So I spent most of Labor Day Weekend 2018 writing. I took off Friday and also Tuesday and it gave me a feel for what it would be like to be a full-time writer. It’s really quite nice. Coffee as constant companion. Maybe I got a bit carried away with that as my eye is now twitchy. Instrumental music. Thank you, Amazon Prime Music. And puppy Noodle occasionally kept me company.
The goal was to the finish the holiday novel. I got close. Like last chapter close. Maybe there will be an epilogue but it might not be necessary. It’s about 5 PM now and I just had to quit. Burn out, I guess. That means I won’t finish until next weekend. But I do feel confident about that. We are down to boy getting back together with boy. And I do love those reconciliation scenes.
I haven’t shared any of the WIP here, so I thought maybe it was time I did. Here’s a taste. Merry Christmas!
Cheryl took pity on Baz and began explaining what Chance had meant. “There’s a silent auction for charity and we contribute ornaments.” She tilted her head toward Matt. “Matt’s figurines bring in the most money, of course. It’s held during the charity dance.” Glancing at Chance she added, “Chance calls it a ‘New Year’s Eve ball’.”
“I don’t remember that,” Baz said.
Pushing her empty plate back away from her with a low groan, Stephanie patted her stomach. “Ugh. That was just too good.” Returning to the earlier topic, she explained, “It started three years ago. I joined that committee, remember?”
Baz tilted his head to the side considering, “The Chamber of Commerce charity group?”
“Yep,” Stephanie said, popping the ‘p’.
“Steph thought up the dance idea.”
Answering his mother, Baz asked, “Where do you hold it?”
“The Elk Lodge donates their space.”
Chance interrupted Baz’s next question. “They create a fairy land.”
Smiling, Matt nodded. “We light the place up and Cheryl can do wonder with some cheap tulle fabric we got in bulk. I bet you got your party planning skills from her.”
Blushing, Cheryl dipped her head. “I don’t know about that.”
“Don’t get bashful. You make it magical.”
The words hung in the air with no one speaking for a long moment. Matt recalled last year’s charity dance. The first year he’d accompanied Cheryl and Stephanie. Last year, his best friend had a date. Hanging with Ma was fine but it had left him a little lonely. Later that same evening he’d disappeared and drove a few miles out of town where a dive gay bar resided. As usual some men home for the holidays and also lonely were partying and it didn’t take long to select someone to share a few hours with.
His eyes instinctively turned to Baz. He’d never met anyone as good looking or accomplished as Baz at that place, at any time of the year.
“We usually all go together. You’ll come, right Sebbie?”
Bug-eyed, Baz dropped the bread he’d been holding. “What?”
“The New Year’s Eve dance. You have to come. In fact, you should help—I mean that’s what you do, right?”
“I don’t really dance.”
Steph was having none of that and rolled her eyes exaggeratedly. “I know that. But nobody plans an event like you do. I mean, we don’t change it up much year to year because if it’s not broken, why fix it? That said, we do try to introduce a new theme each time. We’ll be meeting up soon with the Committee to plan for this year.”
“But its not just about the dance. We raise money for Holiday Helpers. They help provide meals for the needy all year round, but during the holidays, like Thanksgiving and Christmas and such they go out of their way to ensure special meals. Matt’s been helping them out for years.
Face warming Matt felt all eyes on him. “That’s what the event is about. Nobody should be hungry ever. But around the holidays…well, it’s worse somehow.”
The intensity of Baz’s gaze caught Matt’s breath. “Guess I’m going to a ball, then.”
Sandine Tomas 