3.18 The Abyss of WonderLand
“After I speak to him, please?” I requested, hoping to find out what had made the man follow us from San Jose. Was his research that urgent that he couldn’t wait for us to return?…
Penelope’s fated match with the mysterious Timothy leads her into
a supernatural world filled with secrets, magic, and danger.
Follow the captivating journey of Penelope, a young woman drawn into a world of magic and mystery, through daily blog entries. Start from the beginning or jump into the latest chapters of her supernatural adventure.
“After I speak to him, please?” I requested, hoping to find out what had made the man follow us from San Jose. Was his research that urgent that he couldn’t wait for us to return?…
“Don’t let him bite you, ma’am,” the golf man pleaded. “He’s going to kill you. His kind suck the blood out of your body and leave you lying in a dry heap of skin.” I…
Chapter Twelve In the morning, after Terry and Bob informed us that they hadn’t spotted the golfing jerk since the night before, the four of us headed down for breakfast in the hotel’s fancy restaurant.…
Prelude How do you know your soul mate? Does your heart beat faster? Do your knees quake…
Actually, I liked the way my hair looked. I’d never wanted to be a blonde, and curly hair…
I was poring over the sad case of Mr. Samuel Gonzalez, comparing his expenses with his income deficit…
After that, I hunkered down and got back to work. I completely forgot about the hair appointment…
I slammed my finger on the elevator button and took a bite out of my semi-wrapped sandwich. I…
Apparently, Simone’s space was the room at the end. It was spacious, elegant, and pink with dashes…
As if I hadn’t been scared enough of this beauty parlor trip, Simone’s statements were making me even…
And then came the moment that I began to rise up from my deadened awareness. It was the…
Simone glanced at the clock in the corner, one that I hadn’t noticed in my sleepy daze. “You…
Again she laughed gently, patted my arm, then clapped her hands. That was apparently the signal for several…
Simone finally issued her statement. “Yes. The red dress is the best. The shoes fit you best, too,…
It was not a long ride to Judy’s house. I had no time to recall the hours I’d…
“A diet coke?” I said, hating the way my voice always added a question mark at the end…
Timothy: (back story, move forward in book?) My dinners with Judy and her husband, Ed, were becoming…
The man was amazingly quick. With the rapidity of a viper, he seized my open palm, turned it…
I suppose that once my eyes were finally freed from the couch’s design and texture, it was only…
“Does that mean you find me pleasing?” he asked as he moved a chair closer and sat down…
That brought a smile to the man’s face. Not the fake or polite kind, but a genuine Duchenne…
But that was a subject I wasn’t about to go into. For one thing, I was sitting in…
Oh my. I couldn’t see any of that, so where was my mental image coming from? Why did…
“We were sharing our thoughts,” Timothy said. “But in so doing, we became stupefied by the process of…
My nervous twitching only popped out another of Timothy’s dimples, as he smiled at me like he was…
And the smile that Timothy gave me when he lifted his lips from my hand, sent another tremor…
(Timothy continued) Andrew teases me, but he isn’t cruel. We’ve been friends too long for him to…
Penelope (continued) “Simone, I never asked for any of this, and I can’t pay for it. Even if…
The delivery man had told me that the roses came with no card, but, of course, I…
I breathed in deeply, no longer smelling the roses. Chocolate filled the air. I carried the box into…
“I don’t think I should be accepting all these gifts from a man I just met. It’s .…
I laughed. “Godiva chocolates — do you want some, or all. I really shouldn’t be eating such things.”…
“Thank you, Simone, for bringing her the coat I requested,” Timothy said, glancing at the end of…
Most people don’t concentrate fully on the person they’re standing with. They accept that presence, occupy the…
“I hear, Penelope. I will do my best not to trample on your independence and the strength…
Timothy I had chosen a restaurant that we could walk to, so that Penelope wouldn’t be intimidated by…
Penelope Our walk to the restaurant was at first quiet. Timothy seemed troubled by something, but all at…
“Eyes follow you everywhere, my love.” Timothy whispered, drawing my hand to his side. “As long as their…
My glass had been filled with white wine. I can’t remember what kind of wine it was, but…
The risotto was okay. I don’t think it matched whatever the amount of its high price tag. (The…
And the smell! The nightclub had an odor that combined sweat, booze, and women’s and men’s cheap perfume…
I must have withdrawn slightly at his words, so he hugged me closer. “Reading a book is sufficient…
He was right. It wasn’t safe to be walking here. I was just about to change my mind…
Most men would have been offended that I’d taken the lead and not let their manhood win the…
Penelope: There were no queries at work about my dates with the hot new man and no…
At least, I was private and unnoticed in my newness until the flowers began to flow. That Monday…
Any slight irritation at their attitudes quickly fled. With her words, I understood why the women had been…
“Are you Penelope Casey? “ the man asked, glancing at a photo of me that was apparently attached…
Someone pushed the button on the ground floor call box, and when I heard his voice, I buzzed…
Timothy had brought us pasta, picked up at a local Italian restaurant. Lots of garlic, but since we…
When Sammy moved in, she’d brought with her a few odd souvenirs from her past: a poster of…
I made a face. I wasn’t fond of talking about myself. It was too sad — and dull…
One of my normal zoo passages entailed a quick glance at the alligators and the monkeys. Monkeys sometimes…
I suppose the gape of an open mouth was probably my least redeeming feature, but it was better…
For some reason, he started laughing. “I never know what to expect from you, my darling. But that…
“Actually, I love mornings,” I informed him. “Most mornings I visit the gym in the apartment basement, trying…
We were heading down Interstate 280, whizzing along at a speed I doubted was legal. Most of the…
Andrew nodded. He and I would talk later. This wasn’t the moment to trade thoughts. But for some…
“Thank you, Andrew,” I said. “The drive was wonderful. You’re an excellent . . .” “Enough apple polishing,…
Next Andrew drove us to the Dutch Windmill. That was something else completely wacky. In front of it…
We continued our leisurely walk through the maze of the zoo, passing mandrills, monkey and river otters,…
We walked through the lizard, iguana and snake area, and even gaped at the amazing frogs, but that …
I think Timothy just ignored my words as he threw his arm over my shoulder and walked me…
Penelope: Timothy was as good as his word. On Monday at work, no orchid came waltzing into…
“But, the funny part, Timothy, is that when I did get called into the boss’ office, he…
I have at my fingertips more magic than a thousand men. I have the wisdom of ages and…
The orchids had stopped coming, but not the gifts. A plate of cookies “for the staff” arrived, a…
The last two pictures he had so far found for the ocean room exhibited the sea from the…
But then she wrapped me in the silver dress. At least, I’d thought it was silver, but when…
I laughed. That didn’t go with the majesty of the dress, but oh, well. I felt like me,…
There were news vans in front of the gallery, just what Timothy wanted. I’d have preferred to be…
“Penelope, how did you two meet?” an elderly man asked as he attempted to shove his microphone into…
“Thank you for coming to the opening of Caldwell Fine Arts Gallery. All the paintings displayed here are…
I took a step back, but his hand went to mine to stop me. “I know, no talk…
“And the media who know nothing about paintings?” Timothy prodded. “They won’t learn anything by my extolling the…
Next I noticed a hawk-like bird with his beak slightly open, peering out over his kingdom. His black…
Timothy looked puzzled when I mentioned that. “You? I don’t know about your friends since I haven’t yet…
Simone laughed. “This is my friend, Gregor. I think Penelope is only entranced by his eyes. Nothing else,…
The painting next to it showed a single rowboat, deserted, but adrift. The water displayed its shadow in…
I closed my eyes, remembering my first sight of Timothy. His eyes had glowed with such a hue.…
“Ah, there you are,” Simone called out with cheerleader liveliness. “I’m not surprised you brought her here.…
Some say that Turner found pleasure in these opposites and believed that in painting them, his shame was…
“Yes, definitely,” I said, envisioning it. Then I stopped. “Sorry. I just get super excited when coffee is…
“Yes, definitely,” I said, envisioning it. Then I stopped. “Sorry. I just get super excited when coffee is…
I mentally kicked myself. I was turning into a gloom-filled Turner. I must stop that, I decided as…
The sky was dark, but the moon shone down. It was a lovely night for a ride.…
Did he regret his trade? I asked him once. Andrew turned serious, his face strained by sadness.…
“Yes, I’m Penelope Casey, but how did you know my name?” He grinned with a huge smile that…
“I brought the newspaper so you can see the picture and what was said in the article. It’s…
“Probably because more people are interested in romance than in a bunch of old paintings,” Timothy chuckled. “However,…
“Timothy, I have work to do, and this is ridiculous. No one is going to bother .…
We were driving on the Capitol Expressway, or rather Andrew was. We’d already left the glass and concrete…
He chuckled again, but this time, he sounded sort of anxious. Was it that important what I…
He cracked a smile and looked slightly less tense. I could see my opinion about his home was…
The staircase looked like a work of art fit for Timothy’s gallery, (if he had staircases on…
Chapter Eight Penelope Our late breakfast was delish. We were given a blueberry compote for the…
“And how or what is that?” I asked, hoping he’d suggest something that would permanently halt the blitz…
I sighed again. It wasn’t exactly that. I think it was more that I had so little confidence…
He sighed, long and heavy. That sigh told me more than mere words could have. It said that…
“I love you as I have not loved any woman for centuries. In fact, never. If you marry…
I let out a smothered scream since I’d thrown my hand over my mouth, like that would stop…
You are not imagining me, my love. I am your Timothy. Whether I am in this form or…
But Andrew has been with me for as long as I can recall. My parents bought him for…
“In one village, Andrew fell in love. He married and wished to settle down. I left him there.…
“Andrew will be very happy to hear that I have told you the truth. He has been needling…
Carlos left us to sip our coffee. I relaxed into the pleasant surroundings, the horizon of green, the…
“Wait a minute. You said that was you. You were in my dream. How was that possible? Did…
He said nothing about my shudder or the fact that I’d moved away from his touch. As if…
I put down my mug, and even though it had been years since I’d thought of Charles, I…
I put down my mug, and even though it had been years since I’d thought of Charles, I…
“How did you know about Charles Montgomery? Did you research my background?” I demanded. Timothy fidgeted, look over…
Timothy was sincere. Even I could read someone’s face enough to check for earnestness. “That is marvelous, actually,…
I thought I’d be alone, but I wasn’t. Timothy was already engaged in his laps. He was good,…
Meanwhile, Timothy, apparently warmed up by his simple crawl, was doing the butterfly. I’d tried that once. Mouthfuls…
I grinned at that. I was probably one of those people, but maybe it was like garlic. If…
The ride was uneventful, which was a super good thing. Not falling off was a big win. But…
Andrew smiled at her, the full force of which almost toppled her onto her butt. She didn’t criticize…
I knew what he was asking. I nodded a second time. “Yes, Andrew. I was glad you had…
Timothy changed the topic then, telling Andrew how I’d ridden Molly. “Yes, I sat on top of her.…
“But change was always rather slow,” he told me. “I liked the progress, actually. My first house had…
I felt like I’d just read a history book. Timothy’s story was unbelievable. “Did you meet Shakespeare?” “No.…
I stood up and walked over to the pool. I dipped my foot in, wondering if I should…
We broke apart and looked to see who’d invaded our romantic scene. A stranger stood there in the…
There,” Chris said, suddenly stopping, although the music had not. “Was that painful?” I glanced over at Timothy.…
“Good. Now move, Mr. Caldwell. Don’t worry about the steps or any dance procedure, just allow the music…
I hoped that Timothy was cordial to Chris, but I was mute, fragile in my lust. Timothy later…
“Thank you,” I said. “You are beyond words. You are magnificent, and I have fallen under your spell,…
“Perhaps, it is like a spider’s web that weaves us close. No, I see that image frightens you.…
“It will not cause you pain,” Timothy promised. “My saliva will deaden the injection site before I puncture…
I sipped at my iced tea and thought about that. Timothy was holding something back, acting secretive again.…
Funny? No, nothing is funny in the face of cancer. It’s a black hooded demon that raises up…
“There, now this has been dealt with, what shall we do next?” I put my elbows on…
“The guy we talked about, the golfing one who kept straying too close to your property, has journalist…
“Yes, I’d already figured on that, even before this man reared his intrusive head,” Timothy said. “They’re…
The two males made a couple of phone calls, then Timothy took my hand and hurried me out…
The two guys nodded to him and then to me. Both men had backpacks over their suits and…
I’d heard that seats were crowded and uncomfortable on airplanes, but when we arrived at ours, I found…
The male flight attendant who had escorted us to our seats stood up and demonstrated air bags. Duh.…
I was leaning back against the lounge chair seat, when the most horrible noise roared. It was louder…
Timothy was holding my hand. I think he was trying to give me support for the ordeal,…
I was reassuring myself that flight was safe when the extremely noisy engine suddenly got quiet. Engine…
I sipped at my drink. It was tart and sweet. I guess it was like the cranberry sauce…
Timothy and I started hunting through the shows on my screen when the plane ran into some turbulence.…
“You are pondering something. I can see it in your expression,” Timothy said. I shrugged. “I was just…
Just as Timothy was about to respond, the pilot announced that we were approaching our destination. “Welcome to…
“Of course. I’d never risk you, my darling. I told you it was completely safe.” Timothy was smiling…
The four of us made our way over to a long counter where three attendants stood. They were…
Timothy pretended to ignore him, threw his arm around my shoulder, and indicated that we were heading for…
I continued walking around, checking out our riches. Timothy sat and watched me with a huge smile, his…
Chapter Twelve In the morning, after Terry and Bob informed us that they hadn’t spotted the golfing jerk…
“Don’t let him bite you, ma’am,” the golf man pleaded. “He’s going to kill you. His kind suck…
“After I speak to him, please?” I requested, hoping to find out what had made the man follow…
Carlos left us to sip our coffee. I relaxed into the pleasant surroundings, the horizon of green, the…
“Wait a minute. You said that was you. You were in my dream. How was that possible? Did…
He said nothing about my shudder or the fact that I’d moved away from his touch. As if…
I put down my mug, and even though it had been years since I’d thought of Charles, I…
I put down my mug, and even though it had been years since I’d thought of Charles, I…
“How did you know about Charles Montgomery? Did you research my background?” I demanded. Timothy fidgeted, look over…
Timothy was sincere. Even I could read someone’s face enough to check for earnestness. “That is marvelous, actually,…
I thought I’d be alone, but I wasn’t. Timothy was already engaged in his laps. He was good,…
Meanwhile, Timothy, apparently warmed up by his simple crawl, was doing the butterfly. I’d tried that once. Mouthfuls…
I grinned at that. I was probably one of those people, but maybe it was like garlic. If…
The ride was uneventful, which was a super good thing. Not falling off was a big win. But…
Andrew smiled at her, the full force of which almost toppled her onto her butt. She didn’t criticize…
I knew what he was asking. I nodded a second time. “Yes, Andrew. I was glad you had…
Timothy changed the topic then, telling Andrew how I’d ridden Molly. “Yes, I sat on top of her.…
“But change was always rather slow,” he told me. “I liked the progress, actually. My first house had…
I felt like I’d just read a history book. Timothy’s story was unbelievable. “Did you meet Shakespeare?” “No.…
I stood up and walked over to the pool. I dipped my foot in, wondering if I should…
We broke apart and looked to see who’d invaded our romantic scene. A stranger stood there in the…
There,” Chris said, suddenly stopping, although the music had not. “Was that painful?” I glanced over at Timothy.…
“Good. Now move, Mr. Caldwell. Don’t worry about the steps or any dance procedure, just allow the music…
I hoped that Timothy was cordial to Chris, but I was mute, fragile in my lust. Timothy later…
“Thank you,” I said. “You are beyond words. You are magnificent, and I have fallen under your spell,…
“Perhaps, it is like a spider’s web that weaves us close. No, I see that image frightens you.…
“It will not cause you pain,” Timothy promised. “My saliva will deaden the injection site before I puncture…
I sipped at my iced tea and thought about that. Timothy was holding something back, acting secretive again.…
Funny? No, nothing is funny in the face of cancer. It’s a black hooded demon that raises up…
“There, now this has been dealt with, what shall we do next?” I put my elbows on…
“The guy we talked about, the golfing one who kept straying too close to your property, has journalist…
“Yes, I’d already figured on that, even before this man reared his intrusive head,” Timothy said. “They’re…
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