Mermaid Arms

After six months, here's a little bit of WWII.

Lee opened his mouth, but any words were obliterated by the sound of screams coming from the water’s edge.

The murky water churned yellow-green a few feet into the bay as something struggled…could it be a shark?  Lulu stood where she was.  There was no sign of the little redhead.

Maggie shrieked, “SallySallySally” while Lee ran to the water and dove in.

Maggie shot to her feet and ran through the sand, each step taking hours with her leaden feet.  Bodies writhed in the water.  She saw Sally’s head, she saw Lee surface and pull Sally away from something…something large and heavy tangled around her little legs.

Sally screamed when her mouth got above water.  “Daddy! Daddy!  That’s my Daddy!”

Maggie stopped at the water’s edge, trying desperately to figure out what was going on.  Then she saw what had trapped her daughter.  A body.  A man’s body, head down in the bay. A man with red hair.  A dead man.

She entered the water just as Lee fought against the arms of the floater and Sally’s screams.  The kid kept reaching out toward the body, her beautiful little face contorted with emotion, repeating her cry of “daddy daddy daddy” loud and clear.  When Lee tried to turn away from the sight, Sally struck him in the face then turned back, wriggling in Lee’s arms, desperate to get away.

“No, Sally!  It’s not Daddy!” Maggie forced her voice to sound calm and authoritative.  “It can’t be Daddy.”

The kid screamed in rage.  “It’s Daddy.  He was lost at sea. I found him and he found me!” Again, she struck out at Lee who tried to bring her close within his arms to calm her and keep her from escaping.

Meanwhile, the body bobbed on the surface.  The red hair rippled in the wavelets and one larger wave lifted the face above the water.  A crowd had gathered, mostly teenage boys. At the sight of the fish-eaten flesh, they stepped back.  One young man gagged.  Lee put his hand on Sally’s head and turned her face into his shoulder.

“Somebody went to call the cops,” one of the kids said.  “He has to find a telephone.  Can we help?”

The line of kids parted as Lee finally made it to shore in front of Maggie.  Maggie’s arms moved, offering to take her daughter from Lee but by now, Sally had wrapped her arms around his neck and refused to let go.

Bebo Valdes, Cuban pianist

This man passed away yesterday.  If you listen to this music, see if you can hear the melodies from various American songs hidden within his lovely rendition.

http://youtu.be/PnQpGpZtT14

One I can make out for sure is Willow, Weep for Me.
There are more.

Another girl/guy song

While I'm on the subject, here's yet another older guy/younger but not sick young girl song...I can't seem to get them altogether.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn0ZJHVH17I


Now, you might well ask why I'm posting this stuff.  I had an older brother who had these gorgeous friends who were strictly off limits to me.  But I could dream.  Evidently, I still can!!!!!

Songs about older guys and younger women

This is not something sick, it's maybe the age difference between a guy in college and a senior in high school girl.  There are lots of these songs, here are two that have special meaning to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtLGuE1j4Pw

http://youtu.be/38H_-c5Kgnk

Wow

A Second of a Dream

Still exhausted from the weekend.  I was sitting watching morning television because I didn't want to get ready to face the world when I must have dropped off.

Right in my face was the face of someone I knew growing up, a very long time ago. I'd always forever had a crush on him.  There he was, about two inches away from my face, smiling and gorgeous, same age as back when.  He turned and kissed me on the cheek.  I turned in to face him...and he continued kissing me.

Oh, how I wanted to say, "I have always loved you," but I didn't.
Another lost opportunity, but I still had those kisses!

I think there is something wrong with my brain.

Dead Certain

Decided Lignarius Series titles...one and a half down.
First is Dead Dreams, Lignarius kills vampire, falls in love with her twin sister.
Dead Meat, Lignarius encounters killer vampire dogs in Charleston, SC, acquires 9 year old girl while doing so and has woman trouble.
Really Dead, Lignarius learns there are as many fish in the sea for him as there are vampires to kill.

You always hurt the one you love!

Conference is OVER

The fabulous Liberty States Fiction Writers' conference is over for the year.

It is the one thing I absolutely look forward to...without a doubt...because of a very selfish reason: I get to be Irene there.
Not Mommy.  Not Mrs. P.  Not so and so's mother, not Herb's wife.
I am Irene. Only close friends know the details of my entailment, my family, where I live, where I did what and when. 
At the conference, I am free to talk books, writing, learn about others, see old friends, and make new ones.

It's just what I need. I've been putting off writing for myself and only working on the chapters of other people. I love their stories so much I don't necessarily feel the need to write my own stories, even those that are finished in my head.

But what I truly do miss is the book signing.  I want another book, in paper, to sign for people who buy it.  I want that because, although I have three stories available for viewers on electronic devices, you have to have one of them, and while there is supposed to be a way of autographing somehow, I can barely figure out how to log into things much less sign something.  And who knows what might happen with my official signature in the ether?
I'm that chicken.
I'm that paranoid, I guess.
I'm that functionally computer illiterate.

To all those new folks I met, so glad to meet you!
To all those old friends I saw, hugs.
To all those people who couldn't make it, boy, do I wish you'd been there!