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Together: Writing as Co-Creation

One of the wonderful things about writing fiction is that we have complete freedom to be as honest and blunt as we feel is necessary to get across an idea. The reader never knows which bits of a story are fictitious and which are true. There is an immunity to story writing which nonfiction does not have. The latter can, generally, not maintain the same sort of freedom due to concerns of hurting others or defamation lawsuits. Continue reading “Together: Writing as Co-Creation”

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Together: Fame

Chapter 50: Words

Gabriel had started dating again; male and female. He didn’t sleep with any of them. These days, he was too old to imagine that one can sleep with another person without paying the price. He wasn’t willing to pay that price; so he didn’t. Amira had explained to him about her upcoming trip to Los Angeles. In a week, it would be school holidays. She was going to take Marilyn and Bianca with her to the States so that they could see their father. Everything had been arranged.

“My Eraldus lease is coming up for renewal,” said Gabriel to Amira when next he was in Waldmeer. Since Paul moved out, there was only Gabriel in the house. “The house is way too expensive for me on my own but I don’t have any clear idea of where to go next.” Continue reading “Together: Fame”

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Together: Touched

Chapter 39: Miss You

Amira was admiring a different generation of sweet peas. This lot were winding up the footpath railing and onto the front doorsteps. They seemed to be singing a soft, repetitive song. Tell him you miss him. Tell him you miss him.

After a while, Amira caught on and replied, “No, I won’t.”

Tell him you miss him.

“No, he’s married.”

Tell him you miss him. Continue reading “Together: Touched”

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Together: One Year On

Chapter 35: Accident

One year had passed. There had been a little accident. Perhaps, accident was not quite the right word, but little was. Farkas was standing by Ide’s bed in Waldmeer Hospital. They were both staring adoringly at their brand new baby boy. Farkas had hoped for a little girl but, regardless, the intensity of his feelings of love for and protectiveness over the child surprised him. Ide had secretly known it was a boy. Her Clinker instinct told her. If that had not told her, the look on the ultrasound technician’s face, many months ago, gave it away. She had worked in hospitals too long to not be able to read the silent language of its professionals. Still, they had agreed to let it be a revelation at birth so Ide kept it in her heart. Continue reading “Together: One Year On”

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Together: Petals and Sweet Peas

Chapter 33: Enough

Amira and Ide were sitting at Ide’s kitchen table in her new house. “Sorry, it’s still such a mess,” said Ide.

“Not at all,” said Amira. “It’s coming along really well. I must tell you that you have inspired me with a big change. After you explained to me about your budget and how the new house came about, I started to think about my own situation. Continue reading “Together: Petals and Sweet Peas”

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Together: Couple

Chapter 29: Half-half

Ide had spent the last two days trying to make a workable budget. It still wasn’t working. Adding to the problem was her difficulty in getting full-time work at Waldmeer Hospital. She was an excellent nurse and the patients, often, specifically asked for her. She treated everyone with the same care that she would her own relatives. However, the Matron had been at the hospital almost as long as it had been there or so it seemed. She held onto the full-time positions for the locals. Ide wasn’t born in Waldmeer and so the Matron did not have her on the special list. Besides, the Matron was more than a little jealous of Ide. Not only did the patients love Ide but it did not go unnoticed that Ide’s patients seemed to heal faster and have fewer complications than most of the other patients. Ide was, after all, a descendant of the Clinkers and they have healing in them. Matron didn’t know about Ide’s connection with the Clinkers and Ide, certainly, wasn’t telling her. It would have given Matron more ammunition and she already had enough. Continue reading “Together: Couple”

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Together: Unfinished Business

Chapter 25: Captivated

Thomas was driving to the city for a meeting with fellow principals. However, he had another meeting which was of more importance to him. He had arranged to meet Kathleen at a riverside restaurant, near her home. It’s not that he wasn’t interested in Teresa anymore but, a few days ago, he had called into the bookshop with an unexpected request.

“Teresa, I know that I have arranged to go out with you next week,” said Thomas, “but I was wondering if you would mind postponing it for the time being? I have some unfinished business to attend to in the city.” Continue reading “Together: Unfinished Business”

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Together: Beginnings and Endings

Chapter 20: Bookshop

Amira was a frequent visitor of the quaint Waldmeer bookshop. She would scan the shelves to see what people were writing and reading and then sit on the old, upholstered chair in the corner with anything that interested her. As she rarely bought any of the books, she tried to think of another way to repay the owner, Teresa, who had recently taken over the shop.

Teresa was originally a local of Waldmeer but she had been living in the city for many years. She left Waldmeer when she married a wealthy businessman. Amira thought that money and Teresa were not an obvious match. Although Teresa had a wardrobe full of what she called her rich-clothes, she preferred to wear the ones she got from the op-shop. And even though she was now forty, she wore her long, brown hair in two plaits tied with strips of leather. The vintage clothes and the long braids made her look like a bohemian which she probably was. Continue reading “Together: Beginnings and Endings”

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Together: Unforeseen Circumstances

Chapter 18: Laughing at a Funeral

“Guess what, Amira,” said Gabriel excitedly on the phone.

“I don’t know. It sounds good,” said Amira enjoying Gabriel’s happiness.

“Come on,” urged Gabriel. “You’re a healer. You’re supposed to be psychic.”

“Only sometimes.” Amira smiled. She had no idea what his good news was but not wanting to spoil his fun she ventured, “Hmm, my powers are telling me that…,” she paused waiting for a suitable idea to pop into her mind. “You sold your painting for a small fortune.”

“Nope. Guess again.” Continue reading “Together: Unforeseen Circumstances”