Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Sessions 14 - NEEDS TO BE AT LEAST CHAPTERS


South Beach - The Peninsula


So I speak to you in riddles
'cause my words get in my way.
I smoke the whole thing to my head
and feel it wash away
'cause i can't take anymore of this

Epiphany-Staind




Cooper was up and out early, too early, but he was not going to wait to take the first step toward making changes. First order of business: Ryan. Cooper wasn't going to let it lie, not by a long shot.



Pushing out the front door, residual effects from his dreams and the mess that was the last couple of days still lingered with him as he strode toward his bike, irritably scratching at the new ink on his left bicep.



Driving hard down the coast road, the heat of the sun intense for so early and wind whipping his hair fueled his anger and determination. Still mulling over the rest of it, his daughter running around dangerously out of control, other changes that still made him uneasy, Cooper gripped the bike handles harder as he flew around the road, going downtown.

The Crossing



Cooper pulled the bike up in front of Ryan McDermott's house and swung his leg over. His wife, his daughter, all of it, Ryan's connection was coming to an end once and for all.



Hot fury seared through him as he took the stairs in one easy stride and pounded his fist against the door. He was going to enjoy every damned minute of this.



"What are you doing here?" Ryan shut the door quietly behind him and glared at Coop.



Cooper spoke through gritted teeth, his voice hard and venomous. "It's over Ryan.  I'm here to make sure you get that."



Without warning Cooper impulsively struck Ryan with a hard left hook. The sting of it immediately shot through his hand and up his arm, stunned at his own action, but he ignored the pain as he waited for Ryan to react. He was met with a look of smug satisfaction.



Rubbing his jaw briefly Ryan laughed. "I'm going to let you have that shot considering what happened."



That reaction, so far from what Cooper expected, momentarily shook him. He had been home the past two days; nothing could have happened. Sunlight, hot and oppressive, flashed off the buildings to the west and beat down on his back, and he uncomfortably moved his shoulders against the weight of it. "What the hell are you talking about?"



His smile broadening, Ryan folded his arms and shook his head. "Still can’t keep track of her, can you? Elise came to me. She was with me all night. In my bed. Wrap your head around that."



Cooper laughed, surprised, relieved and genuinely amused. "Are you out of your mind, McDermott? You're delusional. Elise never left the house. She was with me all night, not you. Maybe you ought to start checking ID if you can’t tell who you’re doing; whoever it was, it wasn’t my wife."



Ryan’s eyes narrowed as he studied Cooper’s face, and he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, a small tell but it was there. He’d surprised him. The man was serious. Ryan really believed Elise had been with him. The idiotic assertion infuriated Cooper even more: not only the implication that she was hopping from his bed to Ryan’s, but that he wouldn’t notice she was missing for the whole damned night.



His expression turned serious once more, "You just don't get it. She doesn’t want you. She made that very clear, clear enough even for you. Get over it. And stay away from her and stay away from my daughter. I won't warn you again; you get in my way, I’ll take you down. No problem at all for me - you're what, nothing more than a goddamned bouncer now anyway."



Ryan sucked in a rapid breath, turned a hard stare on Cooper and spat, "Get the fuck off my property."

South Beach - West Coast Road



Ten miles back down the coast road, Cooper abruptly turned off onto a deserted stretch of patchy grass and dirty sand, cut the engine and walked out a few paces to stand by himself. To breathe. To try to think. The confrontation with Ryan, while he thought he’d made his point, hadn’t gone as planned. The man’s crazy conviction that Elise had gone over there bothered him. He knew she hadn’t. It was easy enough to confuse one whore with another, but to be so certain his wife had been there meant there was something weird going on.



Cooper took a deep breath of the salty air, beads of sweat beginning to soak the back of his shirt again, and yanked out his cell. He hadn't said anything yet to Elise about this decision, hadn't made up his mind, didn't want her to try to talk him out of it, and she would, but this did it. He was going for it. “Slim…yeah…look I need to talk. Yeah I can make it to Heydon’s and no, it can’t wait.”

South Beach, The Harbor East



Uneasy, Cooper slowed as he approached Heydon’s place and saw a car he had not expected.  Camilla was here. He swore, looked for a place to park the bike, finally drove it right up onto the sand. Considering the tire tracks, he wasn’t the only one to use the front yard as a driveway. Cammie probably parked wherever she pleased.



The place was quiet. When Heydon had moved out, he’d chosen a place on the emptier eastern side of the harbor. Cooper glanced up at the towering bluffs. At least they blocked the damned sunlight he'd had in his face the whole way here.



“What’s up?” Slim asked as he opened the door and stepped aside to let Cooper walk past.



“I need to talk to you,” he replied over his shoulder without looking him in the face. “And Heydon too.”



Slim trailing behind him, Cooper strode through the foyer and into Heydon’s soaring living room. It had been a while since he’d been in the place, and, as he walked into the blue light cast by the pool, the biggest change struck him in the face.

An enormous portrait of Camilla covered the wall behind the couch. She was gazing off into the distance, beautiful, provocative, and half dressed, those lush breasts spilling out of some kind of animal print bra and exposing one nipple.



Surprised, he turned back to Slim, and there was another portrait hanging on the opposite wall, not as revealing but almost as overwhelming as the first.



Cooper exchanged a glance with Slim, who cut a brief, dry smile and shrugged. Whatever statement Heydon was making, he was going all out with it, if it was Heydon's statement.



The model herself slid up off the couch, carefully stepping barefoot over everything scattered across the floor, and demanded, “What’s the matter don’t you like them?”



Cooper turned back to her, hesitated, then cautiously replied, “They’re pretty, Cam.  Very um, artistic.”



She still studied him, evidently trying to work out whether the compliment was sincere, when Heydon walked in and intervened, smiling, “Hey Coop. What’s going on?”

Seeing those paintings reminded him forcibly why he was here – his family. "We need to talk," Cooper glanced over at Camilla who watched him with a look of curiosity and added, "Let's take it outside."



They moved out onto the deck and once the door had shut behind them Cooper went right into it. "I've made a decision. I'm not touring anymore; my family needs me right now so touring is out of the question."



Heydon stood there obviously stunned but it was Slim who spoke first. "Coop, have you really thought this through, what this means? Maybe you should sit on it for awhile, let some time pass."



"That's bullshit!" Heydon exploded in anger. "This is about fucking McDermott and Elise isn't it? You're quitting over that shit? Did she threaten to leave you for him? Did she give you an ultimatum to quit or she walks?"



Cooper shot him a hot glare but made a tremendous effort to keep his temper under control. No there hadn’t been any ultimatum, nor would he do this if there had been. And he was increasingly enraged that even one of his best friends thought he’d run scared from McDermott. He tried to keep his voice level, reasonable. “I didn’t say I was quitting. I’m just not going to tour. There's a difference. We'll still record like we always have."



"Yeah there's a difference, a huge fucking difference! We make money touring, a hell of a lot more than just recording. I have mortgages, college tuition for three kids, and alimony on top of that."



In his face now, Cooper growled, “Since when did your debts become my responsibility? I’m not your personal bank! I’m taking care of my own life and if that’s a problem for you, you can go to hell!”



"Look Heydon," Slim interjected, "let's just cool down here. I know where Coop is coming from. Let's just sit tight and see how this plays all right?"



"No! It isn't all right! I put up with Danny chasing after my wife for years and never once threw it out there about quitting. This shit will blow over in a month but the rest of us have to pay the price? No fucking way!" Heydon stepped angrily toward Coop.



"Back off, Heydon, the decision's been made." Cooper turned on his boot heel and started to walk away, deeply resentful, and thoroughly torn. He had to do this; they’d have to figure out how to deal with it. He couldn’t take on anybody else’s problems.



He almost made it to the front door, Heydon’s angry voice and Slim’s quieter responses echoing behind him, when Camilla stepped into his path. She stood in the shadows, looked at him, her gaze cool, direct. 

“Whatever you do,” she warned him, “don’t do it for her.  When you start doing things like this for a woman it will eat your soul.”

Cooper stared down at her, stunned and chilled. This was turning out to be a shit day - first Ryan and his bizarre claim, then Heydon jumping him, and now Cam, as if she had any business telling him what to do. And from the look of things in Heydon's living room, she had a good grip on something more tangible than his soul. In a low, hard voice, he told her, "Fuck off Cammie."

The Crossing - Holloway



After leaving Heydon's, Cooper rode straight to the studio where he found Danny and Aidan and gave them the news although more than likely they already knew. Unsettled, frustrated and angry he climbed on his bike once more and rode aimlessly until he ended up in the southern end of the city, Bay View. It was midday and waves of heat rose off the asphalt as he maneuvered through his old haunts. He continued past Sam's Bar and the Surfside Club where traffic was always congested until he ended up in front of Shaun and Stevie's place.



Cooper looked up at the house nestled directly across the street from the beach where Shaun loved to surf. Despite their success they never moved and instead preferred living in Bay View. As Cooper dismounted he wondered absently if Shaun still had that old truck. He took the stairs two at a time and knocked.



Stevie in a bikini pulled open the door and smiled at him.  "Hey Coop! What are you doing up here? Come on in!"

"You alone?" he asked as he entered the house.



"Shaun took Devlin south to the beach. Are you hungry?" Stevie stepped up into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

He watched her, briefly playing with an old memory of Stevie bending over next to the fridge in that worn out loft near the wharf in Bay View. It was a long time ago. "I could eat. Did I catch you at a bad time?"



"Nah I was just doing some yoga. I've got these nagging few pounds I can't seem to shake." Stevie patted her stomach and smiled.

"Funny I don't remember you dressed like that when you did yoga," he teased her.



Stevie turned toward him and smiled at the reference. "The last thing I need is someone taking shots of me doing yoga in the nude. They'll end up plastered all over the tabloids." Stevie glanced toward him and saw the look of surprise on his face. "Oh shit I'm sorry Coop. I didn't mean anything by it."

"Forget it Stevie. It's already yesterday's news," he grumbled as he changed the subject quickly. "So maybe you're pregnant again."



"You take that thought right back Coop. One is plenty! Dev is actually at an age where we could take him on tour with us if we hired a nanny - and my boobs don't get in the way of my kit anymore!" She pulled a fresh strawberry from the bowl on the kitchen counter, popped one in his mouth and smiled.



A wave of recognition, another memory swept past as he tasted the sweet berry. Cooper said nothing as he moved into the living room. Stevie watched him move toward the window and then followed. "OK the Coop I know would have made some suggestive remark about my chest so obviously something is eating at you. What's going on?"



Drawing a deep breath he went into it. "I'm done touring Stevie, calling it quits. I just told everyone."



Stevie stared at him. "I'll bet that didn't go over so well. Are you insane? Why would you do that? It's going to kill you not to tour!"



Cooper folded his arms, averted his eyes briefly and then swung them back on her. "My family needs me Stevie. I wasn't there for Wyatt when he needed a father and I still have a tenuous relationship at best with him. I won't let that happen with Rainie and the twins, not when I can change it and get it right this time. And I won't allow my marriage to crumble, I almost lost Elise, I'm not going to neglect her anymore."



Stevie was quiet for a long moment as she watched him intently. "So she's on board with this decision? She can just let you walk away from the essence of who you are? Elise doesn't understand what this will do to you but I do."

Cooper turned away uncomfortably. "I haven't told her yet," he said quietly.




"Oh Coop..." Stevie's voice was laced with worry as she sighed. "I know you and this is a mistake. It's going to drive you crazy."

Whipping back around he vehemently assured her, "It's my decision to make. It's done. I'll live with it."




Stevie nodded and stepped closer to him. "Are you certain this is the answer? Even when you didn't know who you were, it was obvious that the thrill of being on stage drove you."

Cooper was silent. His breath caught in his throat; there wasn't anything to say. He'd done it. He wasn't going to take it back now.

"What can I do to help?" She pressed a cool hand against his face.



He pulled closer to her. She smelled like lavender and vanilla, familiar. "Just be here for me Stevie. I really need a friend who doesn't want a piece of me right now."



Stevie moved up into that light embrace, her hands resting on his shoulders as he slipped his arms around her waist, even the curve of her waist familiar, comfortable. "Of course," she promised him quietly. "I'll be here for you, Coop. Always."

41 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yay! A new chapter! Another amazing and beautifully done chapter! Makes my day anytime I see one.

S.B. said...

thank you! We spend a lot of time trying to make it work so just THANKS!

thewynd said...

It turned out beautifully...even more than I imagined.

Mizzgin03 said...

OMG I love those portraits! They are so beautiful!

KDSGS said...

Cooper looks stunning, love how the punch barely registered with Ryan.

Heydon and Camilla have it going on, love the statement with the portraits. And love Heydon's reaction to the 'no touring' bit. Heydon has a point. And love Cammie's parting shot. I think Cam is right.
NAd nice interlude with Stevie, almost makes me wonder if Stevie would have been a better fir for Cooper, but, you love who you love.
Wonderful update, love how we followed Cooper through his travels!

KDSGS said...

Excuse spelling mistakes, not awake yet, that is 'and' not Nad, and 'fit' not 'fir'. LOL!

Phoenix said...

Coop, I gotta agree with everyone else here. I mean, I know he's trying to save his marriage and his family but in the process he's going to tear apart what makes him Coop.

And he should have talked with Beth before he even went to everyone else with the news.

And those shots were beautiful. Just what is Heydon trying to say?:P

Anonymous said...

Why didn't Cooper talk to Beth about quitting? I mean I admire where his head is, but seeing as it involves her just as much as anyone, I feel like that conversation needed to happen. And in another way, I'm glad he hasn't started up any tense talks with her because I'm so afraid for him to find out about Ryan and his daughter... although, now that he's spoken to Ryan, I'm sure he's not going to leave that little nagging "He thinks he slept with my wife" feeling go. Oh geez.

Cooper looks good. Like really good. To be honest, everyone was damn hot in this update :D, and those portraits of Camilla were completely gorgeous. And I missed Stevie, it was good to see her.

Fabulous guys!

Sinclair said...

Ooo Coop. How does he manage to never learn. Rayne is already at least 16 I'm assuming. The damage to their relationship is already done. Last thing she or Beth need/want is Coop home trying to play boss. Its so not going to work. Might even make things worse. He's in for a rude awakening if he thinks Rayne is going to sit and listen to him. A dad whos out of the house 300 days of the year so doesnt have any authority. Thats going to be a big blowout.

And Hayden..while I totally understand Coops point I feel like Hayden's is just as important. He did put up with his wife's drama for years and never left. But I have this overwhelming feeling that that conversation will turn into who is and isnt replaceable. And Hayden is replaceable. Poor guy. Why does Coop think that its cool for him to dump everyone else when his problems come up? Doesnt he realise how everone else put their stuff on backburner for the band? Totally messed up. That was so wrong.

S.B. said...

In my opinion, Cooper is headed fast in the wrong direction on a couple of levels.

Nothing quite like an ex-lover who tells the husband that his wife doesn't understand him the way she does, and that she will 'always' be there for him....

S.B. said...

Thanks everyone! I was up really late last night (actually all night...) so I'm going to combine comments.

Phoenix: I don't think Cooper had made up his mind that he was going to quit when he made the trip to Ryan's house. Plus he had to know he was going to run into serious resistance from his wife.

Cooper has always been impulsive. He didn't think this idea through.

Thank you!


Drew: Thanks so much. That 'nice' interlude with Stevie...well. that may not be the end of this, not at all.

Yeah Heydon's got it bad LOL!


Veron: Hey thank you! Well he didn't say anything because he was really didn't want to do it, hadn't quite made up his mind, and he knew she would be upset and angry and try to talk him out of it. Again, he isn't seeing all the ramifications here, not yet.

Ryan's peculiar (from Coop's point of view) conviction that he slept with his wife was one of the things that made the decision for him. It made him extremely uneasy.

Stevie may turn out to be more of a problem that a help, not that she would ever intend it to be that way.


Sinclair: thank you so much for pointing that out! Yeah it does come down to who is replaceable. They could find another guitarist, but replace Cooper? That would not be possible.

And you're right. Rayne is too old at this point for Coop to have much influence over her. It's too late.

Cooper just hasn't thought this through in any detail. It was an impulsive decision; he's angry, he doesn't like being challenged. It will cause real problems for the other members of the band.

Thank you! Great points!!!


Missgin03: Gayl did a fantastic job with those paintings! They are just gorgeous!


Thanks again to everyone for being so supportive as we start to ramp up another storyline here.

Muzegoddess said...

Finally! I'm so glad that Cooper has gotten the balls to confront Ryan for real. However...it kinda fell flat when Ryan barely flinched when he hit him but... he gets points for the long overdue effort. I would have kicked his butt a long time ago if I were Cooper.

I knew that when he said he was going to "make some changes" he meant cutting back on touring, but I think it might be a little too late in certain respects. Worth a shot though. He's desperately tyring to hold onto his marriage and his family so he has to do something.

I love the scene at Heydon's house, beautifully done, and the pics of Camilla are phenomenal.

I don't even want to think about Copper's encounter with Stevie and where that could go. I'll just stick my head in the sand and pretend it isn't happening until I can't deny it anymore.

Wonderful update as usual:)

S.B. said...

Muzegoddess - thank you so much!

Yeah I think the emotional impact of seeing Cooper knock Ryan on his ass would certainly be dramatic, but it wouldn't have been realistic. Cooper knocked down Chris P, but Ryan is another kind of guy entirely. Coop can't take on Ryan physically. He can ruin him though.

Again, Cooper is impulsive. He doesn't do things halfway. Cutting back would probably have been a better first step than just stopping altogether. It's going to harm his closest friends, and the person who gets the blame...ultimately that's not going to be Coop.

Stevie. Yeah. Gayl can say more about this but yeah. Whatever starts heating up there, it would start slow.

thank you so much for your continued support and your comments! We look forward to them.

S.B. said...

Have to add one more thing. I don't think it was lack of courage that kept Cooper from confronting Ryan. He didn't really believe it was possible that someone like Ryan was in any way a threat to him. It wasn't until he got his face rubbed in it with the tabloid that he got a reality check. Arrogance yeah. Cowardice, no, that's not Coop.

goodbye_sun said...

I'm sort of echoing everyone else, but both Cam and Stevie hit right at the heart of the matter, you can't take away such a big part of yourself without regretting it. Even though his intentions are good, its just probably going to cause more blame and more pain.

I can't wait to see what Ryan makes of the news that it wasn't Beth...

S@n said...

Oh my!!! Lovely lovely portraits of Cammi!! She really is a gorgeous model, but the artist!!! WOW she really did a fantastic job!!! The lighting is just perfect, and she completely captured Camila's essence!! Beautiful...

Now, I feel so sorry for Cooper! In one hand I do understand what, he is trying to do... but in the other hand it seems like he is just quitting to be who he really is, and that will for sure eat him alive... he will be like a zombie...
I think he should talk to Beth... but if I were Beth, I would be so happy if he quit touring.. (LOL) It is just so contradictory, so difficult... my heart is aching for him, for her, and all his family... it really is so dysfunctional.... Why does life have to be so freaking hard and painful!!!
All my feelings are mixed, I feel angry because he is quitting, I'm happy because he will be with his family, but there is a sense of betrayal to his convictions and friends...he seems so lost...he will feel lost... poor Cooper it is just heartbreaking...

That last part with Stevie just confused me even more....I just want to hug him... He should be talking to his wife not Stevie... if only he opened to Beth as he does with his friends...

Anyway...this chapter was a fantastic read like every other chapter, full of emotions and interesting twists... I'm really looking forward to see what comes next...

Beautiful writing and incredible shots!!!
Fantastic job!! just breathtaking!!!
hurry up with next chapter please...
Bravo!!!

Mao said...

For the love of wafers, Cooper! Haven't you learned anything from this experience? Don't go throwing around big decisions without including Beth. That's just a gigantic marital NO-NO. This is not going to go over well. Sure, his heart is in the right place, but like Stevie said... he's cutting off a part of himself. It's like amputating a limb or something.

This is huge. It needs careful consideration and deliberation, not one hot-headed decision made in a moment of desperation!

You both do such a great job of drawing me in! And I have to say, Camilla is lovely... but I don't know if she should be advising on not getting one's soul eaten. ;)

S.B. said...

Mao...I'm laughing so hard! yeah, Camilla the maneater cautioning a man against doing something for a woman. Thank you! Like she should talk.

You're right. It's not going to go over well. Not at all. Cooper wandering around the house bored and restless...well his heart is in the right place but it is like amputating his arm. He's going to miss it. And end up resentful and unhappy.

It's always great to see what you think! Thank you!

S.B. said...

goodbye_sun...yes it probably will cause more trouble and more blame and blame spread very wide and thick.

Ryan sure has something to think about now. It is not a huge step, but that small step crosses an inconceivable chasm. He won't want to look down into it.

S.B. said...

S@ndy, thanks!

The friendship/attraction between Cooper and Stevie is very strong and longstanding. Whether it's a good idea to start confiding in her, to pull that relationship back from the past into the present...I'd say it's dangerous.

I very much doubt Cooper's wife will be at all happy that he has decided to quit touring. That's his life.

The artist did do an incredible job with those portraits!

thank you so much for your great comments and compliments!

Van said...

I have to agree with everyone else and say that... yeah, this isn't the best idea on Cooper's part.

Sorry about the brevity of this comment--I'm on a borrowed computer and the owner needs it back soon. Stunning pictures, as usual--can't wait for the next update!

S.B. said...

Dinuriel - thank you! No it's not the best idea Coop ever came up with.

And thanks so much for the compliments on the shots. It was a collaborative effort.

cheripye said...

OH BOY! Ok so Coop has confronted Ryan in which both are still in the dark about everything going on and then it is driving Cooper to do the UNTHINKABLE! Heydon is so right, everyone in this right! Giving this up is going to be a disaster! What's the old saying oh yes "When it rains it pours" 80)

although I still hold out and believe or at least hope all will work out for everyone!

Loved the interchange with Cam and Coop as he left and that line about her having a grip, 80) and must agree those pictures are stunning. 80)

Excellent Update! as always stunning writing and screens, you two are an excellent team!!! 80)

cheripye said...

I forgot to comment on Stevie and Coopers interaction, how wonderful they are such close friends and yet just a bit disturbing that he still remembers the "little" things... although LOL! it makes him unique and sweet and that last screen, I am sure that Coop will think about his actions and sure that Stevie would be uncomfortable with such too. 80) once again Beautiful!

S.B. said...

thanks Cherie! We both worked hard on the shots, and it's always fun to work with Camilla.

We included the interaction between Stevie and Coop for a reason, and it wasn't just to give him a shoulder to cry on. They're extremely comfortable with each other, and he is a natural flirt....so we'll just have to see where and how far this is going to go.

thanks so much!

Unknown said...

Poor Cooper, in this case, I don't think there's a right decision. Either way he goes, something's going to hit the fan whatever he direction he chose to go. Hopefully something will work out in the end.

A part of me wants Ryan to learn what happened, but really, at heart knowing who spent the night with him will kill him. He won't be able to handle the fact he was too drunk to tell the difference. Poor guy, I feel for him.

I love your world, I think I've said this before. But it's so full and so realistic. :) (I'm actually talking about the sets here, but the story is, too.)

S.B. said...

Thank you Lachesis - we spend in insane amount of time making sure the world looks realistic! Or we try anyway.

Cooper is doing what he thinks is the best thing to do. His family is genuinely very important to him. You're right, there is no perfect choice.

And yeah, it would kill Ryan to find out. He would not be able to handle it. I feel for him too.

thank you so much!

thewynd said...

I know I have been a bit absent but I want to take a minute to thank each and every one of you for taking the time to read and comment on our work. It means a great deal to both of us to have your support.We really appreciate it.

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

I just read that you guys are considering taking down some of the old posts! I hope you don't do that, they are great even if some may not be as good as the newer ones (though I don't believe that) Anyways I'm a big fan of your guys' work! Such beautiful writing, pictures, and characters :D

simstwoplayergirl said...

Took me about 3-4 days to get caught up - I even went to TSR and read the blog that started it all - it was great to see how both of your writing and imaging skills improved over the past 2-3 years - if you had taken down the old stories and just left the summaries - I would have passed your stories up - looking forward to the next update....

S.B. said...

Anonymous - thank you so much! That is exactly the kind of feedback we needed. It's hard to have the old work out there; makes us cringe LOL.

Thank you so much for letting us know that you enjoy what we do! It means a great deal to us!

S.B. said...

simstwoplayergirl...wow...thank you! Our work is so long and so convoluted, I am in awe of anyone who can get through all of it! And the TSR blog too! I'm overwhelmed!

I guess we'll leave the old work up if it is proving to be an integral part of the whole. Thank you!

Thank you for both the incredible compliment, for taking the time to read everything, and for letting us know. We appreciate our readers more than we can adequately say.

S.B. said...

and simstwoplayergirl, if it is not too intrusive, I would really love to know how you hit on our work, how you found it.

thank you again. and if you have work, I hope you will share...

thewynd said...

Again I want to echo the sentiments expressed by SB to each and every one of you. I hope you will forgive my not responding to each comment personally but know that we both appreciate the support from our readers so much and welcome the new ones as well! I hope you will continue to enjoy our work. We have a lot more coming your way!

simstwoplayergirl said...

S.B. - As you can see from my name - I play the game - no writing for me - your work was on the suggested reading list on Phoenix's blog - I had your work bookmarked for about 2-3 months - I finally found some time to read from start to finish, with a side dash to TSR to get the beginning - I love to read - so I was not intimidated by the length - If you took the time to make a table of contents - then you obviously feel that your work is worth reading from start to finish - I know me - I would wonder what I missed if there was just a summary of your older work.......

thewynd said...

Hi there simstwoplayergirl - and thanks again for taking the time to read all of our work! It is definitely worth reading but certainly not expected considering it is over 2+ years of writing so when someone does take the time it is appreciated by us.

We have a summary and a ToC not only for new readers but as a point of reference for us as well. We are pleased you found our work and enjoyed. Hope you continue to do so! Thanks again.

Emily said...

I just want to say before I forget...I totally remember Stevie doing yoga naked and I knew he was going to say that! I love the feeling of nostalgia I get from all these characters, looking back on them makes me feel warm and toasty.

That being said...girl you just had a baby and your husband would be devastated if you replayed the past! Take Coop's hands OFF your waist! LOL. I'll say the Mercury is rising! Ha ha!

This was one explosive chapter. I totally understand Coop's decision but I get everyone elses reactions too. It's not the best idea ever, especially not discussing it with anyone.

Cammie was looking hot in those pics! Heydon's definitely hooked there, I think! And it was funny that she was giving Coop the advice she did, kind of made me scratch my head. :D

Oh yeah! Ryan...punch to the face. Sorry man, you deserved that one! I'm slowly warming up to him though, home boy is just sad and lost, especially now that he *may* figure out whom he slept with. Ugh. Not good.

Great update you two, can't wait to see where the road turns to next!

S.B. said...

simstwoplayer...Phoenix...she has been such an enormous help to me in so many ways.

Yeah putting up the Table of Contents was a huge HUGE effort. Spreadsheet effort. Thank you for letting us know how you found our work, and why you decided to read it. I'm always wondering why anyone goes through the whole thing! And always astonished and happy when they do.

S.B. said...

Hi Emily, yeah you got it! Mercury rising is right LOL!

Cooper is doing what he thinks he should do. Maybe not the best idea he ever had though.

Cammie's got Heydon; well he's got her too, and that might be the harder catch. Her advice to Coop...he won't bite on that. She's less motivated by concern for Cooper than her long standing vendetta against someone who dumped her brother.

And it's so funny to see you finally warming up to Ryan. Ryan's a good guy. Not sure if he will ever figure out who in hell that woman was. He's thinking about it though. Ugh not good is right.

Thank you so much!

Colliegirl said...

So, Ryan's finally beginning to wonder about the identity of the woman who was with him that night? I wondered when it might happen... someone was bound to dig it up sooner or later!
It's obvious that Coop has good intentions with wanting to stay closer to home and work on rebuilding a relationship with his family, but he really should have considered talking to them first to see how they might feel about it.
One would think that they could somehow find a way to compromise, so that everyone would be happy... maybe just keep the tours local. If the fans really like the band so much, let them find a way to come see them... just a suggestion.
Great storywriting!

S.B. said...

Colliegirl, I'm sure there was some opportunity for compromise. Cooper made an impulsive decision, all or nothing, which he will regret.

Ryan hadn't questioned the identify of the woman he slept with until now. He had no reason to question it, although he didn't understand what was going on, why she would have come to him like that and then left so abruptly. Now, however, he has to realize that something is very wrong.

thanks so much for the compliment and for continuing to read and comment. We both really appreciate it!