Monday, April 23, 2012

The Beginning

 Home

Alyssa and Libby did one more walk through the small house, their respective blue and brown eyes meeting behind the woman who drowned on in front of them, guiding them through the house. They had reached a silent agreement in that glance. They were both in love with the house, which sat back on a residential street right off of of the Alberta Arts District in Portland Oregon.

It was small and quaint, and could use a fresh coat of paint, but as soon as they walked in, it had felt like home. Alyssa could already see herself in the upstairs bedroom, which had area for an art studio and it's own bathroom, while Libby was already planning neighborhood parties in the back yard, complete with twinkle lights and her pilfered state of the art grill.

"I don't want to pressure you girls, but we've had a lot of interest in the place since we've put it up for rent," their prospective landlord said, "and I feel good about you two. I don't know if I've mentioned this, but I bought this house before I met my husband, did a lot of the improvements myself. It's hard to leave, but I would feel so much better if I trusted the people I rented to."

Alyssa and Libby again made eye contact with one another, Libby stepping forward and placing a hand on the woman's shoulder, "We absolutely love your home. When can we move in?" Her brown eyes were glowing in excitement. This was just the fresh start that she needed after her divorce. Thankfully Alyssa had been willing to move in with her, there was no way she could afford a place on her own after things got so ugly with Marco.

"You can move in after the first of the month. I wanted to get the yard replanted, and then she's all yours. Let me just run out and get the paperwork."

As the mouse of a woman left out the front door, Libby turned to Alyssa on her heels, still looking graceful in her obvious excitement.

"I'm so excited, I'm so excited," She sang while shuffling her feet, "Alyssa, this is going to be amazing!" She jumped and clapped her hands together. "We're minutes from EVERYTHING, and did you see that upstairs bedroom? That is going to be perfect for painting. Not only that, but you can take your work right up the street for Last Thursday. You'd make a killing!" Libby spun around again, her chestnut brown hair swirling around her, shining in the light that spilled through the windows in the breakfast nook.

Alyssa smiled and crossed her arms across her stomach. She was happy. She felt a nervous excitement, and was trying desperately not to get emotional as she watched Libby dance in front of her. She had watched her best friend have a difficult year, yet she never faltered. It seemed as though even the most trying incidents that happened to Libby turned into incidents of luck and  fortune. While her divorce from Marco stunned everyone, especially Alyssa, (Alyssa had never known a man to walk willingly away from Libby, and she had known Libby since the first grade), while sitting in the courtroom Libby had met just the right individual, who offered her a job as the Director of Volunteer Programs at Mt. St. Helens. The three years spent traveling with Marco as managed volunteer groups for Global Vision International was time well spent.

Libby always landed on her feet. Alyssa was proud of her friend, and she was sure living with Libby was going to be good for her. Maybe help her to come out of her shell a little bit. Though Libby had always felt as though she blended in the background next to Libby. Beautiful, charismatic Libby.

"All right, I have the paperwork for you girls right here," their new landlord said, handing them each a set of papers to fill out. "The deposit is 1,000, which is fully refundable should you move and there are no major repairs to be made. Also, you can spread that out with your first two months rent, if that makes it more manageable."

"Sounds good," Libby responded in her melodious voice, flipping her hair over her shoulder in a way that caused the landlord to stutter. Libby didn't notice the effect she had on other people, Alyssa did, as she often sat back and watched. Men and women often responded in the same way, looking twice if not three times if Libby happened to walk by. She was a stunning woman,  inside and out. She carried herself with confidence, but also very approachable and likable.

Alyssa smiled, self-consciously pushing her own blond hair from her face and scuffing the toe of her cowboy boot into the ground. She was also a pretty girl, in an unassuming way, becoming more beautiful as you got to know her, peeled away her layers - so to speak. She was quiet, but had a loud unembarrassed laugh when it was deserved. It was a laugh you strove to get from her, and felt self-satisfied if you received it. She was artistic and worked at the Portland Art Museum as a curator. While she loved her job, she longed to have her own art on display.

"We are going to have so much fun here, Lys. I can feel it. Good things are coming our way," Libby said putting her arm around her friend. "Two beautiful woman, taking on P-town. They won't know what hit them. I think we need to celebrate our new abode my dear." She leaned over and quickly kissed Alyssa's cheek. "Have I told you how much I love you. You are, seriously, the best friend ever." Libby leaned over and placed her head on Alyssa's shoulder. Both women were the 5'9", and very close to the same size - though Libby was curvier than Alyssa, blessed in all the right ways. Alyssa was very long and lean, from her regular early morning runs. She was already mapping out a morning run around her new neighborhood.

This was going to be a fun. She looked forward to really getting to know her dear friend as an adult. While the women had never been out of touch for longer than three days, it had been over three years since they had lived in the same state. After Libby had gotten divorced she had run to Alyssa as a respite, the only family that she had. Libby's mother and father had been in a car accident the summer before their senior year in high school. Libby's father had been drinking and the accident had killed his wife, filled with remorse, he had taken his own life. Libby had moved in with Alyssa and her family for their last year of high school. That was the last time that they had lived together, both going their own ways, only now being brought back together.

Friday, April 20, 2012

A Man Worth Sharing?

 

The Man

What kind of man would be one worth sharing? I would have to think that, to a certain extent, he would be the 'ideal' man. Tall, dark, handsome and successful. However, he would also be unassuming. The man wouldn't be someone you would look at and automatically think women were 'fighting' over. This is my man. Handsome, but not quite pretty. Confident, smart (he has a degree and a good job), funny and he likes to dance. He appreciates more in a woman than a good figure and a pretty face - but attraction is important. A woman needs to have more than this to substantiate a relationship.

Do you think this could be that man?

Alyssa & Libby

Inspiration.


This is Alyssa and Libby, not really, but I found this photo and they have become my inspiration for my next book. Alyssa will be my girl in the shadows. Quiet, pretty, understated beauty. Creative and artistic. Kind hearted, yet hard to get to know. Libby is a natural leader. People naturally gravitate to her. She is open, loyal and things tend to always go her way. She is a flawless beauty, one who causes both men and women to turn their heads. Yet easily likable.

I have to figure out how these two girls met and became best friends... so close that they are willing to share the same man....

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Dream

Here is my Dream.

Two women are in love with the same man. The two women are best friends. One is beautiful, smart, witty, engaging. Women would be jealous of her if she were not so damn likable. The other is also beautiful in a classic old fashioned way. She isn't one that causes you to turn your head, but the more you look at her the more you see her simple charm. She is shy and insecure - very unlike her dear friend. She sits on the sidelines and observes. If you stop to talk to her you will find yourself smiling and at ease.

Girl one has been married and divorced. She is jaded by love, though secretly she wants to experience it again. Girl two is looking for the fairy tail. She wants love and romance, followed by engagement, marriage and kids. 

They both met and dated men (not realizing it was the SAME man), only later do they realize that they have both fallen in love with the same man. He isn't scum, he wasn't dishonest or misleading. He told both women that he was dating another, someone that he liked very much. Despite this, or perhaps because of, both women found themselves drawn to him in a way unlike any other. When they found out that it was the same man, both cried and experienced frustration. Girl two to a more severe extent than girl one, she knew that she was no competition for her friend. Girl one was sad and angry, but then was struck by a novel idea.

Let's share. I love you, you love me (as best friends, neither are interested in romantic relations with the other)... we both love him. Why make him choose? It is the perfect situation. For girl one it is ideal. She doesn't want to get burned again. If she shares, even if it doesn't work out, she will still have her best friend. Girl two would rather share than loose this man that her heart has chosen.

Girl one, while jaded by love, doesn't experience jealousy of her friend. She sees her as a beautiful individual, different from herself, but she likes who she is and the people around her see this. Girl two is insecure and jealous, but somehow in this relationship that forms she find happiness and is content. There are moments of unease, but overall it ends up being a lovely situation. They've chosen to share. Not due to religion, or anything else dark and sinister.

Now. I need to turn this into a book. This was a good dream.

Keep posted as I work out how to take this oddly wonderful dream and turn it into a fiction best seller!