The rest of the summer was probably the best time of my life (up to that point). We met a girl next door also named “Amie”, and a girl across the street name “Jamie”. Amie’s dad was a doctor and Jamie’s mom was an attorney. Her mom was engaged and, even though her parents were divorced, Jamie’s dad also lived there in a separate part of the house. The girls were a few years older than us, and both were headed for Rice University at the end of the summer. Still, they accepted our invitations to come to the pool with us.

Monday was more active. Lisa and I both got haircuts at “Nancy’s”. We both got what mom called “pixie cuts”, and I got my ears pierced, after which I looked into the mirror and said, “No going back now”. Nancy looked puzzled, but I didn’t care; let her wonder. Lisa and I looked even more alike, but she was more beautiful than ever. I told her I was going to call her “BC”, for “Beautiful Cousin”. She said she would do likewise.
I thought for a second. “Lisa, I’m kinda glad you’re not my sister.”

“Amie!...Why”

“We would be calling each other “BS”.

“Silly girl!”

Lisa and I “worked” on sorting clothes. Mostly, we modeled for each other and took pictures with our digital cameras. Even though Lisa was my cousin, she was so beautiful it was hard not to stare. Finally, she said, “What?” I hadn’t realized how intently I had been watching her. I told her the truth, “Lisa, you’re just beautiful.”

“You’re not gonna get kicked out of bed yourself, cousin.”

“Well if it’s a guy, it’ll be me doing the kicking.”

“I think you’ll change your attitude”.

“We should bet on that. Got a million dollars?”

“Not at the moment.”

The house was dark when we got there, but the motion sensors clicked outdoor lights to life and, created near daylight when we pulled into the driveway. Walking up to the front door activated more lights. Not that there was any danger, we were in the safest neighborhood in Houston, with the possible exception of the “gated” communities which, to me seemed like visiting a prison. The police patrolled the area, alert for any rare case of burglars or prowlers.

We got into Houston early in the afternoon, but it looked like the rush hour was already underway. Luckily we were going into town and most of the traffic was headed out. After exiting the freeway and making numerous twists and turns, we were home. We pulled into the driveway that must have been a quarter of a mile long. The house was a great distance from the road and huge oak trees shaded the massive yard.
I was incredulous, “Mom, are you sure this is it?”

“Yes, honey. Your dad said it was big, but I’m a little surprised myself!”

My dad’s car was gone. Most likely, he was gone to his office. The company seemed to need him 24 hours a day. My mom was fighting with a vacuum cleaner hose. When we walked into the room, she looked up and dropped her work. The vacuum cleaner hose vomited dust onto the carpet. She ignored it and looked me over. “My goodness, we’re progressing quite quickly, aren’t we?”

Lisa took the lead, “What do you think, Aunt Kim?”

“I think she’s beautiful! She has trusted you with this information. You realize the importance of keeping this to yourself?”

Friday of that week school was out for a “Teachers’ Workday”. I was awakened by my cell phone impatiently buzzing about a new text message. Lisa wanted to spend the day together. A lot of people would think it weird that my BF is a girl; but being cousins made it somewhat OK. We had similar feelings on a lot of things and really felt comfortable together.

Things were soon to change, anyway. My dad was getting a promotion at work and we would be moving almost 200 miles. We would still be in Texas, though.

This is the first chapter of Spring Fling the second part of Reaching Home. This and the last chapter are transitioning from winter to spring. Atalanta spends her spring break in Washington DC. Trouble finds her in isolated places. What can possibly go wrong in a city of several million people?

Again I want to thank Ashleigh for her editing.

I do hope you enjoy this chapter.

One Knight awaiting us

...These are girls underwear... why did he give me girls underwear... they fit very well though, so comfortable... Do they think I’m a girl? What are they going to do to me when they find out I’m not?

“And someone should shoot you for that pun.”

"I'll keelhaul any man who scratches the paint work." Commander Charlotte Broughton, somewhere in the
South Pacific

These two chapters represents the end of part 1: Winter Solstice. Part 2 Spring Fling follows and it is still up in the air whether this book is a two-parter or if it is in three parts. It all depends on how much trouble our hellion gets into and wiggles out from under. Speaking of which I have jumped back and forth in the timeline and Ashleigh has edited 49 more pages but I've written 7 pages in between that is not yet edited. She hasn't been feeling well and I may post them unedited revising that chapter when she is doing better. An editor is worth her or his weight in gold especially in my case when I don't all the time know what Atalanta will do next. Or when. So Ashleigh if you're reading this thank you again.

I added an additional image that I hope illustrates a point. Let me know if you like an occasional image ot if this one helped or hurt.

We find out what plan Atalanta has or indeed if she has a plan at all and instead is making it up on the fly. Harvard puts in an appearance after all why not it is an institute of higher learning but he is a very special bird and he can...no that would be telling! I hope you enjoy.

Since I didn't have any problems posting the last addition I thought I'd add this chapter by itself as it sets up the next two chapters. The much anticipated field trip begins as the group of high schoolers attend a lecture on the theatre. Atalanta gets an idea but it is not one either school will like. I also want to thank Ashleigh for her fine editing skills, she makes my writing a lot better.

I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Having completed her operation in England, Charlotte and Will return to their island in the South Pacific. There is a rush to familiarise themselves with the progress made in their absence, make new friends and renew old acquaintances.
Whilst Charlotte is doing this, she makes her first of a chain of discoveries, a hoard of laundered currency and packages of uncut heroin!
Then a trip to the scientific laboratories on the south side of Charlotte Island leads to the second discovery; over twelve thousand miles away from where they should be, evidence of an early settlement is discovered with English Celtic Iron Age roundhouses, altar stones and jewellery dating back to a time before the first Roman invasion of Britain!
Shortly after this and whilst on her honeymoon with Will, Charlotte finds a letter written by the settlers who built their original house and two or three days later a hidden casket with more connections to the past!
But there are other discoveries to come. Is there a touch of magic involved? Charlotte becomes suspicious that this might be connected to her meeting in Berkshire with Penelopeia, ancient wife of Odysseus, the Greek hero of Troy and are the water sprite Undine and Goddess Artemis figments of her imagination, the early signs of a mental breakdown or visitors from another dimension?
Perhaps it is a reaction to the events of the past eight months, shipwrecked, marooned, her sexuality confused? Then a battle for her life on the high seas and the biggest shock of all; discovering that all her life she had been intersexed, a male and female sharing the same brain and body and all of this followed by the recent string of astonishing discoveries. Is that too much to ask of a person with XXY chromosomes?

Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change

The only violence in this chapter is in the description of Quinn's war wound and Will's on duty injury.

I apologize for not posting anything for so long, I was dealing with bad migraines for about three weeks from late April to mid-May, and my muse apparently decided to take a hike, leaving me with four pieces partially written. This is the first of those I've managed to finish.

**********

This chapter hopefully explains what happened last chapter. There's a fair amount of tension between the school and Atalanta with Manny siding with Atalanta and leaving Sam walking a fine line.

As always I want to thank Ashleigh for her editing skills. It would be mostly unreadable without her as grammar is not my strength.

I do hope you enjoy this chapter and I will appreciate your comments and answer any questions you have and of course kudos.

Katie

Guys sorry about the spotty posting but my husband went into rehab on April 15th and I've been super busy. I'm not sure about my schedule going forward as on Friday I learned his Ins. Co won't talk to without his permission--every time. So I need to look into a legal/financial framework for us. That'll be fun--not. I have most of this story written; it is in two sections and I'm working on connecting them and adding finishing touches to the ending.

First I want to thank Ashleigh for her editing skills and making it readable. I've included 4 chapters as they're kind of short. Dr. Bellows wants Atalanta to do what? Mischief happens in the bathroom. Nikki has a theory about Atalanta's use or abuse of magic.

I hope you guys enjoy this offering.

Jordan Price was like most boys on New Holland. He dreamed of dancing in the sky like the Sky Dancers. To fly among the clouds under his own power. There is only one problem. Only women could be Sky Dancers, and Jordan was a boy. Then came the day that would all change

I have a few minutes and I thought I'd post this chapter early while the posting procedure is fresh.I'm not sure what time I'll have going forward. As always Ashleigh thank you for your editing.

I thought I might try another image for this chapter. I'd appreciate if you all will tell me if you you'd rather I keep one image or change up occasionally to meet the action.

In this chapter Atalanta and her crew meet both the fugitives and the wolf pack.

After an evening of dancing, Emma and John go home and Scarlet, Emma’s Muse, dictates the action.