Girl Next Door Read online

  There was more clapping and oohs and aahs, they must have been showing something. He continued, “It is accompanied by spectacular audio descriptions of the colors and styles and emotion each piece evokes and a refreshable braille display. All the while, for sighted individuals, the fiber optic pins, that push up from the canvas using a network of muscle wires behind the canvas, project the area of the artwork being displayed as well as the monitor on the side with the controls in full color.”

  There was pride in his voice when he added, “Today, the SmartCanvas sytem is being unveiled around the world in sixty three participating museums, and thirty seven galleries. That number will only grow as our factory produces more units. There are three units in Seattle alone. Here at the MAC, at the Downtown Gallery, and at the Seattle Alternative Art Museum for the blind.”

  Then he finished with, “As Miss Robin Hartford was the inspiration behind the project we think it is only fitting that she be the first person to experience the SmartCanvas.”

  There was clapping and he thunked off the microphone and lead me a couple steps to the right and turned me around. He whispered to me, “You have a hell of a girl, getting this project finished for you has been her life's obsession the past three years.”

  He placed my hand on a braille display and I started reading as it refreshed. A voice, Brandye's voice... my heart skipped... chimed out of the console in her smooth rich tones, echoing the words I was reading. “Hello, and thank you for using SmartCanvas today. Use this pad to control your exploration of some of the greatest art pieces in human history. You will find examples from most of the masters here with the catalog growing as more works are scanned.”

  I had to smile, I heard excitement in her recorded voice. “You can either select a guided experience of some of the most prominent art works or select from an extensive list. We encourage you to touch the canvas at your left to experience the art in full.”

  I don't know why but my body was humming with excitement and... fear? This is her secret? What she kept from me? She did this... for me? My emotions were everywhere and I had to take a calming breath as I selected the guided experience. Again, her voice chimed out, causing a harmonic vibration deep down in my soul as the music inside me started playing again. “Please place your left hand on the canvas and use the touch pad below the refreshable braille display to zoom in and pan around the artwork.”

  Suddenly the canvas I had my left hand resting on sprang to life, there were applause as I ran my fingers along a turbulent surface. It was like feeling giant brush strokes to me. The narration in my angel's voice started up “This is a piece from sixteen thirty three by Rembrandt van Rijn titled The Storm on the Sea of Galilee. As you can feel, the turmoil of...” She went on to describe the colors the scene, the fury and turmoil of emotions as only she could do. I could almost taste the urgency, smell the sea spray, empathize with the angst and bright visceral emotions the artist imparted into his work. But mostly I could feel exactly what she was describing. I couldn't stop myself, I was freely crying as I experience for the first time, the work of one of the masters I never thought I would in my lifetime.

  I smiled and moved on to the next work. Her voice guided me. This was the most amazing thing I had ever witnessed. It was a spiritual experience for me. My pride and amazement for the woman I loved soared freely now.

  I smiled when a piece specially done by Mia Jacobs for SmartCanvas came up. The almost machine accurate depiction of a smiling woman holding a baby was displayed, and it was like the contours at the larger scale were designed specifically to guide your fingers along the flowing surface. I almost snorted, knowing Mia, she had intended this. Then it hit me, my god she was good, she translated the Jacobs Effect in reverse to touch!

  Then I paused as the Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci came up. My hand shot to cover my mouth when a small surprised squeak came from me. I slumped my shoulders and they shook while I silently sobbed as I felt that legendary ambiguous smile. The room was silent. This was my dream, the whole impossibility of it all hung over me. There was suddenly an arm around my shoulder. It was June. She whispered, “You ok hon? You want to go on?” I nodded I had to finish.

  She whispered, “Ok, I'm right here for you. And Robin? This is the love note that took Brandye three years to write you.”

  I took a deep cleansing breath and smiled, I raised my chin in pride for my girl. My god, she did love me! I thought that there wasn't anything in this world that could have possibly made that moment any better. I was wrong as the last piece was displayed... Giggle by Robin Hartford. I wasn't breathing as her description began. “I saved the best for last, this is a piece by the woman who gives me my inspiration she is my hero, my strength, my love.” Then she went on to describe my work in a way I wouldn't have thought possible. There was only one emotion that her description evoked... love. She ended the description with one of those giggles that keeps my heart beating and then said, “Thank you for experiencing SmartCanvas with us here today and we hope you will return frequently as more art is added.”

  June led me quickly away as the silent sobs started again.

  Chapter 15 – Where the Hope Lives

  June brought me to the restroom and just held me for a while while the moms Callahan stayed outside and blocked people from coming in. When I finally composed myself I whispered, “Sorry... Where is she?”

  June said, “I'm shrugging.” Smartass! Oh, my humor is back! Then she said, “Lessa just sent a text message saying she still can't find her. She is scared. Nobody has heard from her since this morning. She dropped off Daisy with Sandra and said she needed to be alone. That she needed to go where the hope lives... whatever the hell that means.”

  I stiffened. Then started to panic. No... she wouldn't. No, no, no!

  This got June's attention. “What Robin?”

  I grabbed her arm. “We need to get to your car. I know where she is.”

  I'm sure it looked like a procession or something as Lessa had arrived in the the parking lot and she followed June and I down the road, then Sandra and Penny in their car, and Devon and Tay and the kids taking up the rear in another vehicle.

  We pulled onto a side road beside the Aurora Bridge. Yeah yeah, I know it is called the George Washington Memorial Bridge but not to us Seattle natives. This is the place. The place Brandye's mother, Penny, almost took her own life. But Brandye saw it differently... she saw it as the place her mother's life started again. This... is where the hope lives.

  Everyone piled out. June said, “I see someone out there. Lets go.”

  I stopped everyone. “No. Please... stay here. She's my girl.” There was silence then a warm hand pressing a leash into my hand. Of course Sandra knows what her daughter needs. I flicked out my cane and made my way down the sidewalk on the bridge. I walked for a few minutes then Daisy was pulling frantically on the leash. The sidewalk had high concrete barriers on each side so I let go of the leash and she skittered off barking.

  I heard from maybe ten feet away, “Hey Daisy, what are you doing he...” Brandye's voice cut off and then she whispered, “Robin?”

  I just stood there stock still fighting back the tears again and just nodded my head up and down like a stupid bobble head. I whispered, “I'm sorry I was too afraid to tell you I was in love with you.”

  I heard a muted cry then I was engulfed in the hug I have needed from her for the past month. The hug that told me everything was going to be ok. She croaked out, “I am so in love with you Robin Amelia Hartford. It has always been you. I swear to god you are my soulmate. I just didn't want to screw it up and I did anyway. I wanted so bad just to die when you shut me out. I... I had to come here, to think...”

  I nodded into her shoulder. “Just shut up for a minute woman!” I shut her up with a desperate kiss that she returned eagerly. It was as if we were trying to become part of each other, sharing our souls, healing the shared ache in them. This is how it should be, how it should have been all along if I had just b
een brave enough. Gawd, I was melting into her.

  We had to break the kiss to breathe, that didn't stop us from reconnecting at the lips, this time more tenderly. I swear my toes were curling as I heated up in all the right places. A passing car honking at us startled us and started us laughing. Well fine, I was laughing, Brandy was stuck in sexy giggle mode... she doesn't laugh.

  Then she held me at arm's length and said, “Two things. One oh my gawd you look sexy in that dress. And two, how did you know where to find me?”

  I blushed at the compliment then shrugged and said like it was common sense, “This is where the hope lives.”

  I reached out my hands toward her face hesitantly, when she didn't pull back, I truly saw her for the first time. I ran my fingers lovingly across the graceful contours of her face for the first time. She was smiling. My god she was beautiful! I gave her a quick peck on the lips.

  She hugged me and her fingers laced with mine. I felt her bend down then stand back up, I heard Daisy's excited whine as Bran picked her up. Then we started the long walk back toward the cars. She said, “There is something I need to show you at the MAC.”

  I leaned in and gave her a quick peck to the lips. “I already got your love note. It was amazing Bran.”

  She sounded almost meek. “Really?”

  I nodded with a smile. “Really.”

  I laid my head on her shoulder as we walked. “Tell me about my favorite color?”

  She replied, “What is it?”

  I grinned, “I hear your hair is a chestnut color. That's my favorite.” She spoke lovingly to me about chestnut as we strolled. I was right, it is my favorite color now!

  After tear filled reunion with the motley crew at the end of the bridge, Brandye asked if explanations could wait until tomorrow, qualifying it with, “I need to talk with my girl.” They agreed and we said our goodbyes and Bran lead me to her car.

  We didn't say anything on the short drive home, she just held my hand, stroking it with her thumb. Daisy curled up in my lap. We pulled into her garage and got out. Before she closed the door I flicked my cane out. “Help me do something.”

  “Sure, what?” she asked as she followed me out to the front and we crossed over the lawn to my place and I swung the cane around until it struck some wood.

  I grinned at her and reached out and found the for sale signpost and grabbed it and started rocking it. She giggled and joined in with me and we pushed the sign over. Then I led my girl and our dog into my place. I bypassed the couch and all the packing boxes and led her into my room with a sly smile on my face. I swear I heard her breath hitch.

  Epilogue

  Devon grabbed the lighter from Robin and grunted like a caveman. “Men make fire, fire good!” Then he led Tay off with him, shoving each other as they went to warm up the grill. I heard our moms pull up in front. I snuck in a kiss to my girl as I looked around the back yard where we had a couple picnic tables set up for our weekly family barbecue. “Hey Goldilocks,” I breathed as sexily as I could.

  She giggled. “Hey yourself hot stuff. Now don't go starting something, it would be hard to explain why we disappeared from our own barbecue.”

  I rubbed her round belly as I said, “I can't help it, you're so friggin sexy all pregnant like that.”

  I was still beyond excited. Four months after the unveiling of SmartCanvas, Robin wrote something on her labeler in braille and taped it to my sleeve. I had only just begun my braille course so it took me a minute to work out “Marry me Bran.”

  I said, “If I gotta.”

  It was cute the raised eyebrow chastising look she shot in my general direction. “You better!”

  The wedding last year was perfect, totally unique from Lessa's, thank god. Sometimes being a twin is a pain. The Hartfords flew up for it. But then Robin attacked me with brain fogging kisses and nibbles of pleasure on my neck and said she wanted a baby. Hell, I would have agreed to jumping into the sun if she just kept that up. So six months ago, we hit the clinic using sperm from an anonymous donor and one of my eggs.

  I giggled, which made her bite her lower lip, causing me to smile, I couldn't wait to meet our daughter in a few short months. “Sorry, you're just such a cute oven.”

  She rewarded me with a kiss and said, “Yeah but I can't wait for the bun to be done. If I would have known being pregnant was going to be so uncomfortable I would have insisted you go first.”

  I hugged her then greeted our moms as they made their way to the back yard. Their yapping carpet of fuzzballs streamed in to play with Daisy and her tiny brother Gigantor.

  I heard a large truck or van stop on the road and Robin stopped for a moment to looked across the yard. I asked, “What is it?”

  She smiled. “Someone is moving into your old place.”

  I smiled and took her hand to lead her to a lawn chair. She mothered me. “Did you remember sunscreen? You know how you burn.”

  I nodded and said with a grin, “Yes. Did you remember your pre-natal vitamins?”

  She nodded. “Yes, just because I forgot once doesn't mean you have to keep reminding me.”

  I fluffed up a pillow for her and we both looked around indignantly as there was a chorus of laughter. I said, “Oh shush you lot!”

  There was playful murmuring about old married couples but I didn't care at the moment as I surrendered to a tingling kiss from the woman I loved. A promise between soulmates.

  “Tell me about green.”

  Books in the Music of the Soul universe...

  (All books are standalone and can be read in any order)

  Music of the Soul

  A Deafening Whisper

  Dating Game

  Karaoke Queen

  Silent Bob

  Five Feet or Less

  Broken Song

  Syncopated Rhythm

  Progeny

  Girl Next Door

  Short Stories in the Music of the Soul universe...

  Misadventures of Victoria Davenport: Operation Matchmaker

  Books in the Valkyrie Chronicles series...

  Return of the Asgard

  Bloodlines

  Folkvangr

  Seventy Two Hours

  Books in the Fracture series...

  Divergence

  Books in the Drakon series...

  Awakening

  Sample Chapter from Drakon: Dragonfall

  Chapter 1 - Griffon

  I charged across the ridge with the reassuring presence of my mate and protector at my side with her granite fists aflame. We were gaining on the griffon, I lashed at it relentlessly with pyres of flames from my outstretched hand and a barrage of dirt and rock I willed into its path.

  It would have been so much easier to just destroy the abomination, I could feel the rotting and decayed magic that had been twisted from its intended purpose to animate the beast. It wasn't a real griffon, but a sick and twisted being called from the underworld to masquerade as one. All of my dragon instincts were screaming at me to just transform and destroy it to set the magics free of their suffering. But as Quinn keeps reminding me, we need this one alive so we can try to discover who is controlling it.

  The creature reached the cliff and dove off, its wings billowing as it let out a roar. My temper flared an I yelled, “Oh no you don't you feckin' eejit! I'm a queen dragon!” Without hesitation, I dove off the cliff as Quinn did right behind me.

  Gods above I loved the feeling of freefall now! It seems like a lifetime ago that height and flying paralyzed me with fear. Now I live for it since I can fly on my own. I threw my arms wide and my flaming wings exploded from me as I let my immense dragon of flame out to play. My wings caught the wind and I felt a light impact on my back between my shoulders.

  I lifted my head and roared in challenge as we gained on the slower abomination trying to evade me in the air. The force of it reverberating the ground and carrying down to the city of Denver below. A pyre of flame shooting up into the heavens.

  I almost moaned in p
leasure as Quinn started stroking the sides of my dragon form neck. “Easy there firecracker. Remember, we need this one alive.” I could feel her teasing me through our blood-tie. I swear this woman tries to stoke my hair-trigger temper. It does things to her that are most arousing through our link. I smiled and rolled my eyes.

  I flapped my wings in three mighty strokes and gained altitude. I snickered when Quinn muttered, “Oh shit.” She quickly wrapped her arms around my flaming dragon neck as I tucked my wings neatly onto my back and dove in a spinning dive directly at the griffon. I may have done this part on purpose so she would hug me like this, but I'm not going to be admitting it, ya know.

  I got a quick chastising feel from her but rolled my eyes again as I suddenly spread my wings just as I reached my target, and I soared in the wind again as my talons of flame grasped the roaring griffon. I craned my huge head back to give Quinn a self-satisfied smile.

  She was laughing and shaking her head at my display. Lords above but she was a wondrous sight riding my shoulders with a hand on my neck. She stood to let the air flow through her hair. The griffon kept struggling and making a ruckus. I released one talon then smacked it upside the head, rendering it unconscious. Sometimes I wonder how much I have changed since I had discovered I was a dragon. I was almost afraid to admit just how exhilarating I found the hunt now, and the flow of elemental magic through my body.

  I looked around for a clearing in the dense forests of the Rocky Mountains. Quinn chuckled on my back. “Way to go Einstein, where are you going to land your fat dragon ass?”

  I chortled flames licking from my mouth. Sometimes she was just too fecking funny. I could put us in a clearing, or on a ridge or peak, but then we'd have to carry the beast out on foot. I gruffed in frustration. Trying to reign in my quick temper. We'd have to land in Steamboat Springs or down in Denver. The state is starting to get annoyed with me landing on the highways and freeways. Not only do I tie up traffic but I damage their precious roadways.