Erased, a novel Chapter 37- Off the Table  Kayla-  His eyebrows are white and gray, bushy, and scrunched together as he moves through the documents I brought. His nostrils and distractingly flaring up and down.  I can't see his eyes, but I assume they're moving as quickly as his fingers.  My fear has surmounted.  It's the second time he's read over this report, and the matter has his full attention.  I also brought with me the copies of the contract I signed.  There's just one signature at the end of it all.  The pages aren't numbered, and all of a sudden the width of the problem can be sized up.  The terms I don't remember are in bold.  Hard to miss.  Likewise, they're hard to forget.  The whole paragraph amounts to a loss of authorship.  Not immediately, but after the third printing.  The report he's rereading is about one author who made complaints after discovering her own book on bookshelves and dressed with...

Erased, a novel Chapter 36- Life At the Present Moment Mr. Wells- I have an office again.  The first to go up is the front page story from the newspaper that was printed on our wedding story.  It was a delightful gift from Tayeton, and all the wedding guests thought so too.  Until now it's been wrapped up and tucked away.  I couldn't have predicted any of this... not the collaborative problem, the solution, or the results.  I've heard of being in the right place at the right time, and I had been; and apparently four times in the last seven months.  He just happened to mention the matter.  I was prepared to listen, and then I offered to take a look.  It's the increasingly faithful bird's eye view that led me here.  I'm still trying to get it straight; whether I started over, or over restarted me.   I do know that this is no remodel.  There's no sight of what was, and I'm beginning to like it. The second to go up is the fr...

Erased, a novel Chapter 35- The Shepherd's Way  Dr. Kat Shepherd- The final piece has just fallen into place.  Many random actions had taken place to get me here, and in the process my family had expanded.  Usually when putting a puzzle together, you start with the corners, but this one had begun in the middle.  Now I could see that I was standing at the center of it all, and I wasn't alone.  In a state of ecstasy and focus, I had given up my voice naming the life I was carrying, and in a moment of euphoria I'd awaken months later, to a gentle whisper in my ear, "William". There's a scripture that says we should test every prophecy, and this one had been put to the test.  First Monica, then Kaylin, and finally Tayeton.  Yes, William it is. I'm carrying him but not conspicuously.  It's only a little bump still, and I look just as neat in my champagne colored dress as any of the other ladies.  I'd been as professional as I possibly co...

Erased, a novel Chapter 34- Love and Picket Signs  Wood-  I've just caught up to her.  It's the way they planned it.  Ladies first.  We entered the chapel together, but in separate aisles.  We exited down the middle aisle but all in single file.  She has her picket sign.  I can see the thin cut of wood attached to a rather large cut of white paper as I latch on to her.  I have my sign too, and we're checking each other's message out.  Mine is not as large.  It's some powerful mind.  A beautiful re-creation.  A salute, and with no missed opportunities.  All the messages are good, and it's a good cause for conversation as we pilgrimage from the church two blocks up to the reception hall.  Everyone's walking, Bride and Groom and all, and they're leading the way.  It's a pretty wide side walk, and there are kids cutting through the line... well, it's no longer a line, it's a movement, and it's loud and liv...

Erased, a novel Chapter 32- I Decline  Cassandra- Who loses three hopes in a row?  One minute I was on my way to entitlements on both sides of Simpleton and Fisher and the next minute it was all shattered.  I'd placed a startling call to my father months ago.  In my rage, I tugged at my father's heart.  It wasn't a far reach or a hard tug.  He would move heaven and earth for me, and I knew it.  I just didn't know how he would move it, and I just found out there's only one other person he values higher than me.  I took all of it on my back.  There's a certain point where you take your life and run, and I was taking whatever was left of it.  It was a small oversight that cost me everything.  It was no slip in.  It was right there when I'd signed the agreement.  Palmer Simpleton would remain the Chief Executive Officer, and he could reclaim any of the shares he'd gifted to us at any time for any reason.  I just cou...

Erased, a novel Chapter 31- Justified  Dr. Kat Shepherd- There's no turning back now, the vomit's already hit the floor.  It's been a rough week, but it's the thing I've been hoping for.  The fear is back, and it's buried somewhere under the joy and hope.  I'm in the office today, and thankfully I made it to the bathroom in time.  It's mostly all of the coffee I just drank.  We haven't said anything to anyone just yet.  Maybe we'll keep it secret until it can no longer be kept.  Who knows?  Unfortunately, there's no time for fog, Mr. Wells is coming in, and there's someone he wants me to meet. I make my way back to my post just in time, my hat is in place, and my eyes are nearly plucked from their sockets when they walk in.  He's got Veronica in hand.  I'm trying to understand, and I'm reminded of her last visit.  She's always generally quiet, and never gives more than I dig for, but I knew she was hiding something...

Erased, a novel Chapter 29- Behind Closed Doors  Tayeton-  My response to Sam's threats was in route, and so was I.  I was confident I would make out fine in the matter.  This visit wasn't in regards to "Thinking Outloud".  I'd gone as far as I could in the dark.  I needed to know more about the Fishers, and I thought for sure that Sam could shed some light.  They were counties apart, and when I walked thru the doors at Ample Publishing, they were worlds apart.  There were no levels at Ample; just a solid story.  It could have been any business in any industry.  There were no memory lanes, but several long halls and many doors.  The walls are white with a thick strip of yellow next to a thin strip of brown that runs through it slightly above the mid-level.  There are several people sitting among me.  I'm not sure if we're all waiting for Sam.  If we are, I'm out of luck.  They were all here before me. ...

Erased, a novel Chapter 27- Farfetched Tayeton-   Her hair is thick and doesn’t move with the wind like my wife’s.   It’s golden brown and sits in rows of waves.   Her skin is some kind of pale, but she’s not dying.   It’s just the powder white complexion that sets her apart from the other Simpletons.   Her eyes are holding firm.   She hasn’t blinked since she virtually handed me my walking papers.   It was the last thing I’d expected from her.   If I ask anyone around here if she has the power to hire or fire, they’ll probably say no.   It’s just not one of the suits I’d ever seen her wear.   Nevertheless, I’ve been let go, and she’s staring at me as if I should be moving already, but I haven’t caught my breath.   Rick’s out.   He’s always out at this time on this day.   Otherwise, I might have thought he was avoiding the matter.   And the matter, as she’d put it, was that I was hired without any qualif...