I don’t usually narrate on my chapters, but I felt a strong need to do so on this one, for many reasons.
Firstly, Chapter 11 was written in love and appreciation... OF YOU! I can never be able to fully express how much I appreciate the fact that you read what I write. I'm overwhelmed that any one of you, not to mention ALL of you, bother to read the words I string together. Your kind words and encouraging reviews warm my heart each chapter. I’m so happy that you are enjoying this Ride so far. I know I sure am! So, THANK YOU, RIDERS! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!
Secondly, this is the chapter that I always swore would never be. Why? Well, because this is a flashback to October, and in every single fic out there there’s the requisite Halloween Party scene. I’m not a big fan of Halloween, (neither is Bella) and I had no desire to write such a scene. Bella had other ideas. Thus the only reason for this chapter. It does offer some further insight to their feelings as well as a look at the relationships between some of the fringe characters and our DILFward and BikerElla.
Thirdly, this chapter touches on the true theme of this fic. Pretty hefty order for a chapter that was never meant to be, huh? Here’s some hopefully interesting backstory about Ride for you:
The Ride of Your Life was a fic that I had started as an original story, something I was developing and working on to write as a novel. It was, at its inception, dubbed “Learning to Breathe.” It only became a fanfic after reading that Ninapolitan was running a contest and I wanted to enter. So I tweaked and reworked it to fit within the TwiFanFiction world, and wrote what came to me. After I wrote that final line of what was to become chapter one I knew I had to title the o/s The Ride of Your Life, with the intentions of expanding it from the very beginning. Once I extended it, I wanted to title chapter one, The Ride of Your Life, but name the entire fic Learning to Breathe.
One of my closest and dearest friends, Kat, convinced me otherwise. After pre-reading Chapter two she was positive that this story was about Bella and Edward’s ride through life and finding each other. So the title remained The Ride of your Life. The underlying currant of being able to finally open up your airways and take a deep, life bringing breath after a life time of gasping for air still remains in Ride. There’s no way I could tell this story without it.
That becomes evident in this chapter for the first time in the story. Bella is truly living and breathing for the first time in many, many years. Edward has done that for her. Masen is doing that for her. And by the miracle of love, Bella is doing it for the two “men” in her life.
These characters have a long way to go and many hurdles to cross. Just this week I was shown that very clearly. Their Ride won’t always be smooth. Who’s ever is, though? What I can insure is that they will Ride off into the sunset of “happily ever afters.”
It would appear that, while I AM the author and creator of this story, that I’m also on this Ride. No matter how much I may THINK I’m in control, this is ultimately Bella and Edward’s story. Thank you for coming along for the Ride.
All my Love.
Forever, Liz
Kat's Costume
