Breaking the 4th Wall (+18 NSFW)

Episode 6 - Birthday Party Sneak Peek

CHAPTER 1 - I'VE GOT A BAD FEELING ABOUT THIS

Lynn puts the finishing touches on the birthday cake as she tries to convince me this party won't be a disaster. "Come on, Melody. Don't frown. It'll be fun!" She nudges me with an apron-covered hip and I can't help but give her a reluctant smile that belies the butterflies fluttering about in my insides.

It's not that I don't enjoy having my characters visit... in some ways, I enjoy it too much. But they have different lives, entirely different story universes that they spend almost all their time and energy in, which is as it should be for my fictional characters. I've grown too attached to them coming to see me in my reality. I already spend most of my time writing their stories. Waiting, anticipating, and stressing when they don't visit is exhausting too much of my energy.

I need to live my life, too.

Truly, I should be celebrating my birthday with friends from my reality. But how could I say no when Lynn asked to organize this party? She's put so much work into it. I have no idea how she managed to contact the other story universe. I wouldn't have thought it was possible, yet she found a way.

And seriously, the cake looks amazing. It's a chocolate and cherry layer cake with thick fudgy filling, exactly the way I love it. My mouth watered when she added the filling, and I can still taste the rich flavour on my tongue from licking the utensil afterward. Topped with whipped cream and cherries, she inserts the final decoration—a number thirty-six candle. At least she didn't put thirty-six candles on my cake. Don't need to accidentally burn my house down.

Still, I can't help but dwell on the upcoming party. Seeing them all again... in the flesh, able to touch... but I shouldn't go there. Especially not with that far too sexy god who hasn't visited in more than six weeks, despite his promise otherwise.

"I don't know Lynn. These gatherings usually result in embarrassment for me."

She takes the cake from the island and moves it to the counter by the fridge, long brown hair swinging in its girl-next-door ponytail. Turning back, she wraps me in a hug. "It's your birthday. We appreciate you being our writer and want to celebrate with you. I don't think we set out to embarrass you. Well, at least I know I don't. It's natural that when we're here in your world, we focus on you. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you."

I can't argue with her logic, although I still have no idea how Loki opened the door between realities, allowing my characters to travel back and forth. Do they go other places besides my world and their story universe?

Lynn squeezes me tighter, leans down to kiss my cheek, then releases me. A cloud of chocolate and cherry scent follows her—no surprise with the time she's spent on the cake.

"I appreciate all the cooking and baking you've done for this party." I gesture to the counter with trays of cut veggies with ranch dip, pita chips with spinach dip, smoked salmon with cream cheese on cucumber slices, and warming dishes of pinwheel ham and cheese roll-up bites, mini-quiche, chicken wings, and meatballs. Next to the cake, lemon squares and butter tarts wait on a tiered glass and silver dish. "Everything looks amazing. I can't wait to try that cake."

Lynn grins, lighting up her oval face and brightening her brown eyes. "You are so welcome! I wanted my present to you to be something personal. Besides, I enjoy cooking and baking."

She's so earnest that I can't help but return her smile, a real one this time. "I know you do. Still. Thank you." It's part of her nature to try to take care of people, nurturing them like the mother she is. A little more straitlaced than many of my other characters, her scientist nature is perfectly suited to the conspiracy thriller story I created her for.