Couple Code Update

For newcomers to soapdom, there has been a trend  for the last 15 years or so to create a name for a couple by combining their two first names. This is often used with -ers added on the end to describe fans of the character. Sometimes they try to make it a real word, but usually it just has to be pronounceable. My favorite all time name is CarJack from As the World Turns. A close second, also from ATWT, is LuRe.  I invented the term Couple Codes to describe them, but Natnic informs me that there is a real word. She says they are called a  “portmanteau or portmanteau word. Webster’s says a portmanteau word is a blend.” I’m glad to know the real word.

I have also seen them referred to as Smush words or Smush names. Also, one reference as smooshed names. I still like mine best.

My standard for inclusion in this list is that they were used by fans either in print or online at least once. That’s a pretty loose standard but in trying to capture discussion board culture where they were first used from over a decade ago isn’t easy, so if I can find it once it’s good. Also, I’m not promising all couple codes were used when the couple was first introduced as I mentioned above it wasn’t in vogue until about roughly 15 years ago and fans are much quicker today to come up with a name for a couple now than then. Some fans continue to discuss a couple by its initials as shorthand instead, although that can get confusing too.  I also allow modern uses if fans of a couple today use a couple code for them I include it, even if they didn’t have one when they were actually on air.

Here’s my list of name combinations, if you have run across one you don’t know from Guiding Light. Please suggest others to add to my list.

Manny – Michelle Bauer and Danny Santos

Stenz – Paul Anthony Stewart and Joie Lenz  –  This is an unusual couple code in that it actually refers to the last names of the actors who originated the couple and is used to refer to the original Manny as opposed to the second version with Nancy St. Alban.

Stalbans – Paul Anthony Stewart and Nancy St. Alban – The corresponding couple code for the second version of Manny.

Please read the list and see if you can remember any I missed:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/couple-codes/

Also, feel free to comment with any other soap’s couple codes and the couple name.

Celtic’s series–PG-13 Chapter 2

Republisher’s Note: During Manny’s fake marriage, they reach for each other.

Celtic’s series–PG-13 Chapter 2 -Dance with me

“Oh, this is a stupid idea!!” Michelle stared at her misbehaving hair in the bathroom mirror. She grabbed her brush and flung her head upside down and frantically forced the brush through her tangled silk. She flipped her head back over, face flushed, and stared at herself some more. “Well, that’s a little better.” She picked up a red clip layered in sparkles and fixed it in place above her left ear. Her eyes roamed to the rest of the bathroom. His things. His razor, his comb, his towel. These things gave her a sense of peace, but she quickly brushed off that thought and stared at herself again. She knew he liked her in red, and secretly, she knew that’s why she chose to wear her red dress tonight. She picked up her red lipstick and began painting her masterpiece. “I don’t get why we’re doing this. It’s a stupid idea and it’s not going to accomplish anything.”

Meanwhile, Danny was waiting for her downstairs, going through some family papers while he waited. It was a farce; he couldn’t concentrate on anything and with every creak in the house, his eyes shot to the stairway hoping it was her. He massaged his neck with his hands and let out a sigh. He thought about the way things had been going. Constant fighting, constant fear. He wanted to put her at ease, he wanted things to be more comfortable. He didn’t want her to be afraid anymore, of anything, especially not of him. So he had suggested that they go out tonight. Not for the sake of appearances, but just to get to know each other a little bit, with no strings attached. He had even picked a place to take her where they wouldn’t know anyone, so they didn’t have to constantly worry about someone watching them. Tonight would be just for them. When he had asked her, he could tell she was hesitant, but had agreed. She said yes. Even though he knew she said yes because she didn’t want to upset him, it was a step. No smart remarks, no fighting, just a simple yes. For now, that would do.He picked up a pencil and tapped the eraser on the desk, his eyes fixed on the paper in front of him. No reading, just staring waiting. Creak. He looked up. Creak. It was her this time. She came around the corner of the doorway and smiled. It was radiant. She purely glowed in that red dress. Danny felt the blood surge in his face and he swallowed before he stood up. “You, uh, you look great.” He smiled at her.

She smiled back. “Thanks. You do, too.” They stood there in an awkward moment of silence, neither one really knowing what the next move was. “You ready?”

Danny cleared his throat. “Uh, yeah. I’ll get our jackets and, uh, bring the car around.” He stumbled around her, making his way to the door.

“You mean Dietz isn’t driving us?” She smirked.

He looked back at her. “No, Michelle. I told you tonight it was just us, no family stuff. I meant it.”

She nodded, and he disappeared around the door. She looked around the room. It seemed so empty, so desolate. She grabbed her shoulders, defending herself from the silence of the room. Danny came up behind her and gently placed her jacket around her shoulders. She jumped. “Oh! I didn’t hear you come back.” She smiled weakly.

His heart sank. “We’re not even out the door and I’ve already scared her,” he thought to himself. He stood there for a minute before saying anything. “Well, I’ve got the car ready. So, I guessI guess we’d better go.” He studied her face, searching for any emotion that she would show. There was none. She looked past him, and uttered and simple, “Yes, ok, let’s go.” She walked past him and headed toward the front door. Danny, feeling the coldness and space between them, followed her without crowding her.

————————————————————
They pulled up in front of a red brick building. “Danny, where are we? We must have been driving for an hour at least.”

“Well, you’re just gonna have to come in and see, aren’t you?” He smiled at her.

“It’s just a place I thought we might have some fun, without any pressure from running into anyone we know. No acting, we can just talk, eat, whatever. You know, be normal if we wanna be.”

She couldn’t look at him, he was being too sweet. She wanted to grab him by the lapels on his jacket and scream at him to stop it, but she dug at her hands instead. She smiled. “Well, let’s go in then, eh?” He jumped out of the car and opened the passenger door for her. She took his extended hand and they both felt the tingle of the other’s touch.

They walked towards the door, and when they got close enough, Michelle could read the sign above the door. “Utopia.” Underneath the name, she lipped the words as she read, “Escape From the Madness oh! I’ve heard of this place. It’s supposed to be great.”

Danny smiled when he saw she was pleased. “Well, I guess we’ll just have to be the judge of that, huh? He opened the door for her, and they entered a huge room full of people dancing. There was a large area off to the left layered with tables of people laughing and eating. The place had a different feel to it than Millennium did; there was less tension. She looked around at all the faces enjoying themselves. There was not one sad face, and not one face that she recognized. She felt like they actually had escaped something. She looked up at Danny who was busy watching her.

“Do you wanna get something to eat? I know I’m starving.” He took her jacket off her shoulders and handed it to the person standing in the coat room. She suddenly felt exposed and grabbed her shoulders again. He looked at her and sensed her uneasiness. Gently, he placed his hands over hers and leaned in to her ear.

“Michelle, just relax, it’s only us. Let’s get something to eat, maybe you’ll feel better.” She nodded and let him guide her to a table in the corner of the room.

He sat her in a chair and handed her a menu. She tapped at it, not coherently reading the items in front of her. He held a menu in front of his face, but his eyes were fixed above it, on her, watching her, wishing that he could put her at ease. “Don’t push it, Santos, let her relax first.”

He cocked his head to the side, trying to relax himself and caught sight of the waitress approaching their table. “Hello, you two. Don’t remember seeing you here before?”

Michelle looked at Danny at a loss for words. He got the message and spoke up. “First time here.” He smiled politely.

“Well, you guys know what you want? Or do you want me to recommend something for you?”

Michelle was still tongue-tied. “Um, why don’t you just bring us whatever the house special is tonight? I don’t think either one of can really pick from the, uh, overwhelming selection.” He shot the waitress another smile.

“Will do.” She took the menus from them and disappeared the way that she came. Danny looked at his wife.

“Is that ok with you? Or did you have something particular you wanted?”

She stuttered, finding her voice again. “No, that’s fine. I was having a tough time deciding, anyway.” She mustered up a smile to flash at him.

They both sat there, looking down, searching for something to say. He looked up at her, catching her playing with her hair. He was mesmerized by the way she curled those locks in and out of her fingers. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She sensed him watching her and fidgeted nervously. She looked up at him and their eyes locked. He smiled at her. She relaxed a little, and he saw her shoulders loosen up a bit. “Just go slow, Santos. Don’t push her.”

“So” she said awkwardly.

“So,” he echoed. He looked down at his hands and saw his wedding ring. He swallowed and looked back up at her. “Well, we’re here, away from my family, away from the tension, and I think we have more to say to each other when we’re home.” They both laughed half-heartedly.

“Yep,yep..” she went back to playing with her hair and avoiding his gaze. The music playing turned slow, and she looked out onto the dance floor and watched the couples holding each other. Danny followed her gaze and felt anxious. Would that ever happen for them? Would they ever be able to get past the way they got together? He inhaled slowly, trying to gain control.

He looked back at her, she was so nervous, so unsure. He just wanted to reach out and hold her and tell her that things were going to work out, that everything was going to be ok. He grabbed his water glass and gulped it down.

Michelle rubbed her temples and looked at her husband. Her husband. She still couldn’t get used to the idea. “So, um you said your sister is coming to town?” She asked with a new determination to start a ‘normal’ conversation.

He jumped on it. “Uh, yeah. In a few weeks, when the semester is over. I can’t wait for you to meet her. I think you guys will get along great. She’s not really into the family business, um, she’s actually been pretty sheltered from it, so you guys should have more to talk about.” There it was, that clumsy silence again. They both nodded. “Um, so have you thought about going back to school at all?” He drained the last few water drops in his glass.

“Yeah, I think about it a lot. I just thought that I would wait until things calm down a bit, you know?”

“Yeah, I understand.” He looked at her intently. She was so beautiful.

“Still going after the medical school thing?”

“Oh, definitely. I can’t really imagine doing anything else. I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t help people.” She played with her water glass a little bit, relaxing. This wasn’t so bad. “I mean ever since I was a little girl, I’ve known that whatever I ended up doing, I had to make a difference in someone’s life, no matter in how small of a way”

She went on, the stuttering gone. She was relaxing. He listened to her, enraptured by her words, being moved by them. She was such a beautiful creature, inside and out. He felt his face flush again. The tension started to flow out of his shoulders as he saw her come to ease. He listened intently, never gazing away from her. He didn’t even notice when the waitress came back with their food.

“Ah hem,” she cleared her throat. “Food’s here. Hope you enjoy it. ” She placed the plates in front of the couple. She glanced first and Danny, and then at Michelle.

“You know, if I’m too nosey, just tell me, but you guys look really happy. And I see the rings. You newlyweds?”

Michelle looked panicked at Danny. “Yeah, we are.” They nodded and smiled at each other, him feeling the sting when he saw her tense up again.

“Oh, I thought so. Everyone is talking about the cute couple in the corner.” The waitress smiled. “Well, congratulations!” She walked away.

Michelle looked down at her plate. “Well, it smells wonderful.” She smiled weakly.

“Uh, yeah, it does.” He twirled the fork on his plate, not having the stomach to take the first bite. He took a deep breath, and they both began eating in silence.

They ate slowly, knowing that if they finished, it would be time to talk again. Michelle kept glancing at the dance floor for a distraction. The music died down, and a voice came on over the loud speaker. It was their waitress.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we are privileged to have a pair of newlyweds amongst us tonight, over there hiding in their quiet corner.” Michelle’s face turned crimson and she thrust her eyes shut tight. Danny quit eating and looked at her, and then at the waitress. “Please, everyone, help me talk them into dancing for us!!”

Michelle’s mouth flew open wide and she lost her breath. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” she shrieked under her breath. “Oh my God!”

Danny tilted his head back and let out a polite chuckle at everyone crowding around them. “Oh, well, we’re eating right now, maybe later.” He tried to wave them off, but they were relentless. “Ok, guys, look, my wife’s a little shy, and we just want to finish our dinner, please.” He looked at Michelle and tried to fight off the urge to drag her onto the dance floor. She was burying her red face into her hands. The crowd sensed the tension and began to back off.

Danny eyed her gently. “Wow, Michelle, your face matches your dress. ” He smiled.

She couldn’t help it, she smiled back. Genuinely. He wiped his mouth with his napkin and rose out of his chair. She watched nervously as he approached her and held out his hand. She looked at that hand and was flooded with unknown feelings. “C’mon Michelle, dance with me.”

She looked up at him, trying to avoid his eyes, but they were catching. Some other force put her hand in his, and he led her to the dance floor.

The crowd cheered, and the D.J. put on a new song for them. Michelle stared at Danny’s chest in front of her and cautiously put her hands on his lapels. She felt a little jolt when his hands came around her waist. The music started, and they began to move.

Give it up, Girl, uh yeah
Give it up,Girl

Give it up, Girl, uh yeah
Give it up, Girl
Gotta give it all
All or nothin’ at all
Way it’s gotta be

Let down your guard
Give it to me, Baby
It’s not that hard to do (It’s so easy)
You are a star
You better believe it, Baby
Better off by far if you do

Michelle bit her lip and unconsciously slid her hands up his lapels and grabbed hold of the back of his neck. Danny responded by tightening his grip and pulling her body closer.

You’ve just got to feel
The way you wanna feel
You know you gotta keep it real
That’s the way it’s gotta be
You wanna roll with me we can go on and on and on
So

Give it up
And let me love you, c’mon now
Give it up
I give it all to you, so
Give it up
And let me love you
Give it up
Yeah, Baby, give me love

Michelle pressed her face into Danny’s chest and felt the thumping of his chest. He leaned his head down and buried his face into her neck. She could feel his breath caressing her ear and she leaned into him. This time he unwillingly gasped and pulled her up and into him

Ready or not
Comin’ to get you, Baby
Girl I’m so hot for you
I won’t stop
‘Til I get what I want
An I wanna rock with you
Ooooo

If you put your heart and soul inside of me
And let yourself lose control
You are gonna start to see a side of me
You never thought possible

So, Baby
Give it up
And let me love you
C’mon now Give it up
I give it all to you,so
Give it up
And let me love you
Give it up
Yeah, Baby, give me love

Michelle raised her face out of his chest and burrowed into his neck. He smelled so good, she felt her heart speed up. She felt a little drop of sweat run down his temple and land on her cheek. She bit her lip to keep from kissing him. Danny felt a whirlwind of emotions. He ran his hand up her back and squeezed her tighter. He couldn’t get close enough. The crowd around them was gone. There was no one else in the room.

Give it up, girl, uh yeah
Give it up, Girl

Give it up, girl, uh yeah
Give it up, Girl

Ahhhh, oooooo
If you put your heart and soul inside of me
And let yourself lose control
You are gonna start to see a side of me
You never thought possible

So, Baby
Give it up
And let me love you, c’mon now
Give it up
I give it all to you, so
Give it up
I Know it’s right, so
Give it up, now

The feeling’s right and the girls are tight
This is it tonight

The feeling’s right and the girls are tight
This is it tonight

The music began to fade and Michelle slowly pulled her fingers out of Danny’s hair. He wasn’t ready to let her go yet and held her to him. He raised up his head and looked at her face. Their ears cracked when the loud speaker came back on.

“Whooo, hoooo! Now that’s what I call a newlywed dance!!” The crowd applauded and snapped the couple back to the present moment. “Congratulations, guys!! Now we’ll leave you alone!!”

Michelle pulled away from Danny, and he reluctantly let her go with labored breath. She didn’t look away from him this time. He tried to read her expression. She cleared her throat.

“Um, Danny?”

“Yeah?”

“Um, let’s go.”

He stared at her and wiped the sweat off his forehead. “Um, OK, I’ll go get your coat.” He hurriedly walked across the room to get her coat. He halfway expected to see a cold look on her face when he returned, having given her time to realize what had just happened. But there wasn’t one. He returned and she smiled at him warmly. He tried to control his shaking hands. “Where to?”

“Let’s take a walk.” He looked at her puzzled but held out his arm for her. She slid her hand around his elbow and they walked out leaving behind the unknown cheering crowd.

More Sandyhook Lighthouse Photos

I’m still enjoying my new search for creative commons photos through PhotoPin. Tonight I’m sharing some from Sandyhook lighthouse. Sandyhook was the lighthouse used in the Guiding Light finale. Read about how its location was confirmed here:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2010/06/07/guiding-light-finale-lighthouse/

Does the lens remind you of something?

SandyHook1

photo credit: malweth via photopin cc

Sandy Hook Lens

photo credit: hsuyo via photopin cc

Lighthouse Lit

photo credit: Vicki’s Pics via photopin cc

Celtic’s series–PG-13 Chapter 1

Republisher’s Note: This early fanfic set during the early fake marriage was the only one ever written by the fanfic writer who called themselves Celtic. The story is known simply as Celtic’s Series. I will warn you it is uncomplete, but except for the (I think unneccessary) scary mobster subplot, I think a lot of this might have been what it was like to be inside that fake marriage and I think you’ll enjoy it.

Celtic’s series–PG-13 Chapter 1 - Unspoken Words

She crawled into bed beside her husband, secretly masking her excitement that he was watching every move that she made. He laid there trying not to notice the flow of her hair as she placed her head upon the pillow and pulled the blankets away from him to cover her own body.Another silent night. Every night was the same. Husband and wife lying in bed together without saying a word and facing opposite directions. Every night they both lay there awake listening to the other breathe and trying to bury the hope that their spouse would fill the void with words. Any words. How was your day? Did school go alright? How was your test? Any words would have sufficed.

At times she could feel the lump in her throat as she felt a symphony of words planning their trip out of her mouth and she would swallow them back down with a painful gulp and moan. “No, it can’t be me. I can’t be the first to give in. He’s got to make the first move. It’s not really my fault that we’re in this mess. If only he didn’t’ look at me the way that he does! Why does he stare at me like that?! He makes it so hard to hate him!! But I have to! I swore that I would never give into him and I can’t! I can’t give him that satisfaction!” She had this fight with herself so often that she knew the dialogue by heart and could experience it without even thinking the words anymore.

A similar bickering went on in the head of her husband. “Ah, Michelle, this would be so much easier if you weren’t soah. Why can I not control what I feel with you? You’re spoiled, ungrateful, opinionated, loud, nave innocent, scared beautiful.” Danny closed his eyes and let out a silent, agonizing sigh. “I can’t help but wonder what it would have been like if we had met and you had never heard of the name ‘Santos’, and it was just that, just a name. Would the look in your eyes have been different? Would those big, beautiful brown eyes not have run away from me?” He bit his bottom lip to keep this question from bellowing out from the bottom of his knotted gut. “Oh, Michelle, what if? What if I asked you that? Would you be honest with me?”

Michelle still lay there, still, unmoving, desperately wondering what was going through her husband’s head. She didn’t really know how she would react if he did reach out to her one night like he claimed that he wanted to. Of course, she knew that he would never push her if she didn’t want to. Danny was a perfect gentleman, and it made it that much harder to hate him. His breathing was quiet and quick, so she could tell he wasn’t asleep. “What is he thinking about?! Maybe he’s trying not to talk to me should I give him some encouragement? No, I can not give in! I can’t say anything! He would want to talk every night if I started something tonight. We can be friends during the day, but at night at night the line has got to be drawn” She reached up her hand and brushed a few tickling wisps of hair out of her face and pulled the covers up tighter around her neck.

Danny couldn’t help but suck in his breath when he felt the slight tug on the sheets. He knew she was just pulling the covers closer to her, but deep down, he couldn’t help but wish she was really pulling him closer to her. Without even realizing it, he slid closer to her anyway. He lay breathless for a minute, noticing that she didn’t slide farther away from him. “Maybe she didn’t notice. That’s got to be it. Normally I repel her away like a cat from water, there’s no way she wouldn’t move away if she knew I moved closer to her. Get ahold of yourself, Santos, it didn’t mean anything. She’s probably asleep.” He swallowed the lump in his throat down and fought off the urge to turn over and face her. He went back to gnawing a sore into his bottom lip.

But Michelle was all too aware that her husband had slid about 6 inches closer to her. It was such a minute amount of space, but the temperature in the room had suddenly increased by about 80 degrees. Their backs were still a good 1 foot apart, but she could feel his rib cage expand with every breath. She pulled her hair out of her face more frantically this time. “Geez, it’s hot in here! My back’s gonna start sweating soon. How am I gonna sleep like this?! I’ve got to do something. It’s not like I can really move away I’ll hit the floor if I scoot any farther over.” She closed her eyes and let out a quiet sigh, hoping that it went unnoticed. It, of course, didn’t.

“She sighed. Was that a sigh of disgust? She knows that I’m closer.” Danny wiped off the sweat beads from his upper lip and forehead. He had noticed the temperature increase, too. Their bed had suddenly turned into some sort of sauna. “Should I move back? Maybe she’ll think that I’m just moving in my sleep” Swallowing the painful reality that tonight wouldn’t be the night to move closer to his wife, he rolled away feeling the cool air fill the larger space between his bare back and the silk covered back of his wife. He grabbed the edge of his pillow and knotted it into a ball underneath his head. He gripped those edges until the skin over his knuckles turned a painful white, and he closed his eyes.

Michelle felt the chill on her back and let out a little shiver. She tried to ignore the newly dug pit in her stomach that had formed when the bed had suddenly grown three times it’s size. “He moved away. Wellgood. Saves me the trouble. It was getting too hot in here anyway.” She let out another little sigh, realizing that her mouth had grown incredibly dry. She licked her lips and debated on whether or not to get up and get some water. “No, I can’t. If I get up, he’ll just watch me like he always does. I can’t handle that. He makes me so nervous when he watches me!!” She knew fully in the back of her mind that she missed it when he didn’t watch her. “Just go to sleep, Michelle, and this night will be over!” She forcefully closed her eyes and tried to control her breathing. The silence in the room was piercing. Too distracting. Danny dug at his ears trying to quiet the silence and pulled his knees in closer to his chest. Tying himself into a physical knot every night seemed to somehow keep her farther away. There was less surface area of him for her to reach for her to get to Michelle had been able to cool herself off somewhat, but Danny hadn’t received the same luck. “It is suffocating in here! Why is it so hot?” He tried to smooth out the adam’s apple in his throat.The silence had grown deafening and he slapped his hand over his ear to block it out for good.

Miles away, Michelle sensed the growing tension. The quietness of the room was nibbling at her ear drums, too. She tried desperately searching for something to think about. “Maybe the ‘counting sheep’ thing actually works.” She closed her eyes and pictured white, fluffy sheep jumping over a little picket fence. First one, then another, and it just continued in a train of repetitiveness until Michelle felt herself begin to drift off. “54, 55,56, 57″ Her eyebrows scrunched up in their confused way over her sleeping eyes, and suddenly the picture in her head changed.

**58,59 one after the other, sheep after sheep. But number 60 was different. Michelle reached number 60 and was surprised to see herself running towards the fence, all dressed up in her white wedding dress and her hair flowing in the breeze. No veil, no bouquet, just her running, the fence nearing, and then she leapt with one swift move. Over the fence she went and braced herself for the landing below, but the ground never came. She just kept falling, arms waving and legs kicking, desperate for something to grab onto. She wanted to scream and opened her mouth, but found it impossible to make any noise come out, only inaudible whimpers. The fall was endless and numbing; she began to feel as if she were floating. Looking down, searching for the eventual landing, she saw a cement ground racing towards her. A sense of panic surged through her body as physically felt herself hit the ground.

Shaken, Michelle mustered up the strength to look up around her. The sunny pasture she had been was gone. There was nothing here but dark, stony buildings lit by billions of stars all around. “Where am I?” She held her head and moaned as she rose to her feet. She looked around helplessly, so scared to move or to think about anything. “Ohhhh, now what? How am I gonna get out of here?” Hesitantly, she took her first step on her new ground and headed down an alley in front of her, the only direction she saw that she could go.

The wind was blowing and she felt the chill on her neck. She rubbed her shoulders trying to warm them. She felt so alone, so isolated, so terrified. “Oh, I wish Rick were here. He’d know what to do. He always found me when I was little and lost.” She held on to the memories of Rick finding her in the mall when she had wandered off, and how safe she had felt when he would run up to her and throw her up into the air, elated to see her. Those memories always had given her comfort. But Rick wasn’t here. She didn’t see anybody. Nobody was here. At least in a crowded mall, there were people who offered to help her find her family.

The alley proved to be as long as her fall down to this place. It was a quiet night. The only sound to be heard was the sound of her small footsteps cautiously making her way down the barren alley. She couldn’t help thinking it. “Oh, I’d even settle for Danny being here. He at least always looks out for me.” She shuddered as she felt another chill go through her. She pulled her chin into her chest and hugged herself tighter.

She reached a bend in the alley, and it split into two directions. She looked first to the left, and then to the right. Each direction was completely dark, not even a hint of shadow from the stars above gave any clue as to what may lay before her. Motionless, an hour went by with Michelle looking first one way, and then the other, incapable of making a decision of which way to go. She opened her mouth, but still not a sound would come out, only muted breath. She dropped her head and felt the warmth of a tear fall down her left cheek, too tired to wipe it away. She dropped to her knees in her torn dress, and began to sob.

The chilly wind abruptly stopped, and she looked up. The coldness was just gone. No warning, it just disappeared. “Someone’s here I feel it.” She quickly looked around, but every direction was just as empty and dark as it had been before. “I-I-I don’t understand,” she thought. She felt her breathing hasten as she sensed someone approaching. There he was. From her right, she slowly raised her head and saw a silhouette standing there. The starlight playfully bounced off the shiny black curls on his head. She still couldn’t see his face, but couldn’t take her eyes off those curls anyway. They danced in the light, and she felt a calmness come over her. The man hesitantly took one step further as if not to scare her. She didn’t panic, so he took another step, and another, until the features of his face were basking in the same starlight as his curls. Full, intent eyebrows and penetrating dark eyes were aimed at her. She tried to breathe, but found in labored. They stayed there like that for what seemed like forever, her on the ground and him standing beside her, eyes never leaving each other. “Why can’t I talk to him? I’m sure if I asked him to show me the way, he would! I can tell, I can tell by the way he’s looking at me. He cares what happens to me. He really cares. Why can’t I talk? Where the hell is my voice?”

The man looked down at her and sensed the tension going on in her head and saw it in her shoulders. Carefully, he came closer to her and knelt on one knee beside her. He brought his face in about 2 inches from hers and they shared each other’s breath for another eternity. Michelle’s eyes just roamed over that face, his cheeks, his lips, his nose, his brows, his eyes. Those eyes never left her. Her lips parted, but no words. “Why can’t I talk?!! He’s listening, Michelle! He’s listening to me and I’m not even saying anything to him. Michelle, what is wrong with you?” He slowly raised his hand to take hers. She just looked at his hand, calm and steady. Strong, sure. She looked back up at his face. Those eyes. Complete power in those eyes. She raised her shaky hand and placed it in his. His grip tightened, and he gently pulled her to her feet. He took her other hand in his remaining one and just held them, still never looking away. He caressed her hands as he held them, and for the first time in months, there was absolutely no fear in her. Complete and total peace. “This is how it’s supposed to be. This feels right.” She longed to tell him these things and felt the courage welling up inside her belly. Her lips parted again only to be silenced by one of his fingers. His hand caressed her face, his eyes never leaving her. She felt confused. “Why won’t he let me say anything?” He brought his face in closer to hers and stroke her face with his nose. He pulled away slightly and looked at her.

“I know, Michelle, you don’t have to say anything. Just let me show you. Just let me take care of you. Trust me.” She felt light, and if he hadn’t have been holding her up, she would have fallen again. He pulled her towards him a little bit, and started leading her down the alley. She gave in. She followed him. She trusted him. His eyes never left her.**

Michelle began to come to with that same sense of someone being near her. She opened her eyes slowly at first, then they flew open wide when she saw her husband’s face above her.

“Wha, what are you doing?! ” She bolted up in the bed and pulled the covers up around her neck protectively.

“Mich-, Michelle, you’ve been laying over here shivering for twenty minutes now, so I got another blanket for you and was covering you. That’s all.” Danny looked at her puzzled, and hurt. He could tell she questioned his intentions. He got defensive.

“You know Michelle, it’s hard to sleep when it feels like someone just popped a quarter into the bed and it shakes like that. I’d like to get some sleep tonight, too, you know.”

Michelle bit her lip as she realized what her dream was about. She couldn’t look at him. Those eyes. Damn those eyes. She tried to collect herself. “Well, I’m going to go get a snack.” She still couldn’t look at him.

He put aside his defensiveness. “Do you want me to get it for you? These floors get cold at night, and seeing that you almost have frost bite as it is-”

“NO! No, no. That’s OK, I’ll go. ” Those eyes. She smirked at him and cocked her head. “Maybe you can get to sleep before I get back and we can skip this nightly chit chat.” They stared at each other.

She gathered the mass of blankets around her and jumped out of the bed. She turned her back to him and walked out of the bedroom. He sat there, alone in the darkness and sighed. He put his head into his hands. ” This is impossible. What the hell did I say?”

An Accidental Date [V-Day Challenge] by Samj Chapter 4

Republisher’s Notes: This is the last part of a lost scene during the fake marriage.

“Wow,” Michelle exhaled, completely at a loss for words.

“Yeah,” Danny agreed, equally floored by what they were seeing.

The photograph had been blown up so that it covered an entire wall, but it wasn’t the size that made it breathtaking, it was the subject the ocean, at night, under a clear sky and full moon.

“It’s so…”

“Peaceful,” they finished in unison.

“It’s like you can almost hear the waves, you know,” Michelle sighed. “And feel the sand under your toes. It’s so calming.”

Without thinking, Danny slipped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her hair. He’d done little things like that little physical signs of affection a few times already in the course of their short marriage, usually when his mother or other people who knew them were around (making it impossible for Michelle to protest). He told himself that it was necessary for Michelle’s safety they had to convince everyone that it was a real marriage, and she had to get comfortable with those spontaneous displays but when he was honest with himself.

This time there was no audience, and no hidden agenda. More surprising than anything, though, was the fact that Michelle wasn’t protesting.

“I’ve only been to Los Angeles once,” she narrated, talking almost to herself. “When I had my eye surgery. I only saw the ocean from the plane, on the flight back, because I was in such a rush to get home to Springfield. But now, seeing this I wish I’d stayed, for one night anyway.”

“We could go, you know,” Danny whispered. “During your spring break or something. Get a nice suite in a hotel right on the ocean.”

Before Michelle had to formulate a response, a voice from behind them said, “Ah, quite a romantic theme the ocean in the moonlight. Perfect for young lovers.”

Michelle quickly disentangled herself from Danny, looking like a teenager caught doing something much more serious than staring at a painting.

“You must be newlyweds,” the elderly gentleman guessed. “I remember when my Sarah used to blush that way.”

Michelle alone knew that her blush had more to do with how comfortable she had felt in Danny’s arms than with any embarrassment at the unexpected intrusion.

Having lost their feeling of connection, Danny awkwardly took Michelles hand in his and answered, “Yes, we are. And my wife is a student here.”

“A student who’s going to be late for class,” Michelle announced after anxiously glancing at her watch.

“Would you mind excusing us?” Danny asked politely.

“Not at all,” the gentleman returned. “It’s been a pleasure seeing you enjoy the exhibit so much.”

As they made their way to the entrance, Michelle exclaimed, “I can’t believe I lost track of time like that! I totally can’t afford to miss another class.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Danny soothed. “I have my car here, I’ll just drive you to your class.”

Michelle gave him a genuine smile. “Thanks. And Danny? I know you thought I was a little crazy when I suggested that we try dating, but this was really nice.”

“Yeah,” he agreed. “Maybe we should try it again sometime.”

“We could even try planning something,” Michelle suggested. “You know, instead of just running into each other.”

Danny gave her a small smile of his own. “Hmm, I don’t know this way seemed to work out pretty well.”

“So we should just stick to accidental dating?” Michelle asked with a laugh.

“We’ll see,” Danny replied. “For now, let’s just get you to class.”

The End.

An Accidental Date [V-Day Challenge] by Samj Chapter 3

Republisher’s Note: A lost scene during the Many fake marriage. Manny accidentally ran into each other at photography exhibit.

A few minutes later Michelle asked, “What do you think of this one?”

When Danny didn’t answer, she turned to face him. His expression left no doubt that he hated what he was seeing.

Unsure that he had even heard her first question, Michelle placed a hand gently on his arm and asked, “Okay, why don’t you like this one?”

Brought back out of his thoughts he said, “I told you I’m not an art critic.”

“You don’t have to be a professional to have an opinion, Danny,” Michelle countered. “Just tell me what you’re thinking.”

“He should’ve never taken that photo,” Danny stated decisively.

“Because….” Michelle prompted, curiosity warring with frustration.

“Do you think he got their permission first?”

“No-o-o,” Michelle drew out slowly, “I think that would’ve pretty much destroyed the intimacy of the scene, don’t you?”

“And that’s the problem this was an intimate moment. Whadda you think they were talking about?”

Michelle read the title on the plaque next to the photograph. “It’s called The Engagement, so I’m guessing they’re talking about getting married.”

Danny nodded almost absently. “This must be the moment between when he asked and when she answered.”

Michelle squinted at the picture, trying to find the clues that Danny saw. “Why would you say that?”

“It’s written all over his face,” Danny explained as thought it were clear as day. “You can see everything he’s feeling – he loves her, and he thinks she’ll say yes, he’s hopeful, but he’s scared too.”

Michelle was struck by the thought that Danny really could read people well. “Maybe the photographer got their permission after he took the picture,” she speculated.

“Or maybe he didn’t, and something bad happened after this. Maybe she said no. Or they got engaged, and then broke it off. Or they got married and it didn’t work out. Or, even worse, she died. And now all that’s left is this photo, traveling the country for everyone to see.”

“Isn’t every photograph like that, Danny? We never know what happens in the next minute let alone the rest of their lives.”

Danny exhaled slowly. “True, but this isn’t an ordinary photograph. That guy laid out his whole soul in that moment, and then someone else plastered it on a wall between photos of a tree and a what is that, a wooden duck?”

“Wooden ducks were popular toys a long time ago,” Michelle answered automatically, her mind pre-occupied trying to sort out everything Danny had said. He really does value his privacy, she realized. It isn’t just that he’s worried about me finding out about the Business. Unless he’s become a private person because of how he was raised. I wonder if he would be different if he left the business.

Feeling vulnerable for having said as much as he did, Danny abruptly changed the subject. “Thank goodness for video games.”

Michelle took the hint, and informed him, “You owe me a re-match, you know I’m going to break your high score yet.”

Laurel Falls Photos

I have always loved Laurel Falls from when it was the special place of my beloved Kelly and Morgan to when it was the special place of my beloved Manny. It was a lot more beautiful as a real waterfall outdoors compared to when it was a big fake rock at the top of the falls. Read more Laurel Falls on Guiding Light:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/laurel-falls-is-in-connecticut/

I had always wanted to find where the real waterfall was that they used as Laurel Falls in the late 1970s and the early 1980s. After a long search thanks to We Love Soaps, it was identified as Kent Falls in Connecticut. I just like to think about it and doing a trial on a search engine that searches Flickr for only Creative Commons Licensed photos and guess what I found. So enjoy some more photos of Laurel Falls aka Kent Falls. Read the story behind locating it here:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/laurel-falls-is-in-connecticut/

Kent Falls 1

photo credit: BurningQuestion via photopin cc

Kent Falls 2

photo credit: John Virgolino via photopin cc

Kent Falls 3

photo credit: Frank Swift via photopin cc

An Accidental Date [V-Day Challenge] by Samj Chapter 2

Republisher’s Note: This lost scene fanfic takes place during the fake marriage.

Michelle shook her head. “I never understand when people say that photography is so easy, that it doesn’t take any special skills.” Tilting her head to the side she continued, “I for one would’ve never thought to create a picture like that.”

Danny tilted his head to the other side. “Hmm, I don’t know I’ve had some funky dreams where that picture would’ve fit in perfectly.”

“Really?”

Danny almost smiled. “You seem a bit skeptical,” he observed.

“No,” she corrected, “just surprised. You sleep like a log, Danny you certainly don’t act like someone having weird dreams.”

“Well, would you like to analyze them for me?” he joked.

Michelle’s face fell and her voice became quiet. “I’m so not qualified to do that,” she answered, turning to the next piece.

Danny caught her chin with his fingers and turned her to face him. “Hey, did you have psych class today? Is that why you’re so upset?”

“Yes,” she admitted. “Dr. Evilness strikes again.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Danny offered, not for a moment expecting Michelle to open up to him.

Michelle thought about her options Rick would throw a fit, Jesse was off-limits if she wanted him to stay alive, Drew wouldn’t sympathize. And hadn’t she come here to work through what was bothering her?

“I’ve missed a lot of classes, you know, because of everything that’s been happening. So I actually showed up today, and I turned in all the assignments that I’d missed, and in return I got a twenty minute lecture on being responsible.”

Danny silently guided her over to a small bench so that they could sit, but didn’t interrupt her.

“Then she starts telling me that I shouldn’t think that being married means I don’t have to stay in school and have my own career!”

“She saw right through you,”Danny observed dryly.

Michelle laughed a little despite herself. “I did think it was ironic that she’s supposed to be this famous psychiatrist, and yet all she did was plaster a few stereotypes onto me. She didn’t even ask me any questions. Not that I could’ve told her the truth anyway.”

Danny resisted the urge to take her in his arms and comfort her, knowing that it would only drive her away. Instead he simply asked, “So are you gonna drop the class?”

Michelle shook her head. “I can’t it’s too late to pick up another one, and I need those credits to have any hope of keeping up with my requirements.” Switching back to her previous rant, she continued, “What really kills me, though, is that I did all that work to get caught up, and I actually showed up for the class, and that’s what got me in trouble.”

Now it was Danny’s turn to laugh involuntarily. “See, if you’d just kept ditching, you would’ve been fine.”

“At least I know for next time, huh?” Michelle joked, laughing genuinely this time. “And Danny, thanks I really do feel a little better now.”

Lighthouse Collection #25

50th Anniversary Pin

I collect lighthouses in memory of Guiding Light. I’ve been sharing them with you, but a sometimes I also share other Guiding Light collectibles. Tonight’s set of photos are both anniversary pieces. The first I bought on purpose. It’s a golden pin that says “Guiding Light 50.”  It also bears the date June 30, 2002, so it must have been 50 years on television not the earlier 50 years of production including the radio show. I bought the pin off Ebay and it was still in its original (unmarked) package. The seller said as far as she remembers she got it from the show as part of the anniversary celebration. Anyone who knows more about this I’d love to learn more so please share in the comments. Otherwise I’ll be looking for information as I rebuild my soap opera magazine collection and I’ll share if I find out more.

GL 55th Anniversary Frame

The second addition to the collection was a little more unexpected. The silver frame, which was engraved “Guiding Light 55th Anniversary”, came with no additional information, with a box of Soap Opera Digests. I’m guessing from the looks that it was a mass produced souvenir, not an original design. It came empty. Then I bought two (surprise, surprise) Manny related photos and the seller, threw in a small version of one of the early 2000s cast photos (including Manny) with a blue costume theme that complemented the silver frame. Since they were both bonuses I figure they belong together.

Find previous Lighthouse collection posts here:

Lighthouse Post #16:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/01/29/lighthouse-collection-16

Lighthouse Post #17:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/02/06/lighthouse-collection-17

Lighthouse Post #18:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/lighthouse-collection-18

Lighthouse Post #19:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/04/22/lighthouse-collection-19

Lighthouse Post #20:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/11/26/lighthouse-collection-20

Lighthouse Post #21:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/25/lighthouse-collection-21

Lighthouse Post #22:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/lighthouse-collection-22

Lighthouse Post #23:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2013/02/05/lighthouse-collection-23

Lighthouse Post #24:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2013/02/10/lighthouse-collection-24

Lighthouse Collection Posts 1 through 15 linked here:

http://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/lighthouse-collection-15

An Accidental Date [V-Day Challenge] by Samj Chapter 1

Republisher’s Note: This is a lost scene during the fake marriage.

Author’s Note: Just a few notes: 1. This is first six months, somewhere between a courtship, a date and I am a man. 2. While I was mapping this out, I honestly forgot that Jesse was an artist (what can I say, it’s been a while), and I think this story works better if the reader forgets that as well. 3. I wasn’t watching during Michelle’s blindness story, so I just made up what I wrote about it. 4. I think the kiss at Millennium before Danny goes to see his grandmother is highly underrated. 5. I wrote this in a rush.

I forgot to ask my continuity question (and I apologize if this was a subject of discussion back when it first aired, but I wasn’t on the boads – or even watching Manny – back then): Does it strike anyone else as strange that Michelle starts her psychology class with her new, tough professor, sometime after Thanksgiving, and close to Christmas? Just what kind of weird grading system is Springfield U on? Just curious. (I made the class carry over into the New Year.)

“Isn’t that just an incredible piece? I especially love the use of the Vincenzi technique, don’t you?”

“I don’t actually know that much about art,” Michelle confessed with a bit of embarrassment, her eyes still fixed on the photograph in front of her.

“I’d be happy to teach you,” the guy offered in what he apparently considered to be a seductive voice. “I’m Jack, by the way. And you are?”

“Married,” Michelle answered with a syrupy smile, coolly walking away.

Overhearing the conversation behind him, but not recognizing Michelle’s voice, Danny couldn’t help but think, Man, what a loser.

And you’re not? the voice in his head mocked. You can’t even get your own wife to give you the time of day.

His wife. He certainly didn’t feel married and not just for the obvious reasons, like the fact that he’d had to sleep on the floor for almost a week before Michelle finally let him back into their bed. He just felt like, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get Michelle to really see him, to see him as anything other than a cheap thug.

Michelle had suggested a date. No, a courtship, he corrected with a laugh. She wanted him to court her.

So why couldn’t he shake the feeling that she was up to something?

Give it a rest man, he chided himself. Just try to enjoy the pictures you can worry about this crazy arrangement later.

That proved easier said than done, however, when Danny walked into the next room and discovered Michelle admiring a photograph of a child eating an ice cream cone. “Michelle?” he called, grabbing her attention. “What are you doing here? I thought you had classes today.”

“Um, hi,” she answered, startled by his sudden appearance. “I had a really bad class this morning, so I needed someplace to get my head back together. What about you? I mean, what are you doing here?”

Danny tugged at his tie a little. “I kept hearing how great this exhibit is, and it closes tomorrow, so….”

“Playing hooky in the middle of the day, huh?” Michelle teased. “Well, I guess that’s one of the perks of being your own boss.”

Danny’s entire demeanor changed as he bit out, “Yeah, well, I do a lot of work at night.”

Michelle mentally kicked herself for making such a careless comment. Hadn’t she been thinking, just before Danny showed up, that the two of them desperately needed to reach some sort of understanding? Bringing up the Family Business certainly wasn’t the way to create a truce between them.

Danny finally broke the silence with a cough. “I uh, I hope you get things straightened out,” he offered as he turned to walk away.

“Where are you going?” Michelle asked in confusion.

“I don’t want to intrude,” Danny explained shortly. “I’ll see back at the house for dinner.”

Michelle sighed. “You’re not intruding,” she assured him. “Look, I’m sorry for being cranky. I have another hour before my next class, so what do you say we look at the rest of the exhibit together? It could be fun.”

Danny’s mind raced with pros and cons, suspicions and hopes, but in the end he simply wanted to spend time with her. Sure, lets look at some photos.