You’ve begged.

You’ve pleaded.

You’ve demanded.

You’ve even used your dogs to guilt trip me.

So here you go.   Twice the amount of Twirl, for one super long post.

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.  For the previous edition, go here.

Shameless plug:  Check out my book on Amazon.com!

—————————————————————————————————————————————————–

Vivi sucked in her breath, praying her father didn’t see the panic in her eyes. “What boy?”

Her father scoffed.  “That boy in your class.  The untalented one.  Damien, I believe?”

“What about him?”  Vivi’s shoulders slumped in relief.  He didn’t know about Wade.  She was safe.

“The dance you are doing with him, it is not good enough,” her father informed her.  “Mrs. Angelson has started you on new steps, correct?”

“Yes.”  Vivi watched his hooded eyes carefully.  “What about it?”

A sinister sneer spread over her father’s pinched face.  “In Houston, they are having the dance symposium in a month.  It is for only the best of the best. I told you about this, yes?”

“Ok,” Vivi said, raising an eyebrow.  “So why do you want me to change the dance with Damien?  I thought you and Mrs. Angelson wanted us to do the Lover’s Dance.”  Her cell phone buzzed again, urgent.  Her fingers brushed over her pocket and she bit her lip.

“We came up with something better,” her father replied airily.  He dropped her wrist, his eyes gazing down the hallway.  “If we win this, they will know,” he whispered, his eyes fixed on a invisible opponent.  “They will know what we can do.  They will know how wrong they were, how wrong they all were.  They will pay.  Oh yes.  They will pay handsomely.”

Even as Vivi opened her mouth, she knew it was a mistake.  “Who are you talking about?”

Her father’s black blazing eyes fixed on her.  “The dance world, of course.  I’ve told you how they shunned my career when I was in the prime. ”

Vivi rolled her eyes.  “You’ve totally got a complex.  Get over it.”

She should have kept her mouth shut.

“Get over it?” her father hissed, drawing closer.  Vivi shrank back, wishing she could melt into the door.  “Get over it?  Do you know what it’s like to be shunned by those who celebrated you?  To pay your bills dancing in seedy clubs just to eat?” His black eyes bored into her.  “You don’t know, because we have protected you,” he snarled.  “We have wrapped you in gossamer, coddled you.”

“You mean you’ve lied to me!” Vivi snapped. She raised her porcelain chin and leveled her fiery green eyes at her father.  “I know, Dad.  I know everything.  I know about you and Mom.”  The cell phone buzzed for a third time, shaking against her skin.  She ignored it, keeping her father in her gaze.

The color drained from her father’s face.  He staggered back, his sallow chest rising and falling.  “Who told you?”

“What does it matter?” Vivi retorted, tossing her reddish-blond curls.  “I know Mom was a famous actress and model.  So what did you do, huh?   What did you do to make her disappear?  How did you ruin her career–like you ruined yours?”

Her father’s face flared crimson.  “You little brat”– he snarled, rushing towards her.  His arm raised and Vivi cowered, pressing her body into the door.

“No!” Her mother flew from the shadows, grabbing his arm and pulling her back.  “Don’t touch her!  You will never touch her again!  Not like that!”

Cursing in Russian, her father threw her mother to the side of the room.  “One more mistake,” he warned, glaring at Vivi.  “One more mistake, one more missed dance, one more call from Mrs. Angelson–and we go to Houston immediately.  We will win that competition.  I’ll have nothing else get in the way.  Nothing.”  Storming out of the room, he slammed the door to his office.

Drawing in a shaky breath, Vivi peeled herself off the door.  She helped her mother up, studying her face in the dim light.  It was true.  Even after years of neglect, her mother’s face was that of the woman she had seen in the magazine earlier.

“Mom, why didn’t you tell me?” she asked softly.  “Why didn’t you tell me you were Tracy Taylor?”

A ghost of a smile stretched across her mother’s tired cheeks.  “Tracy Taylor died long ago,” she answered in a dull voice.  “Unfortunately.”  Her pale blue eyes flickered, the most life Vivi had seen in them for years.  “You don’t know how much I miss her,” her mother murmured.  “I still dream…”  Shaking her head, she straightened up.  “I’m sorry about your father, dear,” she repeated.  “But you know how he gets when he’s in one of his moods.  You shouldn’t push him like you do.  It’s not good”–

“Mom, I don’t want to talk about Dad,” Vivi interrupted.  “I want to talk about you.  Why did you give up your career?  Why did you walk away from everything?”

The former Tracy Taylor’s eyes filled with tears.  “I didn’t have a choice,” she whispered, her voice catching with a repressed sob.  “After what I had done, I didn’t have a choice…”

“What did you do?” Vivi asked, touching her mother’s arm.  “What happened?  Tell me.”

Her phone buzzed again, its angry humming shattering the mood.  Shaking her head, Vivi’s mother drew back.  “Some other time, dear,” she stuttered.  “You better answer that–I’ll see you in the morning.  Good night.”

Scurrying into the shadows, her mother disappeared as quickly as she had been seen.  Gritting her teeth in frustration, Vivi bounded up the steps to her room and slammed the door.  She pulled out her cell phone and glanced at the display.  Four missed calls from Wade.  Cracking open the phone, she dialed his number.

“Wade?” she said when he picked up.  “I’m sorry.  My parents were–”

“Vivi.”  Her name on his lips was a sob of despair.  A cold sweat enveloped her and her hands began to tremble as his words struck her ears.  “Vivi–it’s my grandfather.  Someone broke into my grandmother’s room and stole everything.”

Vivi sucked her her breath.  “Margaret,” she whispered.

“Yes,” Wade agreed.  “One of the ranch hands saw her break in and confronted her.   She threw an old cast iron wall hanging at him and about broke his skull in half.  My grandfather rushed in with a gun just as she was sliding through the window.”

Vivi exhaled, her shoulders shuddering.  “So he’s not hurt?”

“Not physically,” Wade replied.  “She took all of the research my grandfather had, and several of the history books my grandmother had collected.  She even grabbed some baby pictures of my dad.  I think that’s what he’s most pissed about.”

Vivi rubbed her temples with one hand.  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered, closing her eyes.  “This is getting out of hand.”

“I don’t know about you,” Wade replied, his voice hard over the phone, “But I’m more determined than ever to find this danged tresure.  I want to see Margaret’s face when we find it instead of her.”  Vivi smiled at the thought.  “Where are your papers at?”

“Susanne’s house,” Vivi assured him.  “And her dad’s a cop.  Plus, she’s got like nine siblings.  No one could get in there undetected.  And her mom’s a karate instructor on top of everything, so she wouldn’t last long.”

Wade chuckled.  “Where were you, earlier?” he asked suddenly.  “When I called, I mean.  Is everything ok?  You usually answer your phone the first couple of rings.”

Vivi leaned against the wall and swallowed hard.  Biting her lip, she answered, “I was talking to my parents.”

“Is everything ok?” he asked, worried.  “He wasn’t–he wasn’t mean to you again, was he?”

Vivi took a deep breath.  “He would have been,” she answered truthfully.  “But my mom stopped him.”

“Hey, did you tell your mom about the article you found?” Wade asked.  “What’d she say?”

“She admitted it was her, but she wouldn’t say why she got out of the business.”  Vivi raked her fingers through her tangled hair in frustration.  “And my dad was saying some weird stuff tonight about proving people wrong.  We’ve only got a few more weeks until that competition in Houston.  He’s obsessed with it.”

“We better start working faster, then,” Wade mused.  “It won’t take Margaret to go through those papers.  And once she doesn’t find what she wants, she’ll come after  you next.”

Vivi scowled.  “I’m not scared of that old bat.”

“I’m not either,” Wade replied.  “But while she’s not dangerous now, she could be soon.  If she gets desperate, there’s no telling what she may resort to.  Did you figure out where the next dancehall is?”

Vivi shook her head, then remembered he couldn’t see her.  “I need to look at my letters.  I’ll go over to Susanne’s before dance tomorrow and read them.  I’ve got a vague idea, so it shouldn’t take long.”

“Great,” Wade answered, some cheer returning to his voice.  “I’ll see you at the dancehall after your class, then?”

A smile crept across her worn face.  “Always.”

“All right then.”  There was a short silence.  “I–I adore you, Vivi.  I really do.”

Her cheeks burned.  “Wade, you mean everything to me.  I can’t believe it’s only been a little bit, but”–

“–It feels like forever,” he finished.  “I know, darling.  I feel it too.”  The phone was warm in Vivi’s hand, the plastic slick on her damp palm.  “Sweet dreams,” he murmured.

“Good night,” Vivi whispered.  She pressed the off button on the phone and fell onto her bed, beaming from ear to ear.  Stretching her hands behind her head, she nestled into her pillow.

She dreamed of twirling with Wade.

***

“So Vivi, when do I get to hunt for clues with you?” Damien’s face protruded in her vision, his thick tongue sliding across his lips like a vile reptile.

“Never,” Vivi snapped, lifting her leg onto the bar and stretching.  Undettered, Damien thrust his face under her arm and peered up at her.

“I know you were at Susanne’s before this,” he whined, pouting.  “If she gets to help you, how come I don’t?”

“Who said we were working on clues?” Vivi asked, turning to stretch her other side.  She shoved Damien’s face from under her arm.  He ducked around the barre and peered over her shoulder.

“What else would you be doing, homework?” he scoffed.  “Plus, I know you took a bunch of papers over there.”

Vivi froze.  Her shoulders tightened, the muscles in her back turning to stone.  “What?”

“Ha!” Damien smirked.  His face turned pink with pleasure as he shoved a bony finger in her face.  “See, I’m a great detective.  That’s why you should let me help you.”

Vivi slid her leg off the barre and put her hands on her hips.  Susanne, who had been standing a few feet away, looked up sharply.  “I didn’t tell him a thing, Vivi,” she assured her, glaring at Damien.  “I wouldn’t tell that snake anything.”

Damien made a face at her.  Vivi stepped closer, using every inch of her height to tower over him.

“How did you know that?” she snarled, her green eyes blazing.

“It’s not hard,” he snorted.  “You don’t move very secretly.  Plus, I’m not the only one watching you.  That old lady–the one who wears all black.  She saw too.”

Vivi gulped.  She twisted around to look at Susanne, who’s olive skin had gone pale.  Biting her lip, she turned back to Damien.  “What else did you see?”

Damien hesitated, then a sly look crept across his face.  “What else do you think I saw?”

“Class!”  Mrs. Angelson stepped into the center of the room with a loud clap.  “Positions!  It’s time to warm up!”

With a final sneer, Damien hurried to his place.  Vivi whispered to Susanne as they hurried to the center of the room, “We’ll find another place for those papers.  I don’t want your family at risk, especially after what Wade said last night.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Susanne replied, her eyes narrowing.  “This is my fight now, too.  I’m going to talk to my dad.  He’ll slap a restrainer on her faster than”–

“Miss Jenkins, is there a problem?” Mrs. Angleson called, eyeing the girls.  “Do you wish to share with the class?”

“No ma’am.”   Susanne stepped away and slid into first position, looking straight ahead.  Vivi followed suit.  She moved blindly through the movements, her eyes locked on the clock.  Every minute was torture.  Staring at the dancehall across the street, she danced until the sun had set and the neon lights were blinking.

“You’re dismissed!” Mrs. Angelson called.  “Vivi, may I talk with you for a moment?”

Cursing inwardly, Vivi hurried up to Mrs. Angelson.  She had to meet Wade in fifteen minutes.  “Yes ma’am?”

“You know that new routine I mentioned?”

Vivi nodded.  “Yes, ma’am?”

“I’d like to get started tonight,” Mrs. Angelson informed her.  “Get some water, and we’ll get started.”

Vivi’s heart began to hum nervously.  “Mrs. Angelson, I can’t do it tonight.”

“Oh?”  Her teacher raised a eyebrow.  “And why not?”

“I have an appointment,” Vivi replied.  Her breath froze in her chest as Mrs. Angelson looked over her shoulder towards the dancehall, then back at Vivi.

“Are you sure you can’t break this…appointment?” she asked.  “It’s very important we get started as soon as possible. And your father assured me that you were committed to your dancing.”

“I am,” Vivi assured her.  “Truly, I really am.  But I already promised I would do this.  Just give me tonight to get it wrapped up, please?”  Her teacher tapped her dance shoe against the floor, her eyebrow nearly touching the ceiling.  Vivi gulped.  “You’re not calling in your favor, are you?” she whispered, her throat raw with emotion.

Mrs. Angelson’s lips twitched.  “Not today, dear.  Go on to your appointment.  I’ll see you tommorow.”

A sigh of relief exploded from Vivi’s lips.  “Thank you,” she murmured, grabbing her dance bag and rushing out of the room.  “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Mrs. Angelson said nothing.  Standing in the center of the empty dance studio, she watched through the window as Vivi’s lithe form rushed across the living room to the dancehall.

With a tiny smile, she reached for the phone.

***

Wade swung her around, spinning her so her toes brushed the ground and the neon lights swirled over her head.  Pulling back, he smiled at her.  “So how are you?  Care for a dance?”  He started to lead her onto the dance floor, but Vivi grinned and yanked him back towards her.  Sliding her arms around his waist, she smiled up at him.

“I know where the next clue is.”

Wade’s eyes widened.  “Really?  Are you sure?”

“99 percent positive,” she boasted.

Wade whooped, causing dozens of eyes to glance their way.  “Let’s go, darling!” he cried, grabbing Vivi’s hand and turning towards the door.  “We got a mystery to solve, girl!”  He whirled around to see Hilda standing in his path, holding a stack of Styrofoam boxes and two soda cans.

“Would you quit whooping like a deranged primate?” she scolded, her long brains swinging.  “Here, make sure she eats this.  She’s getting skinner every time she comes in here.”  Hilda eyed her.  “We don’t go for any of that anorexic nonsense, young lady.  God gave us food and we should eat it.  It’s the Christian thing to do.”

“Yes ma’am,” Vivi promised as Wade shoved the boxes in her arms and pulled her out the door.  “I’ll be sure to do that.”

“And eat your pie!” Hilda shouted as the front door closed behind them.  “Pie is important!”

After helping Vivi into the passenger side of the truck, Wade slid the food boxes onto the center console.  A large hand tapped on his shoulder.  He turned to see the sheriff standing behind him, his eyebrows knit in concern.

“Wade, I need to talk to you a second.”

To be continued…

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends!  Tomorrow we have a new Critter Confessions from Mrs. Frizzle!  After that, we have a week full of whimsical fun!  Stay tuned!

Copyright © 2009 - A Duck In Her Pond (aduckinherpond.com)

Twirl: Double Edition

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(heads bob)

Have you seen the part where Jude Law tells Cameron Diaz in his cute bumbling way why he can’t date her and then says, “You’re lovely.”

Well, dear Rachel Ann thinks I’m lovely. And I think you’re all lovely. But I can only give this to seven of you.

Actually, I can’t do it. I give it to all of you. Seriously. Because you’re all lovely and you all make my life so much better. I love reading through your comments. My favorite ones are when you tell me I’ve made you smile or made your day. My toes tingle, my heart flutters and my cheeks turn pink. The fact that my idiotic ramblings can make you giggle only encourages me. Because honestly, all I want to do is make you all happy.

So please, if you visit today, give yourself this award. I’m not being lazy. I simply can’t choose.

In other news…. (I know you want to know what’s in the envelope Wade’s got! I’m getting there.)

Don’t forget about the Blond Duck Confessions! Whether you want to know what my favorite breakfast is or what my workout routine is, ask away! You can ask me what the ending of Twirl is, questions about the Gift or why the cookie stealing bunny has a secret guilty pleasure for tacos. I’ll tell you anything you want to know.

Just leave your question in the comments–only two more days for questions!

Have you read the previous Twirl?

No? Well go here.

And to catch up even further, check here and here.

Or e-mail me for all the text so far and you can get your own work-in-progress copy of Twirl!

And now, for the rest of the story. ——————————————————————————————————————- Swept in a tornado of rage, Vivi tore around her room. She shook her dance bag empty and ripped several shirts off hangers trembling in her closet. Grabbing a handful of folded jeans and pants, she yanked them off a shelf lined with carefully folded garments.

As she filled another bag with dance clothes and shoes, a shy hand knocked against the door.

“Go away,” Vivi snarled.

“Vivi, darling…” the weak voice trailed off. “Please.” ‘

Gritting her teeth, Vivi jerked the door open. Her mother simpered, her head bowed under a curtain of greasy hair. The color, once as brilliant as Vivi’s own strawberry blond hair, had darkened to a dull auburn streaked with grey.

Vivi knew from photos her mother had once been extraordinary–a gorgeous actress who had captured the breath of thousands by simply walking on stage. But something had happened when she was very small. It was like one day her mother had simply been switched off, and she had withdrawn deeper and deeper into herself ever since. And no one would tell Vivi what happened. It was the greatest dance of her life. A new sense of rage filled her as her mother cowed in the doorway.

“What?” Vivi snapped.

Her mother ducked her head and Vivi was flooded with remorse. She shouldn’t yell at her mother like this. She really didn’t want to. She was just so angry and frustrated.

“Please don’t be angry with your father and I, Vivi darling,” her mother said, a whisper of her normal voice remaining in the quiet words. “We’re simply worried about your future. The entertainment world is a hard one…”

“Why don’t you want me to go to college like a normal parent?” Vivi asked, leaning against the door. It was all she could do to keep her voice level. She had to remind herself to treat her mother like a tiny puppy–keep her voice calm and soft, and don’t make any sudden movements.

“You have a talent that should not be wasted,” her mother repeated what Vivi’s father had told her since she was two. “You’re one of the best dancers today, darling.”

“Then why don’t we live in New York or Europe?” Vivi asked. “Why am I not training with the best?” It was an old argument, one her mother was happy to follow. There was comfort in redundancy, Vivi thought bitterly.

“Your father is not welcomed in those arenas,” her mother replied diplomatically. “That’s why you must work harder. To prove yourself over his mistakes.”

Vivi’s eyes flashed. “What mistakes?” Her mother bowed her head, her voice so low Vivi could barely hear it. “You know I can’t tell you, Vivi. It’s your father’s wishes”–

“What mistake, mother?” Vivi repeated, her voice biting. “Is Mrs. Angelson involved?”

Vivi’s mother’s head jerked and Vivi pounced. “Tell me, Mom,” she said, grabbing her mother’s hand. “I have a right to know. This is my life you’re all directing. Tell me why it’s so important that I dance. Tell me why it’s so important I do this competition. Tell me why.”

Vivi’s mother raised her head and Vivi started at the anguish in her eyes. With tears streaming down her cheeks, her mother shook her head. “I can’t,” she whispered. And then she crept down the stairs like they had never spoken at all.

Vivi bit her lip. With renewed purpose, she resumed packing. She pulled her cell phone out of her purse.

“Susanna?” she whispered into the phone. “Can I stay with you tonight?”

The next day, Vivi drove out to the old dance hall. She’d barely had any sleep, but at least she’d had a shower at Susanna’s house. Her mother had fussed over her, thrilled to have more children in the house. As the baby of a seven child family, her mother obviously loved to fuss over children, no matter who they belonged to.

Wearing a bright blue sundress that made her green eyes look teal and her hair shine, Vivi paced nervously around the front of the dancehall. She was meeting Wade’s grandfather tonight, and she had no idea what to expect. She heard the roar of Wade’s truck’s diesel engine before she saw his blinding smile. He pulled the car into park and climbed out of the truck.

“What are you doing?” Vivi asked. “Aren’t we supposed to meet the sheriff at his office?” Wade shook his head.

“He called this morning. He asked to meet us here instead for lunch. I’m not sure why,” he said in response to Vivi’s expression. “Something has him nervous. He’s jumpier than a jackrabbit.”

“Maybe we just got a ton of money,” Vivi teased. A familiar pleasant shiver ran down her spine as he enfolded her tiny hand in his large rough one.

“If that’s the case, I’d take you to the most beautiful place in the world every night,” Wade answered. He helped Vivi up the rickety steps and brushed her hand against his lips.

“And where would that be?” Vivi asked, tossing her curls behind her shoulders. She smiled as his blue eyes twinkled down at her.

“Right here,” Wade grinned, pulling the door open. “The best dancehall in Texas with the best chicken fry and pie you could ever find!”

Vivi giggled as they made their way to the back of the restaurant. The sheriff was squatting in a dark corner, jumping as every waitress walked by. He was huddled over clutching something to his chest and peering at everyone around him with narrowed eyes. Vivi raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. The poor man probably doesn’t get much excitement, she thought with an amused smile. This is the most adventure he’s had in years, most likely.

“Vivi!” a voice bellowed. The sheriff threw himself against the table. Vivi turned to see Hilda waving at her from the bar.

“What do you and Wade want?” Wade looked at Vivi.

“Just a turkey sandwich and a salad,” Vivi told him.

“She’ll have a turkey sandwich, some chips and some pecan pie,” Wade yelled. He looked at Vivi. “You don’t want the salad here. Trust me.” He turned and yelled towards the back. “I’ll have a cheeseburger with fries and a vanilla milkshake.”

“Brisket is better,” Hilda yelled back.

“Then fix me up some of that instead,” Wade called. “You know what sides I like.” He looked at the sheriff, who was patting his forehead with a bandanna. “Sheriff, what do you want?”

“I’m not here,” the sheriff hissed, looking around furtively. “Don’t say my name.”

“What’s the sheriff want?” Hilda bellowed. Wade tried not to laugh as the sheriff huddled deeper into the corner, hiding his face behind his hand.

“Brisket plate,” he muttered. “Brisket plate,” Wade yelled.

“Coming up!” Hilda crashed into the back of the kitchen, obviously delighted with their orders. “Now sheriff,” Wade asked as he pulled out Vivi’s chair, “What is wrong with you? You’re acting like someone in a spy movie.”

The sheriff glared at him. “And I’ve got good reason to. You have no idea what was in that envelope you found.”

“Then tell us!” Vivi burst out. She glared at the sheriff as he glared at her. “I’m tired of waiting. I want to know what it is!” The sheriff leaned down so his chin was an inch above the table. He looked to his left. He looked to his right. He glanced at the doorway and bar.

“Have you ever heard of the Dancehall Dreamers?” he whispered.

To be continued…..

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! We have low-fat chicken pot pie tomorrow and Confessions of the Blond Duck Friday!

Copyright © 2009 - A Duck In Her Pond (aduckinherpond.com)

Twirling

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Wade stared at his bleeding fist, then at the hole in the wall. His mouth opened. Before he could speak, a burly red-faced man shoved through the crowd that had gathered around them. The musicians peered down from the stage and people stood on top of the bar to see better over the crowd.

“WADE!” the burly man bellowed. “What the hell did you do to my wall?”

“I didn’t do anything,” Wade replied, giving his hand a bewildered stare. “I was just talking to Vivi and I leaned against it. Next thing I know, my fist is through the wall with about a billion splinters in it.”

“That’s a lie!” the burly man snarled. “This building is solid. It’s been here since the 1800s.” He narrowed his eyes and looked at Vivi. “Was he trying to pull something on you, darlin’?”

Vivi’s eyes flashed and her cheeks bloomed red. “No! Wade would never do that!”

“You been drinking, Wade?” the burly man pressed on, ignoring Vivi’s indignant gasp. “You know, your grandpa used to”–

“Leave him out of this!” Wade snarled, his blue eyes flashing. Vivi’s throat went dry as she watched his normally serene face crease into hard lines. She had never seen him mad.

As the two men snarled and cursed at each other, a pot-bellied sheriff shoved through the crowd. “All right, all right,” he yelled over the noise. “What’s going on here?”

“Sheriff, I leaned against the wall and my fist went through it,” Wade informed him, cutting off the burly man’s attempts to speak. “I think the wood is rotten. But now Burt thinks I was intentionally trying to damage the wall. I just pulled Vivi back here to tell her something real quick, leaned against the wall and boom!”

“Why were you pulling her back here?” Burt bellowed. “This isn’t a football field. Go to the front of the dancehall if you want to talk, not behind the bleachers. You were distracting the band! You’re cutting into my profits!”

“You would have charged me re-admission!” Wade argued.

“That’s true,” the sheriff commented. “He’s done it to me before.

“I’ve got a dancehall to run, not a charity!” Burt bellowed.

“We didn’t even know they were back there,” the lead guitarist interjected. “Until he went through the wall.”

“It was really cool though,” the drummer said with a big grin. “It happened in sync with the music.” Vivi stared at him. She felt like she was in a bad Western movie. All she needed was a satin dress and some jewels–never mind, that’s what saloon girls wore.

As Vivi pondered the proper dress for a proper lady in a B-movie Western, the sheriff shifted and pulled his slipping pants over his enormous stomach.

“Oh Burt, hush up,” he growled as Burt continued to squawk about the wall. “You’d fuss if someone gave you a million dollars. I’ve known Wade since he in diapers and he’s been here a million times. You know as well as I do he’s the only cool headed one in his family. I think you’re just trying to rope him into paying for the wall. If you would keep this place up, people wouldn’t be falling through walls.”

Burt’s face turned purple as he huffed away, his feet slamming so hard into the wooden boards with every step that Vivi could see them bend over the pressure. Some of the crowd drifted back to the bar, and the band started to play again. Wade grabbed the sheriff’s arm and pointed to the hole.

“Look, sheriff,” he murmured, glancing around at the few stragglers hoping for a fight. “There’s something in the wall.” Vivi stepped on her tiptoes, trying to peer over the men’s shoulders. All she saw was a dark hole in the wood.

The sheriff pulled a flashlight off his belt and clicked it on. Shining it over the broken wood, he peered into the dark space behind the wall.

“I’ll be damned,” he muttered, reaching his hand in. He pulled out a yellowed envelope. Peeking inside, he sucked in his breath. The sheriff glanced back and forth. He shoved the envelope at Wade and grabbed his shoulder.

“Do me a favor,” he muttered. “Meet me at my office tomorrow around two and we’ll talk about this. Right now, you got to get this out of the dance hall. See you then.”

Whirling around, the sheriff plastered a smile on his face and lumbered onto the dance floor. He scooped up one the ancient town librarian and twirled her around the floor. Over her shoulder he motioned for Wade to leave. Wade nodded and grabbed Vivi’s hand, clutching the envelope in his bloodied hand that had gone through the wall.

“I don’t get it,” she murmured in his ear as they ran out of the dance hall. “What’s the big deal about an envelope? Why do we have to meet the sheriff tomorrow?”

“Dunno,” Wade muttered. His grin was white and bright in the early dusk. “But we’re about to find out.”

To be continued….

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! We have a busy week coming up at the Pond. We’ve got another Twirl, the search for Bear’s moose and a brand new BBQ chicken recipe! Also, tomorrow we learn what was in the box!

Copyright © 2009 - A Duck In Her Pond (aduckinherpond.com)

Twirl: Special Edition

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Pressing her face tightly to Wade’s muscular shoulder, Vivi breathed in his scent as the horse barreled through the brush and around the rustic oak trees. The mixture of sweetness and sweat always made her stomach do back flips and toes tingle. Sometimes when she was on the phone with him late at night, the scent would suddenly fill her chest. Between his husky voice and the memory of twirling in her arms, it was all she could do to not dive through the receiver to him.

With her arms wrapped around him, Vivi had never felt safer. With every thump of the horses’ hoof against the rocky ground, her worries over Mrs. Angelson and her father and her ballet career flew further away. With Wade, she wasn’t the world’s next greatest ballerina or her father’s daughter. She was just Vivi. And she liked finding out who Vivi was without the toe shoes or last name.

Vivi noticed the trees thinning and a thin gravel path in the distance. “Where are we going?” she shouted over the noise of the horse.

“I told you,” Wade drawled. “We’re going on an adventure.”

“Yes, but where is the adventure at?” Vivi asked.

“If I told you, it wouldn’t be any fun,” Wade informed her. She could feel him grinning and shook her head with a smile. Wade directed the horse to the gravel path, the steel horseshoes ringing against the tiny rocks. Vivi watched as they strode into a small clearing with a few buildings. A large, handpainted wooden sign proclaimed they were entering Starsville, town of 300 people.

The horse slowed to a walk and Wade slid off the horse, leading him to a hitch post in front of a long wooden building. Vivi shaded her eyes from the late afternoon sun and squinted at the sign.

“Starsville Dance Hall?” she read, looking at Wade. “There’s a dance hall out here?”

“Well, darling, in a town of 300 with a bunch of ranchers in the middle of nowhere, what else are you going to do?” Wade’s smile was bright as he fed the horse some grain cubes. Vivi laughed and slipped off the saddle as if she had been doing it all her life. Her ponytail slapped against her neck and she touched her hair self-consciously.

“Wade, I’m not dressed for dancing. I mean, I’m in jeans, a leotard and tennis shoes. I haven’t taken a bath since last night.” She suddenly felt like a giant grease ball and eyed the horse trough. Any bath was better than no bath at all.

Wade pulled the reins securely and walked around the hitch. Wrapping his arms around her waist, his blue eyes locked into hers. “You’ve never looked more beautiful to me.”

“Oh stop,” Vivi murmured, turning her head. His callused fingers gently guided her chin so her eyes met his.

“I mean it,” he said. “Your curls are shining in the sun, your cheeks are pink and your eyes haven’t stopped dancing. You could smell like a dead skunk and you’d still be the most beautiful girl here.”

Vivi burst out laughing. “I’m not sure whether to swoon or gag.”

Wade grinned and grabbed her hand. “Let’s get you on that dance floor instead.”

“But it’s five in the afternoon,” Vivi protested, pulling back and digging her heels into the ground. “I thought dancehalls didn’t open until night.”

“During the week,” Wade acknowledged. “But a lot of small town dancehalls have a Saturday and Sunday family dance. Grandmas and babies will be dancing.” Leading her to the door before she could protest, he shoved it open. Hundreds of people were dancing in what looked like an old barn. Sunlight and dust streamed through open windows as ceiling fans buzzed overhead. A local band was shouting songs from a wooden stand that looked like a bunch of beer boxes stacked together and a couple of hard-looking waitresses were serving hamburgers and drinks. As Wade had predicted, Vivi saw old couples two-stepping next to little girls twirling with their dresses held high over their head. Blinking, Vivi could hardly believe what she was seeing.

“It’s like something out of a movie,” she murmured, her hand limp in Wade’s. “Or a country music video.”

Wade slid a few dollars into the big box at the front and swept Vivi up in his arms. “Quit thinking,” he ordered as the band burst into a rowdy number. “Just dance.”

Vivi had no problem with that. As they stepped across the floor filled with grandmothers and babies and young couples, the only thing she could see was Wade’s blue eyes twinkling as they twirled across the floor.

To be continued…

Stay tuned tomorrow, Invisible Friends, for the end of Kitchen Magic!

Copyright © 2009 - A Duck In Her Pond (aduckinherpond.com)

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