Two page synopsis for Oh, Home at Last
Oh, Home at last is about a sweet romance rekindled after twenty years. Elizabeth (Liz) Levine, renowned writer and therapist at 36 finds herself with a broken heart. She has lived her life healing others, but has been looking for love in all the wrong places after moving away from her sweet-heart Edward Forrester twenty years earlier. In Liz’s heart she compares everybody to Eddie. Twenty years later, Liz reconnects with Ed 36, a New York City lawyer through a late night email.
Their reunion is complicated by Ed’s girlfriend and Ed’s father Ted is dying of cancer. Liz believes she can help heal Ted and maybe heal her own broken heart with a journey back to Michigan and Ed. Ed attempted to forget about Liz. He was very blunt in his return email writing, “Don’t fall in love with me, I have moved on.” Ed neglects to write that he called out Liz’s name while he made love with his girlfriend Katie shortly before Liz’s email.
Oh, Home at Last, opens with a heart felt goodbye between these teen lovers. Lizzie’s Mom and Dad decide to move back to Denver, Colorado from Cove, Michigan. The economy turned sour in Cove for accountants. We find Lizzie crouching in a tree, tearing up remembering her best buddy Eddie. Lizzie’s first experience of Eddie is of his face smeared with mud and him shoving a slimy frog named Herman down her shirt. They were both five. By the end of the day, they were fast friends. They learned to read, ride bikes, cars, dance and learn how to kiss with each other. By the age of fifteen, their friendship deepened into a sweet kind of love.
Sixteen year old Eddie discovers his best friend crying in their favorite tree. He climbs to Liz and embraces her tenderly drying her tears with his kisses. In darkness, they climb down together and make out again, but fear and loss grips Lizzie’s gut and makes her run away into the night and for the next twenty years.
As Liz grows up she becomes a Dominatrix to get through college. She majors in Psychology. Liz learns to dominate men to avoid intimacy. In graduate school, Liz studies Shamanic Healing from Jose Perez, a married Peruvian gorgeous older man (45) from Santa Monica. They travel to the mountains of Peru together to share their healing gifts with villagers as well as a hot steamy bed. It doesn’t last. Liz learns her lesson after she discovers Jose’s “loving tool” inside another student and leaves his house without goodbyes.
She writes about her sexual experiences in her dissertation which is #1 for three months on The New York Times Bestseller’s List. Liz becomes famous, wealthy and a sought after workshop leader on relationships. When she is not jetting setting to Chicago, London or Bombay for a workshop or book-signings she is sleeping with movie stars like Simon Taylor, who knows how to move his “money maker” but not her heart.
Back in Michigan, Liz and Ed rekindle their feelings for each other during the passing of Ed’s father. Ed breaks up with his girlfriend in New York City as Liz flies to Santa Monica to nurse Jose Perez back to health after a major heart attack. After a month separation, both return to Michigan with a better understanding of themselves and what they want. They decide to give each other a month to get reacquainted. They agree to no more distractions or running away. Liz and Ed see through their fantasies of each other built over twenty years and touch each others heart. By the end of this novel, both feel at home and loved and Liz exhales with a full heart to Ed as they lay in each other’s arms, “Oh, I’m Home at Last.”
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Ed Loses it
Ed Loses It
The wind is whipping up the shoreline and the tide is driving the waves to crash against the sand. The waves seem to be matching Ed’s mood. Ed is dug into the sand. He is lying on his back and his feet and legs are covered by sand. His hands are covering his face. He is crying. Ed lets go of tears he has held inside since his father died. Ed cries to the wind.
“Dad I miss you!” He shouts into the air as he sits up and faces the roaring waves. It is during sunset. It is the first time Ed is alone in several weeks. Ed continues to have a conversation with the waves. Ed stands and walks on the shores edge, stepping into the crashing waves.
“Dad I wish you were here. I just want to sit on your lap again. I feel like I am five years old…I am crying like a baby. People are expecting me to act like a grown man. Mom is expecting me to take care of your affairs. I am this grown up lawyer. I am glad I took care of most of that paper work months ago. Because right now I can’t see what is in front of me because of all my tears. I know what you would say Dad, go ahead son be a puddle on the floor for awhile. I am that puddle. I so feel like that puddle right now. I have been trying to be strong for mom and also for you.
I have also these different feelings swimming around in my heart and head. I feel such a loss without you in my life. My heart is aching literally. At the same time I feel this renewed love for Liz. I haven’t seen her in 20 years. I wanted to have a life with Katie. But all I have been able to do is not break up with Katie when I wanted to.
I was going to break up with her on the way to the airport. But she does this thing with her voice that makes her sound so sweet and kind, maybe because she is sweet and kind. But she is oblivious sometimes to reality. I didn’t want to be the schmuck who made this sweet kind lovely woman cry. I didn’t want her to cry. I felt like if she started crying I would start crying.
I didn’t feel comfortable being a puddle of tears around Katie. I never have. She expects me to be able to juggle everything, be this big, strong and know it all guy for her. I am not. I am this little nerd from Hickville, Michigan, who used to crap in his pants when the bullies would jump on him in fifth grade. Dad you taught me how to use my brain, how to use humor and story telling to win over these bullies. Thank you for that and so much more.
Maybe the always holding it together crap is my expectation for myself. But when you live in the big city like to NYC and have to go up in front of mean scary bully judges everyday, sometimes I am reminded of fifth grade and those damn bullies dad. I use what you taught me. I use my humor and brain-power. I win a lot of cases. You told me that you were proud of me dad. You were one of the best legal minds in the country. I could always get your advice on a tough legal brief.” Damn, Ed shouts. He stomps into the waves and soaks himself. He dives under the wave, coming up for air and to continue the conversation. Ed feels more refreshed.
“Dad you have always said that the only thing you want for me is to be happy. I studied law, because I saw how happy it made you. But Dad practicing law doesn’t fill me with joy or satisfaction. I dread going into court. What makes me really happy is writing. Writing poetry, writing short stories. I have dreamt about coming back here to Michigan and write a novel. I want to write a love story about you and mom. How you met, fell in love, raised us kids. I don’t know for sure what I want to write, but I want to write a tribute to you.
I want to stay here and write and spend more time with Liz. Somehow Katie doesn’t belong here in Michigan. But everything inside me tells me to spend more time with Liz. I want to have time to get to know each other as adults. Dad I want your advice. I want your blessing. I can have never either because you aren’t here.” Ed begins to cry again. This time he is completely covered in the waves of Lake Michigan with only his head bobbing above.
“Dad I want to see you again, Ed cries.
From somewhere deep inside, he hears a voice say, “Not now… not yet…look to the shore.” Ed sees a figuring running on the shore. As the figure approaches, he sees soft curves, long legs and long brown hair tied in a pony-tail. The figure is waving to him. He can’t hear anything. He realizes he is 500ft out from shore. He dunks himself under the water again and swims closer.
He hears a familiar voice say, “Ed, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Come closer to shore.”
Liz is holding a towel out for him. He swims to the shallow waters again and begins to walk to Liz. He feels like he is walking for the first time. He stumbles and Liz catches his arm and wraps him in a big warm superman towel.
“I am glad to find you,” she says.
“Me too” Ed says, beginning to feel better.
The wind is whipping up the shoreline and the tide is driving the waves to crash against the sand. The waves seem to be matching Ed’s mood. Ed is dug into the sand. He is lying on his back and his feet and legs are covered by sand. His hands are covering his face. He is crying. Ed lets go of tears he has held inside since his father died. Ed cries to the wind.
“Dad I miss you!” He shouts into the air as he sits up and faces the roaring waves. It is during sunset. It is the first time Ed is alone in several weeks. Ed continues to have a conversation with the waves. Ed stands and walks on the shores edge, stepping into the crashing waves.
“Dad I wish you were here. I just want to sit on your lap again. I feel like I am five years old…I am crying like a baby. People are expecting me to act like a grown man. Mom is expecting me to take care of your affairs. I am this grown up lawyer. I am glad I took care of most of that paper work months ago. Because right now I can’t see what is in front of me because of all my tears. I know what you would say Dad, go ahead son be a puddle on the floor for awhile. I am that puddle. I so feel like that puddle right now. I have been trying to be strong for mom and also for you.
I have also these different feelings swimming around in my heart and head. I feel such a loss without you in my life. My heart is aching literally. At the same time I feel this renewed love for Liz. I haven’t seen her in 20 years. I wanted to have a life with Katie. But all I have been able to do is not break up with Katie when I wanted to.
I was going to break up with her on the way to the airport. But she does this thing with her voice that makes her sound so sweet and kind, maybe because she is sweet and kind. But she is oblivious sometimes to reality. I didn’t want to be the schmuck who made this sweet kind lovely woman cry. I didn’t want her to cry. I felt like if she started crying I would start crying.
I didn’t feel comfortable being a puddle of tears around Katie. I never have. She expects me to be able to juggle everything, be this big, strong and know it all guy for her. I am not. I am this little nerd from Hickville, Michigan, who used to crap in his pants when the bullies would jump on him in fifth grade. Dad you taught me how to use my brain, how to use humor and story telling to win over these bullies. Thank you for that and so much more.
Maybe the always holding it together crap is my expectation for myself. But when you live in the big city like to NYC and have to go up in front of mean scary bully judges everyday, sometimes I am reminded of fifth grade and those damn bullies dad. I use what you taught me. I use my humor and brain-power. I win a lot of cases. You told me that you were proud of me dad. You were one of the best legal minds in the country. I could always get your advice on a tough legal brief.” Damn, Ed shouts. He stomps into the waves and soaks himself. He dives under the wave, coming up for air and to continue the conversation. Ed feels more refreshed.
“Dad you have always said that the only thing you want for me is to be happy. I studied law, because I saw how happy it made you. But Dad practicing law doesn’t fill me with joy or satisfaction. I dread going into court. What makes me really happy is writing. Writing poetry, writing short stories. I have dreamt about coming back here to Michigan and write a novel. I want to write a love story about you and mom. How you met, fell in love, raised us kids. I don’t know for sure what I want to write, but I want to write a tribute to you.
I want to stay here and write and spend more time with Liz. Somehow Katie doesn’t belong here in Michigan. But everything inside me tells me to spend more time with Liz. I want to have time to get to know each other as adults. Dad I want your advice. I want your blessing. I can have never either because you aren’t here.” Ed begins to cry again. This time he is completely covered in the waves of Lake Michigan with only his head bobbing above.
“Dad I want to see you again, Ed cries.
From somewhere deep inside, he hears a voice say, “Not now… not yet…look to the shore.” Ed sees a figuring running on the shore. As the figure approaches, he sees soft curves, long legs and long brown hair tied in a pony-tail. The figure is waving to him. He can’t hear anything. He realizes he is 500ft out from shore. He dunks himself under the water again and swims closer.
He hears a familiar voice say, “Ed, I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Come closer to shore.”
Liz is holding a towel out for him. He swims to the shallow waters again and begins to walk to Liz. He feels like he is walking for the first time. He stumbles and Liz catches his arm and wraps him in a big warm superman towel.
“I am glad to find you,” she says.
“Me too” Ed says, beginning to feel better.
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