I know I’m late on this, but I’ve been running around like a madman for work.  Anyway, go check out the Three Bay B Chick’s We Love Art event they’ve been hosting all week.  It’s a wonderful tribute to art both in and out of the blogworld, adult and children’s work, crafts, painting, writing, cooking, etc.  You’ll love it.  I swear.

For the previous Twirl, go here and to the Neverending stories tab at the top of the page.

For my new Invisible Friends, Twirl is the story of a feisty, sassy ballerina named Vivi and her handsome cowboy named Wade. After falling in love swaying on the dance floor to the sound of a fiddle and steel guitar, the couple have stumbled onto a old Texas legend that might possibly lead to riches! On top of everything, Vivi is fighting her controlling father and over involved dance teacher, who are trying to trap her into a life she may not want. Add in a mysterious secret with her mother, a scheming evil boy in her dance class and regular teen angst and you’ve got DRAMA!

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Vivi stared at the magazine stretched between Susanna’s hands, her head shaking back and forth slowly.

“That can’t be her,” she said numbly, staring at the woman’s face on the page.  “That can’t be her.  It’s not possible.”

“It’s totally possible!” Susanna countered, looking from the page to Vivi’s face.  “It’s  your cheekbones, your eyes!  Vivi, your mom was a famous actress!”
“If she was this famous, how is she not recognized?” Vivi asked, her eyes still locked on the woman’s smiling face on the page.   It was like looking at an older version of herself.  She thought of her mother now, scurrying about the house, her shoulders rounded and face etched with lines and sad wrinkles.  The girl on the page had no worries, no wrinkles.   Her smile was pure joy.  “I mean, people on reality shows get recognized,” Vivi continued, tracing the page with a finger.  “If she was this big, then how does she hide down here?”

“Well, this was like thirty years ago,” Susanna pointed out.  “Plus, this woman’s name is Tracy Taylor.  Your mom goes by Jennifer now.  And no offense, but your mom doesn’t look like this now.”

Vivi shook her head.  She felt like the room was spinning around her.  “None of this makes sense,” she murmured, clutching the magazine to her chest.  “None of this makes any sense.”

Susanna patted her knee in sympathy, then jumped back.  “Oh gosh!  It’s almost six!  We have to get to dance class!  Mrs. Angelson will kill us.”

Grabbing the magazine, Vivi raced downstairs after Susanna.  Missy sashayed out of the bathroom, white chalk streaked across her jeans and arms.

“Find anything?” she asked, clawing at the thick paste stuck to her elbow.

“Yes,” Vivi replied, holding up the magazine.  “Can I borrow this?  I’ll make a copy at school tomorrow and bring it back.”

Missy waved her hand.  “Keep it, baby.  I got plenty.  Anything interesting?”

“Do you remember anyone called Tracy Taylor?” Susanna asked, grunting as Vivi elbowed her in the ribs.

“Oh sure,” Missy replied, her eyes lighting up.  “That was a big story, girls.  A big story.”

“What do you mean?” Vivi asked, her stomach clenching into knots.

“Tracy was hot in the fashion world, especially over in Europe,” Missy replied.  “That’s how I knew about her.  She was like Twiggy with boobs, so everyone loved her.  She started modeling at 13 a year or so before the 1980s, which was like the era of supermodels, you know.  She was big–real big.  Like Cindy and Naomi and Linda big.  In the early 1990s, she landed a hit TV show and did some movies.  Then all of the sudden, she disappeared.  Huge scandal.  Everyone thought she died or got kidnapped or something.  The rumors were that she was having an affair with some rich big shot, and the wife wanted her dead.”

Vivi could only nod mutely as Susanna thanked Missy and pulled her out of the house.  Hurrying down the sidewalk, Vivi stared blankly at the road in front of her.

“My mother was a model,” she murmured, raking her fingernails through her hair.  “This doesn’t make any sense.  How did she wind up with my father?  And why does she let him treat her so badly?  If she was such a star, why did she quit working?  Why did she quit at all?  It’s like she went into hiding.”

“Maybe you could ask her,” Susanna suggested.  Vivi pressed her lips together and shook her head.

“I need to think,” she muttered.  “I need to move.  I need to–think.”  Grabbing her backpack tightly, she rushed down the sidewalk with Susanna in towards the school parking lot where her car was.  For once, dance class would be a welcome distraction.  She was almost looking forward to it.

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“Your mother was a model?” Wade repeated as they barreled down the old highway.  Vivi nodded, pulling bobby pins from between her lips as she repaired her bun from dance class.

“If I hadn’t seen the article and the pictures, I would have never believed it,” she replied.

“What did the article say?” Wade asked.

Vivi shrugged.  “I didn’t get a chance to read it yet.  We had to rush to class and then you picked me up.  It’s too dark out now–I’ll read it later.”  Vivi didn’t add that she wanted to read the article alone.  Her time with Wade was special, and the mystery they were chasing down excited every inch of her.   She didn’t want to mix her family’s scandal with something so sweet and fun.  A sign on the highway announced that Pine Creek was two miles away.  Excited energy began to buzz through Vivi’s veins.

“Do you think the Satin Belle Tea Room will still be open?” Vivi asked nervously, pressing her nose to the window as businesses began to crop up among the trees.  “I’d hate for us to get there and not be able to find anything.”

“I called ahead,” Wade replied.  “It’s a museum now, so it’s open to the public until nine.  The manager said he would watch for us.  I told him we were doing a school project on it, so he seemed really excited.”

“This will be great.”  Vivi pressed her hands together, her eyes dancing in excitement.  “And we can check out the dance hall after that!  I can’t wait to see what we find.”

Wade’s finger’s entwined with hers.  “I can’t wait to dance with you,” he murmured.

Vivi’s heart fluttered and she felt her cheeks flush.  “I’m glad we’re doing this,” she whispered.

“Me too.”  Wade squeezed her hand and Vivi’s cheeks blazed.

A few minutes later, they pulled up to a small wooden building.  A iron sign with faded gold letters read, “Satin Belle Tea Room.”  A plaque on the front of the building featured a carving of a ruddy cheeked woman wearing a feathered headdress and clutching a book to her chest.   Vivi and Wade climbed out of the truck and the front door of the Satin Belle Tea Room opened.  A small man wearing suspenders and a bow tie peered out at them.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he called as they rushed up to him.  Lowering his voice, his eyes darted around.  “And I’m afraid I’ve got bad news.”

To be continued…

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  Next week we have a week full of whimsical fun: New recipes, new stories, new odes and a new creative woman of the Pond!  Stay tuned!