Shameless Plug:  Today, I’m being featured over at I Pick Pretty! Pretty is a fabulous, stylish, sophisticated Invisible Friend who has a dry sense of humor that beats Ellen any day.  Coincidentally, she’s our Creative Woman of the Pond tomorrow as well!  So check her out!

For my new Invisible Friends, Twirl is the story of a star-crossed ballerina named Vivi and her handsome cowboy named Wade, who have stumbled into a international ballet scandal and a old Texas legend that might possibly lead to riches! To catch up in the archives, go to the Never Ending Stories Tab at the top of this site.
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Dear Vivi,

I know your competition isn’t for another week or so, but I can’t wait anymore.  You said the word.  In two days, I’m loading up this old truck and coming to whisk you away.  Don’t worry about your old man–I’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you anymore.  I’ve got a surprise for you too–I think you’ll like it.

Margaret got out of jail and treasure’s all anyone can talk about down here.  The sheriff is watching her, but it’s only a matter of time. So here’s my plan, darling–we get you out of that dreadful place, drive to every dance hall in town, find that damn treasure and live happily ever after.

But don’t worry.  Even if we don’t find the treasure, we’ll still live happily ever after.

See you soon.

Love,

Wade

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Dearest Wade,

I can’t wait to see you!  You’re going to die when you hear what Susanna told me about my dad–well, my psuedo dad today.  I refuse to dance in the competition.  Mrs. Angelson and him choreographed this dance that’s obscene–and I can’t dance that way with another man when I’m with you.  I can almost see your blue eyes laughing at me, feel your warm chest against my cheek.  Just two days!  I can’t wait!

Almost happily ever after,

Vivi

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“What dirt?”  Vivi clutched Susanna’s hands, her eyes wide.  “What’d you hear?”

“First, you have to promise not to be mad at me,” Susanna said, her brown eyes starting into Vivi’s green ones.  “Promise?”
“Promise.”  Vivi’s stomach was lurching in her chest, a mini-earthquake.  “Tell me, please!  I can’t stand it.”

“Ok.” Susanna took a deep breath.  “So, awhile ago, I told my dad I thought your dad was abusing you.  He said he always suspected something was going on, because your mom always acted so weird.  He said when women were real skittish and secretive in public, it was usually a sign of abuse or drugs.  When we found out about your mom being an actress, I had him check out your parents.  He verified your mom’s identity.  But your dad…”  Susanna trailed off, squirming on the hard floor.

“Tell me.”  Vivi’s eyes were locked on Susanna.

Biting her lip, Susanna looked away as she continued.  “When my dad had one of his investigators look up your dad, he found a huge mess of scandal.  Apparently, your dad really was a hot dancer back in his day.  He was the top in the industry, dating all sorts of models and socialites and even royalty!  Everyone loved him, everyone wanted to be him.”

“But your dad got arrogant and greedy.  He got into drugs and gambling, hooking up with all sorts of gross people.  Around that time, he met Mrs. Angelson.  They were…”  Susanna trailed off.  “They were lovers, Vivi.  They still are, by all accounts.”

“I know.”  Vivi’s voice was cold, but held no trace of bitterness.

“You know?”  Susanna’s eyes widened.  “How do you know?”

“I’ll tell you in a minute.  Please, tell me what else you know about my dad.”  Vivi gripped her knee, her green eyes desperate.

“Ok, so anyway, they hooked up and choreographed the Lover’s Dance.  And performed it together.  It was a smash.  It made Mrs. Angelson a star in her own right, though she was never as big as your dad.  As your dad got more and more popular, he got deeper and deeper into drugs and gambling.  He started making deals with people you don’t make deals with, not just your average loan shark.  He was mixed up with Russian gangs, mafia members…everyone.

“Well, as with all dancers, your dad’s body started to break down.  His popularity waned and the public got hooked on a new young star.  But your dad refused to believe it.  He had a lot of debt, and he was desperate for attention.  So he and Mrs. Angelson wormed their way into the production of the year, put on by the director of this edgy dance company.”

“That doesn’t sound so bad,” Vivi replied.

Susanna grimaced.  “Well, what was bad was the scandal behind it.  Newspapers reported your dad  seduced the director’s 16-year-old daughter and gave her a bunch of drugs.  He was…known for having a thing for young dancers and notorious for giving them cocaine before they did the deed.  She overdosed the day of their performance.  The director confronted him onstage during the Lover’s Dance with Mrs. Angelson, crazy with grief.   In front of the whole audience of dance industry big names, socialites, celebrities–everyone who was anyone back then–they got into a fight.  Blood was flying and Mrs. Angelson was screaming, trying to pull them apart. A bunch of other dancers ran up to stop the fight.  It was pure chaos.

And then, either by an accident or mistake, the lights fell from the top of the stage.  Some theorized it was a notorious Russian gang trying to kill your dad, others theorized Mrs. Angelson ran up there to save her lover and kill the director.  No one knows for sure–everything happened too fast.  The director and several dancers were killed, but your dad and Mrs. Angelson were no where to be found.   He sent a letter to a famous choreographer saying that he’d be back for revenge, that he’d been scandelized and would prove the truth.  But since then, no one’s heard of him.  After awhile, the case got cold and police stopped looking.”

Susanna stared her in the eye.  “Until you.  Now, people are sniffing around again.  My dad thinks that your dad is going to stage his comeback through you.  He’s going to question some of the other teachers, see what he could find out.”

Vivi sat very still, her eyes gazing off into the distance.

“Vivi…I’m sorry.”  Susanna took her hand, pressing her palms around Vivi’s cold fingers.  Her friend felt so fragile, so thin and worn.  “I know this is a lot.”

Vivi smiled, only one side of her mouth pulling to her side.  “That’s not even the half of it.  He’s not even my real father.  My real father is some Hollywood jerk director.”

“What?” Susanna exclaimed.  Her mouth dropped open, forming a perfect O.  “What are you talking about?”

Leaning back against the wall, Vivi repeated her mother’s story to Susanna.  When she finished, Susanna dug her elbows into the folds of her folded legs, whistling.

“Dang, Vivi,” she replied.  “You’re a therapist’s dream.”

Vivi burst out laughing. “I suppose I am,” she replied, wiping tears of exhaustion and relief from her eyes.  “But I’m ok, really.  I always knew something was off about my parents.  Honestly, I’m just glad to know what’s real and what’s not.  And I know it sounds terrible, but I’m glad he isn’t my dad.  Even if my real dad’s a jerk, he’s just….”

“Evil,” Susanna supplied.

Vivi nodded.  “And I feel bad for my mom,” she continued.  “She just seems so beat down by everything.  It must be hard to be married to someone you’re terrified of, who loves another woman.  And then, to have his mistress teach me…”

“It’s gross,” Susanna admitted.  “So what are you going to do now?”

Vivi grinned.  “I’m going to wait two more days for Wade to come rescue me.  And then we’re going to find the treasure, go to college and live happily ever after.”

Both girls sighed with happiness.

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The next night, Vivi breezed into the apartment, humming to herself.  Not even Mrs. Angelson’s ridiculous insistence she and Damien do the disgusting dance over and over couldn’t break her mood.  Her feet felt like shredded deli meat and every bone ached, but her heart was floating above her like a kite.  Tomorrow, she would see Wade.  Tomorrow, he’d swing her around and kiss her, sweeping her away into the sunset like a modern day Western.  Tomorrow, they’d be on their way to a great adventure and happy life.  Tomorrow, she’d tell her dad–well, her pretend dad, to go to hell.

Tomorrow, she would be free.

Clutching a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in one hand and an apple in the other, Vivi sang under her breath as she bounced into her room.   She set down her plate on her bed and placed a glass of milk on the nightstand.  With her lips curled up to her ears, she reached under her pillow for the laptop.

Her fingers felt nothing but the prickly pillow covers.

Panic choked her as she reached under the bed, her hand sweeping under the carpet.  She dropped to her knees, scouring the floor.  Nothing.  Her blood rushed in her ears as she ripped her suitcase open, throwing out leotards and tights and ballet shoes.  It wasn’t there.  She hurried to her makeup bag, picking it up and dumping it on the floor.  Sifting through the pile of eyeshadow and blush, she cried out in frustration.

“Looking for this?”

She whirled around, a snarl on her lips.   The moment she saw him, her face grew pale and her mouth became dry.

Her father, wearing the biggest smirk she had ever seen, was clutching the laptop.

And the screen was open to Wade’s e-mail.

To be continued…

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  Tomorrow we’ve got a fabulous new creative woman of the Pond, I Pick Pretty!  And next week, we’ve got tons more whimsical fun, including a new Critter Confessions!  So stay tuned!