Chapter 2

Spinning a Yarn

It's hard growing up. It's even harder doing it a second time. I did it first as a man and then as a man playing a woman in an animated sitcom. How's that for being different? In most of these shows women are playing boys but I'm a man playing a girl that grows up into a woman. "Tina no breaking the fourth wall! Stick to the story no going rogue and add libbing!" Louise scolded. "Madame fortress Mommy" I growled under my breath myself. "What was that?" Louise inquired. "I said "Sure is balmy" I returned with a slightly nervous smile. "It isn't it? Louise asked rehotorically. Anyway get on with it Tina! We're burning printing paper here" Louise warned. "Got it. Now where was I?" I mused with a sigh. Oh yes growing up. Growing up is something that be very nerve wracking and while I enjoyed school and most of the classes especially English; I was socially awkward growing up.

However I've never let that get me down. I quote Oscar Wilde "Be yourself; everyone else is already taken. I'm not going to be a sheep and do something just because everyone else is doing it. If everyone jumps off the bridge do you jump off the bridge? Hell to the no. I haven't heard that in a while hell to the know. We need to bring that one back. Right now for instance you're probably expecting me to talk all about high school and college and every damn thing that's happened to me over the last 20 years but I'm going to do things differently then my siblings when it comes to this chapter. I got my BA in English as you know I've always loved writing and reading stores. I'm a writer and I now live in Upstate New York but you know that already; so let's focus on what you don't know like the fact that I wrote my five romance novels under the pseudonym Alice Evergreen.

One of best things I've done recently is I got a new publishing company and my next book is a mystery thriller novel under the pen name Elizabeth Bullet Hole….no Bullet Hole is not a believable name how about Vineyard no, Gate no, Crum uh Cummings…no that's no good I know Elizabeth Slate. Because I'm going to have a clean slate writing my new novel. Let me till you something about being a writer it's not easy. In the history of writing we've made some great advances. We've gone from quill pens and parchment to pens and paper. From pens and paper to typewriters and from typewriters to computers and while it's much better writing a story on a computer than a typewriter and it's much easier using a calculator than an abacus to do math the writing process remains the same.

They haven't invented a machine that makes it easy to come up with ideas for novels. I've written five novels and while I've gotten use to the process it's still challenging and I still get writers block. The hardest things about writing a story is probably starting it although other times it's difficult to tie important pieces together or to come up with a plot twist or the exciting conclusion and the resolution that follows. However the hardest part of the whole process really is starting the novel. There's nothing worse than that blank page with no writing on it. That blank page taunting you, mocking you; laughing at you! Hey who do you think you are? You're not good enough to be a writer! You're not Shakespeare, you're not Agatha Christie, you're not Stephen King, you're nothing but a punk! You cretin! You don't know what real art is! You wouldn't know art if it slapped you in the face.

Writing is an art form it really takes a special kind of person to be able to be able to come up with a novel that's exciting and wins awards, let alone gets published. I have the career that I've wanted to do for a long time though. I've always loved writing and horses and I always hoped that my career would be related to at least one of my life long loves. I'm living on a horse farm with Jimmy Jr and our son Jimmy Pesto The Third. I'm living out my dream and I should feel full-filled. I'm not though I feel like a part of me is missing. It's never easy being a parent, I really appreciate everything that Mom and Dad did for us but no parent can ever cope with the tragedy of losing their unborn child.

Jimmy the 3rd is five years old and should have a sister or brother who would be now just be having their first birthday. It's been one year since my miss-carriage and I often imagine what my younger daughter or son would look like now. Sometimes while I'm driving I look in the rearview mirror at Jimmy the 3rd in his car seat in the back and picture his sister or brother sitting there happily next to him and I start crying and I loose it.

Jimmy and I have talked about trying to have another kid and I'm just not ready yet. I'm scared what if I have another miscarriage? I couldn't go through that pain and loss again. I would love to have a girl but as long as the baby is healthy I would be happy. I lost the baby during the first trimester which means it's usually caused by problems with the unborn baby. They were not able to identify the exact cause of my miscarriage which is common. I'm in good reproductive health but what if something goes wrong? I'm 36 now and 2 in 10 pregnancies in my age group end in a miscarriage.

That's low but it increases as you get older in women over 45 it's more than 5 in 10 so the risk is greater. Jimmy Jr wants to have more kids well at least one more kid and I do too but I don't know if I can go through loosing another baby. Maybe at a later time my thoughts my change but that's how I feel right now.

Alas as hard as it is to segue from this difficult topic I digress. I've been informed that Gene who is the last member of our family that is not married is coming in to Seymour's Bay with his girlfriend Raven to visit everyone. I've heard they've been going out for 5 months now and I'm excited to meet her. I was happy when I heard that she was a musician I figure she and Gene should have a lot in common. I want Gene to be happy and I'm hoping that maybe this girl might be really special and will be the one that Gene will spend the rest of his life with.

With everything going on with work and book signings and haven't spent as much time visiting and talking with everyone as I would have liked. I still talk to Mom and Dad almost everyday but I really have to make an effort to spend more time talking to and catching up with everyone else. It will be nice seeing Louise, Rudy and Hailey. Hailey must have gotten a bit bigger since the last time I saw her. I think the last time we were all together was probably Christmas.

*Time passes to Friday the 27th of October*

We're riding in my car on our way back to the place I know oh so well. The house I grew up in. The house where I truly found myself. The same house that I technically wrote my first book in; my journal. Those erotic fan fictions really take me back. "Tina snap out of it we're here" Jimmy Jr divulged from the driver's seat next to me as he stopped the car across the street from my childhood home/first job. I'm sitting in the passenger seat next to him and of course; Jimmy Pesto the 3rd is sitting in his car seat in the back.

"Stop day dreaming already Tina. I'll get our bags can you get Jimmy the 3rd out of his car seat?" Jimmy Jr implored as I nodded in my head. I undid my son's car seat in the back and shortly we all made our way inside with Jimmy Jr leading our procession. Oh I almost forget to mention I'm wearing a white silk blouse, a black skirt and black Coach brand flats and I think I look quite cute if I do say so myself. Jimmy Jr is wearing a black dress shirt with red slacks and black dress shoes and he looks quite dashing.

While Jimmy the 3rd looks oh so cute in his red dress shirt and black slacks and black dress shoes. I feel like I'm reporting from the red carpet of an award ceremony or something ha ha..ha ha (laughs to myself quietly) As we make our way inside Mom and Dad are behind the counter in their usual attire although Dad's apron looks the same color it looks new like he either washed it or bought a new one for the occasion.

My younger sister Louise is here with her husband Rudy (who no longer goes by regular sized Rudy as far as I know) he's wearing a white dress shirt and black dress pants with brown dress shoes. Of course my adorable nice Hailey is here ( she is wearing a purple t-shirt and gray slacks) and she looks a mini version of Louise save for having Rudy's eyes and nose. It's almost like they made a near perfect clone of Louise but a few of her features ended up being off. Louise looks very pretty in her Poppy Red Ponte Clifton Dress and Red Basel Smooth Leather Side block heel western booties. I'm quite jealous of those red booties most of all. I have fleeting thought of somehow stealing them but shake my head and push it out of my mind. I say hello and hug everyone then finally comment on Louise's attire. "Louise you look really good….I love those booties". I praised with a smile and a quick bite of my lip when Louise turns her head to admire her boots.

Louise blushed and exclaimed "Thanks these booties are great aren't they. I know they're a little western style but I think they complete my outfit. Maybe I'll wear them as part of a cowgirl outfit on halloween or something" Louise chuckled and pondered while stroking in her chin. "I like that idea. They're one of your best shoes. You look so damn cute in them" Rudy assured as Louise's face reddened again. She then walked up to Rudy and looked into Rudy's eyes and without a word slapped him in the face.

"Love hurts" I muttered to myself as Rudy held his face and sighed happily. After a brief moment of silence Dad finally spoke up. "Gene's not going to be here for a few hours so let's play a game" Dad proclaimed "I want to play a game" Louise decreed in her best Jigsaw impression. "Louise that's kind of creepy" Mom gaped. "Sorry" Louise murmured in response. "What kind of game?" Hailey asked. "How about I spy?" Jimmy Jr suggested. "Oh I love that game!" Rudy cooed happily. We spent the next hour or so picking all sorts of things in the restaurant. Ketchup, mustard, silverware the kids made it hard changing the colors of a few things. I'm not sure they understand the difference between white and silver they'll have to work on that ha ha.

Later Gene and Raven finally arrived. Raven looks truly stunning wearing a red blouse with black dress jeans and a black belt and Midnight Calf colored The Daisy, Tecovas boots. Hmmm looks like we have two cowgirls now.

*Time passes to when Raven returns from the bathroom*

"Is everything all right? I heard screaming Raven inquired in a concerned voice. "Everything's fine. Rudy's just doing his Cher from my Moonstruck impression. Ha...ha..ha ha" I explained nervously to Raven try cover the lie and diffuse the situation. (I really hope I sold that explanation) "Oooo I love that movie. My turn" Raven piped. (I think she bought it I thought to myself with a small grin) Then Raven waited a few moments and in a near flawless version exclaimed "Snap out of it!" Louise moaned quietly to herself as Gene looked at her warily. Everyone applauded and after a few moments Louise squealed loudly with delight;"My God that was incredible! I love this woman!" "Louise…I'm glad you like Raven but tone it down a notch you just met her you'll scare her" Gene warned as Raven chuckled to herself and smiled.

My first impression of Raven is well she seems great. She seems like the hippie type but I don't know if she seems like the horror movie type like Louise. Maybe I'm wrong but there could be aspects to her personality that myself and the rest of our family are not aware of. Maybe Gene knows more or could at least shed some light onto this possible mystery.

End of Chapter 2

After Chapter Credits Scene

"You call that spinning a yarn? That was the shortest chapter so far!" A reader assessed. "Quality over quantity" I replied. I? I who's I? I as in another reader or In Through the out Door? Or someone else like Tina who was the narrator of this chapter? "I is myself the true writer of the story" In Though the Out Door replied.

"The last chapter was better" someone grumbled "No no the first one was better" some else professed. "Yeah, well that's just like your opinion man" I countered.