Lunes

Interesting--whenever Fiorella thinks she's out of pens, all she has to do is check around for a few minutes and they appear like magic in desk drawers, hidden boxes, and between the cushions of the sofa.
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Fio's hoping for a shower of yellow libretas at the birthday party she is sharing with Daughter this week. The green ones that Husband used just don't fill the bill--not vibrant enough.
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Tomorrow's the day that Fiorella puts together Lolly's last three chapters. Then comes the reading and revising. Then comes getting a good cover and learning how books are sold these days. Then comes pulling one of her other un-pubbed romances out of her treasure-troves and whipping it into shape. In the meantime, Fio will entertain you with one of her earlier works, written when she still had a fairly good grasp of Russsian:

    Mik woke up alone, his arms empty.
    It was three in the morning--where was Sigrid? She'd spent the whole day stowing away  her toiletries, then moving her wardrobe into the big double walk-in closet off his master bedroom, then becoming familiar with the layout of the brownstone. She should be exhausted, asleep in his bed,
     But she was gone.
    Throwing on a robe, he walked down the hall, checking each door as he went, then stopped at the top of the stairs.
    She was on the bottom step, heading for the front door.  Her voice floated like a ghost-child's in the darkness.
    "Mommy, where are you?"
     Shit, she was sleep-walking again, and with not a stitch on. No way he was gonna let her open that door.
    Speeding down the stairs, he caught up with her as she was working the multiple locks. Damned if she didn't have one open already! He slipped an arm around her waist."Sigrid, dooshuh muhyah, come back to bed."
    "Mommy?" She gave him an unseeing stare.
    "Mommy's not here, Sigrid, but Mik is. Yah lyooblyoo tibyah, dooshuh muhyah."

     She blinked in confusion. "Mik? Mik is here?"
     He gave her a light kiss on her forehead." Hey, baby--I think you're beginning to wake up."
     She snuggled closer to him as they reached the top step.
     "I heard what you said, but how much do you love me?"
     He swept her up in his arms and carried  her down the hall.
    "Babe, you're about to find out."

Yah lyooblyoo tibyah: I love you
Dooshuh muhyah: my darling