#Soft Play Rental Seattle

[partybabyseattle]

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[lilpotatjj]

Congratulation...Captain?

Chapter 9

Palm trees, turquoise beaches and pure joie de vivre. Twice as beautiful at sunrise. When you arrive at Puerto Rico's only international airport, you both take your luggage and leave the airport's main gate together.

"oh-my-god" is the first thing that comes to mind and bursts out of you. "wow this is amazing, palm trees everywhere and the temperature is fantastic!" you say and Andy can't help but look at you happily. "ok then? where is the journey taking you? haha i mean i can't run away anymore, i'm your prisoner on the island now" you look guilty, and andy laughs.

"we're taking a rental car, first we're heading towards Fajardo. We'll explore the whole island!" Andy waves a car key provocatively and your gaze falls right behind you.

A white GTA Spano is waiting just a few meters away from the two of you. "eeehm....Andy!?"

"yes...?" Andy opens the side of the door for you. "t...that's a monster!" You look at her with wide eyes.

"don't worry, the only one who bites here is me." she grins cheekily and you blink stupidly, only to enter in complete disbelief. "a...all right, andy I haven't put any money aside for my funeral yet" you look at her nervously as she gets in but all andy does is put on her sunglasses, which only makes the situation hotter, and she starts the engine.

"ok ok so how..... long does this baby need to get to 100...?" Andy plays with the engine sound. 

"less than three seconds..." 

You immediately start sweating and reflexively hold on to something. "don't worry, it's not the first time I've driven a baby like this" you were just about to say something when Andy drives off. "Did I already say that I love you? i...if I die then you've heard it now" Andy just laughs and accelerates a little more. "Tell me, how fast can he actually drive?" You've only just calmed down a bit when Andy puts the car into the next gear. 

"let's just find out"

 Before you can say anything, it pushes you back into your seat. The road is clear and Andy continues to accelerate while the car purrs dutifully.

"I know the island inside out" Andy drives a good 190 km/h and hesitates for a moment. 

"Andy?" you look at her nervously and look straight ahead to see that the road is straight as a die. 

"Andy...no...n-" She presses the gas pedal and the car accelerates to almost 340 km/h in a few seconds. "Andy I swear if I die I'll kill you!" Just a little later, she slows down as the road becomes more winding. You both stop at a traffic light, both look at the road and laugh at the same moment. "That was awesome!" Andy gives you a cheeky look and finally drives on. When you arrive, you park in a large front garden with a mosaic stone path. You can't miss the huge villa, which has a huge garden with a maze and pool. "Let's put our stuff away first, then we can go for something to eat." Andy opens the double door and you enter a huge, beautiful hallway with a chandelier.

"oh my god Andy...but...how can you pay for this?"

"let's put it this way. I have a few people i know here" Andy smirks, comes over to you and kisses you passionately. You stow your luggage in the bedroom and go out onto the balcony to enjoy the pool and the different fauna.

You go back into the room and see Andy on her cell phone. "hey...judging by your face, it must have something to do with the 19. Get rid of it! We want to switch off" You go to her, hug her and kiss her neck very gently, eliciting a soft moan from her. "ok ok..stop!" Andy takes you by the shoulders and looks you in the eye. 

"Eat! It's almost lunchtime and we haven't eaten since we arrived." You nod. "Do you have any idea where we can go for lunch?"

"So while we're here we should try some specialties. I know a lot of them, my mom also always cooked them." Your eyes are shining. "I'll definitely come back to Seattle with a hundred pounds more" you laugh and finally sit down in the Spano again. "There's a great Puerto Rican chef nearby. He makes one of my favorite dishes!"

When you arrive, sit down outside in one of the more secluded alleyways with a view down towards the beach.

 "What would you recommend?" you look at her excitedly. "Mofongo and sorullos for dessert"

"I have no idea what that is, but I have to try it!"

"And two pina coladas to drink" Andy calls the waitress.

You order, enjoy the view and when the food finally arrives you look at Andy in disbelief after the first bite. "wow, that's awesome!"

"Are you tired?" Andy and you walk down to the beach after eating. "hm...maybe a little, but we can still do something else." You take her by the hand and smile shyly. "let's go to the beach" Andy smiles in love and the two of you walk along the beach together. "Is it weird for you to walk with me by the hand?" you don't look at her and Andy smiles slightly. "Never, it's... unusual but it doesn't bother me in any way." You breathe a sigh of relief, which doesn't go unnoticed by Andy, who suddenly pushes you against the wall of the house. "I kiss you in public too and it..." she comes so close to you that you can feel her breath on your lips while her eyes keep switching between your eyes and your lips. "...I don't care what others think...no matter how new it is for me. I love you and you are incredibly important to me..." You gasp at her words and can't help but kiss her lovingly. She clasps your hands tightly, lets go of one and continues walking with you on one hand towards the beach.

Once you arrive at the beach, you take off your shoes and enjoy the warm afternoon sunshine. "I used to come here a lot with my father, visit friends and just relax. But he was always thinking about 19, it was always on his mind. It was hard for him to relax.... just like it's hard for me now...19 is my home. I grew up there, I know everything about this station. I've seen people grow up with that station and now they're veterans at their jobs. That's where I want to be. Unbelievable that it almost burned down." Andy stops and looks into the emptiness of the ocean. "hey...it happened, but everything will be rebuilt. you'll stay captain and things will go back to normal." you give her a kiss on the cheek. 

"If the department doesn't blame me for what happened. It's been my job to keep a cool head..."

"Yes, but these were events that you could never influence. We will deal with them if necessary" Andy was just about to say something when you both heard a terrible scream. A woman is running with a lifeless child in her arms and keeps calling for help. 

"Oh god Andy!" You both don't hesitate and immediately run to the woman and Andy picks up the child, puts it on the floor and feels for a pulse.

"Señora, ¿qué ha pasado?" (Lady what happened?) Andy says tense.

"Se ha metido una piedra en la boca, quería sacársela pero ya se la ha tragado, ¡oh dios por favor ayúdale!". (He put a stone in his mouth, I wanted to get it out but he's already swallowed it, oh god please help him!)

"¡Todavía tengo un ligero pulso!" (Still got a slight pulse!) Andy picks up the boy, uses the Heimlich and doesn't give up while the mother starts to hyperventilate. You try to calm her down while Andy continues to try to clear the boy's airways. 

"damn the stone must be too deep!" Andy takes him by the legs, lets him hang down and keeps tapping hard on the child's back and miraculously the stone finally falls out of his throat. He coughs hard and starts to cry, which makes Andy and you breathe a sigh of relief. The first responders, who you had also called in the meantime, arrive immediately.

"¡que dios os proteja y os de las gracias por siempre! ¡muchas gracias, sin vosotros habría tenido que enterrar a mi propio hijo!" (may god protect you and thank you forever! thank you so much, without you I would have had to bury my own son!) The first responders are impressed and take care of the little boy. The mother hugs Andy and you exuberantly.

"no hay problema... todo lo mejor para ambos" (no problem...all the best to you both)

Andy smiles caringly and you say goodbye. "phew...wow...great performance Captain?" you look at her proudly. "Stop it.." Andy smiles embarrassedly and turns towards the sea. 

"Children...are full of surprises. That's why I never wanted any," you say without thinking, amused, but Andy unconsciously flinches at your words. "You...don't want children?"

"Well, I never really thought about it. I don't have great experience with them. And you?" You look at Andy curiously. "So...well with the right partner maybe" Andy's eyes avoid yours. "OK, what's going on. You look like something is going on" you sit down on the sand and enjoy the warm Caribbean wind. "I was once pregnant by a boyfriend at the time. We had been together for a while but the circumstances just weren't right. I...aborted it. I never told him anything about it because if Ryan had wanted it, I wouldn't have it managed to abort..."

"wow..ok. kind of understandable." you let sand trickle between your fingers. "I'm captain now. I just can't think about it at the moment, but it's never out of the question." You look at her thoughtfully and take a deep breath. "Okay, well, if you're sure you want children then why not? You could stay as captain and I could carry the baby. But that's a topic later." You clean your hands.

You both stand up and smile lovingly at each other. You feel something in Andy's eyes that you've never felt from her before, but you can't place it. "i...is everything ok Andy...?"

"yes, everything's fine. we should go back slowly. it'll be dark soon. tomorrow we'll go hiking" you watch her and pause for a moment, the aura that surrounds Andy feels strange, then you run after her.

Back at the villa you sit on the balcony with some tea when Andy comes over and keeps you company. "First day here and already such an action today" you laugh quietly and Andy joins in. "yes, true" Andy drinks her tea, stands up in front of you and tenderly takes your hand. "let's go inside" She slowly leads you to your bedroom, stands in front of you and cups your face with one hand. "You...have been so stubborn..." a kiss on your neck follows. "I? More like..you" You enjoy her touch and inhale sharply. She gently pushes you onto the bed and unzips her robe. "We should really celebrate our arrival here..." Andy teases you with her look.

-----------18+ RAW SMUT (if u wanna skip, feel free and skip to the next chapter)-------

She lets her bathrobe slide off her body. You want to sit up but she leans down towards you and prevents you from moving. She opens your robe as well.

"I'm your captain...you have to obey..." She looks at you teasingly and pins you to the bed by holding your hands, kisses your neck and places delicate kisses all over it. You whimper under each one and get goosebumps all over your body. "Andy....." your vision blurs and your breathing becomes faster. She moves down to your chest, places dirty kisses everywhere, marks every single spot on your body. She lets go of your hands, moves down even deeper and stops right at the sensitive middle between your thighs. She gently strokes her fingers over your clit, kisses it which causes you to reach into her hair out of reflex.

Andy suddenly slows down every single movement which makes you look at her begging.

 "Que pasa..?" (what's wrong...?) Andy asks, looking at you teasingly.

 "Don't stop...please..." you beg softly, looking at her pathetically. Andy cheekily raises an eyebrow. 

"I don't know you like that... begging the captain like that..." She leans down and kisses you, at the same time slowly and carefully slipping one of her fingers inside you. You moan in aggravation and cling tightly to Andy.

 "I'm sure there's more..." Andy speeds up her pace a little, making your breathing more ponderous until you moan in an ungodly tone, while you are melting under her sweet breath. Lots of little electric shocks go through your body as you feel yourself almost reaching your limit, Andy continues, nibbling your neck and inserting a second finger. "A...Andy...keep going" You squint your eyes and put your hands over your mouth as you start to moan, but Andy stops you as she holds your hands tightly and you groan out loud.

Andy smiles contentedly and lies down next to you while you struggle to breathe. "ooof... that was wild... pretty naughty of you" You turn and snuggle up to her. "You know that screams revenge," you smile darkly. "mmh...is that the way to talk to your captain....?"

"maybe I don't just want to talk..." you suddenly sit on top of her, holding her tight this time and looking at her challengingly. Your hand wanders between her thighs. "mmh... well, captain. you're pretty impatient, aren't you?" Andy looks at you silently as she bites her lower lip to hold back a moan.

"no...equal rights for all!" You kiss Andy directly on the mouth, so she can no longer suppress a moan, while you start to stroke your fingers more tenderly on her sensitive middle.

The two of you spend almost the whole night making love, turning it into a competition until one of you can't take it anymore and finally gives up.

AN: oops...what just happend here? Sounds almost like a small honeymoon. This was the first Part of the Puerto Rico Trip. Next chapter will also be longer.

[rockislandadultreads]

Book Recommendations: Let It Snow!

Best in Snow by David Rosenfelt

Christmas has come early to the town of Paterson, New Jersey, in the form of a snowstorm that dumps two feet of snow on the ground. Lawyer Andy Carpenter likes snow - white Christmas and all that - but it can cause problems for the walks he takes his dogs on every day.

When Andy’s golden retriever, Tara, goes to play in the snow and instead discovers a body, Andy ends up on the phone with the local newspaper editor. The murder victim is Mayor Alex Oliva, who had an infamous relationship with the newspaper. Last year a young reporter published an expose, and Oliva had him fired for libel. Now, the young reporter - and prime suspect - is in need of a lawyer. Andy agrees to take the case, though it’s not looking good this holiday season.

This is the 24th volume in the “Andy Carpenter” series.

Cover of Snow by Jenny Milchman

Waking up one wintry morning in her old farmhouse nestled in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, Nora Hamilton instantly knows that something is wrong. When her fog of sleep clears, she finds her world is suddenly, irretrievably shattered: Her husband, Brendan, has committed suicide.

The first few hours following Nora's devastating discovery pass for her in a blur of numbness and disbelief. Then, a disturbing awareness slowly settles in: Brendan left no note and gave no indication that he was contemplating taking his own life. Why would a rock-solid police officer with unwavering affection for his wife, job, and quaint hometown suddenly choose to end it all? Having spent a lifetime avoiding hard truths, Nora must now start facing them.

Unraveling her late husband's final days, Nora searches for an explanation - but finds a bewildering resistance from Brendan's best friend and partner, his fellow police officers, and his brittle mother. It quickly becomes clear to Nora that she is asking questions no one wants to answer. For beneath the soft cover of snow lies a powerful conspiracy that will stop at nothing to keep its presence unknown... and its darkest secrets hidden.

Dashing Through the Snow by Debbie Macomber

Ashley Davison, a graduate student in California, desperately wants to spend the holidays with her family in Seattle. Dashiell Sutherland, a former army intelligence officer, has a job interview in Seattle and must arrive by December 23. Though frantic to book a last-minute flight out of San Francisco, both are out of luck: Every flight is full, and there's only one rental car available. Ashley and Dash reluctantly decide to share the car, but neither anticipates the wild ride ahead.

At first they drive in silence, but forced into close quarters Ashley and Dash can't help but open up. Not only do they find they have a lot in common, but there's even a spark of romance in the air. Their feelings catch them off guard - never before has either been so excited about a first meeting. But the two are in for more twists and turns along the way as they rescue a lost puppy, run into petty thieves, and even get caught up in a case of mistaken identity. Though Ashley and Dash may never reach Seattle in time for Christmas, the season is still full of surprises - and their greatest wishes may yet come true.

Blood on Snow by Jo Nesbo

This is the story of Olav: an extremely talented “fixer” for one of Oslo’s most powerful crime bosses. But Olav is also an unusually complicated fixer. He has a capacity for love that is as far-reaching as is his gift for murder. He is our straightforward, calm-in-the-face-of-crisis narrator with a storyteller’s hypnotic knack for fantasy. He has an “innate talent for subordination” but running through his veins is a “virus” born of the power over life and death. And while his latest job puts him at the pinnacle of his trade, it may be mutating into his greatest mistake...

This is the first volume in the “Blood on Snow” series. 

[darkshrimpemotions]

For @starrynightdeancas​ because we decided to be feral about Destiel and Halloween this evening. Have some unabashed autumnal fluff, bestie!

---

Last year, Dean didn’t really get to celebrate any holidays.

Which isn’t different from most years, but that’s not the point.

The point is that last year the world was ending and God hated him. And then Cas was gone and the world was empty and Jack became God and they won. They won, but everything still felt broken.

And then he got Cas back, and Jack came home, and Dean asked Cas to marry him, forcing poor Sam to plan a wedding with less than three weeks’ notice. Sam still hasn’t quite forgiven him for that one, even if he got him back a month later.

The point is that they’re finally all together, and safe, and a family again. The point is that Dean Winchester has a lot to celebrate, and he’s going to take every opportunity he can get to do it. He has four decades of missed holidays to make up for, after all.

So he starts with a vacation rental, out in a quaint little town that treats Halloween like a religion all its own. There’s an apple orchard and a pumpkin farm and a corn maze all within a five-mile radius, they do bonfires and hayrides and there’s an apple festival at the farmer’s market every October. The county fair is only a half-hour drive away and everything starts turning red and gold on the first day of September, like clockwork.

Or magic, maybe, but Dean hasn’t found any reports of missing persons to hint at foul play or human sacrifice, so he’s not going to poke at it.

He pulls the Impala around to the back of the house where she can shelter under the overhang and not get coated in pollen and pine needles and fallen crab apples from the nearby trees. He wakes Cas with a kiss to the forehead and a whispered “we’re here, Sunshine, wake up,” and leads his sleepy husband in through the side door that leads into the kitchen.

It’s bright and cheery, apple chutney curtains and late afternoon sunlight streaming in from the window over the sink, a basket of apples and pears in the center of the island along with a welcome note from the owner. Cas smiles softly at Dean’s excitement as he explores the cabinets and appliances, then follows him out to retrieve their bags.

Sam and Eileen will be here tomorrow with Jack, and Claire is coming with Kaia after she finishes a small job up in Seattle; a vampire coven that needs help relocating to a more remote area with greater wildlife options for feeding. They might swing by Sioux Falls on the way and pick up Alex and Patience, maybe talk Jody and Donna into coming, too, depending on what they both have going on.

It’s going to be a solid week of family time, and Dean can’t wait.

They spend the evening settling in, picking out which of the five bedrooms should be theirs and unpacking their things. By the time Dean hangs up the last of his thick fall flannels in the closet next to Castiel’s soft t-shirts and sweaters, he’s starving. But instead of breaking in the kitchen, he finds Cas exploring the bookshelves in the living room and wraps himself around him, pressing a kiss to the back of his neck.

“Hey sweetheart. Wanna go explore the town? Get somethin’ to eat? I hear the town square has this great little mom and pop place with a whole PB & J dessert menu. A whole menu, Cas!”

Castiel turns in his arms and grins, pressing a kiss to his nose that makes Dean’s eyes cross. He laughs.

“Yes, let’s go investigate this PB & J dessert menu,” he says solemnly, but the grin he’s still sporting belies the seriousness of his tone.

They head into town for dinner and find the place easily, as it’s the only restaurant in the square. It’s called The Attic, and it shares the area with the post office, a hair salon, a little country church, a coffee shop, and a small art gallery. The hostess--nametag says Pearl, a cheery, rosy-cheeked woman in her mid-60s with voluminous curly silver hair sprayed into stiff formation--leads them to a table immediately despite the entire place being full. It’s charming, with bare wooden floors painted white and the walls hung with local knick-knacks, art and memorabilia.

There are delicately crocheted doilies someone’s grandmother probably made, still pristine under glass in their frames. Shadowboxes showing off hand-made dolls with dainty dresses and button eyes. Hand-painted signage sporting old street names and farm signs. Hammered tin watering cans and flour sifters and such. Embroidery samplers made by children of various skill levels and enthusiasm, many of them making their displeasure known via the work itself.

The one nearest Dean’s head when he sits down reads, in very crooked letters, “Jamie Addison HATES Embroidery.” Dean chuckles as he settles into his chair across from Cas, arms folded in front of him on the apple-patterned tablecloth. The table itself was, he suspects, a very large barrel in its former life.

“Y’all new to the area?” Pearl says as she pulls a notepad and pencil from an apron pocket. Apparently she’s doing double-duty as hostess and waitress tonight.

“Just today. Settled in over on Cider Creek Lane,” Dean tells her, offering one of his most winning smiles. She returns it, but with a quirk of one eyebrow that lets him know she’s seen cheeky, pretty men before and knows better than to pay them any mind.

“It’s a nice place,” Pearl tells them. “Little bit old fashioned, but you pay that no mind. People here mean well. You ever need anything, you just let me know.” Dean nods his thanks, a little baffled until he clocks the way her eyes linger on their ring fingers. He looks down at the tablecloth, blushing and trying to hide his grin.

He feels like he’s been married to Cas for years. But it’s still new to him when other people notice.

“Thank you,” Castiel tells her sincerely, drawing Dean back to the present. “And I know this is out of order, but could we see your dessert menu? I’ve heard you have peanut butter and jelly-flavored...things.” He sounds excited at the prospect.

Pearl laughs at this, tucking her pad and pencil away again.

“Sure thing honey. Tell you what. Y’all just sit tight, and I’ll get you everything you need. On the house.”

Dean tries to protest, but Pearl waves him off.

“Y’all are guests here! Call it the welcome wagon. I’ll take care of everything.” And before he has a chance to say anything else, she’s gone, weaving through the crowded tables with practiced ease.

“Well...this should be interesting,” Dean says, shaking his head. But Cas just reaches out and twines their fingers together, a small smile on his face.

“It’ll be fine, Dean. Let people do nice things for you. You deserve them.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean says, but he presses a kiss to Cas’s ring finger and settles back in his seat, content to wait and see what Pearl has in store for the two of them.

What she has in store, as it turns out, is more food than Dean and Cas could possibly eat in one sitting, or possibly in three. Within ten minutes she’s back, accompanied by a stocky man around Dean’s age with a farmer’s tan and his arms full of dishes. Together they load up the table with ham, some kind of casserole that actually looks amazing, a bowl full of cooked greens that somehow smell like bacon, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, and a tiered tray covered in all manner of PB & J-themed desserts: tartlets, blondies, donuts, cheesecake, regular cake. There’s even a peanut butter and jelly pie in there, though Dean’s not sure if he’s impressed or offended by the very idea.

He stares wide-eyed across the table at Cas, wondering how they’re going to possibly eat all of this.

Cas’s eyes, however, are glued on the PB & J donuts.

“Go on,” Pearl says encouragingly, hands clasped. “Give one a try. You’ll never want a plain old jelly donut again!”

Cas gingerly picks one of the sugar-coated rounds up with two fingers, examining it from all sides before taking a tentative bite. His eyes light up immediately, and Dean makes a mental note to add PB & J donuts to his to-learn recipe list.

“This...is very good,” Castiel says, eyes wide with wonder. Pearl beams at him.

Over an hour later, and after attempting one more time to actually pay for their meal and being refused, Dean and Castiel practically waddle out to the Impala. Dean settles into the driver’s seat with a sigh, pleasantly full and more than a little sleepy. Cas foregoes his seat belt in favor of sliding across to curl into Dean’s side, head pillowed on his shoulder.

“That was a very nice dinner. And a very nice lady. It’s nice here,” Cas murmurs, with all the coherence of the imminently food-comatose. Dean chuckles and slides an arm around his waist. The drive back to the house is slow and careful, Dean steering with only one hand, but he wouldn’t ask Cas to move for anything in the world.

They go straight to bed when they arrive, barely bothering to fully undress. Dean falls asleep with his arms full of Cas, dark hair tickling his cheek, and thinks this is the best idea he’s had in a long time.

---

The next day the family arrives, and peace gives way to chaos as Dean’s inner holiday demon takes over.

Jack went with Claire and Kaia out to the corn maze. Dean made Claire promise not to go scaring Jack on purpose, and Claire rolled her eyes and called him a buzzkill, but Kaia squeezed her arm and let Dean know she’d keep an eye on him. He’s still pretty powerful, and Dean’s sure he can’t really be hurt per se, but he also wants Jack’s first real Halloween to be about fun. Not fear. He’s had enough fear to last him a lifetime.

Also, he’s not sure Claire would react well to, say, Jack accidentally turning her into a black cat or something because she played an ill-timed prank. He’s maybe regretting letting the kid watch Hocus Pocus so many times. The books in the bunker library keep sprouting eyes.

Sam is on decoration duty, supervised by Eileen. She let him know immediately not to expect special treatment just because they’re married, much to Dean’s delight. So they’re in the front yard artfully arranging hay bales and pumpkins and ribbons in red, orange, yellow, and brown, Alex and Patience are off at the farmer’s market-slash-apple festival, and Dean is in the kitchen juggling the baking of three different pies.

He found himself alone after he snippily informed Cas that yes, apple, pumpkin, and pecan were all essential. They couldn’t simply leave one out to make things easier. He’s feeling a bit bad about that when Cas comes back in, apron on and sleeves rolled up. Dean presses a kiss to his angel’s cheek immediately.

“Sorry,” he mumbles. “I just want everything to be perfect.”

“I’m with you, and our family is here,” Cas says, turning to brush his lips against Dean’s. “It’s already perfect.”

“Yeah yeah okay. You big sap. Help me core these apples. This batch doesn’t need to be peeled, it’s all goin’ in the cider.”

When they’re finally all back and it’s time for dinner, they load up their plates separately and eat outside around the bonfire Dean had Sam build once he was done with the decorations. Dean basks in the sounds of his family chattering and eating and teasing each other, the warmth from the fire melting into him and chasing away the chill from the cool autumn night. Dean thinks, looking around at his family’s faces bathed in the light of a fire that signals no one’s funeral, that this might be the happiest he’s ever been.

---

The rest of the week is a whirlwind of apple picking, hayrides, a not-really-haunted haunted house, Dean and Cas’s own trip to the corn maze and pumpkin farm, spooky movies (after Jack’s gone to bed, and mostly so Eileen can enjoy Sam hiding his face in her hair during the really gory parts), and family dinners.

They figure out pretty quickly--because some things are just hard to turn off after a lifetime of training--that this town really loves Halloween even more than advertised, and that yeah, the perfect weather is definitely the work of a witch, specifically a greenwitch named Attie Harkins. But she does it with herbs and sheer force of will, so who cares? Not Dean. Sam cares, but only insofar as he wants to ask her a billion nerdy questions about her practice.

She also makes incredible oatmeal-raisin cookies, and accepts a jug of Dean’s homemade apple cider in return for a batch he can take home.

Pearl sees them several more times, both for dinner on the couple of nights when they’re all too tired to cook and in the morning when Dean comes in to get Cas a PB & J croissant for breakfast.

By the end of the week Dean is exhausted, his cheeks are wind-burned, and he never wants to leave.

Which is good, he thinks (or hopes), because...

“So Cas,” Dean says on what’s supposed to be their last night in the house on Cider Creek Lane. Dinner is over, Jack and the girls have all turned in, Cas is sipping cider next to him, and Sam and Eileen are toasting marshmallows for s’mores, absorbed in their own conversation. “You have fun this week? You like it here?”

“Mmm, Cas hums contentedly, a blanket draped loosely over his shoulders and his face tipped back to the warmth of the low-burning fire. “I did have fun. I think I could stay here forever.”

“Uh...good. That’s good,” Dean says, suddenly nervous. “‘Cause uh...I kinda bought it.”

Cas’s eyes snap open and he turns toward Dean so fast he spills a little bit of his cider.

“You what?”

Dean flushes, rubbing the back of his neck and avoiding Cas’s eyes as he tries to explain.

“The previous owner was really old, she moved in with her kids and she’s been renting it out, but she said it’s a lot of work and more trouble than it’s worth. I asked her if she ever thought of sellin’, and she said to make her an offer. So...I did.” Cas doesn’t say anything, just blinks at him, so Dean hurries on.

“I figured if you don’t want to live here all the time, we could still come here in the fall. Make it a spot for hunters passing through to stay, so long as they leave poor old Attie alone. I just. The bunker is great but you don’t get any sunlight down there, and I know you love plants and bees and we don’t really get any of that livin’ underground. I know it’s kinda far from Lebanon but we could still make the drive to visit Sam and Eileen, and Jack doesn’t really get many chances to hang out with kids his age out there, so I just thought--”

Castiel finally decides to take pity on him and cuts off his rambling with a sweet kiss.

“Dean,” he says, his eyes shining. “I would love to live here with you. Did you think I wouldn’t?”

“Well,” Dean says, smiling wryly. “I know I’m not the easiest guy to live with.” In the bunker there are Sam and Eileen, and an endlessly rotating door of hunters and supernatural folk. It makes for quite the buffer, and Dean has often wondered if that’s the only reason they work. Castiel knows he’s wondered this, and decides that’s something to unpack later. Or demonstrate to be false over time, perhaps.

“You do snore,” He says, voice thoughtful.

“Hey!”

Castiel abandons his seat and his mug of cider completely in favor of joining Dean in his, wrapping the blanket around them both and leaning over to cup Dean’s face in his hands and kiss him breathless.

“I love you,” he says softly, lips just brushing Dean’s with every word.

“Love you,” Dean returns, looking as wonderstruck as the first time Castiel ever said those words, with none of the pain that moment held. He doesn’t say it as often as Castiel, but Dean has never been one to express himself with words. There is love in every moment between them regardless, in the way Dean’s hands settle warmly against Castiel’s back, in the way he tilts his head to brush their noses together just to see the way it makes Castiel smile.

It’s in the PB & J donuts and croissants and crepes that mysteriously show up on the kitchen table before Castiel wakes up every morning, in the way Dean hates the whole world before he’s had at least two cups of coffee but he still wraps his arms around Castiel’s shoulders and presses a kiss to his temple every morning, grumpy bear face not budging an inch. There is love in the way Dean is so carefully rebuilding his relationship with their son, making sure Jack feels safe and welcome and loved, that he knows he’s part of the family and nothing will ever change that.

And now, just now. When he looks up at Castiel, sharing a chair by the fire in the back yard of their new home--the home Dean found for them because he picked up not on any true unhappiness, but just on the little things Castiel wistfully thought about sometimes: a garden. Sunlight on his skin in the morning. A community, somewhere Jack could make some friends.

Castiel has no idea how he missed it for so many years. There is love in his eyes, and it’s been there all along.

And Castiel thinks, as he leans in for another kiss, that a year ago he was so wrong. The happiness of being is real but it’s lonely, too. The happiness of having is shared, and in being shared it doubles day to day.

Castiel has never been happier in his life than he is in this simple, quiet moment. And he knows that tomorrow he’ll see Dean making coffee, or smile at him and see it returned easily, or watch Dean showing Jack how to check the Impala’s oil levels, or be curled up with a book knowing Dean is somewhere else in the house, experimenting in the kitchen or working on the car or listening to music. Or he’ll roll over in the night and find Dean’s skin under his hands, Dean’s arms drawing him in, Dean’s lips against his.

There will be another moment of peace after this one, and another, and another. And each time he’ll think the same thing: I’ve never been happier than I am right now.

And every time, it will still be true.

[pagingevilspawn]

how's your heart after breaking mine?

ts x jolex week 21

day one: fearless - mr. perfectly fine (taylor's verion) (from the vault)

wc: 2.5k

pairing: Jo Wilson/Alex Karev. Alex Karev/Izzie Steven (mentioned)

summary: years after they last saw each other, jo and alex reunite at a conference, and while she is still struggling from her heartache, he seems to be mr. perfectly fine.

rating: general audiences

category: angst.

warnings: angst, no happy ending, alcohol consumption.

A/N: guess who finished this just now? me. that's who. I was actually working on this one long before the announcement for this event came out, but it gave me the motivation to continue this! Alex is unintentionally an ass in this and for that, i’m sorry. Anyways… hope you enjoy! (first part's pretty crappy, but after that it gets better.)

(this was also proofread, like...once, so of there are a plethora of errors i apologize)

____

The absolute last thing Jo wanted right now was to attend a medical conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. There were multiple reasons why she should’ve said no. One; she had just started her second year of her OB GYN residency a few weeks prior, and there were a very limited number of lectures on her new line of study where she was headed. Two; she now held an absolute hatred for the Seattle Tacoma International Airport, since it was the place where her ex-husband stood before her, placed a soft kiss on her lips and promised to see her in a couple of weeks, lying to her face about seeing his mother in Iowa, when in reality he was going to see his ex-wife and kids, never really planning on returning home.

It was ironic really; how not even two years ago, she was standing in front of gate 48, saying goodbye to him, and now she stood in the same spot, in front of the exact same gate, with him nowhere near her side as she glared up at the same exact entrance she last saw him at.

(She also now hated the number forty-eight)

But, since Meredith had been hounding her non-stop about attending this event, she gave in. Because how was she supposed to say no to the woman who had barely survived the pandemic? Along with a plethora of other things she was too lazy to memorize. (The answer was that she couldn’t. She felt guilty for leaving Meredith behind for OB, so she now did whatever her former mentor wanted, even if more than two years had passed) If Meredith Grey asked for something, Meredith Grey got it. She was turning back into the intern who cried fake tears and would do anything to earn her approval, and Jo was not a fan.

“It’ll be good for you Wilson. You need to leave that loft of your’s and go somewhere Wilson, blah blah blah,” she mutters to herself as she shows the attendant her ticket, not even bothering to return the smile, settling on brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear instead. The messy bun on the top of her head bounced in place, and she felt like a college student after a night of studying, but rather than books tucked under her arm it was a neck pillow and a carry-on.

She shuffles into her seat, thankful that it was an aisle one before letting her eyes shut, trying to catch a wink of sleep in an attempt to make up for the less than few hours she had gotten the night before. It proves to be unsuccessful, because the businessman sitting next to her ate his chips so loud she had to restrain herself from coiling into herself every time a chip crunched beneath his teeth, and the toddler behind her continuously managed to kick her seat, no matter how many times his mother told him to stop.

After three hours of loud chewing, seat kicking, and crying babies, she lands in Salt Lake, taking in a deep breath when she finally escapes the crowded airport and is met with humid air. She picks up her rental car, and arrives at her hotel not long after, immediately tossing her bags into the corner and sprawling onto the bed. Eventually, she moves to unpack her clothes and other necessities, casting a glance at the clock which read 10:37.

Taking a look around the room, she decided that nothing more needs to be done; all of her makeup is laid out for the morning, and what she chose to wear is already hanging up in the closet, freshly ironed and wrinkle-free. She yawns, crawling under the covers and flicking off the light, sleep coming easily.

When she wakes up the next morning to her alarm clock going off, she’s freshly rested and in a better mood than she normally was when she had to wake up before nine. The early morning sun beats down onto her face, and she knows that if she wanted to get to the first lecture on time, she needed to start getting ready sooner rather than later.

With a sigh, she begrudgingly gets out of bed, hopping in a quick shower and changing into her clothes. She adds some soft waves to her hair, in the hopes that it made her look more put together than she felt. It didn’t seem that just because she got hours of sleep made up for the fact that she would rather be curled up in the soft sheets of her bed at home than the stiff ones the hotel provided.

It doesn’t take long until she’s arrived in the lobby, where doctors all around her were dressed in firmly pressed suits and skirts. Tables advertising different events throughout the day were lined up and down the hallways, fellow surgeons and mentees passing out little pamphlets with information about their courses littering the pages.

Jo passes by a few stands displaying lectures on the OBGYN field, mentally making a list of the ones she would like to attend.

A quick glance to her watch tells her that the first item on her list was starting soon, and with that she dumps the now-empty coffee cup she had ordered a few minutes prior as a pick-me-up, and shuffles into the seat of the auditorium, the chairs around her filling up quicker than she expects.

It’s only a few minutes later Dr. Maria Cavanaugh steps out onto the stage, silencing the crowd after a round of applause. Jo leans back into her seat, feeling grateful that Meredith had pushed her to go to this conference.

If her whole weekend is spent listening to experts talk and teach about her new specialty, she thinks she’s going to enjoy it.

____

It’s hours and a multitude of lectures later when she exits another grand room, fellow surgeons beside her chatting about the new information they’d acquired. She feels a small smile grace her lips as she realizes that the excited squeals could only come from the med school students that had been invited from the nearby college.

She pulls out her phone, seeing a text from Link and Meredith, both along the lines of that they hoped she arrived safely and that she enjoyed her time away from home. She responds, pocketing her phone and making her way to the hotel bar, settling into one of the few empty seats and ordering a whiskey sour, thanking the bartender when it's placed in front of her not even a minute later.

She sips the drink slowly, feeling some leftover tenseness from sitting all day leave her body as the alcohol starts to flow through her veins. She was far from drunk, but even saying tipsy felt like too much of a stretch.

Pleasantly buzzed, she decides on, taking another sip of her drink, making a brief second of eye contact with a man on the other end of the bar. He raises her glass with a slight nod of his head, and she does the same. She’s tempted to continue; take use of the way the man’s making subtle glances to the seat next to him when her ears pick up another conversion from a few feet away, freezing her in place, glass nearly dropping to the floor.

“Do you want anything?”

“Just a water’s fine. I’m gonna go talk to Dr. Conwell about some of the research her and her team were talking about.”

She turns in her seat, against her better judgment. She watches as he kisses her cheek before leaning against the bar’s counter a few feet away.

She feels as if ice had just been dropped down her back —frozen in place, unable to move as she watches Alex drum his fingers on the dark wood, head nodding along to the soft tune playing through the speakers. He grabs his drinks from the bartender; two waters, one with ice and one without, about to walk towards the woman he was with earlier when he spots her.

“Jo?” he questions, blinking multiple times as if to see if it was really her, and not a trick of the light.

She wants to run when he makes his way over to her. She wants to run, and scream, and throw her drink in his face. But instead, she places a tight, thin smile on her lips and acts as if nothing was wrong.

“Alex, hi!” She turns to face him, her voice too high for her enthusiasm to be true, but if he knows it he doesn’t make any move to show it.

He runs a hand through his hair —it's longer than the last time she saw it, a bit of grey speckled in so lightly that it wouldn’t be noticeable to someone who wasn’t looking.”I uh, I didn't know you’d be here.”

She wants to roll her eyes, but refrains. “Well,” she spins her drink with the straw, watching as the ice cubes clink against the glass “The feeling’s mutual.”

“How are you?” He asks after a few beats of silence, and she wants nothing more than to yell at him that he couldn’t talk to her like this —like they were old friends who had lost contact after a while, and were due for a catch up. Because they weren’t old friends. They were so far from friends that someone could build a bridge with the amount of space they had between them.

“Fine,” she lies through her teeth, her heart nearly beating out of her chest in nervousness. She was worried that she was going to break down at any second, spew the words that she had said to Carly in anger at him if he looked at her any longer as if things were okay between them.

“You?” she questions, not interested in the answer, sipping her drink similarly to how she had the night of Bailey’s wedding, the unwelcome memory of the start of their relationship blossoming to the front of her mind.

He sips his water, “Good. I’ve been good.”

With his hand clasped around the glass she catches sight of the pristine, shiny gold ring that sits on his fourth finger, and she has to fight back the growing lump in her throat that threatens to escape.

“Congrats,” she says instead, eyebrows pinched together as she nods towards the ring, a tell that always told whether or not her words rang true.

He seems to have forgotten that, and takes her words as a compliment. He gives her a small smile, “Thanks.”

Jo wants to laugh, because this was so far from the Alex Karev she had known, the man in front of her unfamiliar and so, so different from the one she married years ago. The Alex she knew would’ve never ordered a water instead of a beer, or act as if everything was okay between them when it was so far from it.

He’d changed, and she couldn’t say that she liked it.

“How are the kids?” she asks, and she can tell that she’s surprised him. He looks taken aback for a moment, before smiling gently and reaching into his pocket for his phone. “They’re great,” he says, pulling up a photo of them, the twins smiling brightly into the camera.

“That was at their birthday party last week,” he explains, and she notices the large 7 balloons that are floating in the background.

“He looks like you,” she comments about the boy. He grins, and she wants nothing more than to slap him for not being able to see that she’s so obviously hurting, that her heart is breaking inside of her chest. That she selfishly wants him to say that he made a mistake, that he was in love with her, not Izzie. But her life wasn’t a trashy romance novel, and even if it was, Alex was never one to admit to his faults, his pride and ego too large to have it bruised in such a way.

She had always wondered what he had been up to after he had left. If he was okay. She’d imagined different futures for him, some including Izzie and the kids, some of them not. She’s even naively envisioned ones with her and the children they had always talked about having one day.

Somedays, when she was feeling worse for wear, she had wished that he was miserable —that he and Izzie weren’t together and as far as they went communication-wise was a phone call to see who had the kids that week; that he was as alone and bitter as she was.

But instead, here he was, Mr. Perfectly Fine. The man who had looked her in the eyes and told her he would never go away.

Here he was, Mr. Perfectly Fine. Married to the woman he had left her for, a shiny gold ring on his finger instead of neat, polished wood.

For the past two years she’d been picking up the pieces of herself that he had shattered and left behind, only just starting to put herself back together, and here he was, Mr. Perfectly Fine. While she was piecing together her shattered heart, he was picking up her, the woman he had left her for.

She had thought that he was different from the rest; different from everyone who had ever left her. But he wasn’t —the man she had thought was so different was so exactly the same as everyone else.

“I’m sorry, Jo.” he says, and she has the urge to laugh —laugh because he wasn’t sorry, she could tell. He was sorry that he left her and caused her pain, sure. But he wasn’t sorry that he had done it, that he had married Izzie again and lived with her and his kids on a farm in the middle of Kansas. He wasn’t sorry about that at all.

Mr. Insincere Apology so he didn’t look like the bad guy.

She acts as if she believes him, giving him another tight smile, and lies through her teeth once more. “It’s fine Alex. It’s in the past.”

Jo checks phone, making a face when she ‘realizes’ the time, eager to get out of there as soon as she could. “I need to go, early morning,” she fibs, and she internally rolls her eyes at how he believes her. While he seemed to have forgotten everything about her, she still remembers every detail about him.

“It was nice seeing you again Jo,” he’s playing with the sleeves of his jacket and his eyes meet hers, and for less than a second it’s almost enough to break her resolve.

Another tight smile graces her lips, and she begins to walk away when her body fights her mind and she finds herself leaning down, her lips against his ear.

“I’m glad it was worth it, Alex.”

Her voice is harsh and bitter, yet broken, and she doesn’t need to look at him to know that his face has fallen, and he’s realized that everything she’d told him that night was a lie. She turns and lets the tears fall silently, making her way back up to her room with a head full of thoughts about her ex-husband, about Alex Karev.

About Mr. Perfectly Fine.

____

@thejolexgroupchat #tsjolexweek21

[hailbop1701]

25 Days of FicMas

December 17th prompt: Christmas shopping with a stranger (Modern AU)

Word Count: 2,154

Toy Shop Terror

Okay so this one is much lighter and fluffier than yesterday's prompt! They're not really together when shopping but this is what I came up with! I hope y'all like it!

-H❤🖖

Leonard McCoy ran a hand through his hair frantically; he was in the corner of a crowded toy store on Christmas eve looking for the “Harry Potter” section. Leonard marveled at how people were going completely insane over something their child will most likely play with for a week or two. Shaking his head he bobbed and weaved through the mass of angry, hurried customers keeping an eye for the isle he needed. Spotting the large sign Leonard ducked into the aisle to find it torn apart, “oh these poor workers,” he muttered eyes wide. Toys and merchandise lay scattered over the almost barren shelves and littered the floor. Stepping over large cardboard boxes that once held said merchandise Leonard groaned in frustration, “damnit!” he cursed, voice a deep growl. A loud shriek made him quickly lookup; he saw a pretty young woman stumble into the aisle clutching onto a stuffed panda bear like it was a lifeline, “same to you pal!” you shouted flipping off the man that shoved you out of the way. The gesture was reciprocated. Scowling you examined the bear carefully, searching for rips or tears. When you felt it was in okay condition you finally looked up to see him there with an amused expression on his face. “Some people,” you chuckled nervously, waving the bear around. You took note of the shelves Leonard was standing in front of and winced sympathetically. “Oh, Harry Potter that's tough, I’m sorry,” you grimaced at the state of things; Leonard huffed in agreement, “my daughter has been begging for the books for a while and I’ve been looking everywhere for the box set,” he muttered hand going through his already messed up hair again. 

“Well I wish you the best of luck, god knows you’re gonna need it,” you said with a dry laugh. You looked around, clearing your throat you bit your lip, “have uh you seen the electronic section?” Leonard raised an eyebrow and pointed a thumb toward the back of the store, his own look of sympathy crossing his face. “Fuck, okay. Stupid drone is gonna be the death of me. Good luck and may the odds ever be in your favor, wait wrong series…” you trailed off scrunching up your face in thought. Leonard couldn’t help but chuckle at your antics; giving him a cheeky smile you gave him a two-fingered salute and dove back into the crowd.  ‘What a strange woman,’ he thought with a crooked smile.

Sighing Leonard looked back at the barren shelves with slumped shoulders, “Maybe I should look for something else,” he murmured almost missing the sound of his phone ringing. Pulling the object Leonard looked at the caller ID, “I can’t talk now Jim,” he answered pressing a finger to his opposite ear. A faint voice whined from the other end of the call, “no I haven’t found it yet and I honestly don’t think I will. I knew I should have just ordered it off of-no, and no you can’t, that’s-I don’t care. Jim as your best friend I advise you that hitting on my sister is bad for your health," Leonard hung up the call and swiftly inserted himself into the crowd of shoppers. 

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

You bit your lip as you precariously balanced on some empty shelves hoping to peek over the throng of people. Your hunt for the drone your nephew had been begging for all year was nowhere to be found. Scanning over the crowd with a deep scowl on your face something caught your eye, a much older looking woman clutched three distinct green boxes to her chest. “Oh not today Brenda,” you growled the image of the cute forlorn father popping into your mind. You smirked at the thought of the guy, ‘I’m allowed. He had no ring…' your mind wandered as you pushed and shoved your way through shoppers. Scooping up an opened ‘Nerf Gun’ you cocked it and fired. The foam bullets bounced off of the woman’s head causing her to turn every which way. She screamed startled when one stuck itself to her coke bottle glasses. While she was distracted you slipped past sneakily grabbing one of the boxes from her stack. “Manager!” you heard her howl, glancing over your shoulder you grinned as no one bothered to give her a second glance. Whistling you tossed the plastic gun into a bin and held the box of books to your chest with the panda bear for your baby niece hanging from your fingers. “Now where is Mr. cute butt at…” you hummed thoughtfully. 

Meanwhile, on the other side of the store, McCoy stared at a mass of stuffed animals and to his complete amazement, a pristine box holding a remote control drone sat amongst the bears, unicorns, and oddly enough poop pillows. Blinking he picked up the box, his mind drifting back to you. “Hold on to that tight man, last one!” an employee called to him as he passed. Holding the box closer Leonard eyed the people watching with envy as he walked by, “Alright darlin’ maybe I didn’t get what I came here for but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer,” he drawled searching for you in every aisle. Not looking where he was going he slammed into something small, it squeaked indignantly and he quickly grabbed the person steadying them. “Hey!” you both exclaimed with wide smiles. 

You held up the Harry Potter box set proudly and Leonard practically sagged in relief, “did you-how-” he laughed in shock. You chuckled looking mildly guilty, “don’t ask and you won’t be implicated,” you whispered which made Leonard raise a single eyebrow. Instead of commenting, he held up the drone you were searching for, making you squeal in delight. You bounced on your feet as you exchanged items, “Thank you!” you gasped looking at the drone eyes sparkling, “My nephew is gonna die!” thinking for a second you held out your hand, “I’m (Y/N) (Y/L/N),” 

Leonard couldn’t keep the smile from his face as he grasped your tiny hand in his much bigger one, “Leonard McCoy, at your service ma’am.” he replied smoothly. Happening to glance over Leonard’s shoulder you spotted the ‘Harry Potter’ hoarder from earlier nerf bullet still stuck to her glasses. Blanching you clutched onto Leonards’s hand tighter before turning around and running off pulling the confused man behind you, “move it McCoy unless you want to give up the books!” you yelped shoving people out of the way. Leonard was suddenly ahead of you now pulling you easily through the hoard of people toward the check out area. You stumbled a few times with him being a bit taller and faster than you, “whoa cowboy!” 

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

“I can’t believe you did that to get this,” Leonard barked out laughing, his shoulders shook as he sat across from you. You snickered munching on a french fry, “she had like three. I did her a favor those books were like a hundred and fifty a pop,” you muttered picking up your soda glass. Leonard smirked, “believe me darlin’ I know,” he huffed with a shake of his head. “Your daughter is lucky to have a dad like you,” you beamed at him picking up another fry from the basket you both were sharing. “I mean not many parents would be in a toy store on Christmas eve,” you said with a smirk. Leonard looked out the window of the little diner you had ducked into. Red tinted his cheeks and the tops of his ears, he shrugged after a minute, “She’s my world, there isn’t a lot I wouldn’t do for her,” he said looking back at you. He grabbed a french fry, “You visiting Georgia for the Holidays?” he inquired popping the potato into his mouth. Taking a sip of soda you nodded, “Yeah though not for long. I’ll be moving here pretty soon,” you grinned. “Oh really, where are you comin’ from?” Leonard asked eyes lighting up thrilled at the prospect of you living in Georgia, “Seattle, I’m a paramedic,” you said with a smile. 

The conversation flowed easily; jumping from topic to topic. Leonard talked about how he was a doctor at Atlanta General and then you told him about the adventures from your profession. It would have flowed endlessly but the waitress walked over to your table saying that they were closing up soon; she smiled prettily at Leonard hoping he would take notice but he simply gave her a polite smile and paid for the meal. 

Once the bill was paid and a generous tip was left Leonard helped you into your jacket. He grabbed both your bags and he shot down your protests. Walking to the door you were about to open it when he beat you to it. “And they said chivalry is dead,” you murmured with a crooked smile. “Sweetheart my momma would kill me if I didn’t treat you like a lady,” McCoy flirted as he walked you to your car. "Your mom is a smart woman," you chuckled. You took the shopping bags from Leonard and stowed them away into the trunk of your rental, turning you held out your hand “Lemme see your phone,” you giggled when he gave a confused look. He wordlessly handed it to you and watched as you added your number to his contact information. Taking a picture of yourself you saved it as one of his favorites before giving it back. “There now you can get ahold of me, you know in case you need help getting the Hunger Games or something. Though I don’t think the Brenda's of the world would appreciate it,” you grinned. Leonard snorted a laugh as he pocketed his phone again, “Okay Katniss,” he sassed opening your car door. Your grin grew bigger, “Doctor I am impressed,” you gasped placing a hand over your heart dramatically. McCoy’s laugh echoed across the almost empty parking lot; getting in the car you shut the door and started the engine quickly so you could roll down the window. “Well my girl likes books so I’ve been kept up to date on her latest favorites,” he said leaning down resting his forearm just above the window. “She sounds like an amazing girl,” you whispered with a soft smile, Leonard’s dark hazel eyes twinkled in the street light you were parked under. “She truly is,” he murmured back. The air became thick and full of something you couldn’t place, Leonard cleared his throat leaning back. “You should get going, your family is going to worry,” he sighed not wanting to see you go. Your smile turned sad, “Yeah my brother will have a fit,” you agreed, glaring at the car's dash clock. You said your "Goodbyes" and you were soon on your way back to your brother’s home with a lot of things on your mind; a handsome doctor being one of them. 

The very next day you sat on your bedroom floor with a slew of presents waiting to be wrapped. Grumbling to yourself you struggled and fought with the wrapping paper, “Fold damnit!” you growled, voice muffled by the disposable tape dispenser in between your teeth. Your phone began to vibrate on the floor causing it to skitter in place, cursing you held the paper in place with one hand while the other grabbed the device. “H’lo,” your voice was muffled again. Rolling your eyes at your own stupidity you spat out the tape and tried again, “hello?” there was a deep chuckle from the other end. “(Y/N) it’s Leonard,” you sat up straighter a smile spreading across your face. “Len hey!” you greeted voice light, “I was wondering what your plans are for New Year’s Eve?” Leonard asked sounding nervous. ‘My god he’s adorable,’ you thought dreamily, “I’m not doing much just packing to head back to Seattle so I can then pack again to head back here,” you chuckled and facepalmed due to your ‘lameness,’ 

“I was uh- wonderin’ if you’d like to spend the day with me?” he asked making you scream internally, “Yeah I would love to,” you said hoping to not sound desperate. You heard a whispered voice in the background, “awesome Bones!” it said encouragingly. You bit your lip to keep from snickering. “I- uh that’s great! I’ll message you the details in a little bit!” Leonard said clearly smiling. “Daddy, can you help me with my braid?” the voice of a little girl hit your ear.  ‘That must be Joanna,’ your heart warmed, “I have to go but I’ll talk to you soon,” Leonard promised lowly making you chuckle. “Okay Len, talk to you then,” you set your phone down and took a deep breath. “I think I’m going to really like it here,” you murmured to the butterflies fluttering around in your chest and stomach. 

Tags:

@thottiewithashotgun

@lauraaan182

@writerdee1701

@dw-writes

@marvelouslytrekking

@spenceneedsahug

[omeliashepherdhunt]

Clarity and Closure

Ch. 2

A little late, and a little short, but life got really chaotic for a while and it took a while for writer’s block to go away. I’d love any feedback or reblogs. Enjoy!

“Welcome to LaGuardia, thank you for flying Southwest.”

The long flight with a 10 month old baby was enough to do Amelia in and the trip really hadn’t even began.

Leo was asleep in the baby carrier strapped to Amelia’s chest. All he wanted was Amelia and she was finally able to get him to doze off about twenty minutes before they landed. They had no clue if he’d stay asleep when they transferred him to his car seat in the rental car but either way it had to be done.

After baggage claim and checking out the rental, they were happy to get on the road. It was 6 p.m in New York which meant it was 3 p.m back home. Owen thought it would be best to not get Leo’s sleep schedule messed up so they would still be going by Seattle’s times.

“Where to first?”

“362 Rosalind Road. Queens NY. That’s my mom’s house.”

Owen typed it into the car’s GPS and forced out a smile for Amelia.

“Does she know we are coming?”

“No. I reached out to my niece Brooklyn, Lizzie’s oldest daughter. She lives with Mom because Nancy kicked her out for not going to college. Brooklyn said she’d be home tonight.”

“Okay, good. Maybe with Brooklyn and Leo there, she won’t be too upset we are just dropping in.”

Their 35 minute drive from the airport to Carolyn’s house was tense. Amelia hardly had anything to say and Owen tried his best to be there for her but to give her space. She hadn’t seen her mom in many years. This would be a huge deal.

“We’re here. Should I carry Leo or do you want to?”

“I will. Hopefully holding him can help keep me calm. He makes everything better.”

With Amelia’s arms full of young toddler, Owen rang the door bell. In less than 30 seconds, a young Shepherd opened the door.

“Aunt Amelia! Hi! Look at you. You look so great. Nana just got done putting away dinner. Come inside, I know it’s cold.”

Owen was amazed at how much Brooklyn looked like Amelia. The Shepherd genes were incredibly strong he had come to know and instantly his mind wandered to thinking of what their future kids would look like. Surely they’d resemble Amelia probably more than they would him.

“Brooklyn... the last time I saw you, you had no front teeth. You’ve grown up and look so much like your favorite aunt.”

Brooklyn smiled a dimpled smile that mimicked Amelia’s almost perfectly.

“That is probably what keeps my mom and Nana up at night.”

Just then, Carolyn Shepherd came from around the corner and stopped dead in her tracks.

“Amelia?”

“Hi mom.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see you. It’s been a long time.”

It was too hard to read all of the emotions in the room. Carolyn looked less than pleased.

“Come sit down. I’ll get everyone some water.”

Owen followed Amelia and Brooklyn into the living room and sat beside her so he could hold her hand for support. Carolyn reappeared shortly after with four glasses of water.

“Owen, it’s nice to see you again. I’m a little surprised you two are still married. Amelia has never been able to stay with anyone for more than a few months.”

Neither of them were willing to tell Carolyn that technically they were divorced but now back together again.

“Mom. I’m not sure that really matters. We are happy together. This is Leo, our son. He’s almost one and the most amazing baby there is.”

“He is cute. I’m not sure which one of you he looks like.”

“He can resemble me a little but he isn’t our biologically. We actually just adopted him.”

Carolyn was taken back. She never expected Amelia to mature to such a level she willingly would adopt someone else’s baby.

“So what did you come here for? You make more money than I get paid from social security so I hope it isn’t about that. I can’t support any drug habit of yours.”

“Umm, no. I don’t need money. I’ve been sober for years. I wish you could move past that.”

“That’s a bold wish to have. Stuff like that just doesn’t go away. You have stayed away for 11 years and now you want to reappear with a husband and baby? It doesn’t get to be that easy for you.”

Amelia could feel her heart pounding in her chest. She couldn’t believe this would happen.

“Mom, I didn’t just stay away. I always tried to call or text you. You never bothered to respond. I invited you to my wedding. I cried and begged and pleaded for you to come.”

“I have a dead husband and a dead son. I am protecting myself because if you overdose, I cannot be destroyed over it. I’ve lost too much. I won’t apologize for protecting myself. ”

“Wow, okay. Clearly coming here was a terrible idea. You’re mad at me for your own choices.”

“Of course I’m mad! You think after all these years you can just come waltzing back into our lives? You made the decision to stay away!”

And so the night kept getting worse...

“You’re very delusional if that is truly what you believe happened.”

Carolyn let out a sarcastic snort.

“I’m not the delusional one. I wasn’t the one on and off drugs for half her life!”

Brooklyn jumped up from her chair, utterly shocked her grandmother could be so cruel to her aunt.

“Nana, please stop!”

Amelia was the next one to stand with a very confused Leo in her arms, looking around to try to figure out why all of the grown ups were so upset. Amelia’s bottom lip started to quiver and she knew her voice would start to break.

“I can take you doing and saying a lot of things to me but I won’t take it from you in front of my husband or my own son! Dad and Derek are rolling in their graves right now without a doubt. You’re an empty shell of a mother and as vain and unforgiving as they come. Eleven years wasn’t nearly enough time to stay away. I wish you the best but I’m done. Leo and any other kids I may have don’t deserve to have such a hateful grandmother in their lives. He won’t ever grow up knowing who you are. Goodbye mother.”

Owen watched Amelia storm outside and quickly tried to gather her purse and the diaper bag so that they could leave.

“You know... Amelia coming here to try to patch things up with you was a really big deal. It’s a shame you don’t treat her with the same grace you do your other daughters.”

Owen grabbed their stuff and basically jogged back to the rental car.

“Wait! Aunt Amelia, can I come stay with you?”

Brooklyn had her purse in hand and looked desperate to get out of there. Amelia closed the door from buckling Leo back in and forced out her best smile even with her watery eyes.

“Of course Brook. Come on, we are staying in a suite so you’ll have your own bed and not be right on top of me and Owen.”

“Thank you so much.”

.

With their bellies full from amazing room service food, everyone got settled in for bed. It didn’t take Brooklyn long to fall asleep on her bed in the living room area of the suite along with Leo who was fast asleep in his pack and play next to her. Amelia was grateful they had a bedroom private to them because she needed a good cry and didn’t want to disturb her niece or her son. Brooklyn had filled them in on all the awful stuff the family had said about Amelia through all the years. They were even told about Nancy kicking Brooklyn out for not going to college and that even Carolyn was hesitant to take her in if she wasn’t going to be doing something with her life. Shepherds went to college. It was basically a rule. Brooklyn preferred to enter the work force immediately which was a taboo choice.

Owen took one look at Amelia and instantly his heart ached. She looked so small all curled up on her side, hugging her knees to her chest. He wish he could take all of her pain away... She deserved so much love and happiness. He had been so awful to her for so long and he hated how it made him feel now which made it even harder to think about how terrible he made Amelia feel. She was his Amelia— the kick ass chief of neurosurgery, smart, beautiful, and so damn sexy, protective and loyal to both him and their son. She was everything to him and now he saw that even clearer than before.

“Amelia?”

“What?”

“You can lay with me, you know...”

“I want to be strong. I’m just not. I feel like I’ve simultaneously been slapped across the face and punched in the stomach. I definitely got the closure I needed from my mom. I just didn’t expect it to hurt so much.”

Owen gently pulled Amelia to his chest and tucked a piece of her soft chocolatey hair behind her ear so he could see her face. Her eyes were still glistening with tears which made Owen want to trade places with her even more. In one swift movement, he turned her over and held her closely to his warm chest. Instantly that opened the floodgates and Amelia lost all composure. Her sobs were muffled by his shirt and he tried his best to console her. Kissing the top of her head, wiping tears as they fell, or rubbing her back— whatever it took, he would do.

“You may not feel strong right now but you are by far the strongest person I have ever met. I’m not just saying that either. You’re a freaking superhero. You’re going to be okay. I’m right here for you, and I always will be.”

[geneshaven]

The House On Hamlin Street

I wanted to briefly step out of my Olicity Fanfiction comfort zone and offer the following short story. As I mentioned a couple posts ago, I’ve recently started going to therapy, and this is kind of a cause and effect of that. Five years ago, I made a trip back to the neighborhood and the house I lived in when I was ten. When I got back, I wrote this tale. I thought it was okay, yet when I was finished, I stuffed it into a drawer in my desk and forgot about it.

So if I may…I want to share this with those of you out there who enjoy reading and writing. You know who you are.

 My plane landed at the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, California just after 2:00pm. It was the first time in forty-three years I had set foot in the San Fernando Valley. As the plane taxied down the runway, I looked out of my window from seat 30F and could see a piece of my past enshrouded in the smog that lay over the land.

Once I disembarked from the 737, I made my way through the tiny terminal and retrieved my luggage and my rental car. Twenty minutes later, I steered a fairly new Ford Expedition onto North Hollywood Way.

I had a map spread out on the seat next to me. I turned west onto Sherman Way and drove deeper into my old neighborhood. I passed by strip malls and various fast food joints, places that had not yet found their foothold when I was last in the area. I was only ten then, and the congested activity on those blocks seemed like a world of their own. Sherman Way stretched on forever, and as I thought back to that ten-year old boy, I could remember how far I thought the street seemed to go. It always made me feel lost and a long way from home.

Finally, I reached Coldwater Canyon Blvd. My ultimate destination was rapidly approaching. As I turned south, I could feel a light flutter of anticipation in my stomach. It was only a couple more miles to Hamlin Street. Would the house still be there? God, I hope so.

Six blocks before my turn off, Coldwater Canyon Elementary school came into view. The school looked just as I remembered it; albeit a lot smaller, but back then it was a vast jungle of classroom bungalows and wide playgrounds. A sudden memory of my first fistfight flashed in my mind. I saw a crowd of kids circled around my opponent and me. We were clenched in headlocks, the standard strategy for fifth graders back then. Damn, I can’t think of what that kid’s name was----Robert or Russell. I do remember this person had given me my first black eye. Thinking back to that day, I could almost feel the throbbing above my left eyebrow from the punch I took, and how I had stood within that circle of kids and cried. Shame danced in my heart like a ghost haunting my memories. I would return later and take some pictures, but home was so very close now and I passed my old school without another thought.

Hamlin Street came up next and I turned left. Two blocks down, at the corner of Alcove Street, I finally reached my goal. I was amazed that I could still find my way home after forty-three years. Relief surged through me as I pulled up to the curb across from my boyhood home. It was still there. A stone wall had been built around the perimeter of the front yard, but essentially nothing had changed. I noticed that the street sign on the corner was the same one that stood there all those years ago. Sure, it was weathered and faded and it leaned a bit to the right, but I could still read the letters through the dents in its surface. A smile stretched my mouth as I remembered those times I had thrown rocks at the sign.

Looking out the windshield of my Expedition, I was suddenly ten-years old again. More memories took hold of me and guided my mind back to the summer of 1970.  School would be letting out and the warm days ahead would be filled with high adventures. There were dirt wars in my backyard, green plastic soldiers arranged in attack formations and ready to wipe out Charlie and his communist evil. Little League would be starting up and I would be in the outfield shagging pop-ups with the odor of freshly mowed grass wafting all around. My mother would be in our kitchen making Kool-Aid popsicles and dad would be out in the garage tuning up his old Indian motorcycle, getting ready to take me on a ride out to the Mojave Desert. My best friend, Dave Munson, would come over and we would go down Victory Blvd to Matt and Tony’s Sub Shop, where two dollars would get us two meatball subs with a dime left over for the jukebox.

They were nice memories. Unfortunately, they were completed fantasy. I have spent all these years hidden behind their softness, away from the pain and loss that I really lived with that long, dark summer. There were no adventures, no green plastic soldiers or Little League. Mom didn’t make those popsicles and dad never did take me on that ride to the desert. Dave never came by and we didn’t have any meatball subs or listen to Steppenwolf play Born to be Wild on the jukebox.

No, that summer was the year my parents were killed, smashed up on the highway when a truck driver with too much coffee and not enough sleep drifted over the white line and ended their lives, along with my innocence.

As these memories held me, I did not notice the front door of my old house open or see the elderly Asian couple step out onto the porch. Nostalgic tears threatened to streak down my cheeks. Finally, through those pools of mist, I saw the couple moving out front. They were gazing my way and the old man pointed at my rental. It suddenly occurred to me that my presence there on the street might appear mysterious, perhaps even sinister to the old couple. I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat and opened my door. I would go over and explain why I was there.

As I crossed the street and approached the house, the Asian couple seemed to stiffen with fear, watching this strange white man walk towards them, about to disrupt their simple lives. The old man stepped forward, as if he was prepared to protect his wife from the evils of the world---definitely from one stranger who did not belong in their driveway.

“Can I help you,” the man warily asked me?

I shook my head. “I’m sorry,” I replied. “I don’t mean to intrude, but…I, uh well…I used to live here when I was a boy.”

The fear and suspicion in the couple’s eyes fell away. The woman actually smiled at me and the  man quit his protectiveness and returned to her side.

“Is that right,” the woman responded? “How long ago was that?”

I shook my head again and sighed. “Forty-three years,” I answered.

“Wow,” the old man marveled. “Forty-three years, huh? You haven’t been back here since then?”

I nodded. “That’s right.”

Then the woman spoke and completely blew me away. “Would you like to come inside and look around?”

Just before I left Seattle to make this trip, I remember telling my wife Shelia how great it would be if the house was still there and wouldn’t it be a gas if I could actually go inside and look around. She smiled at me, but did not respond; perhaps still a little angry at me for insisting she not come. I guess it was some crazy macho need I had to face all of this alone. So when the old woman offered me that look inside, I felt some guilt for denying Shelia the chance to share some of my past with me.

However, standing there on the front porch of the house of Hamlin Street, I also felt some decorum, a cursory show of manners. I heard myself decline the woman’s invitation. “No, I don’t want to impose on you. It is enough just to see the place again.”

“Nonsense,” the woman replied. “My husband and I would be happy to have you come inside and see your childhood again.” She paused with a sudden distant look in her eyes. “You know,” she went on. “It has been too long since we have been home as well. We met as kids living in our village back in Japan. Gosh, that was sixty-years ago.”

Gratitude swelled in my heart and I was almost moved to tears again. Suddenly, I wanted to know these two people, thank them by their proper names. “Thank you so much,” my voice croaked. I reached my hand out to the woman. “I’m Roy. Roy Banner.”

She took my hand in her leathery grip. “Roy, it is nice to meet you. I am Keiko. My husband’s name is Shiro. Please come inside.”

She turned to enter the house. I followed them inside. When I passed over the threshold, it felt like I had crossed through a time warp. We stood in the living room, and as I gazed around its small but cozy confines, a sudden image of me stretched out on the floor in front of our Magnavox TV slammed into my brain. I actually took a couple steps backward. The memory was very vivid and it was easy to imagine the theme songs for Gilligan’s Island or the Brady Bunch echoing in the stillness of the room. Keiko and Shiro merely stood off to one side and let me wonder at all those years gone by---which suddenly seemed like no time at all.

I didn’t want to be rude, but I was compelled to move further into the house. I turned around and saw the hallway that led back to my old bedroom. It was only a few steps away, but again, through the eyes of a child, it seemed to stretch into infinity. I was barely aware of myself walking to the end of it. When I finally did arrive at the bedroom door, a hush seemed to settle in the air, as if the act of opening that door would bring an audience of angels. I held my breath and turned the doorknob.

I stood silent for a few seconds. I gazed about the room, overcome with so many images. I did not see the modern furniture the old couple had decorated with. Instead, I saw my old bed stretched below the window, filled with boyhood dreams. Over in the corner, my scarred desk sat on the floor…Peanuts comic book and Hardy Boys mysteries scattered on top of it. My dresser sat just inside the door---more childhood bric-a-brac cluttered on its tarnished surface. Finally, I turned to face the closet. The real reason I so badly wanted to have a look around was hopefully still inside. Would it still be there? I moved over and softly slid the closet door open.

When I was nine, I found a small hole in the back of the closet---a mouse had left it there. I widened it and fashioned a door to cover that space. It was my secret place, where I hid some of my more treasured items as a boy. When that awful summer of 1970 ended and I was forced to go live with my aunt, I completely forgot about my hiding place. Over the years I had many dreams of that house, and in one of them, I remembered the hole in the wall. As I stood there in the semi-darkness, I reached my hand down and felt along the back of the closet. Slowly, I hunkered down and found the latch. I reached inside and felt the valuable trinkets I buried there forty-three years ago.

I first pulled out an old tin box. A sheen of dust lay on it, thick and undisturbed. I opened the lid and my father’s voice suddenly spoke in my head, as if a radio had been turned on.

“Here Roy. My dad gave me these when I was just about your age.” He handed me five silver-colored coins. They dropped into my hand, clinking together with a dull sound. “During World War 2, they used steel pennies instead of copper, which was needed for other things, you know, to supply the war effort. I guess they’re not worth much today, but when you get older, perhaps time will bring them more value.”

I took the pennies out of the tin box and hefted them in my hand. Yes, dad was right. They were valuable now, but more than monetary worth. I reached back inside the hole and brought out the next item. It was the baseball I had caught in foul ball territory out at Dodger Stadium back in 1969.  Turning it over in my hand, the signatures on it were a little faded but still there: Steve Garvey, Ron Cey, Don Sutton, Maury Wills. Those names are now collector’s items.

Finally, I took the last item out. It was wrapped in silk handkerchief.  I unfolded the cloth. The Saint Christopher’s medallion my mother used to wear lay inside. I remembered that I had taken it from her jewelry box the day after she died and squirreled it away in my secret place, as if it were a sacred token from beyond the grave. I knelt there in my old closet and began to cry. It was so good to be home. After ten minutes or so, I wiped my eyes and stood, walking out of my old room.

Keiko and Shiro were still waiting for me in the living room when I returned. I suddenly felt guilty in their presence, holding my plunder as if I had stolen something of theirs. But when I looked in their eyes, I knew I had nothing to worry about.

“Roy,” Shiro softly spoke. “We found your hiding place shortly after we moved in here. You should know that we are the only people who have lived here since you moved away. We did not disturb those things you are holding in your hand. We believe there is something honorable about a little boy’s secrets, don’t you?”

I could only stand there and look at them as if they were part of that audience of angels I had imagined. Fresh tears rolled down my face. I went over to my new friends and hugged them, as if I finally had that one chance I missed to say goodbye to my parents.

They hugged me back.

*

It’s been three weeks since I got back from California. Sitting here in the quiet ambiance surrounding my desk, I close my eyes and think about what I’ve written. Shelia is taking a nap, having sensed that I wanted to be alone for a couple of hours. I can hear Troublesome Creek outside my window, speaking to me in its white water voice. Since I returned, I have brief moments when the tranquility of our house seems out of place, as if the noise and pollution of Southern California feels more right to me. Before I left, I gave Keiko and Shiro my address and asked them if they would write me once in a while, to keep me up to date on the old neighborhood. I really don’t expect them to. When I climbed into my Expedition and drove away, I knew I would probably never return to the house on Hamlin Street.

In a couple of hours, my son Trevor will be home from school. I still haven’t mentioned to my family about the things I found in the back of my closet. I think today I will finally share them with my boy, and perhaps together we will appreciate the wonderful time it is being ten-years old.

@memcjo @it-was-a-red-heeler @swordandarrow @hope-for-olicity @almondblossomme @blondeeoneexox @miriam1779

[viewfromthedrumstool]

USA Tour, day 16

Our final internal flight is from Seattle down to California and it’s a much more casual affair than flying international. Sat on the back row next to Lynn from Taiwan I trace the course of the Pacific coast, a clear view in a cloudless sky through the starboard porthole.

Back on Californian soil! I was last here a year ago with my pal Willie J Healey. He and the boys are back out on tour in the UK with Sundara Karma as we speak and as lucky as I am to be here I am missing the craic with the laddies. But I’ll be seeing them soon for the last couple of dates.

Meanwhile back in San Fran the air is warm and there’s a wonderful softness to the light. It’s another city that needs to be seen to be believed - the streets slope up at gravity defying angles (has anyone played Crazy Taxi?) and I hope the park brake on the rental van is secure...

We check in at the Casa Loma Hotel on Fillmore Street, one of the less glamorous residences of the tour but probably my favourite: it’s rich in California vibe and strikingly similar in name and ambience to the Alta Loma from Ask The Dust by John Fante.

However the wonky floor and sloping beds combined with the rolling San Fran streetscape meant I’d have to wait until we were beyond the city limits before I would really know which way was up again.

JMac (FOH) finds a restaurant a few blocks north and some of us head down the hill for dinner. The Alamo Square Seafood Grill is a family owned fish joint and the waitress does a glorious job of remembering all 6 of our starter, main, dessert and wine selections by memory. I have pear salad, grilled snapper and split a peach cobbler and a floating island with Gerard washed down with a few glasses of Napa Valley Grenache. The food is probably the bestest freshest of the tour so far and the restaurant is the perfect blend of quality fare and fine wine but with a comfortable casual atmosphere.

Afterwards we head back up towards the hotel and stumble across ‘Originals Vinyl’ on the corner of Fillmore and Hayes.

Watching Bob Stanley in a record store is witnessing Bob Stanley in his natural habitat. He fingers the records with speed and finesse, his digits rifling rapidly through the racks, eyes scanning the sleeve and his brain computing and analysing the results, cross-referencing artist, issue and condition against his mammoth internal database.

A sparkle in his eye - and his haul of 12″s tucked firmly under his arm (I hear rumours that his house started subsiding on the end that he kept his record collection...) - he leaps between Country and Soul, pauses over Rock to recommend me a Louden Wainwright III, before darting to Disco to dig out that illusive early Bee Gees seven-inch. There’s something almost athletic about his manner, and it’s clear I’m witnessing a master: like watching Picasso paint, Ronaldo in the air or Taylor at the oche.

The rest of the evening I spend back in the casa with the windows open, the cool Cali evening air wafting gently while the Yankees play the Twins on the TV.

Awaken the following morning to a room bathed in soft California sunlight that streaks through the blinds and bounces about every white surface. Gerard, Silvia, James and myself head first to ‘Brenda’s Meat & 3 Three’ for a southern-style breakfast followed by a long walk to the northern coast of the San Fran Peninsula, heading down Fillmore Street, west on Broadway, down the Lyon Street Steps, through Presidio park eventually emerging to gasps and guffaws beside the Golden Gate Bridge.

Yonder to our gig and it’s our biggest show of the tour at the iconic Fillmore. They have a tradition of designing custom posters for shows at the venue and much of the interior wall space is filled with the colourful pieces - the Grateful Dead, Tom Petty, Led Zeppelin, and The Who. Wilco, Sigur Ros, Radiohead, and among them even two for past Saint Etienne shows...!

Afore the show JMac and myself head out to catch the thrilling finale of the Diamondbacks/Rockies wildcard game but have to leave before it ends to catch Shawn Lee’s set. Shawn produced St Et’s recent ‘Home Counties’ album and will be supporting for the final three shows of the tour.

Sarah is in fine voice tonight and we have one of the best shows of the tour. It’s a touching moment when she hands her feather bower to a fan on the front row while all around him celebrate his acquisition and share in his joy. I felt like I was witnessing the very happiest moment of someone’s life and it is was a poignant reminder of just how much these gigs mean to people (another fan turned up in a home-made embroidered ‘Saint Etienne - Home Counties’ denim jacket!).

After the show Pete, John and myself head across the road to the Boom Boom Bar which is a classic dark Cali dive bar where the unseen of San Franciscan society gather to dance to the fantastic house band, a five-piece who’ve been playing here for twenty years. Pete has a hazy deja vu of a night in the same bar some years earlier and I swear there’s a twinkle of recognition in the bass players eye when he spots him sipping a Mojito on the dance floor...

Arise early, a little more shabby than normal, for the long drive down to Pomona Valley, in Los Angeles County. It’s a 6 1/2 hour drive (without LA traffic...), 410 miles: about the distance from London to Glasgow!

Stop at Denny’s for a round of their signature ‘Sizzlers’ followed by a gas station in the middle of Hicksville, CA that sells bumper stickers that say things like “Trump the chumps”, “Obamacare makes me sick” and “One Big Ass Mistake America”...

Continue south to a soundtrack of Jackson Browne. Fruit fields, oil derricks, farm land, a fleeting glimpse of a real-life twister and then more endless brush while an epic hazy mountain skyline scrolls slowly left to right on the horizon like a painted Hollywood movie backdrop.

Eventually the road rises up; traverse a final scenic mountain range; softly softly the rural becomes urban and finally we drop down via the I-5 into the Greater Los Angeles Area.

See signs for Santa Fe, San Bernardino and and Santa Barbara. Something called The Garlic Crab and something called Lemon Cuisine Of India. Pass the Rosebowl as featured in Depeche Mode’s 101 and the Santa Anita Raceway, Bukowski’s favourite track. Moments, snapshots, and characters from all of the greats: Paris, Texas, The Graduate, The Maltese Falcon.

A glimpse of a college football game. Modern American architecture and apartment buildings with communal pools. The LA river. Shopping plazas and strip malls. Interstate 10 and Highway 71. ARCO, Texaco, Petco, and AAMCO; hotels, motels, 7Eleven and Circle K. Endless suburbia, the most epic of all sprawling metropoli, people and their stories everywhere you look. The Tortilla Curtain; Columbo. Liquor stores and a coin laundry. Pawn shops, gun shops, El Pollo Loco. ‘Cadillacs of Crestview’. Palm tree upon palm tree and long shadows on pastel grey sidewalks.

It’s been a long day and it’s not over yet as we round a final No Right On Red and greet the stylish Glasshouse venue! Yours at last from LA, MM

(Middle pic by James Ball! Thanks James)

[partybabyseattle]

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[nightmare-afton-cosplay]

Search for Amazon HQ2 Sparks Real Estate Speculation

Jeff Greenberg/UIG via Getty Images

Plenty of real-estate investors are poised to buy property in whichever city Amazon.com Inc. picks for its second headquarters. Some aren’t waiting.

Speculators are raising funds to invest in real estate near the winning site—wherever that may be—or are gathering cash commitments so they can pounce immediately after the winner is announced. Others are buying up shares of a real-estate firm that owns much of the property in a north Virginia city that many consider a leading contender.

These investors say that focusing on potential Amazon sites is a way to bet broadly on fast-growth areas, especially those with a growing pool of tech talent.

“HQ2 is guaranteed to meet three criteria: tech job growth, tech job growth and tech job growth,” said Bryan Copley, co-founder of the Seattle-based real-estate startup CityBldr, using a shorthand for Amazon’s second headquarters.

Mr. Copley is raising $100 million for a fund that will buy residential property in Seattle, Los Angeles and whichever city wins Amazon’s second headquarters.

The Seattle-based online giant said last year it was looking to invest $5 billion in a second headquarters that could employ up to 50,000 people over two decades. After 238 cities and towns applied, Amazon narrowed a list to 20 finalists in January.

The list of 20 finalists includes cities like New York and Los Angeles as well as budding metro areas that are attracting tech talent, like Denver, Pittsburgh and Nashville, Tenn.

The rush to invest in the winning city is a result of Amazon’s unorthodox approach to its search for a second home. Amazon chose a highly public process, which is leaving room for speculators to place their bets. Usually, companies keep the search quiet for as long as they can, economic development analysts say.

Since metro areas are pitching specific sites and even suggesting certain properties for Amazon’s new headquarters, it is as if they have been drawing up maps for real estate buyers to target. Some investors are investing in sites they think Amazon might desire; others are betting on ripple effects such as increased demand in neighborhoods around a new headquarters.

Mr. Copley says with proprietary software he can pick the most underutilized properties in any city. It will take him five minutes to narrow down the best 500 multifamily investments once Amazon announces a winning city, he added. Then he’s going to make offers on many of them and hope he can get at least a few to bite.

Others are placing their wagers now. Ryan Dobratz, co-lead portfolio manager of Third Avenue Real Estate Value Fund, thinks the greater Washington, D.C., area has the best shot of winning, in particular the Crystal City neighborhood of Arlington, Va.

His firm has been buying shares of JBG Smith Properties, a real-estate investment trust that owns much of the commercial real estate near the Crystal City site that northern Virginia officials proposed for Amazon’s second headquarters. JBG declined to comment.

JBG’s concentration in Crystal City likely has powered its stock higher despite a soft office market for the area overall, according to a report from research firm Green Street Advisors.

JBG’s Crystal City holdings make it “the most ‘direct’ way to play the Amazon lottery among office REITs,” the report said.

Sales-price growth on residential properties in 10 of the counties on Amazon’s short list increased 7% year over year in July compared with a 4% rise in July 2017, according to Realtor.com. (The website is operated by News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal, under license from the National Association of Realtors.)

Pittsburgh’s selection as a finalist helped boost a market that already had drawn investor interest, said David Cunningham, a retired firefighter and owner of rental properties in the Hazelwood neighborhood, which is near a former steel-production site considered a possible Amazon location.

Mr. Cunningham said he receives many more calls from interested buyers since Amazon announced the finalists, and the offers have never been higher. Amazon “blew the dust off Hazelwood,” he said, adding there are other factors, like proximity to universities and downtown.

Other high-profile tech headquarters searches have triggered a real-estate shopping spree. Uber Inc. bought the old Sears building in Oakland, Calif., in 2015 and turned it into a 356,000 square-foot office space, Uptown Station, that was planned as a new headquarters for the ride-sharing firm. It was a big win for Oakland, which was starting to attract large technology employers from San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Investors followed.

Uber sold the building for about $180 million in 2017, without ever moving in, during a scandal-plagued year. Still, many other investments in Oakland have paid off, since the area has continued to grow.

Erick Quay, who runs a hedge fund in New York called Quay Capital, plans to invest within the first six months of an Amazon announcement. He’s betting prices won’t move much right away, and said he would pass on investing in the winner if he doesn’t find the right opportunity.

Craig Kinzer thinks gaming Amazon’s headquarters is too risky. The founder of the real-estate firm Kinzer Partners said he heard a pitch from CityBldr’s Mr. Copley and found it “compelling.” But he ultimately declined to invest.

“Real estate is local,” he said. “You can be a national company, but ultimately it is about really understanding what’s on the ground locally.”

The post Search for Amazon HQ2 Sparks Real Estate Speculation appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

from https://www.realtor.com/news/trends/search-amazon-hq2-sparks-real-estate-speculation/

[wardlow]

I mean, I could argue if you want? *chuckles* Oh no, don’t touch me. *laughs, kissing you again*

•laughs, sliding my fingers into your shorts to pull you close, grabbing your back side. We kiss again and I step back, breaking the kiss as I lay back on the bed•

[a few days later, we pack everyone up and fly to Seattle to my parents house…]

•pulls the rental truck up to the garage after driving up the long winding driveway. My sister stands at the door of the tri-door building smiling and waving. She runs over as we park in front of the door she signals to. Gets out of the truck and steps back as she tackles me• Dani, good to see you. Wanna let go so I can get your nephews out? •looks at you as you step to the back, opening the door, picking up a sleeping Rylan and letting Aly out. Dani lets go of me and helps me take Alex and Matty out. My mom comes out and excitedly says hello and insists we see the garage apartment. Carrying a sleeping Rylan, I take Matty and Dani walks with Alex, we follow my mom up the stairs into the apartment. We walk into a fully furnished and finished living room• Holy crap mom, it’s completed! I mean it was half done but you really whipped them into shape. We look around the warm grey room, finished in farmhouse elements. The living room opens to an smaller dining room area to an open kitchen with whites, greys and black, a large counter island sits in the center with dark cabinets. My mom happily explains where stuff is as she shows us around. She opens the fridge taking out a juice box and hands it to Alex who happily takes it. She shows us the high chairs for the kids and walks us down the all to the left of the kitchen. There’s two bedrooms, one in soft purples for Aly and another in blues for the boys. Three twin beds with railings take up one wall evenly spaced with each of their first name initials above the bed. There’s toys against the wall as well as multiple dress up costumes for them to play with• Mom this is insane! I can’t believe this! •Alex wiggles out of Dani’s arms and starts pulling at the toys. You get Rylan in a bed, making sure he’s settled. My mom leads us past the bathroom for that side of the apartment across the kitchen to the right side to the master bedroom done in all warm colors of grey with a large king size bed in the center of the main wall covered in shiplap wood. She shows us the bathroom with a large shower stall and brings us back out to the main room.• I can’t believe you guys did this. •my dad walks in smiling wide catching Alex as jumps at him• Dad this is amazing. We might never leave. •laughs. My mom tells Alex that there’s more toys at the main house and he insists they go. She tells us dinner will be at 7, so we should rest. Matty yawns and I say we should get him in for a nap. My mom and Dad take Alex and Aly takes Matty to get him in for a nap.

We head down and take all our suitcases in with help from my sister. She sits and hangs for a few before she gets a call and head back to the main house. I kick my shoes off and look at you• Well. We’ve certainly moved up from the boathouse huh? I kinda miss that a little. Wanna go over there? Aly is here with the twins. •grins•

[wildlyhardphilosopher-blog]

puppy training without treats | crate training your puppy

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puppy training without treats | crate training your puppy

See the visual Course Guide. Golden Retriever Try to avoid using treats. This will eliminate him stopping halfway so he can get the treat and then finish inside. Tuition is $199 per student for a group of five or more who enroll at the same time. E-mail support@karenpryoracademy.com to set up your group. Scholarships This item:Puppy Training: How To Train a Puppy: A Step-by-Step Guide to Positive Puppy Training (puppy… by Carrie Nichole Paperback $12.47 ASPCA: Urine Marking in Dogs 17 October, 2016 — You’ll know that your puppy is capable of waiting when he is clean and dry most times he is left, even with the puppy pads there. Co-Founders Competitions Make a Leadership Gift How do I complete the course? Toilet training should start as soon as your puppy gets home. Puppies urinate frequently and success in housetraining depends on anticipating their needs – they should be given the opportunity to relieve themselves as often as you can. You can usually tell when a puppy ‘wants to go’ because he or she will look around anxiously, walk in circles and start sniffing in suitable corners looking for a place. That’s your cue to whisk your pet outside. Free Info Food Fun & News Allergies Are you tired of your Golden Retriever puppy leaving puppy “surprises” for you to step on in the middle of the night? If so, this book is for you! Everything you need to know about German Shepherd training and basic obedience. Includes Potty Training, Sit, Stay, Fetch, Drop, Leash Training Housetraining and chewtoy-training will be quick and easy if you adhere to the puppy confinement plan above, which prevents the puppy from making mistakes and prompts the puppy to teach herself household etiquette. If you vary from the program, you will likely experience problems. Unless you enjoy problems, you must reprimand yourself for any mistakes you allow your puppy to make. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Find a Breed Club Until your puppy is totally housebroken, it’s suitable to use “cratebreaking” as a halfway step while you’re out of the house. If your puppy understands that her crate is her “den”, she’s unlikely to soil this space, and so keeping your puppy in a crate while you’re away from home is a great way to avoid any stinky surprises when you return. Palmetto Campus We specialize in Puppy Kindergarten classes where puppies from 9 weeks to 6 months of age learn to be well behaved members of the household. Early training is the single most important factor in your dog becoming a good companion. The clip above shows what unreasonable expectations look like. Remember to set your own expectations at the right level. Your puppy will still have accidents. It sounds bad, but it’s not. It might be because they’re so happy your home. Although your pup may obey commands like “sit” and “stay,” they still may pee a little in sheer excitement. And that’s understandable. Build the relationship & trust between dog & handler Seattle, WA 98107 At the beginning of the potty training process there may not be much of a recognizable routine. This is especially true with very young puppies. At this stage you may often catch them in the middle of going in an inappropriate place. In these situations, whether they are urinating or defecating, you need to be consistent in your actions. ABOUT AKC + Puppy Training: A Step-by-Step Guide to Crate Training, Potty Training, and Obedience Training Kindle Edition You should also consider the Petmate Compass Plastic Kennel , the EliteField 3-Door Soft Dog Crate , the MidWest Life Stages Pet Crate , the ProSelect Empire Dog Cage , and the Crown Pet Crate Table . Peekapoo DONATE NOW + Save 25% on your next order Club Nylabone During this time it’s foolish to allow them on your living room carpets for even a second. By Phone Train your puppy: To walk on a leash Lucky Dog Lessons: Train Your Dog in 7 Days Kindle Edition Barking is a totally natural aspect of a dog’s behavior, but you, your family and your neighbors will be happier if you can bring it under control. Learn how to train your Dog better with this free mini course. youtube Small Dog Daycare Great Jacks Healthy Grain Free Liver Dog Training Treats Healthy Grain Free Liver -… Ah, convenience Habitats & Accessories Jump up ^ Pongrácz, Péter; Á. Miklósi; E. Kubinyi; K. Gurobi; J. Topál; V. Csanyi (2001). “Social learning in dogs: the effect of a human demonstrator on the performance of dogs (Canis familiaris) in a detour task”. Animal Behaviour. 62 (6): 1109–1117. doi:10.1006/anbe.2001.1866. It is very important to begin with puppy training from day 1. If you have purchased your puppy from a breeder who invested lots of time socializing the litter, you are lucky enough to have the work already started for you and will be working with an animal that has great potential. But even if you don’t know how well your puppy’s socialization has been so far, don’t worry; there is a lot that you can do starting now. Observational learning[edit] Kids Clubs Sorry it’s not clear! I try to include everything but my articles get so long that I’m always scared nobody has the time to read them! haha. I will try to edit the article to cover this point, so thank you for showing me the contradiction 🙂 Questions or Comments dogtrainer@quickanddirtytips.com Buy New GEAR & BOOKS PRO PLAN Getting a dog or puppy MyNorthwest Blog Realize the importance of teaching your dog not to bite. If you allow puppy biting, it may get out of control and your puppy will not learn to control his bite. This can lead to serious behavioral issues when your puppy reaches adulthood. If you suspect your puppy is biting out of fear or anger, talk with an animal behavioral therapist, who may be able to help.[9] Use puppy pads in limited areas Charge: Kent mom choked 6th-grade player at girls basketball game Why you’ll love them: With five layers of leak-proof protection and a generous size, Four Paws Wee-Wee Pads are the ultimate puppy training pad. via flickr/wildstray Thrills & Chills Breeder Referral Contacts Training the Best Dog Ever: A 5-Week Program Using the Power of Positive Reinforcement Kindle Edition Put into practice what you’ve read within this guide and with a little patience and dedication you will be able to turn any puppy into a house training champion. my store It’s not their fault, it’s just their immature bodies doing what they do.

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fbq('track', 'ViewContent', content_ids: 'dogtraining.dknol', ); Cleaning Supplies Musical Theory Plus, your puppy may be tempted to repeat the act if the carpet retains some of his scent. To remove both pet stains and odors, you need Rocco & Roxie’s Professional Strength Stain & Odor Eliminator . Using these potty training tips Derby was quickly potty trained Mon. – Friday 8:00am – 6:00pm Essential Bird Equipment In other languages Watch our new video › Read your dog’s body language Puppy Essentials Package Help!! I can’t get my puppy to stop peeing and pooping in the same spot. What type of cleaner do you suggest? I didn’t think about the smell factor that dogs have. Thank you for the article, About Sirius Puppy Training American English Coonhound track your order Please enter a valid code Get our entertainment, dining and things to do newsletter right in your inbox weekly. 21 min read Classes held at our Palmetto Campus find another store Ability to download 24 video lectures from your digital library Best Cat Breeds for People with Allergies Valid 6/3/18 THROUGH 7/31/18 on a training boot camp course at the Petshotel. Proof of current parvovirus, distemper & parainfluenza vaccinations for all dogs is required. We also require proof of current rabies vaccination for any dog over 4 months old. Contra Costa County Resources Africa Studio/Shutterstock Pet Services Careers Help Center Puppy love: your training will be rewarded with unconditional love Credit: Getty Bedding & Litter Facility Rental Playtime and training Do not leave children alone with a new pup. Inevitably, the pup will view small children as a littermate. They will nip, jump and begin to seek dominance and a pecking order. If you mean the dog door, then use a bell as one way to train your dog to go outside on its own. The bell will be rung by you when you open the door to signal it is time to go use the bathroom. Over time, your dog may use the bell itself to call you to open the door for it. This will take a while and it is one way to do it before introducing the dog door. Understanding barking and whining My WebMD Pages 7 Easy Steps on How You Can Teach Puppy to Wait or Stay Parents have an obligation and should not assume that the mix of children, dogs and pups does not need supervision. Children lack adult judgment, therefore all child-dog interactions should be monitored and yes, there will be times when you will have to protect the pup from children and vice-versa. Book Online Getting A New Dog By Erika Mansourian Questions About Your Pet? Weight To play the Name Game, all you do is say your puppy’s name and wait. Nothing more. When he looks at you (or more realistically, comes bounding toward you) say, “Good boy!” and give him a treat. Wait silently for him to walk away, and repeat. Sign in or sign up and post using a HubPages Network account. SHOP PETPLUS CAT Once you’ve decided that crate training is for you, and which crate suits your canine companion best, it’s time to look at the actual process of crate training your pup. While the length of time it takes to crate train depends on your individual animal, his or her attitude, age, and past experiences, one thing’s for sure: you always want your dog to associate the crate with something pleasant. And even with the best dogs, baby steps are the best way to make this happen. train your puppy | german shepherd puppy training train your puppy | pitbull puppy training train your puppy | puppy training biting Legal | Sitemap

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Search for Amazon HQ2 Sparks Real Estate Speculation

Jeff Greenberg/UIG via Getty Images

Plenty of real-estate investors are poised to buy property in whichever city Amazon.com Inc. picks for its second headquarters. Some aren’t waiting.

Speculators are raising funds to invest in real estate near the winning site—wherever that may be—or are gathering cash commitments so they can pounce immediately after the winner is announced. Others are buying up shares of a real-estate firm that owns much of the property in a north Virginia city that many consider a leading contender.

These investors say that focusing on potential Amazon sites is a way to bet broadly on fast-growth areas, especially those with a growing pool of tech talent.

“HQ2 is guaranteed to meet three criteria: tech job growth, tech job growth and tech job growth,” said Bryan Copley, co-founder of the Seattle-based real-estate startup CityBldr, using a shorthand for Amazon’s second headquarters.

Mr. Copley is raising $100 million for a fund that will buy residential property in Seattle, Los Angeles and whichever city wins Amazon’s second headquarters.

The Seattle-based online giant said last year it was looking to invest $5 billion in a second headquarters that could employ up to 50,000 people over two decades. After 238 cities and towns applied, Amazon narrowed a list to 20 finalists in January.

The list of 20 finalists includes cities like New York and Los Angeles as well as budding metro areas that are attracting tech talent, like Denver, Pittsburgh and Nashville, Tenn.

The rush to invest in the winning city is a result of Amazon’s unorthodox approach to its search for a second home. Amazon chose a highly public process, which is leaving room for speculators to place their bets. Usually, companies keep the search quiet for as long as they can, economic development analysts say.

Since metro areas are pitching specific sites and even suggesting certain properties for Amazon’s new headquarters, it is as if they have been drawing up maps for real estate buyers to target. Some investors are investing in sites they think Amazon might desire; others are betting on ripple effects such as increased demand in neighborhoods around a new headquarters.

Mr. Copley says with proprietary software he can pick the most underutilized properties in any city. It will take him five minutes to narrow down the best 500 multifamily investments once Amazon announces a winning city, he added. Then he’s going to make offers on many of them and hope he can get at least a few to bite.

Others are placing their wagers now. Ryan Dobratz, co-lead portfolio manager of Third Avenue Real Estate Value Fund, thinks the greater Washington, D.C., area has the best shot of winning, in particular the Crystal City neighborhood of Arlington, Va.

His firm has been buying shares of JBG Smith Properties, a real-estate investment trust that owns much of the commercial real estate near the Crystal City site that northern Virginia officials proposed for Amazon’s second headquarters. JBG declined to comment.

JBG’s concentration in Crystal City likely has powered its stock higher despite a soft office market for the area overall, according to a report from research firm Green Street Advisors.

JBG’s Crystal City holdings make it “the most ‘direct’ way to play the Amazon lottery among office REITs,” the report said.

Sales-price growth on residential properties in 10 of the counties on Amazon’s short list increased 7% year over year in July compared with a 4% rise in July 2017, according to Realtor.com. (The website is operated by News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal, under license from the National Association of Realtors.)

Pittsburgh’s selection as a finalist helped boost a market that already had drawn investor interest, said David Cunningham, a retired firefighter and owner of rental properties in the Hazelwood neighborhood, which is near a former steel-production site considered a possible Amazon location.

Mr. Cunningham said he receives many more calls from interested buyers since Amazon announced the finalists, and the offers have never been higher. Amazon “blew the dust off Hazelwood,” he said, adding there are other factors, like proximity to universities and downtown.

Other high-profile tech headquarters searches have triggered a real-estate shopping spree. Uber Inc. bought the old Sears building in Oakland, Calif., in 2015 and turned it into a 356,000 square-foot office space, Uptown Station, that was planned as a new headquarters for the ride-sharing firm. It was a big win for Oakland, which was starting to attract large technology employers from San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Investors followed.

Uber sold the building for about $180 million in 2017, without ever moving in, during a scandal-plagued year. Still, many other investments in Oakland have paid off, since the area has continued to grow.

Erick Quay, who runs a hedge fund in New York called Quay Capital, plans to invest within the first six months of an Amazon announcement. He’s betting prices won’t move much right away, and said he would pass on investing in the winner if he doesn’t find the right opportunity.

Craig Kinzer thinks gaming Amazon’s headquarters is too risky. The founder of the real-estate firm Kinzer Partners said he heard a pitch from CityBldr’s Mr. Copley and found it “compelling.” But he ultimately declined to invest.

“Real estate is local,” he said. “You can be a national company, but ultimately it is about really understanding what’s on the ground locally.”

The post Search for Amazon HQ2 Sparks Real Estate Speculation appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

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[davidoespailla]

Search for Amazon HQ2 Sparks Real Estate Speculation

Jeff Greenberg/UIG via Getty Images

Plenty of real-estate investors are poised to buy property in whichever city Amazon.com Inc. picks for its second headquarters. Some aren’t waiting.

Speculators are raising funds to invest in real estate near the winning site—wherever that may be—or are gathering cash commitments so they can pounce immediately after the winner is announced. Others are buying up shares of a real-estate firm that owns much of the property in a north Virginia city that many consider a leading contender.

These investors say that focusing on potential Amazon sites is a way to bet broadly on fast-growth areas, especially those with a growing pool of tech talent.

“HQ2 is guaranteed to meet three criteria: tech job growth, tech job growth and tech job growth,” said Bryan Copley, co-founder of the Seattle-based real-estate startup CityBldr, using a shorthand for Amazon’s second headquarters.

Mr. Copley is raising $100 million for a fund that will buy residential property in Seattle, Los Angeles and whichever city wins Amazon’s second headquarters.

The Seattle-based online giant said last year it was looking to invest $5 billion in a second headquarters that could employ up to 50,000 people over two decades. After 238 cities and towns applied, Amazon narrowed a list to 20 finalists in January.

The list of 20 finalists includes cities like New York and Los Angeles as well as budding metro areas that are attracting tech talent, like Denver, Pittsburgh and Nashville, Tenn.

The rush to invest in the winning city is a result of Amazon’s unorthodox approach to its search for a second home. Amazon chose a highly public process, which is leaving room for speculators to place their bets. Usually, companies keep the search quiet for as long as they can, economic development analysts say.

Since metro areas are pitching specific sites and even suggesting certain properties for Amazon’s new headquarters, it is as if they have been drawing up maps for real estate buyers to target. Some investors are investing in sites they think Amazon might desire; others are betting on ripple effects such as increased demand in neighborhoods around a new headquarters.

Mr. Copley says with proprietary software he can pick the most underutilized properties in any city. It will take him five minutes to narrow down the best 500 multifamily investments once Amazon announces a winning city, he added. Then he’s going to make offers on many of them and hope he can get at least a few to bite.

Others are placing their wagers now. Ryan Dobratz, co-lead portfolio manager of Third Avenue Real Estate Value Fund, thinks the greater Washington, D.C., area has the best shot of winning, in particular the Crystal City neighborhood of Arlington, Va.

His firm has been buying shares of JBG Smith Properties, a real-estate investment trust that owns much of the commercial real estate near the Crystal City site that northern Virginia officials proposed for Amazon’s second headquarters. JBG declined to comment.

JBG’s concentration in Crystal City likely has powered its stock higher despite a soft office market for the area overall, according to a report from research firm Green Street Advisors.

JBG’s Crystal City holdings make it “the most ‘direct’ way to play the Amazon lottery among office REITs,” the report said.

Sales-price growth on residential properties in 10 of the counties on Amazon’s short list increased 7% year over year in July compared with a 4% rise in July 2017, according to Realtor.com. (The website is operated by News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal, under license from the National Association of Realtors.)

Pittsburgh’s selection as a finalist helped boost a market that already had drawn investor interest, said David Cunningham, a retired firefighter and owner of rental properties in the Hazelwood neighborhood, which is near a former steel-production site considered a possible Amazon location.

Mr. Cunningham said he receives many more calls from interested buyers since Amazon announced the finalists, and the offers have never been higher. Amazon “blew the dust off Hazelwood,” he said, adding there are other factors, like proximity to universities and downtown.

Other high-profile tech headquarters searches have triggered a real-estate shopping spree. Uber Inc. bought the old Sears building in Oakland, Calif., in 2015 and turned it into a 356,000 square-foot office space, Uptown Station, that was planned as a new headquarters for the ride-sharing firm. It was a big win for Oakland, which was starting to attract large technology employers from San Francisco and Silicon Valley. Investors followed.

Uber sold the building for about $180 million in 2017, without ever moving in, during a scandal-plagued year. Still, many other investments in Oakland have paid off, since the area has continued to grow.

Erick Quay, who runs a hedge fund in New York called Quay Capital, plans to invest within the first six months of an Amazon announcement. He’s betting prices won’t move much right away, and said he would pass on investing in the winner if he doesn’t find the right opportunity.

Craig Kinzer thinks gaming Amazon’s headquarters is too risky. The founder of the real-estate firm Kinzer Partners said he heard a pitch from CityBldr’s Mr. Copley and found it “compelling.” But he ultimately declined to invest.

“Real estate is local,” he said. “You can be a national company, but ultimately it is about really understanding what’s on the ground locally.”

The post Search for Amazon HQ2 Sparks Real Estate Speculation appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

Search for Amazon HQ2 Sparks Real Estate Speculation

[portermeacham26-blog]

hairy girl pussy video - How To Pick Up Women With Hairy Women In Porn

Looking back I had way too much fun around this time last summer. I went to Seattle area when I got an internship there. The tech company hosted most of their interns in corporate housing in a few areas. Ben was extremely outgoing, and had very different views on life at the time than I did. He was a fellow intern. I was sharing a 2 BHK fully furnished apartment with Ben. Whereas I was just coming off a 2 year relationship, Ben had stuck mostly to FWBs in school. Currently, I am interning in the Bay Area. I decided to take rental car option that they provided and stayed at a nice place a little further in the suburbs. Clearly, Ben was fucking a chick. He already had met a new girl, who had left her panties in the living room. Only one week after we moved in, I was having few beers with interns from my team. I am a rising senior in a college in Midwest and I am going to tell what happened during the last summer around this time during my internship in Seattle. Ben had on a Super Mario Bros. I got home late around 11:30 PM and when I opened the door, I heard some noise that was clearly two people kissing and making out. Rather than grab one, Ben walked over to a table with two girls who only had water and still had their menus. When we got to the porch about half the tables were open. t-shirt, so I guessed he wasnt actually playing on picking up a girl for the night. One of the girls recognized Ben and they exchanged pleasantaries. Ben got back to me and told that she is Erin, the girl he has been seeing. Ok, so he is seeing a girl now, within a week of starting internship. She had a very pretty face, shoulder length hair, and 34B breasts. I was next to a very pretty curvy brunette named Disha, and Ben was next to a Erin. We started to chat, and ordered a large pizza. It was a seat yourself kind of place, and it was a nice day so we decided to sit on the porch. When we finished dinner, Ben announced we had some beer in our room if they wanted to go back with us, which they eagerly agreed to. I walked across to the apartment with Dishas arm wrapped around mine, making small talk the entire time. They asked us what it was like playing a college sport, told us about their two other intern friends Amber and Alexa, mostly small talk. Their kisses stopped and after what seemed like a few minutes, I heard moans and muffles. She had beige skin, a defined face, and black hair that went about midway down her back. She was an average height, fit, thick skinned blonde woman. Erin was a very funny, cute girl from a school in the new England region. She had on a low cut blue and white striped shirt, and from my height I could look straight down into her cleavage, She had pushed up breasts that I though had to be D cups. The next night we went to a pizza place that was popular with interns. She was a gorgeous woman. I was wearing a t-shirt that showed I was on the soccer team and shorts. Erin and Ben were sitting on the futon, and Disha and I were sitting across form them in Ben and my computer chairs. If you have any issues with regards to exactly where and how to use atk xxx pics, you can speak to us at our own site. We got home and started to have a few beers. Ben had a hand over her shoulders, which he let slide down to her chest. They had gone to a party the night before. She immediately put her hand on Bens thigh as well. I untangled my arm from Dishas and started to rub her shoulder. She was tall, about 58", but still a good bit shorter than me. Soon I was rubbing it further towards her chest. Erin was tan, with a face full of freckles, and taller than Erin. She had on jeans shorts that only went an inch or two down her extremely long legs. Disha leaned in closer and put a hand around my waist and the other on my abs. Her legs were toned, and a golden bronze color. "You are gorgeous," Ben told her, being completely honest. As the drinks started, the girls loosened up even more, and told us that tonight was originally going to be a girls only night. " she leaned over and kissed Ben on the cheek. " I asked, being serious. "Well I think 32A sounds wonderful," Ben said. "I mean, Im small, 32A," Erin was saying. " "Umm, they are 32A, guys want bigger, like yours. " Erin laughed and said "Watch out, or I might make you put your money where your mouth it. We had beers and Ben was not going to wait. "Cmon Erin," Disha replied, "You have nice boobs. She pulled her shirt off over her head, then reached behind herself an undid her bra. " Ben immediately quipped, "Id rather you put your breasts where my mouth is. Her long blonde hair covered the top third of her back. We could see that she had no tan-lines on her back, as Bens hands were rubbing up and down it. " Apparently that was all it took. After a few seconds Erin got off Bens lap and sat back next to us, without putting her shirt back on. She was laughing and blushing. Dishas hand had moved to my lap and was rubbing my cock through my jeans as she watched. Her arms were wrapped around Bens neck, and we could hear her gently moaning. "In fact, I can think of nothing more I would like to do right now, than have a tall, thin, gorgeous woman straddle me topless and let me kiss on her 32A breasts. " I said, grinning at Disha. " She asked me in a seductive voice. "Is that what you want? I nodded yes as she pulled her shirt over her head. Erin straddled Ben, her back to Disha and me. She did have small, but very nice breasts with light brown nipples which were both very wet and very erect. I reached up and grasped one tit in each hand, leaned forward and buried my face between them, kissing her chest. Then I took her left nipple into my mouth, then moved over to the right. I know, Ive seen them. I kissed all over her breasts for what felt like much longer than Ben had played with Erin. She wrapped her arms around my chest and moaned as I sucked on her. "Big boobs are good too though. I opened my mouth and let my tongue meet hers. We broke the kiss and Disha got up to sit back on her chair. She unclasped her bra with one hand then let it fall off her into my lap. I looked up at Disha and she leaned her face down to mine. She let out another moan as we made out. She looked at it then feigned surprise. Two gorgeous, massive breasts were hanging in front of my face. We took the action to our respective rooms. Erin had Bens cock out of his pants and was holding it in her hand. Disha stood up and took of her shorts and panties. He turned the discussion towards sex and some how we were discussing boobs now. She got on her knees in front of me, said it hairy girls cunt was my turn, then undid my belt and took my shorts and boxers off. I reached down and squeezed her tits while she blew me. My cock was already rock hard and she immediately took it into her mouth. " "They are the nicest I have ever played with," I answered. She had large pink nipples which were both erect. I looked over and realized why. Her pussy was completely shaved. "Oh Kevin," she said, "youre so thick and. Before long she was thrusting back up and me, the tight grip of her pussy taking more and more of my dick until I was buried to the hilt. Disha whimpered slightly at first, worrying me, but after several minutes of slow, deep fucking I had managed to work most of my cock into her and she started to moan again. "I think I might be close to another. I pushed her onto the bed. " I reached down and ran the rough surface of my palm over her nipple while I began to fuck her harder and faster. As soon as Disha turned around she exclaimed "Oh My God" covered her face and buried it against me. " A gentle sheen of sweat now coated her soft breasts. She looked up at me and asked, "You really do like my boobs dont you? Her eyes went wide and she began to buck hard against me. I rammed her faster and deeper, staring down at the unbelievable sight of her angelic face. Dishas firm breasts swayed up and down with our fucking, her lovely body coated in a soft sweat, and her beautiful eyes always staring back at me. I worked my dick into her slowly a few more times before I paused. I felt her puss muscles contract and milk my dick inside her as the wetness of her orgasm washed over my buried penis. "Its feeling GOOD," Disha said. That night I fucked Disha 4 times. It was first casual sex experience for both of us. I slammed into her over hot girl with hairy pussy and over again, feeling her pussy grip me tightly. I reached down to play with a nipple while I continued to work my cock in and out of her. Im CUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMING! I withdrew almost to the tip before shoving the full length of my thick me back into her wet folds.