Surprise, Surprise

So.... this has been me the past few days

and some of this

 

Tuesdays with LiLe
I think LiLe must be my new muse because (and don't think too much into it, guys) her Eli Cohen bit inspired me to do something with UL3 and from there I reworked the serial format a little and in the past few days I've been able to outline all the way to the end of Part I. 

Because of this, the serial may feel a little uneven, but I hope you guys will stick with me.

Chapter 9  / OHG4
So, the scene where Juliana sees Hallie's school play was lifted from one of the last pieces of OHG I ever wrote. I got to this part in OHG and I realized I was in a corner. Now I'm going to share that corner I wrote myself into.

Basically in OHG-verse Rhett works in Alaska and Juliana is tired of waiting for him so she goes back to Connecticut because she is thinking of leaving him. So, she's not pregnant or anything. Also in UL2 it's established that Juliana knows sign language, which is something that I now realize never comes up in UL3. Anyway after Hallie's play about how snow is formed, Juliana takes Hallie home to give her Dad and Tessa time for a date and then this happens:

“My, my you and Hallie look so much alike,” Mrs. Hardwick,the music teacher, said as she handed me a copy of the program.

“Thank you,” I said, I normally would have ignored it but, the southern hospitality had gotten to me.

I took the program and Hallie and I headed back to the house.

After her play, Tess introduced me to Hallie’s teachers  and one thing led to another and they offered me freelance work through my agency. I would be interpreting the 5^thgrade recital. I was surprised I got as much work as I did but, I was wiling to work weekends and sit through a 3 hours string concert.

Hallie was a good child, she put her coat, scarf and mittens on and we headed outside at full speed. 

We made it to the apartment complex and I noticed a familiar face in the front lawn. I half walked half ran up to him.

“Cortland.” I said once I was close to him.

He didn’t respond and I retreated, then he turned to me. Without recognition.

“I-,”

“It’s me Juliana,”

A light went on and he smiled

“We have to stop running into each other like this,” he said.

I smiled

“Last time I saw you--,”

“Forget about that, please. I said.” I was in a bad place. --,”

“And now ?,” he asked

I rifled through my pockets and handed the keys to Hallie.

“Why don’t you go inside,” I said. “Lock the doors,” 

She took the keys and went back outside leaving Cortland and I standing as the snow began to fall.

I just didn't know what to do with Cortland, I didn't know what they'd talk about and I felt like I  hadn't explored the R/J relationship and I hit a wall.

I also have a few more scenes from UL3 from Rhett's bachelor party I took out that  I may share...

United Light 3
In Lile's last post I made a comment about how serials allow  us some flexibility and that comment may have been more for me than for Lile. I may or may not be changing the name of UL3, so you'll see me mostly referring to it as UL3. The name just isn't fitting with what the serial is turning into. I kind of have an idea in mind but I'm letting it simmer.

Chapter 10
This chapter is kind of a long one and more character/world-buildy. It's a meanwhile of chapter 9.

After being in a car with Cody when he gets arrested for possession Juliana has to quit her job at HolidayHam! and Rhett and Cody get in a fight. She's finding it hard to find a job with a criminal record and Rhett tells her that her Dad received half a million dollars for selling the commune land and Juliana decides to go visit her Dad in CT to  ask him about the money and repair their relationship. Meanwhile Rhett is....

Chapter 10
Playlist
-1- Dreamers by Isbell (Yes, I'm reusing songs already)
-2- Long Time by LanCO
-3- The House That Built Me by Miranda  Lambert
-4- To Make Fire Burn Again by Dawn Landes (If it were up to me this song would just play the whole serial)