]

Today's Episode #1370 of 🎨#JamieRoxx’s Pop Roxx Radio 🎙️#TalkShow and 🎧#Podcast w/ Featured Guest:

ArielleSilver Arielle Silver Music

​(#IndieFolk, #Americana)

The Episode has now been converted to a PODCAST and is now archived (for FREE both Stream and/or Download) at: ✔ www.PopRoxxRadio.com

also on wherever you Stream or Download Podcasts at, Including:

✔ Blog Talk Radio: http://tobtr.com/12265869

✔ Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/yynbdbky ✔ Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/hjdpqb6 ✔ iHeartRadio: https://tinyurl.com/yylvjl65 ✔ TuneIn: https://tinyurl.com/y34agloq ✔ Pandora: https://tinyurl.com/yygddano ✔ VIP Ad FREE (all Podcasts, all Tiers) on Jamie Roxx’s Patreon: www.patreon.com/JamieRoxx

Pop Art Painter Jamie #Roxx (www.JamieRoxx.us) welcomes Arielle Silver (Indie Folk, Americana) to the Show!

● WEB: ariellesilvermusic.com ● FB: @ariellesilvermusic ● IG: @ariellesilver ● YT: @ariellesilver ● BC: @ariellesilver ● X: @relsilver

Arielle Silver is a consummate storyteller whose rich, expressive voice and acoustic guitar frame expansive melodies that echo her tours and travels across the American heartland. Raised on folk festival fields and synagogue pews, in woodsy and watery places up and down the Atlantic Seaboard, Arielle now lives in Los Angeles, just a traffic jam away from the Pacific Ocean.

Out in Fall 2023, her fifth album WATERSHED is an earthy, luminous, and literate collection of songs that emerged from the watershed moments of the pandemic. This follows her 2020 album, A THOUSAND TINY TORCHES. Music Connection calls her "“A born communicator… exudes intelligence and humanity.” The SoCal Sound program director calls her "an incredible singer-songwriter right in our backyard." She has performed solo, with violinist Daryl S, and full band at venues across the U.S., including Rockwood Music Hall (NYC), Hamel Music Center (Madison, WI), Folk Project (Morristown, NJ), Hotel Cafe (Los Angeles), Ojai Underground Exchange (Ojai, CA), Club Passim (Boston), John Anson Ford Amphitheater (Los Angeles), FocusMusic (D.C./Baltimore), Eddie's Attic (Atlanta), and The Evening Muse (Charlotte, NC).

​Arielle teaches Creative Writing Antioch University, is co-owner of Bhavana Flow Yoga, directs programs at The SONA Foundation, and was recent faculty at UWisc-Madison's Summer Music Clinic and the International Women's Writing Guild, and currently serves as Board President of Folk Alliance Region-West.

● Media Inquiries: Nicole Poulos nicole@sideways-media.com Sideways Media