Morningstar Manor

He'd been at a loss of what to do for both Halloween and Memphis's birthday, so Travis took Lucy and headed off to see Macy. As he stood outside her apartment door and knocked, he hoped she was home. The last thing he wanted was to be there asking for her and find her brother the only one there. Josh was scary to him and Travis didn't want him asking a lot of questions. He didn't handle guardians well.

"So I'm thinking we'll have the baby shower sometime in January," Miri was saying as she lay out the selection of invitations that she wanted Rhiannon to pick from. "Maybe February. Whatever Super Bowl Sunday is. We'll want to make it an issue for the boys, obviously."

"Obviously," Rhiannon said with a snort from where she was sitting on the couch with Auggie in her lap, laying very still atop her rapidly growing baby bump. Harvey was sitting in the floor drawing a picture on some construction paper with the glitter pens Miri had brought over and was studiously ignoring the two women as they planned for another 'girl party' as he liked to call them.

There was a knock at the door and, figuring it was the Chinese they'd just ordered out for about fifteen minutes ago, Miri went to answer the door.

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Summary: Everett finds out that Rhiannon is pregnant and shows up to tell her that he's cutting her and Harvey off and gives her until November 7 to be out of the apartment. Tristan shows up to smooth everything over and offers to let her and Harvey move in with him until another apartment becomes available.

Tristan had gone off to his apartment to call his mother. He was dreading the insistent demand he was sure he'd get of bringing Rhiannon to the house, and being told what to do with his life. But there was only one way to stand up for himself and his family. His thumbs pulled up the number ad before he could reason why he shouldn't call, he hit the send.

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This whole thing had been her idea, and Jazz didn’t regret it. She wanted her family, as small and unofficial as it was, to know Tom and she wanted Tom to know them. He and they, all of them, were important to her - they all needed to know each other and know they were big parts of her life.

But that didn’t mean she wasn’t nervous - or stupid.

She’d told Olly enough about Tom for the going on; name, age, the usual important details. The rest she kept to herself as much because it wasn’t anyone’s business other than her’s and Tom’s as because she didn’t want Olly prejudiced. The past was the past, they should all start fresh here as they were now.

Wasn’t that what she was always telling Tom?
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It was, perhaps, a bit cruel, and, Jazz imagined, that it had to feel incredibly frustrating. But, even though she was sure she'd have to check for booby-traps before she touched and did anything for the next few days, it had been a laugh and half to watch Cleo stalk about as she'd gotten ready for dinner, obviously feeling hard done by.

She'd told Cleo last week they'd be having dinner for her birthday, but other than that, and a cheery "happy birthday" greeting at breakfast, the day had been uneventful and Jazz had made no further mention about the importance of the date.

Jazz figured the surprises to come would be all sweeter if Cleo had to sweat for a while first.

Now, as they crossed the parking garage, heading for Jazz's car - Jazz dug theatrically in her clutch, making a show of looking for something as they walked.

When she was certain they were close enough that there was no way Cleo had missed the car in the usually empty spot next to Jazz's convertible, she pulled the set of keys from her purse - little VW logo out - and held them out to her sister, saying, "I didn't have time to get 'motorists beware' warning posters made for everyone, so try to take it easy, huh?"

It was a tight squeeze, using her lunchbreak to run out to the airport and then back to the Empress, and as Jazz her way down toward the arrival gates she quietly appealed to the Powers That Be that Olly's flight wouldn't be delayed.

They must have been feeling particularly lenient today, or simply prepping for some worse catastrophe, because as she paused to study the arrival and departure monitors she saw, unmistakeably, out of the corner of her eye what could only be Olly. Early and already waiting.

He was the type of guy that was hard to miss: tall and broad, with a lined and worn face set off with a bushy mustache and dark, cutting eyes.

The long-hair (currently pulled back into a sleek ponytail) and the tattoos (which only a small fraction of which were currently visible) didn't hurt either. People were moving past in a wide berth, watching him with cautiously, curious expressions.

A smile breaking over her face, Jazz rushed to him, squealing happily. "Ollykins!"

Olly had a split-second to wince at the much hated nickname before Jazz hit him. Then he too was too busy smiling and hugging to do much else.

Over the weekend rumors about From This Day Forward co-stars Riley Ames and Regina Flannery hit the mill when the two reportedly shared an intimate dinner at The Empress. The response, we've found, was an overwhelming "pics or it didn't happen!"

Well, how da like us now? The proof is in the pictures.

The blossoming lovebirds took their romance off the small-screen and out for a stroll last night - taking in a showing of Inception together - and were decidedly less able to dodge the photogs. (Either that or they just don't care. Wouldn't that be refreshing?)

What do you think? Does Mr. Kix look like he's about to satisfy the urge to walk hand-in-hand, or a craving for popcorn?

We here at CelebSugar think it's time to start coming up the catchy name mashups! Amery? Flanniley? Show us your best in the comments!


Included with the article is a photo of Riley walking with a set of keys in one hand, the other reaching back toward a delicate redhead, who is holding on a bucket of popcorn with one hand and popping kernels into her mouth with the other.

Macy had gone to Morningstar a little early to borrow some shoes from Bea, and to get some help with her make up. When it was all said and done and she was dressed, she felt like she might fall and break her neck, but she liked the way she looked. She walked down to the lobby where she was supposed to meet Travis and sat down on one of the chairs to wait.



Summary: Travis and Macy have a date with a meteor shower.

Victor sat on the floor of his work room, studiously rubbing at a scuff on the toe of his shiny black Prada loafers that just wasn't going to go away. They were ruined. Forever.

He glared at the lifeless body that was slumped over his work table with renewed anger. The silly bitch! Didn't she know how to dance? How hard was it to learn a simple waltz? He knew she'd been taught. She was an heiress to one of the biggest oil dynasties in the country, but she was just sloppy. Stupid. Perfectly incapable of being a real lady. Killing her slowly had really been a service, hadn't it? The world was full of worthless women. What was the loss of one more? 

Travis and Macy had made a date to go to the movies. She told him she would drive, so he waited in the lobby for her to show up. Unlike most dates, she'd made the plans. So Travis didn't know what type of movie to expect, or when they'd be back. He'd told Memphis not to wait up, but his brother only laughed about that.

"...his name is Travis and you have to be nice," Bea said with a grin to Eli, even though she knew Eli was rarely ever anything but nice. "I figure we can go out to dinner and bowling. I called Macy and she said it was cool." 

They stepped into the lobby, bea wearing a pair of skinny jeans, her zombie shoes, and a black tube top, and she pointed out Travis. "And we have to remember to keep conversation going in case they don't hit it off," Bea said with a wave to Travis.

It was a wonderful sunny afternoon, and the Square was full of people. Among them:

• Urquhart, who was sitting by his red door with a bottle of beer, watching football on a little portable TV set.
• Cindy, who was wheeling herself across the entire Square, followed by Axminster, who was slouching along lazily.
• Ricky, who was sitting on the steps of the angel statue and smoking a cigarette. Or something.
• Chandika, who was standing at the window of the new vintage clothes shop, looking eagerly at everything.
• Andras, who was sitting in the Auberge, drinking an iced coffee and watching football on his iPad.
• Sibyl, who was taking a wheelbarrow full of what looked like old horse-blankets from the disreputable antiques shop towards the Manor.

It was, as always, the soft tapping approach of his cane against the floor that gave George Hazeldene away. Her door open and able to catch the sound, Jazz's head was already up, expectant when he came into view. She greeted him as warmly as ever, but still he knocked politely with his cane and asked permission before entering her office.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any tea to offer you," she said once he was seated. "I have lukewarm coffee though?" She gestured to the cup at her elbow with a playful arch of an eyebrow.

He held up a hand, chuckling, and declined. "No matter, my dear, no matter. I'm here on business. No refreshments required."

Jazz's smile went lopsided, "I'm flattered, as always, Mr. Hazeldene, but, as I've said before, I like it here at Michaels Bros. I don't-"

She cut off as he grinned, his eyes glinting secretively as he wagged the head of his cane at her. "Ah, but you haven't heard what I have to say yet. Perhaps once we discuss it, you'll change your mind."

Jazz looked at him carefully, head tilting as she considered her response - but before she could get it out, she was interrupted by another unexpected visitor.


(OOC: Slow burn plot is slow! :) For convenience, the first part - from back in January - is here.)

The stench of feces hit his nostrils as soon as he opened the door to the room where his girls were kept and his nose crinkled in distaste. He turned on the light, imagining that the stench was so strong that it could turn the fine silk of the scarf draped loosely around his neck a most unbecoming shade of ecru. He didn't have to think long to know which of his women had committed this unthinkable offense either.

Everybody knew about taking pictures these days, or at least they thought they did.

So Andras first had to tell them what to forget, and then tell them a few basics that they took in with big eyes. 'Always photograph the whole thing, select details later' sounded painfully obvious until you saw why a car with the bottom edge of its tyre cut off was completely pointless.

Then, he told one obnoxious little know-it-all to get the hell out.

Afterwards, the rest had been docile and listened.

Now, Andras was sitting among chemicals and printed-out examples, feeling as if a tropical storm had been through.

He would revive in a minute.

La Fee Verte was going to close down for the whole of July, and there was only two weeks to go until then. New menus and lists for the beginning of August had to be tested and confirmed, shift lists to be made, vacation pays to sort out, and of course the clean up of the whole restaurant was looming ahead. The concern about keeping the two Michelin stars they had gained was also a big topic of discussion in the executive meeting of the restaurant - both of the owners, the Chef, the head waiter and the sommelier were all attending.

"Now, there's just one final thing to discuss," Mr. Lloyd said lowering the glasses on his long nose to look at the papers in front of him. "You all recall the thought about releasing a book about the restaurant we had some months ago? Now, it occurred to us that a perfect timing for it would be in late October, early November, right under Christmas and..." he turned to look at the Chef.

"Right after the release of the new Michelin guide," ( Emily realized, and grinned. )

As promised Charlie had ordered the art supplies and as requested they have been delivered. Now he was faced with getting all three pallettes full stowed away somewhere without the benefit of a forklift truck.

"In THESE shoes?" Leena asked and stalked away to the desk leaving him to sigh and use his box cutter with extreme care to undo the plastic wrapping around all the boxes.

Dermot didn't know about these fancy type stores, but it seemed like the sort of place you went to buy something for someone when you'd utterly cocked up something...which he'd done. Brilliantly. The question was, could he find something Kara would like enough to make her forgive him when she found out he'd burnt up an entire year's worth of tax receipts for the Lamb? Totally by accident, of course, who knew tequila was so flammable?

Charlie was waiting for Deacon at the appointed time without a trace of a hangover either. He smiled his way round to the passenger seat of the big black car and got in with a cheery, "Hello - oh, damn, no leather pants!"

Then they headed out of the city.( Read more... )

Mini summary: D takes Chas to meet his mum, they make a startling family history related discovery, and Chas decides he really doesn't want to repeat history and go home.

In hind-sight, letting Mr. Thomas Avery make a scene probably hadn't been the best idea. Jazz hadn't considered that word would get back to Papi and that he'd come looking for the spoils. She'd meant what she said, of course, and when he asked where the goods were she'd lied. Told him she'd been caught before she'd been able to get away with anything.

The bruises would take a while to fade, but at least he'd remembered to leave them in places she could cover this time.

Even without that small boon, she decided as she stood in the cramped kitchen of her trailer pouring herself a bowl of cereal, it'd have been worth it. He'd offered to help her, had smiled at her....She cradled those memories close and smiled even when she stretched to put the cereal back in the cupboard and her back protested violently.
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