First off I want to thank all of my faithful readers who patiently wait for me to post to the blog again and have checked in on me over time. I'm sorry if I never got a chance to message anyone back. I honestly never expected to take this long of a hiatus but the past two years were difficult to find time to take on the blog and writing along with everything else that was happening around us.
So last year I decided to just drop social media and mentally detox from everything. The choice didn't come to me immediately but over the course of January and February last year I was just bogged down and at some point I just said to myself I need a major break. I had zero motivation to work on anything, just walking into my workspace gave me anxiety. I thought a few months was all I might need but it ended up being much more time than I realized, so just like that another year quickly went by. But I am back now and hoping to get the blog going again and I will try to post once a month to start.
I permanently deleted my facebook and pinterest accounts, sticking to Instagram only for updates. Having multiple social media platforms was just too much on top of it all. So please follow me on there for updates. I have two accounts one specifically for the blog and the other is my main account for all doll related things I do.
Also I'm trying to post more videos on YouTube. A major goal of mine is to complete construction on Luke and Laura's house and I hope to post more about that on YouTube as things progress.
So with all that said let's get on with the story!
Music quietly plays on the record player a soft upbeat tune,
while the room is a stark contrast to what it used to be.
Instead of a slew of guitars, beer bottles, and papers scattered everywhere it is all replaced by clothes, shoes and things that
are more practical for a teenager.
The young couple wrestles around in the bed in a hurry,
hormones high and passion fueling their haste to
come together.
The house is quiet and the two are alone at last. It's been weeks since their last physical encounter. He can't help but stop and take in her beauty as he looks down at her body as she lays pinned beneath him.
*Lily-Rose* "What's wrong? Why did you stop?...Did you forget the condoms?"
She looks back up at him in a perplexing manor with a slight pout to her lower lip, she is obviously just as eager as he is for this moment.
He smiles looking down at her as he shakes his head no in response, leaning in closer pressing his lips to hers in a soft gentle smack. No need to rush this he wants it all to be burned into his memory forever.
Then suddenly a rush of air passes through the room as the door that leads to the stairs swings open, Laura swiftly steps inside. Shock and disappointment hitting her face all at once before she can even find her voice.
*Laura* "Phoenix Elis Cooper!...What the hell?!"
*Phoenix* "Mom!...Wha...What are you doing back already?"
Phoenix pops up and covers Lily-Rose with one of the large decorative bed pillows, as if shoving a pillow over her face
will magically make her disappear.
*Laura* "Busting your lying ass!...I specifically told you no
company while we were gone, Phoenix."
*Phoenix* "Mom...It's just Lily...We...we were just hanging out."
Laura's eyes narrow in on him like a laser beam while she crosses her arms in front of her. Teenagers naturally think they are professionals at always bullshitting their way out of trouble. Laura knows better than that.
*Phoenix* "I wasn't born yesterday...I know exactly what's going on here,
Your father and I warned you..."
Phoenix pushes up off the bed. Spouting
back in response to his mother's words.
*Phoenix* "He's not my fucking father...Stop calling him that."
*Laura* "He's all you got anymore. He is the reason we still have a roof
over our heads and you have nice things..."
*Phoenix* "You made that decision for us. I didn't choose him I was just 7 years old.
You are the one who gave up on Dad when he needed us most."
Laura palms her face as Chad comes up the stairs to stand by her side. Phoenix was too young to understand what went down between her and Luke and why their marriage suffered as a result of it. But it never stops him from bringing it up time and time again.
*Chad* "Phoenix enough! Your mother doesn't
deserve to be treated that way...We both told you under no circumstances
were you to have anyone here while we were gone."
*Phoenix* "As soon as I'm 18 I'm out of here! I'm going to Las Vegas to be with Dad and Grandpa.
*Chad* "Son your Dad isn't gonna wanna see you..."
*Phoenix* "What?!..How the fuck should you know?!..."
*Laura* "Phoenix please...I know you're angry but your Father is not going to agree to such an outlandish idea..."
*Phoenix* "You are such a liar!..."
*Laura* "Things are way more complicated that you realize...."
*Phoenix* "No, it's not! Dad tried to be here for us, but you just pushed him away. I'm not giving up unlike the rest of y'all, acting like he died or never even existed!"
*Laura* "I never ever wanted to give up on him Phoenix, he chose that for me after finding himself locked up in prison for 3 years. When he got out we tried, but your Father was not the same man he was before.
I had to move on. For your sake and for your brother's."
Laura walks off and begins to gather the young couple's clothes off
of the floor, while Phoenix continues to argue with Chad. It pains her to think of Luke, the love of her life, but love wasn't enough to save them this time. Laura holds back tears as she turns her attention back to Phoenix.
*Chad* "There will be a punishment for disobeying the rules..."
*Phoenix* "Why can't y'all just leave me alone!...Dad did what he wanted at my age."
*Chad* "Yeah...and look where that got him!...
Laura tosses Lily-Rose's clothes onto the bed then holds out
Phoenix his blue jeans for him to take from her hand. Phoenix is so much like Luke a rebel with no direction just full of destructive energy. Everytime she looks at Phoenix she sees Luke, and it hurts, yes of course it hurts. But she also feels so much joy because those moments in time that led up to Phoenix being born were some of the most wonderful parts of her life.
*Laura* "Get dressed. We'll discuss punishment after dinner..."
*Phoenix* "Nothing happened y'all are freaking out for no reason!"
*Laura* "I have every right to freak out! You have a half naked girl in your bed!
Thank gawd we came home when we did! Are you two even practicing safe sex?"
Phoenix rolls his eyes and rebuttals his Mother's question. Laura is pretty sure the two teenagers are having sex but she wants to hear him admit it.
*Phoenix* "Mom, seriously nothing happened...okay?"
*Laura* "I hope so, make sure to keep it that way..."
Laura shakes the pair of pants at him to grab them
but Phoenix is hell bent on proving his innocence. His stubborn nature never fails to give the adults in his life a run for their money.
*Phoenix* "So that's it? I'm still getting grounded?...C'mon this isn't fair...
We were just hanging out."
*Chad* "Life is never fair, Phoenix. There will always be consequences,
some are worse than others...Your Mother and I were teenagers once too,
so we know the game you're playing very well."
Phoenix nearly audibly growls in response to Chad's comment.
*Chad* "And if you don't get your grades up you'll be spending the rest of senior year in military school again. Is that what you want?..."
Just then Phineas is heard coming up the stairwell as Phoenix takes the blue jeans from his mother... Phineas slides
in past Chad, scanning the room as he steps inside.
*Phineas* "I can help you study, bro..."
*Phoenix* "Fuck off, we all know you came in here to sneak a peek at my girl."
While Phineas no doubt was interested in the drama that was going on he honestly does want to help his older brother out. Things would not be the same if he was sent off to military school again. Phineas may not fight Laura and Chad at every single turn but he definitely understands his brothers frustrations. Phineas was too young to remember everything as well as Phoenix but he does remember the sadness.
*Phineas* "I'm serious...lemme help you."
*Phoenix* "I don't need help from my little brother!..."
*Phineas* "My study group is cool you would like it. Lily-Rose you can come too."
*Phoenix* "No, thanks I'll pass..."
Laura cuts Phoenix off from saying or
doing anything he may regret.
*Laura* "Okay, that's enough...let's allow these two to get dressed
and come downstairs. You have five minutes..."
Laura begins to usher Chad and Phineas out the door
before she stops and turns to Phoenix one last
time. Realizing 5 minutes is much too long
for two horny teenagers.
*Laura* "No, make it 2 minutes...I want you downstairs in two minutes..."
As soon as everyone clears the room Phoenix plops down
at the foot of the bed. Lily-Rose comes up behind him.
*Phoenix* "Such a fucking buzzkill! It's like she wanted to catch us.
She fucking enjoys making my life miserable...."
*Lily-Rose* "I think you're being too paranoid..."
*Phoenix* "I think she can't stand sight of me because I remind her too much of my Father."
Phoenix turns his head to look at her. He was so sure
they would have time to themselves tonight but Mom stealthily thwarted it.
*Phoenix* "Did you see how happy she was to catch us?..."
*Lily-Rose* "No, you threw a pillow over my face remember? But I did see how sad she was when she handed me my clothes..."
*Phoenix* "You are the only thing that makes all this shit better..."
*Lily-Rose smiles* "We should get dressed now before she comes back."
Then suddenly Phoenix reaches around her picking up Lily-Rose
as he slides her body next to him on the edge of the bed. His
hand quickly moving up under the elastic band of her bra.
*Phoenix* "Would you run away to Las Vegas with me?..."
*Lily-Rose* "I'd go anywhere with you..."
Her voice cracks in response to the sudden touch of his fingers sending
pulsating vibrations to other areas of her body making it
harder to concentrate on anything else but his hand on her breast.
*Phoenix* "Can you meet me at our spot tonight?..."
*Lily-Rose* "Yeah...why?"
*Phoenix* "Just be there...at eleven..."
*Lily-Rose* "Okay..."
She nods quickly, pulling his face
down to meet hers.
But as soon as the two get lost in their kiss a
voice trails up from the stairwell, snapping them
back to the here and now.
*Laura* "One minute and counting!...You better be getting dressed!"
*Phoenix* "Shit....."
Phoenix mutters
*Phoenix* "Be right down!"
Some hours later that same day Luke paces and waits in the dim lit park. The sun has has set as it begins to get much later into the evening. His nerves and emotions are all over the place it's been awhile since he's been back to New Orleans. Luke left to Vegas to live with his Dad, after 2 years of parole and very briefly trying to work things out with Laura. Does he regret not trying harder? Yes, but he thought it was better this way. Laura had already moved on with Chad and found out she was pregnant, last thing he needed was for his two boys to end up like him...
He lifts a freshly rolled joint to his lips as he fumbles with a lighter, the late evening breeze blowing just enough to make it a pain in the ass to light, but he needs something to take the edge off. While Luke has his back turned the person he was meeting here has finally showed up...
Luke takes the joint and inhales as the shadowy figure comes closer. He can already feel a calmness spreading through him as lets out an exhale. He really hopes this isn't a huge mistake he is making...
Luke finally turns when he hears footfalls on the large stones that encompass the small, tranquil fountain that is the centerpiece of this secluded little spot in the park. The nervousness he was feeling seeps back in again as he hears the young man's voice as the shadowy figure approaches.
*Shadowy Figure* "Dad?...Is that you?..."
Luke chokes on the smoke from the joint as he responds to the approaching figure, embracing him as he walks up on him.
*Phoenix* "I'm so glad you're here, Dad..."
The two step back from their quick embrace, as Luke looks his oldest son over. Phoenix shot up in height since the last time he saw him in person,
he was just a gangly preteen. Immediately Luke inquires about Phineas and Laura.
*Luke* "How's your brother?"
*Phoenix* "Finn is great. He's a fucking star student and
mamma's boy."
*Luke* "And your Mom, is she happy?..."
*Phoenix* "Fuck if I know, she definitely likes to make my life miserable..."
*Luke* "Cut your mom some slack, she's doing the best she can."
*Phoenix* "Chad wants to send me off to military school again. I can't fucking
do that shit all over again. Please help me..."
*Luke* "Is this why you called me? Son, you made it sound like an emergency....."
Luke remembers Laura had to have him sign some paperwork for Phoenix's admission the first time around. He is pretty sure Phoenix is not aware of this...otherwise he would not have called him if he knew his Dad agreed to him being sent to military school the first time around.
*Phoenix* "Dad! It is a fucking emergency! I'm sick of living in that house.
I want to come live with you and Grandpa."
*Luke* "Are you fucking kidding me!? You don't want to live in Vegas...Stay here it's much nicer here. All your friends live here..."
*Phoenix* "So what I'll make new friends....I fuckin' hate it here!..."
Phoenix is just like Luke, a regular chip off the old block. He is so much like his father, it's startling, completely rebellious living only by his own set of rules. It's obvious Laura has struggled to raise him without Luke around. Phoenix needed his real father not a replacement,
but it's too late for that now....
*Luke* "No judge is gonna grant me custody of you. Besides your mom will never let it happen. Especially after I signed off on you getting tattoos..."
*Phoenix* "That shit don't matter..I'll be 18 in like 5 months..."
*Luke* "Exactly, so finish school first..."
Phoenix pushes again. He is determined to get his way. Phoenix convinced Luke to sign a form for one little tattoo years ago but he used that signature to go and get multiple ones. Eventually Laura gave up on all of it after he constantly snuck out of military school to get tattoos and get into trouble. Eventually it all lead up to him being expelled and now he is back home finishing his senior year. But here we are again Phoenix is testing Mom and her limits and now he is doing it to Luke too...
*Phoenix* "You got to talk to Mom, I can't live in that house anymore...She makes
every second of my life miserable."
*Luke* "She is just trying to do what is best for you!..."
*Phoenix* "No, she is not! She jumps on me for every fucking thing I do! I swear Abigail is like her fucking informant now. She tells on me all the fucking time. Please talk to her!!!!"
Abigail is Phoenix's younger half sister his mother had with Chad. Laura finally got the little girl she wanted but not with Luke. She treats her like an angel, nearly 10 years old now and so much like her momma. Luke begins to wonder if coming here was a good idea. Phoenix is the one who tracked him down. Luke tries to stay out of family business and let Laura deal with it...
*Luke* "No! Abso-fucking-lutely not, no! I am not talking to your Mom about this.
If this is why you called me Phoenix I can't help you. You need to fucking finish school."
Phoenix throws his hands up in a tantrum and it's clear he still has the same stubbornness in him just as he did as a child. He turns and stomps off...and Luke has flashbacks of him when he was a toddler throwing a fit.
*Phoenix* "This is so not fair!...You just don't get any it! Fuck!!!!"
*Luke* "Phoenix, keep your fucking voice down...."
Phoenix plops down on the stone bench, feeling defeated. He was so sure his Dad would be happy about his plans to move to Vegas. It enrages him even more to know that his Mother and Chad may have been right. Phoenix has grown to resent his mom for moving on and marrying another man. He wants out of that house so badly now, he would run away if he could.
*Phoenix* "All my life I've wanted nothing more than to be just like you,
Dad and then one day you just left you were gone....Mom cried for months while you were locked up and then one day she stopped and Chad was there and everything turned to fucking shit...."
Phoenix pauses as he tries to find the words to continue to relay his feelings. Luke feels guilty now, he gave up way too easily years ago and now his boys have basically grown up without him. At the time
he truly thought it was best for them and for Laura...
*Luke* "Okay, fine I'll talk to your mother, but I can't promise you anything....Just fucking calm down."
Luke waves his hand as he speaks trying to convey that most likely things will go nowhere. Laura will probably not even want to talk
to him regarding the matter. Phoenix springs up and locks his arms
around Luke's neck catching him off guard.
*Phoenix* "Thank you, Dad....Thank you!"
*Luke* "I'm not promising anything, your mom may not even want to talk to me."
*Phoenix* "I know, I know....but please at least try!"
As Phoenix nearly chokes out Luke in a bear hug, Luke spots a young girl coming up on them. He pushes Phoenix off of him and nods his head in the young woman's direction. It's obvious to Luke she knows Phoenix from the way she is watching the two of them. A girlfriend no doubt. Luke's heart sinks again realizing he's missed so much of Phoenix's life. He lifts the joint to his lips again as he watches the young couple. The girl eerily reminds him of a very young Rufus...
*Phoenix* "Dad, this is my girlfriend...Lily-Rose...She plans to move to Vegas with me..."
Lily-Rose says hello in a soft, sweet voice while waving to Luke.
*Lily-Rose* "Hello, Mr. Cooper...Phoenix tells me so much about you."
Luke nods and awkwardly smiles back at her. He really does not know how he should respond to this whole scenario. It's one thing to have a grown ass teenage son but to suddenly now meet his girlfriend is throwing him for a loop. Did he just say she is moving to Vegas?...
Luke understands now Phoenix's haste to leave home and do his own thing. Suddenly right before his eyes, he's a young man, he's in love, and determined to do exactly what he wants. Luke was the same at that age. Not giving a single fuck what anyone thought. Luke exhales after taking another hit off the joint. He needs to go, he can't be here, Laura will have his fucking head for making contact with Phoenix without coming to her first. What the hell was he doing thinking this was okay? Why did he agree to even to talk to Laura?!
*Luke* "Listen it was good catching up...but I gotta run..."
*Phoenix* "Um...okay...."
*Luke* "Bye, son...."
Luke nods and then takes off walking. Meeting that young girl makes him think of Rufus. They look similar not only the hair but the face too. It's almost like history repeating itself and there is not a damn thing Luke can do to stop it. A art of him is curious and wants to see Laura, but the other part just wants to jump on his bike and haul ass back to Vegas. He's seen recent photos of her online with her successful business. After Laura remarried, Chad and her parents helped right away with her dream of owning a fancy coffee and pastries shop. Luke lost everything after the divorce most of the money from his business went to helping out with caring for the boys.
He's torn. A part of him wants to see Laura so badly and he wonders does she even feel the same. Luke never found himself in a serious relationship again after his divorce from Laura. She moved on but he struggled to do the same. One of Luke's favorite Pearl Jam songs comes to mind and he knows that Laura is that star in someone else's sky. If only it could have been him...He does his best to dust off the melancholy thoughts and try to decide what it is he will do next. Meanwhile Phoenix and Lily-Rose sit on the park bench and chat.
*Lily-Rose* "So what happened?...Is your Dad cool with it?..."
*Phoenix* "I think so....He definitely said he would talk to my mom about military school.
He didn't seem too happy about my idea to move to Vegas."
*Lily-Rose* "So we just stay here till school is over that's not so bad..."
Phoenix makes a face. Last thing he wants to do is stay here.
*Phoenix* "I can't be in that house anymore....I need out."
*Lily-Rose* "So come live with me....My mom won't even notice."
*Phoenix* "They'll just send me away...you know Chad will get his way.
He loves to fucking torture me."
Lily-Rose places her hand to his cheek and brings
her lips to his kissing him sweetly.
*Lily-Rose* "We'll figure it out baby...Even if I have to rob a fucking bank."
*Phoenix* "You would too, wouldn't you?"
Phoenix and Lily-Rose laugh...his mood softens and Lily-Rose takes
the opportunity to straddle his lap as she continues to kiss him.
The two stay silent for a moment as they make out under the shadow of the large willow trees.
*Lily-Rose* "I'd do anything for you...Phoenix Elis Cooper."
*Phoenix* "Then let's get married..."
Lily-Rose pops back and looks straight at him.
*Lily-Rose* "Phoenix are you serious?..."
*Phoenix* "I can try and get my Dad to sign off on it before he leaves. That way we
can live together at your place and there is not a damn
thing my Mom or Chad could do about it..."
*Lily-Rose* "Do you really think your dad will agree to it?..."
*Phoenix shrugs his shoulders* "I dunno but I think a good guilt trip will fucking convince him."
*Lily-Rose* "Okay!..."
To Be Continued!
Thank you all so much for continually tuning in!
Next Episode will be up on
June 24th!
^_^
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