The Gift 9

Have you ever lost a love? A feathered love with webbed feet and frizzy yellow feathers?



Then you'd probably want to check in with the Rubber Chicken, who continued to search for the fowl of his dreams yesterday.

And if you want to see what happens when the Blond Duck goes out in the sun, go here.

The Babies say thank you for all the fond birthday wishes.

And now, for the Gift.

You read the previous one, right?

Of course you did.

You may proceed.

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Rouge smiled over a tray of the most luscious desserts Ashley had ever seen.

"Oh my God!" she cried, grabbing for a plate of mini-cheesecakes all the time. "If you serve these every night, I'm going to be as big as a house!"

"It's just for Ladies' Night," Rouge replied with a grin. "I know how girls like their sweets." He picked up a chocolate brownie drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce. "Where's Samantha?" he asked, looking up and down the bar. "I got this just for her."

"I don't know," Ashley said, her forehead wrinkling. "She was right here."

"I didn't see her leave," Cleo said, her eyes wide. "She always tells us if she goes somewhere."

A bitter cackle burst from the other end of the bar. Jeremy swung around on his stood, swaying as he sipped from a thick glass mug. "She disappeared," he cried, leering at the girls. "Into thin air! Poof!" Ashley and Cleo stared at him as he roared with laughter.

"She must have gone to the bathroom," Rouge said, setting the brownie down at her place at the bar.

"Oh no," Jeremy called, shaking his head. "She vanished. Poof! All gone!" He giggled, then slurped down more beer.

"Cut him off," Rouge muttered to the bartender. The bartender nodded and tried to jerk the mug from Jeremy's hand. Jeremy howled and clutched it to his chest.

"What do you mean, she disappeared?" Ashley asked.

Snarling at the bartender trying to swipe his beer, Jeremy pushed off the bar. Teetering on one left of the stool, he smiled triumphantly and took a drink.

"One of the waiters gave her a bright blue drink," he informed Ashley with all the condensation a drunk can. "She took one sip and poof! Gone in a flash!"

"What waiter?" Rouge demanded.

"The one with black hair in all black," Jeremy replied. "He's gone too."

Rouge shook his head. "My waiters don't wear all black. And none of them have black hair like that. Plus, we don't have electric blue drinks. It's an Irish pub, not a dance club."

"Poof!" Jeremy laughed, unaware that the leg of of the bar stool was creaking alarmingly.

"Oh my God!" Ashley cried, grabbing Cleo's arm. "The necklace! How could we have been so stupid?"

"What necklace?" Rouge asked.

"Do you have it?" Cleo asked Ashley.

"No," Ashley growled. "Samantha has it in her purse."

"What necklace?" Rouge repeated.

"The necklace of love," Jeremy howled, flinging his arm out dramatically. The stool slammed into the ground and Jeremy fell on his back, the beer splashing out onto his chest and pooling around his neck. He leaned his head to the side and tried to lap it up as the beer dripped onto the bar floor.



Ashley grabbed a bar napkin and sketched out the design. "It looked like this," she said, shoving it towards Rouge. "But it was made out of diamonds and blue topaz stones." She told Rouge the story of the mysterious box with the note that said "Love, Me."

"And every note said, "Until Sunset," she said. "That's why we thought it was you. When we saw that the charm was Celtic and you had opened up the pub, we were sure it was you."

Rouge shook his head, his face grim. "This isn't good," he said. "Was she wearing the necklace?"

"I don't think so," Ashley replied. "Why?"

"If she wears it, she'll be bound to whoever gave her the gift," Rouge replied darkly. He leaned forward over the bar. On Samantha's seat was a tiny blue topaz pendant of a flower, much like the flower she had been given before.

And from across the bar, Jeremy began to laugh. His bitter laughter washed over them, sending shivers down their spine.



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Samantha stirred. Her skin was damp and cold and her hair felt heavy against her face. Pulling herself up, she grimaced and brushed mossy twigs and leaves from her arms and hands. After she had picked dirt and leaves from her hair, she climbed to her feet.

Wrapping her arms around her body, she cursed. Of course. The one time she got drugged and dumped in the woods, it'd have to be in a short sweater dress that barely covered her butt and stiletto boots. She was going to kill Ashley.


"Hello?" she called. Glancing around, she shivered. She had never seen woods like this before. The trees stretched toward the sky with thick trunks covered in a bark that was so lush it looked like fur. Snarled greenery covered every inch of the ground that wasn't covered in dense green moss. A fine white mist rolled across her feet, the bitter cold making her skin prick.

She spotted a grey walk and stepped carefully over to it, avoiding small stones and small creatures under those stones. She knew enough about nature that she didn't want to run into anything with teeth or scales.

Placed on the rock was a small box wrapped in brown paper. Picking it up, Samantha read the note attached.

"I am pleased you have taken the trouble to join me, love. Are you wearing the necklace to think of me? But no path is easy, and yours is certainly difficult. I hope this makes things easier. Until sunset. Love, Me."

"As soon as I meet "Me," I'm going to throttle him," Samantha snarled. She sighed. Looking around at her empty surroundings, she sighed.

Then she opened the package.

To be continued....

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have the introduction of a new addition to the Pond and Wednesday, a new Twirl! Then we have a treasured family recipe and more adventures with the Rubber Duck and Fuzzy Chicken! Stay tuned!

The Gift 8

Stop!

Did you read the date of the Fuzzy Duck and Rubber Chicken?

Did you read the last edition of the Gift? (If you didn't, read it before today's post or you'll be sorry!)

And what about my sweet tribute to the lunch date?

Ok. You may proceed.

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Samantha peeled her face off Rouge's t-shirt and smiled as he pounded her on the back in the most enthusiastic bear hug she'd ever received.

"It's so good to see you!" he cried, stepping back to beam down at her. "Aye, it's been too long Samantha!"

"Hey, that's my girlfriend you're hugging!" Jeremy bellowed, thrashing around in the doorway. "Back off, Irish boy!"

"Oh, shut up," Ashley groaned, stepping on his foot with her high-heeled boot as she hurried toward Rouge. Jeremy howled as she smiled at Rouge. "Remember me, handsome?"

"Ashley!" Rouge cried, releasing Samantha to embrace Ashley. "My other partner in crime! It's like Christmas, it is!" He turned toward Cleo and bowed his head. "And who is this other fine lady with you?" He winked at Cleo and she blushed, holding out her hand.

"I'm Cleo," she simpered, biting her lip as Rouge raised her hand to his lips. "I'm a friend of Samantha's from grad school."

"You're in grad school?" Rouge whirled around and stared at Samantha. "I always knew you were brilliant, darling. What are you studying?"

"Psychology," Samantha said with a grin. "You know I always like studying people. I want to be a family therapist. I'm fascinated by the dynamics of relationships."

"If she was only better at studying her own relationships," Ashley muttered, jerking her head towards Jeremy. "Or lack thereof."

Rouge burst into laughter as Samantha shrieked and started toward Ashley. "Girls, come in and have a drink on me," he said, his voice rising and falling in a thick Irish cadence. He steered the three girls through the pub doors. "If you're up to it, there's a drink for you at the bar," he addressed Jeremy, his lips twitching in a grin. "If you're done howling like a banshee and all that."

Jeremy snarled, but pulled himself upright and limped inside. He plopped down at the end of the bar away from Samantha and her friends, shooting wounded glances their way as he nursed a beer. The girls ignored them. Their attention was solely on Rouge, who was handing them platters of Shepard's pie and fish and chips with thick mugs of Irish beer.

"So I suppose you're wondering where I went," he said to Samantha, his eyes twinkling.

"Duh!" she exclaimed. "I tried to find you for years. It was like you just disappeared off the face of the Earth. What happened?"

"Well, my great aunt left me a fortune in her will when she died," he explained. Leaning over the bar, golden candlelight flickered across his impish features as a grin spread over his face. "When I traveled over there to receive the fortune, I found the will had certain obligations that came with it. For two or three years, I had loose ends to tie up with family business before the fortune could become mine. As soon as I finished the last task, I was back on a plane to America."

"Why didn't you call me?" Samantha asked. "Why wouldn't you tell me any of this?"

"It was a complicated situation," Rouge admitted. "Plus, I was in the middle of the Irish countryside. Post was the only way of communication. It was as though I'd gone back 100 years in time. I never expected it to take so long. By the time I came back, I had no idea how to contact you. Your parents had moved and no one from our old school knew where you had gone."

"Why a bar?" Cleo asked. "Why didn't you finish college?"

Rouge's eyes twinkled. "It was my dream," he murmured, his rich accent sending shivers down Samantha's spine. "It was the last part of the puzzle that had to be completed. I wanted to make my grand dad proud, you know? So I came back here, found this property and spent two years getting this set up. I wanted it to be a proper Irish pub."

Rouge leaned forward, running his thumb under Samantha's chin. "I never forgot about you," he said earnestly. "I never stopped thinking of you. And there is so much to tell you"--

"Sir?" A waitress approached Rouge with a hesitant smile. "We're having a bit of a problem in the kitchen."

Rouge groaned and flashed a smile at the girls. "I'll be back," he promised. "Excuse me." He winked at Samantha and disappeared into the kitchen. Samantha heard clangs and clashes of metal and winced.

"He's so crazy about you," Ashley announced.

"Totally," Cleo agreed.

"You guys are crazy," Samantha argued. She pulled a fork out of her napkin to dig into the fish and chips. "We're just friends."

A hand tapped her shoulder, and she turned around. A man with dark hair and light, grey eyes stood behind her. He was dressed in all black and holding a electric blue drink.

"A gift," he said, bowing as he handed her the glass. "He wanted you to have this."

"Who?" Ashley demanded.

"Rouge, of course," Samantha said as she accepted the glass. She smiled and thanked the man. Raising the glass to her lips, she took a tentative sip of the electric blue liquid. The sweet cold liquid jolted across her teeth and down her throat, her entire system tingling.

And then the world went white.

To be continued....

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have the wedding story you've all been waiting for! Then we have a new Twirl, a tasty classic Pond recipe and the Babies' birthday! Plus, can the Rubber Chicken find the Fuzzy Duck? Stay tuned to find out!

The Gift 7

For the previous edition of the Gift, go here.


A few hours later, they were all in a car barreling towards Samantha's hometown. With flat-ironed hair, artfully-lined eyes and a sweater dress hugging every inch of her body, Samantha felt like she was being shown at the big city livestock fair. She had expressed the sentiment to Ashley earlier. Ashley merely snorted and flung a pair of silver hoops at her.

"Ok, Samantha, you're not thinking clearly," Ashley had informed her, pulling on dark jeans that looked more like tights. "Let's go over the facts again, shall we?" She paused with her jeans half-way up her thighs, ticking the points off on her fingers.

"You get a mysterious package hidden in the hutch, addressed to you from a mysterious Me who ends everything with "Until Sunset." The package contains a flower that spit out a diamond and blue topaz Celtic love symbol. Now, your best male friend from Ireland who was madly in love with you for years opened up a club in your hometown called Until Sunset. Do the math."

"I haven't spoken to Rouge in years," Samantha protested, pulling at the hem of her sweater dress. She frowned at the tall boots Ashley pointed at. "I'm going to look like a hooker. And I feel like a stuffed sausage in this dress. I have eaten far too much to wear something this tight."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "The point is to look sexy. Some guy sent you a diamond necklace and you want to show up in sweatpants?"

Samantha wasn't so opposed to the idea. Shifting in the stiff car seats, she shuffled her feet. Sweatpants would have been really nice right now. She had gone from feeling like a stuffed sausage to a sardine.

"I don't get it," Jeremy whined from the backseat. "Why are we driving 200 miles to go to a club? I thought the whole point of this trip was to relax in Sam's parents cabin?"

Samantha grit her teeth at the name. "You didn't have to come," she reminded him sweetly.

"You could have watched the work out DVDs you gave Samantha for Christmas," Cleo pointed out, an edge to her sweet smile.

"I couldn't let you girls go down here alone," Jeremy protested. "Someone has to protect you. Besides, I still am Samantha's boyfriend."

The car grew silent for a moment. The unspoken words for now hung in the air. Samantha shivered and pressed her face to the window.

"You didn't even get breakfast," Ashley griped, breaking the silence. "How are you going to protect us if you couldn't even get us a egg McMuffin?"

The girls burst into laughter, and Jeremy sulked and crossed his arms. He didn't speak another word until the girls pulled into Samantha's hometown.

"This is where you grew up?" he asked, his eyes bugging out. He stared at the wooden cottages and snug brick houses that trickled into a Main Street speckled with ancient brick buildings and long wooden stores. "This looks like Mayberry or something. It's straight out of the 1950s. Why would anyone open up a club here?"

"It's only a few miles from a major metropolitan city," Ashley pointed out, her eyes snapping. "Most people commute. Besides, it's not small. 30,000 people live here. This is the historic part of downtown."

"People who like family values and fresh air move here," Cleo added, her lips pursed. "People that don't want their kids growing up in traffic and drug-infested barrios." Cleo had grown up in a town of 1000 people.

"I thought your parents were loaded," Jeremy said, a horrified look crossing his face as an old man drove past him on a tractor. "Why did you live in this po-dunk place if you could have lived in a high rise condo downtown? How did they ever make their money?"

Samantha's jaw dropped and her eyes flared. Without a word, she and her friends turned on their heel and walked to the nearest diner. Jeremy stood in the street, scratching his head and shrieking as a trailer full of cows rattled by.


By the time evening fell, everyone was desperate for a drink. They walked up to the entrance of the club. Bright gold letters announcing "Until Sunset" scrolled across a brand new wooden building. Through thick glass windows, she could see golden swirling embellishments painted near the ceiling on dark wooden walls. The bar was sleek dark mahogany and dotted with bottles of alcohol on thin dark shelves. The tables were thick with leather bar stools and luscious couches curled in the corners for intimate conversations. It screamed edge and tradition in the same breath.

She didn't know how he had done it, but she knew he had done it. Every touch was his. The band in the back began to play, and she took a deep breath. Her stomach was curled into a hard knot that ached every every step she took. She could feel her jaw beginning to tighten and she forced herself to relax.

It was just rouge, after all.

"Hot damn, I need a shot!" Jeremy howled, shoving around her and interrupting her thoughts. He pushed past Ashley and she stomped on his foot with her stiletto boot. Jeremy swore and hopped up and down, his face red and his eyes shining with moisture.

"What did you do that for, you stupid"--

"If you say one more word, I'm going to shove a margarita glass"-- Ashley broke off when Samantha grabbed her arm. "I'm sorry, but you don't shove past ladies."

"Who said you were a lady?" Jeremy taunted. Cleo stepped on his other foot with her own high heel and he howled so loudly everyone turned to look.

"Oh, shut up," Ashley said in an exasperated tone as the thick wooden door swung open, smacking Jeremy in the leg. He screamed, pressing his pained face against the window to the delight of the curious pub patrons.

"Why can't you be a man for once in your pathetic life?" Ashley demanded. She raised her purse again but a strange arm grabbed hers.

"What seems to be the problem here?" A thick Irish brogue cut through Jeremy's heated reply. Samantha turned her head and forgot to breathe. It was him.

He hadn't changed at all. His thick auburn hair draped across his forehead, stubble traveled down his sculpted cheeks and his lips were curled in his signature grin. He was more buff than he had been in high school, his thin arms now toned and muscular. Biting her lip, she turned to face him. His bright blue eyes flickered over to her, then widened.

"Samantha?" he said. The name in her stomach grew tighter, then relaxed as a beaming grin bloomed across his face. "Is it you?"

She nodded. "Hello Rouge," she said, raising her hand in a wave. The next thing she knew, her face was buried into his shoulder.

To be continued....

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have a fun post and we have a week full of whimsical fun, including a classic Pond recipe, the Babies' birthday party and the story of why I got married at 21 (for real, Francesca!) Stay tuned!

The Gift 6

Stop!

Did you read my confessions Friday?

Did you read the special edition of Twirl?

What about the second candy animals and another set of confessions?

Ok.

Proceed.



To read the previous edition of the Gift, go here.



"Rouge?" Jeremy poked his head in from the other room. "Who's Rouge?"

"Rouge?" Cleo stumbled in from her room, holding a hand over her mouth as she yawned. "Who's Rouge?"

"Rouge?" Samantha stared at Ashley in horror. "No. It can't be."

"Yes, Rouge," Ashley repeated, jabbing her finger at the computer screen. She pointed to the Celtic love pendant image on the screen, then at the diamond and blue topaz version in her hand.

"It's got to be Rouge," Ashley repeated, dangling the pendant in front of Samantha's nose. Samantha snatched it away from her with a glare.

"Rouge? Who's Rouge?" Jeremy demanded, stepping into the kitchen with a scowl. "How come I haven't met Rouge?"

"Do I know Rouge?" Cleo asked, blinking sleepily up at Samantha.

Ashley shook her head as Samantha stared at the pendant. "Rouge was Samantha's best friend in high school and the first year or two of college," she explained to Cleo, ignoring Jeremy. "He came from Ireland with his parents in the ninth grade. All the girls in school were crazy about him. But he only had eyes for Samantha."

"No, he didn't," Samantha scoffed. "We were just friends."

Jeremy's forehead furrowed closer as Ashley laughed. "They were inseparable. The three of us went everywhere together. Even when Samantha dated guys, Rouge had to approve. Of course he never did, so the relationships never lasted long. They were voted Most Likely to Get Married at prom."

"It wasn't like that," Samantha protested. "We were just best friends. You're blowing this out of proportion."

Jeremy huffed and leaned against the wall. "I had a ton of girlfriends in high school," he muttered. "I dated the head cheerleader for a year." No one paid attention to him.

"Why don't I know him?" Cleo asked, running her fingers through her dark hair. "Did you two have a falling out?'

Samantha shook her head. "Sophomore year of college, he called me really excited and said a relative had left him a ton of money. He said he was going to drop out of school and do what he had always wanted to do. I tried to talk him out of it, but he said it would be perfect and I would love it. It was a surprise. Then I never heard from him again. I called him several times, but his cell phone had been changed and his parents had moved. No one knew where he went."

"It was really weird," Ashley agreed. "Samantha even got her daddy's big time government buddies to pull some strings, see if he had been deported or hurt or anything. But no one knew what happened."

"This can't be Rouge," Samantha protested. "I haven't seen him in almost four years! Besides, how would he know we're here in my parents cabin? They didn't have it until two years ago. Plus, we're two hundred miles from my hometown."

"You know, this plot you girls have cooked up is really ridiculous," Jeremy burst out. "I'm sorry about the DVDs, ok?"

Once again, the girls ignored him.

"Why don't we look him up?" Cleo suggested, moving toward the computer. "He's probably on Facebook or MySpace."

"I wish I'd thought of that," Ashley murmured, rubbing her stomach. "I need food to think." She looked pointedly at Jeremy. "Weren't you supposed to get breakfast?"

Jeremy shrugged. "Where am I supposed to get breakfast?" he whined. "I don't know this town."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Son, the workout DVDs are the least of your problems." Samantha snorted with laughter.

Cleo whooped and smacked the counter with her fist. "Bam!" she screeched, pointing at the screen. "I didn't even need his last name!"

The girls immediately flocked around the screen, ignoring Jeremy as he tried to peer over them.

"That's him!" Samantha cried, her voice giddy with excitement. "Oh my God! I'm so happy he's ok! He looks so good!"

"What do you mean, he looks good?" Jeremy asked suspiciously.

"Click on his profile," Ashley commanded. She elbowed Jeremy as he tried to lean over and he grunted.

Cleo clicked the mouse and squinted her eyes at the screen. "Oh my God!" she cried. "It says he owns a bar in your hometown. It's got it's own Web site." She clicked the mouse again and squealed. "Oh cute! It's a Irish-themed bar!"

Samantha smacked her head. "A bar!" she and Ashley said in unison.

"He was always wanting to re-create his grandfather's pub," Samantha explained, catching the confused look on Cleo's face. "He said in Ireland his family had always owned a pub until they ran into tough times. His grandfather sold the pub to give his parents the money to go to Ireland and give Rouge and his brothers and sisters a better education and opportunities. Rouge felt like it was his duty to carry on the tradition."

"We should go," Ashley said, her eyes gleaming. "We could leave after lunch, shop for a bit and be there right after dinner."

"They're having a band play tonight," Cleo added, a wicked grin on her face. "For ladies' night."

"I'm not going to a bar 200 miles away," Jeremy protested.

"Who invited you?" Ashley snapped. She leaned toward the screen and gasped. "Oh my God!" she whispered. "Samantha, look!" She pointed at the screen. "The club is called Until Sunset."

To be continued...

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have a heart-warming plea from our favorite Wuffler and Wednesday we've got a new Twirl. We've also got a new recipe and a date with the Fuzzy Duck and Rubber Chicken!

The Gift 5 and sussies for all!

Before we find out who has been leaving Samantha mysterious gifts, we have some fun awards to hand out.

First, my buddy Illegally Blond at Could've Been Blonde gave me the New Year Eve's Award.

The rules of the award are:

- You must be a true lover of the New Year to receive this award. The person to whom you give the award must also be in love with the New Year.
- List 5 things that you love about the New Year. If you can't limit it to 5 things, then keep going till you run out of space.
- Pass the award along to as many people as you like. That can be 1 or 50. It's up to you! But keep the New Year cheer going.
- Let your recipients know that you have tagged them by leaving a comment on their site. Also, link back to the person who gave you the award.

5 things I love so far about 2009:




1) Having the best ham and swiss sandwich and pecan pie at lunch with Libby Lou.


2) These two.





3) The man who offered to go see Inkheart with me. Without being in trouble. Without me having to whine, withhold cinnamon rolls or nag.



4) Having Ironworks with Dad. (Do you see a theme of lunch here?)


5) All of you leaving me such sweet messages every day and actually reading my stories! And like them! And wanting more!!!



And now, for the five friends who get this fabulous award...

1) Blue Violet at An nut in a nutshell

2) Elizabeth at Behind the Wheel Chef


3) Reeni at Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice


4) Diana at Diana Takes a Bite


5) Kristen at Pulsipher Predilections




And speaking of Blue Violet, she was kind enough to award me the honest scrap award again.


The rules for this award are:

1. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.

2. Show the 7 winners' names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with “Honest Scrap.” Well, there’s no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.

3. List at least ten honest things about yourself.

Well, I'll skip number three because you're going to learn more than you ever wanted to know about me on Friday during the Blond Duck Confessions. That's right. Friday, I'll tell you everything you ever wanted and didn't want to know about me. Want to know if I ever wet my bed? What my worst fear is? My most embarrassing moment? My favorite high school memory? Are you dying to know who my favorite author is? Well, I'll tell you! Just leave your questions in the comments and all will be answered Friday. And the winners are....

1) Pumpkin

2) Lilly

3) Melissa

4) Illegally Blond at Could've Been Blonde

5) Elle

6) Heather

7) Sharon

Finally, did you read the interview with the Cookie-stealing bunny?

What about candy animals?

What about the special edition of the gift?

Ok. You may proceed. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"No one wants me back," Samantha said flatly as Ashley dragged her into the cabin's tiny kitchen. She plopped down at the table and slid her socks around the wooden floor. Watching as Ashley fired up her laptop, she traced her finger across the smooth table's surface.

"This pendant is amazing," Ashley murmured, twisting it gently under the florescent lights. "If this is fake, I'll do a tap dance in a pink mumu."

"I'd pay to see that." The two women turned to see Jeremy standing in the doorway. His grin faded at their frosty expressions. "Can I talk to you?" he asked. His wounded eyes held Samantha's. Against her better judgement, she found herself standing.

"Just for a few minutes," Ashley warned, her lip curling. "We're in the middle of something."

"Hopefully breakfast," Jeremy said.

"Not really," Ashley hissed. "Perhaps you could pick us up some. That is, if you're not afraid we'll blow the roof off the house with our ginourmous hips."

Samantha couldn't help snorting. Jeremy sighed. "Are you ever going to get over that? I thought she'd like the work out DVDs. Women like to improve themselves, right?" He was met with two fiery glares. " Can you forgive me?"

"Doubtful," Samantha growled.

"Of course not," Ashley replied, her tone shocked. "What good would I be as a friend if I did?"

Jeremy muttered under his breath as Samantha followed him into the tiny dining room. He shut the kitchen door behind her and blew out through his lips.

"Listen, Sam," he said, running his hand through his mussed mane. "I'm really sorry."

The only thing Samantha could think was if he really knew her, he would know never to call her Sam.

"I was a fool," he continued, pacing around the dark oak dining room chairs. "I should have realized you were waiting for me to...give you something more substantial. The thing is, the time just isn't right for me."

"To what, Jeremy?" Samantha was surprised at the calmness of her voice. "To propose?"

Jeremy coughed, turning red. "Er, yes."

"Then when will it be the right time?" Samantha asked, fluttering her eyelashes. "A year? Two? Three?"

"I just don't feel it's the right time to take that step," Jeremy stuttered. "I mean, neither of us are really adults yet. You and your friends cooked up this elaborate scheme to make me jealous and wanted to party for a week alone in your parent's cabin. Then the first time you get mad you kick me out"--

"Excuse me," Samantha interrupted. "Scheme?"

"Yea, scheme," Jeremy replied. "This whole mysterious gift thing? The flower? Are you trying to tell me some guy is so in love with you he's leaving these little elaborate gifts everywhere? Please. No guy does that."

Her cheeks flooded with color and her fingers itched to slap him. As she stared into his smug, sneering face, she could feel the anger boiling within her chest. "Not a guy," she spat. "A man. A true man. And he's real. A lot more real than you." Whirling around, she slammed the kitchen door behind her. Ashley squealed and waved a banana at her.

"Samantha! Oh my God. Look at this," she shrieked, ignoring Samantha's red face and shaking hands. "You won't believe this." She pointed to the computer screen.

Biting her tongue so hard it bled, Samantha leaned over and stared at the screen. It was filled with a single image. She looked at the pendant, then back at the image. They were identical.



"It's a Celtic love pendant," Samantha breathed.

She looked at Ashley. In unison they breathed the same word. "Rouge."

To be continued....

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow we have a ode to something we all can agree on. Wednesday we have a new Twirl, low-fat chicken pot pie Thursday and the Blond Duck confessions Friday!

Special edition: The Gift 4

First, for a few announcements.

Friday, I will be posting the Blond Duck Confesses, a giant entry about everything you ever wanted to know. Want to know my favorite meal? I'll tell you. Want to know what I do for a living? I'll let you know. Want to know why I wear colorful socks instead of white ones? I have no problem informing you. So post your questions in the comments, and I'll answer them Friday.

And tomorrow, we have a new edition of the Gift to accompany today's special edition accompanied by a new award for ten lucky Invisible Friends! So you won't have to wait too long.

And now, without further ado...

To read the previous edition of the Gift, go here.

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"Ten more minutes," Ashley pleaded, shoving her head under a pillow.

"You've got to see this!" Samantha cried, staring down at the flower floating in the vase. "I mean, this is amazing."

"Nine more minutes," Ashley moaned, burrowing under the comforter.

"Ashley Candace Beauford!" Samantha shouted. She leaped onto the bed and jumped up and down, prodding Ashley's form under the thick bedspread with her foot. "This is the most fascinating thing I've seen in my life and I want to share it with you. You can sleep later. Get up, get up, get up!" she cried, prodding her foot harder into the form.

"Get your foot off of my butt!" Ashley snapped. Flinging the covers back, she scowled and rolled out of bed. Yawning so hard her jaw cracked, she stumbled towards the vase. Samantha slid off the bed and rushed over, hopping up and down in glee.

"What's so important you had to drag me over here"-- Ashley looked down at the flower. She blinked several times and rubbed her eyes. Running her fingers through her crazed hair, she looked at Samantha with wide eyes.

"Is this real? Did you do this?"

"I didn't do anything," Samantha protested, holding up her hands. "Seriously. I woke up and came over here to look at the flower. And here it was."

Both girls stared down at the vase with identical expressions of wonder and shock. Floating in a small bit of water, the brilliant pink flower now held a jeweled pendant. Diamonds and bright blue topaz stones dotted a symbol that Samantha had never seen in her life.

"Do you know what it is?" she asked, looking at her friend.

Ashley shrugged. "I'm sure it's an original design. Maybe some hot New York designer or something. Nature stuff is really big right now. This thing looks kind of Celtic or hippie-ish."

"Do you think it's real?" Samantha asked, gazing at the glittering pendant.

"Only one way to find out," Ashley grinned. She lifted the pendant off the flower and giggled. "Hey, look. There's another little note." She handed Samantha a tiny yellowed scroll. The paper was so stiff to Samantha's fingers that one part of her couldn't help but to wonder the age of the note. After all, it was hard to find paper that looked this realistically age. And the brown, crackling edges that crumbled as she unrolled it was only something a professional print artist could have dreamed up.

For the first time, she realized someone was truly watching her. For a brief moment, terror flashed through her as she stared at the little scroll. But then curiosity overcame her and she let her eyes dance over the handwritten words.

"Don your hair with flowers and sprinkle your neck with jewels," Samantha read aloud. "But no matter what you wear, you're always beautiful to me. Until sunset. Love, Me." She crumpled her fingers around the note. "Who do you think Me is? Do you think it's Jeremy?"

Ashley snorted. "No offense, honey, but the man gave you workout DVDs for Christmas. He's not exactly the original type. Plus, if this is real, he couldn't afford gems like this."

"Well, then who is it?" Samantha asked, anxiety twisting in her stomach. "I mean, I'd like to thanks him--or her, I guess. I'm also a little...nervous."

"Nervous?" Ashley raised a disheveled eyebrow. "Honey, if I had some mysterious person sending me magic flowers that sprouted jewels, I'd marry them even if it was a 400 lb. mobster from New Jersey with permanent garlic breath who lived with his neurotic mother and nine cats." Seeing her friend's worried expression, she rolled her eyes and grabbed her hand.

"Come on," she said, pulling her towards the kitchen. "We got a lot of work to do."

"Huh?" Samantha replied inelegantly. "What do you mean?"

Ashley whirled around and dangled the gem. It glittered in the early morning light streaming through the hallway, shimmering among her parent's sleek wooden cabin furnishings.

"If you're anything like me," she said with a grin. "You've got a lot of ex-boyfriends. Let's figure out which one wants you back."

To be continued....

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! we have an award for ten of my favorite Invisible Friends and Tuesday we have an escape that we all can agree with! Wednesday is a new Twirl and We have a week full of whimsical fun! TomorrowThursday I share my perfected chicken pot pies with you--and they're LOW FAT! If that wasn't enough, we've got the Blond Duck Confessions on Friday. So grab some pie and settle in--we got enough whimsy to keep you twirling for days!

The Gift 3

Hello, dear Invisible Friends! Hold on!

Did you read about my tasty light lunch?

What about Twirl?

What about the special edition of Twirl?

You did? Fantastic. Now, who is up for a light lunch? I'm buying...

Although I never promote movies or books, I must say I saw for the preview for this on TV today and screamed so loud Ben thought zombies had burst through the patio. I haven't been this excited since Stranger than Fiction.

And now for what you've all been waiting for....what's in the BOX!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh my God," Samantha repeated, staring inside the small silver box.

"What is it?" her friend Ashley asked, her voice laced with curiosity.

"Yes, come on!" Cleo nearly shouted, teetering perilously on the armchair. "What is it? I can't see that far without my contacts?"

Even Jeremy seemed curious. He stood up and wondered over, peering over her shoulder. Samantha glared at him and he blushed, taking a step back.

"It's a flower," Samantha informed them, lifting the tiny bloom out of the box. A deep blush colored lily-like flower with burgundy tips rested in the palm of her hand, no bigger than a quarter. Silver specks glimmered in the bright blue center and the petals sparkled in the dim light. "And look, there's another note!" She plucked a yellowed small scroll out of the box.

"Oh," Cleo cooed. "How cute. A scroll. So old fashioned." She glared up at Jeremy. "Much more appropriate than work out DVDs."

"I'll take it back and get a necklace!" Jeremy sputtered.

"Oh, it's way too late for that," Ashley informed him. "You might as well just roll over and die." She turned to Samantha as she carefully unrolled the tiny scroll. "What's it say?"

Samantha peered down at the thick black ink. "Dear Samantha," she read. "Even this rare bloom cannot compare to your beauty. Until sunset. Love, Me."

"Who is me?" Jeremy demanded, his cheeks turning red. "And what is going on at sunset?"

"Breathe," Ashley snapped. "It's almost ten at night. It's probably from a poem or something."

"Is this flower real?" Cleo wondered aloud, poking at the elegant blooms. "It looks real, but it's so soft. Wouldn't a real flower be rotting right now?"

"I've never seen a flower like that," Ashley pointed out. "I mean, it looks perfect. Like it was carved out of glass or something."

"It's a stupid silk flower," Jeremy sneered, his voice a little too loud. "It's probably just a joke. It's not like you have a secret admirer or anything. I bet Ashley or Cleo did this."

"We did not!" Ashley snapped.

"You're simply the worst boyfriend ever!" Cleo growled.

"Whatever," Jeremy snorted. He plucked the scroll out of Samantha's hand. "It's just some stupid prank."

"And what if it's not?" Samantha's voice was quiet, but hard.

"What?" Jeremy blinked. Samantha swiveled her dark head around, her light green eyes piercing his.

"What if it's not a stupid prank?" Samantha repeated. "What if it is a secret admirer?"

Jeremy snorted. Samantha's eyes flashed, but her voice remained calm. "Just because you don't recognize my value doesn't mean others do not." Jeremy squawked and Samantha shook her head. "I think you should leave. I'm tired and we're going to bed."

"What do you me we?" Jeremy glared at her. "All my stuff is in your room."

"That's easy to fix," Samantha replied, her voice icy. "And I prefer you do it soon. I'm not sharing my room with someone who doesn't appreciate me after three years."

Jeremy's face tightened and he stormed off, slamming the cabin door. Amy and Cleo immediately rushed to their friend.

"I'm ok, I'm ok," Samantha reassured them before they could speak. "I know I sounded harsh, but I'm just frustrated. I really thought"-- Tears sprang to her eyes.

"Oh, honey." Ashley smoothed her hair. "Why don't you go lay down in my room? I'll get your stuff for you later. I'm so wired right now I'll probably watch a movie." Cleo nodded, patting her shoulder. Samantha forced a smile on her face.

"Thanks," she said. Plucking her flower from Cleo, she picked up the tiny scroll Jeremy had dropped on the floor and toddled off to Ashley's room with both pressed to her palm firmly. In Ashley's room, she dropped the tiny flower into a glass of water and slid the scroll under her pillow.

"Love, me," she repeated, shaking her head as she slid under the covers. "Who is me?"

She was asleep immediately. The next morning, she stretched in the early sunlight, careful not to disturb the snoring form of Ashley's next to her. Sliding out of bed, she stood up and stumbled to the dresser. Smiling, she leaned over the glass to finger her floating flower.

Her eyes widened. "Ashley," she whispered. "Look at this!"

To be continued...

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow Bear and Bitty go on a search for a moose. We also have a new BBQ chicken recipe, another Twirl and a interview with the cookie stealing bunny! Stay tuned!

The Gift 2

Wait! Did you read the newest Twirl? What about the End of Kitchen Magic? You did? Ok, proceed.




To read the previous part of this story, go here.

As Samantha stared at the tiny box in her apron pocket, her friend Ashley breezed into the kitchen. She peeked over Samantha's shoulder.

"What's that?" she asked, nodding toward the box.

"I don't know," Samantha whispered, pressing a hand to her lips. Her cheeks were warm and hurt from smiling. "I found it hidden in the hutch. Look at what it says. 'To Samantha; love, me.'"

Ashley gasped. "Do you think Jeremy"--

"It has been three years," Samantha replied, grasping the box so hard her fingers turned white. "And he did tell me I'd love it and it would change my life."

Ashley squealed and grabbed her shoulders. "Oh my God, I'm so excited! You'll be Mrs. Jeremy Johnson!"

"I know!" Samantha screeched, jumping up and down.

"And it'll be so perfect," Ashley simpered. "You can get married right after you finish grad school and then buy a house and then have a baby"-- She bit her lip and wiggled her eyebrows. "Oh my God, I have to tell Cleo. Start thinking of your colors!" She rushed out of the kitchen, her empty glass forgotten on the counter.

With fresh batteries in her camera and a cookie between her fingers, Samantha slid the tiny package in the back pocket of her jeans and sashayed into the living room. Her friends passed around cookies, brownies and golden pastries, laughing and talking.

"Samantha!" her friend Cleo cried. "There you are! Are you sure your parents don't mind us staying up here in their cabin?" Samantha snorted.

"It's not like they don't have others," she grinned. "Besides, it's not like my graduate-school apartment measures up to this."

"Who cares about school?" Jeremy interrupted, peeling his lips off the bottle of wine he was holding. The red liquid inside was disappearing rapidly. "It's time for presents!"

The small group of friends buzzed as they pulled out small bags and boxes and exchanged them. The next few minutes were a flurry of flying paper, giggles and shouts. Samantha beamed and thanked her friends for their kind gifts, placing them next to her in a plush velvet armchair. The tiny box stabbed her in the tailbone as she sat back, a not-so gentle reminder. Trying to stay focused on the others, it took her a moment to notice Jeremy tapping his foot next to her.

"Here, darling," he slurred, shoving a gold bag overflowing with white tissue paper at her. "Merry Christmas!"

Samantha sucked in her breath as she picked up the golden bag. Of course he would have gotten her two gifts. This had to be exceptional. She bit her lower lip as she shook it gently. The bag rustled, teasing her to open it.

"You're going to love this," Jeremy boasted, rocking back and forth on his heels. "This is going to rock your world, honey. This is going to change your life forever. You'll love it."

"I'm sure I will," Samantha murmured under her breath. She exchanged glances with Cleo and Ashley, who simpered knowlingly. A giggle bubbled from her throat and she tried to stop her hands from shaking.

"You're so sweet honey," she cooed, flinging the tissue paper in the air with two fingers. "That was so kind of you to--The Ab Blaster Super Pro DVD set?" She pulled the offending box out of the bag and cocked her head. "You got me an Ab Blaster set?"

"There's more," Jeremy urged, beaming.

"I should hope so," Samantha muttered. She reached into the bag and pulled out an envelope. Wrinkling her brow, she slid out a card and read it. "A year -long gym membership? With free personal training?" She glared at Jeremy. "What are you saying? You think I'm fat?"

"No, not fat honey," Jeremy chuckled. "Just kinda curvy. I mean you've been having to study so much lately and you're always complaining that you hate the school gym"--

"So you think I'm totally huge?" Samantha screeched. Tears filled her eyes and her black pants suddenly looked as though they were encasing sausages. Wrapping an arm around her stomach, she pushed the DVDs away. "I thought you were going to propose!"

Jeremy coughed and turned red. "Uh, honey, where'd you get that idea?"

"From this!" Samantha wailed, pulling the tiny box out of her back pocket. "It was hidden in the hutch!"

Jeremy shook his head. "That's not from me."

Samantha looked at Cleo, then Ashley. They shook their heads. She looked at her other friends, who also shook their heads.

"Then who is it from?" Samantha asked, her wounded pride forgotten for a moment.

"Open it," Ashley urged. She glared at Jeremy. "Maybe it'll be something to make you feel better."

Jeremy threw his hands up in the air and huffed in exasperation. "I thought girls liked to work out. Sorry."

Ignoring Jeremy, Samantha peeled the paper off the small silver box. Lifting the lid, she gasped. "Oh my God."

To be continued...

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow, we have an Ode to Cinnamon Toast and how I love thee. Then we have New Years Resolutions for the Pond, the first post of the New Recipe series and a new Twirl! Get ready for some whimsical fun at the Pond!