Starting Gate Ep. 01: MONET SHOT by SZENSEI
Welcome to STARTING GATE. For those of you who frequent my STARTING FROM SCRATCH soap opera, this series provides FLESHBACKS…flashbacks that is, to Piper Cherry’s niece MONET BELMONT, sister to MACE BELMONT. If you have kept up well on the Scratch series, you know Monet went off to Seminary School. Now before you presume this is a GOOD GIRL story you must look at who she is related too. LOL! Let’s refer to Monet as Baby Piper.
To avoid a mass flood of confusing flashback sequences weaving in and out of the MAIN series I decided to make this what I call a Maxiseries. This series will build up until it can merge over into Scratch without the need for flashback or character development. Not only will this series devote to Monet, but it will also involve and evolve her mother Mona Cherry-Belmont, Piper Cherry’s older sister. Trust me when I say it’s time for Piper’s sister to prove she’s no stick in the mud. Being the eldest of three daughters Mona needs to be the Cherry on top.
So, give the ladies a chance and enjoy the insanity. For the record? If you are a religious person this series will disturb you. For those of open mind…GOD BE WITH YOU ALL. LOL! It might be a good idea to repent after reading each episode. Tighten your Bible Belts it’s going to be a wild ride.
God Bless!
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STARTING GATE Ep. 01: MONET SHOT
Three weeks ago…Just as Piper Cherry moved to Nashville, Tennessee.
“Why couldn’t you just go to school in Georgia?”
Mona Cherry-Belmont had complained all the way to Raleigh, North Carolina. Actually, driving herself and her stunning young daughter Monet rather than flying up from Atlanta just to spend quality time together, yet all she could do was feel the anxiety of losing her baby girl. They were not even separated yet and her stress level was coming unglued.
“Ugggggh! Mom! That’s the hundredth time you asked that. You ever think that’s partly why I chose to move this far from home? God has a mission for me. Are you going to argue with him?”
“You’re right Monet. It’s just hard, you’re my baby.”
“No! Mace is your baby. I’m older than him by three years. At 22 it’s time for me to grow up without my filthy rich family to dictate my every move.” The cute blond with crystal blue eyes glared at her mother across the front seat of their 2021 Silver Lexus ES. With her window down her silky blonde hair was billowing about like whips. Only her sunglasses on top of her head kept her from being blinded. Rethinking her words, she switched it up, “Except to pay for my schooling.”
“You applied and received grants Monet. So, the only thing we’re paying for is food by giving you a daily allowance. You have a bus pass to get around Raleigh as needed. Gym membership is offered by the Church which includes a pool, I know you live in the water so that helps. What more could you want?”
“Freedom?” She smirked. “To be me.”
“Good lord! That grin reminded me so much of your Aunt Piper. You two look so very much alike except your height.”
“I know right? Especially here.” She pinches her t-shirt but pats her 36D’s. “Almost!” Piper was a 38C. Not far from heaven! On her way!
“Is that a godly thing to do?” Mona frowned turning down their music by Big Tent Revival’s song What Would Jesus Do? Knowing Monet better than her family he would turn the car around. The kid had game! Her love of God was real, her belief in everything else questionable. Her future in all honesty was debatable.
“Well…if I were baptized right this very minute, I’d have to tug at my tee to keep it from clinging right?”
“Try wearing a bra more often please. Before we meet with the Head Pastor you put one on is that understood?”
“Do you really think I’d walk in with my Mount Ararat’s pointing?” She drooped her jaw. Mona simply continued frowning. “Yes Mother.”
Her shirt saying, ‘Halo There!’ over her breasts was definitely a warning sign. She had a whole suitcase full of cute t-shirts. Her wardrobe probably a bit more openminded than a girl ready to attend Golgotha Gospel School for Purity and Offered Truth for sure. Long name but Monet liked to giggle over the acronym as G-SPOT. Purity was not one of her strong points, but nobody need know that. Save God himself!
“Your grandfather had this school checked out before hand and it came up highly recommended. Otherwise, you would not be going here. You need to behave while you are attending this school Monet, our family does not need any more bad press after what your Aunt Piper went through with her ex-husband’s murder trial. Somehow, we managed to come through that ordeal unscathed. Dad saved our Heiney’s with that one. You saw how it affected Piper.”
“Yep! She moved away. Which is kind of what I’m doing. I admire her for starting over from scratch.”
“So do I, but still. Running away is not the answer. You, young lady, are moving even further away than the distance Piper has. Once I go back home there is nobody to come to your aid, so please go by the good book.”
“That’s why I’m here. Mile sign just said Raleigh 66 miles. At least it didn’t say 666.” She giggled. “Sorry!”
“You terrify me.”
“I do not.” Monet swatted her mother’s shoulder with her pamphlet on the school which she had been viewing to memorize where everything was on campus. “As far as not having anyone near that’s not true. I have Aunt Bree as long as she’s going to Law school in Charleston. That’s between here and Atlanta. Why didn’t we stop and say hi?”
“She had plans.” With her lesbian biker club. Breanna Cherry the baby sister of the three was the black sheep believe it or not. While her father Senator Lane Cherry honored her decision to be a lesbian, more forced to accept it, in some ways it was only to look good toward political ambitions. He was quite vocal in a room alone with Bree. Partly why she moved on to greener pastures. Still in the will though. ReBelle without a cause!
“With her girlfriend Selby?”
“We are not discussing that.” While Mona had accepted her sister’s choices long ago it was not something she particularly enjoyed talking about. A subject change was called for. Highly religious and raised with certain beliefs on the matter it was always a raw emotion. Yes, the family loved Bree regardless. Too bad they were unaware of Piper being bi-sexual. Monet herself for that matter.
“I wonder if your brother found Piper’s new home alright. He’s never driven outside of Atlanta before. Let alone with that big truck your grandfather insisted he own as a graduation gift last fall. Why he needed something so large I’ll never know. Although your father has a big truck too.”
Monet grinned knowing part of it had to do with Mace having a big dick. Her thoughts only! Yes, she had seen her brother naked, more than a few times. Father too by accident, so it was understandable the ideas of staying large so to speak. While it really had zero to do with it, she found it funny. Monet was certainly not a perfect angel. Her halo was more an ankle bracelet. But, like much about Monet her parents were mostly blind to it. They knew of her curiosities but not everything. She was a sneaky one who could lie her way through pretty much anything. Only her brother knew her well enough to detect her manipulations and deceit. Monet talks!
“Grampa Lane just wants Mace and I to know he loves us, being his only grandkids. You should be proud of me that I didn’t accept his offer to buy me a car. I’m too afraid to drive anyway. Traffic scares me.”
“He wanted to pay for your schooling, but your father and I forbid it. You are our responsibility not his. All we let Dad do was the leg work in knowing what we were letting you get into.” Mona wisped her brunette hair from her eyes. “Can we please turn the air on now? I know you like the sun, but the wind is making me look like a hag.”
“I guess we should. Once we check in at school, I want to look my best. After we shower at your hotel room and get dressy, we’ll both look hot.” Monet mostly! Mona being much older than her sisters had the minor wrinkles going on. The furthest thing from ugly but at 42 years old things were not as perfect as before her kids were born. Not far off though! A personal trainer kept her in shape.
Sadly, she often felt more like a mother to her sisters than being the eldest of the three. Piper at twenty-seven almost twenty-eight, Mona was seventeen when she was born. Nineteen when Bree now twenty-six shocked her parents. She felt old and missed her youth.
Windows rolled up and the air cooling the interior, things became more comfortable. Monet was correct, a shower and a hairbrush were sorely needed. Monet out of boredom began texting her brother Mace to kill time, asking if he had reached their Aunt Piper’s yet. A few minutes later they received a text message with a photo attached of Piper’s dog Rotten wearing round airplane goggles panting with his head out the window. The caption said, “Co-pilot says he smells Aunt Piper’s perfume. Gotta be getting close. LOL!” Monet giggled and shared it with her mother. It was amusing. Texting back Monet said, “Forty miles to Heaven.”
“Same here! GPS says forty miles to Aunt Piper’s.” Heavenly indeed!
“Give her a hug for me when you get there.” Monet sent back, “Don’t squeeze her ass like you do when you hug me. LOL!” A rolling eyes emoji was all she got back. She deleted her message just in case her mother snooped. It would not be the first time. Locked out or not her mother need not know of any past mischief.
“Mace says he’s almost at Piper’s. See? Now you don’t have to deal with her dog at our house anymore. You can miss Rotten as much as you miss me.”
“I still have my Fiona to keep me company. As well behaved as Rotten was you know I prefer lap dogs. But yes I suppose I’ll miss him laying at my feet.” She smiles, “Now you? I’m glad to be rid of.” Even Mom could razz.
“You say that but you know I’ll have to put up with you for the first three days I’m on campus until you feel I’m safe. You need to let me be independent Mom.”