Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Chapter 1.3-Who Says You Can't Go Home?


Katherine was awoken by the sound of thunder and a flash of lightning which she thought it was strange because there were no storms in the forecast at all.  After everything quieted down she heard a familiar humming noise coming from outside so she ran to investigate as she was sure she knew exactly what it was. 


The portal that her grandparents used to transport her to Meadow Glen appeared and this meant she was about to get a visitor.  She immediately assumed it was her grandparents but had hoped that her parents were with them. She missed both of them terribly along with her sister Chelsea and desperately wanted to see them again. No matter who it was she was happy just to see family again as she missed each and every one of them.  She thought nothing could ruin her mood this day, but of course her obnoxious neighbor had a way to ruin everything for her.


Jeremy: Hey Kathy, what the hell is this thing and why is it making so much noise at this ungodly hour of the morning?  Would you turn that freaking thing off for Kai's sake?


Before Katherine had a chance to tell him to take a long walk off a short pier he slammed the door loudly and went inside his house.  She shouldn't have been surprised by his attitude but it still annoyed her.  Here is the man that plays music loud at all hours of the night complaining to her about noise! He knew how to push everyone of her buttons and make her blood boil.   She was so livid by his nerve that she wanted to wolf out and she did indeed have trouble controlling herself. She hated to admit it but she needed a pack to run with so she could learn how to control her inner beast better. Sadly that poor excuse for a wolf living next door was the only other wolf around so she might not have any other choice but to run with him whether she liked it or not. Well that was something she was not going to think about today, she had other more important things on her mind. If her father or grandfather came she would be able to run with them for a while.



There were a couple of more flashes and then she seen a figure show up.  It was a woman but she knew immediately it was not Grandma Holly.  Her sixth sense told her vampire and that she did know this woman very well. 



The only female vampire she knew was Caleb's wife, but she didn't know Hope that well at all and why would she come here? Than she got a better look and knew it couldn't have been Hope at all as this vampire had blonde hair and Hope's was black. Than all of a sudden it struck her as she got the surprise of her life it was her cousin Starr.



So many questions had entered her mind and she didn't know which one to ask first. Why was Starr here as she should never want anything to do with her again after what she did to her?  How did she become a vampire was the next but the biggest question on Katherine's mind was how was she ever going to find the right words to apologize to Starr?  Katherine's poor judgement and her thirst for revenge nearly cost Starr her life was something that haunted Katherine's worst nightmares and something she would never forgive herself for.  Somehow she had to come up with some kind of apology and the right words were just not coming to her.



Starr: I can tell that you are surprised to see me.

Katherine: Surprised would be the appropriate word.  I was expecting our grandparents when I seen the portal pop up.

Starr: They were going to come as they have a message for you but I asked that they let me deliver it instead.  They agreed because they thought we needed the time to clear the air.  I can see that you are staring and you are wondering what happened to me.

Katherine: The last time we seen each other you were a wolf, so this change is a bit of a shock. How did you become a vampire?

Starr: It’s a long story which I will tell you all about, but basically it was the Goodfellows. It seems that family has a vendetta against ours and none of us are off limits for their revenge.



Katherine guilty conscience was already bothering her.  She didn't know what they did to Starr for her to change like that or what she meant by none of us being off limits, but she did know that she worked to help Denny and she hated herself for that.

Katherine: Starr, I don't know how to say these words to you but I......

Starr: Katherine please let me explain why I am here.  I asked to come here because I want and need to apologize to you.

Katherine: You want to apologize to me?  For what?   I'm the one who should be apologizing to you.  I seriously didn't know Denny would send anyone to harm you, he could have killed you.  You have absolutely no reason to apologize to me.



Starr: Oh but I do have a reason, as your life was ruined by me.  If it wasn't for what I did to you when we went to university, you would have never been out looking for revenge. Basically I was a bitch and I made your life miserable for four years straight. You would have never made a deal with Denny had I not pushed you to it, and you also wouldn't have had to move into another universe to protect your life.  All of that is on me.

Katherine: Starr you do not need to be apologizing to me, if luck had not gone your way Johnny would have killed you.  If there was any way I could turn the clock back and do it all over again I would.

Starr: Well it is possible are we are standing in front of a time portal.



Both girls laughed because they remembered the golden rules that their Grandparents always taught them while growing up.

Katherine: As Grandpa Emmett always said *while imitating Grandpa Emmett* Never mess with the space time continuum needlessly, young ladies as that could have disastrous results.



For the first time in a long time the two cousins laughed together and actually got along.

Starr: This is true it is not possible and I do follow the rules now.  If I was going to use it, I would take us back to our childhood, when we had sleepovers and played with our Barbie dolls.  Back to a time when we actually enjoyed spending time together.

Katherine: We were so close back than until high school and we both went our separate ways.  I really miss those days.  Unfortunately we will never get the chance to be close again as I need to stay her for my protection.



Starr: Oh my dear cousin that is where you are wrong.  The reason for this visit is to bring you back home with me if you want to.



Katherine: Home! Are you serious?  What about Denny?

Starr: Denny is dead.  He poses no threat to you.  Grandma and Grandpa are lining up replacements for you here, someone from their time period. You are free to return home unless you want to stay here, it’s up to you.  We can't use the time portal to transfer through the universes again for another week, so you have some time to decide.  In the meantime why don't we have another one of those slumber parties?



Katherine couldn't believe her ears she could return home if she wanted to.  She couldn't wait to see her father again and her sister Chelsea is probably not a baby anymore. Chelsea must have grown into a respectable young lady as prim and proper as Katherine was herself.  Katherine dreamed of this day for a very long time however for some reason she felt bad about leaving here.  At first things were rough but now that she published a total of 9 books and she was doing a job that would help the family's mission.  She felt important and that her life here served a purpose.   What would her purpose be at home?  Would she be able to do the same there?  Now she wasn't sure what she wanted to do, but she had a week to make a decision and this was not going to be an easy one to make.

Starr: Well roomie, aren't you going to ask me to come in?  Traveling through alternate universes is tiring

Katherine: I guess we are sharing a house again.  This time the accommodations are going to be a little smaller than what you are used to.  Why don't you go inside and freshen up and I'll make us some breakfast.



Later on during that week Katherine had a meeting with her publisher, they wanted an update on her next book but they surprised her with another assignment.  It was something a little different than what she had ever written before, a biography on a local sports hero. She liked the idea of trying to write something in another genre but she was still undecided on whether or not she should move back home.  She asked them if she could have a few days to think it over which they agreed to.



The week flew by before Katherine knew it and she realized it was time to make a decision on whether or not she should stay or go home.  She stood in her office looking out the window and as she was trying concentrate on a decision her next door neighbor started to distract her a bit.  She was so distracted she didn't hear Starr walk into the room.

Starr:  Damn!  Look at that wolf out there.  He is fine!

Katherine:  I thought you only had eyes for your husband now.

Starr:  Just because I'm on a diet, doesn't mean I can't look at the menu.  You seem to be salivating over the blue plate special yourself.




Katherine:  Oh Him!  No way.  He is the most arrogant, annoying and most irritating person I have ever met in my life and.....

Starr:  ...and you LIKE HIM!  I can see it all over your face when you look at him.  OMG!  He must be the guy from the book!  He is!  Isn't he?

Katherine:  Starr, what in the world are you talking about.



Starr:  While you were out I read the book you wrote about us, what was the name of it again?  Oh yes "Romance on the Horizon"  It didn't take me too long to figure out who the two cousins Sunny and Kaitlin were and that guy in the book Silas, I think he is better known as Spencer.  The only one I couldn't figure out was Jerry, the guy who changed your life without even knowing it.  From the look on your face I think I just figured out who Jerry is.  

Katherine:  He is not Jerry and I do not like him.

Starr: Methinks my cousin doth protest too much!  You were practically drooling while you were watching him and I don't blame you one bit. I guess you have a reason to stay here which might be why you haven't decided on whether or not to come back home.


Katherine:  Starr, I need to ask you something else.  You are not offended that I used our story for my first book I hope?  You see I had to find a way to get published and Grandma Holly's style doesn't work for me but this does.

Starr:  Offended?  Hell No!  In fact I'm honored. This book is really good and you are a very talented writer.  You really need to show this to the family as they would be proud of you.

Katherine: Proud?  You think the family would be proud of me?



Starr:  Of course they would!  You came here basically with nothing to start a mission of your own and you found your own way to do it.  That is pretty remarkable if you ask me.  If you don't go back I would like to bring a copy with me.  I'm sure Uncle Jules would be overjoyed to see your name in print and that you dedicated your first book to him.  



Katherine:  Do you know how much it means to me that you are saying this?  Do you remember that last blow out we had at University, when you said that I was jealous of you.  You know you were right, I was jealous.  I wanted the chance that you had to work on the family mission but you were the one who had it.



Starr:  If I had been a better person I would have asked you to work with me because now I see that you were better suited for this responsibility than I ever was.  I inherited Grandma's mission, but you started your own and I admire you for it.  I see you still have a decision to make; I think I'll go for a walk while you make your decision.


As Starr left the room, Katherine knew there was only one decision to make.  She wanted to go home but she didn't need to as she was already there.  What started as her exile was now the place that she considered her home.  She picked up the phone and called her publisher to accept that new assignment as she planned to stick around and finish the mission that she started.





The next day Starr used the portal to go home but she gave Katherine a special computer that Grandpa Emmett designed so they could send messages between the universes.  Katherine would be able to visit Aurora Skies and see her family on occasions as traveling through the universes was possible now that Denny was no longer a threat.



Afterwards she went to the stadium to meet the Quarterback who would be the subject of the biography.  She was asked to meet him in the locker room which made her uneasy. She was told all journalist both male and female interviewed the athletes in the locker rooms and that he should be dressed by the time she got down there. Well whoever said that was wrong and as her luck would have it she couldn't believe who the Quarterback actually was.



Katherine: You're the one I have to write a book on?

Jeremy:  I didn't expect them to send you.  I thought you only wrote romance.



Katherine: I was asked to take on a special project.  I can't believe it’s you and Oh My God and you have the nerve to have only a towel on.


Jeremy:  Well forgive me if it bothers you.  I mean this is only the men's locker room and its not like you haven't seen my half dressed from your window.  I guess you are right.  I shouldn't be walking around here in a towel.  Is this better?




To be continued......

Author's Note:

Katherine must do the following for the challenge:


  •           Join the writer career 
  • ·        Write a romance book
  • ·        Create a best seller
  • ·        Date one person through the young adult stage
  • ·        Marry as an adult (Must be the same person dated as a young adult)
  • ·        Have one kid as an adult  (must happen after marriage) 
  • ·        Write at least 10 romance stories
  • ·        Have a date night every week
  • ·        Stay with spouse until death do us part.

So far Katherine has 9 out of the 10 romance novels written.   Her ltw is Illustrious Author and so far she has maxed out writing and must work on painting.  She is level 8 in the writing career.  Although he doesn't count Jeremy is level 8 in the Sports Career and his ltw is to become a superstar Athlete.