Billy’s elder years brought with them inspiration in the form of artwork. His hands, callused and tough from years of strumming guitar strings, bore the gentleness of some sort of gift many artists could only invision in books and dreams.

He spent many a day alone with the canvas, taking care with each line, each stroke of the brush. It was in these hours that Billy felt the most alive – breathing in the wonderful paint fumes.

The morning after her party, Abby spruced herself up and wandered downtown to the spa. Wishing she were there for a facial, but knowing otherwise, she walked in looking for a part-time job and walked out with just that.

Being focused on her writing career and wanting to follow in her father’s artistic footsteps, she didn’t have the energy for a full time job, but she wanted to bring in some sort of income. “At least I’ll get discounts on massages,” she reminded herself. Feeling frisky and accomplished, she picked up her phone and made plans to meet a friend at the gazebo for a much needed chat.

“So, Michel, what’s the deal here?” Abby was tired of messing around.
“The deal? What are you talking about?” Michel looked confused and nervous.
“You flirt with me, you’re always finding reasons to touch my arms or my hands,” Abby looked at him knowingly, “So what’s the story? Are you into me, or not? Because I’m not playing games with you.”

“Abby, of course I’m into you,” Michel giggled uncomfortably, “you are without a doubt the most incredible creature I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”
“Then why do you always take off right before things get good?” Abby asked irritably.
“You just make me so nervous. I’m afraid once things go any further, you’ll get dissapointed and it’ll be the end of any chance I had,” he confessed.

“Why do you think I could ever be that shallow?” Abby questioned his reasoning, “I’ve been crazy about you since I was 15, don’t think I’d let you get away that easily.”
“Man, you’re sexy when you’re threatening,” Michel replied as he ran his hands through her shimmering hair.

Abby was not dissapointed. The feeling of electricity pulsing through her veins as his tongue brushed her lips was enough to hook her for many, many kisses to come.

Michel didn’t rush off anywhere that day, or any other day thereafter.

Emma slept through most of the drama that had taken place at the party, and most of the day following. By the time her grumbling stomach awoke her late in the afternoon, most of her family was busy at work or in town running errands.

After a quick bite to eat, she figured it wouldn’t hurt to take her own trip to town and check out the scene.

Unfortunately, there weren’t that many people out and about. Emma wondered where all the cute guys hung out, but was too lazy to look, so she settled on a nice girl from class and struck up a conversation for a while. It wasn’t as fun as one of Abby’s parties, but it would do for a while – until her favorite show came on, anyway.

Bella wasn’t surprised that Mira asked her if she would remain living in their house and keep her mother’s legacy alive. Abby was too much of a wild spirit, too into herself and the little bubble she lived in to be worried with family business. And Emma was still very young, not to mention lazy.

Because of this recent information, Bella figured it was time to start getting more familiar with some of the men in her life. She always thought Dimitri was kind of cute, if not a little stuck up. “He deserves a chance just the same,” she told herself.

Dimitri, however, seemed to find most of their conversations boring or absurd, and didn’t agree in the slightest with any of Bella’s conspiracy theories.

He would constantly change the conversation to focus on himself, and Bella found herself wondering if he could see her face fully through that rather large nose he posessed.

By the time Billy got home, in his cool new rocker duds, Dimitri was fake-yawning and heading out the door. Bella should have felt let down, but something about his demeanor and overwhelming honker had left her feeling empty and she wasn’t sad to see him go.

“Bella, don’t act so dissapointed. You know Yuri’s boy is a waste of time for a bright woman like you,” Billy comforted his daughter through a mouthful of food.
“I know, Dad,” she sighed, “What if I wasted all that time in school worrying about nothing, when I should have been finding a boyfriend?”
“You have no idea how happy I am you didn’t focus all of your attention on boys, Bella,” Billy confessed. “You’re much better off for it. But say, what about that Lothario boy?”
“Wilson? Oh I don’t know, he was always pretty sweet to me,” she admitted. “But I blew him off all the time, I’m sure he’s with someone by now.”
“No harm in finding out, right?” Billy didn’t want to push Bella, but he knew without a little nudge in the right direction, she would fall back into old habits.

Mira was feeling pretty good for a woman who raised three kids and was on the verge of elderhood. She was enjoying her new independence – Bella had taken over her role as baby maker and Abby was an author, Emma was beautiful and could take care of herself just fine.

She especially enjoyed the fact that having grown kids who were always out of the house meant she could make out with her husband in any room she pleased.

Being the personable young girl she is, Emma often brought friends home from school. This was mainly a ploy to gain popularity among her classmates, because she always managed to bring people over on the nights her sister threw a party.

Of course Abby had to throw a party for her mother’s birthday, even if it was a way to show off her new boyfriend to all of the guests. She made sure to make out with him in front of party-goers at any given opportunity.

Sheena Grisby looks rather dissapointed in Abby’s public displays of affection. Or maybe it’s a secret desire to be in her place.

Bella, grumpy from her failed attempts at mate-catching, took out her frustrations on Emma by complaining about the dirty dishes all over the house. Emma did not find this at all interesting, and neither does Dimitri, by the looks of things.

Abby had also invited Bella’s old admirer, Wilson Lothario, who seems to have gotten rather “busy” since entering young adulthood.

Bella was immediately convinced he had gotten married to a woman who obviously knew him very well, and was sure she would end up an old maid with no husband or children.

“Why didn’t I get a wedding invite?” Bella attempted to ask sarcastically.
“Who got married?” Wilson asked excitedly.
“You did, from the looks of it,” she replied as she pointed to the drooling toddler at her feet.
“Oh! No, Bella, I’m not married,” Wilson explained. ”Let’s just say, I had a little too much to drink one night right after graduation. The mother had him and took off, never to be heard from again. He’s my son.”
“Oh! So you’re single?” she asked excitedly, unphased by what she had just heard.

In the midst of all the excitement, Mira happily transitioned into elderhood with ear-deafening from Hannah Jones.

A little dissapointed in her ensemble and aching joints, Mira aged into a well-adjusted, freckly elder. “Now if only I would get a promotion to the top so I can retire already!” she cursed to herself for being such an overachiever.

Bella and Wilson found out they shared a lot of common interests that night – like their theory that millions of people were purposely leaving their faucets running so the world’s supply of water would eventually run out.

Bella was pleasantly surprised that she wasn’t turned off by his athleticism, and thought him to be much more attractive than she had originally imagined.

Dimitri just wanted them to quit talking so Wilson would focus on his crying child and take the sleepy toddler home.

The next night Bella invited Wilson over in the hopes he would come without his son - he didn’t fail her. As it turns out, the little tyke had his own birthday that day, and was celebrating at a friend’s house for the night.

It wasn’t long before the chemistry between them naturally progressed in the direction Wilson wished it had years before.

Bella was surprised at how normal this all felt to her, and was curious to see where things would go from here. She quickly asked him to stay the night, and he accepted.

She didn’t realize it would end with them sleeping side-by-side.

Sleeping side-by-side. Bella exhausted, and Wilson worn out from the birthday party, fell asleep curled up in Bella’s bed too soon to know what could have happened.

Not wanting to disturb him, Bella let Wilson sleep in the next morning while she freshened up and cleaned up after her family. Once she heard him stir, she quietly entered the room to see if how he slept, and if he needed anything.

“I slept surprisingly well, considering how much I usually toss and turn,” he told her as he slipped his hands around her waist.
“That’s good,” she smiled. “Is there anything you need this morning?” Bella was thinking she could go for some waffles.

Wilson did have something in mind, and it definitely wasn’t waffles.

Billy and Mira were delighted that all of their children were growing older and now they finally had more time to spend with each other. The lovebirds were not shy about expressing their affection all over the house in front of the girls and their friends. Needless to say the teens were not thrilled about it.

Bella was still determined to climb up the ranks in the local chess ring, no matter how many times she lost to Marisol – who turned out to be a much bigger competitor than originally anticipated. But she didn’t back down, and three matches later Bella finally won.

Abby, on the other hand, was content dancing around in her pajamas most of the time when she wasn’t working on writing a sequel to “The Five Headed Beastie,” which actually fetched her a fair amount of money. It was no bestseller though, and Abby hoped that “Beastie Returns” would bring in a hit.

Being the couch potato that she is, Emma spent most of her free time watching the history channel or sleeping.

She did enjoy stargazing though, and had discovered a couple new constellations during her search of the galaxy. This interest sparked a desire to become an Astronaut. Being as lazy as she is though, the athleticism required for such a profession might prove to be quite the challenge.

On the day of Billy’s birthday, he came to the decision that a little bit of a makeover was in order. He traded in the combed back look for more of a messy ‘do in hopes that the older women in his audience would find the dishevled look more appealing.

Mira seems a little too excited about Billy’s birthday, but maybe she’s more into older men than she ever let on.

“Hey! Not too bad,” Billy exclaimed after examining himself. The clothes weren’t really his style, but that was an easy fix. He thought he was going to enjoy being an elder – he could relax all day and paint and be innapropriate without anyone giving him a hard time about it anymore.

As soon as Billy found some new threads, Mira made a point to show him exactly how attractive she thought he still was. She also didn’t fail to warn him if he let any of those fans of his get a little too close, she would kill him before Death even got the chance.

Lookin’ good and feelin’ groovy, Billy headed into town to strum his favorite guitar with his worn out fingers. He mainly just wanted to see if becoming an old man had made him any less likable in the music scene.

Of couse, he was still as popular as ever, and Billy soon became overwhelmed at the size of the group that crowded around to get a glimpse of the great Billy Shaw in action.

The fun couldn’t last too long, though – it was time to get home and watch his twin girls age into beautiful young women.

Wilson Lothario, the kid that was obsessed with Bella, turned into a fairly attractive young man, though it’s hard to tell through the facial expressions he chooses to make from time to time. He showed up to the party in the hopes that Bella might show some interst in him now.

Also in attendance was Abby’s long-time crush, Michel Newell and Yuri’s snob of a son, Dimitri. Once he learned of Abby’s writing ability, he offered her the chance to make good money if she wrote a Biography on him.

Abby didn’t really know how interesting it would be, but she needed the money and gladly agreed to fork one over as soon as she could.

Impatient to get this over with and get back to Michel, Abby hastily blew out her candles and braced herself for adulthood.

After a quick change and a brush of her hair, Abby made her way back to her corner with Michel. “It’s finally time for that kiss I’ve been waiting for,” she thought excitedly to herself as she prepared herself for the best moment of her life thus far.

In that moment, Michel grasped her hands tightly in his.

“I had a great night, this was a really fantastic party,” Michel told her.
“It was, wasn’t it?” Abby replied impatiently.
“I should probably get going though. I’ve got an early morning and the kid I babysit has this wretched mother that complains if I’m five minutes late.”
“Oh – ” Michel gave Abby a quick hug and was out the door before she could even finish her thought.

Not really in the mood for a the rest of the party, Abby hid out in her room for the rest of the night.

Bella, tired and a little annoyed at all of the attention being given to her sister, spun into adulthood without much fuss.

She did spend a little time chatting with Dimitri and Wilson, but was too worn out to put in much effort and soon headed to bed herself.

Little does she know what lies waiting for her.. as heir to the Shaw throne.

Here, we meet Mira Shaw as she struggles to start anew after a terrible storm sweeps away her family and the life she knew. Follow her journey to find love and happiness in Riverview and start a family that will last for generations to come.

Want to learn more about the Sims you’ll meet in this story? Click here to view the Shaw Family Tree and Character Information. If you are looking for the chapters, please visit the Chapter Index.

If you’re new to this story, please comment, and I hope you enjoy!

Though Bella and Abby were happy for their parents and the new baby sister, they were not excited about the smells and noises she omitted. The sisters found ways to keep themselves entertained outside of the home for most of Emma’s infancy.

On one such evening while Abby enjoyed the scenery in the park, she ran into a different sort of scene all together, in the face of a handsome young man from her class. Abby, being the coward she is, shuddered in her heels at the thought of striking up a coversation with this lovely boy, but teenage hormones had the best of her.

His name is Michel Newell. To Abby, he is the epitome of a teenage heartthrob – wow, did he make her heart throb.

With a deep breath and a smile, she slowly took those few steps toward him.

“Hi, Michel? I’m Abby, we’re in the same class,” Abby clenched her hands into fists to hide her trembling fingers.
“I know who you are,” Michel smiled at her, “with a laugh like yours, you’re pretty hard to miss.”

Jackpot, she thought to herself and felt her lips part into a giant, toothy grin. Abby spent a good rest of the night getting to know this heartthrob a little better.

Bella, up to her usual neatfreak antics, spent most of her time scrubbing the house spotless. She felt calmed by the bursting sound of the bubbles beneath her fingers as she ran her hand in circles across the surfaces of the counters. Those tiny grime filled bubbles understood how she felt, ready to break open under the pressure at any second.

Being the only man in a house full of women isn’t easy for Billy, and he liked to take the time and enjoy the fun in life instead of focusing all of his energy on babies or music. Many evenings he would sneak outside and splash around in the sprinklers, leaving the girls to discuss all of the things he’d rather not know about.

Before they knew it, the time had come to welcome Emma into the world of toddlerhood. As selfish as it was, Billy was looking forward to focusing his attention on one little girl and teaching her all she needed to know, instead of having to balance his time like he did with the twins.

And he loved his little girl. Not that he didn’t love Bella and Abby, he loved them with every ounce of his being. “But this time was different,” he told himself, “This time around I am going to be dedicated to what is good for my family, and that means I will be here as much as I can.”

Bella didn’t know how she felt about the opposite sex yet, she viewed boys as another cause of stress she couldn’t handle. Wilson Lothario set his sights on her though, and no matter what excuse Bella came up with, he followed her home from school. She sat next to him on the way home to be nice, but successfully steered clear of him once she got home.

Now that Billy had most days off and only worked at night, he enjoyed taking Emma to the bookstore and reading to her outside under the warm sunlight. He felt so much joy listening to her coo and giggle over the pictures that filled the child-sized pages – he never wanted this time to end.

When Abby wasn’t on the phone with Michel or hanging out at friend’s houses, she was busy with her secret hobby – writing. Abby dreamed of a day when she would be a world renowned author and artist, and worked hard on her first novel to be published, a SciFi novel titled, “The Five-Headed Beastie.”

She was actually quite good, and couldn’t wait to show her parents that she was more than just a party animal.

She was still a party animal, though, and decided to throw a party at the local pool on a particularly sunny day. Michel was of course the first person she called.

“Woo! Party time! Aren’t you excited?” Abby playfully asked Michel.
“Yeah! This is going to rock!” he cheered back enthusiastically. “Almost as much as your body does in that swimsuit,” he kept silently to himself.

The party was a huge success, almost half the town joined in on the fun. Abby had a blast splashing the cute boys - and the girls that got in the way of the cute boys.

Even Bella found time in her full cleaning schedule to stop by her sister’s party.

Feeling awkward and out-of-place, she opted to spend her visit by the door for a quick getaway if needed. Fortunately, this turned out to be a good idea because Wilson Lothario spotted her from the pool and made a bee-line her direction. She liked the guy, but she just wasn’t ready for boys.

“Emma, can you say ‘Daddy’?” Billy took it upon himself to cover all of the other basics, so Mira felt she deserved at least this – teaching her baby daughter to speak.
“Da-dee?” Emma drooled back to her in response.

He had spent so much time with his daughter, Billy didn’t feel guilty for slipping away occasionally to work on a piece for his beautiful wife. She didn’t know he took the candid picture of her, or that he was forever immortalizing her on canvas.

“This way, this family will always know the beautiful woman that made all of their lives possible,” he spoke silently to the face in front of him.

It had been almost a week since Abby had seen Michel, and that was just too long. She was tired of playing around, when was he going to kiss her all ready?
“Hey, Michel? It’s Abby, do you wanna go hang out somewhere?” she wondered if the desperation in her voice was noticeable.
“Sure! Meet me at the theater,” he quickly hung up.

“What’s up kiddo?” Michel playfully punched her arm.
“Kiddo?” Abby was confused.
“Yeah, I turned 18 a couple days ago, didn’t you know? I’m done with all of that high school business!”
“Oh, great,” she replied with no hint of happiness.
“So, PG-13 movie for the young one?” he asked.

Needless to say, Abby did not get her kiss, and she did not enjoy the movie – even the popcorn was stale.

“Emma, promise me that when you’re my age you won’t fall for Seniors when you’re a Sophomore, it only ends in heartbreak,” Abby drowned her sorrows in her sister’s laughter.

Mira worried about her outgoing child. She knew what it was like to get caught up in older boys, and didn’t want her to get crushed in her quest to find young romance. But Abby bounced back quickly, and reminded herself in a couple years, the boys would be chasing after her.

Bella, in her quest to find a relief for all of her neurotic tendencies, joined the local chess league and decided it was time she moved up the ranks. She invited over Marisol Lobos in hopes of defeating her and in return getting more respect among the geeky throng of chess players.

The smallest Shaw had other important things to worry about, like that annoying thing tickling the inside of her nose.

Billy was quickly working his way up the ranks to becoming an international superstar, and got a rockin’ outfit to match. He happens to fill it out quite nicely. Mira definitely enjoyed his new look.

Time flew by quickly for the Shaws, and before they knew it, it was time to say goodbye to Emma’s toddler years and hello to her childhood.

Billy was a little saddened by how quickly his girls had grown into beautiful young women. It made him realize how soon his hair would turn grey and his muscles would weaken.

Emma grew up into a fairly attractive young girl. She inherited the round face of Billy and Mira’s nose and eyes. But with her desire to be lazy and lack of desire to attend pool parties with her sisters, she didn’t much of a personality to compete with them for attention.

Even though they didn’t have much in common, Abby felt close to her little sister and liked to sit and read while Emma watched television. The girls used this time to catch up and learn more about one another, but Abby made sure not to mention anything about the rocky times in the family before Emma was born.

Bella picked up a guitar one day, and then never put it back down. She enjoyed playing in her free time, once the house was clean, of course, and playing at friend’s houses after school. It was a calming hobby, and she liked getting lost in the melodies she created.

The calm never lasted long, though, and soon enough she was back home and freaking out over broken appliances or leaky faucets.

“At some point in my life, I will fix all of these appliances to where they never break again!” she promised herself after fixing the dishwasher for the hundredth time.

Billy made it to the big time and soon found himself playing concerts at the sports stadium. Usually he hated the crowds, but being up on that stage with the bright spotlight blacked out the audience and he felt like he was just playing for himself. He was happiest on a stage.

Even though being on stage made him most happy, Billy still liked to see how many tips he could pick up by playing in the park. Now that he was more well known around town, he drew large crowds that would dance and bob their heads to the music.

“The Five Headed Beastie” was coming along nicely, and Abby had found a publisher that was interested. But she occassionaly suffered from writer’s block and took the downtime as a chance to improve her painting skills. She was becoming quite creative with her work, and Billy was thrilled to see how artistic and musical his daughters had turned out to be.

Now that Billy was a dedicated family man, he made sure to show Mira how much she meant to him at every opportune moment. Bella thought the show was always a little too much, and wished they would keep it behind closed doors. But Emma thought it was sweet how her parents were still so in love after being together so long.

It was while Emma was watching Mira smooch her husband that she remembered it was once again her youngest daughter’s birthday.

“Emma, I’m so sorry about the lack of attention we’ve given you. It’s just, between our careers and your sisters being such a handful, you kind of got lost in the crowd,” Mira explained, “Besides, you’re just so well behaved, we never have to worry about you!”
“It’s ok, Mom. I’ll be sure to create more trouble when I’m a teenager,” Emma promised.

Emma had to admit she was a little peeved that she was finally going to be a teenager but her sisters were about to graduate. But it wasn’t her fault her parents had her so much later. She would just have to look at it as an opportunity to hog all of her parents’ attention and be a little more spoiled than they had been.

“It’s my turn to get some attention!” Emma said as she twirled and gracefully tripped over her own feet.

So the Shaws were getting older. The twins were on the verge of graduating and becoming young adults, Emma was finally a troublesome teenager, and Billy was only days away from waking up to a head full of grey hair. Mira was ready to pass off the responsibility of keeping this family going onto one of her girls, but which one would she choose in the end?

Billy and Mira are happily on the mend after sorting out their issues and realizing they can’t let child raising and their careers dictate their relationship. The girls are getting older and more independant, which means they can spend more time getting to know each other again – they find this very enjoyable.

To celebrate their growing family, Billy and Mira decided to build a larger, but still managable house on their plot of land and tore down the old one.

Now they had more space to roam around, and the girls each have their own rooms to decorate based on their personalities. Billy also made sure to have enough room in the master suite for his easel, so he could paint in peace away from the bustle of children and guests.

In their excitement over their new home, Billy and Mira decide to celebrate privately in their new master suite, surrounded by flickering candlelight. The dim lights and smell of vanilla remind Billy what a beautiful woman Mira truly is - he swears he’ll never stray again.

After all of the drama faded into the back of their minds, the Shaws didn’t mind the lack of excitement in the family. Billy took the downtime as a chance to catch up with his daughters and spent most of his time watching their favorite movies with them or playing catch.

He also enjoyed making lunches for his girls on the weekends while Mira caught up on her gardening – and tried not to feel too hurt when she didn’t seem to get along too well with his peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

Mira was familiar with this uneasy feeling, but couldn’t quite remember when she had felt it before, or what had been the culprit. She tried to drown out the noise of chatter from her girls while she mulled over what could have made her feel so ill. But before she had enough time to figure it out…

…her body clued her in. She was pregnant again. “I guess Billy and I made up a little too well,” she scolded herself as she high-tailed it to the closest bathroom.

She had to admit, though, she was pretty excited about being pregnant again. Bella and Abby hoped for a sister, but Mira couldn’t help but hope for a little boy.

Tired of being stuck in the house with morning sickness and her whiny children, Mira made her way downtown to enjoy some fresh air and new people. She realized she hadn’t really taken the time to explore this qaint little town she lived in since she first moved here – and suddenly felt much, much older.

Soon enough she met a nice woman named Hannah, and found herself lost in conversation. Mira had forgotten what it was like to have a nice chat with another adult that wasn’t her husband, and spent the rest of the evening making a new friend.

Billy, bored at home without Mira to flirt with and the girls busy with homework and hobbies, decide to make his way to the park to earn a little money playing guitar. He didn’t draw a huge crowd, but he didn’t mind – an older gentleman liked his playing so much that he stuck around for hours and nearly gave Billy his entire life savings.

“Dolly, do you know what today is? It’s me and Abby’s birthday! I hope Mom and Dad throw us a really fun party and get us a cake!” Bella was ready to grow up and gain some independence. Not that being a kid wasn’t fun, but she was ready for the amount of freedom and excitement that came with being older.

As much as Billy hated crowds, he couldn’t let his daughters down on their birthday. He made a point to call every kid or teen the girls had ever met and offered them a great party if they would come over that evening. He also made a point not to invite Roxie, or any other woman he thought might cause a problem.

Among the guests were Yuri, Billy’s flirtatious bandmember, and Sheena Grisby, a sweet but rather unfortunate looking friend of the twins’.

As usual, there was a lot of talking and dancing. Billy was glad Yuri didn’t bring his wife along, considering he danced with everyone woman at the party.

Soon enough Mira found the girls and rounded them up so they could blow out their candles.

Bella took it upon herself to blow out the candles first this time around – she thought for a while and closed her eyes as she blew out the warm candles and watched the smoke rise to the ceiling.

Next up, Abby. She spent a long time trying to figure out what her sister had wished for so she could wish for something even better. And then, once Mira yelled at her to hurry up, she quickly blew out the candles and sprouted into a lovely teenager.

Bella shed her ponytail for a spunkier ‘do, and her sporty clothes for Converse and zebra print. She was surprised at how much more grown up she felt in such a short period of time! In true Bella fashion, she opted to spend the rest of the party cleaning up after the guests instead of enjoying their company.

Completely opposite of her sister, Abby enjoyed how long her hair had become, but traded in the sandals for heels and chose a much shorter skirt. Loving a good party, she spent the rest of the party dancing with the other guests and high fiving everyone in sight.

Mira’s pregnancy was coming along nicely, but left her tired, sore and hungry. She enjoyed her food, and cooked watermelon pancakes for the family the morning after the girls’ party.

“Bella, stop checking the stove and come eat some pancakes with your mother,” Mira was a little worried about her daughter’s peculiar behavior, but figured it was just a phase.

“In a second, Mom,” Bella answered as she checked for warmth coming from the burners. “I think one of the party guests turned a burner on, I swear I smelled gas in the middle of the night.” Bella didn’t like being so neurotic, but someone in this house had to make sure they were safe and weren’t going to die in a gas explosion, she told herself.

Abby, being the socialite of the family, spent many afternoons at friends’ houses after school, catching up on the latest gossip and clothing trends. She wasn’t quite a snob, but she hated getting rejected for any sort of social advancement and usually snubbed anyone who didn’t treat her in a way she felt appropriate.

Bella, on the other hand, preferred staying home and cleaning the house or doing her homework. She wasn’t antisocial, but she found most of the girls way too prissy and most of the guys didn’t seem bright enough for her taste. She figured the right one would come along eventually.

It was on just such a night that Mira found herself in quite the predicament – she was in labor, again. As much as she loved babies and being a mother, she told herself going through this pain was just not worth it after this one.

Billy took it upon himself to drive his beloved wife to the hospital in his band’s van. Mira wasn’t too excited about the attention the big purple vehicle would get, but she was in too much pain to throw much of a fit.

The couple returned home that night with another bouncing baby girl, Emma. Mira was beyond excited about this tiny little thing she coddled and sang to. “Another new Shaw brought into the world,” she whispered to her baby girl, “how lovely she is.”

“What the hell did I just do?” Billy was lost for thought.

He was dreaming, that had to be it! Just a dream – no party, no guests, no reciprocation of a secretive kiss he never wanted. Roxie was nothing, just a ditzy co-worker that always got a little too close at work and wouldn’t take no for an answer. “Was this her goal,” he asked himself, “to ruin my perfect life?” Billy took a deep breath and opened his eyes – he had to make Mira see this for what it was, a stupid mistake.

Mira was not happy to see her husband walk into their bedroom. “What do you want? Have some other news you’d like to share that will make this night even worse?”

“Mira, please – hear me out?” He had never noticed the laugh lines starting to form around her mouth or the little crows feet around her eyes. The stress of raising two little girls was beginning to show, she looked tired and fed up.

“There’s nothing you can say, Billy. I saw everything,” she didn’t bother wiping the tears from her cheeks.

“You can’t see anything, Mira!” Billy was annoyed, why couldn’t she just listen. “What happened was a slip up, a stupid one-time deal. I don’t care about Roxie, heck I don’t even like her as a person that much! She’s crass and obnoxiously loud and flirts with all of the guys in the band. She’s just a stupid girl.”

“A stupid girl that all of the guys in the band kiss? Or is that just your job?” Nothing Billy could say would make this any better.

“No, I swear that’s never happened before tonight. I don’t even know why it did, Mira! But I do know that Roxie means nothing to me, you’re my wife, and I love you,” Billy spoke quietly, intensly – the thought of a life without her was flowing through his mind and he hated it.

Mira put her head in her hands, pulling her hair. “How could you do this to us, Billy,” she spoke through tears. “I don’t know where to go from here – our poor girls saw the whole thing.”

“I’ll talk to them,” Billy attempted to console his weeping wife. “I’ll tell the girls I screwed up, it was just a stupid thing dads do sometimes.”

“You’ll leave them alone!” Mira felt herself transforming into a mother bear protecting her cubs. “They’re confused enough as it is, seeing you talk to another woman the way you’re supposed to talk to me.”

“Mira, they’re my daughters! I want to help them understand that it was a mistake – you and the girls are the most important thing in my life, I have to right my wrongs. Can’t you let me try and do that?” Billy was hurting, he knew he deserved it, but it didn’t make the pain any less sharp.

“I don’t know if I even want to, no. Why should my daughters have a man in their life that’s just going to hurt them?” Mira wished she had swallowed her words the moment she let them slip.

“Baby, please,” Billy didn’t even try to hold back the tears now. “I love you – you are my world. I have never done anything intentional to hurt you, and I am so incredibly sorry for what took place tonight.”

“Then why did it take place, Billy?” Mira felt guilty for being so harsh to the man she loved so deeply.

“I honestly don’t know, I wasn’t myself. I was annoyed at all the people, she listened to me complain, it was comforting. I screwed up, I know,” he would put his heart on his sleeve to keep her. “Please don’t take away my girls, please don’t take away the only thing I’ve ever loved.”

Billy pulled Mira into his arms before she could fight him off – even though in her rage, Mira felt comfort in being so close to him in that moment. “I love you, Mira Shaw, you are the only woman I will ever want.”

“I know, Billy, I know,” Mira whispered to him, but in her mind she wondered if it was really true. “We’ll get through this somehow, the girls need you.” And so do I, she reminded herself.

Bella fought to see her homework through her tear-filled eyes. She hated that she could hear every word her parents said, but it was like a train wreck, she just couldn’t get herself to tune out the yelling no matter how hard she tried. Why had daddy kissed that woman, she asked herself, did he not love mom anymore? And what was mom going to do, kick him out, or forgive him and let him stay? “I hope daddy stays - I hope we can be happy again,” she said aloud as she dabbed at the water spots on her paper.

Billy felt like crap the next morning. Mira let him sleep in their bed to save face in front of their children, but she didn’t speak to him and turned her back to him all night. He couldn’t sleep without being wrapped around her – Lord knows he didn’t try.

“I’ll do everything in my power to make her see what a good man I am,” he made a goal for himself. “If we can get through today, that will be a good start.”

Billy began with Mira’s beloved garden. He watered the wilting plants and carefully pulled every weed from the dirt. Getting his hands and knees dirty made him feel accomplished, and it felt good to be so close to the things that Mira loved so much.

Next was the broken dishwasher. Mira had been nagging for several days now about the water slowly pooling on the kitchen floor and Billy had been too lazy to fix it. “Not today,” Billy told himself proudly, “I am determined to show that woman how much this family means to me.”

Not wanting to press his luck too soon,  Billy decided it was best to give Mira and the girls some space after they got home from work and school and made his way to a park to relax with a book and his thoughts. He was happy to let his mind wander to the story, trying to forget about the previous night’s events and what it might mean for his future.

“Bella, what do you think is going to happen between Mom and Dad?”

“I don’t know, Abby. I hope everything works out though, I don’t want to have to go back and forth all the the time.”

“Me neither, I love our family being here together,” Abby sighed. She put on a happy face, but inside she was confused and sad.

The drama in the house brought the girls closer than ever, they were the best of friends and shared all of their deepest fears and desires. They told themselves that no matter what happened between their parents, they would always have each other.

“Mom, when is dad coming home?” Bella was concerned, Billy didn’t come home at all last night.

“Daddy stayed at a friend’s house last night. He wanted to give us time to relax and cool off, I’m sure he’ll be home soon honey,” Mira hated seeing her baby girl so worried.

“You promise he’s coming home?”

“I promise – daddy loves us, he’ll be home.”

Billy had indeed stayed at a friend’s house that night. Yuri was a good friend despite his flirtatious advances on Billy’s wife, and he didn’t hesitate when Billy asked if he could crash on his couch. But Yuri’s personality was a little more than Billy could handle given the circumstances, so as a soon as he woke up it was off to a local park to strum away some of his worries.

He drew quite a crowd, and the hoots and hollers of admirers made him forget his present drama for a little while. It was nice to learn his talent was starting to gain followers and he hoped Mira would see his shot at fame and fortune as a good reason to stick around.

After staying after class to help the teacher clean up, Bella hoped she would arrive home to discover Billy there, spending quality time with Mira.

Unfortunately for Bella, the only people she came home to were Mira and Abby, playing tag in the yard. She skulked inside without saying “Hello,” and Mira decided it best to give her time to herself. Abby seemed to be handling the situation better than her sister and wanted to talk about what was going on, so Mira focused her attention on the daughter she could help.

Even though she was happy to get some quality time with her daughters, she was relieved when Billy came back home later that evening.

“I was starting to get worried you weren’t coming back,” Mira confided.

“Of course I was going to come back! I just thought I would give you and the girls some time to yourselves. I would never go away for good,” Billy calmed her nerves as best he could.

“I’m so glad you’re home,” Mira wrapped her arms around him before he finished speaking. He was surprised, but the last thing he wanted was for her to let go.

The Shaws ate breakfast together the next morning for the first time in what felt like weeks. The girls told stories about friends at school while their parents laughed along, randomly sneaking glances at one another. It felt like home again.

“I really missed you,” Mira lovingly told Billy after the girls left for the park.

“I missed you too, baby. You’re the only one I want,” Billy felt like this was too good to be true.

“I think it’s time we do a little making up, don’t you?” Mira looked longingly into his eyes.

“I was hoping you’d say that.”

Though things weren’t perfect, they were definitely headed that direction. Billy hoped Mira would give him the rest of her life to try.

Life after the girls aged to toddlers was pretty mundane for the Shaw clan. Billy focused on his music and art, Mira focused on the girls most of the time. Their passion for each other slowly faded into the background, but it was expected with two little ones to look after now.

Bella and Abby were curious and full of life. Abby couldn’t get enough of her toys and teddy bears and liked to hide for hours at a time inside the toybox Mira had managed to salvage from the wreckage the tornado had left behind. The toybox -  covered with the images she drew with her mother when she was a child, covered with the fingerprints of a long lost love.

Bella, on the other hand, was daddy’s little angel. Billy didn’t mind that she followed him around and begged to be cuddled and kissed – he was amazed that such a little person could make him feel so much so fast. This little smiling, laughing being, pulling at heartstrings he didn’t know existed.

Mira continued to advance in her career. She traded in her coffee-stained T-shirts for business suits and sneakers for heels. She was happy to be taken seriously for once, even if she could have lived without the meetings and aching feet.

Though she was climbing the career ladder, she was still a mother, and never hesitated to run home after work for some snuggles with her favorite little girls.

Billy didn’t want a birthday party - he wasn’t a fan of crowds. Unlucky for him, Mira insisted they invite some of their close friends over to celebrate the occasion. “Oh well,” he thought to himself,”just play nice and maybe I’ll get in good with my boss and he’ll let me be more use at work than just setting up the set.” Billy hated getting the sets ready, it was tiring and dirty, not to mention no one cares about your music when you’re just the technician.

The party began smoothly, one of Billy’s coworkers kept most of the group entertained with some tunes while Mira put the girls to bed so the adults could enjoy some time to themselves without any screaming or whining.

Billy was reluctant to blow out the candles, he felt it was childish and wasn’t comfortable with the idea of everyone watching, but he loved making Mira smile, so he did it anyway.

“Mira! How many candles were on this thing?” Billy screamed as he realized his leg was engulfed in flames. This is what I get for trying to make her happy all the time, he cursed himself for being such a pushover. Apparently, however, the young girl in the background was making light of  what is a very serious situation.

As the entire table was engulfed in flames, Mira quickly dialed the fire department while some of the houseguests started trying to extinguish the blaze. She panicked, “I’m going to be a widow! He’s going to die in this fire and I’m going to have to raise our daughters by myself! Why am I not allowed a happy ending?”

The brave guests continued to put out the fire while Mira huddled in her little girls’ room, making sure they were safe and sound. Luckily for Billy, the fire was put out before the damage was irreversible.

“Maybe next time she’ll listen to me when I say I don’t want a party,” Billy mumbled to himself as he headed to the shower.

After scrubbing himself clean, he headed off to work without getting to enjoy his birthday and left Mira to deal with the party guests. Disgustingly, they all had a pretty good time - apparently watching a grown man catch on fire is prime party entertainment.

“Hey beautiful, now that your husband’s gone, how about the two of us get to know each other a little better?” Yuri may be Billy’s best friend, but that means nothing to a rock star.
“Yuri, Billy almost died! Do you really think this is the best time to hit on me?” Mira was abhorred by his actions.
“Hey, any time is a good time as far as I’m concerned,” he said with a smirk.
“Why don’t you go home to your wife, Yuri?”
“Fine, but call me if you change your mind,” he said slyly as he turned to leave.
“Yeah, I’ll be sure to do that, Yuri,” of course she never would, but he was kind of amusing.

After work that night, Billy celebrated his birthday by himself. He didn’t mind, he enjoyed the peace and quiet after enduring such a hectic afternoon. He kept his look, but got rid of the hat – he felt he was too old now to pull off that look anymore.

Meanwhile, Bella and Abby continued to learn and grow. They spent a lot of time to themselves since Mira and Billy were so busy with work and other hobbies. But they did learn their basic skills, and soon enough graduated from diapers and learned how to toddle around the house.

“Hey you, guess what day it is?” Mira whispered lovingly.
“Mmmm, our anniversary?” Billy didn’t care, he just wanted to breathe in her sweet perfume.
“It’s the twins’ birthday, I invited some people over, you’ll be OK, right?” Mira asked nervously.
“That’s fine, anything for my girls,” he squeezed her and then went to set up the cakes.

The party was a blast for everyone. There was a lot of dancing and laughing – no fires or emergency calls. Mira was excited for the way it turned out, but all she really wanted was to see her little girls grow up.

Abby was first to the cake. Mira danced her around and laughed with her while the guests smiled and watched, singing “Happy Birthday.” Then they blew out the candles together and Abby sprouted into childhood.

She is a cute child, with her father’s nose and mother’s green eyes and blonde hair. “Why do I look like such a tomboy? This is not going to work!” she complained after studying her attire.

Bella, jealous that Abby got to blow out the candles before she did, couldn’t wait any longer.

In a frumpier outfit than her sister, but just as cute, Bella became a lovely little girl – who immediately cleaned up the mess the guests left behind.

As if three birthdays in a row wasn’t enough, it was Mira’s turn to blow out the candles, and Bella wanted to make sure it was a good one.

“Daddy, did you remember to call everyone about mom’s party tonight?” she questioningly asked Billy.
“Of course, honey, I’m not going to let your mother’s birthday go unnoticed! Everyone will be here at 5:00 this afternoon,” Billy found it amusing how mature his daughter could behave from time to time. Even though he knew he’d be miserable the whole time, Mira was the love of his life, and he’d get through it for her.

Mira was anxious about her party. Work was difficult enough, what with having to entertain the businessmen that were in from Tokyo – but knowing she was going to get to let her hair down and relax after work made the day seem to drag out forever. She daydreamed about her sweet, sweet husband, and the treat she was going to give him for going through with this party.

Mira was having a blast! She got a chance to catch up with old friends and boogie down with some new ones. She laughed with her daughters and found out about all the gossip going on at school. It was the best night she’d had in a long time, until…

…one of the party guests took it upon herself to get Billy alone in the kitchen.

Roxie flirted, she swooned – she kissed Mira’s husband at the birthday party he had thrown for her, and Billy didn’t stop her.

“What is going on here?” Mira tried to hold back the tears.
“Mira, I don’t know what happened! We were just talking, and she, she kissed me – I’m so sorry,” Billy was dumbfounded. How could he have let this woman have such an effect on him?
“And in front of our daughters! What were you thinking, Billy?”
“I – I don’t know,” Billy shook his head in shame.

The girls watched as it all unraveled. Their own father, betraying them like this. Is this who he really is, they asked themselves, or is it all a silly mistake?

Mira left Billy to think things over while she dealt with Roxie in the other room.

“How dare you come into my home and stick your tongue down my husband’s throat in front of my children! You have some nerve, Roxie!” Mira was so angry she spat as she spoke. “I knew you were trash, but I never took you for a woman who would try and break up a family.”
“Hey, he could have stopped me at any point, but he didn’t. Looks like someone hasn’t been taking care of her man when he’s home,” Roxie replied sourly.

“If I were a lesser woman, I’d smack you down right here,” Mira threatened. “But luckily for you, I’m above all that. So why don’t you get out of my house before I change my mind, and if I ever see you around my husband again, you won’t be so lucky.”
“Like I’m scared of a stick like you!,” Roxie laughed heartily, “but I’ll leave, this party is lame, anyway.” She left without another word.

So this is how I get to spend my birthday, Mira thought to herself. She just wanted everyone to leave, the party was the last thing on her mind. But once everyone left, Mira would have to deal with the inevitable – her marriage was a joke – the man she believed to be perfect was no better than any other man she’d ever known.

In love, one learns to accept their mate for what he or she is. Mira understood this concept well, but it wasn’t until they said “I do” that she really came to know her spouse.

Billy’s artsy mannerisms and good boy appearance never let on to the fact that he was a closet slob. When Mira wasn’t looking, he’d lick plates clean and take sponge baths instead of showers, resulting in grimy wash cloths and slippery floors. Along with being artistic, Billy was an emotional guy who shed tears for sappy songs and sweet commercials – Mira secretly adored this about him. And though he didn’t always say the most appropriate things, she fell more in love with him every day.

More often than not, Billy could be found playing his guitar or painting portraits to hang around their new home. The rest of the time was spent wooing – and woohooing – his new bride.

With all the woohooing, it wasn’t a big surprise when…

…Mira spilled her guts. Shamefully her sloppy husband left the bathroom a mess, so she had to deal with what she could only hope was a water-covered floor.

Despite the nausea, Mira was full with glee at the prospect of having a child. Being a mother had always been appealing – her only hope was she could be half of the role model her own mother had been.

She sighed, “Ah, Mom, I wish you could be with me now.”

Although the queasy stomach and back pain made Mira extremely uncomfortable most of the time, she enjoyed her maternity leave and used the time to expand her garden and catch up with old friends. Her belly grew large quickly and Mira began to wonder what this little bundle would bring.

However, all was not well. Mira had a problem in the name of Hunter Cottoneye. Their relationship had been short and turbulent, and it wasn’t until after the pregnancy that she realized her relationship with him had never quite ended.

One night after Billy left for work, Mira decided to invite Hunter over to tell him she was married and had a little one on the way. She just hoped he’d take the news well.

“You sure did get chubby, didn’t ya darlin’?” Hunter’s best quality was not charm.
Mira rolled her eyes, “I’m not fat, you moron, I’m pregnant!”
“Well it ain’t mine!”

“No kidding! Look, I invited you over to tell you that I married Billy, we’re having a child together. What ever it was that took place between us is over now. I just didn’t want you to continue thinking that we still had any type of relationship, OK?” Hunter made Mira feel uneasy – being a loose cannon, there’s not much telling how he’d react to such news.

“You married that geek? Man, that’s a big step down, darlin’. A man like that could never please a woman like you,” he laughed and looked at Mira inappropriately.

“Obviously he pleases me just fine – thank you very much!” Hunter had been in her house for less than five minutes and Mira was ready for him to leave. “I only invited you here to tell you in person that there’s nothing going on between us any more. I’m happily married now and hope that we can continue some kind of friendship,” she felt that the friendship part of the equation wasn’t quite so important.

Hunter snorted at her and wished her luck with “Bozo or whatever his name is” and sped away in his cammo-covered pick-up truck, yelling something about a bar and women who weren’t all stuck up. Mira was not sad to see him go.

As Mira’s belly continued to grow, so did her garden. Pregnancy was beginning to take a real toll on Mira’s strength but she put all she had into pulling weeds and tending the plants. It was theraputic, taking the stress of her back pain out on the pesky roots of weeds that wouldn’t let go of the soil.

Billy was excited about the prospect of becoming a father. He cared for Mira dearly, rubbing her shoulders and talking to her belly. His only concern was how he would ever get a moment alone with a house full of children. He wanted to be a daddy, but time to himself was needed for time to focus on his music – that and his sanity.

Billy didn’t have to wait long. Mira went into labor later that night for what seemed liked hours. They opted to stay home and have a home delivery, neither one of them were too keen on hospitals and Mira seemed too close to make it in time, anyway.

With the money the couple had saved, they had just enough for a small nursery and two cribs, one for each of their bouncing baby girls. Bella and Abby were identical from the start, the only way the parents knew the children apart were from their different cribs.

The babies were never in need of love or affection, Billy and Mira gave them plenty to go around. The new parents worked in shifts, Billy manned the cribs during the morning and early afternoon so Mira could rest and do what she wanted to do, and then she’d take over when it was time for Billy to go to work.

 Mira was beyond excited about being a mother. She often cooed over the girls to Billy, who usually feigned more interest than he actually had to make her happy.

Bella and Abby’s infancy flew by and before they realized, toddlerhood had fast approached.

 
Mira and Billy bought a couple of birthday cakes and blew up some balloons for their precious girls. They didn’t see much point in throwing a party – the babies didn’t know anyone other than them, and they felt the occasion would be more special with just the four of them.

 Bella grew up with a nice mix of Mira and Billy’s features. She has Billy’s dark hair and Mira’s bright eyes, which compliment her dark skin well. She’s a brave soul and enjoys art almost as much as her daddy.

 Abby, on the other hand, is the spitting image of her mother, with sun-kissed blonde hair to match. She possesses a strong love for music and anything crafty, but her love for nature keeps her from sitting inside with her blocks for any period of time.

Needless to say, Billy and Mira have their hands full.

 Even though they’re hands are full with toddler needs, that doesn’t stop Billy from taking a moment to adore his wife.

“Thank you for these beautiful children, Mira.”
“I couldn’t have created this life without you, babe,” she told him.

If only life for the Shaws were always so cheerful and full of joy.

The second Billy’s lips touched hers, Mira felt alive again. The chemistry was unreal. She thought of all those taudry love stories that spoke of that immediate spark, the pull of love – she always believed it was all a load of garbage. Not that she was falling head over heels, but she was definitely weak in the knees for this guy.

She had to at least attempt, however, not to let it take over her life so soon.

Mira found solice with her fishing pole on weekday afternoons after slaving over business files. She was getting pretty good and enjoyed staying away from her desolate home with its lack of privacy.

Between the profit Mira was making for fresh catch and juicy vegetables, she saved up enough to build a small shelter big enough for a bed, toilet, shower and sink. It wasn’t much, but the security of being surrounded by four walls while she was sleeping and showering made the money she shelled out well worth it.

When Mira felt like she was going to be stuck living in this shack forever, she consoled herself with knowing if her Daddy could see her, he’d be proud of what she had accomplished in such a small amount of time. He knew his daughter possessed a strength that she wasn’t aware of and she was thrilled to prove him right.

Billy called Mira often when he wasn’t focused on painting. Hearing her voice had a way of changing his mood for the better. If her voice wasn’t enough, he’d invite her to different spots around town so he could soak in that beautiful smile.

Their time together was always innocent, spent laughing and talking, sometimes dancing to live music in the park.

Every moment he spent with her was more meaningful, and even though he mostly liked to keep to himself, there was just something about her that made him want to reach deep down inside himself and spill every miniscule part of his soul.

As their relationship grew, so did Mira and Billy’s fondness for one another. There was excitement in every soft kiss, brush of the hand, stroke of the cheek. For a young couple finding new love, even a spooky small town graveyard seems like the perfect spot to steal a kiss and embrace under the canopy of stars above.

Weeks turned to months and the couple’s romance quickly blossomed into the kind of love only seen in fairytales.

“I can’t imagine what my life would be like if you hadn’t walked into the museum that day,” Billy whispered into Mira’s ear one night.

“I’m sure you’d be showing your pieces in art galleries and living a life of luxury,” she giggled back at him.

“Without you, gorgeous, there would be no joy in that.”

That night, Billy and Mira decided it was time to take their relationship to the next level. Her mind was definitely saying, “woohoo!” and her heart was telling her Billy was quickly becoming the man of her dreams.

She didn’t go directly home after work the next day. Mira rode around town mulling over the emotions whirling around her head. Was it love, she asked herself. Or just a desire for companionship that she missed so dearly.

Billy was so much more than a companion, though, and it didn’t take Mira long to see this situation for what it really was – she was in love. Before heading home she made one final stop.

 ”Mira! I was starting to worry about you! Didn’t you get off work at – what are you so excited about?” Billy had been concerned, but the smile on Mira’s face made him lose his train of thought.

“I know, I’m sorry to be so late, but I was doing a lot of soul searching and it took a while to decide what I wanted to do!” Mira squirmed nervously as she spoke.

Billy was antsy to learn what had Mira so excited, “Well, what did you decide?”

“Hold that thought!”

As Mira knelt down, Billy began to get a little impatient. Is this really the time to tie a shoelace, he asked himself. But when he looked down at her, he saw something else entirely. “Mira! What are you doing?”

As she spoke, Mira’s voice began to tremble, “I know this is soon, but I never thought I would find someone that could heal the pain I’d been storing away for all this time. You’re the one I want to start a new life with! Billy, will you -”

Before she could finish asking the question, Billy swept her up in his arms.

“Of course I’ll marry you, there’s nothing I want more! But how about you wear the diamond, I think it will look much better on you,” he laughed as he kissed her cheek.

 The couple decided not to waste any time and exchanged vows in the garden as the sunset threw rays of orange and pink light across their tear-stained cheeks. To celebrate, the newlyweds went into town for dinner and a symphony at the local theater.

Little did they know they would be returning to a very special wedding present.

A house! Small, but a grand start. Mira definitely isn’t complaining - this little one bedroom house is a mansion compared to what she was living with! With the little bit of money that Billy brought with him, the young couple have a nest to start a family in.

Billy soon accepted a job as a roadie for the local band and spent most of his nights at the theater setting up equipment for their shows. He knew it meant a great deal of time would be spent away from his new wife, but he enjoyed the solitude and used the break to practice his own music.

Mira spent her days rushing around downtown Riverview at the business offices, working her way to the top. When she wasn’t daydreaming about her future with Billy, she was busy brainstorming ways to become the next mega CEO of the company.

And when they weren’t working, Billy and Mira spent their days the way any new couple does…

…wholeheartedly loving each other.

Several days had passed since that day at the museum but Billy Caspian’s smile still lingered in the back of her mind. His soft, full lips drawing her in no matter how hard she tried to fight it and think about something, anything else.

“How can I feel like this?” she asked herself repeatedly. “I met him once! Yes, there was a spark, but I don’t know anything about him, except that he’s an artistic soul and likes to keep to himself most of the time. It’s crazy for me to be acting like this!” It didn’t matter what she said, though, the feelings were still there, leaving her distracted and confused.

 Mira wasn’t given much longer to daydream, real life got in the way and before she knew it she was knee deep in leaky faucets and trying to focus on her career. Between the two, Billy’s gorgeous smile and infectious laugh was reluctantly pushed to the back of her mind.

Her boss was demanding, constantly asking for errands to be run and reports to be read, but Mira welcomed the distraction with open arms and took it as an opportunity to grow in her career, not to mention make more money. She was getting tired of the passersby giving her strange looks as they strolled by her outdoor dwelling.

 By the time the weekend rolled around, Mira longed for companionship and that friendly smile came hurtling back to the front of her mind. She found herself dailing the numbers before she realized what she was doing.

“Hello?” his deep, husky voice made her heart skip a beat.
“Oh, hi! Billy? This is Mira, from the Museum! I was just wondering if you had any plans for the day?” she felt like an idiot and wondered if he could hear her voice trembling.
“Well hello, Mira from the Museum. Actually, my day is pretty empty, what did you have in mind?” he sounded like he was smiling, this was not helping her nerves.
“Um, I wanted to check out the fish hatchery up the road. Do you like to fish?”
“I never did it much, but a day in the sun sounds great! Bring me a pole, I’ll meet you in an hour. ‘Bye, Mira from the Museum.” She heard him laughing as he hung up the phone.
“Well, that was easy,” she said to herself. “Deep breaths, Mira, you can do this!”

Billy was at the hatchery when she arrived, scoping out the various fishing holes and looking out of place in his glasses and trendy hat. Her limbs were like Jell-O, trembling uncontrollably. Mira felt like she was 14 again and Billy was Travis Driscoll, picking her up for her first high school dance. She wondered if he had a corsage? No, this wasn’t high school, and Billy wasn’t 14, and she wasn’t going to get left at the dance while Billy ran off with that cheerleader.

“You OK? Something on your mind?” Billy sounded concerned, oh no, not a good start, Mira thought she must look like a loon.
“I’m fine!” she said a little too cheerfully, “Just spaced out for a minute, that’s all. So how have you been? It feels like it’s been ages since we talked.”

Billy opened up to Mira that day. He told her about his childhood, his cop father and his stay-at-home mother, the car accident that took them from him a few years earlier. She felt close to him in those moments, silently sharing his pain. He pried about her life and she resisted the urge to spill all of the details of that tornado that swept away her home, her memories, her whole world.

Billy saw the pain behind her smiling eyes. He knew what it was like, being alone. It suited him well, gave him time to work on his paintings and his music. Mira was different, though, he heard it in her voice, the excitement she had for the conversation, the interest she showed in him. She didn’t enjoy the quietness of an empty house, an empty life.

He grabbed her hands in an attempt to soothe her, to show her she wasn’t alone in her struggle to find happiness. He was afraid she wanted more from him, a relationship he couldn’t give her, not now anyway. Billy was too set in his ways, too independent to handle having someone leaning on him for support. As easy as it would be to fall into a routine with this sweet girl, he didn’t want to hurt her when he got antsy and wanted to break free.

Two weeks had gone by and still no word from Billy. Mira busied herself with work and hobbies, reading in the park with hope that he would walk by and say ‘Hello.’ Had she scared him away? Did she come on too strong? Was he put off by her unwillingness to share her past? Questions of what she did and how it could have been different swirled through her head. Whatever the reason, she knew one thing, she missed him.

One weekday in the park, while Mira was buried in a cheesy romance novel she picked up on sale, she heard a deep voice with a Southern drawl coming from behind.

“Hello there, darlin’. I don’t think I’ve seen you ’round these parts before.” Hunter Cottoneye had a certain Southern charm, not to mention his name suited him well, what with the cammo gear and all.

Ready to forget about Billy, Mira took Hunter’s forwardness as an opportunity to use her romantic charm. She wasn’t shy and she didn’t play hard to get. She flirted and he readily accepted, even returning the slight touch to the arm and lusty looks. She was excited to learn that he was an avid fisherman and loved spending time outdoors. His sun-kissed cheeks were a bright contrast to Billy’s sallow skin and Mira welcomed the change.

It didn’t take long before Hunter accepted an offer to go back to Mira’s place. She did offer to make dinner, and he was feeling peckish.

When the pair made it back to Mira’s place, she made sure to show Hunter she was interested. She understood country boys, she knew the questions to ask and exactly what to say. He was putty in her hands.

Mira was so thrilled to have a man that was actually interested in her that she didn’t notice when he decided to take a nap in her bed, or the way he acted when he woke up.

If she had noticed Hunter talking to himself, maybe she wouldn’t have decided it was a good idea to try and make a move…

…and get rejected. Mira felt devastated. She put herself out there, made herself vulnerable to a man she hardly knew. She was obviously out of her mind, coming on so strong to this guy, who apparently had major issues if he was going to lead her on like that and then let her down. “He must have a screw loose,” she told herself as he left. Little did she know how right she was.

Regardless of Hunter’s mental stability, Mira was feeling dejected and alone, and once again found herself dialing that darn number while tears stung her cheeks.

Billy jumped in his car as soon as he heard her sniffling into the receiver. He hurt her, he knew that, and he had to make amends.

He held her as she cried, whimpering about how she missed her family and cursing the storm that ripped them away from her. The floodgates had opened, it was all or nothing, and in her arms, Billy lost all of the strength he had.