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.
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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