FanStory.com - Goodbye Septemberby Begin Again

It's the end!

It's time to bid September goodbye and bring my birthday month to a close. It's been one of the best I've had in a long time.

I thought I would spend my birthday alone. My children were busy living their own lives and had no time for Mom, though we did manage an early dinner over Labor Day.

All my friends have either moved to a warmer climate (a brilliant move when Old Man Winter blows his frigid air on our creaking bones) or said their worldly goodbyes (and hopefully are at the Pearly Gates.)

But thanks to my friends—no, my family—on FanStory, I was not alone. I want to thank each of you who came to my birthday party. Wasn't that cake something? I almost said it was to die for, but that might be going too far. I had so many guests, and it was a wonderful time.

"It's My Birthday" kicked off the birthday celebration, but there's been so much more. I hope you don't mind if we take a quick look back.

It started with Debi, who blessed me with a birthday poem that started just like this:

Her pen name is Begin Again but Carol is her name

As FanStory's top novelist, she shines with honored fame....

And ended with a flair —

Now, she takes writing to a place where her joy never ends

Her favorite place to go is Fanstory to be with friends.

So Carol, with much love, we hope you publish right on track

We wish you a Happy Birthday. We are delighted you are back.

To say that I, too, am delighted to be back thanks to some very dear friends on FanStory is an understatement. Without all of you on FanStory, I might not have found my way back to my passion.

September brought stories filled with memories of my children's childhood, requests to step out of the box and write a bit of horror, and glimpses into my losses and the love of my life. We stood for patriotism and enjoyed a little fantasy. We even got the four-legged family members involved in our crimes. I hope each one of my stories was a thank-you gift to you. We laughed, we screamed, and we even had a good cry.

Here's a quick trip down memory lane with a small excerpt from each one:

THE HEIST

The three bandits dashed out of the store in a flash, their boots clattering on the wooden porch. They charged down the street, the sack of loot swinging wildly between them.

Their escape came to an end as they reached the edge of town. Standing there, arms crossed and one eyebrow raised, was the Sheriff — a tall, broad-shouldered man with a badge pinned to his chest and a knowing look in his eye.

The gang leader skidded to a halt, his face pale beneath the shadow of his hat. He gulped. "Uh - hi, Pa."

God Bless America
When they got home, Billy's mother asked him if he enjoyed the parade and what he liked most. Without hesitation, Billy stood tall, waved a small American flag his grandfather had bought, and saluted proudly.

"I liked saluting the flag," he said with a big smile. "Grandpa said some of the soldiers are in Heaven, like Old Blue. Now I know that I never have to worry about him being alone. They'll take good care of him, just like Grandpa said."

Finding Positive Vibes
Silvia brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, her voice steady. "I believe everything happens for a reason, even when it's hard to see. I have faith that something better is waiting for us, something beautiful we can't even imagine yet. So, I focus on hope."

Emily paused, feeling a deep sense of admiration. "How do you keep that hope alive, especially in times like these?"

Silvia took a moment, then answered with quiet conviction. "I've learned to appreciate the small things — the unexpected moments of joy.

Forever Wrapped in Love
He kissed her one last time, and then his figure faded into the night.

Carol's eyes fluttered shut. She could hear Michael's voice saying, "I love you," and then echo as it lingered in the air.

When she opened them again, she was no longer on the beach but nestled in the comfort of her bed. A warmth surrounded her, unmistakable, as if Michael had followed her home and into their bed — the one they'd shared, the place their love grew and would always be.

Before closing her eyes and drifting into his arms, she whispered, "Thank you," because God had been listening, after all.

Prince Charming
Maggie hesitated for a moment, her heart being tugged by her memories and the innocent girls waiting patiently for her to answer. "I was thinking about my Prince Charming."

"You had your very own Prince?" Cam asked, her eyes wide with wonder.

Emily demanded more details. "Did he ride a white horse and slay dragons?"

Maggie smiled. "He didn't ride horses, but it always felt like magic when we were together. As for dragons, the only one we ever saw was at Disney World. Its mouth opened wide, ready to swallow us whole, but he held me close until we were on the other side, safe and sound. His laughter was music to my ears."

Miss Kitty Roped A Cowboy
Timmy dusted off his jeans and hurried into the kitchen. "It looks fine to me, ma'am. Are you sure there was a robbery? What was taken?"

Kitty smiled and fanned her face. "It was my heart, but I see you've already found it."

Tossing his cowboy hat on the kitchen counter, he hugged her, then squirmed as she kissed him and squeezed him back.

"Oh, Nana, Miss Kitty never kissed Marshall Dillion like that."

Here's The Plan
Amy blinked sleepily. "Mommy, maybe we do need a dog," she mumbled as she lay back down. "A dog would watch for those monsters when we were asleep."

Amy's mother wrapped her arms around he daughter and kissed the top of her head as Amy drifted back to sleep. She let out a soft sigh. "Maybe you're right, sweetheart," she whispered, brushing Amy's hair off her forehead. "Maybe a dog is exactly what we need."

Clark, meanwhile, quietly tiptoed downstairs with Max, grinning to himself as his plan began to take root.

Forever There (for Nomi)
Come, dear friend. Take my hand and walk with me. I feel the cloak of sorrow you wear in this darkest hour of loss. I wish I could snatch it from your shoulders and carry the weight for you, but unfortunately, my words, my feelings, and my prayers may touch your grieving heart, but they cannot bring the light you so desire.

Just A Memory
A flutter of movement caught Tammy's eye — a tiny blue butterfly, its delicate wings shimmering in the fading light. It danced across the grass, drawing closer. Her throat tightened. It landed on a wildflower, and she blinked back her tears. Jason had loved wildflowers. He'd always picked one and tell her it was a token of his love. She held out her hand, and it joined her. She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to believe in signs. But the warmth that blossomed in her chest wouldn't be ignored. Her anger melted away as memories flooded her thoughts.

Honeymoon Nightmare
Her blood-curdling scream trumped the howling winds when the cabin door flew open, and she saw them — bloody footsteps trailing across the snow. Terrified, the newlywed bride, with her long, red hair disheveled and her eyes wide with fear, reached for her husband, but his side of the bed was empty. "Greyson," she whimpered, the words barely escaping her trembling lips. He didn't answer, so she scrambled from the bed, her heart racing. She slammed the door shut and bolted it in place. Gulping for breath, she managed to steady herself âÂ" until the closet door creaked open.

It Wasn't Me!
Just then, barking came from the bathroom. Grant, shoe in hand, and Trisha rushed down the hall. In the middle of the mess, Snickers and Layla were locked in a raucous game of tug-of-war — with the toilet paper.

Grant found the source of his earlier mishap outside the bathroom: a discarded diaper sporting suspicious brown smears.

Inside, Snickers stood tangled in a mountain of unrolled toilet paper. His fluffy tail wagged proudly as the paper trailed behind him like a royal cape. He blinked at his humans, big innocent eyes gleaming, and tilted his head to one side.

His expression said it all — "See? It wasn't me!"

Starlight Chats
She stood, gazed longingly at the stars, ran her hand across the back of his empty chair, and murmured, "It's getting late."

A long pause — torn between staying or going inside.

"Still haven't gotten used to sleeping alone in that big old bed."

At the doorway, she added —

"I'll leave the window cracked open — just in case."

A few minutes later, as Sadie climbed into bed, she softly whispered, "Goodnight."

A gentle breeze drifted through the window as she closed her eyes, a smile on her lips. She heard a whisper and knew it was him.

"I'm here."

Twisted Pathways
Somewhere in the corridors of my mind, denial grasped my hand, attempting in vain to steer me away from the figure cloaked in black. His shadow, hidden within the heavy fog, moved closer and closer to me.

Confused, I hesitated, and the icy fingers of sorrow chilled my soul. Its heavy arms wrapped around me, pulling me deeper into its frosty embrace.

An agonizing scream lodged in my paralyzed throat. Somewhere, a weak murmur begged me to struggle against his hold, to run from this torturous pain instead of slipping into the murky waters of depression.

A Brighter Tomorrow
The nurse raised an eyebrow, watching as the young woman entered the sanitarium, cradling the lifeless bundle in her arms. "But it's just a doll."

Henry shrugged, forcing a half-hearted grin. "Susan doesn't know that. Besides, it wasn't a big deal. Amazon carries the exact same one."

Helen smirked. "Yeah, but you could've replaced the old one and not said anything."

Henry stared at her for a moment, then chuckled. "It didn't seem like the thing to do. She thinks the doll is her baby. I didn't want to take that away from her. It might be her last bit of reality."

Fifty Word Flash
"Drop it!"

The Sheriff waved his gun at the culprit. "You heard me âÂ" drop it."

Thump!

Startled, the Sheriff jumped, almost firing his gun.

Max, tail wagging against the floor, dropped the shoe from his mouth.

Stifling a grin, the boy growled, "You're under arrest."

But added, "Good dog."

Life's Lesson
He fell hard — like a tree being chopped down. His body hit the floor with a thud, crumpled and unmoving. His eyes were open but distant. The house was deathly quiet. I stood over him, breath ragged, knowing he'd taken his last.

I didn't move. I didn't call for help. I just stood there.

I don't know how long I stayed frozen, but in the silence, those words — the ones that had haunted me my whole life — crept into my mind.

"It's for the best."

In the Eyes of a Child
A fit of giggles echoed from the stairs. At the top, four-year-old Mikey stood, pouring the box of cereal down the steps.

"Mommy! Rainbows," he exclaimed.

My eyes widened in disbelief. "Stop that right now!"

Mikey grinned, then grabbed the milk and tipped it over the edge.

The milk cascaded alongside the cereal, creating a creamy river of chaos.

"Mikey!" I shouted, shaking my head in disbelief.

He giggled, delight lighting up his face. "It's a Rainbow waterfall!"

I Wanna Help
Patches sat in the middle of the floor, her black fur dusted in baby powder. Around her, the little boy knelt, vigorously mixing shampoo, cream rinse, lotion, and powder in the dog's dish. A grin lit up his face as he stirred the concoction.

The boy's innocent smile only widened. Patches wagged her tail, powder billowing into the surrounding air. "I'm a baker, and Patches is learning."

Affairs of the Heart
"Goodbye, September!" I snarled.

I wasn't mad at the calendar itself, but you'd have thought I was when I ripped off the page, wadded it into a tight ball, and torpedoed it into the wastebasket.

How My Garden Grows
He stood there, covered head to toe in mud, as his mother surveyed the drenched garden. A row of crooked and clumped-together dandelions and flowers from the front yard poked out of the muddy soil. His mother couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head at the sight.

I Believe in You
Oh, that might have been a mistake! Those last moments we shared galloped, like a herd of wild horses, across my mind and trampled my heart.

I remembered holding your hand and telling you it was okay to leave, knowing my heart was breaking and nothing would be the same. Inside, I screamed, "Please — don't go." But I knew, this time, you had to go. The angels were waiting to take you home.

Whitney's powerful voice belted out and filled the room. "I will always love you."

I closed my eyes, and like magic — there you were, like you'd never left.

Voices
"They're coming!" My voice was trembling.

I'd heard them before, but this time, they were closer, echoing in my head. I couldn't see them, but I knew they were there. They never left anymore. Their chants, often melodic, begged me to follow them.

Barefoot in the Rain
She hoped so, but next time, she'd wear shoes. He nodded with a smile, and warmth spread from her toes to the top of her head. Standing shoulder to shoulder, she found herself speechless, a rarity, according to her friends.

When the train reached his stop, he hesitated before stepping out. "Same time tomorrow?"

Kendra smiled and nodded as the doors closed. She didn't believe in love at first sight, but her heart was doing double flips.

Would he be there tomorrow?

She hoped so, but next time, she'd wear shoes.

Promise Me Tomorrow
His lips were moving as if he had something to say. She put her head closer, straining to hear his words. And then she knew —

Her heart sank as she realized there was no more breath coming from him. No rise and fall of his chest. The silence now was suffocating. Her tears fell freely, tracing the familiar lines of her face as she leaned over him, resting her forehead against his.

"Promise me," she whispered through the sobs, her lips trembling against his cold cheek. "Promise me — you'll fix this tomorrow."

Spirited Justice
We must not forget our adventures in mystery/crime and ghosts. I hope you didn't miss the eleven chapters I wrote this month. The story's about to wrap up, but it's been a journey I don't want to forget.

*****

It's time to close this book now, sit back, and wonder what October has in store for each of us. Write and follow your dreams.

Thank you, my friends, my family, and my inspiration. Here's to more stories, more celebrations, and more memories.

I'm sending you a basket of smiles, hugs, and love filled with a heartfelt thank you for sharing every day with me.

Carol (Begin Again)