“The road to love is paved with broken glass.  Someone tall and brooding told me that today; I get that now.  You have to have a little pain for a lot of love.  I overacted; you’re right your name isn’t who you are, your heart is all that matters.”  Jayden said, and Lara fell into her arms, sobbing softly.

            “That was easy enough.”  Marty said; and made a face, Kit kept giving him looks that could kill.

            “I do have one thing I’d like to do; I’ve understood from Jay that there are many things that have happened to this band of friends over the last few months.  That can be unsettling at times, things are left unsaid.” 

            Angel set two large vases on the small glass table that was in the center of the room.  She wrote out all of their names in small slips of paper and ripped then in half. 

            “Each paper has a name, half of each couple and I’ve put each half in one of the two vases.  Since Jayden asked that you all spend the night; and since there is no ***** in this house…”  A gasp from Sam who muttered something about camping outside.  Angel gave her a look and continued.  “I thought mixing up the couples might give you each a different perspective.  Couples therapy without the couples in the same bed.” 

            Angel began picking out two slips of paper, holding the pairs in between a set of fingers, then she began to read them off as she was finished.  A soft grin emulating from her lips.

            “Tina and Shane, Sam and Bette, Alice and Lara, Jayden and Dana, Marina and Marty and Kit and Jenny.  There is a room with double beds Marina; I’ll set you up in that one.”  Marty chuckled,

            “Oh I wasn’t going to say a word!  No complaints from me.”  Everyone chuckled but Kit gave him a steely look, Sam whispered to Shane and Shane nodded, kissing her cheek as Sam pulled away.

            “What is the deal with no *****?”  Alice asked, as Angel began to walk from the room, heading for the kitchen.

            “No one has had ***** in this house in five years, since my last love died, and I’d like to keep it that way.”  Angel stated, pushing both doors opened dramatically.

            A muted silence washed over the room; and Angel offered.

            “I’ll be in the kitchen, if anyone wants something to eat.  Welcome to my lair.” 

*****

Shattered

JG Marie

10-01-02

Pieces of a jigsaw puzzle

Strewn across the gleaming tabletop

Shattered shards of my disturbed life

Glimmering ominously in the pale moonlight

Frantic fingers scramble to put them together

Edges frayed beyond mortal repair

Shuffling them about, haphazardly

A disheveled picture emerges

Torn and disgraced, life in tatters

Dreams destroyed, burned beyond recognition

Past nullified, leaving an empty abyss

Future uncharted, alien stars on the horizon

Then a steady hand appears

Scattering the pieces to the floor

Clearing the table of clutter

Wiping the slate clean

Showing me a future

Filled with eternal promise

Brimming with endless possibilities

A colorful array of adventures yet to be had