Okay, I've been trying for <i>weeks</i> to write something for Option #1. It sounds so fun! But nothing doing in the creativity department, darn it. So I'm going with Option #2. Carol Merrill, show us what's behind door number two! >>>>> -- Ladies of Lallybroch Literary Forum

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Date Posted: 23:00:53 07/22/10 Thu
Author: Page
Subject: Okay, I've been trying for weeks to write something for Option #1. It sounds so fun! But nothing doing in the creativity department, darn it. So I'm going with Option #2. Carol Merrill, show us what's behind door number two! >>>>>
In reply to: debikm 's message, "Prompts, suggestions, and fodder for thought" on 12:02:00 07/10/10 Sat

(Yes, I realize Carol Merrill was way before Vanna's time, but hey. I'm old. *snerk*)

Excerpt from working title Royal Orleans
�2010 by Juli Page Morgan
Posted for purposes of critique only and does not constitute publication

Now Sherry knew just how Alice must have felt when she tumbled down that rabbit hole into Wonderland. Not that Geoff�s house was anything like a rabbit hole, but it could probably give Wonderland a run for its money.

There was a hookah prominently displayed on the piano, missing only a caterpillar to complete the picture. The only thing absent from the row of antique bottles on the bookshelf was a little sign reading �Drink Me.� The Mad Hatter and his friends would have felt right at home around that funky dining table. And, of course, there was the lunatic Queen of Hearts; only Geoff�s housekeeper Cora seemed to be a bit more aggressive than the Queen. Sherry kept expecting the crazy bitch to rush in screaming �Off with her head!� at any minute. And the woman had access to all the kitchen knives.

Well, that was a cheery little thought to have, especially now that Geoff had left her alone while he went to pick up Xander. Cora had been pleasant and accommodating when Geoff was with Sherry, but the brief period that afternoon the two women had been alone in the kitchen had left Sherry shaking.

�You know you�re nothing special, don�t you?� Cora had sneered. �Just another of his little playthings.�

Already unnerved by the roller-coaster emotions she�d felt at Michael�s funeral and the aftermath when she and Geoff had returned home, Sherry could only stare at the older woman.

�I�ll tell you something else, you little American bitch,� Cora continued in a low snarl. �I�ve been here a lot longer than any of you sluts, and I�ll be here when you�re gone.� An unpleasant smile twisted her lips. �And if he doesn�t get rid of you quick enough to suit me, then I don�t have a problem getting rid of you myself.�

The implicit threat broke through Sherry�s confusion, and she�d fled the kitchen the way Alice had fled the Queen�s guard. She�d said nothing to Geoff; what could she say, after all? �Hey, honey? Your housekeeper all but threatened to kill me if I don�t stop sleeping with you.� Yeah, that would go over well. She just kept clinging to the thought that they�d be going back to New Orleans the next day and leaving Crazy Cora in London to rule Geoff�s roost.

Casting nervous glances over her shoulder, Sherry slunk out of the living room and into the room Geoff used as an office. She pulled the door halfway closed, hoping the housekeeper wouldn�t think to look for her there.

The light from the small lamp on the desktop sparkled on a round, crystal paperweight and reflected a bright prism on the wall. Sherry put her hand between the lamp and the paperweight and watched as her hand seemed to acquire a rainbow tattoo. The smooth surface of the crystal beckoned her, and she picked it up, marveling at its weight. If Cora did discover her hiding place, Sherry supposed the crystal would make a decent weapon.

With a snort of derision � like she could ever bash someone in the head with a paperweight! � she meandered across the room, her fingers idly stroking the satin-feeling rock. Framed gold records covered most of one wall, and she stopped to read the plaques affixed to them. The majority were White Heather records, but Sherry was pleased to see two from Geoff�s solo effort; one for the album and one for �Roadside Blues,� the single that had reached number one. The critics had panned the album, but Sherry had loved it. The proof that the music buying public did, too, was on the wall in front of her. Let the critics rave if they wanted; the gold records told the true story.

�It would be best if you put that back where you found it.�

Lost in the contemplation of Geoff�s trophy wall, Sherry hadn�t heard anyone come into the room. The unexpected voice scared the living shit out of her and she shrieked, the crystal paperweight flying into the air.

With the reflexes of an angel, Xander Wilson caught the crystal neatly in one hand before raising bemused eyes to hers.

Sherry placed her hand over her hammering heart and blurted the first thing that came to mind. �Damn, that was good. You could play center field for the Cardinals.�

A small smile curved one side of Xander�s incredibly handsome mouth. �Since I�ve no idea what that means, I�ll take your word for it.� He looked her over with a critical eye. �Are you alright, love? I didn�t mean to startle you.�

�I didn�t hear you come in.� Sherry forced her legs, now trembling with reaction to her fright, to carry her to the nearest chair where she plopped down with no grace at all. �The paperweight didn�t break, did it?�

�Nah.� Xander glanced down at it and placed it back on the desk. �Good thing, too. Cora gave it to Geoff as a Christmas gift. She�d have had your head if anything had happened to it.�

That wasn�t what she needed to hear, especially in light of her Queen of Hearts comparison earlier. �Jesus,� she muttered. �That�s all I need; to give that lunatic more ammunition.�

A confused frown drew Xander�s brows together. �More ammunition?�

Sherry felt a blush of embarrassment heat her cheeks. �Nothing. She just doesn�t seem to like me, is all.�

�Oh, I�m sure she hates you, darling.� With a commiserating smile, Xander took the chair next to Sherry�s. �She hates every girl Geoff dates, you know, because none of them are her.�

�What? Are you telling me she�?�

�Loves him, yeah.� Xander nodded. �But that�s not really accurate. She�s completely obsessed with him is what she is.�

Sherry shook her head. �Then why the hell does he keep her around?�

A slight shrug lifted Xander�s shoulders. �Either he doesn�t know or he doesn�t care.�

�That�s insane! I mean, what if she hurts him?� Sherry shivered, remembering the malevolent glare Cora had directed at her that afternoon. �She must be out of her mind. She�s got to be at least a thousand years old.�

Xander bit his lips, and Sherry realized he was trying not to laugh. �What?� she demanded.

The grin that broke free when he laughed was of such breath-taking beauty that Sherry would have been struck dumb with wonder if she�d been thinking clearly. As it was, it only put her on guard. After a moment, Xander appeared to get himself under control, the only amusement left behind in the twinkle of his eyes. He cleared his throat.

�She�s about two years older than Geoff, sweetheart.�

Sherry�s earlier blush was nothing compared to the brush-fire that swept her cheeks at Xander�s remark. She�d completely forgotten how much older Geoff was than she. �Oh,� she murmured. �I didn�t think about that.�

�Think about what?� Geoff stood in the doorway, smiling at them.

Sherry cast a swift glance at Xander and knew immediately her goose was cooked. The Cheshire Cat smile on his face made it clear he wasn�t going to keep this to himself.

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Replies:

[> [> I totally LOVE the descriptions! --

debikm, 08:38:15 07/24/10 Sat

Geoff's house sounds pretty cool! I've always been a big fan of Lewis Carroll anyway, and your comparisons with AiW really hit the mark. Especially comparing his housekeeper with the Red Queen!! Love it. Poor Sherry, having to deal with that woman's open agression and Xander's smug knowledge-- she's really got her work cut out for her.

As always, I love this, couldn't find a nit to pick and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment!

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[> [> [> Thank you, ma'am! >>> --

Page, 18:21:58 07/25/10 Sun

When I was trying to convey Sherry's mental state -- jet lag, the roiling emotions of a funeral for someone she hadn't particularly liked, the way Michael's death affected Geoff and how he reacted to it, being alone in Geoff's house with a stark, raving lunatic -- all I could think was, "She's tumbled down the rabbit hole into Wonderland."

Yeah, Cora's a piece of work alright. And she really does hate Sherry. Wait til she finds out Geoff not only knocked Sherry up, but did it right under Cora's nose!

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