Callie has finally arrived at University and during 'fresher's week' she begins to research societies and clubs that she thinks will be in her own best interests.

I apologize for the extremely lengthy time between postings for this story. Life, as I mentioned in the prologue, can be an utter PITA. Some of that was due to the muse striking at various times with stories or chapters of stories, some due to the muse apparently being on strike or lost.

We arrived at the site for the Lake County Fair perhaps an hour after we left the Williston area that Monday morning.

Long, long ago, when humans were just beginning to form into tribes and learning to hunt and live together, there was a land far, soooo far to the west across the Unending Sea, where there lived a people who espoused peace and the well-being of all peoples.

Their land was called Leroqand and the Leroqandi people were known for their mediation during disputes of all kinds.

Chapter 2

A guilt complex leads to a mission and a meeting with two Bohemians and a new love.

Who the hell am I? Chapter 1

Seeing Erin oh so casually bring forth that little flame, then snuff it out, showed that there did seem to be magic still in the world.

She and Erin sat in the kitchen at the gorgeous oak table, chatting over cups of tea just like many often do in the early evenings.

"I've been wondering, Erin," Stasia inquired, "Just how long have you been able to do magic?"

I had several dreams during the night.
Not all of them were nightmares, but they came close as they all revolved around real people in my life. I couldn't recall anything that they said, but it was more of their expressions—the lifeless, dead expressions they had with every face that flashed in my head. My parents, teachers, Karen Anne, Dick, maybe even Elvis, I don’t know…but they all stood along a line that lead to a door and ultimately closed it on me.

In The Face of It All
(c) 2017
Haylee V

Even though something inside is grieving
Laugh, clown, laugh! - Abbey Lincoln

The clock on the wall silently ticked away as Francis sat on his bed, thinking. Just where, exactly, had things began to go wrong? When had his life began to horribly unravel?

Was it when he first realized, at four, that he was different from the other little boys in his play group?

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.