Family Matters

As if to emphasize that my period of contemplation of Eden Atara Goldman's letter was finished, the doorbell started to ring. The new doorbell was one of those electronic types that can be programmed to practically play a symphony when the button was pushed. Stan the ass-grabber had set it to play Roy Orbison's Pretty Women. I still was trying to grasp that I was a pretty woman these days, it was almost as strange as living with a ghost.

History At Home

We decided that the afternoon should be spent in quiet activities in deference to my puncture. I unearthed one of the multi-sided die left from my D&D days to decide which room would start our explorations. It came up at the parlour, so we removed the dust covers, did a quick vacuum and looked at the bookshelves that were on one wall.

A Welcome Discovery

Returning to the historical society, I worked out how to make hard copy of the microfiche. The article was dated March 7, 1866:

The Backstory

I'm going to start with a confession: I'm a nutcase.

Don't believe me? Just ask any of my friends and they'll be happy to go into excruciating detail.

What if supernatural beings like Witches, Faeries, Demons, and their ilk are all real? Glen Evanston is about to be caught in their many traps in my new work in progress: Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem a Graphic Novel by Raine Monday

Alleviating boredom during lockdown restrictions? Helping out a friend in need? Discovering that he looked pretty? There were so many reasons for Luke to try being Lucy. So why wouldn't he? This is just a bit of fun, with over 30 photos. Apologies to those that don't like stories with images; but I do.

The hit sitcom returns with a “Christmas in July” holiday special! With the mob closing in, the last thing Terry expected was a nighttime visit from a magical elf and three snarky spirits. But he’ll need their help if he doesn’t want to stay stuck as a French maid for the rest of his life! (Featuring artwork by Fraylim!)

What if supernatural beings like Witches, Faeries, Demons, and their ilk are all real? Glen Evanston is about to be caught in their many traps in my new work in progress: Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem a Graphic Novel by Raine Monday

What if supernatural beings like Witches, Faeries, Demons, and their ilk are all real? Glen Evanston is about to be caught in their many traps in my new work in progress: Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem a Graphic Novel by Raine Monday

Amanda, Christie's Mother, is driving home, stuck in traffic, after her meeting with Grandfather Kim. Her child's so far unique trial continues to bother her, and she uses the time in traffic jams to plan. Meanwhile, Christie is trying to develop some plans of her own on how to deal with members of the Competive Cheer and Dance Team who won't leave her alone. Christie's trial maybe hard to figure, but Amanda is well able to help her daughter learn how to deal with such minor annoyances - without magic and without Taekwando.

“Well, that was easier than I’d expected,” said my Mum, as she put her phone back down on the desk in her study.

“Hey honey. How was your day?” my Mum called back.

I headed straight into the lounge, where my Mum was sat in the middle of the sofa, with her laptop open on her lap, and a series of papers spread on the two empty seats beside her. I took a seat in one of the adjacent armchairs.

“Great, thanks. James took us out for a drive to Broadsbury; it was really pretty.” I smiled across to my Mum.

“His car got you all the way there? Didn’t you say his door was falling off, or something?” my Mum asked, with some concern.

We kissed and cuddled in bed for what felt like hours. I couldn’t believe just how exciting I was finding exploring James’s muscular body. A body that I had seen in sports changing rooms, and ignored, many times before.

I wanted to stay here in this moment forever. With my man, treating me like his girl.

I woke early on Saturday morning, after again struggling to get to sleep the previous night. Too many excited thoughts running though my head, from the experiences of the last few days and the anticipation for the coming evening. I got up much earlier than I would normally have on a Saturday, and very early considering how tired I had felt.

Reluctant Diva 34
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 34 – Epilogue
That weekend was the start of a train of events that a few short months later, one week after my sixteenth birthday, led to my finding myself on the eve of the most momentous day of my life. That’s right! My wedding day!

“I don’t have any pyjamas. I don’t wear them; I’m neither seven nor seventy years old! Can’t I just keep this on, until going to bed?” I said, gesturing towards my current outfit?

“No. I don’t want you crying all over my clothes. And you need those as costumes, don’t you?” My sister replied.

“Why on earth would I cry? What are you going to do to me?” I queried in fake panic.

“Nothing. I hope you don’t. But trust someone who knows from experience, these girlie chats about boys often end that way.”

“Boy chats?”

Instead of heading to the holding area, it was a shorter route for me to head first to the gymnasium changing rooms, and pick up my two other costumes. I therefore went in a different direction to the boys that were now likely already in the holding room, and I returned down the route I had just walked.

If the bell hadn’t rung, I likely could have stared at the textbook for hours, and would still be none the wiser.
“Is it me? Did I miss something when this was being explained?” I asked, to myself more than to anyone else.

“Well, if it’s you, it’s me too!” answered my classmate John, as he put his books away in his bag. “I think I made a big mistake choosing Maths; I stopped understanding what we’re doing weeks ago.”

Reluctant Diva 32
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 32 – Pillow talk
When Mom’s car came to a halt outside school, Chris was waiting by the gates for me, looking extremely debonair in his evening jacket and bow-tie. My heart gave a leap at the sight and a surreptitious glance at my date made it clear that when he saw me in my outfit he too liked what he saw.

“Wow!” was all he could utter as he ran his eyes over me.

So, my good friend Daisy has finally fulfilled her dream of being a runway model! During a recent visit to our local plaza, she was offered five hundred dollars to model lingerie in the main concourse. The rest, as they say, was history.

Reluctant Diva 29
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 29 – Party time

Reluctant Diva 27
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 27 – Poolside

Reluctant Diva 26
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 26 – Working girl

Reluctant Diva 24
Inspired by Lipstick Discipline
Chapter 24 – In the mood
It took some days to become acclimatised to my new sleeping arrangements. More than once I found myself running up to my old room by mistake. It seemed there were some other changes which were harder to get used to if, in my mother’s eyes, I were to lead the life of a young woman as fully as possible. One which was less welcome was that my constricting corset should be a permanent feature of my night attire.