#meena is an angel and everyone loves her

[hoperays-song]

Johnny and His Sibling Dynamics in Sing

Moon Theatre Trio: Older chaos sibling, rule-following youngest, and exhausted middle kid.

Nooshy and Johnny: Siblings who bully each other to show affection.

Ash and Johnny: Older Sibling who loves to annoy the younger.

Meena and Johnny: Absolute angel of a baby sister and protective big brother.

All Four: Pure chaos. Just pure chaos.

[hbalto]

Girl Talk and Toxic Boys

TRIGGER WARNING: THIS FANFIC CONTAINS A VERY BRIEF SCENE INVOLVING SA, THOSE WHO ARE SENSITIVE TO THE SUBJECT ARE ADVISED TO NOT READ THIS STORY

Rated T for what is mentioned above, hints of other sexual situations, and the act of women talking about their men.

(NOTE: This takes place before the events of Sing 2)

“Alright, gang, great job on tonight! See you tomorrow!” Buster said as he clapped his hand together with his usual optimistic attitude.

“Finally,” Ash groaned. The teenage porcupine felt twice her age as she stretched her arms and legs out of exhaustion. As she put her guitar back in its case, Ash wondered just how exactly she was going to get home tonight. Call an Uber? Nah, too expensive. Walk? Nah, too far. Ask a friend? Well, maybe but-

“Hey, Ash! Great job today, sweetie!”

Ash turned to see the smiling face of Rosita, the mother pig with the voice of an angel. 

“Thanks, Rosita, you did good, too.” Ash smiled back.

Ash, much like everyone at the New Moon Theater, saw Rosita as the mom of the group (both figuratively and literally) and had all grown close to her, and her family. Ash, Johnny, and Meena had all found themselves being the babysitters for all 25 of Rositas piglets on more than one occasion. But that was alright, Ash was pretty okay with kids, and quite a few of the piglets loved to hear her shred on the guitar. 

Out of all the people in the theater group, Ash and Johnny were the ones who felt the most close to Rosita. Johnny’s mother had died before he could even have memories of her, and Rosita was usually the one who comforted Johnny whenever he felt inadequate, nervous about an upcoming performance, or just felt as though he needed a mothers touch. All of Rosita’s piglets labeled Johnny as their “Big Brother.”

Ash’s mother was still alive, well, that’s what the young porcupine thought, anyway. Ash hadn’t heard from her mother in about a year and a half, the teenage porcupine’s last contact with her mother mostly consisting of phrases like “disappointed,” "disappointment,” "foolish dreams,” “give up” etc. Needless to say, Ash’s parents had never approved of her goal of becoming a rockstar, and were furious with her decision to move out at young age to pursue her dream with her now ex-boyfriend Lance.

Speaking of Lance, ever since the outdoor show, the cheating dinkelshplat had been calling Ash for weeks, begging her to come back to him while giving her empty apologies. Ash was just annoyed at first, but after the tenth call, she decided to block his number in order to avoid further contact. Rosita was proud of Ash for her decision to try and officially kick Lance out of her life.

“Do you need a ride home, honey?”

“Huh?” Ash asked, Rosita’s question snapping the young rocker out of her thoughts.

“Do you need a ride?” Rosita asked, her voice ridden with motherly love, as always.

“No, Rosita, I’m fine, besides I wouldn’t want to keep you-”

"Oh, no, please, it’s fine! Norman can handle the kids for another few minutes.” Rosita insisted.

Ash knew better than to say no to a mother’s kindness. “Okay, sure.” Ash relented.

“Great!” Rosita exclaimed. “Just follow me to my car.”

Ash grabbed her guitar and followed the mother out to her family van.  

Ash climbed inside and got comfortable as Rosita and climbed in right after and started the car.

“Hey, safety first.” Rosita stated, after seeing that Ash had yet to put her seatbelt on.

“Yeah, okay.” Ash groaned, rolling her eyes.

“You may be a rebel Ash Johannsen, but when you’re with me you’ll at least be safe.” Rosita stated in a stern tone.

“Understood, ma’am.” Ash replied, half-jokingly.

There were a few moments of silence as Rosita drove Ash toward her home. Rosita didn't really want the ride to be so quiet, so she decided to make conversation.

“So,” Rosita started “how’s life been?”

“It’s been alright, I guess.” Ash stated, her paw on her chin as she stared out the car window at the buildings they passed.

“Has Lance tried to contact you recently?” Rosita asked, wanting to make the conversation interesting.

Ash turned to Rosita. “Believe it or not, yes. And not in a way that I’m okay with. Well, in a way that I’m even more not okay with.”

Rosita became concerned. “What do you mean?”

Ash went on. “First, it started off with constant e-mails, all of them saying the exact same thing: ‘I’m sorry, babe; I left her, babe; please take me, babe.”’ Ash described, imitating Lance in a way that made Rosita chuckle.

“And so, I blocked him on there. Then, he decides to use actual mail. Who even uses actual mail to talk to somebody anymore? And once again, it’s the same schtick: ‘I’m sorry, babe; you sing better than her, babe; I really regret it, babe.”’

Again Rosita chuckled at Ash’s imitation of Lance.

Ash’s face got serious as she went on. “but now that he’s realized that won’t work either, now he’s doing something else...”

Rosita looked at Ash, her face riddled with concern. “What’s he doing now?”

Ash continued. “He doesn’t do it often, but now what Lance is doing is that he occasionally, probably like a few times a month, will knock my door, constantly, saying that he just wants to talk and begs me to let him in.”

Rosita was now very concerned. “He does what!? Have you called the police about this?”

“Yeah, but Lance has his ways. He knows how to dodge the law when he’s near it.” Ash said sadly.

Rosita pulled up to Ash’s apartment complex and put the car in park before turning the young porcupine. “Do you know how to file a restraining order?” Rosita asked.

“Not really.” Ash answered. 

“Don’t worry, tomorrow, you and I are going straight to the police station and filling one out so that we can make sure that Lance never even comes near you again.” Rosita stated in a determinant fashion.

Ash was touched. “You’d really do that for me?”

Rosita embraced Ash “Of course, sweetie, you’re like a daughter to me and I would do anything to protect you.” Rosita said sweetly.

The touched Ash embraced Rosita back, happy to be feeling the warm embrace of a mother, the feeling that she had been missing for so long.

When they both let go, Rosita dove into the side of her car door to look her something before pulling out a can of mace. “Here, use this in case Lance tries to get too close to you.”

Ash took the can of mace before asking “Why would you have this?”

Rosita chuckled before answering. ”I honestly didn’t think I would need it after I got married; but with Buster’s outdoor show, that skintight black suit, and this,” she slapped the side of her butt. “I’ve noticed that I’ve been getting ogled at wherever I go. I can’t count the number of scenes Norman has caused whenever he catches somebody looking. ‘STOP STARING AT MY WIFES BUTT!’’ Rosita yelled, imitating her husband before she and Ash shared a laugh.

“Awesome.” Ash said after she finished laughing. “Anyway, thanks for the ride, Rosita. I’ll see you next rehearsal.” Ash said as she climbed out of Rositas van.

“Sure! Bye sweetie!” Rosita said cheerfully.

“Bye.” Ash replied before slamming the van door shut.

After watching Rosita pull away and drive off, Ash turned walked into her apartment, wanting nothing more than to rest after a long day of rehearsing.

*DING!* went the elevator is it stopped at Ashs floor. Ash tried to laugh as she remembered just how hard and time-cosuming it was to haul groceries up to her home. It wasn't until she got off the elevator that she saw that someone was standing outside her door, loudly knocking on it.

'Not again,' Ash groaned internally as she walked up to Lance, still pounding loudly at at his ex-girlfriends door.

"Will you stop that!?" Ash demanded. "You'll wake the neighbors."

Lance turned to face Ash, and it didn't take a genius to notice that he had been drinking heavily. "Heyyyyy, baby." The male porcupine slurred.

Ash's brow furrowed. "I'm not your baby," she deadpanned, having this scenario and conversation almost down to a routine. The only difference being that Lance was absolutely wasted.

"Sssure you are *hic* that Becky girl don't mean a thing to me anymore." Lance slurred, leaning up against the door frame to maintain balance.

"Oh, really? I think you should go to back to her." Ash stated assertively as she shoved Lance out of the way in order to unlock her apartment door.

Lance followed Ash into her apartment as he replied "Nah, baby, she cant compare *hic* to yoouuuuuuu." Lance slurred, his drunken state almost making him fall over as he finished his sentence.

Ash looked at Lance incredulously. "Look at you, you're drunk! And you're only 19! How did you even get into a bar?"

"Ha haaaaa! Oh, you know me, baby. I a know a guy." Lance replied, doing a drunken impression of a stereotypical Italian-American.

Ash stood firm. "You're drunk, Lance. Get out!" The young porcupine rocker stated firmly as she pointed toward her door.

Lance ignored Ash, continuing to move closer to her. "Naaaahhhh, I think I'll stay here. That way, I can make it *hic* up to you for what I diiiid." Lance slurred as he continued to move closer and closer to Ash, invading her personal space.

Ash was getting nervous, and honestly scared. "You had your chance, Lance, and you blew it. Get out! We're over!"

Before Ash could say anything else, Lance grabbed on to her lower hips, towards her skirt and growled "I'll tell you when we're over, bitch."

Lance then lunged at Ash, knocking them both on to the floor.

Since Lance was now on top of Ash, he took this opportunity to start ripping at Ashs clothes as she screamed.

Lance leaned into the frightened Ashs ear and whispered "Nobodys gonna hear you, baby. We *hic* soundproofed this place, remember?"

Ash knew that Lance was right. Back when they were living together, in order to avoid complaints from the neighbors, Lance and Ash had used money they saved up for a special occasion to have a carpenter soundproof the apartment for them. Nevertheless, Ash kept on screaming as Lance tore off her skirt and raised up her shirt, exposing her bra.

Lance was just about to unbutton Ashs pants when, in her state of panic, Ash suddenly remembered that she put the can of mace that Rosita had given her inside one of her pockets. With that, she quickly took advantage of Lance being distracted by the task of unbuttoning her jeans as she reached into her pocket, pulled out the can, aimed for Lance's eyes, and fired.

It was a direct hit.

"AHHHHHHHH!!!" Lance let out a shrill scream as the mace burned his eyes, causing him get off of Ash and stand up, rubbing his eyes with pain. Ash then took this opportunity to angrily do some extra damage by kicking Lance in the nuts, causing him to once again cry out in extreme pain.

Although partially blind due to to the mace, Lance was still able to run his way put of Ash's apartment.

"AND STAY OUT!" Ash screamed angrily after him before slamming her apartment door shut.

Ash breathed a sigh of relief; even if she didn't put out a restraining order, there was no way that Lance was coming back to her after that.

Still, it was obvious that she felt like absolute crap. Ash couldn't believe that Lance really had done something like that to her. Ash needed to talk to someone, someone who would really listen to her, someone who wouldn't judge her, someone who loved her, someone like....

a mother.

Rosita and Norman had finally tucked all 25 of their piglets into bed, and were just about to go to bed themselves, when Rosita heard the text message alert sound on her phone. The mother pig checked her phone and found that the message was from Ash, it read "Come over to my place, please now? Apartment 22."

Without hesitation, Rosita picked up her purse, turned to Norman and said "Honey, I'll be right back. Ash needs me, and it sounds like an emergency."

Norman looked disappointed. "Are you sure you cant at least put on a show in that suit for me before you go?"

Rosita huffed, while her "Shake it Off" performance had helped her and Norman renew their commitment to one another, her skintight black suit improved their sex life even more, almost to the point where Rosita was starting to think that Norman loved the suit more than her.

"Maybe tomorrow night, honey. I really gotta go." Rosita said.

"Oh, okay." Norman groaned as he lay down, feeling defeated.

Rosita rushed down to Ash's apartment complex, feeling nothing but worry for the porcupine who was like another daughter to her.

When Rosita got to Ash's door, she knocked and Ash almost immediately opened the door to let the mother pig in with a defeated look on her face.

"What happened, Ash sweetie?" Rosita asked, her voice filled with motherly concern as they both sat down on Ash's sofa.

"Well, when I got to my apartment door, Lance was here, he pretty much pushed his way in, and then he tried to..." Ash trailed off as her eyes went wide.

It had finally set in on what horrific event had almost befallen Ash not 30 minutes ago. Ash had almost been violated, brutally violated. Violated by a man she used to trust, a man she used to trust intimately, a man who, despite his cheating, never took advantage of her sexually. Ash had been betrayed, again.

"Then he what, Ash?" Rosita asked.

"H-h-he..." Ash stammered as a lump began to form in her throat, and tears began to form in her eyes.

"He tried to what, baby?" Rosita asked, moving closer to Ash and putting her hands gently on the porcupines shoulders.

"He t-tried to r-r-r-r..."

Rosita's eyes went wide as realization kicked in. Lance had tried to sexually assault Ash, she was falling apart, and now it was Rositas job to put her back together.

Rosita gently put a finger to Ashs lips and gently said "It's okay, honey, you dont have to finish that sentence."

That's what made the dam break.

Ash then wailed as she sunk into Rositas arms and cried harder than she'd ever cried before. Rosita then to work, calming her, shh-ing, whispering sweet words into Ashs ear, and telling her that everything was going to be okay.

"I promise, Ash, I'll make sure he never touches you again."

[punkscowardschampions]

Ali & Tommy

Ali: I am SO glad this holiday centres around drinking beyond reason

Tommy: Me too, like, But why are you?

Ali: I wouldn’t even wanna get into it if it weren’t for the fact I couldn’t with her

Ali: Obvious clue is obvious

Tommy: Oh darling, Kitty, what’s she done now?

Ali: It’s not even what she’s done

Ali: It’s her total lack of desire to try

Ali: I know I shouldn’t take it personally and it’s symptomatic of the bigger picture

Ali: But that’s the problem, it’s so hard to watch, to see it so clearly when she has no front to put up

Tommy: Yeah, it always puts a lovely, thick layer of extra dread onto my homecoming

Tommy: the regularly scheduled updates are bad enough & it’s not like I can do more for being back under the same roof

Ali: Oh God, please don’t start, it’s like no one wants to be here, pure depressing, like

Ali: That’s how I ended up feeling, it wasn’t like she wanted to come but you know, anxiety, strangers etc

Ali: Because my suggestions to alleviate those problems were shot STRAIGHT down

Ali: So she just doesn’t want to

Ali: but not just that, I should feel like shit for going and leaving her alone...which put like that, should I? I don’t even know now

Tommy: Honey, fuck that! I’ve had to veto Fi going full Elphaba on all our faces so that diva maybe this close to not, but there’s no stopping me, Will, Gwen or Steph 🥳🥳🥳

Tommy: she’s getting worse, I dunno what any of us are meant to do

Tommy: other than being certain that I’m not gonna let you have an utter shit time

Tommy: That’s what she wants, that way you’ll stay with her forever 💀🥀🕷🕸

Ali: Nice to hear some genuine enthusiasm, which is fecking ridiculous considering this is apparently every fucker’s fave holiday as standard, I swear everyone but Da is in a right mood atm

Ali: Thank God that everyone’s gotta let tourists be tourists for the 💸🤑 or your mates would need some serious babysitting 😏

Ali: Little green men is fully my groupies’ aesthetic so you’re welcome to out yourself any time, like

Ali: I dunno, I mean, she’ll be alright won’t she? It’s a fairly long sesh, I know…

Ali: Hence my life’d be a lot easier if she’d come for a bit but there we go

Tommy: My honoured guests have got it in spades & buckets tbh 🧶🧚‍♀️🍀🎩🌈 dress up is already well underway just can’t let ‘em also start 🚗💣🍺🥃 or they won’t last to see it in

Tommy: cba to stick in it a 🍼 you know

Tommy: how many groupies you got now? Only 👏 while it’s still underground, avant-garde & super niche, naturally

Tommy: What’s she got planned? Other than putting a 💔 hex on you and Carls

Ali: Sensible

Ali: And not in a scrooge debbie downer kinda way

Ali: Found out the tents for yous to sleep in but I’m taking ‘em out first

Ali: 🌄 are calling, obvs

Ali: Naturally 🙄 just don’t click instead that shit is TOO pretentious even for your lot

Ali: She said she was WELL busy, but you know, the usual I imagine 📚💭

Ali: Drew won’t pay her no attention way too busy with the tourists etc 💸🤑

Tommy: 👍 cheers 😸👼 you are

Tommy: 🍀 are calling, is what you mean

Tommy: 🙄 be a waste of a 🙏 I know it’s 1 of her other highly rated activities, like, but still, I don’t need to imagine the two of ‘em getting together rn

Ali: They make NO sense

Ali: Unless his thing is dating a girl like his sister, in place of the standard wanting a mum 2.0, which understandably is not his vibe

Ali: Suspect don’t cover it but we’ll see

Tommy: It’d make more sense if I dumped Will for Fi & suss wouldn’t cover that & that’s a NO from us all

Tommy: Excuse you whore! That’s Meena slander

Ali: You know what I mean though

Ali: Where did this come from, like 🤯

Tommy: 🤯 over straight boy behaviour since forever

Ali: I usually find them so boringly easy

Ali: not the brag it sounds

Ali: I’d rather get her again… I’d know what to do, before

Ali: It was safety, for her and us

Tommy: Before she would’ve followed you anywhere, you can’t keep her safe if she ain’t even gonna try to meet you halfway at anything

Ali: Like you said, nothing to be done, I suppose

Ali: At least today

Ali: I’m going to mass with her, she’s helping to set up, it’s something

Tommy: & I’ll squeeze in a 1 on 1 for me & her before I leave 🩰👒🎹🎤✨

Ali: Tah

Ali: If only getting people to spend time with her was the issue

Ali: Be fully booked if she wanted

Tommy: But like you said, it’s something & if anyone can talk her out of an unsuitable romance, it’s me 🧚🏼‍♂️

Tommy: don’t have your track record

Tommy: there’s at least a chance she’ll take my advice about doing better than a dealer ��� now I’ve got myself the “happy ending” of decent hair & only petty crime

Ali: None of my romances have been unsuitable

Ali: You underestimate how discerning her taste is when it comes to other people’s partners

Ali: He might not be Carly levels of demon but don’t mean you’ll find a nice word to be said, like

Tommy: put your claws away, Kit, talking Ro’s POV, Carls is my angel

Tommy: & I guarantee I’ve heard worse than she can dish from the other bitchy ballerinas who couldn’t get their 💅 in first

Tommy: simply not quaking, sorry

Ali: Just saying, if it were that easy, it’d be done by now

Tommy: just saying, I’ve not taken a turn yet

Ali: If there’s any day for luck…

Ali: It ain’t one where she’s decided to be in the worst mood ❌🍀

Tommy: I’ve only got the weekend, like

Ali: I understand her a bit better than that tah

Ali: as well as the appeal of prohibition

Ali: the more everyone weighs in on her being wrong, the more bolstered she feels in how right she actually is

Ali: one fuckboy mistake she’ll have to learn from

Tommy: & I don’t? PLEASE 🙄 No notes needed for this performance

Ali: She always gets worse when Bea comes back

Ali: I’ll be the one dealing when you all fuck off again

Tommy: I know

Tommy: so let me deal with her this time, Will, Gwen & Fi have all been here enough & they’ve got each other

Ali: Sorry, the moods catching

Tommy: She can run but the house ain’t grown any new hiding places & I remember ‘em all

Ali: She’s still small enough to fit in all the gaps and cracks, you less so

Ali: Anything is worth a shot

Ali: The party will be enough, loads of my mates are coming, yours won’t get bored 🤞

Tommy: True but when she gets in one she ain’t got the strength to get to another quick as I can 🐁🩰

Tommy: yeah, yeah the party don’t stop when I walk out, I know ☹️😏

Tommy: & Carls isn’t just my angel, she’ll save that bit of the day if needs

Ali: Tourists love St Paddy’s

Ali: and no one does it better than da

Tommy: if I were gonna disagree it’d only be to annoy him

Ali: @ the family group chat for that hilarious bants, Tommo

Tommy: 🐻👈

Tommy: 1st time I’ve used those not as a euphemism? Oh definitely

Ali: Please, you’re a couple of 🧚🏼‍♂️🧚🏼‍♂️s

Tommy: Tah, Darling

Tommy: flattery will get you an invite to the next teddy bears picnic

Ali: Bit rude to Carly that you think that’s my type

Ali: no 🧔s here

Tommy: It’s not me trying drive a wedge, she’s invited too

Ali: Thoughtful 😏

Tommy: You shall go to the ball

Ali: Glass shoes is an idea… 🤔

Tommy: One way to keep hold of your drink or stop a fight

Ali: Me and my shoes are keeping well out of any more fights, fuck that

Tommy: What is your outfit plan then?

Ali: I’ve got all the material to construct it now, I think

Ali: See what it comes out like 🤷‍♀️✨

Tommy: Fi don’t believe you can top last year’s

Ali: I love a challenge and a chance to impress, obviously

Tommy: chop chop 😼

Tommy: shameless distraction tactic I’m throwing at you, who?

Ali: Christ knows I’m running out of time with the to-do list never ending, hey ho

Tommy: Same tbh

Tommy: we’d better get back to it 🧹🎃

Ali: Fuck being a middle kid, right? 💔

Tommy: Honestly

Ali: You know what you’re getting Rocky yet, speaking of the little shit

Tommy: Probably that bow with the glowing arrows that stick to windows & shit, he keeps seeing the ad & reckons they’ll fly over the house

Ali: Alright, going for 🥇 sib, fair play 👏

Tommy: Sure you’ll have me beat with whatever you’re planning

Ali: I’ll think of something

Ali: Once this is all out the way

Ali: If ma will let us, we’ll take him camping with his 🏹

Tommy: Once all the 🍬🍫🧁🎂🧃 hits she’ll be glad to be rid

Ali: not the baby though 🙄

Tommy: thank god for daddy’s girl, yeah?

Tommy: you’ll never lose that 👑

Ali: try as you might, yeah yeah 😉

Tommy: 😏

[dweemeister]

2018 Movie Odyssey Award for Best Original Song (final round)

TAGGING: @cokwong, @dansmonarbre, @dog-of-ulthar, @emilylime5, @fredsbarandgrill, @halfwaythruthedark, @ideallaedi, @introspectivemeltdown, @itsjustangc, @loveless422, @maximiliani, @memetoilet, @mindo80, @monkeysmadeofcheese, @myluckyerror, @nazur, @phendranaedge, @plus-low-overthrow, @saucy-witch, @shadesofhappy, @somequeerdistortion, @stephdgray, @themusicmoviesportsguy, @umgeschrieben, @underblackwings, @yellanimal

Also TAGGING older followers/friends/supporters who I really haven’t been in touch with lately, have done the final before, or are on the inactive side. And also some newcomers who have been supporting the blog a lot: @astorytellertothestars, @babeltwo, @celibatemachine, @classwarhooligan​, @dakotarosie, @emergencyhugs​, @haveyoubeentobahia​, @ineedanumbrella​, @jayb3​, @justtheguest​, @mundi41, @nudehearth, @sadisticsunglasses​, @shootingstarvenator​, @thenarddog, @thethirdman8, @thewolfofelectricavenue​, and @voicetalentbrendan​!

And now the grand finale. For those of you who have never seen this before, I have an Oscar-like ceremony on my blog celebrating all the movies of that year’s Movie Odyssey (all the movies I saw for the first time in their entirety) at the year’s end. For the last four years, I have asked family and friends to help out with the Best Original Song category - because in all other categories, you'd be forced to watch entire movies to decide it. This is a musical thank-you to all of you, who have contributed, in your ways, to support the Movie Odyssey and me. Please do not feel like you have to do this; there are no hard feelings if you do not participate, and you have my thanks either way. But if you are, I hope you enjoy this 2018 edition!

This final round has the largest chronological spread we have ever covered: eighty-eight years. Songs in English, German (making its debut), Hindi, Japanese are all involved. A Vietnamese-language song made its debut for MOABOS, but was eliminated in the preliminary.

INSTRUCTIONS Please rank (#1-16) your choices in order. The top ten songs will receive nominations. Be warned, there is a new tabulation method for this year's final (described in the "read more" at the bottom). There is no minimum or maximum amount of songs you can rank, but because of the nature of this new tabulation system, it is highly recommended to rank as many songs as possible, rather than only one or two. Those who rank fewer songs run a greater risk of their ballots being discarded as I am counting the ballots. Again, this is all described in the "read more". Why not implement at a minimum number of songs to rank? Well, I believe in giving you folks as much freedom as possible.

Please consider to the best of your ability: how musically interesting the song is, its lyrics, context within the film (if you've seen it - this factor also includes integration into the film's score), choreography/dance direction (if applicable; not many song-and-dance numbers this year), and the song's cultural impact/life outside the film (if applicable, and by far the least important factor). Imperfect audio and video quality may not be used against any song, as this disadvantages older and non-English language songs. You may absolutely send in comments and reactions with your rankings - it’s always fun to read reactions to individual songs, and it usually makes the process (for everyone) more enjoyable!

The submission deadline is Sunday, December 31 at 6 PM Pacific Time / 4 PM Hawai'i / 5 PM Alaska / 8 PM Central / 10 PM Eastern. If you're across the Atlantic, that's New Year's Day at 2 AM GMT / 3 AM CET / 4 AM EET / 7:30 AM IST. There will be no deadline extensions.

And now the sixteen finalists in this category, for your listening pleasure (contextual blurbs are provided, and I hope they are informative; if links do not work there are most likely alternatives across the Internet but please inform me if that does not apply to you):

“Bless Your Beautiful Hide”, music by Gene de Paul, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

Performed by Howard Keel

The opener to Seven Brides; its melody is used as the main orchestral theme throughout (most memorably in the barn dance scene). Oregonian backwoodsman Adam Pontipee (Keel) has little experience with society (let alone women), as he looks for a bride to take care of him and his six brothers in this satirical musical of gendered misbehavior - which pokes fun of, never endorses, said misbehavior.

“'Bout Time”, music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968)

Performed by John Davidson and Lesley Ann Warren

In this Disney musical, Joe Carder (Davidson) has convinced the Bower family to move to Dakota Territory. Joe is suitor to Alice Bower (Warren), their relationship complicated by her grandfather's politics. This song takes place on the first day in their new hometown, and before her first day at work at the schoolhouse.

“Candle on the Water”, music and lyrics by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn, Pete's Dragon (1977)

Performed by Helen Reddy

Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song

Nora (Reddy) has just tucked Pete in, not before describing the story of her long-lost fiancé (missing sea for over a year) to him. After being scolded by her father for clinging onto the past, Nora goes up to the lighthouse balcony to sing this.

“Chaar Kadam”, music by Shantanu Moitra, lyrics by Swanand Kirkire, PK (2014, India)

Performed by Sushant Singh Rajput (dubbed by Shaan) and Anushka Sharma (dubbed by Shreya Ghoshal)

Lyrics in Hindi (song ends at 16:20)

In Bruges in Belgium, an Indian Hindu woman named Jaggu (Sharma) has met a Pakistani Muslim, Sarfaraz (Rajput) - both are students. This is their love duet before her family objects due to nationalistic and (especially) religious reasons. Don't worry about the dude at the end - he's the one who got them together.

“Charade”, music by Henry Mancini, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Charade (1963)

Performed by orchestra and chorus; conducted by Mancini

Used as main theme throughout this romantic comedy/mystery/suspense film. This song is more famous for its instrumental version without lyrics.

“Falling in Love Again (Can't Help It)”, music and German lyrics by Friedrich Hollaender, English lyrics by Sammy Lerner, The Blue Angel (1930, Germany)

Performed by Marlene Dietrich

(English-language version... excuse the badly-edited video) / (German original)

A college prep school professor is angry at his students for passing around photos of cabaret singer, Lola Lola (Dietrich), in class. In hopes to catch the boys at the club, he goes to the cabaret and is overcome with lust for Lola after seeing her perform this song. Their relationship will become toxic, based on his groveling and humiliations.

“Gunfight at the O.K. Corral”, music by Dimitri Tiomkin, lyrics by Ned Washington, Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)

Performed by Frankie Laine (the above was re-recorded in the 1980s when Laine was in his mid-70s, so those familiar with Laine's voice will notice it sounds weaker)

Played in the opening credits, with additional verses sung during montage scenes across the film. Used as main orchestral theme in the film's score. This version of the song contains additional lyrics that can't be found online.

“Hooray for Hollywood”, music by Richard A. Whiting, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, Hollywood Hotel (1937)

Performed by Johnnie Davis, Frances Langford, and Benny Goodman and His Orchestra

Considered an unofficial anthem of Hollywood. Usually played at least once in every Oscars ceremony and other movie awards ceremonies worldwide.

Small town saxophonist Ronnie Bowers (Dick Powell) has just won a contract with a major Hollywood studio. His friends and former employer, Benny Goodman, arrive at the airport to send him off. The lyrics are meant to satirize what people do to become famous as actors.

“Hum Aapki Aankhon Mein”, music by Sachin Dev Burman, lyrics by Sahir Ludhianvi, Pyaasa (1957, India)

Performed by Guru Dutt (dubbed by Mohammad Rafi) and Mala Sinha (dubbed by Geeta Dutt)

Lyrics in Hindi

Broke poet Vijay (Guru Dutt) encounters his university ex, Meena (Sinha), who is now married to a hotshot publisher who won't publish Vijay's work. Vijay then has a flashback, and within that flashback is this foggy fantasy song-and-dance sequence. Flashback-ception?

“It's Not Easy”, music and lyrics by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn, Pete's Dragon (1977)

Performed by Sean Marshall and Helen Reddy

Pete (Marshall) and his dragon, Elliott, are on the run from his abusive foster family. The lighthouse keeper and his daughter, Nora (Reddy), take Pete in. Nora has not met Elliott yet, and believes that he is Pete's imaginary friend.

"Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing", music by Sammy Fain, lyrics by Paul Francis Webster, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (1955)

Non-film version performed by Nat King Cole; film version performed by chorus (and is unavailable)

Used as main orchestral theme throughout this romantic drama's score; version with lyrics sung by chorus first appear at the end of the film.

"Mystery of Love", music and lyrics by Sufjan Stevens, Call Me by Your Name (2017)

Performed by Stevens

(single version) / (use in film; song isn't played in its entirety)

This song appears as the film's main characters, Elio and Oliver, take one of their many day trips in this Italian summer.

“Rain”, music by Shin'ichi Nakajima, Saori Fujisaki, and Satoshi Fukase, lyrics by Saori Fujisaki and Satoshi Fukase, Mary and the Witch's Flower (2017, Japan)

Performed by Sekai no Owari

Lyrics in Japanese (rough translations)

Appears in the end credits; this song is not referenced in this anime fantasy's score (but like the score, there's a prominent and unusual use of a dulcimer).

“Shallow”, music and lyrics by Mark Ronson, Lady Gaga, Anthony Rossomando, and Andrew Wyatt, A Star Is Born (2018)

Performed by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper

Aspiring singer-songwriter Ally (Lady Gaga) has fallen for declining artist Jackson Maine (Cooper). At one of his concerts, he begins to put music to a song she sung to him in a parking lot, inviting her onstage.

“This Is Me”, music and lyrics by Justin Paul and Benj Pasek, The Greatest Showman (2017)

Performed by Keala Settle and company

After being shunned from a dinner including P.T. Barnum’s wealthy sponsors for his circus, the circus "freaks" sing this ballad which eventually becomes a montage, refusing to put up with those harass and put them down.

“You're the One That I Want”, music and lyrics by John Farrar, Grease (1978)

Performed by John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John

At the post-graduation high school carnival, greaser and bad boy Danny Zuko (Travolta) is stunned to see his relatively restrained, somewhat prudish, girlfriend, Sandy (Newton-John), committing to change herself for him to win him over.

Well, have at it! And thanks for your time and consideration! You may submit your responses in any way, as long as they come in before the deadline. I am free to answer any questions about anything you have about the process. The 2018 Movie Odyssey has been a rewarding one, and I have been glad to share it with you.

TABULATION Like the preliminary... a respondent’s first choice receives 10 points, the second choice receives 9, the third choice receives 8, etc. HOWEVER, the points system is used only for tiebreaker purposes.

The way the winner will be decided is through a process called instant-runoff voting (IRV; the Academy Awards uses this method to choose a Best Picture winner, visually represented here - you should really watch this video if the below doesn't make sense... which it probably won't):

All #1 picks from all voters are tabulated. A song needs more than half of all aggregate votes to win (50% of all votes plus one... i.e. if there are thirty respondents, sixteen #1 votes are needed to win on the first count).

If there is no winner after the first count (as is most likely), the song(s) with the fewest #1 votes or points is/are eliminated. Then, we look at the ballots of those who voted for the last-placed song(s). Their votes then go to the highest-remaining (non-eliminated) song on their ballot.

This process (in #2) repeats until one song has secured 50% plus one of all votes. We keep eliminating nominees and transfer votes to the highest-ranked, non-eliminated song on each ballot. NOTE: It is possible after several rounds of counting that respondents who did not entirely fill in their ballots will have wasted their votes at the end of the process. For example, if a person voted the second-to-last place song as their #1, ranked no other songs, and the count has exceeded two rounds, their ballot is discarded (lowering the vote threshold needed to win), and they have no say in which song ultimately is the winner.

A song wins when it reaches more than fifty percent of all #1 and re-distributed votes.

Tiebreakers: 1) first song to receive 50% plus one of all #1 and transferred votes; 2) total points earned; 3) total #1 votes; 4) placement on my ballot; 5) placement on my sister’s ballot; 6) tie declared

Previous years’ results for reference: 2013 final 2014 final (input from family and friends began this year) 2015 final 2016 prelim / final 2017 prelim / final

[nityarawal]

11/3/22

"Snow

Afternoon Songs

We Three

Triple Threat

Trinity

Truth

Mothers Defense

What Kind Of Sister

Are You

Kamala Mamala

Once A DA

An Exemplary Face

Like Summer Stephan 

An Indy Presence

Lebanese

Part Black

Aborigine

Your Sisters

Maya And Meena

Love You

Backed By Atty

Doug Emhoff

The 2nd Gentleman

And President Lawyers

Makes Us Happy

To Hear

Mrs. Vice- Presidentia

Something Hopeful

For Our Daughter's

Nieces

Reminiscent

You Give Us Signs

Of A New Time

Where Mothers

With A Brown Face

Can Win

But Why Surrounded

By A "Boys' Club"

Why Can We Never

Get A Female DA

On The Phone

Why Dumbed Down

By The FBI

Bribed

They Said I Sounded

Rattled

Rambling

Actually

But Who Wouldn't Be 

Who Hasn't Seen

Their Kids

In 6 Years

Mamma- Have A Heart

Bleed With Us For A

Sec - #FreeBritney 

And I Have Plead

With Courts

Found Them Incontinent

At AI Performance

As Well

As Mentally Incompetent

Constantly Continuing 

Prototype

Garbage Greed For Their

Own Exploitation

Branding

We Have Faith

It Doesn't Match

The Courts

Incongruence

Mr. President You're

A Lawyer Who Lost

His Starter Wife

So Must Understand

Our Daily Strife

#WeHeardYou 

Hunter Too

Big Moms

Care-A-Lot

Nannies

#IranianWomenLivesMatter 

Why Won't You Mention

Her

How Can You Let A

Domestic Violence

Victim Suffer

In The USA Or Iran

#UkrainianLivesMatter

All Of US

Don't Want To Be 

Pawns

Or Pawned

We Know The Marines

Like US- Tulsi Is

Their Poster Child

Queen Yogini

"TMer"

Peace Went From 

Blue To Red

And Broke Our Hearts

Days Left To Vote

Need #Mothers4NaturalLaw 

Pleading With United

Nations

Had Some Of Greatest

Persian Women

And Leaders

Fall

Take Blows

Trying To Explain

This Islamic

Fatwa

Less Than 50 Years

Old

You Still Have A Chance

Save Our Artists

Singers

Poets Too

Listen To Farsi

Tweets

They're Beautiful

Our Girls

Brave - Standing Up

For Us- When

#WeHeardYou Is Down

Off Twitter

#Starlink #Heard

#IranianWomenLivesMatter 

In Tehran

Tehrangeles

700k Hundred Thousand Strong

Unifying

With United Nations

United States

Don't Want To Be

Pranked By Trumpleberries

Oath Keepers Militia 

Fake FBI- We Know 

Putin Bought All Of You

Remember When Riverside

Papers Quoted

#Trumpleberry Calling

Putin Genius

Prisoners Laughed

Thought They Were Part

Of Putin's Harem

Told We're Mentally

Incompetent

How Many Sexy

Crazy Aborigine

Marilyn's 

Said That

Head Injuries

Derived From Pocahantas

Russian Espionage

Alludin

Thousands Of Years 

Old

This Is Just A Blink

In Time

A Chance To Rest

Are These Women A 

Myth - Or "Crazy"

Mad Hatters

Had To Much 

Meth And Drink

Think They

Derive From Arch Angel's And

Hells' Angel's Too

"I'm A Double 

Pin-Up Centerfold,"

Snow Grinned When

She Woke Up

2 Weeks Later

"Give Me A Bible," 

She Demanded

From Everyone

Until I Wrote

The Chaplin

Requests For Thee

I Used To Be "Pink"

Snow Said Dimple

In Chin

Irresistible Sometimes

Smile Winning

Others A Demon

She Spoke In Tongues

Often Cursed

Was Trafficked

From Indiana

By Officers

"Happy Endings"

When She Was A Second 

Wife For Soldiers

Attys And Judges

A Quite Depressing

Life, She Said

"I Got Trafficked From

Indiana, All The Way 

To California!"

She Tells Everyone

"You Might Need To See

A Dr." Her Public

Defender Told Her

"No- You Don't Want 

To Do That Sam!"

She Said Firmly

Like a Mamma Elephant

Pin-Up Double D

Doin' It's Thing

Even In Jailhouse Blues

Ombre Hair Spun Up

Brown Roots 3 Inches

Grown Thru

She Had Lights In Her Eyes

Sometimes

"Laugh More!"

I Told Her

"Smile!"

You Can Have Anything

Child Of God

Just Wanted Me To 

Sing

Said It Was 

Like Jehovah

Coming Through

Holy Ghost

Not Everyone Can

Say That Word

Rabbi Aviva

Explained

It Was  "Holy Ghost"

Snow Pronounced

When I Sang

Though She Didn't

Understand

"Om Namah Shiva"

"Sing Some More!

Soothe Me!"

She Begged

She Smiled

How Could I Say "No"

I Eased The Child

Mary Magdalena

Coming Off Crystal Meth

While She Slept

She Told Me Of Tunnels

In New York City

When She Awoke

About Her Tweens

How Could Any Women

Be Loved 

So Much

Forgotten 

Like Marilyn

Over 1000 Officers

Violated Her

She Was Trafficked

From Indiana

To California

Thought Nicholas Cage

Was Her Pappa

She Wrote Songs For 

"Pink" About Family Life

Didn't Want 

To Be Replaced

When She 

Whistleblew On

Youngsters Getting

Raped

Molested 

They Threw

Her In A Tunnel

With Millions Of

Naked

Moms

Kids

A Hollocoast

Replaced Her 

Onto "Pink Number 2"

Just Wantin' Her Royalties

From Court

Silenced

Misunderstood

To Know What's

True

For Crystal Meth 

Put Holes In Her Brain

Frontal Cortex

Swiss Cheese

Over Long Cold

Midwestern

Subzero

Indianapolis 

Winters

Being Trafficked

Houseless

Snow

Nitya Nella Davigo  Azam Moezzi Huntley Rawal 

[multipleservicelisting]

Meena Harris, Building That Brand

Meena Harris, a lawyer and former tech executive, used to make statement T-shirts as a side job. Her most famous read, simply, “Phenomenal Woman.” (Perhaps you saw it on Instagram, worn by celebrities including Serena Williams, Lizzo, Ciara, Viola Davis, Laverne Cox and Eva Longoria.)

She also made hats for the “Phenomenal Mother” and sweatshirts for the “Phenomenal Voter.” All benefited various charities.

But during a summer of mass protests against racism and injustice, Ms. Harris’s apparel took on new resonance. Naomi Campbell wore a “Phenomenally Black” T-shirt for a high-end fashion event in July. Regina King accepted her lead actress Emmy in September wearing a shirt by Ms. Harris, with an illustration of Breonna Taylor and the words “Say Her Name.”

Ms. Harris’s passion project became her full-time job; she left her role as head of strategy and leadership at Uber to run her own company, called Phenomenal. She also picked up another side-gig — one that brought her more visibility than any prestigious job that came before it: campaign surrogate for her aunt, Kamala Harris, now the vice president-elect.

At the time, Ms. Harris, 36, made it clear that her clothing brand was “not something that I want to be using to promote the candidacy of a family member.” In a phone interview, she added: “There’s a lot of cool people in my family that do cool stuff. And this is my thing. I’m doing my own thing.”

But her relationship to the vice president-elect is a fact that can’t be separated from her story or that of her business.

As a surrogate, Ms. Harris offered insight into her family in ways traditional (introducing her aunt in a video at the Democratic National Convention) and more novel (during the primaries, she defended her aunt’s criminal justice record against progressives who disparaged her as “a cop” in a series of Instagram stories).

She also sold several Kamala-related sweatshirts, including one with the letters “MVP,” for Madam Vice President; one emblazoned with the phrase “I’m Speaking,” referring to the much-memed moment from the vice-presidential debate; and a third with the names Sojourner (Truth), Harriet (Tubman), Shirley (Chisholm) and Barbara (Jordan) stacked above Kamala’s, released in partnership with Win With Black Women.

But putting a campaign slogan, like “Kamala for the People,” on a shirt would be too explicit, Ms. Harris said, crossing the line she’s drawn to protect her brand and establish her own identity.

“I look at her as another figure in history and someone to be celebrated,” she said of her aunt — for example, with a holiday sweatshirt reading “Deck the halls with smart, strong women, Kamala-la-la-la-la-la-la.”

‘What’s Our Message?’

The name of Ms. Harris’s company comes from a Maya Angelou poem, published in 1978: “I’m a woman / Phenomenally. / Phenomenal woman, / That’s me.”

First sold during Women’s History Month in March 2017, the “Phenomenal Woman” shirt was meant to remind people that Ms. Angelou “came before us, and it was women like her,” Ms. Harris said, “who made it possible for the Women’s March to happen in the huge way that it did.”

She planned to split profits from the shirt between seven women’s organizations. “I thought we’d sell a couple hundred shirts, if I got enough of my friends and family to support,” she said. But on release day, she sold more than 2,000, she said. (It was modeled online by friends, including Issa Rae, who was a college classmate, and America Ferrera.)

At the time, Ms. Harris didn’t know exactly what to do with the enthusiasm, she said: “How do we keep this going? What are we talking about? What are we doing? What’s our message?” So she gave herself a mission: raising awareness around issues affecting underrepresented communities.

The Breonna Taylor shirt, released in August, flooded social media, buoyed again by a flock of celebrities. On its front, the black tee read “Arrest The Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor” in pink text (Ms. King wore it backward at the virtual Emmys). Profits from the $45 shirt benefited the Breonna Taylor Foundation. (Depending on sales, other Phenomenal products raise anywhere from $5,000 to $150,000 for a nonprofit, according to Ms. Harris.)

Inevitably, the simple T-shirt company has become a multipurpose venture, with a content arm, Phenomenal Media (for publishing articles and putting out full-page newspaper ads), and a creative agency, Phenomenal Productions (which will make videos, products and other content for ideologically aligned clients). On Jan. 19, Ms. Harris will publish her second children’s book, “Ambitious Girl.” And on the following day, one of the characters in her first children’s book, “Kamala and Maya’s Big Idea,” about two sisters taking on a community project, will take her oath for the second highest office in the nation.

‘Entrepreneurial Tendencies’

Kamala and Maya were raised primarily by their mother, Shyamala Gopalan, a scientist and activist.

When Maya was 17, she had Meena. She raised her daughter with the help of her mother and sister, while earning degrees and building a career in law and progressive policy. Maya worked as a law school dean, executive director of the A.C.L.U. of Northern California, adviser to Hillary Clinton, and her sister’s campaign chairwoman — among other roles. Since 1998, she has been married to Tony West, who was the associate attorney general during the Obama administration and is now Uber’s chief legal officer.

Young Meena Harris, surrounded by lawyers, wasn’t nudged toward law. Her first job, after graduating from Stanford University in 2006, was as a community operations manager at Facebook — just as it was expanding to the general public, no longer available only to college students.

Ms. Harris also joined the 2008 Obama campaign, in youth vote organizing and grass roots fund-raising. But finally, she decided to start law school, as if it were the “path of least resistance,” she said.

In 2014, two years after she graduated from Harvard Law School, Ms. Harris was working as a cybersecurity and data privacy attorney in Washington, D.C., when she had her first “kind of fun, provocative” idea for a T-shirt, she said. Inspired by the early Mark Zuckerberg business card that said “I’m CEO, bitch,” her tee read “I’m an entrepreneur, bitch.” (These were the “Lean In” years.)

By 2015, Tyra Banks was wearing the shirt onstage during press interviews. And Ms. Harris — who’d always identified as a creative person with “entrepreneurial tendencies,” she said — was feeling, for the first time, like an entrepreneur.

Statement as Brand

T-shirts are not a new form of expression, either of values or of protest. But unrest during the Trump administration — and the steady rise of both political expression and posturing on social media — has inspired a great number of them. Mugs, onesies, pet collars, phone cases and fanny packs, too.

In September 2019, the sisters Kate and Lisa Sokolov founded Social Goods, an online boutique for activist apparel. All of their sales include a donation — on average 25 percent of the proceeds, the founders said — to various related nonprofits. Phenomenal was one of the first brands sold on their site.

The founders see merchandise as a “catalyst and entry point for change,” Kate Sokolov said — “a way to get people to start talking and keep talking about issues.”

It’s the “keep talking” part of it that Ms. Harris has been considering herself lately.

“I think this is going to be a big question for us next year. When we don’t have the constant drama and attacks that are coming out of the administration, how do we keep people engaged in a meaningful way?” she said. “Not just the people that have been doing this work, and will continue doing this work, and are literally doing it all day every day. But regular folks.”

Communicating serious messages through a medium like apparel is tricky. Tone is paramount. Nuance can be lost. There’s only so much room on a tee.

“Just because a bunch of people liked it doesn’t mean that you should go put it on a T-shirt and sell it,” Ms. Harris said, of ideas she knew would be popular but messy.

Not everything sold by Phenomenal has a social justice message. Addressing work-from-home culture, Ms. Harris released sweatshirts in 2020 that read “Can everyone mute please?” She’s also sold pieces without phrases, like a one-piece swimsuit printed with Sonia Sotomayor’s face. Proceeds from these more general items are donated to a spread of nonprofits, rather than to a specific cause or organization.

One of those nonprofits is Essie Justice Group, an organization for women with incarcerated loved ones. Gina Clayton-Johnson, the group’s founder and executive director, said working with Phenomenal has relieved some of the overwhelming pressure to fund-raise.

“My team needs to be writing policy, running healing circles and organizing outside jails and prisons. They don’t need to be setting up chairs at a fund-raiser, or putting cute little sequins in envelopes,” Ms. Clayton-Johnson said.

‘Breaking Away’

On a phone call in August, the day after making her Democratic National Convention debut, Ms. Harris described herself as happy but “running on fumes.” She’d spent that night “drinking wine in a furry bathrobe” while watching the videos and speeches, she said.

During a conversation a few months later, the election was over but the holidays were approaching, and Ms. Harris’s partner Nikolas Ajagu, who works as an executive at Facebook, had just told her that letters to Santa from their two daughters (ages 2 and 4) had gone missing. There was a pile of laundry on the couch and the house was a “mess,” she said, using an expletive.

Because of her work with Phenomenal, Ms. Harris already had a robust following before her aunt became Joe Biden’s running mate in August. But starting that month, she began gaining followers on Twitter and Instagram in droves.

Accordingly, she has faced more criticism, trolling and general scrutiny for actions associated with her family. One recurring topic is Prop 22, a California ballot measure approved by voters in November, allowing companies like Uber to continue classifying drivers as independent contractors rather than as employees.

Ms. Harris’s stepfather is the top lawyer at Uber, which spent millions trying to pass the measure. (Her aunt strongly opposed it.) Ms. Harris was dragged into the fight as well because of her former job at Uber. In November — after the election — she decided to make it clear that she voted against Prop 22.

“I think it’s a very simple thing,” she said. “I’m very lucky to be in a family of a bunch of successful people who are doing a lot of different things. There’s interesting dynamics around that, but I’m my own person with my own views and my own platform and my own aspirations.

“Sure, you can be curious about somebody’s relationship with their family, or how their communications around these things are,” she said. But at the same time, she noted, “I’m not an elected official. I’m not formally accountable as a public servant, and I think sometimes, people do kind of treat you that way if you have a public profile.” (She later added: “It’s weird to talk about yourself as having a public profile.”)

When she talked about her decision to leave Uber in June, Ms. Harris used phrases like “breaking away” and “liberating myself.” For years, she’d felt like she was on a “treadmill of checking prestige boxes” — elite schooling, a law degree, a high-powered tech career, a treadmill powered by the ambition of her first-generation immigrant family.

Still, that ambition was fairly contained to the worlds of law and activism, “which of course, are core to who I am and how I view everything,” she said.

“No one in my family, other than me, has a business-minded bone in their bodies. I was not exposed to that at all,” Ms. Harris said. (Her stepfather didn’t take a job in the corporate world until 2014.) The idea of entrepreneurship? “That was just totally foreign.”

Now, she’s on a new treadmill. “I just didn’t really know the path to getting there,” she said.

from Multiple Service Listing https://ift.tt/2LPlJfw

[meenasmoon]

Waiting for a Star to Fall Ch 4: Take Me to Church

Sorry for the delay with this puppy. I had a ten page paper calling my name. Tomorrow is the tentative deadline of my ability to pump out chapter after chapter so I will try to post SitM and Renegades for yall. Much Love! Also there is a mention of abortion in this chapter and while I support a woman’s choice I try not to push my beliefs on other people so I kept it quick and vague just like the short church service

Note: I think I’m becoming obsessed with my own OC. in my personal opinion she is a snarky little gift!!

“Are you sure about this church baby girl?” Leslie Jones asked as she helped her daughter up the steps, a strong arm wrapped around Meena’s waist. Her brown eyes looked over the older building that was located just blocks away from Meena’s new culdesac and she made note of the dated architecture, the peeling paint and the cracks that ran along one of the pillars at the entrance.

“Mom have an open mind okay? The pastor is one of my neighbors, he’s a very sweet man and the least that I could do is go to his church service.” Meena sighed in exasperation and gave her mom a pleading look before she led her family into the church. One section of the pews was blocked off by a tarp and a construction rig and the pews were a little old but the church was very charming and clean. Meena let her mom lead her down the aisle to an open row where she waited for her grandparents to get settled before  settling herself between her mother and her grandfather. 

She was looking at the detailing in the stain glass windows when she felt her grandfather’s warm hand patted her thigh through her dress. She turned to him with a smile and braced herself for the oncoming comments about the shabbiness of the church. She loved her grandfather, she really did but he was the pickiest man on the face of the planet, the complete opposite of her easygoing grandmother who was currently humming to herself as she took her knitting out of her purse. The woman could be happy anywhere it was a miracle. 

  Her grandfather let out a huff and raised his eyebrows at her, looking at her over the rim of his glasses. “Why aren’t we at our church again?” He groused and Meena let out a heavy sigh, rubbing her stomach reflexively as if it would calm her down. 

“Because I want to try this one today Grandpa.” She smiled but he just crossed his arms and let out another grumpy huff. 

  “Pastor Reynolds is going to wonder where I am and I’m stuck here in this rundown excuse for a church.” He grumbled to himself and Meena looked to her mother for some help but Leslie just rolled her eyes and gave her a little shrug. Officially on her own, Meena decided to resort to the only thing that was working right now. She started to cry. 

She felt terrible for working her grandfather’s emotions like this but her feet were swollen, her back ached and she did not have her usual patience to calm him right now. Her grandfather immediately tensed up when the first tear rolled down her cheek and looked around frantically for help but miraculously his daughter was suddenly talking to the people in front of her and his wife was busily knitting beside him. 

  “Oh Meena. Honeygirl don’t cry please. It’s a very lovely church. Just wonderful. Can’t wait for this Moon fellow’s sermon.” He tried desperately to placate her, wrapping her hand in both of his in what he hoped was a comforting way. Meena tried to stop the tears that were now flowing down her cheeks like rivers but found that she couldn’t. She grunted in frustration and began furiously wiping at them in an effort to stave off any sobs that could possibly break through. 

After a few minutes she finally got herself under control with the help of a few tissues from her mother’s purse and big hug from her mother. She was at least grateful that her emotional outburst had occurred in church where she could at least pass it off as being emotional about the sermon of forgiveness that Pastor Moon was preaching. She had to admit that his sermon was different from what she was used to in a good way but she couldn’t help her eye from wandering to the rest of the crowd stuffed into the pews. 

She caught sight of the Tenny family sitting near her own family and she couldn’t help but smile at how Norman was obviously passed out in the corner of the pew, but Rosita had yet to notice as she was working to hush her five children as they bickered amongst themselves. In their matching church clothes Meena had to admit that she could barely tell them apart from each other and she wondered if it would be that hard for her to tell her own twins apart when they were born. 

Meena giggled as she watched one of Rosita’s little girls spin around in the pew and survey the audience as if looking for her next victim. When she caught Meena staring at her she gave her a tentative smile as she sunk down in her seat until only her eyes were peeking over the back, still watching Meena. Meena gave her a little wave and then lost sight of her as the congregation stood for the final song. She let her family help her to her feet and sung as softly as she could, trying desperately to keep her singing talents a secret in a new church. 

In her family’s regular church her grandfather and mother had made sure that every single person knew that she had the voice of an angel and most times during the songs a lot of attention would be focused on her, waiting for some miracle to burst forth from her lips. Unfortunately she was much to shy under their scrutiny and always managed to stumble over the words or just stare at her feet until the song was over and she could once more hide behind her mother in the pew. 

When the service ended, Meena gratefully sat back down in the pew while her family stood and socialized politely with the other churchgoers that were lingering. While they were strangers, they were just as welcoming as their normal church and Meena got so many blessings for her children that she could barely remember everyone that had approached her. Finally the church cleared out enough that Meena could stand comfortably and look around for Buster.

She wanted to congratulate him on the wonderful service and let him know that she and her family had stopped by to see him preach. She absolutely refused to leave without talking to Buster, it was just how she was raised and as a result she found herself wandering through the church trying to find the short grey-haired man. She was just about to pass the confessional when suddenly the door to the small chamber burst open and the last person that Meena expected to see went stomping angrily away. 

Meena almost called out a greeting to Ash but the fiery woman had a look of death on her face as she slipped into the crowd and disappeared just as quickly as she had appeared. Meena felt her heart drop a little as she continued to search the crowd for her friend���s face, to no avail. Something was obviously wrong with Ash, and though she had her own problems to deal with she couldn’t help but feel the strong urge to do anything and everything for the woman that had first made her feel like a part of the family. Ash was her first friend since the debacle with Daniel and she treasured her just a little bit more than everyone else. 

Suddenly her original quarry, Buster Moon, stepped out of the other compartment of the confessional, looking weary and a little frustrated. Obviously something had happened between the two of them but by the way that Buster immediately started smiling his showman’s smile when he saw her she knew that she would get nothing from the man. 

  Meena went in to shake his hand but was taken by surprise when the shorter man pulled her in for a tight hug instead. She awkwardly patted his back and let out a relieved breath when he finally released her. Hugging had become a little awkward and painful for her back when she had to bend over her stomach to be pulled in tight so she avoided or modified them as much as she could.

  “Meena! So good to see you. Did you enjoy the service?” He gently steered her away from the confession booth with a firm hand on her lower back and as they walked back to where her family was waiting at the church’s entrance they chatted amicably. However, Meena would not easily forget what she had seen and if Buster was going to keep the secret she needed to go to the source and find Ash. Though by the way that she stormed out of the church Meena wasn’t so sure that she wanted to know the reason. 

Her family chatted with Buster for a few moments before her mother once again had an arm wrapped around her and was helping her down the stirs. Ever since she had started to show everyone had been treating her like she could fall apart at the slightest touch and though it got annoying she learned long ago that she was born into a stubborn family and there was no way that she could convince them otherwise. Meena let out a heavy sigh but nonetheless gave her mother a grateful smile as they reached the bottom of the stairs. 

They strolled slowly through the parking lot, her mother and grandmother heatedly discussing the Sunday meal that they had planned for when they got back to Meena’s home while her grandfather had Meena’s arm securely wrapped around elbow. 

“That was a… nice service.” He said gruffly, obviously trying to hide his distaste for change for her sake. Meena felt her heart warm at his attempt to overcome his usual grumpiness in order to reassure her. Taking pity on him, she squeezed his hand and leaned down to bestow a kiss on his cheek. 

“Thanks Grandpa.” She said sweetly and his stooped posture perked up slightly at her touch. She giggled to herself as he escorted her to the car with a new spring in his step and made sure to open her door for her. Meena gripped the edge of the roof of the car tightly and slowly lowered herself into the seat, grunting when she let gravity do the work and she plopped down safely into the cushioned seat. 

Her grandfather shut the door for her before joining her grandmother in the back seat. Her mother fired up their old Cadillac and they made their way back to Meena’s house, her mother blasting old R & B the whole way. When they finally got back to her house, Meena leveraged herself out of the car just in time to catch Johnny’s old black truck as it pulled into the driveway one door down from her. 

Her eyes lit up and she quickly patted down her dress and her hair, cursing the way that the static from her seat had messed up her perfectly curled hair. Deciding that she was as good as it was gonna get, she waddled over to where Cora was hopping out of the car and chasing her soccer ball around as her father unloaded a bag heavy with sport’s gear. 

When Johnny turned around and caught sight of her coming up their driveway, he almost dropped the sports equipment in his surprise and delight. His face was lit up by a bright smile and from the way that he immediately started walking to meet her she could tell that he was happy to see her. She was about to say something when suddenly a blur of turquoise slammed into her side and wrapped her in a strong embrace. 

She let out a huff of breath and Johnny’s face went through a billion different types of fear as he watched his daughter nearly tackle her, “Meena!!” Cora squealed in delight and Meena chuckled as she wrapped an arm around Cora to return her hug. Johnny huffed out a sigh of relief and fixed his daughter with a stern look. 

“Cora. We talked abaht this. Meena is pregnant and ya gotta be careful with ‘er. We daan’t wanna ‘urt ‘er babies now do we?” Cora winced and looked up at Meena, her bright green eyes pleading with her for forgiveness. 

“I’m sorry Meena.” Her lip trembled on the precipice of a sob and Meena’s eyes widened as she quickly tried to assuage the little girl’s fears. 

“Oh no it’s alright Cora honey.” She stroked the girl’s braided hair and tightened her hug until the tears faded from her eyes to be replaced with a big smile that melted Meena’s heart, “How was your game today?”

  Cora immediately forgot about her blunder and launched into an exaggerated tale of how she had single-handedly fought off an army of zombies in order to score the winning goal. Meena caught Johnny smiling and rolling his eyes in a way that a father who was often on the other end of these far-fetched tales. Deciding to let Meena in on the actual events he spoke up.

  “She scored the winning goal in the game today.” He helpfully supplied and Meena nodded in recognition, her smile only growing as Cora then proceeded to demonstrate her victory dance which was a mix of an oddly executed worm and a lot of flailing. Meena let out a musical laugh and was soon joined in by Johnny’s deep chuckle. 

“That’s wonderful Cora. She glanced back at her house where her family was not-so-subtly watching the interaction from the porch of her house. She blushed a little when her mother sent her an exuberant thumbs up. She quickly spun around to find that Johnny hadn’t seen her family watching them and was instead watching his daughter as she continued to dance around their yard.

  “I’m having some family over for a get together today and I was wondering if you two would… like to stop by…” She nervously tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and gave him a shy smile. 

“Oh… we wouldnae wanna intrude on you and yer family.” He started to protest but was quickly interrupted by Cora’s excited yell as she leapt up from the grass and rushed over to Meena once more. 

“Really? A party? Oh daddy can we please go.” She turned her big green eyes to her father who faltered slightly and then easily crumbled when Meena added her own baby blues to the pleading look.

  “If it’s alright wif ya Meena, we’d love to join ya.” He smiled and Cora screeched in excitement as she sprinted towards their small house, yelling something about calling the first shower. Johnny chuckled and adjust the sports bag on his shoulder. 

“We’ll be over as soon as we get showered and dressed.” He smiled and Meena blushed as the unbidden image of Johnny naked and surrounded by steam popped up in her head. Flustered, she felt her face heat up and she began slowly backing down the driveway, trying desperately not to trip and make a fool of herself. 

“O-oh yes um okay.” She mumbled nervously and them turned around to hurry back towards her house. she rolled her eyes when her mother hurriedly ushered her grandparents into the house so it would look like they hadn’t been eavesdropping. She stepped up onto her porch and cast one more look at the house on the other side of Johnny’s where she knew Ash lived. The house was dark except for flashing lights in the garage and a beat up van with the painting of a rocker playing guitar while surrounded by lightning. 

She felt a slight pull in her stomach as she thought about Ash and how upset she had seemed at the church earlier. She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text, inviting her and her family to the get together. She stared at it for a second, hoping for an immediate reply despite knowing how unlikely it was. When her screen remained empty she sighed and went into the house, intent on changing out of her fancy clothes and into something more comfortable.

When she walked inside she found her mother and grandmother already bustling around the kitchen, preparing food that they had bought the day before. They stopped when she came in and looked up at her with knowing glances but Meena just gave them an exasperated glare and continued on to her room so she could change before her uncle and aunt showed up with their kids for the Sunday get together.

  As soon as Meena turned to go back into her house Johnny had frantically finished gathering up Cora’s soccer gear and raced into the house. He could hear his daughter singing happily in the shower so he busied himself with putting away their gear. When he saw her tiny giggling form streak past him clad in her monkey towel and he just chuckled and headed for the bathroom.  

As usual the bathroom mirror was covered in little drawings that she had done in the steam and he took a moment to look them over before shedding his clothes and jumping into the shower. When he emerged a few minutes later feeling refreshed and clean he found Cora sitting on the couch in her favorite jean shorts and a colorful jersey from her favorite women’s soccer team. 

“Hey Munchkin why don’t you find a pack of your CapriSun’s to bring over to Meena’s house while I get dressed.” He called as he passed the living room on the way to his room. He got a noncommittal grunt as a reply but he just rolled his eyes and continued to his room. 

He quickly slipped on his lucky boxers, his nicest pair of jeans with only one rip and no grease stains and then stood glaring at his closet, daring it to offer up a shirt worthy of this family get together. Ten minutes later when Cora wandered into her father’s room, sipping on her third CapriSun he was still staring at his closet, this time with less of a glare and more of a pleading look. 

  “Daddy put a shirt on.” She whined and hopped up onto her dad’s bed and watched him start sifting through his shirt collection. After a few minutes he pulled out a green flannel and a white t-shirt and hurriedly began pulling them on. Cora just loudly sipped the rest of her drink out of the container and kicked her feet impatiently while she waited for her father to style his hair and put on a little cologne. When he was finished he turned to her and spread his arms wide, looking for her approval. 

“How do I look Munchkin?” He asked, giving her a little twirl that made her giggle and jump off of the bed and onto the floor. 

“Like a dad. Now let’s gooooo.” She groaned and grabbed his hand, pulling him out of his room and into the hall where her box of CapriSun’s was waiting. She gathered it up in her arms like it was a precious baby, slipped on her flip flops and threw open the front door. Johnny hurriedly threw on his old Converse as he watched Cora dash off towards Meena’s house which was now surrounded by three other cars, one of which was a minivan. 

Once his shoes were on he hurriedly locked the door and ran after Cora, calling for her to wait, which she steadfastly ignored as she made her way up to the porch and stretched up to ring the doorbell. Johnny finally caught up to her just as the door was opened by an older woman who looked just like Meena but without the light freckles on her face. He was still trying to catch his breath so he just smiled while Cora gave her a huge grin and thrust out her tiny hand.

“My name’s Cora and this is my daddy. Meena invited us to her party.” She said eagerly, showing the woman her CapriSun box as if it was evidence of their invitation. The woman’s smile just grew as she stepped aside to admit them.

“Well hello there sweetie pie. You two come right in now, Meena is just finishing up in the kitchen but we’ve got plenty of food.” Cora dashed right in and Johnny quickly lost sight of her as he got swept up into a surprise hug by the woman who was obviously Meena’s mother. 

“Oh um… ‘ello ma’am. My name is Johnny Bannerton. I live just a couple ‘ouses down.” He got out in a gasp of breath as she practically squeezed him to the point of death. Suddenly fresh air flowed back into his lungs as she released him and he was left feeling strangely bereft. 

“I’m Leslie Jones, I’m Meena’s mother. Now you come right in and make yourself a plate because you need to put some meat on those bones young man.” She admonished him as she led him further into the house. Suddenly Johnny was experiencing something like one of the neighborhood barbeques, but on a whole other level. In the living room three men were practically glued to the football game while a clan of children surrounded Cora as she handed out CapriSuns. Johnny felt a little flutter in his heart as he watched his daughter blend in with the kids so easily before he was yanked forward to an enormous dining table which was completely covered in food. 

His gaped at the table as Leslie grabbed a paper plate and began loading it with a little bit of everything. When she finally handed it to him, Johnny just stared down at it with wide eyes and then looked back at her, feeling vaguely lost as to how he was going to be able to eat all of that food. Leslie just patted him on the cheek like he was a small child and disappeared into the busy and noisy kitchen. Johnny thought that he caught sight of Meena in the kitchen but in the chaos he couldn’t be quite sure, so he wandered past the living room and out into the modest backyard. 

He settled down on a picnic table and watched as the children went running around in the grass like little heathens, playing some imaginary game that he couldn’t quite understand. As long as it kept them occupied and happy he didn’t really care. 

  He was halfway through his plate and watching the game out of the corner of his eye when an older gentleman appeared in the doorway. Johnny smiled tentatively but the old man’s face never flickered away from the stony serious glare. Slowly and deliberately he stepped out on the back patio and closed the sliding door, effectively cutting them off from the rest of the adults and any listening ears. He hobbled over to where Johnny was sitting and sat down on the bench opposite of him, leveling him with a glare. 

“What’s your name boy?” He suddenly huffed out and Johnny put down the bite of baked beans that he had been about to shove into his mouth, sensing that this was about to be the start of an interrogation. 

“My name is Johnny Bannerton sir.” He tried to sound confident but there was something about the look the old man was giving him coupled with his nervous attraction to Meena that made him falter slightly. 

“You interested in my granddaughter?” He suddenly asked, completely ignoring Johnny’s answer and effectively throwing him into a confused daze. 

“Um I… wait wot?” Johnny shook his head, trying to make sense of how their conversation had taken such a turn. 

“Because my angel has been through too much heartbreak and I’m not going to sit by and   let you waltz in here like a peacock and mess everything up again.” He kept ranting, completely ignoring Johnny’s confused look as he tried to follow exactly where the conversation was heading. 

“Sir I don’t… I’m not sure wot we’re talkin’ bout anymore.” He sighed and ran a nervous hand through his hair, looking around for some kind of escape.

  “So she hasn’t told you about him yet hm?” Meena’s grandfather seemed to deflate slightly, his anger refocusing instead of receding. This grabbed Johnny’s attention and he leaned forward slightly, forgetting about his food and the party around them. 

“Who?” He lowered his voice slightly, for some reason getting the impression that he was about to be let in on a big secret. He usually wasn’t one to gossip but this seemed like something important and if it had to do with Meena and her wellbeing, then he couldn’t help himself. 

“The father of my great grandbabies, his name is-“ 

“His name was Daniel.” Meena’s voice interrupted her grandfather and both men leapt away from each other, Johnny focussing on his food all of the sudden while her grandfather pretended to be watching the kids as the played in the grass. Meena didn’t fall for it for one second. 

She dealt with her grandfather first, waddling over to him and gesturing towards the house with her free hand, “If you’re done airing my dirty laundry mom wants everybody to come in for dessert.” 

She fixed him with a stern look and he scrambled to his feet as fast as he could, limping quickly into the house and shutting the sliding glass door behind him, effectively abandoning Johnny to his fate, alone with an irate pregnant woman. Johnny watched him go longingly and then slowly turned back to Meena who looked slightly less intimidating when he realized that she was holding a slice of apple pie. He smiled sheepishly up at her and accepted the pie when she handed it to him. 

He couldn’t help but admire how she looked in that moment, despite the fact that she still had a slightly frustrated look on her face. She was wearing a pair of overalls that were rolled up to her calves with a red and white striped shirt underneath. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail and strands of her hair curled around her face and danced across her dark freckles happily. He felt his heart pound frantically in his chest and he felt himself sink deeper into the confusing mess of feeling that he always found himself tangled in when he was around Meena. 

And then she let out a heavy sigh and her tense form crumbled under some unseen pressure that made her slump against the table and hold her head in her hands. Johnny quickly reached out and grabbed one of her hands in hers. She looked up, revealing a weak smile as she clasped his hand in her shaky grip. He tried to give her an encouraging smile in return but his worry seemed to seep through and tears started to spring up in her eyes. 

“His name was Daniel and we had been dating since high school. We moved in together after high school and I thought we were happy for the longest time until two months ago when I found out I was pregnant.” She took a deep steadying breath and looked up at the ceiling, obviously trying to stave off the tears that were already running down her cheeks. 

“He was my first e-everything and when I found out I was so h-happy because I thought that he was going to be there with me, that we would be a f-family… but when I told him he went crazy. He d-demanded that I get…get an… an abortion.” Her free hand fell down to her stomach and rubbed it soothingly though he wasn’t sure if it was for the babies or for herself. Johnny’s grip tightened at the thought that the father of her children could have possibly asked her to do such a thing against her will. 

“I told him that I could n-never do that and he just went quiet. So quiet. And when I woke up the next m-morning he was gone, he had taken e-everything that was his or that he th-thought was his.” She squeezed his hand gently and then took a deep breath, her posture straightening as her confidence and more importantly her determination came back into her eyes.

  “So I moved in with my family for a little bit and then I moved here. I gave myself a fresh start. I gave us a fresh start. And I told myself that I wouldn’t give Daniel the chance to hurt my children the way that he hurt me.”

  Johnny released her hand and quickly stood up so that he could come around to the other side of the table and gather her into his embrace. She seemed surprised for a second before her arms came around to hold him tight, her form shaking slightly as she tried to gather herself again. He let her lean on him for a few more minutes, staying silent as he held her close and ran one hand up and down her back soothingly. 

  He could do nothing but stare down at her forest of dark curly hair and marvel at the hidden strength that this shy, beautiful woman possessed. She had decided to strike out on her own and make a place where she and her children could be safe and happy even after she had been abandoned by the man that she loved. Meena was the strongest woman that he had ever met and he was irrevocably enamored with her. 

Just as he came to this revelation Meena pulled back and wiped at her remaining tears to reveal a watery smile that made his heart thump hard in his chest. He stared down at her like she was the stars, the moon and the sky and she looked up with that wonderful smile. A yell from the children just a couple feet away broke him out of his daze and he realized that Meena’s backyard during a family dinner was not the best place to reveal any feelings that he might be having about her. Johnny looked around for some kind of distraction, anything that would steer them in a happier and less intimate direction.

“Yer um… tha’ pie looks delicious.” He fumbled over his words as he released her and sat down in front of the pie, his tastebuds watering as he looked at it. He was pulled away from the tempting confection by a sweeter sound as Meena’s giggles filled the air and simultaneously lifted his heart and the mood around them. He smiled up at her as she walked up to him and gently bent down to cup his face. 

Johnny felt his breath catch in his chest as her lips came closer to his and he watched with wide eyes as she came closer, only deviating at the last second to bestow a kiss on his cheek that left him tingling with joy and disappointment as his brain demanded that she kiss him properly. 

“Thank you Johnny. For everything.” She whispered and Johnny had never been more grateful for nosy family members, even they were all crowded around the glass door, blatantly watching their interaction like it was reality TV.

Next

Prev

[therhoyalpalm]

My 2017 as a Playlist!

1. Holy Spirit by Kari Jobe - One time someone told me the holy spirit is ushered in on the wings of a song, and for me Holy Spirit by Kari Jobe, does just that, this song gets me to a place of peace, worship, and connected to the presences of God. Some of my realest most pure conversations have come after listening to this song; it’s my get back on track to peace and gratitude song.

2.    Hallelujah (Sing Soundtrack) song by Tori Kelly – The song is a classic and Tori Kelly has an amazing voice, but this song and this version made my soundtrack, because of Meena the shy elephant from the film Sing. Meena’s journay and transformation was real and reminded me that we all have a gift we shouldn’t be afraid to share. If you haven’t checked out the film yet, it’s on Netflix! It’s a good watch!

3.    I’m So Into You by Peabo Bryson – So, this was probably the song I listened to the most in 2017 like multiple times a day for the majority of the year. Literally always played it twice in a row every time. Between his voice and the words it made my heart melt, made me excited about love, and the work that comes along with it.

4.    You and I song by Michael from Good Times – If you are not familiar with the show Good times, Michael was the younger brother of JJ and Thelma, when Thelma got married to her soon to be NFL boo, Michael song this as everyone walked down the aisle, while this is a Stevie Wonder Cover (original on the playlist) it’s something about watching the clip on YouTube or the episode that makes me cry every time, I mean every time. An example of love, dedication, the lyrics are raw and honest and doesn’t paint love as a forever thing, but as work and partnership with God at the center. I Love it, check out the original on the playlist, but you must check the YouTube clip search Michael sings you and I on Good times or Thelma’s wedding Good Times.

5. Angel (Live) song by Lalah Hathaway – This song was probably the 2nd most listen to song on the list, and didn’t get added until September. First off ,her voice is amazing, and she did Ms. Anita Baker proud I am sure. I love this version of the song, it resonates with my soul. The lyrics are everything, like potential wedding vows!!! Checkout both versions, and let me know in the comments which one you prefer.

6. Blessed by Daniel Caesar – I first came across this song during the finale episode (I think) of insecure. Transparency, Vulnerability, and accepting my wrongs were all big themes for me in 2017, and for me this song reflects that “I’m a mess, but I’m blessed to be stuck with you” even with all my crazy, its really not that much you would be blessed to me stuck with me, the idea of relationships get unhealthy, how we prey on our partners insecuraties, not saying this song is goals, but its real and hits home for me.

7.  Cranes in the Sky by Solange – This is literally my life as a song from 2013 until my 30th birthday this song reflects that from running up my credit cards, to doing the most, to thinking a new job would make things better, I listen to this song often to remind myself how far I have come and to embrace all parts of my journey on my road to being the best me ever.

8. Saved by Khalid – I love everything about Khalid when I think of him the  hastag BlackBoyJoy always comes to mind. I love hard and its often hard for me to let people go, sometimes you don’t want to let go, just in case they need you or you need them, or just want to know if they are okay. However, I will delete a number real quick, but not pictures, I can always retrieve numbers if I really want to. Shotout to sprint online, for always being clutche when my impulsiveness kicks in. If we dated and I never deleted your number, we weren’t that close #SorryNotSorry!

9.    Miss Thang by Monica – I came back across this album towards the end of 2017 and it made fall in love all over again with the talented Ms. Monica. The lyrics speak to her being unapologetically who she is, sometimes we all need a reminder of who we are and you can either roll or get left.

10.Like This and Like That by Monica  – This is my current life in song, it also goes back to my desire to be vulnerable and transparent. Like listen sir, I want you to know how I feel, if you want this you better show me in action and words, or I will walk away knowing I did all I could and be okay with that. On a side note I never listen to the rap verse at the end, I be like what is he talking about :/

11.Real Hitta  by Plies feat Kodak Black – this could have been interchanged with a number of songs to represent my love for hood music, trap music, its usually old school late 90’s early 2000’s but I love Plies and Kodak Black voices (don’t judge me) so they will represent for the list for 2017.

12.Bodak Yellow by Cardi B  – This was a banger in 2017, this made my soundtrack not just because of the song, more because it’s by Cardi B. Ever since Love of and Hip Hop, she has been  a true example of living unapologetically, putting in work and doing her thing, people come at her side ways all the time, but for me all I can think is it doesn’t matter where you start it matters where you finish, and she is def. ending 2017 on top. I feel like I have been living 2017 to the fullest, riding the waves like Cardi B and taking it into 2018 and beyond.

 What songs made your 2017 soundtrack? Comment Below. Peace and Blessings!

[myluckyerror]

10 female character tag

I was tagged by @myloveforstuff - Thank you <3

Rules: 10 favourite female characters from 10 fandoms and tag 10 followers

LOST (Show): Juliet Burke - love her!

Harry Potter (Books/Films): Luna Lovegood is my fave

Buffy/Angel (Shows- I know it's been ages, but still love them :D): Willow Rosenberg and Cordelia Chase (what a character developement lol)

House, M.D.(Show): "Thirteen", played by Olivia Wilde

Bollywood (Films):oh so many, but if I have to choose, it's Kangana Ranaut's Tanu and Shruti Haasan's in "D-Day"

Old Bollywood (Films): Gulabo from "Pyaasa", but I also have a heart for Meena, she is so unhappy and torn between what her heart and her brain tell her...

Films: Grace (Nicole Kidman's role) from "The Others" was amazing!

Shakespeare (Literature): I love Viola from "Twelfth Night", Isabella from "Measure for Measure" and Queen Margaret from "Henry VI/Richard III" most

Musicals: Christine from "Phantom of the Opera"

These are just 9 fandoms, but more than 10 characters - hope that counts :D

I tag @bewildew, @ishq-de-fakira, @bareillykipagli, @mumtazmahals, @books-to-stars, @dee-verse, @confessionsofawritergirl, @classywithasideofcheesy, @dilkishehnaai, @orangen-saft, @queenofmahishmati, @damoosethings, @sahibjaan and of course everyone else who wants to do this, just tag me :)

[ravenbcys-remade]

92 questions tag !!

tagged by @honeyjihoons ;; thank you so much renee aaa!!

tagging : @nynnphadoratonks ;; @theyremarigolds ;; @rosegoldlesbo ;; @starrybangtagoncteen ;; @howlingremus ;; @peachgfs ;; anyone else that wants to do this!!

THE LAST:

1. Drink: orange juice

2. Phone call: my friend who’s not on tumblr

3. Text message: “i hate decisions”

4. Song you listened to: good for you ;; eric nam

5. Time you cried: after watching a ten minute loop of jihoon’s lines in don’t listen in secret (yeah i know im awful)

HAVE YOU:

6. Dated someone twice: nnnno oh my god

7. Kissed someone and regretted it: nah

8. Been cheated on: no!

9. Lost someone special: yep!

10. Been depressed: haaa yes

11. Gotten drunk and thrown up: no!

LIST 3 FAVORITE COLORS:

12-14: pastel greeny-blue (#7AC6B0), the color of my icon, nd regal purple !!

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU:

15. Made new friends: yea !

16. Fallen out of love: yea !

17. Laughed until you cried: hsdfns yeah i tend to uhhhh do that a lot

18. Found out someone was talking about you: yea ! hsfjds they said i seemed ‘’’’fake’’’’ which,,, ok

19. Met someone who changed you: yeaaa

20. Found out who your friends are: heck yeah

21. Kissed someone on your Facebook list: i uhh dont have a facebook

GENERAL:

22. How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: re : i uhh dont have a facebook

23. Do you have any pets: no :(

24. Do you want to change your name: my real name? yes. definitely

25. What did you do for your last Birthday: aaa i invited a bunch of my friends over nd we watched a sad movie that actually wasn’t as much sad as angering nd then we put up a bunch of seventeen prints in my room and just hung out for the rest of the day nd ate pizza !! it was super fun im lov my friends

26. What time did you wake up: around 8:00 am

27. What were you doing at midnight last night: writing!!

28. Name something you can’t wait for: ,,,finishing school

29. When was the last time you saw your mom: earlier today

30. What is one thing you wish you could change in your life: aaa i wish i hadn’t been so quiet earlier because now everyone thinks of me as the shy nd boring one even though i actually like,, never shut up now 

31. What are you listening right now: bone + tissue ;; gallant

32. Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: well his real name is thomas and he went by tommy until like,, this year but yes i think ?

33. Something that is getting on your nerves: cornell notes >:(

34. Most visited Website: hhhck tumblr

LAST QUESTIONS. I JUST PUT IN RANDOM INFO ABOUT ME

35. Mole/s: 1 on the right side of my chin nd 1 by one of my collarbones (i can’t remember which one and im too lazy to look hsfjd)

36. Mark/s: i have uhhh a lot of scars :)

37. Childhood dream: i wanted to be an author aaa

38. Haircolor: literally,,, jet black

39. Long or short hair: short !!

40. Do you have a crush on someone: someone that i know personally? no

41. What do you like about yourself: uh. my puns

42. Piercings: just my ears !!

43. Bloodtype: i think either a positive or b positive

44. Nickname: meena’s a nickname, uhh also minu nd mom (in a non-kinky way)

45. Relationship status: single

46. Zodiac: cancer !!

47. Pronouns: she/her

48. Favorite TV Show: brooklyn nine nine (im sO excited for season 5)

49. Tattoos: none !!

50. Right or left hand: right!

51. Surgery: uhh none

52. Hair dyed in different color: it was a lil blue at one point but other than that Nothing

53. Sport: i used 2,,, dance

55. Vacation: i went to yellowstone this year !! other than that i’ve uhh been to san diego ? and india a lot but i dont count that as vacation

56. Pair of trainers: converse !

MORE GENERAL:

57. Eating: uhh i had an apple earlier today

58. Drinking: water

59. I’m about to: write a Thing

61. Waiting for: death to take me hixtape

62. Want: 2 be loved

63. Get married: mid-late twenties ? honestly it’s not a big priority in my life so

64. Career: a psychologist !!

WHICH IS BETTER?

65. Hugs or kisses: hugs!!

66. Lips or eyes: eyes

67. Shorter or taller: for friends shorter so that i can make fun of them but,,, in a relationship taller because it’s harder to find people shorter than me

68. Older or younger: older !

70. Nice arms or nice stomach: arms ?

71. Sensitive or loud: hhhhck idk sensitive i guess

72. Hook up or relationship: relationship !!

73. Troublemaker or hesitant: troublemaker because im shy so if the person is hesitant nothing will ever happen

HAVE YOU EVER:

74. Kissed a stranger: no !!

75. Drank hard liquor: nope

76. Lost glasses/contact lenses: y e a

77. Turned someone down: uhh yeah

78. Sex on the first date: nnno (no judgement if that’s ur thing though)

79. Broken someone’s heart: god i hope not

80. Had your heart broken: platonically Yea

81. Been arrested: nnnno

82. Cried when someone died: yepp

83. Fallen for a friend: hsjfdsd yes

DO YOU BELIEVE IN:

84. Yourself: nah

85. Miracles: kinda?

86. Love at first sight: nah

87. Santa Claus: nope

88. Kiss in the first date: hsdfjsd no im too shy

89. Angels: maybe

OTHER:

90. Current best friends name: aanya !!

91. Eye color: suuuper dark brown like,, almost black

92. Favorite movie: is the lion king an acceptable answer

[bunny-lou]

Your Johnny and Meena prompts give me life. Can you do one with Meena inviting Johnny over for dinner and just anything else you can think of. (Although Meena has grandparents, they both seem to have just the one parent.)

Sure! I’m not big on shipping anyone in the movie really, but I do like to fill the prompts I get :)

(Similar with what I did with Rosita in the past, I gave Meena’s family’s the last name Loren, after Tori Kelly’s (the actress who voices Meena) middle name.)

An elephant larger than Meena answers the door for Johnny. She towers over the gorilla a bit, with more prominent freckles than Meena has and a pearl necklace.

“Umm, hello Mrs. Loren. My name is Johnny, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Meena’s mother stretched out her hand and shook Johnny’s, being very careful not to apply too much pressure. This was the first time Meena had brought a boy home afterall. It wouldn’t do to scare him away (yet).

“My daughter speaks so much about you.” She smiled warmly and Johnny relaxed. “Come on in. Meena is setting the table now.”

Johnny entered and gazed around in excitement. “You have a beautiful home, Mrs. Loren.” Truthfully, Johnny hadn’t had an opportunity to see…proper homes. He only remembered the garage being the only place he lived growing up and he hadn’t made many friends as a kid. But in Meena’s home, there were pictures decorating the walls and lush carpeting. A young Meena in the middle of an assortment of elephants caught his eye and Johnny smiled. Meena was the smallest in the photo and grinning as she peaked out between the legs of a male elephant who smiled down at her.

“Is that the boy?”

Mrs. Loren sighed and rolled her eyes; she called back. “Yes, dad.” An elderly elephant stomped into the room and looked around as if he had never been in his own living room before. “This is Meena’s…friend. Johnny.”

“You gotta set of pipes, boy?”

Johnny stared blankly at the grandfather. “Excuse me, sir?”

“Can you sing?” He basically shouted.

“Yes-yes sir. That’s how I met Meena, through singing.”

The grandfather nodded his head approvingly. “My baby’s got the voice of an angel! You better have one that can match hers!” He turned around and paused when he saw the other person in the room. “And who’re you?”

“It’s me, dad. Your daughter.”

“Well what are we waiting for? Let’s eat!”

Meena’s grandfather led the way to the dining room where a proper dinner table was set with porcelain dishes and sparkling silverware. Johnny stood in awe; the garage was tv dinners on the floor or on folding tables. He suddenly felt under dressed to meet Meena’s family. Johnny wore jeans (his nicest pair) and a button down shirt (that was once Barry’s and was a bit big for Johnny). He had cleaned off his shoes the best he could and attempted to comb his fur.

A sweet voice broke Johnny out of his thoughts and he looked up to see Meena smiling beautifully at him. “I hope you like lasagna, Johnny.”

The sound of her voice calmed him down and he smiled back. “If you made it, I’m sure I’ll love it.” Meena blushed.

“She didn’t make it! We bought from the store yesterday!”

Two groans echoed the room.

“Dad!”

“Grandpa!”

Johnny hid his laugh behind a cough and tries to ignore Meena’s pretty red cheeks. He stepped beside Mrs. Loren and pulled her chair out, gesturing for her to sit.

“Oh, thank you dear.” His manners were excellent, she noted as Johnny did the same thing for her daughter. Meena had good taste.

“Let’s dig in!” Grandfather started scooping out his share of lasagna before passing it to Meena. “Where’re you from, son?” He spoke as if everyone in the room had trouble hearing him.

“Brooks Street, sir. I’ve been there basically my whole life.”

“What do your parents do?”

“Johnny!” Mrs. Loren quickly cut off her father. “How long have you been involved with music?” She gave her father a silencing look and passed the tray to Johnny.

He paused before answering. Meena’s mother knew at least a little bit about his family, but Meena knew just the basics herself. Johnny took a deep breath; his dad was honoring his jail sentence and that was…something to proud of. His dad wasn’t escaping (even though he made it clear that he could). “It was on and off for a while. I took piano lessons as a kid, but I…had to drop them. I’ve been singing for a while though, just not in front of people until recently.”

“Did you have a case of stage fright too?”

Johnny shook his head. “I just never had the opportunity to be a performer is all. Does Meena get her talent from either of you?”

Mrs. Loren smiled. “No, Meena’s voice was a surprise to all of us.”

“If I had a voice like hers, I would never shut up!”

“That still doesn’t stop him,” Meena whispered to Johnny as he passed her the tray and they both laughed.

Meena’s grandfather began to sing terribly off-key and Johnny murmured back, “at least we get entertainment with our dinner!”

[andrea-odown]

Keep on Singing - Chapter 28

A Sing (2016)-fanfic.

Read it on FF.Net and AO3.

Description: A few months have passed since the grand re-opening of the Moon Theater. All in all everything seems to be fine. But under the surface, everyone has to deal with some problems. Ash is facing writer’s block with her new album, Rosita is enjoying her new life as a famous singer, but has less and less time for her family, Mike is still hiding from some angry bears, Meena may has overcome her insecurity when it comes to singing, but interviews are still a challenge for her, and Johnny wants to turn the garage he and his father used to live in into a youth center. And Buster has to keep the theater running while keeping Ms. Crawly from driving the new secretary crazy and writing a new play.

Chapter 28: Rosita

Rosita is glad that she doesn't have to sleep at the hotel any longer. She's glad that she and Norman don't have to pretend that everything is just fine between them any longer.

And she's totally happy that the spirit of their date still seems to linger around because Norman does all these little things he used to do before the daily routine got the best of their relationship, like giving her hand a little squeeze when he stands next to her longer than a few seconds or giving her a real kiss before leaving, not just a peck on her cheek. Or actually talking to her before they go to bed, just minor stuff, how their days were, what funny things the kids did that day, but Rosita loves it so very much.

What she doesn't like is the fact that she doesn't seem to be able to come up with a solution. She wracks her brain every free minute she has, even spends entire nights thinking about it, but so far, nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Like always when she thinks about it, Rosita feels how her chest tightens.

She should have a solution after hours and hours of thinking about it. Yes, she should, but she doesn't. And it leads to that terrible lump in her throat that makes breathing so very hard.

She hates it.

And what she hates even more is what this might mean. If she hasn't been able to come up with a solution yet, this could mean that there is no solution.

But it doesn't.

Rosita forcefully shakes her head.

No, it doesn't.

Because there is a solution. There has to be.

She just needs to think about it a little more.

Yes, that's what she's going to do.

She still has weeks to think about it, and if she spends every free minute, sometimes even more, on this problem, she'll find a solution.

If there is one.

Which there is.

She knows it.

She really does.

Rosita takes a deep breath before she enters the office space.

She can go back to thinking about her problem and the solution later. Now she has to talk to Cia.

"Hello, Ms. Crawly!" she greets the iguana, only surprised a little by the fact that she's sitting at her table quite relaxed and drinking a cup of tea or coffee or whatever it is. Usually, Ms. Crawly is doing something, really slowly, yes, but still something.

Rosita can't remember seeing her sitting at her table like that.

"Hello, Rosita!" Ms. Crawly returns the greeting. "Do you have a meeting with Mr. Moon today? I don't remember seeing that on today's calendar."

"No, no," Rosita says quickly. "I'm here to say hello to the new secretary."

"Ah, okay." There's something in Ms. Crawly's voice Rosita doesn't quite like, but she decides to ignore it and looks around the room.

She sets eyes on a young snow leopard-girl.

With a smile she steps closer.

"You must be Cia," she says, holding out her hand. "I'm Rosita."

The snow leopard looks up from her work with a frown, her eyes looking a bit unfocused before she smiles, too, clasps Rosita's hand and shakes it.

"Yes, I am," she replies. "Nice to meet you, Rosita!"

"Nice to meet you, too." Rosita's smile deepens.

A moment in silence passes where Rosita tries to think of the right words before she speaks up again.

"Look, Johnny told me you helped him out with the kids last Friday," she finally says. "I hope they weren't too much trouble."

"It was nothing!" Cia replies. "Your kids are sweet little angels."

"Why, thank you!" Rosita says. "They are. But they can be a handful sometimes. So thank you very much for helping Johnny out! I think he got a little ahead of himself there."

Cia bites down her lip at that, and Rosita can only presume what she's thinking right now. But if she had to guess she'd say that Johnny getting a little ahead of himself might have been a slight understatement.

She feels a bit bad at that. Poor Johnny! She tried to warn him, didn't she?

Well, it means she has even more reason to thank Cia for her help.

"I don't know how to thank you," Rosita says, reaching into her purse for her wallet, "so let me at least pay you for your services."

Cia looks at her with a raised eyebrow and with such a serious look on her face that Rosita chooses to lower her eyes.

"I don't know what hourly rate for a babysitter is right now, so would …"

"No," Cia cuts her short.

Rosita raises her eyes. "But let me at least…"

"No," Cia interrupts her again.

"But…"

"Rosita, I was helping out a friend," Cia explains. "I am not going to take your money."

"But…"

"I repeat: I am not going to take your money."

Rosita bites down her lip as she puts her wallet back into her purse.

How is she going to thank Cia now?

Her face lights up when she remembers something.

"I invited Johnny over for dinner tomorrow," she says. "Do you want to join us?"

Cia did speak of Johnny as a friend, so it should be fine if she invited her, too, right?

Cia just looks at her.

"If you're still free, of course," Rosita adds quickly. "And if you don't mind spending another evening with my kids."

"No, no, of course not!" Cia says hastily. "Your kids are great! And I am free tomorrow. So thanks for the invitation!"

"We eat at seven if that's okay."

"It is!"

"Are spaghetti fine for you?"

"Totally!"

Rosita smiles at her.

"By the way," she says, "I don't know what you did, but my kids keep asking me when you'll come over again. They say something about a little bag of wonders, but I have no idea what that means."

"Oh, that's our little secret," Cia replies with a wink.

"You have to tell me!" Rosita almost shouts. "I mean, you got them to clean up the living room!"

Cia laughs a little at that. "I'm sorry, Rosita, but us babysitters have to have our secrets or the little tricks won't work anymore."

"Oh." Rosita tries not to let her disappointment show, but fails miserably. "I see."

"I'm really sorry, Rosita!" Cia bites down her lip, and Rosita doesn't like that she seems to struggle with herself.

"How about this?" Cia speaks up before Rosita can say that it's really not that important. "I'll tell you after dinner tomorrow under two conditions."

"Okay."

"First, you must not tell anyone," Cia continues. "And second, you can't use the bag of wonders for yourself. Deal?"

"Deal!" Rosita says, and they shake hands on it. She's too curious to not agree to these conditions. "See you tomorrow, Cia!"

"Bye, Rosita!"

[meenasmoon]

Waiting for a Star to Fall - Prologue

So I bought that Dream Daddy game that everyone has been talking about and it’s really well done and fun. I couldn’t get the idea of creating a Sing version of my own with Meena as my main. You all know that I ship Johnny and Meena so that’s what this is going to be centered around but the other characters and their own relationships with each other and Meena will be fully developed. I’m kinda excited to explore the characters as parents and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Meena Jones let out a sigh of relief as she sat down on the faded couch that rested in the middle of her new living room. She leaned back into the cushions and looked around at her brand new house. The floor was littered with various boxes and the walls were still bare but already it was starting to feel like home. From where she sat she could see the modest but peaceful backyard, a bright, happy kitchen and a homey fireplace. She had found the house by chance in a culdesac two blocks away from her mother. The house had two bedrooms and all of the items on her wishlist. As soon as Meena saw it she put as much money down as she could and by some miracle she got the house.

  It wasn't that she didn't like living with her mother but the small yellow house that she had grown up in was getting kind of crowded now that her aging grandparents had moved in. Despite her family's protests she had decided to move out so that they could have more room. Besides, she was going to need more room soon as well. 

Meena hummed happily as she looked down at her swollen stomach and rubbed the bump gently. She felt a little flutter of movement under her hand and immediately her face lit up in a grin and her chest grew warm with affection. She had only been pregnant for four months but her stomach was large enough that her pregnancy was quite obvious. 

Meena felt her baby shift again insidebof her and suddenly the position she had been resting in was no longer comfortable. With a groan she pushed herself out of the couch cushions and back onto her feet. Her discomfort faded as she walked around the house, slowly exploring each box-filled room until she arrived at the only put together one. 

The second bedroom had been the one room she insisted that her family help her set up before they left for the day. It was her baby's room. The walls were painted a calming shade of mint green and a mix of various baby furniture filled the room, all inherited from her vast family. 

Meena settled down in her favorite furniture piece, her mother's rocking chair and slowly began to rock back and forth. The baby instantly began to kick quite insistently, making Meena wince through her smile. 

"Hush little one." She tried to soothe the baby by rubbing her belly and continuing the rocking motion but the kicking continued. Eager to calm her growing child and ease her own discomfort she searched her brain for a solution. Suddenly a familiar tune popped into her head and, throwing caution into the wind, she began to softly sing. Her angelic voice echoed throughout the room and through the open windows out onto the street where a curvy woman with a smattering of freckles on her face and short blonde hair was walking over with a plate of cookies. 

Rosita was wearing her favorite mom jeans and a pink button up the she saved for meeting and socializing with neighbors. Her brisk pace slowed as a sweet voice emanated faintly from her new neighbor's house. 

What the world needs now is love, sweet love

As Rosita walked up the path and to the front door the singing grew in volume and she couldn't help but lean in for a better listen. Naturally curious, she had decided to meet and investigate her new neighbor as soon as she saw the moving truck pull up to the house. As an excuse she had baked a fresh batch of cookies, saved a plateful from her ravenous children, and hurried on over to do her "meet and greet". This new development only made her that more anxious to meet whoever was in the house.

It's the only thing that there's just too little of

Rosita was loathe to interrupt the singing but she couldn't stand to contain herself any longer. She raised one dainty finger and firmly pressed down on the doorbell.

What the world needs now is love, sweet love,No not just for some but for everyone.

The singing stopped suddenly and Rosita heard movement as whoever was inside came to the door. Rosita did a final check of her appearance and let her dazzlingly bright smile spread across her face as she eagerly waited for her neighbor to make an appearance. Finally the door opened and Rosita found herself face to face with a very pregnant young woman. She was tall and curvy with mocha colored skin, long black hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was smiling shyly down at Rosita as she stood there in surprise.

"Hello dear." Rosita finally regained use of her tongue and suddenly she was back to her normal cheerful self.

"H-hello." The young woman nervously rested a hand on her pregnant belly and shifted slightly in the doorway.

"My name is Rosita Tenny and I live just next door." Meena glanced at the large house that Rosita gestured to off to her right.

"It's nice to meet you. My name is Meena Jones." The young woman gave Rosita a sincere smile that instantly made the mother in her feel protective over her new neighbor.

"I just came over to welcome you to the neighborhood." Rosita offered the plate of cookies and Meena gratefully took them, her eyes lighting up with joy.

"Thank you. I've been craving these." Meena shrugged sheepishly and eagerly ate one of the chocolate chip cookies. From the smile on her face Rosita could tell that her baking had hit just the right spot. Rosita let out a musical laugh and gently rested a hand on Meena's arm.

"I completely understand. Every time that I've been pregnant I've craved Rocky Road." Meena let out a little giggle around her mouthful of cookie and Rosita's big smile came back.

"I also wanted to invite you to a barbeque that I'm having on Saturday." Rosita chatted eagerly about the event for what seemed like an eternity before the sweet girl agreed to stop by. Her mission accomplished, Rosita bid her farewell and practically skipped home. She just couldn't wait to tell Norman the good news. 

Meanwhile, Meena scarfed down the rest of the cookies and headed back to her room. Thankfully her bed was ready and waiting for her when she shuffled in and all she had to do was collapse into it and pull the covers over her body. The sun has only just set and it was still early but she started work tomorrow and she was exhausted from moving. Or at least that's what she told herself as she relaxed in bed and cradled her belly. 

"Goodnight little love." She whispered aloud and the baby shifted in response. That night Meena fell asleep in her brand new house with a belly full of a cookies and a soft smile on her face. She had a feeling that she was going to like this new neighborhood.

Next

[meenasmoon]

Singing in the Moonlight Ch 9: Celestial

A short but emotional chapter. Not much else to say. Be prepared for the feels.

Dried tears stained Meena's cheeks like ink and her eyes were red with emotion, but she never seemed more confident to the people around her. They all had yet to see a true guitar performance from their friend and as she delicately tuned the strings in preparation for her performance, the room fell silent. Johnny leaned against the wall where Meena's guitar had been just moments ago. From his vantage point he could see the small flash of nerves in her eyes and how quickly it disappeared the moment her grandfather rested his hand on her knee. The small touch was simultaneously a comfort and an encouragement that inspired her deep breath and the first tentative notes sprang from her fingers.

The melody was simple and relaxed, so soft that the tension in the room seemed to lose its strength and fade out. It was as if the guitar made everyone take a deep breath and release their worries, their fears, their pain. Smiles started to grow like flowers after a rainstorm but none were brighter that Meena's grandfather as he watched his granddaughter close her eyes and begin to sing in that soft angelic voice he had treasured since she first discovered her music.

Oh, what a marvelous sight

Oceans turn to gold right before my eyes

Her voice was soft, tentative as she got used to her voice melding with the notes that floated from her guitar. A small smile pulled at the corners of her mouth but her sheer concentration kept it at bay. Her gaze was locked onto the guitar as if looking up would cause everything to fall apart.

  That vibrant color I crave

Wish I could taste

Take me there, take me there

Slowly her confidence blossomed and her voice grew stronger, more passionate as she communicated her pure wonder at the world with her music. She looked up and her blue eyes were sparkling with a myriad of emotions. The remained locked on her grandfather as he smiled happily up at her, relaxed into the pillows of his bed.

I’ll dive in the sky, oh the water’s alive

I’ll float down to soak in the stars

Swim away from the night, I am swallowed by light

Meena's smile suddenly grew as she relaxed into the music, her fingers effortlessly flying over the strings, letting the gentle melody calm the room around her. She looked shyly up at Johnny as she sang the last line of the chorus. He blushed briefly but gave her an encouraging smile that had her turning her attention back to the room around her. Her audience was hanging onto her every word, her every note.

Suddenly love doesn’t seem very far

Her voice trailed off but she continued to strum her guitar, her hauntingly beautiful song extending past their room and out into the hallway. the nurses paused at their station and turned towards the corner room where soft guitar was emanating out to the hospital. The nurse assigned to the room drifted over in a mesmerized haze and stood in the doorway so that she could listen to the music.

Next door, an old sheep surrounded by solemn family and cold machines let out a sigh of relief as the calming music settled his loved ones and the weak heart desperately trying to beat in his chest. He closed his eyes and hummed along with the song even though he had no idea what the lyrics were. His raspy voice joined by his children and their families until the room was filled with the song.

Down the hall a wolf couple stared down at the wriggling pink bundle that they cradled delicately in their embrace. The new parents had been unable to settle the child even after she had eaten an been cleaned she still squabbled uncomfortably in the bright new world that she had been thrust into. It was an experience that was equally difficult for mothers and babies alike and anxiety mounted as the baby refused to relax. The faint notes of the song drifted into the quiet room and as if by magic her cries dissipated into whimpers that were easily silenced as she took in the scent of her mother and the warmth of her parents' embrace.

Meena's voice rose once more as her smile grew and Johnny felt like his pounding heart might just stop so that the only sound he could hear would be her singing. He, along with every one else, was mesmerized by the image that she crated, perched on the chair, guitar held close, fingers gliding over the chords, and bright joy coming off of her in waves.

Here in this castle that sits on a cloud

Something consumes this heart, rooted deep down

Now slowly I’m falling

But I don’t need saving

You’ve already got me

You’ve already got me

The chords were deeper and rose with her voice until they were equally strong. Passersby were drawn to the doorway and soon it was crowded with strangers as they watched the impromptu performance. Meena didn't even notice them, her eyes closed and her voice soaring through each lyric like a bird in the sky.

This celestial glow is blinding

For a moment Johnny's world stopped and he realized how wrong the line was in that moment. Her celestial glow was blinding. He had seen Meena perform before and he had memorized every look, every happy glint in her eyes, but this was a whole new level of majesty. He realized just how much deeper, how much purer a performance became once the song was an original, once you realized that every word came from a place deep inside the performer. His mouth went dry and his eyes went wide as an unfamiliar emotion spread through his body, making his limbs tingle oddly and his head grew light.

Just when he thought it couldn't get any better Meena's voice slowed and softened once more as her strumming grew gentle and soothing. He didn't realize it but Meena's grip on his heart seemed to solidify with every note.

I’ll dive in the sky, oh the water’s alive

Meena painted a picture of a fantasy world once more, where she could immerse herself in the heavens and let their calming serenity permeate her entire being. Johnny felt his legs go weak and his imagination pranced away with his logic as he fervently hoped that someday he could give her that dream, bring her to that world.

I’ll float down to soak in the stars

The young wolf cub opened her mouth into a yawn that hit her with such force that she let out a surprised squeak. Her tiny eyes disappeared under her eyelids and suddenly the precious bundle of joy was sleeping peacefully on her mother's chest. Her doting father and loving mother gazed down at their new child and silently thanked whatever angel had brought calm to her with the gift of a song.

Swim away from the night, I’m swallowed by light

Next door, surrounded by his singing family and the warmth of their love, an old sheep closed his eyes for the final time, a relieved sigh escaping his lips just as his heart stilled and his spirit left. His family members, while stricken by his loss, continued to hum along to Meena's song as they each said their farewells, each hoping that he found the celestial place that the music spoke of.

Suddenly love doesn’t seem very far

Take me there, take me there

Meena let the last words linger in the air as she slowly strummed the last few notes of the song. When she finally went silent no one was quite willing to break the silence, so they all remained under the spell of her song, frozen in the room. After a few minutes Meena began to shift nervously as she looked around, wondering if her song was good or if no one could think of a way to let her down gently. Making a decision she turned towards her grandfather and anxiously asked him.

"Was the song ok Grandpa?" Her voice was a mere whisper as her anxiety fought to consume her, but as soon as her grandfather spoke the frantic feeling was washed away by a tidal wave of relief and pride.

"Baby girl." He reached out and took her hand in his own, giving it a loving squeeze, despite his shaking hands, "The angels were jealous of you just now."

Meena's face broke into a huge grin and she pulled her grandfather into a tight, relieved, embrace. He just chuckled hoarsely and held her close in return, kissing her cheek gently.

"We're not a family when you're not there with us. So don't you do running off again." He whispered so that only Meena could hear. She choked back a happy sob, replacing it with a laugh and nodded vigorously in the embrace.

"I promise."

First

Previous

Next

[meenasmoon]

Prompt: JEALOUS JOHNNY!!!!! 😍

Jealous Johnny is a personal fav of mine because he is a total hunk and who does he have to be jealous of? Let’s be real. No one. But to him Meena is an angel of perfection and anyone who tries to step in on his relationship is gonna be taught a lesson.

Just A Little Jealous

Johnny’s monstrous black truck pulled up to the front of the community college late in the afternoon just as classes were ending for the day. He turned off the truck just enough so that the radio was still blasting but he wasn’t wasting gas. He leaned back in his seat and watched the doors for Meena. She had been taking some advanced cooking classes at the college for the past few weeks and she was really starting to enjoy them. Every time she came over she would make the new recipe that she learned in class for him. The class simultaneously increased her knowledge and skill while feeding him new and glamorous meals. Today was his first day picking her up from the college because her mom had to work late and the family car was in the shop. 

The campus was deserted as of now but classes would end in a few minutes so he was expecting Meena to appear at any second. The song on the radio changed as students began to pour out of the building and towards the street. The strong beat of the song shook the truck slightly but Johnny didn’t pay too much attention to it, he was still focused on his search for Meena in the crowd.

 Suddenly he caught sight of her walking down the steps and his heart reflexively skipped a beat. Even though they had been dating for a while now his heart still reacted every time he saw her. He straightened up in his seat and reached for the keys to start the car when he saw something that made his blood turn to ice in his veins. 

The crowd parted a little bit and revealed to him a handsome moose who was walking down the steps with Meena. They were talking intently about something as they walked, and Johnny watched as the moose touched her arm and leaned in towards her. Johnny felt cold fury run through him and his muscled form immediately tensed.

 I don’t like the way he’s looking at you 

Meena, his sweet Meena, seemed completely oblivious to the advances that her new friend was making. She only ever saw the good in people, and it was one of her greatest strengths. As well as one of her biggest weaknesses. Johnny’s hand changed direction from the ignition to the door handle, his gaze still glued to the pair as they slowly walked towards the truck.

I’m starting to think you want him too 

Am I crazy? Have I lost ya? 

Even though I know you love me, can’t help it 

A part of him whispered that she obviously liked him back if she wasn’t brushing him off, but Johnny quickly locked that part of him away. He couldn’t doubt Meena! She had given him absolutely no reason to do so.  

“So she has a new friend? So what?” He murmured to himself, his hand gripping the door handle so tightly that his fingers started to turn white. 

What little rationality he had managed to restore disappeared as soon as the moose brushed his hand down Meena’s arm and grinned like he had just won the lottery. He trusted Meena with his life but the moose… he trusted him as far as he could throw him. 

I turn my cheek, music up 

And I’m puffing my chest

I’m getting red in the face 

You can call me obsessed 

Deciding to have a little fun with the punk while asserting himself as Meena’s boyfriend, Johnny opened his door and left the truck on, the music still blasting out of the windows. As he rounded the bed of the truck and came to stand in front of the passenger side door he let himself get worked up a little until his chest was puffed out, his muscles tensed, and his face slightly red from the increased blood flow. 

It’s not your fault that they hover 

I mean no disrespect 

It’s my right to be hellish 

I still get jealous 

He was way past worrying about Meena’s loyalty to him and their relationship and now his aggression was focused on the moose that was steadily approaching him. Meena couldn’t help that she was so beautiful, so kind, and had the voice of an angel. And if this was a friend from her cooking class there was no doubt that he could see her talent in the kitchen. She was the perfect woman and any other man would be blind not to see it. He just never prepared himself for the day that someone else noticed. 

‘Cause you’re too sexy, beautiful 

And everybody wants a taste 

That’s why (that’s why) 

I still get jealous 

As he watched her walk towards him, the sun lighting up her smile and sending a new wave of emotions through him. She may not walk as confidently as some of the other girls but that was just because she didn’t need to show off or preen in front of everyone. She was more than he could ever ask for and she didn’t even believe it, even though he told her practically everyday. She just laughed and blushed, brushing it off as flattery. 

‘Cause you’re too sexy, beautiful 

And everybody wants a taste 

That’s why (that’s why) 

I still get jealous 

Maybe it was time he convinced her. 

I wish you didn’t have to post it all 

I wish you’d save a little bit just for me 

Protective or possessive, yeah 

Call it passive or aggressive 

Meena finally caught sight of him as leaned up against the car casually. She gasped when she saw him and waved excitedly, her smile growing even larger and brighter before his very eyes. This time the magic of her joy sparkled in her eyes as well and Johnny’s heart pounded faster in his chest. She picked up the pace, the moose still trailing behind her and openly gaping at her marvelous smile. 

The good feeling was faded into the background as his jealousy flared up again. Her smile was one of the world’s treasures as far as he was concerned, but sometimes he wished that he could be the only one to see that smile. He wished that it was reserved for him, that she kept it at bay until only he could experience that warm feeling that it always evoked. Then again, Meena wasn’t that kind of animal. She was the kind of animal who wanted to make others happy and there was no way in hell that Johnny was going to stop her selfless and slightly naive mission. After all, how could he deny anyone else that happy feeling that she always stirred up inside of him? That had to be a crime. And if it wasn’t it should be. 

I turn my cheek, music up 

And I’m puffing my chest 

I’m getting red in the face 

You can call me obsessed 

He shook himself away from those dreamy musings as Meena turned to her friend and gestured to Johnny as she said something that Johnny couldn’t hear. However, he could assume it was about their relationship by the way that the moose’s face soured briefly before returning to an increasingly strained attempt at an easy going smile. 

It’s not your fault that they hover 

I mean no disrespect 

It��s my right to be hellish 

I still get jealous 

Johnny smirked triumphantly and uncrossed his arms to receive Meena as she hurried towards him, leaving her friend in the dust. ’That’s right buddy. I’m the boyfriend.’ He thought to himself, actually fighting the urge to say it out loud. He soon found himself thoroughly distracted as Meena threw herself into his arms, embracing him tightly. 

‘Cause you’re too sexy, beautiful 

And everybody wants a taste 

That’s why (that’s why) 

I still get jealous 

Johnny’s welcoming smile turned a little devious as he swung Meena into a shallow dip and sealed his lips over hers in a passionate kiss. She let out a noise of surprise but didn’t resist his advances, rather she encouraged them by kissing him back with equal fervor. For a moment Johnny forgot about his rival and lost himself in the kiss, tightening his grip on her waist and closing his eyes ever so slightly.  

‘Cause you’re too sexy, beautiful 

And everybody wants to taste 

That’s why (that’s why) 

I still get jealous 

Eventually he had to release her and slowly their lips parted, leaving them both panting and Meena a little dazed. Johnny felt pride well up inside of him at the dreamy look in her eyes as she touched her lips with her hand and blushed heavily. 

You’re the only one invited 

I said there’s no one else for you 

‘Cause you know I get excited, yeah 

When you get jealous too 

“ ‘Ello love.” He winked at her, making her blush darken slightly. Johnny turned to Meena’s companion, who was looking decidedly uncomfortable and very angry. 

“And ‘oo is this?” He asked coolly, but his eyes were like steel and his muscles were completely tensed, ready for a fight. 

“Oh this is Marcus. He’s my partner in cooking class.” Meena hurried to introduce her friend, slightly embarrassed that she had been too caught up to properly introduce him before. 

I turn my cheek, music up 

And I’m puffing my chest 

I’m getting red in the face 

You can call me obsessed 

Johnny reached out and politely shook the moose’s hand, never looking away from his eyes as if his gaze alone could communicate that Johnny was onto his little crush and it wasn’t going to fly. As he retracted his hand he made sure to squeeze the moose’s hand just a little too tightly, and his frosty smile was replaced by a blank glare. 

“Nice ter meetcha mate.” He said in a stiff tone before turning back to Meena.  

It’s not your fault that they hover 

I mean no disrespect 

It’s my right to be hellish 

I still get jealous 

He ran a finger down her cheek, savoring the felling of her skin and the way that she leaned into his touch. 

“ ‘Ow was your day beautiful?” He asked and Meena absolutely lit up as she chattered on about the fantastic new recipe that they had learned in class that day. She rambled on about the techniques that the teacher taught them, using words that flew straight over Johnny’s head. Even though he had no idea what she was talking about just hearing her enthusiasm and happiness was enough for him. 

‘Cause you’re too sexy, beautiful 

And everybody wants a taste 

That’s why (that’s why) 

I still get jealous 

“It really was a sight to see. Meena can flambé with the best of them.” Marcus suddenly cut in and Johnny almost growled in frustration. Meena blushed slightly at the compliment and Johnny felt like he might explode with fury. How dare he make her blush?! 

“I’m sure she does. That’s me Meena.” Johnny grasped Meena’s hand affectionately and gave it a little squeeze. To his utter satisfaction Meena’s blush deepened and she leaned over to bestow a small kiss on his cheek. 

“Oh stop.” She giggled and Johnny stepped back to open the passenger door for Meena. 

“Well we better get garn.” Johnny said as he helped Meena into the truck and shut the door behind her, securing her in his vehicle, “See ya Marvin.” He purposely said the wrong name as he hurried over to the driver’s side of the truck and hopped in next to Meena. 

‘Cause you’re too sexy, beautiful 

And everybody wants a taste 

That’s why (that’s why) 

I still get jealous 

“Bye Marcus.” Meena waved happily from the truck, speaking a little louder over the pounding music. Marcus boldly stepped up to the truck and leaned over to address Meena. 

“I was going to ask you if you wanted to go check out that new French restaurant downtown.” Johnny’s face was murderous in that moment as he marveled at the ballsy moose who was asking his girlfriend out right in front of him. 

“Oh. Johnny took me there last week. It was lovely. I do recommend it. Enjoy.” She turned him down cheerfully and Johnny turned on the truck, awakening the beastly engine from its short nap, “I’ll see you in class.” 

Meena waved to Marcus as they pulled away and Johnny gunned the engine so that it roared threateningly and pushed them far away from Marcus who just watched them go morosely. 

Oh (that’s why) 

I still get jealous 

Meena was quiet for a second as she looked Johnny over and pondered the events that had just occurred. Suddenly it hit her. She smiled mischievously at her boyfriend who was currently sporting the smuggest smile that she had ever seen. 

She turned down the music so that she didn’t have to yell and then leaned over so that her hand was resting on Johnny’s thigh. 

“Johnny… were you jealous?” She probed and Johnny’s smug look disappeared as he glanced at her, trying to gauge her reaction. When he saw the playful smile and felt her hand squeeze his thigh slightly he leaned back in his seat and tried to act cool. 

Oh (that’s why) 

I still get jealous 

“Maybe just a lil’ bit.”

[meenasmoon]

Appendicitis

This one was kinda fun to write and I hope that I fulfilled these prompts as they were meant to be filled. I’m back and ready to rock everyone!! Let’s get this party started.

Appendicitis

He knew as soon as he saw the delicate little flower swaying in the breeze and soaking up sunlight that it was perfect for Meena. Gently he plucked the flower from the ground and added it to the growing bouquet of daisies in his hand. He examined it critically, wondering if it was big enough or if he needed to gather some more flowers. The decision was made for him when the sound of his truck’s horn honking came from behind him. He stood up and looked over at the truck where Ash was gesturing impatiently for him to hurry up. He rolled his eyes but began carefully making his way through the field towards where they were parked on the side of the road. When he was clear of the flowers he jogged over to the driver’s side and slid into the seat next to Ash.

“Took ya long enough.” She shoved him gently but he just chuckled and searched through the glove compartment for something.

“It ‘as ter be special. Ya kna that.” Ash shook her head but he ignored her as he rifled through the mess in his glove compartment. Finally he pulled out a faded, but very pretty, purple ribbon. Deftly he tied the flowers together into a proper bouquet, finishing it off with an adorable little bow. He painstakingly adjusted the bow until it was perfect and then handed it to Ash. She immediately accepted it, cradling it against her chest as he buckled up and pulled out onto the road once more.

Within minutes they were pulling into the vast hospital parking lot. Luckily they had been able to find a parking spot in the sea of cars, and were soon walking into the lobby of the Mercy Heart Hospital. The antelope at the front desk directed them to the elevator with a smile before turning back to her computer screen. As they stood in the elevator, watching the numbers light up as they steadily ascended. Johnny nervously tapped his foot on the tile floor, gripping the homemade bouquet against his chest like a lifeline.

“She’ll be fine.” Ash suddenly said, shattering the silence as nonchalantly as possible, her hands shoved in her pockets as she casually leaned against the wall of the elevator.

“Wot?” Johnny looked down at her, unsure of what she was talking about. Ash smiled and nudged him lightly before leaning back against the wall.

“Meena. She’s gonna be fine Johnny. It’s just minor surgery.”

“Oh. I kna.” He tried to shrug off the worry that had been hanging over him since Meena’s mom had called him in the middle of the night saying that they were going to the hospital. Of course he had been panicked at the thought of Meena going to the hospital but Meena's mom had reassured him that as soon as visiting hours began the next day he would be able to come visit her. He had spent the rest of the night lying in bed, panicking silently to himself.

The ding of the elevator pulled him from his reverie and he led the way through the winding hallways. As they neared Meena's room his heart began pounding heavily against his ribcage. Up ahead he could see a team of nurses wheeling a large hospital bed into a room and his mouth immediately went dry when he recognized the room number as Meena's.

He stepped aside to let the nurse’s leave before slowly stepping into the well-lit, spacious room. The hospital bed had been placed against the windows on the far side of the room and was currently surrounded by the small family of elephants. Tentatively Johnny walked forward, Ash following close behind. Meena’s mom turned around when she heard movement in the doorway and her face split into a huge grin when she saw Ash and Johnny standing a few feet away. She gestured them over to the hospital bed and stepped back to reveal Meena.

She was swaddled in hospital blankets and was smiling despite where she was. Tubes had been hooked up to her in various places and she was surrounded by machines that were monitoring her heart rate, blood pressure, and the amount of morphine that flowed through her system. As Johnny got closer Meena’s mom leaned over and gently brushed a hand against her daughter’s forehead to get her attention.

“Look who’s here honey.” She whispered and Meena turned the full force of her cheery, but tired, smile on Johnny.

“Johnny.” She breathed out as if in relief and deliberately reached her hand out for him. He hurried over to her side and clasped her weak hand in his own.

“ ‘Ello love.” He said softly and tenderly kissed her forehead. Ash walked over casually and began sorting through the food that had been left on Meena’s hospital tray. She selected a cup of Jell-O and began devouring it casually.

“Wassup Meena.” She greeted her friend and Meena let loose a round of giggles as she watched her friend devour the cup of Jell-O.

“Hi Ash.” She said softly and waved at her friend. Ash raised an eyebrow in confusion and smirked as she realized that their sweet little Meena was flying high as a kite on hardcore pain meds.

“Hah they hooked ya up with the good stuff huh?” She chuckled and Meena nodded solemnly in response. Johnny sent Ash a warning look but she disregarded it without a thought. She pulled out her cell phone and opened the camera app, pointing the phone at Meena’s form.

“ ’A ‘re ya feelin’ love?” Johnny focused Meena’s attention back on him and she immediately gave him a dreamy look.

“I could fly away with you right now.” She declared, much to Johnny’s confusion and Ash’s delight.

“It’s a date love. But let’s stay in the ‘ospital for a lil’ while longer.” He chuckled but Meena didn’t reply as her attention was drawn towards the humble bouquet of daisies that were still clasped in his hands.

“Oooh. What did you bring?” She asked, trying desperately to focus on the flowers clasped in his hands. Johnny kicked himself inwardly for forgetting about the flowers and quickly checked to make sure he hadn't crushed them in his hurry to get to Meena. They were a little smushed but still in great shape so Johnny proudly handed them over to Meena. She cradled them in her hand and took a deep breath in order to take in their scent.

As soon as the scent registered in her drug-fogged mind she cuddled them close to her face so that she could take in their scent even more. Johnny chuckled and gently pulled the poor suffocated flowers away from her face. Meena gave him a stricken look, immediately upset that he was taking away her gift. Thinking quickly Johnny placed the flowers on her bedside table along with the cards and balloons that she had been gifted and proceeded to cup her cheeks in his hands.

"Na daan't get upset love. I just wanna clock that beautiful face of yours. Na can I 'ave a smile?" He grinned when Meena treated him to a bright smile and he kissed her forehead lovingly.

“I want soup.” She suddenly stated and everyone burst into laughter at the innocent look on her face. Her stomach decided to corroborate her statement by releasing a loud growl that echoed through her room. Meena looked down at her stomach in shock and then her gaze shot to her mother.

“Did I swallow a monster?” She whispered, her eyes wide with worry. Her mom desperately tried to hold back her laughter as she patted her daughter’s hand reassuringly.

“No honey. You’re just hungry.” Meena nodded solemnly and then looked around the room for her food.

“Well where is my food?” She frowned at Ash who held up her hands in surrender but didn’t stop filming. Johnny nodded to Meena’s mom, motioning that he would be right back. He hurried down to his truck and reached under the seat to pull out a big container of homemade soup. He jogged back up to the room, careful not to spill anything lest he suffer Meena’s ‘wrath’.

When he walked back into the room Meena lit up again and waved to him.

“Johnny!” She exclaimed and then looked at him in confusion, “What are you doing here?”

He laughed and pulled a chair over next to her bedside, “I’m ‘ re ter clock ya pretty girl.” Meena turned bright red and hid her face in the blankets. She leaned over to her mom and whispered loudly.

“He’s here to see me mom.” Her mom smiled and patted her hand.

“I know honey.” She chuckled and Meena’s attention turned back to Johnny. He produced the special container of soup and set it on the tray table in front of her. Meena’s eyes lit up immediately at the sight of it.

“Is that…?” She gasped comically and Johnny took the lid off of the container so that the scent could fill the room.

“I brought ya sum of Rosita’s soup.” He winked and Meena reached up to hug him but stopped when her hand came into contact with his soft hair. She gaped at him as she ran her fingers through his spiky hair, marveling at its texture.

“Um… wotcha doin’ there?” He laughed and watched her as she thoroughly messed up his hairstyle. She didn’t reply for a second, still playing with his silky locks and humming to herself.

“You hair is like a baby angel.” She gasped as if discovering this fact for the first time. Ash snickered from her position at the end of the hospital bed. Johnny sent her an amused look and tried to bring Meena’s attention back to the soup in front of her.

"Uh... Thanks. ‘Owabaht ya 'ave sum soup na? It’s made special for ya.” Meena nodded and sat up slightly in the bed. As she was reaching for the spoon an annoyed look appeared on her face. She tried to stare down at her mouth and frowned when she couldn’t seem to get the angle that she wanted.

“My mouth isn’t working right for soup.” She pouted and moved her jaw, opening and closing her mouth one more time before shaking her head and pouting. Johnny shook his head in playful exasperation and grabbed the spoon and the soup from the tray.

“ ‘Owabaht I ‘elp ya?” Meena seemed to think it over for a second before nodding her agreement. Carefully Johnny measured out a spoonful of the soup and blew on it until he was satisfied that it was the perfect temperature. He leaned forward and slowly fed it to Meena, making sure that she didn't spit it out or get distracted. Ash had turned on the TV and was glued to a game show called Family Feud. As soon as the show came on Meena’s attention was split between the soup, Johnny’s hair, and the competition on screen. After she finished the soup she lay back in her bed and insisted on playing a game with Johnny.

The ’game’ consisted of her hiding behind her ears and then unfurling them to reveal her face twisted into some funny expression. Johnny couldn’t help but laugh as his girlfriend, who was almost an adult, essentially played peek-a-boo with him. He tried to stop Ash from taking pictures of Meena as she made faces but he could only prevent so much while still holding Meena’s attention. Meena’s mother had long since left to take Meena’s grandparents home for the day so she had left Johnny in charge.

That was around the time that disaster struck. This time when Meena unfurled her ears it was to reveal a look of great pain and she reached down to clutch at her stomach where the incision was still fresh and obviously agitated. Johnny caught her hand before she could touch it and held it in his own. He blushed as he lifted up the hospital gown to check on the wound. He took a quick glance, relieved that the wound was still sealed and didn’t look too red.

“Johnny.” She whimpered and he quickly put her hospital gown down and focused back on her face. “Hurts.” She whimpered and tried to reach down again but she was no match for Johnny’s strength.

“I’ll go get a nurse.” Ash said from somewhere behind him and he just nodded in response, still holding onto Meena’s hands. A few seconds later a nurse came in and upped her morphine dosage on the machine. The medicine began flowing through the tubes into Meena’s arm but it didn’t have the immediate effect that Johnny had been hoping for. Meena was still squirming slightly and letting out little squeaks of pain.

Johnny looked up at the nurse for answers and she smiled down at them sympathetically. “It should take effect in a few minutes. Until then you’ll have to distract her.” She checked Meena’s vitals and then walked back out to her desk. Johnny looked to Ash for ideas but she just went over to the other side of Meena’s bed and held her other hand. She sent Johnny a worried look when Meena whimpered again and looked back and forth between the two of them.

Suddenly it hit Johnny and he began stroking her hand with his thumb as he hummed softly. Meena stopped wriggling and looked at him in confusion, trying to place the tune that he was humming.

“Come on. Ya kna this wahn.” he nodded to Ash who began humming along with him, “We’ll sin’ it together.”

Twinkle, twinkle, little star,


How I wonder what you are.


Up above the world so high,


Like a diamond in the sky.


Johnny and Ash started slowly, singing softly and squeezing Meena’s hand. She took a few deep breaths and shakily her sweet voice joined their little choir.

When the blazing sun is gone,


When he nothing shines upon,


Then you show your little light,


Twinkle, twinkle, all the night.


Her hands were still shaking slightly and she was in pain but Meena’s voice grew stronger and surer with each note, trying to convince her body that the pain would go away soon. It was hard to think that way when her stomach was searing with red-hot pain. it was almost worse that when she had woken up in the middle of the night last night with horrifying pain nearly paralyzing her in bed. Her mother had had to practically carry her to the car because she could barely move.

Then the traveler in the dark,


Thanks you for your tiny spark,


He could not see which way to go,


If you did not twinkle so.


A numb feeling began to spread through her toes and slowly worked its way up her legs until it blossomed in her stomach and spread to soothe the pulsing pain that pounded throughout her body. Her grip on her friends’ hands loosened slightly as she felt her body start to relax.

In the dark blue sky you keep,


And often through my curtains peep,


For you never shut your eye,


Till the sun is in the sky.


Johnny gave her an encouraging smile as he felt her grip loosen and scooted forward so he could stroke her forehead with his hand. His warm voice melded with hers wonderfully and Ash’s raspy tone added a new level to their little song.

As your bright and tiny spark,


Lights the traveler in the dark.


Though I know not what you are,


Twinkle, twinkle, little star.


Meena felt the last little pockets of pain disappear as they were met with the power of the morphine. her head became fuzzy again and her eyelids felt like they were attached to ten-pound weights. She could barely keep them open, but that didn’t stop her from singing. Her voice grew softer and the words were a little slurred, but it was helping to relax her.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.


How I wonder what you are.


Up above the world so high,


Like a diamond in the sky.


Johnny and Ash stopped singing as they came to the last couple of lines and watched as Meena’s head lolled to the side and her eyes closed. She was on the very precipice of sleep, still clutched their hands and mumbling the words to herself.

Twinkle, twinkle, little star.


How I wonder what you are.


How I wonder what you are.

With the last verse she was sleeping soundly. Johnny lowered her bed to a more comfortable position and pulled her blanket up to cover her. Ash gently extracted her hand from Meena’s grasp and lowered the volume on the TV, switching the channel to an old black and white movie channel that she had been wanting to see. Johnny leaned back in his chair, still holding Meena’s hand, and settled in for the rest of the day.

Meena’s mom came back a little while later and Meena woke up enough to start a conversation before falling back asleep mid-sentence. When night fell and Meena’s mom began to settle in to sleep in the hospital Johnny stood up along with Ash and went to gather his things. He was stopped by Meena’s grip on his hands, and her sleepy blue eyes that he would do anything for.

“Johnny? Where are you going?” She asked quietly, her voice still heavy with sleep.

“It’s time for me ter go home love.” He whispered and Meena’s sleepy look immediately transformed into a look filled with such sadness that it made his heart ache in his chest. Meena seemed to struggle with something for a second before she looked back up at him with her wide baby blues.

“Will you stay with me?” She asked softly and Johnny’s heart melted in his chest. There was no way that he could say no to her.

“Of course.” he tossed the keys to Ash as she came over to give Meena a brief goodbye hug. Once Ash was gone Meena scooted over in her bed just enough that Johnny could slide in next to her. She cuddled up to his chest and sighed deeply in contentment.

“Thanks for staying with me.” She mumbled against his chest and Johnny smiled, stroking her side ever so softly.

“Always.” He whispered against her forehead and they drifted off to sleep, Johnny content with the fact that she was safe in his arms.