http://slow.writerscafe.org/dbaylous The original writings of author perfectlymetiKulous en-us Copyright 2026 WritersCafe.org 1775973781 WritersCafe.org RSS Generator 15 It took two days for anyone to notice her car.  Jace's car, backed up to a closed fence in her favorite park.  She'd always threatened to climb that fence and see what lay beyond - which we already knew was just a lovely view of the lake on someone's property.  She'd climbed it and ta.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1960466/              THEREwere exactly four houses in the cul-de-sac in which we resided.  The not-so-starter home that we’dmeticulously saved for and finally purchased had been my pride and joy.  ‘Just… .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1479781/ When I knew, for a fact, that I loved her, that I was in love with her, it was too late.  I'd fallen head over heels for her when I first saw her, but I actually found her mind even more attractive than her appearance, which wasn't a particularly easy feat.  But for all my sureness, she'd.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1430202/ "Erin told me that you hadn't seen your daughter in a few months?"  Nicky's kind eyes looked on me as she asked this delicate question gently.  As if she was a concerned friend and we were having a casual conversation after running into each other at the grocery store.  Not like we w.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1430163/ "You never loved her."  Jason said, his voice low and threatening.  "Your perverted husband, he loved her, probably too much.  But you?"   "You are ridiculous."  Amelia was haughty and dignified, even in her anger.   "Did you kill her?"  Jason's nose was almost to.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1430156/ "Tierney."  It was like she was singing my name when she said it.  No matter what scent she wore, what different soaps she used, she always had a Jace smell.  It was something like a lavender, completely pleasant and as most things about her, intoxicating.  When she woke me up, .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1430144/ The moment I saw her, I was instantly attracted.  It was curious because I'd never found myself attracted to the type of woman Jace is.  I'd always admired ultra feminine women like her, wishing to be a little more versed in the language of all things pretty.  But Jace was different... http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1430124/ "Just get your s**t and get out!"  Jace was yelling.  At me.  She could get pretty loud and I found myself grateful it was during the day and the neighbors were at work.  Thank God Carson wasn't home.   "We need to work on this."  I prodded gently, putting my hand on h.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1430123/ That b***h.  All those promises she'd made, all of them...  lies.  My mind flipped between wanting her dead and wanting to die so much that I had vertigo.  I was grinding my teeth and it hurt.  I stopped.  The tips of my fingers were pressed together tightly; they year.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1430098/ http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1430081/ This whole process had been a nightmare.  We were moving out of this fabulous house - a house where I had a whole WING to myself - and driving cross-country because of a relationship gone wrong.  A relationship that had no business going wrong. As much as I loved Toni, this was all her fa.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1429636/ http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/1429601/ When he came back to Seattle, Corey was still distant.  Madison was certain he was cheating on her.  There were rumors about a few women, but one, in San Diego, always seemed to stand out.  Madison was starting to empathize with what Ingrid must have gone through.  Their infreque.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492799/ “Ingrid, are you busy?”  Madison’s voice floated in to Ingrid as she relaxed in the bathtub.              “Nah, not really.”  She answered slowly, and Madison flew into the bathroom.   &.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492798/ But Ingrid didn’t go home.  She negotiated herself into a house close by campus, and while she cooked for Madison every night, but managed to party pretty much every night as well.  Ingrid was feeling renewed, beautiful and young, and now Madison’s classmates, guys 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us in her very frank, matter-of-fact way about a multi-million dollar real estate deal she’d closed, and then finally, we went back to bed.              “Your dad’s not going to be curious as to why I&rsqu.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492787/ We’d eaten and sat out on the deck until it became unbearably cold.  Then, back inside we went to warm up by the fire.  Although there were televisions that looked brand new all throughout the colossal house, we weren’t interested in watching television.  We played Scrabbl.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492785/ I woke before Madison the next day and with a blanket wrapped around me and a cup of coffee brewed in her state of the art coffee machine, went out to the terrace to watch the sunrise.  A while later, she appeared in a robe with her own cup of coffee and smiled at me.  She sat down in the .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492784/ When I walked in, Madison was really the only person I saw.  She was still engaged in conversation with Aunt Felicia and Monroe, and she was breathtaking.  Her smile, her hands aflutter, and when she saw me, she looked at me with sparkling eyes.        .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492783/ I could probably count on one hand the times I’d seen Mark cry.  He just wasn’t an emotional person, and he was really thick skinned, having been a very feminine guy for as long as I can remember.  But he cried on this day, and it was probably one of the more tender moments I c.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492782/ We slept the entire day away.  I woke up around 2 that afternoon, but I didn’t get out of bed until I got the call from the front desk that it was an hour until rehearsal.  I was surprised that I wasn’t completely hungover.  I knocked on the adjoining door, and when there .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492776/ Mark was standing over me, tapping my forehead the next morning.  I was miserably hungover.            “Changing the locks.”  I groaned and buried my head under a pillow.        &.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492775/ I had begun the habit of having dinner with Monroe every night.  A week of doing this every night, and I finally mentioned Mark’s wedding.            “Really, well, when is this shindig taking place?  Am I invited?”.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492774/ Felicia had called her job and said she’d be out indefinitely.  Ever since she’d returned, she had all the allowances she could want, presumably from the Markham connection, but she hadn’t used any of them.  This time, she had to.  She hadn’t slept a wink in .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/492772/  “Monroe.” She said softly. His eyes didn’t move. He didn’t move. She sat on the edge of the couch that he was stretched out on and touched him. “Monroe.”  With her touch, he sprang to action, recoiling from her.  &.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467886/  Rosalie had gone to Monroe’s house, looking beautiful and glamorous in the middle of the night, and pushed her well behaved children in the house, and gone. She’d left and gone to the big apartment that her writing grant had paid for years in advance. It was empty, but .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467885/  “Ro?” Felicia called out. “I’ve got the twins.”   When Felicia had called to deliver various pieces of news, Rosalie had asked her to pick up the children. Rosalie emerged from the kitchen.       &nbs.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467884/  Michael’s wrath was far reaching. As soon as Felicia went into work, she was greeted by a nervous secretary who directed her to the president’s office. The president let Felicia go immediately. Rosalie went in to her new class at Rice University, only to be met by .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467883/  Michael gave them both a sarcastic half-smile as they opened the door, hand-in-hand.            “Monroe, did you get my message that we were here at the Markham, waiting for you? You did tell him, Rosalie, didn’t you?&.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467881/  For the week that Rosalie was gone, Monroe was playing daddy. He took the children to school and picked them up. He even tried to cook dinner for them. He purchased a house for Rosalie in Rice University, and called his dad’s old football buddy to arrange a job for Rosal.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467880/  “Are you sorry you asked?” Felicia asked gently.   I felt the tears burning in my eyes.            “No. Not at all.”            &ldquo.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467879/  Every day, as promised, they both talked to Lucinda about their day, about classes, and New York. Lucinda seemed as if she were building up to taking a trip, and talked even more freely to her two daughters about how she had noticed Anna Bedford, and how Anna was after their father.&nbs.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467878/  Two days later, Felicia and Lucinda were headed to go pick up Rosalie from the bus station. Charles was still at the church, but promised to be home in time for dinner. Felicia was running late as usual and Lucinda was busy in the kitchen, doing laundry and preparing the meal for t.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467876/  Although Monroe tried to have a car take me, and then he tried to drive me himself, I walked back to the hotel alone. I was deep in thought about these family matters of mine. Monroe and his father and their deep, yet inappropriate love affairs with Black women. Elizabeth and .. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467875/  “So, yes. That’s what she said. Changed my life. I rather think she’d love to meet you and your brother.” Monroe said, sitting back and sipping his drink reflectively.             &ldquo.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467874/  Elizabeth sat patiently waiting on her son to be brought into the quiet visitation room. When she saw him, her heart lurched; her beautiful boy was a mere shadow of himself. His normally bright green eyes, a gift from his Markham heritage, were dim and dark.   &nbs.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467873/  “Thank you.” I said finally. I looked around and noticed that Monroe and I were the only two people in the restaurant. I glanced at my watch. It was insanely late. We’d been here for hours.         &nbs.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467872/  “So. It is you.” A tall White man with salt and pepper hair approached my table. His Southern accent was overwhelming, especially after taking in all the English accents as I had for the past four days. He was dressed impeccably in what was sure to be a design.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467867/  I came out of my room the next day, around the same time, not having eaten a thing, and with as many packed suitcases as I could manage. I wrote a note, and attached it to the picture of Frankie, and left it on their doorstep. Then, I drove myself to the airport. I didn’.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467866/  Mark and Perry came over daily, and invited me to come with them to visit Frankie and Avery, but daily, I noticed that Tara’s car never moved. I declined the invitations more often than not, preferring to catch glimpses of baby Avery and her mother in the voyeuristic way I’d.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467865/  I walked into Drew’s hotel, which was grand and quiet.            “May I help you, ma’am?” The front desk clerk asked softly. I shook my head and headed toward the elevator. I knew where I was goi.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467864/  Drew’s trips to Atlanta had become more and more frequent, and she was more and more distant when she was home. Mark and Perry talked of nothing but the pending birth of Frankie’s little girl, still unnamed. Frankie was eight months pregnant and finally showing, but not.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467863/  “Oooooh, honey, I can’t believe we’re having us a little crazy girl child.” Mark sang. “I am too excited.” Frankie was five and a half months pregnant, and she had a little stomach, but nothing much still. She could still wear her regul.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467862/  Mark and Perry had insisted upon buying everything new for Frankie’s condo. She had kept the TV, the stainless steel refrigerator, stove, and microwave from the old apartment. But the living room couch where she’d come very close to being my Lois again was gone, and rep.. http://slow.writerscafe.org/writing/dbaylous/467861/  I didn’t hear from Frankie after that.   Tara moved out the following week, and was a complete wreck, according to Mark and Perry. She loved Frankie but she knew herself; she couldn’t 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