#towing company savannah

[lawsend]

Murder at Vista Heights Chapter 2

Series: Law’s End

Episode 1: Murder at Vista Heights

Fandom: The Royal Romance (loosely, there’s not much canon in here).

Pairings: None yet

Word Count: 2,622

Rating: MA

Warnings for series: adult themes, any given chapter may contain murder, violence, language, drinking, drug use, etc.

My other stuff can be found on my main blog @angelasscribbles here is the Master List.

They pulled up in front of a row of buildings. Walker and Son Investigations sat near the middle of the block; the name emblazoned on a plate glass window that overlooked the street. A dry cleaner on one side, a coffee shop on the other.

“Can you believe I found parking on the street?” Riley gloated as she parked the Tahoe at the curb.

“I’m pretty sure this is tow away zone, Riley…”

“It’s fine, we won’t be in there that long!”

Max heaved a long-suffering sigh, knowing from experience it was fruitless to argue with her when she was hot on the trail of a story. She became focused to the point of being obsessed, stubborn, pigheaded, and bossy.

Not that he didn’t like the bossy part.

She also became excited, exhilarated, and spontaneous. Her eyes sparkled and her enthusiasm was contagious. Despite the abuse and neglect of his precious Estelle, he enjoyed her single-minded determination very much. His adventures with her were worth the risks to his car.

A dark-haired woman looked up from her desk when the bell tinkled as they entered the tiny office. “Welcome to Walker and Son Investigations, how may I help you today?”

Max peered around Riley, “Hey, Savannah!”

“Oh, hi Max!” her face lit up in recognition, “What are you doing here today? Who’s your friend?”

“This is Riley. We’re looking for Drake. Is he in?” Max’s eyes scanned the room, taking in the other three desks in the room, all empty.  

“Yeah, he’s in the back, moving boxes of files into storage,” She lifted her head and raised her voice, “Drake!”

It took a minute but a man appeared from the hallway at the back of the office, “Do you really have to scream like that? You could have just-Oh! Shit, sorry! Didn’t realize we had company!” He wiped his hands quickly on his pants to get rid of the dust and extended one toward Riley, “Drake Walker, PI, at your service! And you are?”

Riley shook his hand as she took in his appearance. He looked to be in his late twenties to early thirties, tall, broad-shouldered, definitely worked out, with chestnut hair that hung just below his ears. His eyes were the color of gold-flecked copper as they bore into her, and his touch sent electricity jolting down her arm. She certainly wouldn’t kick him out of her bed.

“Riley Brooks, I was hoping I could ask you a few questions.”

“Sure,” he grinned at her as he motioned to his desk, “Have a seat. So, what do you need?” He asked as he settled into his chair across the desk from her and Max, “Cheating husband? Lost dog? Background check on a new boyfriend?”

“No, nothing like that,” she laughed.

He leaned forward with a smirk, “So you’re single?”

“I am. Why do you ask?”

“I find it hard to believe that a woman with your…” his eyes dipped down her body and back up, “attributes is single.”

She rewarded him with a coy smile, “I could say the same about you.”

“Maybe we could discuss it over dinner sometime?”

The grin on Riley’s face broadened but Max leaned forward, clearing his throat, “Yeah, she’s too focused on her career for serious dating. Could we get back to the subject?”

Drake barely glanced at Max before asking Riley, “What’s the subject?”

“What do you know about Katie Sloan?”

Drake turned his head to give Max a suspicious look before returning his gaze to Riley, “Who’s that?”

“The wife of Sloane Enterprises CEO, William Sloan.”

Shooting an accusing glare at Max, Drake snapped, “What makes you think I would know anything about her?”

“Because you had me follow her!” Max blurted out.

This time the look Drake gave him was murderous, “Have you ever heard of client confidentiality Beaumont? What the fuck?”

“I….” Max’s shifted nervously in his seat, “Not really…”

“Well, if I did pay you to follow someone, then you’re bound by the same standards I am with regard to client privacy!”

“No one told me that!” Max gulped.

“Savannah!” Drake bellowed at his sister.

“What? I was rushed that day; I didn’t get a chance to cover everything. I sent him home with some paperwork.”

Drake heaved a long-suffering sigh as he muttered under his breath about being surrounded by incompetence before snapping at Max, “Did you read it?”

“No…” Max admitted, “It seemed pretty boring.”

Drake shook his head as he looked up at the ceiling as if asking God himself for guidance. After several deep breaths, he returned his attention to Riley, “Why are you asking questions about Katie Sloan?”

“Because Max photographed her with Trenton Hayes.”

“So?”

“So he’s dead. Someone just shot him.”

Drake froze for a moment, his face expressionless as he gazed at her. “That’s unfortunate for him, but I don’t know anything about it. What did you say you do for a living? You’re not a cop.”

“How do you know that?”

“I know. Now who are you really and why are asking so many questions about a homicide?”

“I’m an investigative journalist.”

“You’re a reporter?”

“Investigative journalist and true crime author.” She corrected him.

“Anything I’ve read?”

“I don’t know. Do you read true crime?”

“Not really.”

“Then I’m guessing not.”

“Well, Miss Brooks, sorry I couldn’t help you, but even if I theoretically hired Beaumont here to follow this Katie Sloan, I couldn’t tell you.” Drake pushed away from the desk and stood up.

Riley stood, but made no move to leave, “If you theoretically did hire him for that, what might be a theoretical reason?”

“Yeah, I’m not doing that.”

“What’s the harm in playing a game of theoreticals?”

“Nice try but I wouldn’t stay in business very long if I went around-“

“I’ll go to dinner with you!”

Drake froze again, “What?”

Max also froze, “What?”

Ignoring Max, she took a step closer to Drake, reaching out and adjusting the collar of his shirt, “I said, if you’ll indulge me in a game of theoreticals for a moment, I’ll go to dinner with you.”

“I….” Drake stood unmoving with his arms crossed over his chest as he fought an internal battle. He already knew what his father would say. And Savannah would probably rat him out if he did it.

Still. The girl was hot.

Max shook his head, “No, Riley, you don’t have to-“

“Shut the fuck up, Beaumont!” Drake finally moved as one hand shot out to strike Max in the chest. Eyes locked on the brunette bombshell in front of him, he licked his lips and then agreed, “Okay, but everything I say is just theoretical, right?”

 “Of course!” Riley fluttered her eyelashes for added effect then asked, “If you were theoretically following Katie Sloan, what would be the theoretical reason?”

“I can’t speculate on something like that, but I can tell you that the most common reason anyone hires a private detective is to catch a cheating spouse.”

“So, William Sloan thinks his wife is cheating on him?”

Drake shrugged, “Theoretically if he hired a PI, that might be why.”

Riley’s eyes widened, her head swiveling between Drake and Max, “Was she cheating with Trent? Because that would be motive!”

Drake held his arms up in front of him, “Whoa now! Don’t be jumping to conclusions! We have no proof of any cheating! And I’ll tell you this because it’s a matter of public record, but if you say the information came from me, I’ll deny it….” He leaned forward and lowered his voice even though they were the only ones in the office, other than his sister who sat watching the whole exchange with amused disbelief, “Trent Hayes and Katie Sloan used to be engaged.”

Riley’s eyes widened, “Oohhh, an ex-fiancée! That’s interesting! Why’d they break up?”

“You’re an investigative journalist, look it up. Shouldn’t be hard to find. She was a fucking heiress before she married the rich guy.”

“Right. So, society pages. Max-“

“Already on it!” He told her as his fingers flew over the keyboard of his smartphone, “Katie Vanderhilt, college graduation…..engagement announcement….inherits grandmother’s fortune….second engagement announcement….wedding to William Sloan….ah, here we go….the gossip page! Hmmm…..just an article saying she suddenly dumped Trent and went on a cruise….no reason given….speculation was that once she inherited all that money, she knew she could catch a bigger fish. Sorry, dead end.”

Riley turned her attention back to Drake, “Is there anything else that I should theoretically know?”

“Can’t think of anything,” he gave her a scorching look, “but if I come up with anything else, we can discuss it over dinner.”

“Absolutely!”

“Tonight at seven?”

“Sorry, can’t tonight.”

“Hey, we had a deal!”

“Yes, and I fully intend to live up to it, just not tonight. Here,” she handed him her card, “call me later and we’ll get it set up! Come on, Max, let’s go!”

“But-“ by the time he glanced up from the card, Riley and Max were already out the front door.

“Dad is going to eviscerate you,” Savannah told him gleefully.

“You could just not tell him…”

“In exchange for what?”

Drake’s head fell back with a sigh, “I’m not letting you drive my car, Sav!”

“Just for one night! It’s my high school reunion! Besides, if I tell Dad what you just did-“

“Fine! One night! But I swear to God, Sav if there’s one scratch on it when I get her back-“

“Oh, cool your jets, I know how to drive,” she turned her head to the plate glass window, “Your new girlfriend just talked her way out of a parking ticket.” 

“Did she now?”

“She did. And she’s parked in a tow-away zone too! You’re going to have to be careful with that one. I’m not sure you can handle her.”

“Shut up, Sav.”

Outside on the pavement, Riley climbed back into the driver’s seat of Max’s Tahoe, “See? I told you it wouldn’t get towed!”

Max shook his head ruefully, “Yeah, well, if that had been me talking to that cop, I would have gotten a ticket and gotten towed! I got to hand it to you….you always seem to get your way.”

“It’s a gift!” She laughed as she threw the car in gear and pulled out into traffic.

“Are you really going to go to dinner with Drake?”

“What?” She glanced at him and then back at the road, “Yeah, why not?”

“I don’t know….he doesn’t seem like your type.”

“Trust me, he’s my type! Besides, a deal is a deal!”

 “I guess,” Max thunked back against the seat with a heavy sigh, “Where are we going now?”

“Seventh precinct!”

“Why?”

“Because we have to tell Liam that William Sloan has a motive for murder!”

“Is that the only reason?”

“I mean….if we happen to stumble across some more information about the case while we’re there then so be it!”

“That’s more like it!” He grinned, his good mood returning at the promise of further adventure.

Built in the early 1900s, the seventh precinct stationhouse took up most of the city block that it sat on. Three stories above ground and two below, the many renovations it had endured over the years made it a labyrinth of hallways, stairwells, and a sometimes confusing mix of old architecture and new. The homicide division was located in a warren of offices on the second floor.

“I need to speak to Detective Rys, I have some information regarding a murder,” Riley told the desk sergeant as they entered the building.

“Second floor,” The officer waved his hand in the general direction of the one lone elevator.

“Thanks!” Riley chirped as she grabbed Max’s hand and drug him away from the elevator and toward the stairwell. Lowering her voice, she told him, “I don’t trust that thing! It creaks, groans, and shakes like it’s hanging on by a thread!”

“Yeah,” Max agreed with a backward glance at it as he allowed himself to be pulled up the stairs, “It probably hasn’t been inspected or maintained in a hundred years!”

“That would be a violation of the fire code,” Riley quipped, “How ironic since the 112 is right across the street!”

“Yeah, well…”

They exited the top of the stairs, made their way down a long hallway, took a right about two-thirds of the way down, and found themselves in a large, open area filled with desks, filing cabinets, and a few scattered couches. The wall to their left was covered from left to right in giant casement windows. Directly across from them were doors to private offices and to their right a myriad of doorways and hallways lead off to places unknown. A water cooler gurgled in the corner.

“Can I help you?” A tall, pretty redhead asked them.

Riley adopted her best professional stance, radiating that she had every right to be there as she replied, “Yes, I’m looking for Detective Rys. Have you seen him?”

“He’s around here somewhere, that’s his desk,” she pointed to one close to the windows, “I’m sure he’ll be with you in a moment. I’m Lilith,” she offered her hand.

Riley took it, “Nice to meet you, Lilith! I’m Riley. Are you a homicide detective?”

“No, just a sketch artist,” she smiled.

“Oh? Are you working on the Hayes case?”

“Miss Nevrakis!” a voice called across the room.

“Oh, that’s me, gotta go!” Lilith gave her an apologetic smile as she scurried over to a desk near the water cooler to talk to the man who had called her name and a nervous-looking woman standing next to him.

“Hey! That’s Liam’s boss!” Riley squeezed Max’s arm, “Aren’t you two related? Go see if you can get any information out of him!”

“I don’t think so, Riley. He doesn’t really like me….”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know, something about our family’s money being tainted and me taking it.”

“He doesn’t take any? No trust fund? Nothing?”

“Nope. Can’t you tell?”

She cocked her head to one side taking in the off-the-rack suit and shoes that had probably come from Mervyn’s or Sears. Bertrand Beaumont looked like every other police detective in the department. Eschewing the Beaumont money, he had risen to head of homicide on his own merits. A good twenty years older than Maxwell, he viewed his young cousin as irresponsible, frivolous, and entitled.

“Okay, fine. But that’s a little judgy. Not taking the money won’t wind back time and fix what your great-grandfather did.”

“That’s what I said!” People fell into two broad categories when they found out he was a Beaumont. They either judged him on his family’s history of having built its fortune from organized crime, or they wanted to use him for his money and family connections. Riley fell into neither of those categories. It was just another reason that he liked her.

“What are you two doing here?” Liam’s voice was so close behind her that she jumped.

Whirling to face him, Riley answered, “Looking for you!”

“I already told you that I’m not giving out confidential case information, Riley.”

“Well, then it’s lucky for you that I’m here to help you!”

“You’re here to help me?” Liam scoffed, “How?”

“I know someone that might have a motive for killing Trenton Hayes.”

Liam’s mouth fell open, “How the hell did you already find out the name of the vic? We haven’t issued any-“

“Detective Rys!” Bertrand’s voice boomed out as he strode across the room, clearly seething.

Confusion spilled across Liam’s features, “Yes sir?”

Bertrand waved a page from a sketchbook in the air, “Do you want to tell me why the main suspect in your murder case looks exactly like your brother?”

[savannahinsuranceadvisors]

What Are The Key Things To See In Truck Insurance Cover?

Trucks often carry loads of raw and finished materials from one place to another. It can lead to higher accidental risk and material damage. Further, this can become a graver issue if the material has to be dumped in hilly or desert areas. Clients also look for truck services that provide commercial insurance for their materials to protect themselves from loss. Therefore, you must need commercial truck insurance from a professional company to cover all your damages. Let's look at the key things to see in an insurance policy cover.

 5 Key Things To Look For In Truck Insurance Cover

 Insurance for the trucks is necessary for the protection of any business. It will give security from any mishap to the driver and transport to ensure no damages. Moreover, there are many things to look for in comprehensive car insurance and trucks to confirm the nature of liability claims you receive from the business. Here is the list of things you need to see in the insurance of trucks.

 1. Labor And Towing Costs

 Towing is lifting any vehicles from a tow truck after an accident. Therefore, an excellent insurance company will provide you necessary insurance to cover the towing cost. Moreover, you also need to pay the labor cost to fix your truck. Therefore, it needs to be covered by insurance.

 2. Rental Coverage Of Car

 Suppose your truck is out of service for reasons like an accident or regular maintenance. Your insurance should also cover the car liability insurance for rental cars. Additionally, it will provide you the safety from unnecessary damage that is out of your control.

 3. Replacements Parts

 The insurance should cover the replacement parts after the damage through overuse of vehicles. It needs to cover the replacement cost caused by accident. Therefore, truck insurance is essential for replacing damaged parts after an accident.

 4. Covers The Medical Expenses

 An excellent insurance policy must cover the first party's medical cost and the third-party insurance. It is also necessary to check the percentage of claims a company can give after the accident. Therefore, insurance with more damage coverage is better to choose than other expenses.

 5. Property Damage Cover

 Significant insurance covers the property damages of the other people caused by the truck. Many companies do not provide this cover because of the damage caused by the first person. Therefore, it is considered to go through every page of the truck insurance document and select the one that offers property damage coverage.

 Get Lower Premium With Higher Cover Today!

 Insurance is one of the most important aspects of the commercial business to provide the necessary protection from potential damage risk. A great insurance must have all the necessary features to protect various aspects of damage involved in accidents.

 Are you searching for one of the best mini-truck and car liability insurance at unbeatable prices? You can refer to Savannah Insurance Advisors for curative insurance packages exclusively for you. Get in touch with them to know more about their services.

[twistedintern]

Hello! Could I request headcanons for reader taking a trip to the zoo with Floyd and Jamil? Thanks!

(I’m so excited from all the announcements today... I’ll do my utmost!)

Floyd Leech

Don’t bother making arrangements with this irrepressibly spontaneous moray brother: no sooner do the words “go to the zoo,” leave your mouth than he’s all chortles and bushy-tailed excitement. Who needs plans when he’s already dragging you to mirror room of Night Raven with that very destination on his mind?

Before you can gather your bearings upon arrival, the mer-eel is leading you by the wrist through the seas of visitors--a messy, haphazard affair. He’s enthralled by every manner of native Afterglow Savannah fauna. (Giraffes sure are stupid-looking!)

Floyd seems especially taken with dexterous species like monkeys, as well as ungulates. Anything fast or nimble, or just plain weird.

Don’t intend to make any pit-stops by the aquarium while in this Leech’s company, though. He’s seen everything there is to see back at home: any attempt to garner his attentions will result in dampening his mood or making him hungry. You’d do best to make a beeline to the food court should you find yourself in such circumstances, lest he catch himself a quick snack when your back is turned!

Jamil Viper

Jamil will decline your invitation... at first. He’ll argue that that’s right up Kalim’s alley (the Asims have their own private zoo, after all)--he’s always delighted to be around animals. A day apart from the heir to the Asim name is out of the question: he’s got a goodly number of chores to do, meals to prepare---

So you ask Kalim for permission instead. The Scarabia dorm head meets your enthusiasm with bright encouragement. You embark with an exasperated vice head in tow.

Jamil’s reluctant to immerse himself in the experience early on. It’ll be up to you to take the initiative and gently coax him out of himself. Pointing out behaviors or feeding the wildlife, getting up close and personal with the critters in the petting zoo... Maybe, just maybe your enjoyment will prove infectious enough to cause that mask to slip. Expect to spend extra time milling about the bird habitats when Jamil catches a glimpse of the zoo’s fabulous macaws.

Whatever you do, just don’t mention the insect house on the premises...

[gravelish]

520 - Redmond - Kenmore

24 August 2021

This is a great 40-mile loop, from home, almost entirely on good bike trails. With a half-hour coffee stop it took me a little over three hours. The stretch along 520 suffers in places from proximity to the busy highway, and at one point retreats briefly to the shoulder of Northup Way and NE 24th Street, but is still a perfectly enjoyable ride (and I love path on the bridge). The Sammamish River Trail follows the river all the way from Redmond to Bothell or Kenmore or wherever it becomes the Burke Gilman Trail, which then follows Lake Washington (somewhat hidden from view behind waterfront homes) south to the University (and ultimately to Ballard).

LINK: RIDE WITH GPS

The biggest hill is the climb up over the ridge past Microsoft, but the 520 bridge, the Sammammish River Trail, and the Burke Gilman Trail are all pretty darned flat. Everything is paved. The road crossings are all marked well. On summer weekends, some sections can get pretty crowded.

There are coffee options (my favorite, Diva Espresso, just a block from the trail in Kenmore, sits in the midst of a wonderful community space with wide open seating inside and a great plaza). There are beer and food options, including some places right on the trail (Kenmore and East of U Village). The town centers of Redmond, Woodinville, and Bothell are all right off the trail.

The route lends itself to many variations: some shorter, some longer.

The Burke Gilman Trail was one of the nation’s earliest rail trails. I think the main section between Kenmore and the University of Washington was opened in the late 1970s. It is one of many links (existing, planned, and fantasy) in the Rail-to-Trail Conservancy’s ambitious vision of a cross-country multi-use trail (Great American Rail Trail). Unfortunately, there simply aren’t unused rail corridors in all the proper places and building trails from scratch is expensive and challenging, so I suspect there will always be some significant gaps in the route.

Rail corridors were granted essentially as public easements to private companies and when the trains stop running, it makes sense to put the right of way and the roadbed to new, public use, such as trails and utility corridors (which can easily coexist).

I’ve had the chance to ride on many great rail trails over the past few years, though there are a lot more still on my to-do list. Here are a few that have stood out, some with links to previous posts.

Cowboy Trail (Nebraska)

Mickelson Trail (South Dakota)

Arbutus Greenway (Vancouver BC)

Trolley Trail and Springwood Corridor (Portland)

Raccoon River Valley, Chichaqua Valley, and High Trestle Trails (Iowa)

Macomb Orchard and Clinton River Trails (Michigan)

Prairie Duneland, Oak Savannah, and Erie Lackawanna Trails (Indiana)

Old Plank Road (Illinois)

Southwestern Commuter and Cannonball Trails (Madison WI)

And here in Washington:

Palouse to Cascades Trail

Chehalis Western and Yelm-Tenino Trails

Interurban Trail

Larry Scott Trail

Of course, there are hundreds of other great bike trails, including canal tow paths (Erie Canal, Hennepin), paths built along highways (I-70 to Vail Pass), and many more in cities, parks, and along rivers, but that aren’t technically on old railroad lines.

[elai-okonma]

Chapter 4. Head Above Water

Summary: Let’s party, Angel style ;) 

*I had so much fun writing this chapter! I hope you guys enjoy it! <3*

Warnings: none

Word Count:1,334

 A week has passed since your meeting with God. Since then you've been hanging out with Elai and Kyo, learning about the Celestial Realm and what it means to be an Angel. You knew there were rules up here but you didn't think there'd be this many. The Angels, who have now become your close friends, make great company though, so you enjoy your time with them regardless of what is being discussed.

Today you learned about the Arch Angels and their respective duties in the Celestial Realm. You were tired with all this and wanted to do something fun. 

"Ugh, let's do this later. Let's go out! Are there any clubs up here or is all of the Celestial Realm a wet blanket??" You snort. 

"Well actually we do have this one place, it's more of a respectable joint rather than a typical night club." Says Kyo. 

"Let's go!" You shout before Elai has a chance to say anything. 

You hop up from where you were seated and run to your closet. The two Angels look at you and let out a laugh as they get up and follow you. You start looking through your clothes and decide on an short black Chinese style dress and an underbust corset. Paired with fishnet stockings and thigh high boots, with a heel length that would make most guys jealous ;). You throw your hair up in space buns, and put on some jewelry. Walking over to do your makeup, Elai just stares as he watches this masterpiece come to fruition before him. Kyo is smirking to no one in particular, but you know it's directed towards you. With your makeup done you turn to your two friends. 

"How do I look??"

Elai stutters a bit before replying, "You're definitely gonna turn some heads, MC."

Kyo chuckles at Elai's comment then says, "I can't wait to see the other Angels reactions when we walk in."

"Bet! Let's go!" Is all you say before grabbing them and walking out. 

__________________________________

The Teiten

  When you get to the place, you can see why it's more luxurious than a typical night club. There's nothing but VIP sections and everything is high end. You head to the most lavish looking VIP corner with the Angels in tow. All eyes are on you as you stride across the club like you own the place. Head held high, hips swaying and tits bouncing, you can't help but feel like the bad bitch you are. A smile pulls at your mouth, as your tongue snakes out to lick your top lip. You're loving all this attention, and you definitely want more. 

Elai and Kyo also love the reactions you're getting from the other Angels. They think it's amusing that you managed to turn the heads of every single being in the building. They take pride in being in your company. 

When you get to your table, a server (who looks more like a butler) comes over and asks if you'd like order anything to drink. 

"What do you guys recommend??" You ask, looking at your friends. 

"Oh, you've gotta try the Savannah Rosè!" They both say in unison. 

"Then a bottle of Savannah Rosè for the table, please!" You exclaim to the server. 

He takes his leave and you turn to your Angels. You look around at the decor and then at all the other Angels still gawking at you. That's when you see one walking up to your table. 

"Hi! I've never seen you here before!" Says the Angel. 

"At the club or in the Celestial Realm??" You quip, with a little laugh. 

"Well, both actually." He laughs. "Would you like to dance??" 

You look over to Elai, then over to Kyo who has the biggest grin on his face. 

"Yeah sure! Why not." You respond, with a smile. 

You take the Angels hand and head out to the dance floor. Your friends stare at you as you leave them. 

When on the dance floor, you start swaying to the music. It wasn't really your type, but then again, they don't really play 'your type' at normal clubs anyway. The Angel also starts swaying with you, and you compliment him on his skills. He blushes but thanks you none the less. Just then, a human world song came on and your ears perked up, instantly recognizing it. It was Passenger, by Deftones! You laugh quietly, What an ironic song choice! You think to yourself. The Angel you're dancing with notices your eyes light up at the song and smiles. 

  ~Here I lay, still and breathless~  

"I take it, you like this song??" He says. 

  ~Just like always, still I want some more~

"I love anything by Deftones, and I'm super surprised to hear them up here in the Celestial Realm!" You respond honestly. 

  ~Mirrors sideways, who cares what's behind~

He laughs at that, as he watches you dance. 

  ~Just like always, still your passenger~

Letting the music take over you, your eyes close.

 ~The chrome buttons buckle on leather surfaces. These and other lucky witnesses. Now to calm me, this time won't you please drive faster~

Swaying with the slow song, you start singing along:

 "Roll the windows down this cool night air is curious. Let the whole world look in, who cares who sees anything. I'm your passenger!"

You hadn't even realized that you had let your wings out, as you sing and sway seductively to the song. The other Angels stopped and stared as you did your thing. Eyes wide and jaws on the floor at the sight before them. Your hands roamed over your body as you danced, and in that moment you let go of all your worries. 

When the song ended, you opened your eyes and looked the Angel in front of you. He was speechless, and there was a hint of something in his eyes. You smile brightly as he stares at you. 

"W-what's your name??" He asks after he collects his thoughts. 

You tell him your name and ask for his in return. 

"Michael." He says with a smile. 

Your eyes widen at that, and you excuse yourself back to your table. As you approach your section, your friends stand up and start applauding. Kyo starts first:

"Lord forgive me here, but GOD. DAMN. MC!"

 Then Elai pipes up, "JEEEESUS, GIRL I- WHAT- WHAT WAS THAT?!" 

You burst out laughing at these two boys. "You love my dancing eh??" You wiggle an eyebrow at them. "And oh, by the way, why didn't you tell me that was MICHAEL I was dancing with?!" You whisper yell. 

"Where's the fun in that??" Was the only answer you got before they started laughing. 

You sit back into your booth and take a sip of your Savannah Rosè. One leg crosses over the other as you sit regally. Your Angels join you and they start talking about how fun it was watching you dance. You were enjoying the conversation when Michael walks up, and asks if he can join your party. Elai and Kyo gesture for him to have a seat, as he joins in their conversation. This should be interesting, you think to yourself as you look over to Michael. He's already looking at you when your eyes meet his and he gives you a sly smile. You raise both eyebrows at his gesture and give him a smirk in return, taking a sip of your drink. 

At the end of the night, when you're getting ready to leave, Michael asks if he can see you again. 

"Maybe...if I feel it's worth it." Was your response. Holy shit what did I just say?!

He throws his head back in a fit of laughter, "Oh I guarantee it'll be worth it." He says leaning in, kissing your cheek. 

Hold the fuck up. Is all you can think as he does this. He says his goodbyes to Kyo and Elai before taking off. 

HOLD. THE. FUCK. UP.

_____________________________________

[cordoniantrash]

Verdant Heart

Soooo… here’s the jealous!Savannah fic that I’ve tried my hand at. It was originally supposed to be just three parts where it shows instances of Savannah’s jealous moments over the years but I ended up with five parts that’s mostly written stream of consciousness style. Oops. 

Apologies for the purple patches in this. Also tried to put some symbolism here and there (which in hindsight is quite on the nose). no beta we die like men

Special thanks to the anon who sent that really sweet message! Grammatical mistakes are mine and do let me know what you guys think.

Title is from a quote by Russell Page, taken a bit out of context to fit the fic. Here’s the link to the thread that inspired this.

Disclaimer: I don’t own the characters, Pixleberry has that privilege

Pairing: Bertrand x Savannah (I’m so sorry!), mentioned Liam x MC and a hint sentence of Drake x MC

Warning: mention of death

Words: 2382

I

Her clearest early memory was this: there was a ball, and the entire Walker family was invited. Savannah saw it as her first true ball. It wasn’t like the others where she and the other children (and the princes) were allowed in the ballroom for a little while and then ushered into a sitting room while the adults stayed in the grand ballroom and enjoyed the party. Savannah was actually dressed in a gown, a pretty little thing, forest green with skirts that swished when she twirled. She remembered that their parents allowed them to stay past their bedtimes ( “Just this once,” her father said), and little Savannah was determined to make the most of it. 

When the opportunity presented itself, she wandered off from the adults and found some of her friends, children of the staff in the palace, while her brother took off to go hang out with Prince Liam. On the other side of the room, near the thrones, she could see some noble’s children in their own little circles, fashionably dressed, almost doll-like in their perfection. 

The purpose of the event was lost to little Savannah. Looking back she remembered admiring the way the light danced on the floor of the grand ballroom, the tinkling of both glass and laughter, the way the skirt of the ladies’ gowns would sway and shimmer as they moved and glided across the floor. In a child’s mind, it was as though all her favorite fairy-tales have come to life and gathered at her home. 

As she gazed across the room, she saw the queen being surrounded by noblewomen, all fawning over her dress, her hair, her emerald jewels. She saw how the king would now and then look over and gaze at his wife with something that Savannah decided was love. 

It was there and then that she became acquainted with yearning, and in the years that followed, it became her constant shadow. Her friend. 

II

She tried to fit in, become a tree amongst the forest. She would be beautiful as myrtle, beloved as apple, graceful as jasmine flowers. Savannah dreamed of being loved and adored like every noble lady in the court. She tried to talk like them, act like them, be like them. So she would go on and pour herself into mint green dresses, drape jade across her throat and wrists, weave laurel colored ribbons in her hair. All the while telling herself that this will let her become like them. She clung to the idea of nobility like ivy, while her brother had begun to try to free himself from its clutches.

Yet it wasn’t enough. Her clothes were just a season too late, her manners lacking, her posture forever slipping. Her jewels did not shine, her dress dull, her charm lacking. Faced with all these, Savannah still tried and pushed, happy to be granted even a scrap of thought.

In her quest to be accepted, she had begun to develop a crush on the second prince (or was it the other way ‘round? She couldn’t quite recall). How could she not have a crush on him? Prince Liam was handsome and smart. He embodied sophistication for Savannah, and he always knew the right thing to say. A smile from him would have her feeling butterflies in her stomach.

Her brother knew of her little crush, of course. Savannah pleaded and cajoled her brother, promising him weeks-worth of chores and her best puppy-dog eyes for him to never mention it to Prince Liam. This did not stop him from teasing her every time they see the Princes. He would smirk, nudge her and loudly whisper:

“Look who it is Sav!”

“D’you wanna say hi?”

“Look, Sav! He might be looking your way!”

The embarrassment was excruciating. That did not curb her crush. 

It was him or nothing, really. He was the closest to her age (Maxwell does not count because he’s become something like a brother). Yes, she would giggle and swoon over the Crown Prince like the other palace girls (again, how could they not? Prince Leo was temptation incarnate) but she would always take fierce pride in the fact that while her friends gossip and play coy with the older brother, she was secure in the younger. In her daydreams, Prince Liam would woo her, would never embarrass her like Drake. He would be like the Princes in the fairy tales she loved. 

Savannah had it all planned out. She would always be with them in their escapades (well, along with Lady Olivia) and one day the Prince would notice and then, like the princess and the damsels in her stories, she too would have her happily ever after. She’d be accepted then. She would be enough.

Her plans were delayed when Savannah went with her family to their ranch in Texas for the second time. There she met Chuck and her plans and daydreams were put on indefinite hold.

She came back from that summer refreshed and feeling like a new person. She had bloomed into a woman that summer (or so she told herself), and when she went back to Cordonia, she felt ready to face the world. She’s not Drake’s younger sister anymore. She won’t be. She’ll be known as Savannah Walker and she’ll make her mark upon the world.

This newfound perspective, her new world, was shattered by a late-night phone call and a bullet wound. 

III

This is how she started seeing – truly seeing – him. It was her father’s funeral, and she was standing beside her brother, both of them staring at the casket. The Princes and the Brothers Beaumont stood beside the Walkers, (who were now thrust into the spotlight) as a show of solidarity. For once in Savannah’s life, she could find pleasure in being the center of attention. She wanted to disappear, to sink into the earth and let it swallow her so she may be with her father again. She’ll gladly disappear if it meant that her Dad would return to them.

She sniffled, her head bent, silently cursing herself for appearing less than strong in front of her father. In front of her family, in front of the court. At the corner of her eye, she could see the boys. For once they were standing behind Drake, all of them appearing blurry through her tears. Someone cleared their throat behind her. She turned her head and saw a handkerchief, black and perfectly folded. She raised her head and met the eyes of one Bertrand Beaumont. 

In the months and years that followed, Savannah learned that Bertrand was nothing like the Prince. Both of them were charming. Both of them, the epitome of courtly life, but while Prince Liam was born into it, at ease with all the protocols and the tradition, Bertrand upheld it with every fiber of his being. He lived it and pushed it into new heights. He radiated glamour and Savannah was more than happy to soak in it and bask in its glow, however, reflected it may be.

He was real and somehow all that she ever needed. Throughout their whole story, she began to feel accepted. Funny, she had thought, how one person could make her feel what dozen of noble ladies could not.

Savannah then came into a realization. Prince Liam was blue; he was deep seas and untouchable skies. He would always unknowingly have her childhood’s heart, but now he was hazy. Dreamlike. Like the memories she’ll always hold dear. Bertrand, in his brown suits, his patterned sweater vests, and dry wit was the opposite. He was steady, dependable. Real. An actual shelter, a true home, and like a fool she had given him her all.

Bertrand had opened the door into the life that she had yearned for. Bertrand was also the one to close it. The closest thing she had ever come to hating the nobility was after Bertrand told her they can never be together. That he still has to marry a noblewoman. After all this time she wasn’t enough. The baby wasn’t enough. They weren’t enough.

What’s worse is that in the eyes of the court she’ll be ruined. She’ll be like any other scandal. They don’t have to know, a voice whispered in her head as she agonized over what to do, dear, sweet Maxwell found her crying on the steps of the Beaumont estate and offered to help. She had accepted it, what else can she do?

She took some lessons from Kiara, noticing the way the Lady looked at her brother and shamefully taking advantage of it. She packed her bags before anyone could talk her out of it and moved to Paris. There she stayed and gave birth; cushioned by Maxwell’s kindness (and pity, she added in her head) until her brother found her appartement with an American in tow. 

IV

Her old friend, yearning came back, this time with company. Lady Cassandra was beautiful. What’s more was that she was magnetic, even when dressed casually. Savannah had seen her pictures from the tabloids and heard Maxwell’s stories, but nothing prepared her for the force of nature that was Cassandra.

“She’s really something else,” Maxwell had said. Savannah had chuckled and changed the subject.

Now that they’re face to face, Savannah can see it. She also saw how her brother would orbit around the woman. She had already endured Maxwell’s gushing about his new bosom buddy, his new sister, and knew with a heavy heart that Cassandra was head over heels with Liam. Savannah wonders how her brother can cope with that weighing him down while also quelling the envy that reared its ugly head. She refused to look into it for too long.

But despite her efforts, she still felt jealous. She wanted to scream. They were hers first. Her family, her brothers, her childhood prince. After she meets Cassandra, she began to compare herself to the American. She’d look in a mirror and let yearning and envy consume her thoughts.

With Lady Cassandra came other surprises. Bertrand came into her life again and began to build them back together once more. Brick by brick, lovingly (and awkwardly) place one after the other.

Savannah could have stayed in Paris, raised Bartie in the City of Love, and let Cordonia go. But the call of home, of Drake and Maxwell, of family (of Bertrand, her mind supplied) grew stronger every day. Maybe she had thought, maybe it’s time to grow roots. 

She came back, and the court was somehow changed yet still the same and Savannah occupied her old role: an outsider observer looking outside in. Once in awhile, she’d look again at a mirror and think. She used to dream of fitting in, of being the princess, being Snow White: Fairest of them all. Of having and commanding the adoration of people around her and lavish parties thrown in her honor. What she got instead was isolation in an apartment in Paris, a baby (the light of her life) out of wedlock and a relationship that was barely staying afloat while a complete stranger got the chance to achieve all her dreams and fancies.

It was not as if Cassandra was cruel to her. Or indifferent. She was always looking out for them, helping Bertrand communicate with her. Savannah was grateful, immensely so, but she can’t help but listen to a tiny voice in her head saying that the American turned Duchess was doing it mainly for Bertrand.

So despite her best efforts, she would still cast subtle glances, admiring and jealous at equal measure. Comparing and aspiring, a never-ending cycle. She thought she’d be free of that once she came back. She was wrong.

Savannah tried not to let jealousy get the best of her during Cassandra’s wedding. The event hasn’t even started yet the masses are already calling it the wedding of the century. Then Bertrand and the bridal party were attacked and Savannah is too worried to dwell on the wedding itself, that is until she saw the future queen of Cordonia being given away by Bertrand. Pride and something ugly she’d rather not dwell on swelled in her chest. Of course, the modern-day Cinderella would have her fairy tale wedding while Savannah – ordinary, commoner Savannah – can’t even have a straight conversation with the father of her child and the love of her life. 

This cocktail of emotions stayed with her until the wonder of all wonders happened: Bertrand stepped up and gave Savannah her most desired fairy-tale proposal. With the new queen’s help of course (but Savannah was too ecstatic to dwell on that).

Savannah felt bad about it afterward, especially in the wake of the kidnapping, but after the dust settled those emotions came back, embraced and nurtured by her old friends: yearning and envy.  

V

Now in her family’s ranch, with a mother who was trying her best and an aunt with understanding in her eyes, Savannah’s old friends dog her steps once again, but never for the same reasons: she yearns to have what Liam and Cassandra have, that ease that they exclude around each other, so different from the look that Constantine gave Eleanor all those years ago, but no less intense. No less loving.

She wonders if Bertrand would ever be as upfront about his affections like the royal couple are with theirs.

She envies that they seem to have everything they’ll ever need while her love struggles with their finances.

So Savannah can’t help but cast her little side-eyes, speak her little quips. Shape her wedding to the image of her parents instead of the courtly one that she had been dreaming of.

Savannah admires and envies Cassandra at the same time. Here was the woman who had achieved all of Savannah’s dreams and then some. And while Savannah would not trade Bertrand and Bartie for anything, a vicious little voice in her head would always find herself lacking and Savannah is growing tired of it. 

She longs to put down roots, to be steady as oak, long-lasting as a redwood. A shelter. A part of the forest.

Savannah chases contentment with yearning and envy at her side, wondering all the while why it eludes her. 

Tagging: @thecordoniandiaries, @kingliamsbitch, @badchoicesposts, @heauxplesslydevoted, @dcbbw, @janezillow 

Its a one-shot but if you guys want to be tagged let me know 😁

[lindoig8]

Halls Creek (almost) to Katherine, 15-17 June

Tuesday, 15 June

We were preparing the van to move on when I got a call from Toyota in Katherine where I had made an online booking on Friday night for a car service. They have a 7-week waiting list – do I want to add our car to the list? No thank you, I will look elsewhere. I tried Toyota in Kununurra – their wait-list is only a bit over 6 weeks – but again, no thanks! I hadn’t tried Halls Creek where we had the car in a few days ago because they had told me that their mechanics were out of town so their workshop would be closed all week. I just rang them to see if they had any other suggestions and they said it was an easy service and one mechanic was there who could do the job if we came in at 1pm. They had fewer bookings because their main mechanics were away so we got in without delay. They had already promised to make time to replace an Anderson Plug on the van for us as we left town so it was easy to add the service too. We were delighted to get the service done: a few hundred clicks earlier than necessary, but certainly better than 4 or 5000 clicks over given the nature of our travels.

As soon as the service was complete and we had let some air out of our tyres, we topped up with fuel and hit the road at 3.15 pm. We were heading out on the Duncan Road – yet another iconic stock route, very bumpy with steep, deep dips and crests and constant corrugations, but not as horrific as some we have driven recently. Our maximum speed was restricted to about 55 to 60 kph due to the dips – as well as quite a few rough water crossings.

We passed the China Wall as soon as we were on the gravel but didn’t get out of the car – just stopped and looked. We visited it more closely last time we were here – while waiting to get the van towed to Kununurra to get its axle replaced. It is a remarkable white quartz wall up to 6 metres high that runs for over 100 kilometres in a more-or-less straight line – amazing stuff, but we were suitably amazed 4 years ago and kept driving. A little further on was Old Halls Creek that we also explored at length last time we were here. It is the site of the original township and is quite extensive (probably a bit bigger than Farina that I discussed in a post several weeks ago), some of it is moderately well preserved, but most of it is just dilapidated ruins or worse. Once the residents leave and it becomes a tourist destination, there is obviously no reason to spend money on maintenance so the whole edifice collapses – if it didn’t, I am not sure how many tourists would bother visiting. Again, we stopped and looked from the Road, but then kept going.

We only did 42 kilometres for the day and camped in wonderful gravel pit. (We have had some wonderful nights in gravel pits!!!) We were expecting to find a place called Palm Springs (hopefully, with no luxury high-rises, 5-car garages and casinos) but saw an inviting side road that took us out of sight of the main track and we camped there for the night. It was very special! I went for a walk to the top of a craggy hill near the caravan to take some photos and saw some Rainbow Bee-eaters among other things. The whole area is covered with green spinifex so walking is sometimes painful, but the view was certainly worth it. The gravel pit was in a green valley (almost lush by local standards) with a spectacular red stone ridge and associated cliff running for at least a kilometre above it. Quite beautiful.

We sat outside for our Happy Hour with an excellent red, great nibbles, a fantastic sunset, extraordinary fishbone clouds and superb company, surrounded by birdsong in some of the most specky country we have seen. We were looking at the silhouette of a beautiful drooping tree just in front of us when the skyline behind it started to move – and a big old kangaroo hopped from centre stage to exit right! A cool breeze, glorious solitude (except for the world’s most wonderful lover), a velvet sky splashed with glittering diamonds, embedded in nature…….. How could it possibly get any better?

Wednesday, 16 June

We woke a little later than usual for some reason. It was almost full light when I opened my eyes and a wake-up coffee was soon on the way. We both seemed a little reluctant to start the day so sat up in bed and did more than our usual quota of puzzles - but all good things must come to an end and time and breakfast waits for no man.

We ate and did the dishes and were all ready to go when we decided to explore the area a little more as I did last night before moving on. We climbed the nearby hill again, eschewing the spinifex with only moderate success and we were on our way again.

The whole area is a hodgepodge of red stony ridges, green spinifex, beautiful white-trunked (and other) trees, picturesque lumpy hills popping out of the plain at random, rolling pastoral country, craggy rocks – a truly wonderful place to visit. No wonder so many people come to visit and never go home.

After only a couple of kilometres, we found the place we had been looking for the previous evening – Palm Springs! Not too glitzy, but a lovely little area at the side of the road with a very small creek fed by a very small waterfall (one of the springs?), but with enough birds to keep me busy for half an hour or so. The Yellow-tinted Honeyeaters were the best.

It was a great little area and we took a few pics, but we still think our hidden camping spot out of sight of the road last night was better. It gave us some wonderful privacy, and solitude that we wouldn’t have had immediately beside the roadway at Palm Springs.

A few clicks further on, we saw the turnoff to Sawpit Gorge so off we went. It was only four kilometres in - but four kilometres back out again with virtually nowhere to turn around. (Reversing the caravan 4 clicks on that terrain was simply not an option!!!) We did all sorts of manoeuvres to turn the car and van around – and then undid them all when we couldn’t quite get around without completely jack-knifing the rig. We eventually backed far enough into a partially cleared spot to turn around and off we went without exploring the Gorge at all. We were just glad to be out of there after the trauma of turning the van around. Then, perhaps a hundred metres up the hill, we found a place where we could have parked and turned relatively easily, but there were no warning signs and then it was too late.

This whole area is spectacular. It is very hilly with hundreds of dramatic rocky jump-ups, often heavily vegetated and with beautiful, graceful trees. There is a lot of vicious spinifex, but also extensive areas of softly-waving grassy fronds. For kilometres, there was a uniform mantle of soft creamy 30-centimetre high grass, interspersed every 3 or 4 metres with a 2-metre spike of some sort of recently-deceased reeds. The topography was outstanding: colourful rocky outcrops, undulating hills and steep cliffs, but the trees and grasses were also quite arresting – so different from what we are accustomed to.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful. After yesterday’s bumpy drive with dips and crests, the road improved. It was still very corrugated with rocky patches and numerous shallow creek crossings – deepest probably 35-40 cm deep – but we were still rarely up to 60 kph maximum. We eventually reached the point where Duncan’s Road turned north and where we turned south onto another stock route, the Buntine Highway – hardly recognisable as a highway, consistently corrugated and sometimes barely wheel-track wide. This track took us back into the Northern Territory again with no Quarantine or Covid notices – but they came a little later.

We only drove 200 kilometres for the day and camped just off the road near a windmill and bore and sat outside the van with cold drinks and nibbles as the sun went down and the heat of the day was blown away by a gentle cooling breeze. There was a bit of dust in the van but not too bad and we are looking forward to some bitumen and slightly faster speeds tomorrow afternoon.

Thursday 17 June

So much for faster speeds! It was pretty rough for half the day, but it certainly improved once we hit the bitumen – not too hot in some places, barely wheel-track wide, but it improved the further we went.

As to internet speeds, the opposite occurred. We had a good signal at Kalkaringi but no signal at all in Top Springs tonight and the people in the Roadhouse say that Vodaphone is the only provider that covers this area. Good old Telstra fails again.

So where are we and how did we get here? We are in Top Springs at the intersection of yet another

part of the Binns Track (part of the Savannah Way that we drove end-to-end four years ago) and the Buntine Highway (aka the Buntine Goat-track in places).

We drove 330 kms today, half on gravel (superb to terrible at times) and half on often quite poor bitumen, mostly barely wide enough to keep all wheels on the paved surface. Almost all drivers we saw today were really good though, getting completely off the road to give us priority - something I have tried to do most of the time, but have rarely seen others doing it before today. It is far better to vacate the road, even to stop, and let the oncoming maniacs roar through on the bitumen than to drive into the wall of stones thrown up by them. And depending on wind direction (why is it always blowing into my side of the car?), we have to stop for up to 30 seconds every time a car passes anyway so we can see the way forward and not drive into a possible second oncoming vehicle.

Today, we drove quite a few kilometres at 20 kph or less due to the vicious corrugations. Faster than that and I had no control at all. The brakes were entirely ineffective and the steering wasn’t much better because no two wheels were on the road at any time. It was horrendous until we got to the roadworks where two graders were carving out a beautifully smooth passage for us, albeit on the wrong side of the road - but out here, there is rarely a right side: the right side is the one that’s not quite as bad as the other side, i.e., the side that everyone uses. Of course, that changes frequently, so we zigzagged back and forth (as did any other vehicles), just hoping that we didn’t zig when we should have zagged or vice versa.

We drove through another area of dramatic jump-ups – small sharp hills erupting out of entirely flat grasslands. I mentioned The Granites on the Tanami and a possible extension of them on the way to Halls Creek and we encountered another similar few square kilometres again today.

We ate our lunch at Kalkaringi, formerly Wave Hill, where we tried unsuccessfully to find a workshop to which we were directed to put a bit more air in our tyres - so we drove the next 170 kms with slightly lower pressures than intended. We also tried to find the Police to comply with the requirement to complete a Covid form immediately we crossed back into the NT but the local cop was out of town. Next cop will be in Katherine tomorrow, but maybe by then, the urgency to complete the form may have abated. (And it had! Approaching Katherine there was a roadside sign asking interstate travellers coming from a declared hotspot to ring the local health authorities – nothing more!)

One good thing about Kalkaringi was the strong internet signal that allowed us to download close to 50 emails each while we ate our lunch, very few of which warranted any action.

We then drove on to Top Springs – bitumen all the way and set up behind the Roadhouse with good water, hot and cold showers, power, but no internet. We were hot and dusty so went for a drink at the Roadhouse bar and the barman recognised us. We had been chatting with him and his girlfriend, backpackers from Germany, when we were all exploring the Henbury Craters south of Alice six weeks or so ago. It is a small world and we may cross paths again on our way back west.

It was great to have a shower and to plug the fridges into AC power overnight as well as mains pressure water. And I even added a couple of bird species to our trip list. It currently stands at 137 including six additions to our Life-list.

Despite our drink in the bar (and one in the van with the fan on), we were still hot so we ate our dinner outside, augmented with some hot chips straight from the bar. They cooked a batch specially for us, all double-fried, and just enough for 3 meals each.

And after dinner we watched the very final episode of White Collar, all six series of which have accompanied us most nights since we left home. We enjoyed the series and I am delighted to report that ‘the gooduns won’.

That just left us with an easy run into Katherine tomorrow, but I will leave that for another post.

[angstymarshmallow]

Day Six “Adomania” (Drake x MC)

[A little note: A mini part of a mini part? Mini-ception?]

[Summary: Drake heads to New York with the intention of meeting MC (Robyn), but upon seeing her he’s stricken with how they’ve ended up here.]

[Day One, Day Two, Day Three, Day Four, Day Five]

There’s a distinct air to New York. An edge to every street and every block that reminds Drake of how different city life is. It’s not very similar to Cordonia, with its acres of land and homes richly built from fine architecture. No, New York is packed - jam-packed with people and tall buildings that stretch too far for him to keep up. Sidewalks become traffic as herds flock together like sheep in crossing streets far before the walking sign allows them. 

He’s forgotten how busy the big apple is. The large high-rise buildings with blinking lights and billboards disorient him at closer inspection. Sometimes, if he isn’t watching the wave of traffic, his steps falter and he barely catches himself in time without bumping into another person. It takes time for his eyes to adjust, even more effort for him to feel comfortable. He stops every now and then while strangers briskly rush past him, hastening to get to whatever destination drives them forward.

Drake tries not to spend a lot of time on sidewalk corners. He hates how crammed they are. He prefers to dally behind particularly larger groups. Even when they’re smaller, he still feels the weight of their presence.

The streets are easy to follow with their numbers and his sense of direction. It doesn’t take long for minutes to turn into an hour to reach his destination. Eventually, he arrives where he needs to be and hunkers down a bench and flips through the phone to read Robyn’s texts back to him.

There’s so much I want to say, so much I need to say. 

But I can’t do it unless I see you, in person. 

Meet me in New York.  In Time’s Square. - Robyn.

He’s read it over a dozen times, and yet it still doesn’t feel quite as real as it should. It’s been six days since he’s last seen her, six days of torturing himself with thoughts of her. 

She’s here, he’s here. 

They’re in the same place without the burdens of the life he’s left behind. The life they both turned away from. For now, all he can think about is the luggage he’s carried with him and how heavy his heart feels. After walking out with Liam’s blessings, and his own longing to see her as motivations to leave - he’s finally here. 

He adjusts the duffel bag across his back nervously. 

He’s late. 

The flight had arrived past the time it should, and between walking for blocks and the taxi he’s caught - he is far out of his comfort zone. He’s stuck in a fairly over-crowded city without a family face as company as he looks for any sign of her.

He taps his feet impatiently as his eyes scan the crowd. They watch constantly scrutinizing faces in tow. He hopes he isn’t too late.

Then he sees her.

His throat tightens. He can’t move. His body feels paralyzed by the severity of his own emotions that have suddenly trampled him - what if this was a mistake? What if she doesn’t want to see me? What if this doesn’t work out?

Questions that he’s long overplayed are back again to torture his mind. He tries to shake loose from them, but they are not so easily to dissuade by his lack of action.

A feeling he’s almost forgotten fills him. It leaves him breathless, reeling as his eyes take in every detail of her face. Seeing her helps, it makes those little doubts recede back and eases some of his uncertainty. 

She hasn’t seen him yet, so he takes this time to study her. The way her dark eyes keep darting around anxiously. The way those beautiful lips of hers are turned into a slight frown as a puzzled expression stretches across her striking features.

He doesn’t want to say anything.

Not yet.

He’s waiting for her to find him first. 

Until finally she does.

Her eyes spot him, and that brilliant smile of hers has touched her lips again. The smile he’s spent days daydreaming of. The sight of it sends his heart racing inside his chest, and adrenaline plunges through him as if he’s in the middle of a race. 

He’s moving too without realizing it. 

The world always seem to recede a little when they’re together, separating them momentarily from the busy streets and the sound of cars honking off into the distance when they rapidly close the space between. A few dozen steps are all it takes before their arms encircle each other. 

He still can’t believe she’s really here, not until she pulls away slightly enough to tip forward on her toes to kiss him. Lips sliding against one another, he tastes the salty freshness of her tears. He tastes her blinding sunshine, guiding him back towards the light. His heart feels lighter than it has in days as he drinks in the softness of her lips.  It’s comforting, familiar - he never wants to stop kissing her.

He feels her fingers scrape against the back of his neck, bringing him back to reality. Regretfully, he pulls away long enough for his eyes to stare. “Hi.” It’s the only word he can choke out.

Unexpectedly, she laughs. There’s a tinge of relief in her voice that lingers even as she wipes her eyes dry with the palm of her hand. “Hi.”

His eyes search hers. There’s so much he wants to say, and his mouth opens before slamming shut again. He doesn’t know how to say them. He’s never been good with words, showing how he feels about someone is difficult but better when he can be honest with them. Usually he’s quick to snap a snarky comment or something sarcastic to ease the tension he feels building, but dealing with his own feelings for her has always given him pause. He’s afraid and excited altogether.

He shifts on his feet as he tries to open his mouth again, but all he can manage is a deep sigh. He wants to say everything all at once. He wants to tell her how much he’s missed the sound of her laugh, the moments they’ve snuck away to watch the stars - their talks about family, he wants to say it all. 

And then he remembers, she left. She left without saying goodbye. 

He’s done what he swore he’d never do. He’s chased after her, and suddenly he’s angry. He’s so angry that he whips his head up as his hands balls into tight fists. His jaw clenches and the luggage across his back feels like a burden keeping him here.

What am I doing? 

“You left.” He says flatly, without any remorse. He watches those beautiful eyes of her widen.

“I did…” She mumbles softly, nearly too softly that he barely catches it.

It hurts to know she left. It hurts even more knowing he’s been apart of the reason, it hurts because it’s how Savannah left - without saying goodbye. 

His hands fall loosely at his side and he clutches the bag around him tighter. His thoughts are all too confusing - too much, too fast. He decides as he takes a few cautious steps back that he doesn’t know how to feel. “You left, and it hurts.” His voice cracks a little, and he sweeps his hair from out of his face. “I didn’t think it would hurt so much.” His voice is raw, unrecognizable to him.

He watches her flinch. “I know,” She seems to be looking for words to say. “I know and I’m sorry - I just, I couldn’t stay.” Her eyes are simmering again and this time he’s fighting with his urge to wipe them away. “I couldn’t stay because it hurt too much to stay.”

He doesn’t respond. All he wants to do do is retreat. Everything is overwhelming - everything feels too fast. 

She looks around Time Square before gliding her eyes back to his. “Can we…go somewhere private to talk?”

He hesitates.

“I know meeting here was my idea.” She adds quickly, drawing a breath so deep that he notices her shoulders trembling. “But, I just -” she bites her bottom lip, “I think it’s better to explain somewhere else.” Her eyes plead with his, they are filled with unspoken promises and regret.

He doesn’t know how long they stand there, with inches feeling more as feet separating them. His hands shake as they slide into his pockets. He feels a little tension has been released when he finally speaks. “Okay.”

[averymackenzie89-blog]

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[averageapplepie]

BRO. ABSOLUTELY.

So I wanna say the whole thing was inspired by “Break Down Here” by Julie Roberts?? Like Scout has had it with Sniper’s emotional yo-yo’ing and says ‘fuck it i’m out’ and is trying to drive to his Ma’s house and breaks down in Savannah, GA where he gets towed to who’s garage? Well Ellis’s garage of course. Then they meet and they’re SMITTEN. AF. with each other. Flirting SHAMELESSLY. So when Scout has to go back to Teufort they keep in touch on the DL and it goes all “head over heels-where have you been all my life-boi im boutta bring you to meet my mama” type shit. Que emotionally distant on-again-off-again-boyfriends Nick and Sniper wondering what the hell happened, while all of Ellis’s friends and Scout’s family are lit af about the whole thing.

some key elements:

- Ellis is not nearly as much of an idiot as everyone thinks. (“I might talk slow darlin, but I ain’t stupid.”) Scout is exactly as dumb as everyone thinks.

- Keith is like, their third boyfriend. He’s always at the house. He’s also gonna cry when they get married. (“El, babe, did you invite Keith over?” “Naw, I thought you did.” “..whatever. Yo Keith you wanna watch Guardians of the Galaxy or Star Wars?”)

- They have two dogs, Jeremy’s weenie dog Frankie, Ellis’s rescued pitbull Lottie, and a cat called Butterbean that owns both of them.

Ellis is Vicki’s (scout’s mom’s) favorite son-in-law. (“Ma, he’s your only son-in-la- WAIT A MINUTE, we ain’t married!!” “Give it time, hon.”)

- they’re just. Absolutely ridiculous. (Ellis glances downward, a smirk curling his lips. “Izzat for me or is it just morning?” Jeremy looks confused for a moment before he cottons on and looks down. “Actually,” Jeremy pauses, “it’s Frankie.” at the sound of his name, the bulge in jeremy’s lap jumps upward and starts wiggling out from under the covers while Jeremy cackles at the look on Ellis’s face. Ellis just shakes his head and ruffle’s the weenie dog’s ears, smiling ruefully at Jeremy’s glee.)

The part I’m stuck on is deciding whether or not Mann Company just... lets Scout go, or if they let him terminate his contract with the stipulation that he submit to a selective mind-wipe that will take away all of his memories of his time as a mercenary. Bc i’m going to operate on the headcanon that they are actually mercenaries and not killing copies of themselves.

I’m writing an extremely self-indulgent TF2/L4D2 crossover featuring Scout and Ellis as a couple and i’m stuck between two storylines that I love equally and idk which to go with 🙃

in all likelihood i’ll end up writing both bc I can’t decide

[shiptojordan-blog]

Auto Shipping In Container: How to Load your Car in Container

The same diligence you put forward to find the perfect classic car, you must also put into ensuring the safety of your vehicle while transporting. While loading your vehicle inside a container, you should have complete knowledge on how to do so. Shipping your car in a container is always a better solution to your requirements than a Ro-Ro service. Unlike Ro-Ro services, if you have personal items or spare parts, which you need to ship, you can also load them with the car inside your container.

Standard containers generally come in two different sizes, 20’ and 40’ in length. While a 20’ container is perfect for shipping one car of 4X4, the 40’ container have sufficient space for two average sized cars, so probably it is more cost-effective if you are shipping more than one vehicle. Any major shipment companies on the U.S. have loading facilities at all major ports, including Houston, Savannah, Seattle, Los Angles and Newark.

Reputed shipping companies offer daily collection service throughout the U.S. and also arrange for your car to be carried to their ship loading facility by using a different enclosed vehicle. But many other transporters don't offer these facilities, and you need to load your car in the container to take it to the port.

Now How Will You Load Your Car In A Container For Auto Shipping In Container?

1.      The alarm system and battery must be disconnected. And the car should be drained of gas.

2.      Don't forget to take out all valuable papers, like car documents and shipping documents.

3.      You need to hire a flatbed tow truck to load your car into the container. Or you can drive it safely into the container.  

4.      Make sure wheels are safely braced and check whether wheel chocks are securely screwed down to the floor of the container.

5.      Turnbuckles and ratchet straps should be used to secure the car on all four sides from chassis to container floor.

6.      Higher vehicles should also be secured from roof to sides to avoid chances of rolling

[sheltonf99111520-blog]

Everything About Circuit Breakers.

Our experts grabbed our eye patches and also kerchiefs as well as gone to the wonderful waters of Prize Isle to begin our Fla Pirate road trip! And, if you schedule your hotel by means of a flash-sale web site or on-line traveling seller (OTA), triple-confirm the internet site's termination plan; these small cost are actually frequently certainly not refundable, and also no quantity from pleading will bring your refund. Individuals adore to share songs with their family and friend yet additionally individuals like their music to follow all of them. I have more than 20 years of spell casting experience, and also i have efficiently cast incantations to aid dozens individuals enhance their lovemaking, financial circumstance, and joy. Typically, as well, I was luckied along with the best exciting from viewpoints I had actually ever before prepared my eyes on. Right now I did not care to stop awhile to consume the stunning surroundings, and also lingered no more than to take a photo. Alluring destinations wait for around basically every edge, and visitors will definitely be able to invest several times having excursions around exceptional palaces, great sanctuaries and interesting and interesting galleries. This is a very pernicious kind from Propaganda for this implants on its own, using all type of media as well as channels, to health condition our ailing masses, defocusing all of them other appetite, , health issues, and also sorrowful lifestyle that they exists, as well as concentrate from weary scandals and also act to individuals that they are doing something concerning Shadiness ... In the Meanwhile, they go deeper right into lots of handle their IMF, Planet Bank, GATT and also South Black Reserve Banking Company White Bosses - kow towing to their demands as well as will. This was a lovely day and we were loaded with exhilaration as we will start an 8 time cruise ship to the southerly Caribbean. Though, if you must possess your T.G.I. Fridays, all the industrial bistros could be discovered on the outskirts of the urban area.

Our experts are actually the only absolutely internationally journey platform that can easily set up the movement from anybody off any type of area, to any kind of area through just about any sort of ways and supply all of them accessibility to their perfect knowledge throughout the adventure. This came to be apparent once I was ready and also had my knapsack as well as suitcases together to moving towards the flight terminal, since I merely stood in the living room with my lower legs trembling so severely that I was afraid the sound of my heel touching on the floor will wake an individual up. I really don't know if that is actually the anxiety of multiple unanticipated deaths in therefore brief a time period, the stress and anxiety of recognizing exactly what a psychological mess I'm headed to in California today, anxiety regarding journeying to my childhood years house, or the outcomes from a shit lots of anabolic steroids for a lengthy time period, but I am actually precisely a worried fricking accident. He also states that he rhymes "to see on my own", reflecting the typical motif located in the poem "Digging" that he makes use of poems to recognize the depths from the well and also his representation within this. Throughout the poem, Heaney walks the visitor via each phase of his life up until the aspect he wrote Personal Helicon. The trucker is actually likewise how please click the following webpage Griswold's scope Chevy Pursuit and also Beverly D'Angelo, the parents coming from the authentic National Ridicule's Holiday movie, that currently stay in San Francisco (they should possess learned that cross country family vacations in a cars and truck do not function). Fort Frederica at St Simons Island, Georgia, was set up due to the English homesteaders in 1733, concurrently the metropolitan area from Savannah was actually settled. I've explored Egypt a couple of times plus all assistance I supply, is actually based on my very own experiences.

[dopetriumphtheorist-blog]

How to locate A Great Truck Repair Shop

Many experts have understood that to a certain extent, you will have an amount of truck repairs that may be unavoidable. Your very automobile works harder than you perform, for almost twenty-four hours in dense traffic under malicious weather conditions. And for these details being experienced and unvoiced, these give you the need to get a reputable company to get your truck mended. Amidst all the things said as well as accomplished, truck repair in any respect is an expense in your company. The certain periods that a truck was off the road are losses in your benefit because at a typical impression, a truck will only provide you with earnings when it is running in addition to carrying its cargo. Just about Savannah semi trailer repair has major trucking companies that need to acquire their fleet maintenance a place. If you call one of these firms and ask them where they will get their trucking fleet serviced they will probably tell you. If it's a reputable large company it’s likely that that the shop they use will likely be good enough for your truck fixes too. When you find a shop you like ask to set up a new credit account and make sure you pay your account in time all the time. Truck repairs could be expensive and when you get a poor month for business combined with an engine mount needing replacement or any other challenging job you wish to make sure your truck repair shop credit history is in excellent standing. Mainly because when you tackle about the expenditure that you have to take in getting your automobile repaired, it definitely involves cash. For this particular reason, you must not allow an untrained person to repair your truck. Deciding on a certified mechanic is still the most effective and wisest approach. This specific expert mechanic will definitely measure the repair and rectify the item. Mobile response trucks great and say a lot in terms of a truck repair shop if they have several of these units. It is specially useful if you have credit which has a truck shop that has a mobile phone service. You can get a boost for your truck, battery replacements immediately, unlock frozen brakes, fatigue repairs in parking plenty, and a multitude of other mobile services. Every great vehicle repair shop has it's individual towing service, and if these people fix heavy trucks they must have a heavy tow truck for this too. Normally, when a shop allows parking with site for regular clients they will use their tow line truck to pull your downed truck into their shop if need be. Just another advantage of having a purchase you can trust for frequent service of commercial trucks.

[alshamey]

Mila Kunis Talks Parenting Two Kids with Ashton Kutcher: 'We're Not Gonna Raise A--holes' http://yourgradgear.com/2017/10/04/mila-kunis-talks-parenting-two-kids-with-ashton-kutcher-were-not-gonna-raise-a-holes/

New Post has been published on http://yourgradgear.com/2017/10/04/mila-kunis-talks-parenting-two-kids-with-ashton-kutcher-were-not-gonna-raise-a-holes/

Mila Kunis Talks Parenting Two Kids with Ashton Kutcher: 'We're Not Gonna Raise A--holes'

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  Mila Kunis may be a self-described “bad mom” in her hit comedy Bad Moms and its upcoming Christmas-themed sequel, but she’s determined not to live up to that title in real life.

The 34-year-old actress — who shares two kids with husband Ashton Kutcher: son Dimitri Portwood, 10 months, and daughter Wyatt Isabelle, 3 — opened up to Entertainment Tonight about her and Kutcher’s desire to raise open-minded children.

“Yeah, we’re not gonna raise a–holes. There’s enough a–holes in this world!” Kunis said. “We don’t need to contribute. But, you know, there’s some nice people.”

Want all the latest pregnancy and birth announcements, plus celebrity mom blogs? Click here to get those and more in the PEOPLE Babies newsletter.

RELATED VIDEO: What is the Parenting Move that Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher Always High-Five Each Other For?

  One of the ways they go about that is not giving Wyatt and Dimitri Christmas presents — a decision they came to after their own parents showered the tiny tots with piles and piles of gifts.

“We’re instituting [no presents] this year because when the kids are [younger than] 1, it doesn’t really matter,” Kunis says. “Last year when we celebrated Christmas, Wyatt was 2, and it was too much. We didn’t give her anything — it was the grandparents. The kid no longer appreciates the one gift. They don’t even know what they’re expecting; they’re just expecting stuff.”

“We’ve told our parents, ‘We’re begging you — if you have to give her something, pick one gift. Otherwise, we’d like to take a charitable donation, to the Children’s Hospital or a pet [or] whatever you want,’ ” she adds.

Noel Vasquez/GC Images

RELATED: Mila Kunis Refuses to Raise Entitled Children: “Mommy and Daddy May Have a Dollar, But You’re Poor”

The holidays were tough for Kunis to navigate at first. “I come from communist Russia, where you’re not allowed to be happy, so my holiday traditions are ‘be quiet,’ ” she jokes. “Coming to America is when you realize Christmas has a magical quality to it.”

“In Russia, back in the day, it was a very religious holiday, so you don’t celebrate Christmas if you’re not Christian and if you’re not at Mass,” she explains. “So, I being Jewish, was like, ‘Christmas is not for you.’ We come to America and we’re like, ‘Christmas is so inclusive.’ ”

“We literally bought a Christmas tree,” Kunis continues. “So as far as tradition goes, my family’s big on any excuse to get the family together and get drunk. Whether it’s Easter, which we’ve now all accepted into our Jewish household, or Christmas, it doesn’t matter. It’s all family time, but having kids, we’re building up our own little versions of tradition.”

STX

RELATED: Ashton Kutcher Admits Mila Kunis Predicted Donald Trump’s Win and Their Son’s Name: “Everything She Says Is Right”

Aside from building traditions, the Family Guy voice actress has her hands full juggling work and motherhood — but that balance has gotten easier.

“I’m a little bit less stressed over what to anticipate. You’re still stressed out and there’s still the idea of the guilt of leaving your kids, but you know that they’ll be okay,” she explains. “Because I’ve already done it once and the kid doesn’t resent me, so I was like, ‘Okay, I think I can do this.’ ”

“I also need to enlist help,” Kunis adds. “Working full time, my husband has moved his company here, so he works full time. We needed help.”

FROM PEN: How Today‘s Savannah Guthrie Copes With a Toddler, a Newborn AND 3 a.m. Wake-Up Calls!

  Filming A Bad Moms Christmas in Atlanta with her kids in tow made things a bit easier on her “mobile tribe,” even if Kunis was constantly busy planning activities for the kids.

“I can write you a book on kid-friendly activities anywhere in the world,” she says. “Because that’s what we do. We used to be like, ‘What’s the coolest club?’ and [now] I’m like, ‘Let me tell you about the zoo in Atlanta and the bouncy house.’ There’s not one kid activity that I haven’t done yet with my child!”

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

RELATED: Mila Kunis Returns to the Red Carpet 4 Months After Welcoming Son Dimitri – and Talks Being a Tired Mom of Two

“We have a public library card everywhere we go,” the star shares. “When it is really hot outside, we go to the library and read books.”

Somewhere between all of that, Kunis hits the gym. After all, unlike what many may think, her post-baby bod takes work. “Lots of gym-ing,” she says. “I hate someone who’s like, ‘This is all natural.’ Bulls—. It’s not natural.”

A Bad Moms Christmas — which also stars Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Susan Sarandon, Christine Baranski and Cheryl Hines — hits theaters Nov. 3.

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[carshipping-overseas-blog]

Roll On/Roll Off International Car Shipping – What You Need To Know

In the past, there weren't actually many options when you want to move your automobile from one nation to another safely and quickly. However, now that is all possible with the help of international car shipping providers. There are plenty of firms that provide this service and when selecting one, go with a professional, experienced transport company with the right established associations to help make the relocation procedure simpler and easier.

The best international car shipping company will be able to track your car during transit and have 24/7 customer support system to provide you peace of mind. Moreover, they'll be able to offer personalized shipping solutions to meet up with your personal needs and even can arrange to send your vehicle to the doorstep. The right company would have dependable partners for easy customs clearance of the vehicle. Therefore now it is simple to possess the best automobile even from other nations with the help of a reliable overseas car shipping firm. The luxury brand, high-end cars could be transported overseas with these shipping firms.

The associated fee tends to vary, depending on the type of vehicle, used or new, where the vehicle is coming from and where it is actually delivered, and taxes and customs fees. Your budget is also affected by the weight and preferred mode of shipping. Most international auto shipping companies can provide quotes and help with the preparation process. Buy insurance protection if you like to cover your car or truck while being shipped.

When it comes to overseas car shipping, you have 2 options: container shipping and roll-on/roll-off (Ro/Ro) shipping. Should you go for the first option, your car or truck is going to be loaded into a 20’ or 40’ container and the container is shut and sealed once the vehicle is safely parked. In RORO shipping, your cars are driven or towed directly into the belly of the ship using their own wheels and through a ramp. Once on board, they're secured to a car deck in a wind and watertight vessel.

The primary advantage of RORO method is that it costs much less when compared to the shipping in a container. Moreover, the delivery time is generally much quicker for this mode of transportation. RORO carriers can handle not just cars but bike, boat, trucks, buses and even heavy equipment. Most RORO companies can pick-up the car from and deliver it to any location chosen by you.

International RORO shipping is quite popular among exporters and importers mainly for two reasons: cost and efficiency. Shipping your car through RORO service can be arranged from all the major ports in America including New York, Miami, Baltimore, Savannah, New Orleans, Galveston, and Los Angeles. You can easily ship your automobile to all the key countries across the world. Overseas destinations include main ports in Asia, Europe, West/East Africa, Australia, Central America and South America.

Whether you are moving overseas and would like to bring your car together, or just purchased a new car and would like to deliver it back home, RORO USA LLC will handle all of your international car shipping needs that help you get your automobile to its final destination quickly and also at a great rate.