Bauer BBQ 2018 Episode 2 Part 7 by Robansuefarm

Author’s Note: We finish with the 2018 Bauer BBQ. I hope you’ve all had fun at the BBQ. Watch for some continuing stories and if you have an idea for Bauer BBQ 2019 let me know.

Scene 28

There have been instances all during the BBQ where Cyrus and Marina almost connected, but in deference to Shayne and Mel’s feelings (see the food fight at Towers last year) one or the other had broken off and gone the other way. Now Cyrus and Marina came from opposite directions, discovering their cars are parked almost right next to each other. Seeing each other Marina and Cyrus froze. Marina turned around to leave and then she stopped and turned back around. “No, this is ridiculous.”

“What is ridiculous?”

“Us, pretending that each other doesn’t exist to keep Shane and Mel happy. I mean who are we fooling?”

Cyrus laughed as Marina turned around so they faced each other. “It is a little silly, isn’t it?”

“I mean it isn’t like we weren’t friends before either of us got involved.”

“I know right. God, it feels a lot better talking to you than acting like you were infectious or something. We always were a good team and working on the PTA committee just confirmed that. The fact WE have a connection doesn’t mean anything bad about our marriages.”

“Exactly! I mean just because we were once involved and thought we were in love…Shayne thought he was in love with Dinah like months before we got together, I thought I was in love with Mallet, Mel thought she was in love with Rick. You thought you were in love with Harley for awhile. It doesn’t mean anything now.”

Cyrus and Marina had been moving closer to each other as they talked. Cyrus added, “I mean just because we had crazy chemistry.”

“Just because we had a lot of fun and trusted each other.”

“Just because we were super exciting…and things have been very stable in our marriages…”

“Solid…”

“Dependable…”

“Boring.” They quickly close the final distance between them in a very carnal kiss.

Scene 29

Kevin came into the kitchen, still holding Jude’s phone. Rick was doing some clean up and refilling. He looked up as Kevin came in. “Hey, Buddy, what’s up?”

Kevin snorted. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t know how you are?”

“I’m not sure I know WHO I AM. Let alone anybody else.”

Rick looked puzzled. “What’s wrong, Kevin? Hey, isn’t that Jude’s phone?”

Kevin looked down at his hand as if he’d never seen it before. Until then he’d forgotten it was still in his hand. “I don’t know. Why don’t you tell me?” He held out Jude’s phone, still showing the Springfield Journal article to Rick. He quickly read the headline and then his eyes flew to Kevin. “Why don’t you tell me, DAD?”

Scene 30

Frank stood looking at Blake talking across the yard. He sighed and as he turned away he knocked into a table on the edge of the eating area. The bowl of oranges that we saw on the island during prep is now on the table. Frank’s collusion knocks over the bowl of oranges. Several rolled off the table and he bends over to pick them up. One rolls farther than the others by the gate and into the foot of the woman who had just come through it. The camera slowly pans up to her face. “Oranges, Frankie? This seems a little familiar.”

“Eleni!” he breathed.

Scene 31

The scene opens with a close up of one of the empty bottles of wine in the straw. With a clink the second empty bottle joined it. Jude and Clarissa sat there. Silent.

Clarissa spoke first, “Well, that was a bust. I don’t feel any better, do you?”

Jude started laughing. “No, I don’t, not a bit.”

Clarissa looked at him strangely for about a minute. Then she laughed slowly and then more and more and pretty soon they were both laughing until tears came from their eyes. They both calmed for a minute and then they looked at each other and then started busting up again.

Jude finally gasped out. “I guess this was a great idea after all.”

“This was the perfect location. You were so clever to think of it. You’re so clever and nice. Your dad is an idiot to take you for granted.”

“And Robbie is an idiot for not picking you over Sarah. You’re smart, kind, pretty. He’s an idiot.”

Clarissa reached over and touched Jude’s face. Jude said, “A real idiot” and moved in and kissed her. It was a major kiss. They broke apart panting, staring in each other’s eyes. Then they came together with Jude easing Clarissa down onto the tarp.

End of Episode

So what happened next? Stay tuned! Same Light Time, Same Light Channel!

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Bauer BBQ 2018 Episode 2 Part 6 by Robansuefarm

Author’s Note: We continue with the second day of Bauer BBQ.

Scene 26

Ed collected Holly, took her hand and lead her over to the tree in the side yard. Holly looked nonplussed. “What’s the big deal, Ed? We’ve been traveling by ourselves for months. Now we’re back with friends and family what do you have to tell me in private now?” Holly looked over to where Blake had walked away from Frank. “I’m worried about Blake.”

“Holly, give me your hands. This is important. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time. You asked me before what I had to do and I didn’t deliberately meet Jim at the cemetery, I was going there to talk to Maureen.”

“You don’t think I mind that you want to talk to Maureen, do you? She was the love of your life, I know that. I don’t begrudge you missing her or even talking to her. Ed, I understand. I might have been insecure in my life, but not enough that I’m jealous of a dead woman.”

“No, no, I just wanted to tell you, before I did this I had to talk to Maureen and feel like I had her blessing.”

“Blessing for what? Us? You’ve left it a bit late. We’ve been traveling together for years”

“For the next step. Holly, like you said Maureen is the love of my life and no matter all the crap I put her through I was hers. I hate like hell to admit it, but despite all the God awful things Roger did to you, I think Roger is the love of yours, but they’re both gone now. These last nine years have been so great, traveling around the world, I couldn’t have a better partner.”

A smile played around Holly’s lips. “Yes, God help me, Roger was the love of my life, but these last 9 years, they’ve been some of the best in my life. Footloose and fancy free, seeing all the places you always read about all around the world, coming back to play with the grandkids and then dumping them back on their parents whenever we want. I’m so glad you came after me that day and I’m even gladder I went with you. But why do you have to tell me this now?”

“Because, Holly, we’re getting older now. It’s been one thing for us to just travel around 10 years ago, but I think it’s time we faced facts. From a legal perspective it’s just easier, so much less paperwork. We’ve always loved each other, even when we weren’t IN love with each other. That’s why we’ve fallen back together so many times. Holly, these last 9 years, I never even thought – I never cheated on you and I can’t say that about anybody else even Maureen. So what do you say, Holly, will you marry me?”

“No…. just no, Ed.” Holly walked off leaving Ed goggling after her.

Scene 27

Frank came up behind Alan-Michael who had calmed down enough to be enjoying a plate of food at one of the tables that surrounded the pool.

“Hey. I’ve been looking for you.” Frank took the chair next to A-M and turned it sideways and then sat down on it with his arms crossed on the chair back.

“Did you get some of Michelle’s pie yet? She gets better every year. I defy anyone to tell this from Grandma Bert’s.”

“No, I haven’t been hungry today. I’ve been worrying over some stuff.”

“Yeah, what’s that?”

“Blake asked me not to tell you something, but I think she’s wrong.”

“That sounds like Blake. Forth-coming isn’t a word I’d associate with her. What is it today? She steal my car or something?” Alan-Michael laughed.

Frank didn’t join in.

“God, she didn’t, did she? I was just joking.”

Frank shook his head. “It’s something a bit more serious. I know we haven’t always thought the most of each other over the years, but we’re both fathers and I think we need to stick to together.”

Alan-Michael abandoned his food. “Molly? This is about Molly? What does Blake know about Molly?”

“She just found out today – as far as I can tell – but I think you need to know. I know you think you broke up Jason and Molly last summer, but apparently, they just went underground. They’re still dating.”

Alan-Michael froze for a minute then he was up and gone, “Molly!”

Frank sighed, “Well that didn’t go well.”

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Bauer BBQ 2018 Episode 2 Part 5 by Robansuefarm

Author’s Note: We continue with the second day of Bauer BBQ.

Scene 23

Jude and Clarissa get settled in the stable

“The Spaulding Stables? This is your big idea. What if somebody wants to ride or the grooms come back or something?”

“Shhh! Listen….Hear the quiet? No horses. Phillip sends them out for a week every year to a trainer. She puts them through their paces and makes sure they aren’t developing bad habits and he gives the staff this week off. Anyone who has any business with the horses knows that.”

“How come you know about it?”

“Phillip and Dad used to ride in high school. They’ve gotten more into again since Phillip came back. They took Zach and Robbie and me riding and we made a secret fort up in the haymow. Come on.”

Jude grabbed a tarp out of the tack room and spread it out on the fresh bedding in one of the stalls. “My lady.”

“Thank you kind sir.” She took Jude’s hand and sat down. “Damn, I didn’t grab a corkscrew.”

“No problem.” Jude climbed up the ladder until his head was hidden. There is a noise of wood creaking open. He jumped down. “Here you go.”

“Oh, Swiss Army knife. Are you a Boy Scout or something?”

Jude came and joined her on the tarp. “No, actually it’s…”

“Robbie’s?”

“Yea.”

“Give it to me. I need a drink.” She took the knife opened up the corkscrew, opened it up, and took a swig. “You sure your Dad won’t come looking for you?”

Jude’s face darkened. “It would probably be days before he even notices I’m gone. My turn, give me the corkscrew.” He took it as Clarissa handed it over and opened and drank from his bottle in turn.

Scene 24

Frank came up to Blake as she sat by the pool. “What’s going on, Blake? You’ve been avoiding me all day and been testy when you do talk to me.”

“I have NOT been testy….OK maybe I have.” Blake give a big sigh. “I’m sorry, Frank, I’m just frustrated.”

“Not with me I hope,” Frank said with one of his cock-eyed grins.

Blake looked at him speculatively. “No, not with you specifically. I know things were bad for you when you were a young man, but did you ever see your life ending up like this, how we are?”

“I don’t understand what you mean.”

“You know I didn’t have the best examples in my Mom and Dad or Mom and Ed or Mom and my step-dad Dietrich Lindsey in Switzerland, but that didn’t stop me. I really believed in happy ever after, but Frank I don’t think happily ever after looks like this.”

“Doesn’t look like two people who are friends and connect well in bed? Doesn’t look like two people who have worked together to raise their kids?”

“We’ve helped each other, but honestly Frank we haven’t been living our lives together, we’ve been living them parallel. We were both just so lonely for so long. We needed each other and we’ve always been good friends. We gave each other help and stability, but Frank….Frank close your eyes.”

“What?”

“Just close your eyes, alright?”

“They’re closed, now what?”

“Love. – What did you picture when I said that? I’d bet money it wasn’t me. And it wouldn’t be you for me either. We’re trying to force this thing between us to be something it just isn’t.”

“Come on, it isn’t like we’ve really tried…. we’re not married or anything. Maybe we should get married.”

“God, Frank we’ve been together almost 10 years if we were going to fall in love and get married or even convince ourselves we should get married we’d have done it long ago. I think we need to admit what this is between us and it’s friends with benefits and that’s just not working for me anymore.”

“Please Blake, what are you saying you want to break up? Over nothing?”

“Yes, Frank I think we need to give each other some space. I’m not mad, I hope I’m always one of your best friends, but this between us? It’s just not enough for a lifetime and I think it’s time we admit it….I think you better move out.” Blake stood up and walked off, leaving Frank gaping.

Scene 25

Danny was standing talking to Phillip and Michelle came up behind him and wrapped her arms around him. Danny realized it was Michelle and smiled. “Hey, you,” he said.

“Hey,” Michelle replied, moving around to Danny’s side keeping her arms around him. “Beth was looking for you over by the grill.”

“I better see what she wants. Catch you later.”

Danny looked down at his wife. “Someone seems to have had an attitude adjustment toward me. Did you decide your done with this vasectomy nonsense?”

“It’s not nonsense…but I think maybe we should put it aside for awhile.”

“Why?”

“I was talking to Kat about her and Paul. They are in a bad place because they aren’t seeing a way to compromise. I remember being in that bad place. I don’t ever want to be there again.”

“Look at me, Missy.” Danny turned Michelle to face her and put his arms around her neck, but keeping her at enough of a distance so they could see each other’s faces. “We’re NEVER going there again. It doesn’t matter what we disagree about. We’ve learned our lesson….” He leaned in for a quick kiss.

“It isn’t just that. Kat and I were talking about Bridget when she lived here and it made me realize what year it is…”

Danny’s hold on Michelle tightened convulsively.

“You already realized it…”

“It’s not a big deal,” Danny’s eyes shifted away from Michelle not being able to lie looking at her.

“It is. 20 years ago right now your brother was still alive.”

“20 years ago right now we hadn’t met. I’d rather think of us getting together than…”

“Hey, I thought we through all this years ago. Look at me.” Michelle reached up and took Danny’s chin and held it making sure he looked at her. ”You don’t have to hide what you feel for Mick…not from me. I know I can’t help you with this, not like I want to not after….but at least you don’t have to hide from me. I understand the Mick you knew years before he got on drugs wasn’t the same man I knew. You have every right to miss him, to hate what happened to him….to not have to hide that pain from your wife. I’m not asking that. I’d never ask that. I LOVE you, Danny. All of you. We’ll face this anniversary the way we’ve faced everything else life threw at us – together.”

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Bauer BBQ 2018 Episode 2 Part 4 by Robansuefarm

Author’s Note: We continue with the second day of Bauer BBQ.

Scene 20

Alan-Michael came into the garage where Danny and Michelle were still kissing. “Oh, sorry you guys.” Danny and Michelle broke apart. “Have you seen Molly anywhere?”

Michelle answered, “Um, she was here a little while ago. I’ll go help you look.” Avoiding looking at Alan-Michael headed on out the door. Alan-Michael turned to follow her, but Danny stopped him.

“Alan-Michael, can we talk for a minute?”

“I’ll feel better after I find Molly.”

“We saw Molly like 5 minutes ago and she was fine. Please?” Danny gestured toward a stool.

Alan-Michael lifted up his hands and walked over and sat down.

“What is it?”

“I wanted to talk to you about Hope, your mother, not my daughter.”

Alan-Michael briefly chuckled. “What about her?”

“I’ve been thinking about her and my mother.”

Alan-Michael flared to his feet, “Carmen? You’re comparing MY mother to Carmen?”

Danny held up his hand consolingly. “When I met Michelle, I thought I knew my mother. I thought I understood how she thought, why she did things. I would have bet anything I understood her. In fact, in a way I did bet Michelle’s life.” Danny shook his head in bemusement. “Was I ever wrong…and that’s why I was thinking about your mother.”

“I don’t follow.”

“Did you ever wonder how Michelle and I got Spaulding stock?”

“What’s that got to do with…I just assumed Phillip gave you a particularly generous signing bonus.”

“No, I didn’t get it from Phillip…we got it from Alan. You missed the formal reading of the will. Alan left me and Michelle the stock and a letter. You can read it if you want. He confirmed something Phillip had told me. Alan saw Michelle and me as having his and Hope’s second chance. He wrote how much he loved Hope. I believe him. He said with her he was the man he’d always wanted to be. He said that was the happiest he’d ever been in his entire life… and he destroyed it. He said he respected me and wanted me in his business because I’d been able to do what he hadn’t, to break the patterns I’d been programed with, to step up and be the man Michelle needed me to be, that I needed me to be. He hadn’t been able to do that. When they finally broke up for good, he let her go because he saw how he’d practically destroyed her and he realized that if he saw her again he’d try to get her back because he couldn’t not do that and she couldn’t resist coming and then he’d hurt her again and again. The only thing he could to make up for the fact that he wasn’t strong enough to be who she needed him to be was to be strong enough to let her go and not hurt her again and again and again. That much he COULD do, so he did. I imagine he said something similar to your mother in the letter he left her. I don’t think your mother is in as bad a place as you think. I don’t think she’s living with a delusion about your father, I think she’s living with his ghost.”

Alan-Michael snorted. “A ghost? Like in Casper the Friendly…”

“No, not a physical ghost, but she must have spent her life thinking that man she loved was an illusion, to find out that she had been right that he’d been there all along, that he treasured her just as much and that he’d stayed away to spare her because he was too weak to be what she needed…I think it must have made her see everything differently. It isn’t that she’s delusional about your father, it’s that in her mind she’s living with the part of the man he was that she loved. I know you’re worried about her and it may not be the healthiest thing, but now I’m older if I did lose Michelle I can’t say I wouldn’t be in exactly the same place thinking of her all the time, talking to her as if she was there when no one else was. You’d probably be the same if you lost Lucy. I know you’ve been acting like you think your mother is crazy and it is probably good to have her here with family again and we’ll do our best to give her other interests around here, but I don’t think your mother IS crazy. I think you’ve been as wrong about your mother as I was about mine. I think your mother is acting like she is because after a long time she realized she was sane all along. Just think about it, OK?” Danny slapped Alan-Michael on the should and left him sitting there pondering.

Scene 21

Kat was sitting on a lounge chair by the pool watching the festivities her boys playing and talking with the other kids when Jim came up and sat down beside her. While they are talking we can see Blake catching up with Jason in the background, talking with him a little bit and then he threw up his hands and walked away with Blake looking worriedly after him. This is all in pantomime and is only at the beginning of the scene. Focus tightens on Kat and Jim after they finish, but the interplay was always in the background with no sound or long focus shots on them.

“Well, Kat I’m certainly glad you invited me to come here for the Fourth of July. Yes, sir. It’s been great to see all the old haunts and to see Ed again. A lot of the faces I knew were gone, but it’s brought back a lot of memories being back here. It’s been great to be here with the boys, too.”

“I’m glad, Jim.”

“I can’t help, but notice that Paul isn’t here.”

“No, he isn’t.” Kat looked away to the middle distance.

“Don’t you think this has gone far enough? You and Paul – you’re magic together and what are you fighting about really?”

Kat turned back to Jim getting upset. “Respect. If Paul had gotten a dream job offer no one would have thought anything about him assuming I’d just come along. So when I’ve got the dream job why can’t he come here?”

Jim interrupted, “But you had a perfectly good job…”

“It’s not just a job, it’s a chance to make a real difference to make sure people have a voice not just in Springfield, but WSPR covers at least a third of the state. This means a lot to a lot of people. Paul needs to understand. He can get a job here. Look around.” Kat gestured around. “Here’s the management of every business in town. I could get him a job somewhere, a good job. Why is it asking too much for him to move here? Springfield is a great place to live.”

“A man’s got his pride, Kat, maybe he doesn’t want a job you got for him.”

“And I don’t have pride? So I’d be expected to take the job he found me if the situation was reversed? Paul is in the wrong, Jim, and he has to realize it.”

Scene 22

Blake was still adjugated and pacing around. Holly came up behind her. “What do you think you’re doing? What’s going on with Frank?”

“What do you mean, Mom?”

“I mean I’ve been watching you and Frank all day. You’ve done nothing, but snipe at him all day.”

“Oh, Mom. I know Frank and I have been good for each other. We’ve been – stable.”

“Stable doesn’t mean bad.”

“No, it isn’t bad – stability has been good for me and Frank, the boys, Clarissa, and Frankie, but more and more it just feels like we’ve been marking time. We’re still just friends with benefits. We’re not life partners. I’m not Frankie’s mother, I’m Auntie Blake. I don’t want Frank to father my kids. We’ve talked about it sometimes, but we’re not married for a reason, Mom.”

Holly exhaled.

“Don’t Mom. Don’t start. I know what love is. Frank knows what love is. This isn’t it and I’m getting tired of playing house, of pretending what this is.”

Holly took a sip of her drink. “It doesn’t seem like Frank is having a problem with it.”

“Ohhh. That’s what Frank does. He’s like the Energizer Bunny. He never gives up. He just keeps pushing and pushing and he’s sure we’ll get there. Even when there’s no hope for it. Look at how long it took him to figure out Natalia was pregnant? I mean how obvious was that? But did he get it? Did he get how perfect Natalia and Olivia were for each other? No, he just kept pushing and pushing. He’s never going to admit things aren’t perfect between us. He’ll just keep slogging along…. Don’t worry, Mom, I’m not going to do anything sudden. But things aren’t right with Frank…they’re just not right. Stable, it’s just not enough.”

Blake walked away and Holly looked worried.

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Bauer BBQ 2018 Episode 2 Part 3 by Robansuefarm

Author’s Note: We continue with the second day of Bauer BBQ.

Scene 18

Molly and Jason were smiling at each other across the backyard off and on all afternoon. Seeing Danny and Ray leave the garage Jason caught Molly’s eye and gestured with his head towards the garage and then headed over to the garage himself. A minute later Molly followed. She stepped through the door into garage and at first she didn’t see anyone. “Jason?” The door partially opened again.

From out of nowhere an arm reached out and grabbed her. Molly gave a sharp intake of breath and then let out a sigh of relief. “Jason,” she smiled, melting into his arms for a kiss.

He led her over to some garbage cans with lids on the far side of the room and sat her down. “Today has been sheer torture, seeing you all day and not being able to tell everyone you’re mine.”

“You know why we can’t. Daddy would freak. He’s still upset about that business with Tom last year. Plus Grandma Hope moving here and still being so obsessed with Grandpa Alan. I don’t want to give him another thing to be upset about. He practically freaked last year when we weren’t doing anything, that would be NOTHING to how he’s going to respond to the news we’re serious.”

Jason reached down and kissed Molly. “You worry too much.”

We see a shot of Blake listening outside. The door opened the rest of the way and in charged Blake. “And you don’t worry enough. What do you think you’re doing? Alan-Michael will go through the roof. Don’t you remember him last year? He was getting ready to knock you out and you both say Jason had barely touched you. He went spare how many times until you broke up….” Molly and Jason looked at Blake and then at each other. “Ohhh, you didn’t break up, did you? You started sneaking around, didn’t you? Of course you did. You’re my son, aren’t you? I really must not have been paying you enough attention if I didn’t see it.”

Michelle came in the door. “Blake, will you keep it down! There’s already too many people in here, we don’t need anymore.”

“You don’t understand, Michelle. These two lovebirds didn’t break up after all…Wait a second. Why aren’t you asking any questions? You’re always full of questions. Did you know about this? And you didn’t tell me? We’re friends, almost step-sisters. You didn’t think I need to know about this?”

“Calm down, Blake.” Danny had followed them inside. He came up behind Michelle and his hands naturally fell on Michelle’s shoulders. “Michelle and I didn’t tell you because they needed a little space so we just gave them some.”

“What do you mean, gave them space?” Blake asked suspiciously.

“We’ve finally gotten the lighthouse with decent security. Locks, keypads, security cameras, the works.”

“So I gave Molly and Jason the code. So they’d have a place to meet where Alan-Michael wouldn’t find out.”

Frank stuck his head in the door, “Have you seen…oh, Blake, here’s where you disappeared to.” Frank gave an accessing scan of the crowd. “What’s going on here?” He came on in.

Blake responded, “Oh nothing, I just found out my son has been lying to me and Michelle and Danny here helped him do it.”

“Surely they’d have a reason?” Frank said wondering if he was right and thinking about the days when helping Michelle started him on the path to trouble way too many times.

“Yes, we did, Frank. Now Blake you KNOW that telling a couple they can’t be together is about the best way to make sure they STAY together. You and me against the world is pretty heady stuff. When you belong together it’s great. Don’t tell me you and Ross wouldn’t have gotten together so quickly if you hadn’t been supposed to say away from each other. But it can push you together when you don’t belong together. I was ready to run away and marry Jesse and what a disaster that would have been. I’d never have found, Danny.” The horror she felt at the thought was evident in Michelle’s voice. Danny pulled her back against him more firmly and squeezed her arms, likewise thinking how awful that would have been.

Blake asked, “So you just gave them a place to have sex?”

“No,” Danny cut in. “We didn’t. Like I said – enough was enough and the lighthouse is completely covered, concealed cameras, the works. Monitored cameras and I told Jason that if I caught them doing anything then I’d show it to you.” Danny smirked. “Nothing cools ardor faster than thinking your mom would see you doing it. They talked, made out a little, but they weren’t sleeping together at least not anywhere inside or outside the lighthouse.”

Michelle added, “Molly is my little cousin. I’m not going to put her in a bad situation, but they had to talk if they were going to figure out whether they were a you and Ross or a me and Jesse.”

“Well, that’s reasonable I guess.” Blake replied slightly mollified.

“No, it isn’t reasonable at all. You’ve been lying to Alan-Michael. Look you know I have had issues with him over the years, but except for that strange year when he and Dylan both broke up with their wives, came to town and acted like they were completely different younger people…”

“Yea, that was really weird.” All the adults shook their heads over that weirdness.

“…except for that year, Alan-Michael has been a good husband to Lucy and a great father to Molly. He deserves to hear the truth. Jason, you should have told him.”

Blake turned on him, “How about Molly? Alan-Michael is HER father not Jason’s. I’ve got this, Frank. Back off!….Jason, let’s find some place we can talk without the audience. And Frank, it is NOT your place to say anything. I’m Jason’s parent, I’ll handle it.”

The others headed out leaving the door open. Michelle turned around in Danny’s arms. “Thank you. You’re always there when I need you.”

Danny reached down and kissed Michelle, “And I always will be, whenever you need me, all my life.”

Michelle quoted one of their favorite movies. “[Even] Death cannot stop true love. All it can do is delay it for a while.” Danny kissed her and deepened the kiss. (See Note)

Scene 19

Jude had run around the house to the front door to come in so no one would see him and he could go upstairs to room and not have to see anyone. When he came into the Bauer living room he found Clarissa rummaging around in the bar. “You just back off, Jude Bauer. What I do is MY business NOT yours! Don’t you say a word!”

“What are you talking about? What are you doing?”

“I’ve had enough. I’m sick of this party. I’m sick of seeing Robbie and Sarah slobbering over each other. I’m sick of people looking at me like they’re feeling sorry for me. I’ve had it with people in general. Whenever all these adults have a problem they break out the wine, well, I’m all for trying it.” Clarissa pointed at Jude. “Don’t you DARE try to stop me or go tell!!!”

“Can I talk now?”

Clarissa blew out her breath. “Sure.”

“Grab a second bottle. That sounds like the best plan I’ve heard all day and I know the perfect place no one will find us. Come on!” Clarissa grabbed the second bottle and carrying both she followed Jude over to the front door and out.

NOTE: The movie quoted above is The Princess Bride. If you haven’t seen go do it right now, I’ll wait.

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Bauer BBQ 2018 Episode 2 Part 2 by Robansuefarm

Author’s Note: We continue with the second day of Bauer BBQ.

Scene 16

Back in the kitchen. Rick added, “I didn’t see what Michelle saw in Danny in the beginning. You should have seen him when he first came around, Alan-Michael. He wore a big, black leather coat and swaggered around. And now after Phillip he’s the closest thing I have to a brother….Not that you aren’t on that list too….somewhere on the list, you know 11^th or 12^th”.

“Oh, hardy-har-har I see how it is. Being a cousin doesn’t count.”

Phillip broke in, “Now boys….back to things we have in common, besides loving me and Michelle that is.”

Alan-Michael answered, “I sure didn’t see Bill and Lizzie getting together either.”

“Then you ended back with Mindy and I ended up back with Beth.”

Alan-Michael interjected, “Nope, not the same there. I broke the pattern that would have put me back with Harley…Harley there’s something we have in common. No, I forgot Rick never did get her married, did you?”

“No, I didn’t, but I did end up with Jude and that’s a lot better. He’s a wonderful kid and even if Harley kept me away from me more than I would have liked when he was younger I’m glad he grew up with your son as his brother, Phillip. That felt really right. I’m glad they had each other even when they didn’t have us.”

“Yes, of all the wrong things that happened while our children were young at least that was right.”

“Zach and Jude, you and me all over again.” Rick took a drink.

Phillip also went to take a drink, but broke off to scoff. “I don’t think so. You think Jude is like you? You’re wrong there. Stable, solid, but has a friend’s back to the end? That’s Robbie, not Jude. Jude is more like I was, grand schemes, emotional.”

Alan-Michael broke in, “How about my nephew then? Who of the famous Four Musketeers is Zach, then?”

“Let me think.”

“I know – Mindy! Back then she was a little spoiled, self-centered, and just as determined as she is now. If Zach isn’t you, Phillip, then I’m going for a young Mindy.”

“Yes, Phillip, always knows everything,” Rick responded in his Phillip imitation voice.

“How about we get this conversation out of the 1980s? Let’s get back to things we have in common.”

Jude came up to the patio door. It was partially open so he could hear, but hearing an adult conversation he hesitated about going in.

“I guess the next thing we have in common is Blake. Nope, you missed out on the marrying again, didn’t ya, Rick. And you didn’t have a kid with her either…oh I forgot you almost did.” Alan-Michael smirked.

Phillip straightened. “Now, come on, Alan-Michael, there are some things you can’t kid a guy about. Rick was really broken up when he found out about Kevin really wasn’t his after all. He’d helped raise him for a couple of years.”

“I guess that was kind of a cheap shot. Blake has told me that you really stood up for the twins after Ross died, especially when Blake was in her coma. She really appreciates it. I think that’s the only reason she forgave you for that mess with Ross.”

“It’s too bad in a way. Look how close you are to Kevin, now. All the medical stuff together. He’s like the son you should have had.”

Jude stepped back with a stagger. “He’s the son you should have had…the son you should have had…the son you should have had…” echoing in his head. He felt sick. Jude pulled out his phone and did a quick search to the Springfield Public Library website and searched the archive of the Springfield Journal. The top result from his search was “Rick Bauer Seeks Custody of Love Child.” Jude read, “Prominent Springfield doctor, Rick Bauer, has filed seeking custody of the child he claims is his biological son Kevin Marler…Bauer claims paternity of only one twin in an extremely rare case of heteropaternal superfecundation with legal father Ross Marler biologically fathering Kevin’s twin Jason…” He couldn’t talk to his dad. Across the yard he saw Robbie laughing with Sarah, he couldn’t talk to him. Aunt Michelle and Uncle Danny weren’t anywhere to be seen. Zack wasn’t there. Leah was off somewhere with her boyfriend. Gus was dead. His mom was gone. Who could he talk to? MINDY! She had helped him before. She was always saying how she wanted him to talk to her. He’d find Mindy.

Scene 17

Mindy was over in a corner by the sideyard gate. Taking some deep breaths. Rusty came over. “What’s all this, now?”

“I just needed a minute. Can’t a person take a break?”

“Now Melinda Sue, this is me you’re talking to. What’s wrong?”

She sighed. “I never could fool you with a stiff upper lip, could I?”

“No, you couldn’t. Aw Melinda, are you and Rick having problems?”

“Rick and I are fine. I’m so glad I married him…I mean between the hospital and his work with Kevin I don’t see him as much as I like, but we’re great.”

“Do you still feel left out of motherhood?”

“Yes….it’s stupid I know. I chose to have a career over a family. I knew what I was doing, but it feels now like I made a mistake.”

“I’m sure you’re a great step-mom.”

Mindy sighed again. “That’s part of the problem. None of Rick’s kids seem to need me. MJ treats me like he was made of ice. Leah blames Rick’s connection with Phillip, Beth, and me for blowing up her parents’s marriage. Jude…well, there might still be hope for Jude. We had a real nice talk earlier today.”

“Melinda Sue, you are a great businesswoman and a wonderful designer. Don’t second guess yourself. You just never found yourself with the right guy in the right time. If you really feel maternal there are plenty of kids out there looking for a good foster home, a big sister, lots of programs like that. If you think you’ve got a child shaped hole in your life fill it up, you don’t need a bio-kid of yours or Rick’s to fill it.”

“It’s not the same as having a baby.”

“No, it isn’t. I can tell you from my work in law enforcement those kids need you a lot more.”

“Rusty, I don’t know why we don’t talk more often. You always give me the best advice.”

“Come here.” Rusty gave Mindy a big bear hug as they continued talking. “Maybe we can see about changing that. I think we do need to start talking more often. You get in trouble when I leave you to yourself too long.”

From a distance Jude saw Mindy embracing Rusty, not just a quick hug, but they stood there in each other’s arms for awhile for God and country to see. Mindy was just like the rest of them, lying and saying they wanted to help, but really wanting something else. Jude had enough of all of them. He was getting out of there. He was done listening to other people.

On his way back across the yard he bumped into Paul Frazier. “Hey, watch it.”

“It’s my yard. I’ll walk anywhere I want to!”

Kevin heard the arguing and came over to see what was wrong. “Whoa, whoa, whoa, what’s going on here?”

Paul answered first, “I don’t know. Jude knocked into me and then just went off the deep end.”

Jude stood there breathing hard and getting red in the face.

“That’s not like you, Jude. What’s wrong?”

Jude exploded, “What’s wrong?! What’s wrong?! He’s MY dad and not yours. You can’t have him. Just leave us alone! He shoved his phone into Kevin’s hands and ran blindly off and out the sideyard gate.

Kevin looked at Paul. “Do you know where all that came from?”

“No, he was fine earlier. What’s his phone say?”

Kevin picked up the phone, touched the unlocked screen, the Springfield Journal Jude had been reading popped up…and the bottom fell out of Kevin’s world.

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Bauer BBQ 2018 Episode 2 Part 1 by Robansuefarm

Author’s Note: We continue with the 2018 Bauer BBQ.

Scene 13

We open on a wide shot of the festivities going on in the patio. A variety of shots for about a minute. Part of the shot will be Rick supervising work on the Bauer Burgers. Robbie and Sarah are working together on the chicken breasts, constantly smiling at each other. Clarissa is across the yard watching them looking like she feels sick to her stomach.

Rusty came in carrying a roaster. “Yee Haw! Oklahoma BBQ for everyone.”

Wanda came in soon after. “Bill, come on over and help with this.”

Bill rushed over to help. “Like I could ever say no to you – or Oklahoma BBQ.”

“Now, where are those kiddlings of yours? I never get to see enough of them?” Wanda, kept on talking.

“Come right on over here, Melinda Sue. You be the first one to load up a plate. You’re looking right peaked on all this dried out northern excuse for food…”

 

This note comes from my original publication last year. —  I have a certain scenes that I want to get put in here, but since it’s already October I’m not going to put in the normal contests and stuff. So there are either going to be scenes or maybe a whole an entire episode missing. Those scenes will include Ed and Jim arriving. Robbie and Sarah kissing after they won the three-legged race, Kat, Daisy, Ashlee showing up, probably also the something funny they have every year like Billy over spicing Buzz’s chili or them trapping Amanda into having to help mix up the Bauer Burgers since I don’t have one.

 

Scene 14

Phillip came into the Bauer Kitchen from the patio side. “Ah, there you are. I thought I’d find you in here. Got a little Oklahoma heartburn?”

Rick turned around on the bar stool at the kitchen island. “Yes, it got a little southern….Have a beer.” He gestured to the refrigerator.

“Rusty rubs you the wrong way. Why don’t you just tell that guy he’s uninvited?” Phillip got a couple of bottles of beer out of the refrigerator, opened one bottle of beer and handing the other to Rick.

Rick pulled a face. “I can’t. Mindy thinks of Rusty as her oldest friend. She WANTS him at the BBQ. No, it’s just easier to put up with him awhile. He might make a splash with his BBQ, BUT what people really want are the Bauer Burgers! Let him have a little flourish. Quality will out.”

Alan-Michael comes in. “Have you seen my mom?”

Phillip walked over and put his arm around Alan-Michael. “Yes, she’s out there by the pool with the girls. She seems to have taken a real shine to Hope and Peyton. Now relax. Take a breath.”

Rick went over to the refrigerator, “Here Alan-Michael, have a beer and a stool. It’s a holiday. Let’s talk.”

Alan-Michael took the beer and the stool. “Talk about what?”

“What we have in common.”

Alan-Michael laughed. “What do the three of us have in common?”

Rick laughed. “Well, we all love Phillip for a start.”

Phillip chuckled, “That’s true. It’s a start, what else?”

Alan-Michael tried to get into the spirit, “We all love Phillip. Hmmm. We all love Michelle.”

“That’s true. Michelle is like my little sister, too.”

“And ever since I jumped into the BBQ, Michelle has been like a little sister to me, too.”

“Well, she IS my baby sister, so I guess we’re in agreement there.”

Phillip chuckled again. “I can still see her and Bill Lewis running around. I saw them right over there promising to marry each other. Boy, were they ever wrong.”

All three men broke out laughing. Rick picked up the conversation again. “They are both happy though.”

Phillip replied, “Michelle sure did surprise us a few times though. Marrying Danny, staying with him. God, I remember when he first started at Spaulding and invited myself over to try to put the fear of God in him. I was such an ass.” Phillip chuckled. “Who’d have thought he’d come to be one of my best friends?”

Scene 15

[This scene is going to be a little more TV. After the conversations get going Michelle and Danny are having parallel conversations. They will periodically say the same word or phrase. The shared words are in bold. They go to a split screen on that phrase and then they switch to the other conversation back and forth. Michelle is talking to Lizzie on the far side of the pool and is much less concerned whether people overheard.]

[Proviso: I’m not Catholic and while I know Danny and Ray’s attitudes reflect the traditional position of the Catholic Church, things might have eased up on this at least in some areas, but since I needed it as part of the story I didn’t confirm whether it was or not.]

Back in the yard. Ray watched Michelle walk over to the bar and very formally ask Danny for another ice tea and just as formally accept it. Danny looked after her frustratedly.

Ray walked over to Danny. “That’s it, primo. Come with me.”

“Ray, I’ve got to watch the bar.”

“It will survive for awhile without you, we need to talk.”

Ray walked with Danny away from the people. Finding himself by the people door of the garden shed/garage door, he opened the door and lead Danny in.

“OK, primo, give.”

“Give what?”

“Lately every Bauer BBQ you and Michelle have a fight. What is it this year?”

“We don’t have fights. We have differences of opinion. Last year we disagreed about how careful Michelle had to be while we were pregnant and this year….” Danny scowled and broke off.

“And this year…”

“OK.”

Danny walked over to the door. Stuck his head out and looked in both directions, firmly shut the door.

“Look this is just between us…We love Mikey to death, but two boys, two girls, we feel our family is complete…”

“we just don’t want to be like Reva, popping out kids post-menopause. Family planning means birth control…”

“Ray, you know the Catholic Church’s position on birth control, but we’ve TECHNICALLY gotten around that. Michelle comes to mass a lot with me and the kids, but she never formally joined the Catholic Church. So if SHE took care of it and she isn’t technically Catholic so it wasn’t really a sin like it would be if I took care of it. But now it’s a permanent decision…”

“I think it’s only fair that he takes steps. I’ve taken care of it all our time together. Why should I put up with the side effects or the risk of surgery when the male version is so much so less invasive? I really think Danny should get a vasectomy….”

“A vasectomy! I mean not only is it a sin, but there can be complications. I mean what if something happened and I couldn’t…Well, I’m not going to do it. Our system has been working just fine and I don’t see any reason why we should change it…”

“I mean it’s only fair, right? It should be his turn.”

“Michelle, I think you are completely right…”

“COMPLETELY RIGHT, primo. To permanently do this against the teaching of the Church without possibility of repentance. No, you’re right. I’m sorry you and Michelle are fighting.”

“I told you, we’re NOT fighting. We’re disagreeing. Rationally. We’ll figure this out, but don’t say a word, I don’t want this out there.”

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Bauer BBQ 2018 Episode 1 Part 5 by Robansuefarm

Author’s Note: We pick up the story from the first day of Bauer BBQ 2018.

Scene 12

Springfield Cemetery, Catholic section.

Ed walked slowly down the row of grave stones. Some of these people he had known. Some had been in Springfield before there were Bauers here and some and had lived and died while he was gone unknown. He didn’t pay them much mind. He walked with purpose if somewhat hesitantly up to Maureen’s stone. She was Catholic and so her family had requested that she be buried here on consecrated ground and given his own role in Maureen’s death, who was he to argue? He came to her grave, stood, for a moment, and then collapsed first to his knees, and then to sit. “Hello, Maureen.”

“It’s been a long time, darling….I don’t….I don’t know how to start. I guess by being honest….It’s been such a long time, but I still see your face…on both our wedding days, when you first held Michelle, when we were so happy, and your tear streaked face that last night at the cabin…Honey, there’s never been a day when I haven’t missed you, where you haven’t been a part of me…..I spent a long time a prisoner in Africa – as long as it was because my family had easily been convinced that I didn’t give a good enough damn about them to check in on them. That I was just selfishly doing what I needed to do while ignoring them. I had messed up everything. Being a prisoner, it gives you a lot of time to repent past mistakes and to face ugly truths.”

“When I was young I used to think I was SO MUCH better than my father. I repudiated him, gave up his first name because I was going to do, going to BE so much better. But I failed. I might not have been the same as my dad, but I fell into all the traps he did and I hurt you as much as he hurt Mom…And what really gets me is that facing all that honesty I have to admit if you hadn’t died I’d have kept after you until you took me back. I’d have had to work for it, but you would have forgiven me eventually no matter how little I deserved it. And it wouldn’t have really made a difference. There would still have been Eve or Holly or someone else. It never was about you, about us, it was about me, but that doesn’t make the hurt I caused you any less real.”

“I faced a lot of stuff about Holly too. You are the love of my life and no matter how much I HATE to admit it – Roger Thorpe was Holly’s. He did some terrible things to her, that level of abuse, rape, kidnapping, it was a lot to get over, but eventually they were able to move past it whether they should have or not the same way you would always eventually able to move past the pain I caused you. Even bearing my soul I want to say what Roger did was worse. Roger pushed Holly past the point of sanity, but I drove you to your death because I couldn’t give you a few days to process, you had to forgive me right then. More than forgive me, say I was right. I really thought that night I could force you into that. Damn, stupid, selfish fool.”

“But while Holly and I were never really the ONE for each other we’ve always shared a connection as friends, as lovers, as second best for each other as it goes. These last few years with Holly enjoying life, enjoying what we have for what it is and not expecting or pretending it was more, has been some of the best in my life after my time with you. But we’re getting older. The cold, hard practicalities say it’s time for us to formalize our relationship, get married. I haven’t really talked it over with her yet because I had to come tell you first. I hope you have managed to find it in your giant heart to forgive me. I hope you can give us your blessing and your understanding. I hope that you can wish us the best.”

A soft voice floated in like a distant echo “the best…”

Ed’s head snapped up. “Maureen?” he choked out and then as if voice volume and determination could bring her back more fully there with him. “Maureen! Maureen!” but he was answered with only silence, just as he had been when Maureen lay dead on the emergency room bed.

Commercial Break

Ed is heading back to his car and he walked back towards the Protestant part of the cemetery where he had parked. He was shaken by his experience, but more determined than ever that his present course was right so it seemed as if there was another ghost when he looked up at saw someone sitting on the bench by the Springfield War Memorial that sat between the two sections.

“Doctor Frazier?” Ed questioned.

The older man was brought out of his reverie. He seemed equally stunned to see Ed. “Ed? What are you doing here?”

“I was visiting my wife, sir.” Ed gestured back towards Maureen’s grave.

“It’s been a long time since I was your mentor, Ed. Don’t you think it’s past time you started calling me, Jim?”

“It hardly seems right with all you’ve accomplished.”

Jim chuckled. “You forget who you’re talking to, Ed. I don’t need any of your false modesty. Considering everything you’ve done a lot of good for a lot of people. Every bit as much as I thought you would way back then. – Oh don’t look so surprised we might not have seen each other for awhile, but your niece Bridget is Kat’s best friend and I’ve known her since Kat got involved with Paul. I’ve kept tabs on you through her.”

“Did you come to spend the day with Kat and her boys?”

“I did.”

“Then what are you doing out here?”

Jim sighed heavily and staring off into the middle distance he seemed on a different track all together. “You know, I took Paul and Hamp to see the Korean War Memorial in D.C. last year…the statues, sloughing through, it all seemed very real, but not as much as coming back to Springfield. I can still feel Paul Fletcher and Ben Scott here. I can see all of us at the hospital. All in our unit. All this time. The war that wasn’t really a war – a police action. The peace that wasn’t really peace – just a truce. All these decades and just a truce, but now it seems like there might really be a real peace – a real ending – finally. And I’m the only one of us left.” Jim heaved a heavy sigh again. “I just needed to take a little time you know? To process?”

Ed came over and put his hand on his shoulder. “Dr. Frazier, I have always appreciated all the help you gave me getting started. I don’t think I ever told you that. I was cocky and more arrogant than I had any right to be….I may be doing it again, thinking I can teach the teacher, but the one big lesson I think I learned in this life is sometimes you just have to be patient. You have to take the time….So…take the time, but don’t get lost here, come over to my house, have a burger, talk to your grandsons.” Ed held out his hand. “Dr. Frazier, welcome back to Springfield.” Jim turned around and shook his hand, smiled and then turned back to the memorial.

Ed walked off and we do a slow pull in on Jim’s face. It dissolves into a montage of actual photos of Korean vets cut in with young images of the three characters, preferably stills from the show, but just photos of the actors at the approximate age if that’s all we got.

Over the images we first hear Truman’s announcement spoken by Truman himself if we have it, by a sound alike if we don’t.

On July 19, 1950 President Truman gave an address on Korea:

On Sunday, June 25th, Communist forces attacked the Republic of Korea.

This attack has made it clear, beyond all doubt, that the international Communist movement is willing to use armed invasion to conquer independent nations. An act of aggression such as this creates a very real danger to the security of all free nations.

The attack upon Korea was an outright breach of the peace and a violation of the Charter of the United Nations. By their actions in Korea, Communist leaders have demonstrated their contempt for the basic moral principles on which the United Nations is founded. This is a direct challenge to the efforts of the free nations to build the kind of world in which men can live in freedom and peace.

This challenge has been presented squarely. We must meet it squarely. . . .

Followed by Taps and the echo of Taps.

Fade to black and return to announcement “Rafe,” “Buzz,” and a special appearance by “Coop.”

Buzz: “The Fourth of July is always a high point of the summer, especially in Springfield.”

Rafe: “Fireworks, hot dogs, and hamburgers are everywhere. It’s time to spend time with family and friends.”

Coop: “But we’re going to ask you today to spare a thought about the men and women who have fought for the freedoms we’re celebrating today.”

Buzz: “Whether you can donate money or spend some time, remember just what you’re celebrating today.”

https://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=531

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Bauer BBQ 2018 Episode 1 Part 4 by Robansuefarm

Author’s Note: We pick up the story from the first day of Bauer BBQ 2018.

Scene 9

We see the Bauer’s TV. A logo splash screen shows up “Happy 4^th of July from WSPR!”

Kat smiles in welcome as her face fills the screen. “It’s hard to believe that another year has rolled around again and it’s once again Independence Day. This is the day each year we set aside the problems and disagreements of everyday life and rededicate ourselves to striving to reach the ideals of the founding of the nation and to extend the rights and freedoms wherever we can. As the poet Henry Holcomb Bennett said “We love our land for what she is AND what she is to be.” Here at WSPR we take that idea of being proud of what we’ve accomplished while still striving to be the best….”

Cut to the editing booth where Ashlee Wolfe was sitting with a headset on next to another member of the crew. “Ready camera two.” She watched Kat turn her head and said, “Take camera 2.” She scanned the control board in front of her and on out into the studio.

Kat continued, “This is my first year here at WSPR and I hope you’ll agree we’ve been improving things around here…”

Ashlee made a noise.

“What?” the worker beside her asked.

“Nothing.”

“….I’m sure you’re just as proud to be from Springfield as I am.”

“Ready camera one…..Take camera one.”

“…Tune in tonight for WSPR’s full coverage of the Springfield firework show. I’m Kat Frazier. Happy Independence Day from WSPR.” She held a smile.

“Fade to the holiday graphic. Rejoining the network feed in three, two, one…..Thanks, Craig great job.” The other man at the booth said, “You too,” took off his headset and headed over to the editing bay.

On the set Kat was unhooking her mic when Daisy came in. “Hi, Kat. Where’s Ashlee?”

Kat was absorbed in her notes. She barely glanced up. “Hmmm, oh, Ashlee’s still the control booth I think.” Kat picked up the microphone again. “Ashlee, are you still there?”

Ashlee now alone in the booth rolled her eyes. She muttered, “And just where does she think I’d have gone?” Ashlee pushed a button. “Yes, Boss. I’m here.”

“You’ve got a guest. I’ll send her up.” She vaguely waved in the direction of the booth. Daisy’s eyes got big and she walked by with a REALLY?! Expression on her face. Without looking up again Kat added, “See you later at the BBQ.”

Daisy walked into the booth. “Oh my God. Did you hear her about improving things? Like you hadn’t done her job better than she does.”

“Kat has a different way of doing things that’s all.” Ashlee did the best she could to look busy. Then she stopped with a sigh. “I thought it was kind of a kick in the teeth, too. You know I really did think I was going to walk back into the job here after I graduated.”

Loyal friend she was, “You kept the station running after Dinah was shot.”

“Well, it was Vanessa’s call. [sigh]”

“She could always change her mind.”

“Yes…. she could.”

Scene 10

The festivities are in full swing outside. Everyone was talking and laughing. Blake was standing near the gate out of the sideyard. She was laughing at one of Rick’s jokes when Frank came over to casually drop his arm around her shoulders. Blake moved slightly shrugging his arm off. A little too brightly she said, “I need a refill. Any of you guys?” She headed off. Holly, who had stepped through the gate just in time to see the exchange, gave a worried look and came over to the group.

“Hello, everyone.”

“Hey, it’s Holly.” Everyone began making a big fuss over her. It’s been a couple of years since she made it back for a big event. She and Ed had come back for a couple of family things, but they were in and out so she hadn’t seen many of her friends for awhile and a big fuss was being made.

Finally, Rick came over and offered a kiss on her cheek. “It’s great to see you, Holly.” He looked around. “Where’s Dad?”

“He’ll be around later he had some errand to run so he dropped me off.”

“An errand? On Bauer BBQ day?”

“I know. He wouldn’t say what it was. Just that it wouldn’t take long.”

“Well, I guess that means I’m still overseeing the Bauer Burgers.”

Buzz stood to the side puzzled. What was going on with Holly and Ed?

Scene 11

Springfield Cemetery, Protestant section

Ed stands before the Bauer family plot. The camera slowly pans over the graves. Papa Bauer, Bert and Bill (now reunited forever), Aunt Meta, and even his older brother Mike were resting before him. “I’m sorry it’s been so long, but I know Michelle and the kids have been taking care of you….Mom, Dad, Meta, Mike….Papa, I’m home….”

Commercial Break

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

Bauer BBQ 2018 Episode 1 Part 3 by Robansuefarm

Author’s Note: We pick up the story from the first day of Bauer BBQ 2018.

Scene 6

The Bauer Kitchen was full of people coming and going busily going about getting stuff ready. A little time has gone by and Rick is in a much better mood. Michelle has made a trip back home and brought the car back stuffed full of food. The Coopers have all shown up. Rusty brought Oklahoma BBQ. Danny was stirring up the drinks and we have dropped in again when everything was in full swing.

The interactions were much the same as last year. MJ showed up about the same time as Kevin. Just a minute or 2 later Jude came in intending to ask his father about helping with the Bauer burgers. Rick doesn’t see him. Facing the other direction, “Hey, MJ, Kevin. Glad my boys are finally here. I need all the help balancing out all this female energy in here.” Rick nudged and winked at Leah as she protested. “Seriously guys I need help with these burgers. You are my Bauer Burger team this year. Wash your hands and dig in.”

Jude slipped out of the kitchen again without saying something since it seemed so obvious that he wasn’t needed or missed.

Scene 7

Arriving later than usual Blake came in with her arm around Clarissa, having convinced her she needed to come, and Frank bringing up the rear. Outside the back door, Blake said, “I know you’re feeling awful Clarissa honey, but brooding and letting these things build up into a huge thing in your mind isn’t good for you. I know. It can drive you into doing crazy things, trust me I know.”

Frank said, “Yes, Clarissa, you just have to buck up under these things. Go on in. Show us what you’re made of.”

Clarissa went on in and when Frank went to follow Blake stopped him. “What was that?”

Frank looked perplexed. “What was what?”

“All that buck up nonsense. Buck up? Facing up to things is one thing, but bucking up, ignoring your feelings, that’s something else.”

“Now, Blake…”

“No, this is important. Life is going to kick you in the teeth, but you don’t get through it by pretending it doesn’t hurt, by bottling up your emotions.”

“When responsibilities get dumped on you, you don’t have a choice. I know I didn’t.”

“Well, Clarissa is MY daughter and I don’t want her bottling things up. But out.”

Frank looked flabbergasted that Blake had lashed out at him like that over nothing. He stared after her back as she stormed off.

Scene 8

The younger kids were all scattered over the Bauer Living Room, breakfast plates in hand. Hope sat in the middle of the couch. She’d commandeered Hope and Peyton one on each side of her. There was happy chatter as they all talked together, laughter, chatter, jokes, and news flew through the air.

Baby Mikey was up in Jude’s room in a portable crib. Michelle was sitting on the edge of the hearth baby monitor in hand. Danny was standing in the living room at the edge of the hallway going into the kitchen. He crossed behind the couch and whispered, “Come on.” He tugged on her hand. She set down her breakfast plate, swallowing and following Danny as he pulled her around the corner into the short hallway that lead back into the kitchen. Just around the corner and out of sight from the breakfasters and not yet in sight from the kitchen doorway, Danny pressed her against the wall.

“With the kids over last night I didn’t get a proper morning kiss or a good night one.” Danny kissed her deeply. She turned her head to give him better access as he nibbled his way down her neck. “Does this mean that you’ve decided I’m right?”

“Mmmm. Right about what? You’re right about so many things.”

Michelle pushed him off to arms length. “About what we were discussing this morning, last night, last week…”

“No.” Danny pushed his own arms against the wall. “I haven’t changed my mind, Michelle. I’m not changing my mind. This is ridiculous.”

“Then you better get used to going without….”

Michelle flounced back over to her abandoned plate. Danny walked back over so he could see Michelle and hands on hips he made his ‘what is Michelle planning now’ face.

It actually was good that they’d broken off because just then Rick came through the kitchen doorway and into the hall with his phone to his ear and his hand over the other one. He stopped in the hallway halfway between the happy chatter from the group by the fireplace and the group in the kitchen. “That’s better, but it’s a TERRIBLE connection, Dad. I thought you and Holly would be here by now…..No, I understand, are you coming straight here?….OK we’ll see you soon then.”

Danny had walked over to Michelle, but she stood up and crossed back over to Rick. “So where is Dad?”

“Their flight got stuck in Atlanta.”

“Plane troubles?”

Rick pulled a face. “No apparently they had the plane…but they needed to deadhead a crew from Illinois to fly them back here. Cost them a couple of hours.”

“I’m glad that’s all it was.”

“Well, it is Dad and Holly….”

“They have always been explosive, haven’t they?”

“That’s an understatement, little sister, a big understatement.”

Cut to a montage of short takes of emotional Ed and Holly moments over the years – to commercial.

Robansuefarm is the handle of one of Manny and Guiding Light‘s biggest fans following in her family’s footsteps of Guiding Light fandom since 1939. This blog is an effort to make it easy to find Guiding Light and especially Manny online. Check back here for her blog, find fanfic previews and fake WSPR newscasts on her YouTube, find podcasts that look back to old shows and audios of her fanfics on Blog Talk Radio, and finally follow her on Twitter and Facebook.