A fanfic focusing on the characters Mariah and Tessa from the daytime soap opera Young and the Restless. They aren't together on the show (at least not yet *fingers crossed*) so this is my version of how it could happen ;-D ***It's been a long, long time since I've written fan-fiction, so I've forgotten how that disclaimer thingamagig goes. Anyhoo, the characters of Mariah and Tessa (along with any other Y&R characters who might pop up or are at least mentioned) are the property of the CBS network and Young and the Restless.

At the ripe age of twenty-seven, Nokomis Reed's love life has come to a screeching halt -- which is why when her mother nominates her to be a contestant on a reality TV show, she reluctantly says yes. Nokomis soon finds herself in a strange new world, living in a house with twenty other women, each vying for the attention of the same man. But when it's one of the other contestants, and not the single man who catches her eye, Nokomis is thrown even further from her comfort zone. Smart, sexy, and fun, The Final Rose follows Nokomis as she navigates the Game in search of love. Now complete!

Michaela has an unusual part-time job, but it helps her pay her way through university. Victoria is a public figure, with a secret and a problem that Michaela might be able to fix. Work brings them together, but can Michaela keep her focus? Written for the #BadassReads and #LGBT combined contest. Some parts of this were prompted by recent news stories, but the details of my situations and characters are all entirely fictional and not in any way supposed to resemble any real person or situation. Many thanks to the lovely @sovereinete for the cover! Be warned, this story contains improbable situations, some mild violence and a whiff of sex, and a fair bit of what I hope is badassery...and was great fun to write. ;) xx January, 2016.

This is the story of my two daughters and my wish for them to have a good life. I think if you are a parent (and especially a father) you will relate to this. As they grow I will continue to update their story.

I write most often what I live. Moments when I am at a crossroad and I choose one direction and take a step in that direction but- something happens on the other road - I have not travelled far enough to have left the crossroad behind - and I turn around and I see! I see something I might have prevented perhaps or given more attention to. It's the not knowing whether I'd have made a difference... A time and place splintering of moments too precious to let go by unrecorded. After words, the looking back at steps taken and doors ahead to behold. Then the words after the words. There's always ever been me and a door. Rather a series of doors which, left ajar or partially open, present as invitations to enter. So I enter. Sometimes there are EXIT signs bright-lit above them but they are unseen by me; I ever-assuming I am entering something, never leaving it. There is that final door to contemplate, however. As time passes and I find myself near enough to reach out and touch the handle - though it remains closed for now - I gaze at it from time to time. Pondering on the when is useless, as is the what and why. What matters ultimately is the who. Who I shall be when I finally enter, and who shall be left behind better, for having known me. I ever striving to give much more than I receive. I, wishing to leave behind six fond smiles. (The seventh reserved for my own lips.)

In-between words there is that sitting still. Staring at the screen or off in the distance, your eyes are not seeing outward. ... A question invited itself in. Perhaps due to something read, or seen or heard; perhaps an old odd one resurfacing for another try. Or simply, a reaction to a momentary action- like spilling coffee on the keyboard. I want to know. How YOU answer these questions. Maybe I'm seeking collaboration as comfort; maybe I need to borrow other perspectives for a while. Or. Maybe together we can shift the world just that little bit. (These are not writing prompts or invitations to flights of fantasy. I want REAL ya hear?)

When you don't know what you don't know- you just don't know! Take love. You know you love and you know yours is the best possible love because it IS what you know. But when you meet LOVE love... Suddenly you know what you didn't know before. And in this knowing... everything changes. Or does it?