Thursday, September 21, 2017

WRITERS WRITE... WRITING PARTNERS FEUD ~ ANGELS - Ecanus and Forcas 2


Over the next several weeks, we will be sharing excerpts of the angelic characters from a work in progress, THE DARKNESS WITHIN, Book Three by Angelica Hart and Zi.


continued
ANGEL WINGS OF HOPE
Small town, Georgia - The story of Ecanus and Forcas
This is me. Don't judge, don't hate. I am who I am, I'm who God made me to be, an angel with a few scars and broken hearts and a voice that should be heard. I'm a soldier and a fighter, I fight for love and I fight for those who need an angel, too. ~ Courtney Hood
"Stop! Talk to me!" she shouted.
"You'll just ask the same question." Hands rose as if blocking and dismissing.
"So answer it."
"No!" The cat, Puff Puddin, ran from the room, scared by their shouting.
“Why not?”
“It’s not what I want.”
“Why?”
“I don’t believe in living together. You either commit or you don’t. And that’s not enough of a commitment for me.”
“If living together is a problem, we’ll get married,” Jessica said softly, her heart in her smile as she saw Monica’s stunned expression. “It’s really what I want, too. I just didn’t think you’d go for it. You know, living in the Bible belt and all.”
Monica’s gentle features fell, looking poignant. Her shoulders hunched, her hair fell forward hiding her face, so symbolic of the way they lived, hiding, cowering. Monica hated it. Couldn't bring herself to untangle from it. Caught. Trapped. “I’m not sure marriage is the answer either. Both our families think we are just friends."
"We are great friends." Jessica's tone professed love, even more, strength.
"Both our families will probably disown us. They are so devout."
"They would be wrong." Jessica reached a hand to be held. The argumentative moment stilled for a second. Their intense bonding blocking out all the erroneous damnation. They were strength on strength, one for the other.
"Besides, it is our extended church family as well, our community. Caught in 1920. We will never be looked at in the same way." Redness filled Monica's eyes.
"We will be fine."
"We’ll be the odd ones, the cast outs. I don’t want to live like that." Her taunt expression revealed her torment of being splintered between two important forces.
"Nor do I." Jessica flashed the single digit salute to the window as a metaphoric gesture of disapproval.
"Come on, get it. This is a small southern community with old town values and morality. We live their way, or we move.” So matter-a-factly came the words.
"No!" jolted Jessica, "Hell, no!"
"They hold the hammer and we will be nailed."
“We need to own up to how we feel. This is a new day, a new age. I never wanted to lie. I did it for you.” Jessica moved closer, caught between wanting to hug Monica, to insist that single action turn it all around, make her lover become stronger and defend their love against the intolerance. She hugged, strong and caring, though, Jessica knew a hug wasn't magic, just a salve.
“I know, I know, but I can’t lose my family, my church, my community.”
“Maybe, we can be the ones to show them that love is love, and that God is about love. Don’t you always say, God doesn’t make mistakes. So our love can’t possibly be a mistake.” She rose and did the I-am-right-happy-dance.
“It’s not,” Monica said softly, raking her fingers through curly, untamed red hair as if she could find the answer trapped in the mess.  “Can’t we just go on as we have been.” Monica’s face brightened. “Maybe, we can live together, you know like roommates. They’ll buy that.”
"You asking for the sham?"
"The mask."
"The lie."
"The beard so we might be happy."
"I'll never be happy whitewashing that lie."
"Please, for me."
Disappointment gathered in the totality of Jessica’s curvy, stout body. “No! We tell our families the truth and move forward, no matter the consequences,” insisted Jessica.
Monica scanned her lover’s apartment, and then her expression settled on her plump pretty face. “I can’t. I won’t lose my family. What else is there but family and love.”
“They might accept us.”
“Really?”
“Maybe.”
Tears rivered down her cheeks. Deep breaths heaved her chest as she was hurled into a state of dismay. Adrenaline raced. Horror clouded her eyes. Hands shook. The ice picks of pain stabbed and stabbed, piercing her stability of love. It was now or never. Turning away, Monica whispered softly, “I’m sorry, so sorry. It’s over. We’re over. Don’t call. Don’t try to see me.” Had she ripped the bandage from the wound quick enough? Probably not.
Jessica was too stunned to stop Monica from leaving, but also thought, she’d come back, that she reconsider. When weeks sped by and calls, texts, emails and IMs went unheeded, Jessica became frantic. She finally confided in her older brother, Lee. Of everyone in the family, he was the only one who might have compassion.
All eyes looked away from Lee, what they didn't know couldn't hurt them. All considered Lee the dark duck of the family. He questioned everything, never went to services, and his business was based in his garage, selling sex toys online with a sideline of writing erotica. The toys sold well. The erotica sold better.
And the garage was where she found him. "Sis, how they hangin'?"
"You can be such a lout."
"What brings you to my Hell Hole?" He caught his sister's expression and his manner of behavior altered. "You are hurting, tell you brother. I am here for you." He hugged her.
While absorbed in his grasp, she confessed her love for a woman. “I love her, always loved her, since we in high school.”
“You and Monica, huh? I noticed you two haven’t been hanging around. I thought it kinda strange, you were like two peas in a pod. At first, I thought it was a sister thing. But it wasn’t until you weren’t together that I thought it might be more. Why? Friends rarely end it so abruptly, unless there is a guy being tugged at. There was no dude, so your brilliant brother from the same mother, knew. You and Monica were sitting in a tree... K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”
Jessica braced herself, expecting a judgmental look. Instead, she saw compassion. “You really thought so.”
“Yeah. Seemed right somehow.” He winked. "I'd high-five you, but the ouch griping your face tells me to just hug."
“If you knew, you didn’t say anything. Why? I needed a friend.”
A butterfly flew into the garage, and landed on Lee’s shoulder. He shrugged. It remained. “I was never much of a talker about feelings. Come on, I hide in my garage. I do weird stuff. Why? I am afraid of feelings. Damn Mom and Dad and Uncle Frank with their moralistic horse-shit.” His rant would have continued, but she squeezed his waist reminding him that she was in need of his heart.
She looked about the garage. His own private space, despite owning the small house attached to it. “No, you were always more of a writer.”
"It is a place to say what I feel with some anonymity." Then his heart replaced his rationalization of self, "You want her back?”
“Of course.”
"Then go get her, Silly Socks."
"She drew the line in the wet sand."
"So she had terms and you balked?"
"Yes."
"Sweetie, agree to her terms. Love trumps what you have right this second. Beg to do whatever she wants.”
Jessica hesitated. “I want her back. I am afraid it is really over. Yes, I'd do whatever. Can I hide with you until..."
He nodded. Sighed softly and then patted her back. “You stay here… and… ummm. Don’t touch the computer. Don't open, Whores Behind Barbeque Doors.”
“Where are you going?”
“To talk to Monica.”
"Don't you dare."
"Brothers know best."
“But….”
“Trust me.” He smiled, "There are some pudding cups in the frig. Leave at least one."
Hours later, Monica appeared, teary eyed. She flung herself into Jessica’s arms. “We’ll figure it out. Somehow, we’ll figure it all. After you poured out your hear in all those letters, I know our love is forever. And if our families don’t understand, then I guess, we’ll just have to make a new family.” Just outside the door, a raven’s caw could be heard.
Elation washed over Jessica, and she squeezed Monica, lips finding lips as their tongues entwined for a long moment. When they gently parted, Jessica recognized a misplaced word. “Letters?”
“The ones you have been sending since we’ve been apart.” She reached into her large handbag and pulled out the penned letters, unfolding the tight little bundle.
Jessica didn't recognized the calligraphy handwriting, but suspected it was Lee’s.
Lee had quickly identified what had happened between the two. Comprehended the injustice. Suspected the genesis was founded within the moral construct of the town. He made a choice to rectify the unfairness. He used his writing skills and artistic bent to bring Monica and Jessica back together. 
Earlier.
He stood before Monica and ranted, "You love my sister. She loves you. You are exactly what God wants. She is in my garage, hopefully staying away from my porn, aching for you. Stop being silly. Go to her. Make this work. I will do anything to grease the way with the families. If they don't like it, I'll make them like it."
Monica turned and went into her home, then returned with a handful of letters. "She spoke so freely of a love for me. She rarely did that when we were together."
"Our family struggles with expressing feelings. I know she loves you. Go to her."
Forcas inspired him to write the letters and the prose came easily since Lee, unbeknownst to any, had been in love with Monica for as long as Jessica had, but love for his sister came above all else. Sacrifice for the ideal of love was a commitment to all love.
That day in Lee's garage, those three found profound strength and conviction to one clear agenda. Love first. With the spiritual inspiration of Ecanus and Forcas, the three of them, slowly began to change a community’s viewpoint on how there were different ways to love. Was it easy? No! But hearts could always be seen glowing through bigotry.

***
About the Story: The Darkness Within is a fast-paced supernatural thriller involving, kidnapping, romance, gypsies, and supernatural beings. The tale revolves around private detective Brie (Gabriella) Tyler's investigation of several missing young women believed to be runaways. Somehow, it connects to a past she cannot remember.   While trying to find his missing niece, Jake Marlo, the owner of prestigious private detective agency, crosses path with Brie. Independent and feisty, Tyler resists Marlo's help and romantic attention. The two collide as heinous henchmen and supernatural forces threaten to destroy their lives.


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We'd love to hear from anyone interested in what we do. Anyone who writes us at writingteamcw@yahoo.com (Write - Blog Dawn - in subject line) and leaves an s-mail address, we will send you a free ebook (choose erotic or romantic thriller) and add you to any future mailings.



Angelica Hart and Zi ~ Vixen Bright and Zachary Zane
www.champagnebooks.com - www.carnalpassions.com - angelicahartandzi.com










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