Ailana’s Journal — 2025-12-29 (Patreon)

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Good Morning

Well friends, I hope you like green bikinis. You don’t have to answer that!

I’m doing all-day-on-the-beach today. I’m sure I won’t be alone! And of course, I’ll make my way back to the cottage for meals and that sort of thing.

Otherwise, this is it! Me, the beach, the waves, the salty air…gulls calling overhead… I’ll work tomorrow. Today, not so much!

Jason and Josh, however, are working today. They packed up last night so they could spend today taking pictures and notes for articles. They are going to drive the long, winding stretch through St. Croix’s rainforest along Mahogany Road—stopping at the historic Estate Mount Washington ruins, small fruit stands, and scenic overlooks—trying to capture the quiet, hidden side of the island most visitors never see.

Izzy and Kent are off exploring on their own today. They are also having lunch with their friends, Paul and Rebecca—Paul is the pilot who flew them down; Rebecca is part of the awareness.organization they do work for—The Pay It Forward Society.

Clay and Micah are hitting the links again. I think that’s fancy for saying that they are playing golf. And… there is buzz around the group that the girls might rent some clubs and see what happens before the week is out!

So, there’s your update and plan for today. Be back this afternoon with more pics and any news that comes up throughout the day.

The Storylines are the heart of Ailana Geven Imagines, and they are found in the Collections section of the site.

Support AGI with:• one-time contribution through TipTopJar.• one-time contribution through Throne.• Patreon Membership.

All characters in this story are fictional characters, their images generated with AI for AGI Stories. They do not represent any real person, nor is their appearance based on any real human.

DO YOU BELIEVE? by Vanessa Lenen

It’s day two of the immunology and infectious disease symposium hosted here by NYU. Day one, Saturday, was just perfunctory events and meetings for the presenters.

I had finished giving my talk about my work with Naegleria fowleri in Brazil. I had just reached the elevator and before I could push the call button, I heard someone calling to me.

“Dr. Lenen… One moment…”

I turned around to see a man coming toward me. His disarmingly good looks gave me pause as he caught up.

"Dr. Lenen… question…"

I read his nametag. “Dr. David Gregory… CDC… I’m coming to your presentation tomorrow.”

David beamed. "That's great, really…"

“What was your question?”

“Nothing to do with immunology. More of a psychology—or sociology—thing.”

Those disarmingly good looks were starting to lose ground. "Are you sure I'm the person to ask?"

"100% sure. Dr. Lenen, do you believe in love at first sight?"

I laughed, and came up with an answer I hoped was sensible. "Not at all. Love is a deep connection at a cognitive and emotional level that doesn't start with the optic nerve."

"Consider this…" David smiled and broke eye contact—a gesture that felt safer. "What if the cognitive connection begins with reading an abstract and a presenter's bio, then the optic nerve pushes that into some emotional domain?"

“I’m no expert, Dr. Gregory. I’m feeling a little uncomfortable.”

He nodded and closed his eyes—and I’ll add that it was very cute. “Fair enough. Would you entertain a further discussion on this topic?”

“Like a date with a complete stranger?”

“I suppose you could put it like that… You pick a place… we skip a breakout session tomorrow and I buy you lunch?”

Back to those disarmingly good looks and the cute expression. “Okay, but one condition…”

The rest of this Chapter is exclusive to Patreon.

“Sure,” he said. “What’s the condition?”

Let me hit the pause button for a moment.

I’m as cautious as the next person, but I also know NYU wouldn’t put a known criminal on their presenter panel. I’m not naive, but it’s obvious—in an almost-creepy way, but still cute—that he checked out my information in the symposium catalog.

His symposium badge (including the holographic security stripe) said he worked with CDC, and I have a lot of history with them. My own work went to them many times, and I respect the agency deeply.

Him being a doctor and working for them means he’s been vetted more than once by more than one agency—college, med school, and the CDC.

Call it a calculated risk. I’d choose a very public place for lunch and… entertain his discussion.

I pointed to his phone. “Pull up your contact info… I’ll snap a picture and I will text you the location an hour before. It will be crowded and very, very public.”

Remember that cute expression? It came back.

“My battery’s dead…” he held up his phone.

I shook my head. “You don’t look like a guy that would let his battery go dead…”

He smiled as his eyes shifted left. “See… it’s an old phone. I keep it plugged in at my desk. I’ll write out my number… how’s that?”

I agreed and we tracked down something to write on. He wrote out his name and phone number.

“My office is at JFK, and I live in Queens—Jackson Heights. Do you want my address?”

“You can hold off on that… I’m not planning to come visit. Lunch… entertain your thesis… that’s it.”

“All right… no… I wasn’t suggesting a visit. Just you’d feel safer… It’s all good. I’m looking forward to talking to you.”

Then I had a thought. “If I text you, will your battery be dead?”

“Not tomorrow. Not after I go get a new phone tonight.”

BEACH TIME CONTINUED

Still loving my day on the beach! I hope you are having fun, even if you are at work. That happens, sometimes, right?

There’s really not a lot to tell right now. Honestly, I just need some words to go between the pictures on Patreon… Really!

I could probably come up with some nice sensory language. I could tell you how the sound of the surf, its steady rhythms and counter rhythms, is like some sort of lullaby begging for a nap in the sun. I could tell you how the sun feels on my skin, giving it a warmth that goes all the way through. Then, there’s the gulls, the smell of salt adrift on the breeze…

Or I could tell you how Sasha brought her work with her. I could say that her worries about the remodel not being finished have become realities. I could mention that she’s cooking up a back-up plan…

I could fill you in on what Clay and Micah have gotten themselves into… I could tell you that after 18 holes, they went to a place called Axe Crazy Vision. You know, just your typical place where you can go and throw axes (and knives) at targets…

I could tell you that Jason and Josh checked in with an update, and they’re excited about how the day is going…

I guess I could fill you in on what everyone is doing… And maybe that’s what I just did!

I’ll still be here on the beach for a few more hours. Call it Ailana’s Last Sand-a-thon for 2025!

See you tonight!

Good Night

The day comes to an end, and I am saying good night from the beach. Jason is sitting with me now, telling me about his day.

But there had to be a photo. Geoni was still here when Jason approached. Her face lit up when she saw he had camera gear. I… knew what was about to happen.

“Just sit there,” she said. “We’ll come up with something!”

Jason is back a good distance with the camera, and I’m looking right at him. He’s using a long lens and a smaller aperture so the sky stays visible instead of washing out. From my shadow, you can see where the light is coming from.

Geoni is closer with a Seedlite—basically an off-camera flash—so the light lands softly from an angle instead of blasting straight on.

The technique is called using an off-camera flash. The results? You can decide for yourself.

Image captured, Geoni gathered up the gear and headed back to be with Josh. Now, it’s just Jason and me taking in the last of twilight and listening to the sound of the waves.

I’m sure I reek of salt water and sunscreen, but Jason doesn’t seem to mind. His voice is gently joining the sounds of night on the beach as he tells me about his and Josh’s outing. It sounds like they were very productive.

And it sounds… like I should be hearing this. I should be at his side as he recaps his workday. It sounds like how my days should end. It feels just right.

May you encounter moments that feel just right, that make you know you are exactly where you are meant to be.

Good night.

Be your best you!

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