Uninterrupted, Part 9
I’m listening to Death Match by Lincoln Child on disk (mp3 actually). It’s a non serial mystery, I think, by someone I’ve never heard of which tend to be hit or miss. This book was one of the misses. In it is a scene where a new deputy district attorney is waiting for the hearing that might let a serial killer out of jail. The parole board is hard on all the inmates before this one, so the DA thinks they will be hard of the killer, but as a reader I know the scene wouldn’t be there if the killer didn’t get out.
I think the author was going for suspenseful, but failed. The parole board does a 180 for this one inmate because they think he’s reformed. But all the nice things the parole officer said about the killer the DA knew were lies (but we don’t know how he knew because he never tried to prove them wrong). Maybe this is part of the private war on the main character as he was nearly one of the guy's victims (his mail had been stolen, embarrassing magazines were signed up for in his name, his electronic payment for his mortgage go lost five months in a row between his bank and the one that held his mortgage, etc.).
But maybe the books biggest problem is it isn’t my thing. I don’t like mysteries that are as much (or more) about the detective’s stomach problems or his past than about the mystery he’s supposed to solve. And I dislike hard science. I don’t need several ink blot tests explained to me in detail along with what the client said and how that differs from the norm and what that difference means and what a worrisome answer would look like. And the same with personality test. This was supposed to be about solving what appeared to be two nearly identical double suicides on opposite sides of the country a week apart by couples who had never met. Over six hours in and I’m still no closer to the answer. Maybe I should just skip to the end.
Title: For an Uninterrupted Date
Status: Part 9 of 10
Universe: (A Balance of) Harmonies Portland
Genre: m/m romance, family, city life, businessmen, kids
Content: parking, movies, cuddling, dinner, plans, dishes, attention, a shared dessert, bed time
Length: about 1,300 words
Master List
Diemen pulled into his parking spot. He hadn’t seen Pavel’s car, but that didn’t mean Pavel wasn’t here. Goldie unbuckled her car seat. He held her hand and carried her bag of new clothes to the top of the stairs outside his door. He sat the bag down, but Goldie didn’t want to let go or let him switch her to his other side and he couldn’t unlock the door with his left hand. Pavel thundered up the steps behind them and scooped Goldie up. “My little Czarina, you are looking very pretty today.”
He leaned forward and kissed Diemen.
Goldie laughed. “Who are you?”
Diemen opened the door.
“I am Pasha, your other Papa for today.” Pavel stepped in behind him.
“What’s a Pasha?”
“Pasha is me. Look,” Pavel held up his hand. “I brought movies.”
“My favorite!” Goldie grabbed the top one. She looked at the others. “I haven’t seen those.”
“Oh,” Pavel’s eyes went wide. “But every little girl should see them.”
Goldie smiled. “And I’m a little girl.”
Diemen started up the first movie. Pavel sat on the couch with Goldie in his lap and smiled at Diemen. Diemen smiled back and carried Goldie’s new clothes in the spare room and then sat on the couch beside Pavel. Goldie made herself at home. She pulled the throw across her lap and cuddled against Pavel with her hand holding his earlobe. She only let go when she was excited about something in her movie, or to explain a point, then her hand would reach up again. He was a giant security blanket, but he didn’t seem to mind.
And neither did Diemen as long as one of Pavel’s hands was free to hold his.
Halfway through the movie, Diemen went into the kitchen. The salad was done, the meat wouldn’t take long, but the water needed to boil. He put the water on and then sat back down. He had to drag himself away when the water boiled. Dinner wouldn’t make itself.
He felt all domestic, making dinner while his soon to be lover and temporary child sat in the living room, but he also felt lonely. He missed Em beside him, keeping him company while he cooked.
He served the food as the credits rolled. Goldie was ecstatic to be offered salad. “Salad is a food girls like and I’m a girl.”
Pavel smiled and touched her head. “Salad is a food many people like.”
She looked at him. “Will I someday talk like you?”
“Deep, like him?” asked Diemen.
She shook her head and touched her throat. “All burry.”
Diemen smiled. “His accent. I like it too. He gets it from his family.”
“Can I? Get it from your family?”
Pavel laughed. “You will meet them then you will see.”
He smiled at Diemen. So he had planned on taking her with them to his parents on Sunday.
Goldie picked up a bowtie noodle with her too big fork. “I like green bows. I’ve never had noodles like this before. They are my favorite.”
“Thank you.” Diemen had saved some plain noodles out in case she didn’t like the pesto. He needed to add buy child sized utensils to his list if Goldie was going to spend any time with him. Em ate mostly with nir fingers.
She nodded. “It’s so good. And green is my favorite color, not this green.” She looked around the room. “You don’t have my green.”
“Sorry, my dear,” Diemen said. “I didn’t know you were coming. Tomorrow we can buy you towels and sheets in your favorite colors.”
He was glad he hadn’t bought those shirts.
“I will buy them,” Pavel touched Diemen’s hand, “if you will let me. Then I can tell my parents she is my little one.”
Goldie glowed.
She didn’t want to eat her meat. Diemen was about to tell her she didn’t have to when Pavel asked why.
She looked away and back at Pavel. “Meat is… boy food.”
Pavel laughed. “Meat is food. My sister loves meat. No food is girl or boy food. If you don’t want to eat something, we are fine with you not eating it, but please try two bites.”
“Two?”
“Two.”
Two bites was one piece of cut up meat. Goldie ate four and all her salad and almost all her noodles. Pavel ate everything. Diemen left one bite of each on his plate like he always did.
Diemen filled the sink with water. Had tonight just been the two of them, Diemen would have sat beside Pavel and watched whatever movie he brought, but with Goldie…
Goldie bounced. “Dishes! I love doing the dishes.”
“Let us help.” Pavel carried a chair to the sink. He stopped by Diemen and kissed his cheek. “She might think dishes are a girl chore. We will teach her different.”
Goldie climbed onto the chair. Diemen fished an apron from behind the laundry room door. Autumn had made it as a joke. It was pink and frilly, but also waterproof. He tied it around Goldie’s waist and synched up the neckline. Diemen washed and Goldie and Pavel rinsed and then they all dried.
But the time they were done, Goldie was calling Pavel Papa. She didn’t call Diemen anything. He tried not to mind. After the dishes were put away, Pavel started the second movie. Diemen laundered his sheets and then put Goldie’s dresses in the closet and her other clothes in the dresser. Maybe he should change the sheets in the spare room? Were these the ones Em had slept on? Diemen didn’t see change spare room sheets in his notes. The only other set was pale green and if that was Goldie’s favorite color, they were even better.
The bed spread was pink, blue, and yellow flowers embroidered on a white quilt. His mother gave it to him when she gave up her house for an RV. One of his relatives had made it, but he wasn’t sure who. Maybe Autumn could make Goldie one of her choice. If Goldie stayed that long.
“Are you done in here?” Pavel stood in the doorway. “We want you to come sit by us.”
“Goldie?”
“The bathroom.” The toilet flushed. Pavel maneuvered Goldie back to the sink and washed her hands for her and dried them.
Goldie took Diemen’s hand and walked him back to the couch where she sat on his lap and held his earlobe. Pavel sat beside him and took his hand. Goldie fell asleep just as the heroine looked like she was about to lose, so Goldie didn’t see the girl save the day. Diemen waited until the credit’s rolled before he stood up.
Goldie groaned and rolled toward Pavel. “Papa, carry me to bed.”
Diemen gave her up. Pavel carried her off. Diemen turned to the kitchen. Maybe Pavel would like dessert. Warm arms wrapped around him. “We should have had her brush her teeth right after dinner.”
“I have dessert.”
Pavel rubbed his lips against Diemen’s neck. “What kind?”
His voice went right through Diemen.
“Chocolate pudding. Homemade.”
“Feed me.”
Sharing a small pudding with a single spoon might have been the sexiest thing Diemen had ever done. He could barely walk when he took his turn getting ready. Pavel didn’t help with his sexy voice though the door.
When Diemen opened the bathroom door, Pavel was there looking down at him. Diemen’s mouth lifted and Pavel’s lowered to meet it. Pavel licked his lips. “Now do your last little things and I will be ready in a moment.”
Diemen smiled. He did have a lot of little last minute things. He checked the front door and the windows, turned off the lights in the living room and then wiped the counter and swept the kitchen floor. Everything looked right for making breakfast tomorrow. Did he have cream for Pavel’s coffee? He checked. Yes.
Warms arms came around him. “Bed time.”
Sweeter words were never spoken.
I think the author was going for suspenseful, but failed. The parole board does a 180 for this one inmate because they think he’s reformed. But all the nice things the parole officer said about the killer the DA knew were lies (but we don’t know how he knew because he never tried to prove them wrong). Maybe this is part of the private war on the main character as he was nearly one of the guy's victims (his mail had been stolen, embarrassing magazines were signed up for in his name, his electronic payment for his mortgage go lost five months in a row between his bank and the one that held his mortgage, etc.).
But maybe the books biggest problem is it isn’t my thing. I don’t like mysteries that are as much (or more) about the detective’s stomach problems or his past than about the mystery he’s supposed to solve. And I dislike hard science. I don’t need several ink blot tests explained to me in detail along with what the client said and how that differs from the norm and what that difference means and what a worrisome answer would look like. And the same with personality test. This was supposed to be about solving what appeared to be two nearly identical double suicides on opposite sides of the country a week apart by couples who had never met. Over six hours in and I’m still no closer to the answer. Maybe I should just skip to the end.
Title: For an Uninterrupted Date
Status: Part 9 of 10
Universe: (A Balance of) Harmonies Portland
Genre: m/m romance, family, city life, businessmen, kids
Content: parking, movies, cuddling, dinner, plans, dishes, attention, a shared dessert, bed time
Length: about 1,300 words
Master List
Diemen pulled into his parking spot. He hadn’t seen Pavel’s car, but that didn’t mean Pavel wasn’t here. Goldie unbuckled her car seat. He held her hand and carried her bag of new clothes to the top of the stairs outside his door. He sat the bag down, but Goldie didn’t want to let go or let him switch her to his other side and he couldn’t unlock the door with his left hand. Pavel thundered up the steps behind them and scooped Goldie up. “My little Czarina, you are looking very pretty today.”
He leaned forward and kissed Diemen.
Goldie laughed. “Who are you?”
Diemen opened the door.
“I am Pasha, your other Papa for today.” Pavel stepped in behind him.
“What’s a Pasha?”
“Pasha is me. Look,” Pavel held up his hand. “I brought movies.”
“My favorite!” Goldie grabbed the top one. She looked at the others. “I haven’t seen those.”
“Oh,” Pavel’s eyes went wide. “But every little girl should see them.”
Goldie smiled. “And I’m a little girl.”
Diemen started up the first movie. Pavel sat on the couch with Goldie in his lap and smiled at Diemen. Diemen smiled back and carried Goldie’s new clothes in the spare room and then sat on the couch beside Pavel. Goldie made herself at home. She pulled the throw across her lap and cuddled against Pavel with her hand holding his earlobe. She only let go when she was excited about something in her movie, or to explain a point, then her hand would reach up again. He was a giant security blanket, but he didn’t seem to mind.
And neither did Diemen as long as one of Pavel’s hands was free to hold his.
Halfway through the movie, Diemen went into the kitchen. The salad was done, the meat wouldn’t take long, but the water needed to boil. He put the water on and then sat back down. He had to drag himself away when the water boiled. Dinner wouldn’t make itself.
He felt all domestic, making dinner while his soon to be lover and temporary child sat in the living room, but he also felt lonely. He missed Em beside him, keeping him company while he cooked.
He served the food as the credits rolled. Goldie was ecstatic to be offered salad. “Salad is a food girls like and I’m a girl.”
Pavel smiled and touched her head. “Salad is a food many people like.”
She looked at him. “Will I someday talk like you?”
“Deep, like him?” asked Diemen.
She shook her head and touched her throat. “All burry.”
Diemen smiled. “His accent. I like it too. He gets it from his family.”
“Can I? Get it from your family?”
Pavel laughed. “You will meet them then you will see.”
He smiled at Diemen. So he had planned on taking her with them to his parents on Sunday.
Goldie picked up a bowtie noodle with her too big fork. “I like green bows. I’ve never had noodles like this before. They are my favorite.”
“Thank you.” Diemen had saved some plain noodles out in case she didn’t like the pesto. He needed to add buy child sized utensils to his list if Goldie was going to spend any time with him. Em ate mostly with nir fingers.
She nodded. “It’s so good. And green is my favorite color, not this green.” She looked around the room. “You don’t have my green.”
“Sorry, my dear,” Diemen said. “I didn’t know you were coming. Tomorrow we can buy you towels and sheets in your favorite colors.”
He was glad he hadn’t bought those shirts.
“I will buy them,” Pavel touched Diemen’s hand, “if you will let me. Then I can tell my parents she is my little one.”
Goldie glowed.
She didn’t want to eat her meat. Diemen was about to tell her she didn’t have to when Pavel asked why.
She looked away and back at Pavel. “Meat is… boy food.”
Pavel laughed. “Meat is food. My sister loves meat. No food is girl or boy food. If you don’t want to eat something, we are fine with you not eating it, but please try two bites.”
“Two?”
“Two.”
Two bites was one piece of cut up meat. Goldie ate four and all her salad and almost all her noodles. Pavel ate everything. Diemen left one bite of each on his plate like he always did.
Diemen filled the sink with water. Had tonight just been the two of them, Diemen would have sat beside Pavel and watched whatever movie he brought, but with Goldie…
Goldie bounced. “Dishes! I love doing the dishes.”
“Let us help.” Pavel carried a chair to the sink. He stopped by Diemen and kissed his cheek. “She might think dishes are a girl chore. We will teach her different.”
Goldie climbed onto the chair. Diemen fished an apron from behind the laundry room door. Autumn had made it as a joke. It was pink and frilly, but also waterproof. He tied it around Goldie’s waist and synched up the neckline. Diemen washed and Goldie and Pavel rinsed and then they all dried.
But the time they were done, Goldie was calling Pavel Papa. She didn’t call Diemen anything. He tried not to mind. After the dishes were put away, Pavel started the second movie. Diemen laundered his sheets and then put Goldie’s dresses in the closet and her other clothes in the dresser. Maybe he should change the sheets in the spare room? Were these the ones Em had slept on? Diemen didn’t see change spare room sheets in his notes. The only other set was pale green and if that was Goldie’s favorite color, they were even better.
The bed spread was pink, blue, and yellow flowers embroidered on a white quilt. His mother gave it to him when she gave up her house for an RV. One of his relatives had made it, but he wasn’t sure who. Maybe Autumn could make Goldie one of her choice. If Goldie stayed that long.
“Are you done in here?” Pavel stood in the doorway. “We want you to come sit by us.”
“Goldie?”
“The bathroom.” The toilet flushed. Pavel maneuvered Goldie back to the sink and washed her hands for her and dried them.
Goldie took Diemen’s hand and walked him back to the couch where she sat on his lap and held his earlobe. Pavel sat beside him and took his hand. Goldie fell asleep just as the heroine looked like she was about to lose, so Goldie didn’t see the girl save the day. Diemen waited until the credit’s rolled before he stood up.
Goldie groaned and rolled toward Pavel. “Papa, carry me to bed.”
Diemen gave her up. Pavel carried her off. Diemen turned to the kitchen. Maybe Pavel would like dessert. Warm arms wrapped around him. “We should have had her brush her teeth right after dinner.”
“I have dessert.”
Pavel rubbed his lips against Diemen’s neck. “What kind?”
His voice went right through Diemen.
“Chocolate pudding. Homemade.”
“Feed me.”
Sharing a small pudding with a single spoon might have been the sexiest thing Diemen had ever done. He could barely walk when he took his turn getting ready. Pavel didn’t help with his sexy voice though the door.
When Diemen opened the bathroom door, Pavel was there looking down at him. Diemen’s mouth lifted and Pavel’s lowered to meet it. Pavel licked his lips. “Now do your last little things and I will be ready in a moment.”
Diemen smiled. He did have a lot of little last minute things. He checked the front door and the windows, turned off the lights in the living room and then wiped the counter and swept the kitchen floor. Everything looked right for making breakfast tomorrow. Did he have cream for Pavel’s coffee? He checked. Yes.
Warms arms came around him. “Bed time.”
Sweeter words were never spoken.