#gwentanner

If you mean who I think you mean, we had a talk about it a while back and I already know. Though I’m not sure crush is the right word. She and I are just friends at the moment. We are thinking of the same person, aren’t we?

Publicly...why did it always have to be publicly?

The water ran untouched now, the steady stream the only real sound in the room. He had planned to reject the challenge, but the boys encouraged it and after all, it had been Seth who gave it to him. "Only with Natalie there," he had relented finally. So with his weekend came the completion of the challenge.

Returning to the booth where his family (or what remained) sat, he scooped up the awaiting tiny blonde. "Can you help Daddy be brave?" He whispered lovingly as he kissed her temple, holding her tight. Parting with her was the hardest thing he ever had to do, and it happened too often. It was reopening a wound every other weekend. "Alright..." he breathed as he turned back to the diners, and his little companion buried her face shyly in his neck clinging like a leech to him. "So much for Daddy's little helper," he joked, but the strong grip of such intense love was enough. She felt safe in his arms.

"I'm sure you're all a bit sick of this, but uh, you shouldn't be. It's a pretty wicked challenge," he addressed the Sunday afternoon crowd, eyes boring into him. Shifting the child in his arms, he knew he was right to wait for Talie. "Five things I like about myself: First, er, one: I'm a whiz when it comes to music, I guess. Knowin' about it and playin' it." He began with quivering voice, growing the stronger the more he spoke, "Two, I'm pretty mint when it comes to using my money smart and providing for my family. Three, I like the pictures I take of my fri--my friends and people I see."

"Two!" Natalie cried excitedly upon hearing her uncle Coby muttering 'two more.' The enthusiasm made Cas laugh, releasing some of built up tension this was creating. "Right," he encouraged, "two more, princess." Breathe, finish strong. "Can you tell them what number we're on?" He asked, but that was far too much to ask as the little girl laid her head on his shoulder, shaking it with the stubbornness he blamed on her mother. The crowd was amused, and he was on his own to finish the task. Kissing her forehead, he continued, "four: I'm a loyal friend, even when I don't show it so well. The friends I make are friends for life. Five: I'm her daddy," he finished as he gazed over at the angel in his arms. Natalie looked up at him with wide-eyed wonder and adoration, smiling like he was the greatest thing in the whole world. Emotion choked in his throat as a smile lit his face. She was the greatest. "Everything I've ever done, good or bad, doesn't matter in comparison to this feeling. I love her in my entire being, and I take care of her, always will.

-- That's it. Oh, and I challenge Gwen Tanner and the Flash's better half, Jamie Hall." He rushed to sit as Shirley clapped her hands towards Natalie who mimicked her with such glee. "Say 'yay Daddy!'" she instructed as the two clapped for Cas's bravery. 

"Yay, Daddy!"

"Hey Gwen! I have a question, are you busy on March 16?"

Love is in the air, must be that Valentine's mojo. So as the leader's bloods are bubbling with the anticipation of a coming war, their teams are falling victim to teenage hormones. 

A source close to the vine reported that Gwen Tanner's car was parked outside, of all places, the Jacobsen home. Before you try to make excuses for innocent reasons for the visit, let me tell you that the clock was striking 2 a.m. and she didn't leave until the following morning. Purity becomes quite underrated when ladies find themselves under the Castello Jacobsen spell. Suppose Sherri Voxing suspicions were dead on? A woman's intuition should never be underestimated, dudes.

Apparently, Ricky Jacobs is not one to heed advice because he and Odette Wilson were caught sucking face (yes, for those keeping score, this is the second time.) I hear she's his girl now. Match made in cooking heaven or secret hell? I have my bets, go make yours.

Keep your calendars marked, clocks are ticking away for Dodger Bear's birth. A little digging got me a date, are you free on February 27th? 

Don't forget those Valentine's confessions. Want to tell a long lost crush how you feel? Want to humiliate an ex? I'm taking it all from the romantic to the bitter. Let's make for a wicked Valentine's Day, shall we?

Stay Fab!

As Cas pulled in the driveway and placed the car in park, he paused for a moment as he looked at his blonde companion. She spoke of her side as if it wasn't her own, eyes reflecting a subtle sadness. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, he let go and reached back for the bag in the back seat. "Here," he indicted with a tilt of his head, "you don't have to worry about Soc or Greaser, it's all just...family." A slight grin crept against his lips as he hopped out of the car and ran around to her door. Reuniting their hands once more as she stepped out of the car, he held the bag with his free arm and guided her to the front porch of the middle class house.

"Oh, and Gwen..." he whispered with a playful twitch tugging at the edge of his mouth, "Merry Christmas."

Nudging her arm as he turned the knob, pushing against it to allow them entry to the warm home. The rustling and clattering of dishes in the kitchen, rowdy boys hollering down the hall, the radio news program creating white noise in the background was the scene they walked in to find.

"Castello, there you are," Shirley Kinney's face lit with a mother's glow as she approached the two. "Boys! Boys! Come set the table, please." She hollered over her shoulder as she took the bag and handed it to her husband who dutifully took it to the kitchen. "Thank you," she murmured quietly to Castello with a fond hand on his arm as his eyes were drawn towards the hallway and the incoming sounds. "Who's your lady friend?" Mrs. Kinney's question was lost immediately in the stampede of teenage boy feet, and Cas was gone in a blink to greet his brothers who looked equally as happy to see him.

Your favorite wicked columnist here to dish the dirt to stir the quiet winds of our fair town. Winds that blow soft whispers of mint juice. After putting Sherri Voxing and Castello Jacobsen on the hook about their relationship or lack thereof, life continues to become more complicated. So here's the skinny: Cas himself has been spotted frequently with none other than Gwen Tanner. A source speculates that it's his rebound from Sherri or hers from Rodney. I say...perhaps it's both?

Carmen Welch was tagged in the streets with the man showing compassion, going so far as to wish him a Merry Christmas and call him a brother. Is he back in Rodney's good graces? The way the Greaser leader was eying him at the street race casts doubt on this. Does Papa know what Mama is doing? Hm.

Speaking of being tagged, Hailey Adams and Cas hit the town a few nights ago. Let me tell it like it is: a PG Mrs. Adams was spotted dancing and getting extra friendly with a man that was not her unsuspecting Greaser husband. Unless Cain suddenly got a really, really good tan...if you know what I mean.

It's the season for parties, and as you all know, the more out of sight parties, the more out of sight gossip to go with it. Happy Holidays and as always...

Stay Fab!

Cade: He’s the most amazing man that I’ve ever met. He is my rock. He’s my person to fall on when I need someone. He’s my light at the end of the tunnel, and he’s most importantly the only man that I could ever see myself with in the future and the only one that I want to face the world with. I’ve never loved anyone or anything as much as I love Cade Madden.

Gwen: Is one of kindest people in Tulsa. She was one of my first friends that I made here. She’s been there for me since the beginning and I could never thank her enough for being so amazing to me. She’s amazing at being a nurse, and she made me feel at home when I’ve been in the hospital. She’s amazing.

Andy: He’s my big brother that I’ve always wanted. When I heard he was having to go fight in the war, I was devastated. Andy is one great guy. He’s one the best men that Tulsa has to offer. Whichever woman is lucky enough to end up with him better not ever let him go. He fights for what he wants, and he’s a remarkable person. I can’t thank him enough for being there for me when I needed him the most after Cade left, and I can’t thank him enough for fighting for our country.

Hailey: She’s one of the people that I miss the most. I haven’t spoken to her since the night of her wedding, and that’s been a while. I miss her being around to talk to. She’s so busy now that she barely has time for anyone over here on our side. I miss her to death, and I hope she knows that. She will always be one of my best friends, Greaser or Soc.

Finally, Brett: He has been an amazing friend to me. He got shot by someone that was trying to hurt me, for goodness sakes. I can never repay him for that. I don’t know what I would have done if he had died that night. Brett isn’t given the amount of credit he is due in this town. We all make mistakes, so what. Give people another chance.