Then came the tears...
...followed by a loving headlock.
My phone started vibrating the moment I left the gym. “Robin! You’re home? I thought you were still camping.” “Nope. We’re back.” I needed to tell Robin that night about the book news, but that meant finding a way to get from Point A (the gym) to Point B (Robin’s house) to Point C (my house)...yet my wife needed the car.
The solution, as well as my favorite three-letter palindrome: Eve!
We parked a couple of houses away and snuck around tall bushes so Robin wouldn’t notice us till the last minute. We wanted to capture her surprise on film and knew she’d figure it out the moment she saw us. Why else would two Disco Mermaids surprise the third Disco Mermaid at her house with a bouquet of flowers?
“Hey, guys,” Robin said. “Good to see you. Come in.”
Eve and I looked at each other, shrugged, then followed her inside. Her husband was there, along with her father-in-law, and her four-year-old sun who yelled, “Garter snake!” (I don’t know if that’s important, but it sure was cute.)
I handed Robin the bouquet and Eve lifted the camera up to her eye. Robin said, “You guys are acting weird.” I told her to read the card. Her son yelled, “Velociraptor!” (Isn’t he adorable?)
Robin read the card and…how come it took Robin and Eve so freaking long to figure it out?!?! I wrote the same thing on everyone’s card: Thank you for helping my dreams come true.
Hello! My dreams?
She must have read the card at least a dozen times before it finally…well…check out Photo #1. Then she jumped three feet into the air, which would have looked great on film but the flash wasn’t ready and I thought she might hurt herself if I asked her to do it over again. I explained the details, which had developed even further since I told my wife, Eve, and my parents the night before. While listening, Robin cradled her chin in her hand and slowly shook her head, adding another few tears to this When I Told… series.
Followed by, “Garter snake!” (So cute.)
Then the three Disco Mermaids went downtown to top-off the night with hot coffee and cushy chairs. Robin and Eve worked so hard to get my manuscript into a ready-to-submit form, from brainstorming scenes to moral support to full critiques, that it truly feels like a group project. And I think the same can be said for their manuscripts which I can’t wait for you all to read!
The best quote of the night, though, we didn’t find out about till later. After we left her house, Robin’s father-in-law told her husband, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen people that happy for each other.”
Okay, ladies…who’s next?
- Jay
9 comments:
ahhhhhhh, who do we tell next?
"we" 'cause we feel like we are all along for this fun ride!
Laura
clay lady
www.lauraludwighamor.com
Giraffe!!!
Whoo-Hoo! I'm so excited for you. I was literally tearing up reading this and I've never even met you! Many, many congrats to you and your awesome support group.
Upon seeing these pictures, I immediately made an appointment with my hairdresser.
Other than that, I was proud to be the final installment in your "When I Told" series. I'll just consider myself the anchor in the relay.
Like I told you, Jay, those flowers were the prettiest I've ever gotten. And it's not just because I've never gotten flowers before. They were that pretty.
Before all this, I would consider you a classy guy with a captial C. I give you a capital CL now!(With a little cheerleader hop!)
As far as the NEXT discomermaid to go down this road, seeing the week that Eve has had I'd say...girl, you're up!
Love you guys!
Robin
This has been a fun series. It helps us to celebrate with you.
Congrats again!
You guys are too cute!
I expect more pictures soon when Robin and Eve share their big news.
Jay,
I am soooo late on this it's not even funny, but I did want to say CONGRATULATIONS. Now that you're going to be a published author, I hope you won't stop wearing all those funny costumes at the SCBWI parties. There's something about a man in a wig that lets me know that everything's okay in the universe.
Jay,
CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRATULATIONS, CONGRATULATIONS on the WONDERFUL news! I am very happy for you, and can't wait to stand in line at an upcoming SCBWI conference to get a signed copy.
Bravo, sir.
David
Wow, what a great story! A friend of mine recommended 13RW to me on facebook, so I googled it, and recognized it as something I'd put on my "books to read" list last year. But having just gotten such an enthusiastic recommendation from my friend, I immediately called my neighborhood bookstore to make sure they had a copy before I ran down there. Well, not only did they not have a copy, they told me that they have had it on order for a while now, but haven't gotten it in because the publisher is out and they're on back order! Jeez, VERY frustrating for me and my instant-grat complex, but for you -- BIG congratulations!! They've special-ordered it for me, and they're going to call me the minute it arrives, and I can't wait to read it!
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