It’s going slow…. but it’s in process!
Tiger Lily decided to clean house. She deleted most of her posts! Anyway, the point of the website is to talk about the books, so … that’s what we’re doing here.
If you want to keep in touch, please consider signing up for our mailing list. For ease in signing up for the e-news, use the form at the bottom of the page.
A progressive short story from the Akron Writers’ Group, Wordplay. Written Winter, 2017.
Jason. That name from Tessa’s past. The name that left an uneasy feeling in the pit of Will’s stomach. He didn’t know why, just that there were things Tessa did not share about this man. And now?
Jason took Alisha by the shoulders and forced her to look at him. “Alisha, tell me! What happened? What is Jason going to do?”
Alisha took a deep breath, and in a voice just under panic, she said, “He called me. He told me that I’d better find the Tessa Study and get it to him, because he would have her or the study.”
“The Tessa Study? Alisha, you aren’t making any sense!”
“The nudes! Tessa’s nudes! She must have called him…to get the money…and then I told her I’d mailed most of it back…but…Will! He’s going to hurt her! I don’t know where it is!”
Will let go of Alisha’s shoulders and paced the small living room, one hand doing a minuet on his head – hair, forehead, cheek, forehead, hair – and the other resting on the empty cellphone holster on his belt. If only he could think! Just think!
He whirled on Alisha. “Did you call her? Did you warn her?”
“She didn’t answer! I called the police, but I haven’t heard from them. I called just before you came, and the woman said everyone was busy at some kind of accident.”
“On our road. I couldn’t get past it; that’s why I’m here.”
“What? Did you see her car? Did you see Jason’s car?”
“I don’t know Jason. I don’t know what he drives.”
“Uh, let me think…last time I saw him it was a little sports car…one of those low-slung ones. Bright red.”
Will groaned. The car – what he had seen of it, was low-slung and red. What if Tessa was in the car with him? What direction had it been heading?
Will grabbed for his cell phone. It wasn’t there! It was in his car, attached to the charger. It had been so low on batteries that he didn’t think he could use it even now without it being attached to the juice.
“Give me your phone, or call her! Call her now!”
Alisha groped in the pocket of her jeans. She pushed the screen and found the speed dialer. She put the phone on speaker.
Tessa’s voice was loud and clear. “Hey, Alisha. Are you feeling better today?”
Alisha dropped to her knees, head in one hand, as she sobbed in relief. Before it fell to the floor, Will grabbed the phone from her other hand.
“Tessa! Tessa are you okay?”
“Will? Wha…”
“I’m at Alisha’s. I couldn’t get home. There was an accident…”
“I know. I watched from the deck when I saw the flashing lights. But…how…why…you’re home already? Not stuck in Iceland?”
Will sighed with relief. Tears came to his eyes and spilled over his cheeks. He got control of his voice to say, “It’s a long story, Tessa. I just want to get home. I’ll…um…I’ll leave here and go the back way.”
Her voice held a tremor. “Did you get my message, Will?”
“Message? No. My phone’s been dead for quite a while. You left a message?”
“Yes. But don’t worry. You’re home now. I’ve missed you so much, Will. Come home.”
Will ended the call and leaned down to give the phone to Alisha. He stood there for a moment, leaning, hand on her shoulder, giving and receiving comfort by the touch. But he didn’t have time for Alisha right now. There would be time later to talk about…whatever it was.
In the car, he looked at his phone. Sure enough, the message light blinked. He called voice mail and heard Tessa’s voice. He listened to the message, and the tears came again. Whatever had happened, whatever Alisha had done, and Tessa, to help her, and whatever or whoever this Jason was, everything would be alright. He didn’t need the details right away. He just needed to put his arms around Tessa.
Will and Tessa stood in the front yard, warming their hands by the flame of the bonfire. Will was mesmerized by the flames, dancing in concert to the shadows that fell through the walnut trees. He had never noticed how bright the moon could be. No wonder Tessa always gazed at the full moon.
He thought about their first hours together, how they had delayed talk of any kind while they…got to know one another again. Later, they talked over hot chocolate laced with Bailey’s.
They got into Will’s larger car and drove into town to some storage units. Will didn’t even know the units were there. They were hidden behind some old warehouses on the far side. Tessa unlocked the door and let him in, shining a flashlight over the stack of paintings. Most were on large canvases, but a few were smaller. One small canvas was no longer stretched. It was representative of all the paintings he had seen.
His beautiful Tessa. Every inch of her. Some were face-on, some from behind with her head turned, some were from the side. She sat, she stood, she reclined. She was an angel. She was a vixen. She was a motorcycle babe, a farmer’s daughter, a society lady holding a glass of champagne and wearing a pair of red stilettos. Her hair was up, it was down, it was in pigtails. She smiled, she was sad, she showed anger, excitement, joy.
With only the flashlight with which to see, he could make out the detail. She looked real enough to touch. That thick chestnut hair. The scar. The birthmark. The dimple on her left buttock. One picture showed the residue of a painful face slap. He would ask her about that another time.
As they worked together to put what he now knew to be the Tessa Study into the back of his car, he found the right moment to roll and tuck the small painting into his inside coat pocket. This one was the Tessa he knew. She leaned against a fence, body facing the fence but head turned just so, as if into the lens of a camera. Her long, thick chestnut hair blew just a bit, a breeze hitting her face. Her arms were on the fence, and just the top of her left breast was visible, the nipple almost covered by her arm. One long, curvy leg was forward, one slightly back. The dimple was clear. She wore low-heeled sandals covered in rhinestones of every rainbow color. She still had those sandals. He would appreciate them even more, now.
Will looked over at Tessa. Her face, lit by the fire, was relaxed. Happy. He couldn’t see her hair. Of course, it was shorter now than it was in the paintings. At the moment, it was stuffed into the cap that covered everything from the top of her head to her ears. Her scar was visible, and the birthmark. He loved that birthmark and was always a little disappointed when she covered it with makeup.
Tessa looked at him. “What?”
“I’m just…looking at you. I missed you so much. I promise I will never be gone so long again.”
“Or maybe I can come with you next time.”
“Maybe. Hey, tomorrow’s Sunday. Think they’ll be delivering the paper yet?”
“Just have to have your Sunday breakfast in bed with the paper, don’t you?”
“I just want life to get back to normal.”
Tessa threw her head back and laughed. Will turned from looking at her up to the sky. The moon was still full, but it would wane, starting tomorrow. His gaze went back to the fire, now mostly embers and ash, and he looked again at the shadows. They had shifted a bit, marking the moon’s path across the sky.
He and Tessa would be okay.
He remembered something his father said. “Every good relationship has at least one secret.” He smiled, thinking about his secret. The secret he could pull out to look at whenever he yearned for her.
Tessa was saying, “Let’s go in,” and he allowed himself to be led back to the house.
A chapter will be released once a month. The first chapter was released January 5, 2025.
A progressive short story from the Akron Writers’ Group, Wordplay. Written Winter, 2017.
Home. Oh, dear God, home at last. But Will couldn’t go there yet, couldn’t face Tessa with what he knew. Or thought he knew. The streets were somewhat icy as he drove away from the airport, bad enough to make traffic an irritating issue. A pileup on the narrow road where he lived with Tessa gave him pause. Not only were there police cars and a firetruck, but an ambulance as well. People stood outside their homes, huddled in coats, watching what went on. Although the area had been building up, “urbanizing,” it still felt like a country neighborhood. People still cared. Worried.
Oh, Tessa…
Will hesitated, watching the macabre scene along with everyone else—there was no way anyone in the car that had slid under the back of the eighteen-wheeler could have survived. What had a truck that size been doing on their road anyway? He tried to call Tessa, but she didn’t answer. Again. She was all right, though. He’d know if she wasn’t. Surely he’d know.
After a few minutes, he shook his head and made a careful U-turn. Maybe this was an indicator that he shouldn’t go home yet. He wondered if Alisha and the girls were all right, and found himself driving that way. He loved Trudy and Tina. So did Tessa and so did their mother. What if something had happened to one of them? He pushed harder on the accelerator, slipping a little on the road’s surface as he hurried to the apartment Alisha shared with her daughters.
The girls met him at the door with all the energy of children who had been kept indoors for too many days. They clamored to know if “Uncle Will” had brought presents from Iceland. He had, but they were packed away in the luggage that was still in transit, lost somewhere in Jupiter’s swirling maelstrom of chaos.
“Will.” Alisha came to the door, shushing the girls and inviting him in. Her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy. Panic laced her voice. “Where’s Tessa? Isn’t she with you?”
“I haven’t been home yet.”
“It’s all my fault.” Her voice was thin and high, almost a wail. “Jason’s going to hurt her. I know he is. All because of me.”
A chapter will be released once a month. The first chapter was released January 5, 2025.
A progressive short story from the Akron Writers’ Group, Wordplay. Written Winter, 2017.
Tessa answered. She could tell Alisha had been crying by the sound of her voice. She couldn’t believe what Alisha had to say.
Alisha had “borrowed” money to get Ted out of trouble. Again. And this time it was serious. Ted’s life had been threatened. Alisha, finally, was going to give up on Ted.
She needed to return $50,000 to her employer. Only $50,000? Tessa couldn’t believe it. She fought with every ounce of her being to remain silent and allow Alisha to continue.
The “old” Alisha asked for three times the amount needed, because the “old” Alisha wanted to put money in a safe-deposit box. For the next time Ted needed it.
Tessa put her hand over the phone so Alisha would not hear her breathing. Deep breaths in. Out. In. Out. Oh, how she needed to hear the healing waters….
Finally, Tessa heard, “Before calling you, I wrote a check for $100,000 and walked it to the postbox. You’ll have it as soon as the mail service is back up. But the best thing, Tessa? I can’t change my mind. This was my first step toward really divorcing Ted.”
Tessa barely registered the rest of the conversation, which included Alisha’s promise to pay back the rest of the money as soon as she could.
Alisha ended the call with, “I love you Tessa. I always have. I always will.”
Tessa could hear the wooden tone in her own voice, but she replied as Alisha expected. “I love you, too. We’ll get through this. Together. Like we always have.”
Tessa hung up the phone. She stood in stunned silence. She had almost ruined her life for Alisha. She had almost ruined her life for a lie. She still faced the loss of Will. He might have understood $50,000, but three times that much? It was all a lie.
Like Alisha divorced Ted, Tessa would have to finally divorce Alisha. She loved her sister, and she would not end the relationship. Never again, though, would she bail her out. The girls, yes. Alisha, no. One area of her life now had definite borders.
Tessa moved back to the window and looked at the moon. The clouds were clearing. The storm still raged in the east. She didn’t know when Will’s plane could leave Iceland, but no matter when he got home, everything would be okay. It had to be okay. He loved her. He would understand. He had to.
A chapter will be released once a month. The first chapter was released January 5, 2025.
A progressive short story from the Akron Writers’ Group, Wordplay. Written Winter, 2017.
Alisha woke from a deep sleep in the middle of the night. She couldn’t control her sobs. The nightmare was still vivid in her mind.
In her dream, she had gambled away $100,000. The money Tessa had given her. The money she had lied about needing.
In her dream, she had even considered harming Tessa to get the life insurance money.
It was bad enough that she had brought shame to herself by borrowing – no, by stealing – money from her employer. It was bad enough that she had lied to Tessa.
The situation was so overwhelming, her fitful sleep had led to the dream of gambling and plotting murder.
Alisha got out of bed and walked to the window. She drew open the blinds and watched the moon dance across the sky. Jupiter was passing, leaving clouds in its wake. Shadows danced across the newly-fallen snow. The light of the moon brought clarity. She was able to see the dream for what it was. Pure irony.
In her dream, she was a big spender wanting “things,” and travel to exotic places. That was so far from who she really was, the hard-working single mom with two girls whom she adored.
Had Ted, who was just the kind of person as she seemed to be in the dream, taken over her mind for the night? Ted was the one with the gambling problem. Ted was the one who lived an extravagant lifestyle until he lost everything over and over again.
She had stolen the money for Ted. He begged her to do it. He had borrowed money from the mob, and they had reached the end of their generosity. Ted’s life had been threatened. If he didn’t pay up, he was a dead man.
She loved Ted, but she finally divorced him to protect herself and her daughters, Trudy and Tina. Why in the world did she allow herself to get pulled back into his madness?
Alisha thought of Tessa, who had, as always, come to her rescue. Suddenly it occurred to her that she had tried to rescue Ted, maybe in an attempt to be more like Tessa.
When she married Ted, she thought he would change. When their second daughter was born, she discovered he was still nursing his addiction. He would never change. She left him to protect her daughters, but even now, she got sucked back in.
Alisha pulled herself together. She replaced her sobs with a determination to take control of her life. She was not going to become Ted. She went to the desk, got her checkbook, put the new check into an envelope, addressed and stamped it. She put on her coat, a scarf, gloves and boots. She walked to the postbox on the corner and deposited the letter. It was done. It could not be undone.
Alisha had no idea that she was going through exactly what Tessa was going through, even though they were miles apart. They both discovered they were strong and good. They looked at the moon simultaneously. They watched the shadows of the moon dance on new-fallen snow.
At almost the same time, both Tessa and Alisha decided to shine the light of their honest selves to the world. The matches were lit; the flames would burn. Some relationships may end, but they were brave enough to take the risk.
Alisha picked up the phone.
A chapter will be released once a month. The first chapter was released January 5, 2025.
A progressive short story from the Akron Writers’ Group, Wordplay. Written Winter, 2017.
Will shuddered as another blast of wind and ice shook the large windows of the terminal. Wind, snow, ice, power outages, worries, Tessa, $150,000. Will was tired of it all. He just wanted to get back to Tessa and straighten out this whole crazy thing.
He’d turned it over in his mind so many different ways that, rather than figuring things out, he was more confused than ever. He needed a nap; he needed a drink; he needed Tessa. At that desperate moment, an answer came from above, well, sort of from above. Unless he’d misheard, the latest of the nearly constant announcements raining down from the speakers had promised free food and drinks courtesy of the airport.
Will knew he hadn’t hallucinated the promise, because he witnessed men and women grab their carry-ons and head to their favorite eating establishments. Will quickly joined the rush, not stopping at the first allurements of McDonalds, nor the kitschy “fancy” restaurants. The further he jogged, the fewer travelers hurried beside him. Out of breath and eager for relief, Will squeezed into a small restaurant, made his way to the bar, and ordered a double scotch.
Will downed the drink in a few desperate swallows and signaled for another. He didn’t really feel better, but he didn’t feel quite as miserable. Waiting for his drink, Will stared without seeing his reflection in the mirror behind the bar. When he focused, he saw a normal guy, brownish skin, wavy black hair, brown eyes with flecks of green. He sighed. What does Tessa see in me?
Will hadn’t ordered food, but the bartender brought him a sandwich with the second drink. He ate and drank thoughtlessly, numbing his mind to his problems. He looked back at the mirror. He saw other frazzled fliers: a salesman type, two soldiers, an older woman, and two younger women who looked like sisters.
Sisters! Of course!! This whole mess was probably caused by Alisha!
A chapter will be released once a month. The first chapter was released January 5, 2025.
A progressive short story from the Akron Writers’ Group, Wordplay. Written Winter, 2017.
Alisha had a conflict of conscience. She had lied to Tessa. Tessa. The only person in this world she could count on.
She had embezzled $50,000 from her employer. She had to replace it before the auditors came Monday morning. Tessa came through. The money was safely returned. Her job was safe.
And now she had the additional $100,000. She considered all of her options. She could double that money with one good night at the casino. She would be set for life. She could shop whenever she wanted. She could travel to exotic places. She could buy that sports car, maybe get that house on the north side of town. The house was in a better school district. Sure. A better school district. She would do this for her girls.
With just a tinge of regret, Alisha drove to Blue Lake Casino. This was for her girls. And that trip to Monte Carlo. And the car. And….
She lost at the slot machines. Before her balance went below $50,000, she went to the Black Jack table. She chose the table with the best looking dealer. That always brought her good luck. She brought her balance to a little over $100,000.
Alisha heard a shout. Someone was winning at the roulette wheel. Feeling lucky, she joined the group at that table. For an hour, she played. Her balance grew. And grew. And grew. She had $300,000 in her account. The heady atmosphere pushed her forward. Even when her luck changed. It was going to happen again. On the next bet. The next one. No, really, the next one.
The crowd was gone. Even at the casino, gamblers are loathe to hang around a table with a loser. Alisha was not going to give up, though. She had $20,000 left. She pushed half her chips onto number nineteen. Before the croupier said, “Bets all in,” she pushed the rest of her chips to the same space.
The croupier spun the wheel and let the ball loose. The wheel turned. The ball bounced. The eyes that remained at the table were trained on Alisha.
The wheel slowed.
The ball landed on seventeen.
Alisha was stunned. She had gambled everything away. The life she imagined for herself…for the girls…was…gone….
Then she remembered Tessa’s life insurance policy. A half million. She was still the beneficiary.
A chapter will be released once a month. The first chapter was released January 5, 2025.
A progressive short story from the Akron Writers’ Group, Wordplay. Written Winter, 2017.
Tessa was calm once again. Until the phone rang. Again. It was Jason. “Tessa, why don’t we meet at my place and talk things over?”
Tessa was not sure this would be safe. Jason asked her to bring the paintings so he could take a look at them again, just one last time. Jason’s voice had that tone, though. The tone that signaled a hidden meaning. The tone with a drug-clouded edge.
The Tessa Study was safe. Safe from Jason. Safe from Will. They were secure in a rented storage unit, and there, they would stay.
County crews had cleared the main roads by now, and the city streets leading to Jason’s apartment were clear. Tessa, bundled against the frigid wind, thought about the healing waters as she walked up the sidewalk and rang the doorbell. Jason answered the door, hands on either side of the door jamb. He looked at Tessa and around her. “Where’s the study?”
Tessa looked at him squarely. She would not give in. “It’s in a safe place.”
After a moment, Jason backed away from the door and motioned her in. He seemed calm. Tessa stepped in. She took off her warm coat, hung it on the rack with her scarf and gloves, and sat at the dining room table. While Jason made coffee, she looked around. The table held a hodgepodge of oil paints and brushes; partially completed canvases lay haphazardly around the kitchen and living area; easels in the corner looked as if they had been broken in a bar fight.
Jason brought the coffee to the table. As they talked, he sounded reasonable. They caught up on gossip about old friends. He told her about an exhibit that would open soon. She told him a funny story about a mutual friend, another painter. He mentioned, almost in passing, that he wanted to see the study again. Just once.
Tessa steeled herself. “I don’t think that’s wise, Jason. The Study is in a safe place. You won’t see it again. I’m sorry I brought it up. I should have realized how important it was to you; I had no right to bother you.”
Too late, Tessa realized Jason’s calm exterior had cracked wide open. He lost control. He lunged, grabbed Tessa by the shoulders and shook her as hard as he could. “It’s my work, and I’ll have it! I’ll sue if I have to.”
She struggled against the pressure of his hands and arms. In a strangled voice, she managed to shout, “Go ahead! I’ll destroy it first!”
Tessa tore Jason’s hands from her shoulders, leapt past him and ran from the apartment. He didn’t follow. She fumbled as she tried to put her keys into the ignition. Finally, she had to stop and breathe deeply. She was in the car. Her doors were locked. Jason was still inside. She no longer had a coat, scarf or gloves, but those were just “things.” She could replace them.
Tessa was shaken, but unharmed. She was now more determined than ever. She would destroy the study as soon as the roads to the storage unit were clear of snow and ice.
In her own home, in her bedroom, she watched the moon come out from behind the clouds of Jupiter. Once again, the shadows danced, this time on new-fallen snow.
Tessa picked up her cellphone and dialed Will’s number. It went to voicemail. “Will, when you get home, there’s something I need to tell you. I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you first, but, well, when you get home, I’ll tell you everything. And Will, I love you. I miss you so much. Hurry home.”
Tessa thought Will was in Iceland. She had no idea he was in New York, just hours from home, if only the storm would let up in the east.
A chapter will be released once a month. The first chapter was released January 5, 2025.
A progressive short story from the Akron Writers’ Group, Wordplay. Written Winter, 2017.
“Jason, thank you for calling back. I’ve changed my mind. The Tessa Study is no longer for sale. I’m sorry to have bothered you.”
“We had a deal. It is my work, after all.”
Tessa listened as his anger grew. It was the old Jason. He would never change. She had to turn his anger back. There was no telling what he would do or say. He could even go to the media if she couldn’t get through to him.
Tessa knew Jason’s ego could never handle others knowing he was unable to keep the woman he so openly adored. Nor would he like having other secrets disclosed. She pulled her last card. She told Jason she was going to tell Will all about those “modeling” sessions and the nude paintings that haunted her. She might even tell him the rest of it.
Jason realized Tessa had the upper hand. She had the Tessa Study and he had no leverage. His mind turned to possible solutions to keep her quiet.
Surely Tessa wouldn’t tell Will everything. Would she? He couldn’t take that chance.
A chapter will be released once a month. The first chapter was released January 5, 2025.
A progressive short story from the Akron Writers’ Group, Wordplay. Written Winter, 2017.
Tessa’s anger turned to fear, then pity, as tears rolled down her cheeks. After all she had been through with Alisha, then that affair with Jason. She worried what other people would think of those nude paintings. It was just too much for her to handle mentally and physically!
With a long sigh and a release of all the air in her lungs, she eased back into the warm leather chair. A power seemed to put its arms around her and comfort her. She felt relaxed and cleansed. She knew who she was. Meditation helped for a while, but eventually her life and fears renewed their hold.
Then an unknown voice from somewhere within said, “Take charge of your life, be who you are. You are a good person.”
Her arms fell to her sides; she felt the tense muscles in her neck and shoulders relax. She spoke aloud. “This is the answer. From now on I am going to take charge of my life. No pleasing people. They can take me for who I am or not at all.”
She called Jason again. He didn’t answer. She left a message.
Tessa stepped out into the sunshine. Jupiter was fading as well as her own personal storm.
“I will stand up, speak the truth and be willing to take the responsibility, good or bad.” She felt as if a large weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
She was brought back to the present by the ring of her cellphone. It was Jason.
A chapter will be released once a month. The first chapter was released January 5, 2025.
A progressive short story from the Akron Writers’ Group, Wordplay. Written Winter, 2017.
As close as Tessa and Alisha were over the years, there were times when they were oceans apart. Tessa always cautious, while Alisha sailed on the wind. Still, they were family and that would always be a priority over money, love affairs, even the occasional earthquake.
Until recently, though, they had communicated largely through rumor. A friend told Tessa this; another friend told Alisha that. And boy, what rumors there were!
This time, however, it wasn’t a rumor. This time, Alisha called personally. Every time Tessa thought about that last desperate conversation, her hands shook and her stomach trembled. $150,000.
Tessa had always prided herself that money was so very unimportant. She took pride in that, although she never really had money. An attitude like hers was usually reserved for people who had more money than they needed. She was comfortable now, but she also knew that her comfort pretty much hinged on her sister’s next drama.
And now, she had to fix it. Every time Tessa thought about what she was about to do, she felt ill. There simply was no other way out. It was either crawl back to Jason to get the money to replace what she had borrowed, or tell Will everything.
Giving Jason what he wanted still had the potential to complicate everything. Jason could sell the Tessa Study or put it on exhibit. Her relationship with Will could possibly end. Her career would definitely be over.
Doing nothing – facing Will with the loss of $150,000 – could possibly end the relationship, but her career would be safe. She would survive; she would have her dignity. She could still lose Will.
The hour grew late. She no longer felt ill. She was angry.
A chapter will be released once a month. The first chapter was released January 5, 2025.