The CBB :: View topic - Julie's pain

#1: Julie's pain Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 1:22 pm

I'm sure I'm not the only one who's come up with this explanation of Julie's 'appenditicis' but I hope you like the way it goes.

As Julie was brought in to the small village hospital in Carnbach the dose that Matron had given her was starting to wear off and she started to moan again. The black hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat and she felt warmer than she had ever felt before. She was moved into a small, green walled room which smelt of disinfectant, a bed was in the middle of the room and it was onto this that Julie was placed, now dressed in a hospital gown, and the familiar faces were ushered out of the room and Julie was left alone, apart from a young woman in a nurse’s uniform, who smiled reassuringly at her. ‘It won’t be much longer now, Juliet isn’t it?’

‘Julie,’ the owner of the name managed to gasp out between bouts of pains, ‘what’s happening to me? Am I going to die?’

‘Of course, you’re not going to die. Now please keep still and let me feel your stomach so I can see what we’re dealing with. Tell me to stop if it’s too uncomfortable,’ after pressing her ear against a small trumpet on Julie’s stomach the Nurse nodded, ‘Now, Julie I’m going to have to examine you.’

Julie gazed up at the ceiling, her face flushed, both with the pain and the embarrassment of what was happening to her.

‘Excellent, Julie if you want to sit up then you may.’

Despite the pain she was in, Julie gave a small smile, wondering if this mystery woman was an ex-Chalet girl, having been drilled in the correct use of can and may.

‘If you need to go, then let me know and I will provide a bedpan. ‘I’m Nurse Williams, you…’

At that point the door opened and a Doctor came in. ‘What’s happening with this woman, Nurse?’

Nurse Williams annoyance that their conversation had been interrupted was evident but she politely answered, ‘This is Juliet Lucy, primp, on palpitation she appears to be full term, LOA with a slight anterior lip so shouldn’t be much longer now.’

The doctor nodded curtly before leaving the room. Julie had followed the short conversation but most of it had gone over her head, what was wrong with her? Why weren’t they operating? she had heard Matron tell the other prefects that she had appendicitis.

The Nurse turned back to her, ‘Where were we? Oh, yes, I’m Nurse Williams, your midwife. I just need to ask you some questions. When was the last time you bled?’

Julie looked at her confused, ‘What do you mean? Why are you asking me this?’

‘I need to know the last time you had the curse, we need to know if your baby’s coming too early.’

‘My baby? What baby?’

#2: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 1:57 pm

Well I never thought of that! Is a very good point though, and plausible! To be continued...?

#3: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 2:05 pm

I remember something like this happening when I was at school, a supposed case of appendicitis was nothing of the sort!

#4: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 3:40 pm

yes to be continued - and the baby does feature in the real series

#5: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 3:53 pm

Kit Lucy? Brought up as its grandmother's own etc? Or an adoptee of Joey?

#6: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 4:09 pm

You'll have to work it out (or wait till the next bit after this which will kind of give it away)

A look of surprise crossed Nurse Williams’ face, she knew that Julie’s labour had come as a shock to her teachers, but she had assumed that the mother-to-be had known.

‘I can’t be having a baby! You have to be married to have a baby, and I’m not married, you’re wrong,’ Julie’s voice conveyed the confidence that she felt that this was all one huge mistake, there must be a Mrs Lucy in the hospital and they had the wrong notes for her.

‘Julie, do you know how babies are made?’ A confused look appeared on the girl’s face, ‘They grow inside their mother,’

‘How do they get there?’ Julie shrugged, her mother had avoided all mention of the subject, telling her, when asked, that she would tell her before she wedded, that it wasn’t something a schoolgirl needed to know.

Briefly Nurse Williams outlined the facts of life, Julie half listened, while trying to breath through the pain she was feeling. Soon the feeling changed, embarrassed Julie asked the nurse for a bedpan.

The young Nurse gave a smile, ‘You don’t need the toilet, Julie. What you can feel is your baby. Listen to your body and push as hard as you can.’

Two hours later, Julie was propped up in bed in a side ward, as an unmarried mother she was not allowed on the maternity ward with the other new mothers, having her first lesson in how to feed her son. She looked down on his dark head as he nuzzled into her, quickly finding her nipple and instinctively knowing what to do, a feeling of overwhelming love flooded over her, she had not known about this life growing inside of her, had not wanted to become a mother at 16 but now he was here, she never wanted to let him go.

#7: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 4:22 pm

A very interesting explanation of her mystery illness. Please post the next bit to explain what happens to the baby. Very Happy

#8: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 4:47 pm

Maybe she gives it to Joey!! Maybe is actually..er...Charles? ETA: On second thoughts, he was ages before, wasn't he. What about..oooh! - Mike?

Last edited by Laura on Sun Sep 05, 2004 4:57 pm; edited 1 time in total

#9: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 4:52 pm

Poor Julie (assuming she would have to give him up) *racks brains to think of CS sons born about the time of "Bride"*

#10: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 5:37 pm

I'll never read Bride in the same way again. I must be incredibly naive, this idea had never occured to me!

#11: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 6:13 pm

Laura wrote:

Kit Lucy? Brought up as its grandmother's own etc?

One - as you now know the baby is a boy - and Kit's about 3 in this
Two - Jo is in Canada having had the twins the previous term (and even in Chalet Land I don't think they'd accept a 3 month pregnancy)
Three - (I know no-one's suggested this yet but it was my initial thought) it's not Dickie Christie's brother because he was born too soon as well

#12: Author: ellend, Location: Bow, London

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 6:54 pm

Well, I hadn't thought of this either. But the appendicitis had been foretold in early terms with a grumbling one. Now who's the father? Is it Julie's cousin who is always referred to as 'Bad Mike', I think. I can't remember whether he's an Ozanne or Chester. However, I like it and look forward to the next episode. Ellen

#13: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 6:55 pm

So, not only who is he, but who is the father as well?

#14: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 6:59 pm

ellend wrote:

Well, I hadn't thought of this either. But the appendicitis had been foretold in early terms with a grumbling one.

And you think that can't be explained away by braxton hicks?.

#15: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 8:19 pm

This bit kind of gives away who the adoptees will be (why else would they be in the story). I can't believe that they weren't suggested as potential parents!

Andre de Bersac drove slowly along the dark, twisting road on the way to Carnbach, ‘I don’t know why you wanted to detour here on the way to visit your family, Simone,’ he muttered, ‘Your parents come to Newcastle for a brief visit as Renee’s there working for 2 months, and you suddenly decide you want to visit the Chalet School on the way. I could understand it if Jo was there, but she’s in Canada.’

‘Andre, you know how much the Chalet School means to me, and as we’re in Britain at the moment it seemed to good a chance to waste, I don’t know if I would have wanted to go if Jo had been there.’ There was a look of surprise on her husband’s face. ‘I know we’ve always been close, but she has eight children now the twins have arrived and she’ll wonder why we only have Tessa,’ Simone’s dark eyes flitted to her sleeping nine year old daughter in the back seat.

‘I don’t see why you don’t tell her, if she knew that Tessa’s birth meant you couldn’t have more children then she wouldn’t mention it.’

‘Tell her what exactly?’ Simone flung her hands out, ‘That I no longer have a womb? That I’m no longer a real woman? I wanted more children and that chance has been taken from me! From us! You would have liked another child, a son, wouldn’t you? Wouldn’t you, Andre?’

Andre, a typically dark French man spoke frankly to his wife, ‘Simone, I love you, as long as I have you and we have Tessa then I am happy, I know we always spoke of a large family but it wasn’t to be, and it honestly doesn’t matter, you mean more to me than that.’ He took his eyes off the road to glance over at his wife and touched her leg reassuringly, that glance was all it took. Lights shone into the couple’s eyes and Andre tried desperately to steer the car away from the oncoming vehicle but the loud crunch of steel upon steel came and then all lights faded away from Simone.

She opened her eyes slowly, her head ached, she could hear someone, Andre, calling out to her. As she realised where she was, Simone’s confusion turned to panic. ‘Tessa, Tessa! Where are you? Andre, is Tessa all right?’

‘I’m here, Maman,’ her daughter’s voice quivered on answering ‘My neck hurts.’ Simon tried to twist in her seat to get a better look at her daughter, as she surveyed the mangled wreckage of the vehicle they were in she thanked god that they had all survived and that no one seemed to be seriously injured.

Blue lights appeared through the cracked windscreen, the ambulance crew had arrived. As the men helped the de Bersacs out of their car and ushered them to the waiting ambulance to be checked over, Simone glanced at the other car involved in the crash. She could see the medic bending over the figure in the front seat, shaking his head and withdrawing. Simone shivered, that poor man she thought, despite the fact that he had been driving on the wrong side of the road and could have been responsible for wiping out her entire family, the former maths mistress had sympathy, for him and for his family members, who surely would miss him.

#16: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 9:01 pm

Oooohhhhh!!! Shocked

*Wonders where Simones other younger children came from!!!*

#17: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Sun Sep 05, 2004 11:24 pm

Ooooh!!!!!!! More please Claire!!!!

#18: Author: keren1,

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 5:56 am

this is a story full of a lot of things!! So who is the father of Julies baby!

#19: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:26 am

I swear, I will never look at half of the books in the same way now that I've read so many drabbles. I'm enjoying this though - go on, what happened to Julie?? who's the daddy?

#20: Author: JackieJ, Location: Kingston upon Hull

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 12:38 pm

Oooh.... interesting alternative. I've not read Bride, but I knew about the appendix. Interested JackieJ

#21: Author: Dreaming Marianne, Location: Devon

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 3:43 pm

Ooh yes more please!

#22: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 4:54 pm

Argh! More! Soon! Please?!

#23: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:34 pm

Rosalie Dene drove the car in silence along the coastal path, aside from asking if Julie was free of any danger Janie Lucy had not spoken a word since her plane had landed at Cardiff. Miss Dene wasn’t sure what to say to her, whether Janie, despite being a long standing friend of most of the staff at the school, would blame them for Julie’s predicament. Rosalie was also unsure if Janie knew if she knew, although the story amongst the girls and most of the staff was appendicitis she, Miss Annersley and Matron Lloyd knew the truth and had all agreed that it was not their place to tell the others, if Janie, or Julie herself, wanted the news to come out it could be told then.

Rosalie directed Janie to her daughter’s room, but did not accompany her, knowing that this first meeting needed to be private. As Janie entered the room Julie was lying on her side, facing away from the door, she looked so innocent, still only a child herself, Janie had a hard time coming to terms with the knowledge of what her daughter had done.

Julie heard the door open and turned, expecting to see one of the hospital staff, instead her eyes fell as she saw her mother, not wanting to meet her eyes, scared of her reaction.

‘Julie,’ she said softly, ‘I came as soon as I heard,’ she crossed over to the bed and opened her arms, her daughter fell into them, secure in the knowledge that her mother still loved her, that she wasn’t to be outcast from the family. ‘We can get through this, dear, we’ll find a good family for, for it to go to and you can then put all this behind you and forget all about this bad experience. You can still become a barrister if that’s what you want, you’ll be able to marry and have real children of your own.’

‘Real children, what do you mean real children?’ Julie cried angrily, ‘I have a real child, and you didn’t even ask what he was. My baby is your grandson! How can you talk of giving him away as if he was an unwanted puppy! He’s my baby!

Could you have lived if I was with someone else, wondering everyday what I was doing? If I was still alive and happy and healthy? Why can’t you see that I need him, as much as he needs me.’

A knock on the door interrupted the flow of Julie’s rant towards her mother’s calm assumption that she would give away her baby. Nurse Williams entered, holding Jean in her arms, ‘It’s time for a feed, I’ve brought the baby to you.’

Julie held out her arms for her son, as Nurse Williams left the room she held him up to her mother, ‘Don’t you want to hold your grandson, mother?’ she asked.

Janie backed towards the door, ‘He is not my grandson, don’t call him that, if you insist on this ridiculous notion of keeping the child, you have to know that your father will not permit either of you in the house, and I agree with him!’ She reached behind her for the doorknob and opened the door, ‘Think about it Julie, you can have your family and a good life in front of you, or you can let your mistake ruin your life, I thought we had brought you up better than this, I didn’t believe it was true when Miss Annersley telephones, now I realise, I don’t know you at all.’

#24: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:21 pm

That was unexpected, I thought Janie would be more understanding than that, but we still don't know who the father is. Loving this, please continue.

#25: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:23 pm

That does seem very unlike Janie, but it was a very common attitude at the time.

#26: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:00 pm

I think Janie's probably in shock. So when will we find out who the father is?

#27: Author: ellend, Location: Bow, London

Posted: Mon Sep 06, 2004 10:12 pm

I'm not surprised that Janie wants the baby adopted, as someone else says, this would be a very common response in the 1960s. I am surprised by her putting it as an ultimatum, I would have thought she'd persuade Julie that it's best for the child. Also why isn't Janie asking when, where and who? Desperately trying to remember the dates for the conception. Would Julie have been at home or at school? BTW More would be very much appreciated. Ellen

#28: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 4:56 am

My goodness they must have had effective support garments in those days! Didn't anyone notice that Julie had suddenly got a big tummy in contrast to the rest of her schoolgirl slimness? Oh...and more please!

#29: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:07 am

Janie stumbled out of the corridor, pushing past the small black-hair figure who gazed after her in surprise. Half blinded by tears she made her way out of the hospital, where, to her relief, Rosalie was still in the car, waiting to drive her to the nearby hotel. Efficient as always the school secretary swiftly booked the tearful woman into the hotel, once in the cosy bedroom, Janie sank onto the beflowered bedspread and broke down into tears. Ignoring all Matron’s advice about not sitting on beds Rosalie sat next to her, putting her arm around her, comforting her friend.

When the sobs had died down Janie opened up to her friend. ‘I was so cruel to Julie, I should never have spoken to her like that, she’ll never forgive me, only I couldn’t believe it was true, I’ve defended her against that old, interfering ‘ Janie paused to find a suitable description for her neighbour before giving up and continuing, ‘since last summer, saying that it couldn’t possibly have been my Julie, that she wasn’t like that but then when Miss Annersley rang and Julie was in labour I realised it must be true, if it had been a one off a silly mistake then that would have been different, or if she had, had been forced then I could understand, but this, it goes against all we brought her up to, and I’ve never kept a secret from Julian before but how can I tell him this?’

Janie gazed at Rosalie earnestly, ‘Julie’s always been his little princess, it would destroy him to know this, when one of the local girls had a baby at Christmas, her family let her keep the baby and are helping to bring the baby up, he said then that if it had been one of our girls that he’d disown her, that the silly tart had made her bed and now must lie in it. Now it is one of our girls, and I don’t want to risk loosing her.’

‘He may not feel that way if you tell him,’

‘But what if he does? He’s my husband and I must stand by him, I haven’t anyone to turn too, and I haven’t slept since I got the call. I just don’t know what to do!’

‘Did you see the baby?’ Rosalie asked, ‘Maybe you and Julian would feel differently once you saw him, he wouldn’t be a problem then, he’d be a real person.’

‘How can I see the baby? If I see him and hold him then how can I make her give him away?’ Janie asked sadly, ‘Every parent wants what’s best for their child and I can’t see how being a mother at sixteen is the best thing for Julie.’

Rosalie tighten her arm around Janie, ‘Don’t you think that you need to tell Julie that? Right now you are asking her to choose between her family and her child, is that fair to her?’

#30: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:54 am

ooooh, just caught up on this!! Excellent, more please.

#31: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:46 am

Oh excellent, that makes Janies reaction so much more understandable. While I knew it was a common one it just didn't seem like her, but this does. So she knows who the father is, or thinks she does, and it was an on going affair...Hmmm, still not sure who it could be.

#32: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:09 pm

Back at the cottage hospital Simone, who had been making her way back to her own ward after sitting with Tessa, peeped in though the door to Julie’s room, giving a small gasp when she saw her ex-pupil feeding a tiny baby.
Julie looked up and Simone smiled, ‘May I come in?’

‘Madame De Bersac! What are you doing here?’

‘I just saw your mother and realised you were here so, oh, you mean in the hospital, our car crashed last night, I was with Tessa on the children’s ward but she is sleeping now.’

‘Are any of you hurt?’ Julie asked.

‘We all have sore necks and Tessa and I have what they called concussion but can leave soon. So, who is this? Your son? He is in blue so I guess he’s a boy. You are so lucky to have a baby.’

‘Julie looked puzzled, ‘but you have Tessa.’

‘Tessa is no longer a baby, she will always be my little girl but it’s not the same.’

Julie looked down at her son, who had fallen asleep in her arms, ‘My mother wants me to give him away,’ she said abruptly, ‘But he needs me, and I need him. How can I give him to a stranger?’

Simone spoke gently, ‘Your mother wants what is best for you, just as you want what is best for you son. If you speak to God then He will help you to come to the best decision. Is there a chance you will marry, what about the baby’s father? Does he know?’

Julie started guiltily at the mention of the baby’s father, up till that moment she had not given him a thought, she should let him know, although he had not replied to any of her letters since she had returned to school and there was no way that he could support her and their son. She stared at the dark features of her son, he resembled his father more than he did her.

A Nurse then appeared, promptly scolded Simone for being in another patients room before sending her off to her bed and whisking the baby back to the nursery. Julie lay quietly for a while waiting for sleep to come, wondering what she could say to her mother the following day to change her mind and let her keep baby Jean.

#33: Author: ellend, Location: Bow, London

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 9:50 pm

Nicely done, Claire. I also liked Janie's explanation to Rosalie. That rings more true, than her earlier outburst. Simone's response is spot on, allow Julie to make the decision, but encourage her to come to the most sensible one. Ellen

#34: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 10:10 pm

*chants at Claire!!!!* May we have more please?

#35: Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Posted: Tue Sep 07, 2004 11:21 pm

*Joins in the chant* More! More! More! Please? Thankyou Smile

#36: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:20 am

Yay! Simone is wonderful in this, and Rosalie was very sensible.

#37: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 2:07 pm

Another fantastic drabble Claire, you are very prolific at the moment. I must admit I never thought of that as an explanation of the appendicitis! Poor Julie what anguish for her. Poor Janie too, glad Rosalie stayed with her. Looking forward to hearing what happens next.

#38: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:58 pm

Yay! Go Simone! Wow she's somehow lovely in this.

#39: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:34 pm

Janie was filled with trepidation as she visited her daughter the next morning. How would see find the words to take make the angry censure of the previous day and yet still convince her daughter that it was the best thing if the baby was given away.

‘Julie, Julie, dear, may I come in?’

Julie looked warily at her mother, the fear of further rejection clear in her eyes.

Without stopping to think, Janie ran across to her daughter and held her. ‘I am so sorry for what I said to you yesterday. You are my daughter and I love you, we can work through this, together.’

Julie leant her head against her mother’s shoulder, it felt so right to be back in her arms, all she had wanted since she had found out about Jean was her mother, to hold her and to reassure her, now it seemed like her wish was starting to come true. In halting tones, Janie told Julie that her father didn’t know the real reason for Janie’s trip to Wales and the reason why.

Julie nodded, ‘I know what he said about Amelie and Bobby, that he felt that Mr Chanteur should have disowned them. Will he do the same to me? I can’t give Jean to a stranger, Mummy, I just can’t!’

Janie could see that Julie’s heart was breaking as she cuddled Jean closer to her. She reached over and took the boy from his mother. ‘He’s a beautiful baby, Julie. You know I only want what’s best for you, don’t you?’ she waited until Julie nodded before continuing, ‘and as a mother yourself, you want what is best for your son?’ again Julie was forced to agree, ‘how can being brought up by a schoolgirl, being stigmatised as a bastard.’

Julie flinched at the harsh word but Janie pushed on, ‘people are cruel, Julie, and do you want him to live with that over his head. Unless,’

Julie jumped up at the gap, ‘Unless what? You think there’s a way people won’t be horrible to him and I can keep him with me?’

‘Maybe I should call Elizabeth and Paul, if you and Bill marry there’s a chance?’

‘Bill? Bill, marry me? He won’t do that! After all he didn’t marry Amelie!’

#40: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:20 pm

Ohhh, Bad Bill - her cousin!!!

*Thinks Bill deserves the term 'bastard'

This is excellent - thanks Claire.

#41: Author: Guest,

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:31 pm

Naughty Bill - I got the impression he'd been with Julie and Amelie!!!!

#42: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 8:33 pm

Ditto! Thanks Claire, this is really interesting.

#43: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:17 pm

Fascinating! It's so true to it's time. Girls didn't know anything and then were blamed for the inevitable!

#44: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:33 pm

PLEASE may we have some more? And can you make something nasty happen to Bill? Maybe something could turn green, whither and drop off? *looks innocent*

#45: Author: ellend, Location: Bow, London

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:43 pm

OooooooH That was another great episode. Janie is now making the right points. In the late 1950s people would have called Jean a bastard and been very nasty. I can remember things being said in the late 1960s, when we were supposedly more relaxed. Ellen

#46: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Wed Sep 08, 2004 9:55 pm

Oooh he is really living up to his name of Bad Bill! I'm so glad Janie is able to offer support now but is also being honest with Julie. Thank you Claire.

#47: Author: Dreaming Marianne, Location: Devon

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:26 am

*sharp intake of breath* This is fab but please please make something nasty happen to him!

#48: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:31 am

Such as a vasectomy carried out with blunt manicure scissors, Marianne?

#49: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 1:54 pm

Agree that this is so true to it's time. Also that something dire should happen to 'Bad Bill' but he too is a product of his time. Glad to Janie is handling things a bit more tactfully now.

#50: Author: Dreaming Marianne, Location: Devon

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 2:00 pm

You are far too nice Jennie. I was thinking of rusty stitch-unpickers

#51: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 2:44 pm

Two half-bricks sounds good to me!

#52: Author: dackel, Location: Wolfenbuettel, Germany/Cambridge, England

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 3:29 pm

How about a very blunt spoon...? Just to prolong the agony...

#53: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 3:29 pm

you lot are so easy to wind up

Julie continued, blithely ignoring her mother's gasp of surprise, 'and that was his baby, so why would he take on another mans?'

Janie looked baffled, her surprise at becoming a great-aunt seemed to have stunned her more, if that was possible, than the fact that she was a grandmother.

'Then, who? Toby?'

#54: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 3:52 pm

Very clever, Claire. I think you got us all there Razz

#55: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 3:53 pm

We've managed to produce several lovely ideas though, haven't we?

#56: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 5:29 pm

*thinking caps on* I have no idea who it could be!

#57: Author: LadyGuinevere, Location: Leicester

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 6:13 pm

Well worked twist there! You had me believing it Smile

I do want to find out who it was now!~LadyG

#58: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 8:10 pm

know is this hints or another red herring - you decide Wink

‘Toby? Toby Willoughby? Why would you think that? For that matter, why did you think Bill? Wouldn’t that be incest? He’s my cousin?’

By this time Janie’s mind was back onto Bill and Amelie, ‘Are you saying that the father of Amelie Chanteur’s baby is Bill?’

‘Well, she told him it was his, he said that it wasn’t,’ Julie paused, ‘what was it he called her? Oh yes, the island bike, said that it could be anyone’s and that she wasn’t sticking the blame on him. I don’t know. Bobby doesn’t really look like Bill, just like Amelie. What made you think that Bill and I…?’

Janie flushed slightly as she replied, ‘It was, Miss Murgatroyd she said that she’d seen you and Bill coming home one evening in the summer, and she, she said she saw that the buttons on your dress weren’t done up correctly.’

Julie’s brow wrinkled for a moment before clearing, ‘That must have been Midsummer’s night. Bill dared me to go for a night-time swim, she must have seen me coming back.’

Janie mentally asked her daughter to forgive her original thoughts on the matter, ‘you never could resist a dare, even when you were little. She also said that she saw you and Toby sneaking out of the summer house?’

‘You won’t tell Aunt Rosamund, will you? Toby, well, Toby’s been failing maths at school and he had me coach him. But at Christmas he said that his report was much better. You won’t tell will you?’ Julie beseeched her mother.

‘Of course not, but who’s baby is it? Michael Robins?’

#59: Author: ellend, Location: Bow, London

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 9:26 pm

Well done, Claire you had me fooled. So who's the Daddy?

Ellen

#60: Author: Alex, Location: Hunts, UK

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 9:26 pm

So if it wasn't Bill and it wasn't Toby then.....Reg?

#61: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 9:48 pm

Now totally flummoxed! (Well done Claire Laughing

) Could it be someone totally above suspicion?? Jack or Jem? Shocked

#62: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 9:53 pm

I have to admit I have been thinking the worst (eg uncles or even father) yes I know its ickky Embarassed

*Off to wash my brain out thoroughly*

#63: Author: Beth, Location: Back in Durham...nearly finished a whole year!!

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:28 pm

Do I take it from this conversation that Julie has a least some idea of how the baby got there in the first place then? And if so, why was she so shocked when he was born? I'm confused....I wonder if anybody can think of anything that would remedy this situation? Wink

#64: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:33 pm

Maybe Julie thought that she couldn't become pregnant if she was unmarried or it was the first time and has had to reconsider given the evidence? Brilliant twist, Claire!

#65: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:23 am

Racks brain as to who it could be!!!

#66: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 9:27 am

I'm absolutely stuck! I have no idea as to who it could be!

#67: Author: sonab,

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 10:06 am

This is really good. It never occurred to me that that could be tthe cause of Julie's pain. This is a thick question but can someone fill me in on who Bad Bill is and Amelie??? Pretty please? I seem to be missing a whole storyline here. Sona

#68: Author: Dreaming Marianne, Location: Devon

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 11:40 am

Great twist! Is it Gaudenz? One of the great doctors at the San?

#69: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 12:40 pm

Have absolutley no idea now who it could be. Poor Julie.

#70: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 1:11 pm

Please, Claire, tell us who it is. (Please imagine begging smiley)

#71: Author: dackel, Location: Wolfenbuettel, Germany/Cambridge, England

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:19 pm

that was clever! I swear you had us all thinking the wrong thing, and imagining terrible tortures for Bill! Still, from how he treated Amelie, I think that he deserves it anyway!

#72: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 6:25 pm

sonab wrote:

This is a thick question but can someone fill me in on who Bad Bill is and Amelie??? Pretty please? I seem to be missing a whole storyline here.

Bad Bill is Bill Ozanne (Vanna and Nella's older brother) who, in the La Rochelle books, is known as Bad Bill.Amelie, not an EBD character, is a girl who lives near Julie who had a baby a few months before.Toby Willoughby is Blossom's brother

#73: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 7:00 pm

Next suspect--------------------------

Julie’s face was a complete blank, ‘Who’s Michael Robins?’‘

His parents own the china shop, you must know who he is. Miss M said she had seen you letting him into the house when you stayed home with a headache when all of us went to Auntie Elizabeth’s!’

‘Michael? Oh, Mickey? He was dropping off the tea set we all brought you for your birthday. I had to say I was ill or we couldn’t have smuggled it into the house. How? Why? Miss Murgatroyd’s been telling you stories about me, has she? Has she told you how she found my top in her nephew Christian’s bedroom?’

Janie stared at her daughter, ‘No,’ she said slowly, ‘she never mentioned that.’

#74: Author: Mora, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 8:12 pm

Lol! You're possibly a worse tease than Lesley! Seriously though, it shows how little a mother often knows her daughter. I can't guess who so I'll just have to wait, I s'pose... dammit!

#75: Author: JackieJ, Location: Kingston upon Hull

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 9:13 pm

*points out that no-one's fallen down any cliff's yet, so even if it is as irritating as Ms Green's drabbles, it's still a heck of a lot safer Very Happy

* I'm on tenterhooks as well to know who it is (What are tenterhooks, anyway? *shrugs*) Please may we have some more, Claire? JackieJ

#76: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 9:52 pm

Tenterhooks were hooks on a frame where woolen cloth was stretched square to starighten in the last stage of manufacture. After 'fulling' which was treating it with soap and fuller's earth to remove the oil and size, the cloth was then beaten to close the gaps between fibre and then hung on tenterhooks in tenterfields. Shocked

Everything you did NOT want to know about the subject. Claire, you are a tease!

#77: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 10:21 pm

Well done Claire! Laughing

#78: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 10:35 pm

*Giggles* Well done Claire but I like the way Miss Murgatroyd is selective with her information if her nephew might be involved!

#79: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 3:47 pm

More? More? More? *Said in style of seagulls in Finding Nemo!*

#80: Author: Squeenie, Location: Harrow, London

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 9:58 pm

Yes, very clever, Claire, but WHO IS THE FATHER??? *highly irritated* More please!

#81: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2004 11:11 pm

LOL!!!Is our Lissy getting a taste of her own medicine?*murmurs about Meg*

#82: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:08 am

Thank you Claire - and I thought this was going to be a nice straight forward story, no cliffs, no teasing. Just shows how wrong you can be.

Last edited by Susan on Mon Sep 13, 2004 1:30 pm; edited 1 time in total

#83: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 10:18 am

Aaargh! Claire! I'm going mad here! *hunts frantically for straws to stick in hair* May we have some more, please? *pleading smiley*

#84: Author: dackel, Location: Wolfenbuettel, Germany/Cambridge, England

Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2004 5:52 pm

Adds to the number of pleading pleases: Please!

#85: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:29 pm

Janie jumped to conclusions, perhaps a little too quickly, 'Do you mean to say that Christian is the father?'

Julie stared aghast at her mother, 'No, he found my cardi on the beach after I went for that swim with Bill and gave it back the next day, I just wondered if Miss Murgatroyd was spying on me! Is this why you were so funny about letting me out over the Christmas Holidays? What other rumors has she been spreading?'

Colour rushing to her cheeks, as Miss Murgatroyd's gossip had been the reason why she had kept her teenage daughter so close to bounds in December, Janie revealed the final of Miss Murgatroyd's suspects. 'She did say she had seen the Chauffeur, De Garis, go into the house with you one night last summer, when your father and I were at your aunt Elizabeth's.'

Julie's face reddened on hearing the name. How could it not? Her mother had hit on the night that Jean had been conceived, even if

#86: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:31 pm

Claire!!! Come back and finish that sentence now!!

#87: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:31 pm

Naughty Claire! student

#88: Author: Alex, Location: Hunts, UK

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:40 pm

Listen to the pot...

#89: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:41 pm

whoops - did I finish mid-sentence? Oh well, got to go have a shower now, maybe you'll be able to work out the end or maybe not Laughing

#90: Author: Donna, Location: Liverpool

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:08 pm

CLAIRE! Get back here now and finish that sentence! How can you leave us all there? Shocked

#91: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:53 pm

Well I'd guess it's not the chauffeur, but happened that night...who else is there???

#92: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:44 am

Claire!!!!!!!!!! We are ready for the next part now.

#93: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 9:48 am

Claire! Get back here and finish that sentence! *Thinks someone should get Hilda to go an inspect the Lesley's school of Cliffs during her tour - maybe she'd shut it down!* Wink

#94: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 10:45 am

Ruth B wrote:

Claire! Get back here and finish that sentence! *Thinks someone should get Hilda to go an inspect the Lesley's school of Cliffs during her tour - maybe she'd shut it down!* Wink

Hilda wouldn't do that to me. Wink

#95: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 12:12 pm

Lesley wrote:

Ruth B wrote:

Claire! Get back here and finish that sentence! *Thinks someone should get Hilda to go an inspect the Lesley's school of Cliffs during her tour - maybe she'd shut it down!* Wink

Hilda wouldn't do that to me. Wink

Maybe not - but I'd bet Nell would! Twisted Evil

#96: Author: JackieJ, Location: Kingston upon Hull

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 12:35 pm

Please Claire, I'd taken off the abseiling gear and I'm now all bumped and bruised Crying or Very sad

But we really do want to know who the father is, and I promise that if you tell us we will stop nagging.... for about five seconds, anyway tongue

JackieJ

#97: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 12:48 pm

Pat wrote:

Lesley wrote:

Ruth B wrote:

Claire! Get back here and finish that sentence!*Thinks someone should get Hilda to go an inspect the Lesley's school of Cliffs during her tour - maybe she'd shut it down!* Wink

Hilda wouldn't do that to me. Wink

Maybe not - but I'd bet Nell would! Twisted Evil

No she wouldn't - she'd be joining in! Laughing

#98: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:06 pm

No more at the moment but you missed the clue

claire wrote:

Julie's face reddened on hearing the name.

#99: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:07 pm

Going back to read this again!

#100: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 7:16 pm

One of the de Garis boys?? Francis, Julian, Marcel, Peter, Raoul??? Which one, if any?????

#101: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 3:00 pm

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORE!!!!! Please? Wink

#102: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 7:31 pm

even if she had the wrong man.There you go sentence finished

#103: Author: ali, Location: medway, kent

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 7:35 pm

Thats just mean!

#104: Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right!

Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 9:24 pm

I've just caught up with all of this - its wonderful ... intrigued as to the father is though

#105: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 2:35 pm

Two, or is it three, whole pages, and you still haven't revealed the father! Excellent teasing Claire, but surely you're really wanting to reveal all now?

#106: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Sun Sep 19, 2004 8:49 pm

Just give in to that irresistable impulse and tell us. Very Happy

#107: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 10:39 am

Claire! i've been away for a week, and come back to find that we're still no closer to finding out who it is!please cheer me up - being back at work after a lovely holiday is v depressing and I need something interesting!

#108: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 11:10 am

*Wondering how long Claire can spin us out for*Please Claire, you know you want to tell us!

#109: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 11:11 am

Claire, please stop teasing us in this way. Crying or Very sad

#110: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 12:13 pm

Claire!!!Lesley, you have a lot to answer for! I hope you're ashamed of yourself! Wink

#111: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 12:55 pm

Gem wrote:

Lesley, you have a lot to answer for! I hope you're ashamed of yourself! Wink

Somehow Gem, I think thats unlikely! Rolling Eyes

#112: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 1:25 pm

Me too!
*scowls at Lesley*
*conveniently forgets that she is on waiting list for L. Green's School of Cliffs*

#113: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 7:02 pm

'Julie, who is Jean's father?'

Julie's eyes dropped from her mother's gaze, 'Jean-Luc de Garis.' she answered in a small voice.

Janie seemed confused, she had never heard Julie mention him before. 'Who, when did you meet him?'

'We first met last Easter holidays, just before I went back to school. Do you remember that Vi qanted to go to the cinema to see the new Tarzan film? I offered to take her and while we were there she met her friend Melie, I think the pair of them may have planned it. Jean-Luc is Melie's brother and as the girls sat together so did we and just talked the whole time, I don't think I could even tell you what the film was about, but I had a wonderful time, he really made me laugh. I didn't think he'd remember me, he was 22 after all, but he found out, through Melie, where I went to school and he wrote to me. I loved getting his letters, he'd tell me about what it was like on his father's boat and how, even when he was miles away from everywhere, with nothing around but sea that he'd imagine I was there and what I'd think of it.' Julie's face softened while talking about Jean-Luc, 'Then when the summer holidays started we met again.'

#114: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 7:13 pm

Ooh oooh oooh!!! But you seem to have let some off the end Wink

May we have the rest please?!

#115: Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right!

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 7:50 pm

.................and what happens next Question

suggests claire posts a nice long post next!

#116: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:00 pm

Gem wrote:

Claire!!! Lesley, you have a lot to answer for! I hope you're ashamed of yourself! Wink

Nope!

Thanks for the update Claire. Laughing

#117: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:13 pm

Despairs of people who write cliff-hangers ever feeling ashamed of themselves!

#118: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 8:33 pm

Thank you Claire for resolving that Very Happy

any chance of some more??

#119: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 9:11 pm

Thank you Claire, now we know. But it would be nice to know the next bit too.

#120: Author: Kate, Location: Ireland

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 9:14 pm

I want MOoOoOoOoOoOoOoORE.... Smile

Please.

#121: Author: Ann, Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Posted: Mon Sep 20, 2004 10:22 pm

Yay! Claire went with the Tarzan option!

#122: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 1:04 am

Jennie wrote:

Despairs of people who write cliff-hangers ever feeling ashamed of themselves!

Pots and kettles Jo and the NHS Lovely post Claire!!! Waiting eagerly for the next!

#123: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 3:20 pm

Just what I'd expected you to say, Vikki. Didn't you rise beautifully?

#124: Author: Lisa, Location: South Coast of England

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 5:27 pm

Lovely! I say, that Julie sounds like a bit of a goer, doesn't she?!! Embarassed

Really enjoying this, Claire, you are very skilled at winding up an audience! Laughing

#125: Author: Joan the Dwarf, Location: Er, where am I?

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 6:04 pm

*giggling wildly and glad there's no-one around to hear* I'll never read 'Bride' in the same light again!!

#126: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Sep 21, 2004 11:23 pm

Jennie wrote:

Just what I'd expected you to say, Vikki. Didn't you rise beautifully?

Well, I should HATE to disappoint you, Jennie, de-ear...... Wink

#127: Author: keren, Location: Israel

Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2004 6:23 am

all very well with all of this yibbling, but where is the story!!!

#128: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:44 pm

‘He was so attentive and he was always interested in what I had to say, you and Daddy were always so busy that it was so nice to have someone who put me first. We went on a picnic together, Vi and Melie went off together, and then he kissed me. They say that a girl never forgets her first kiss and I’ll always remember it, I can still remember the sound of the sea in the background.’ Julie’s voice trailed off as she remembered that she was speaking to her mother.

‘The next day he invited me to a party at his house, it was his grandmother’s 80th birthday and he wanted me to meet all his family. You had gone to a dinner party at Aunt Elizabeth’s so I went without telling you, I’m sorry. Anyway at the party every one was drinking and I was given a glass of port and lemon, then when I finished it I had another one, and another. I didn’t think anything of it, I was just enjoying myself and Jean-Luc and I were dancing, and his parents were so sweet to me, they said that I was the first girl he had brought home to them, although his mother said that she thought that I should do ‘better for myself’ marry someone of my own class, but that I was still young, too young to tie myself down.

Later than evening we went down on to the beach, his house is so close to the shore. He kissed me again and then, then it happened. I knew I shouldn’t have done it, but I honestly never thought that I could get pregnant from it, I thought you had to be married to have a baby,’ she looked down at baby Jean, his presence reminding her at just how naive she had been, before turning accusingly to Janie, ‘you told me that. I asked you how babies were born when you were expecting Kit and you just said it was something that happened when you were married and I didn’t need to know. Well, I did need to know.’

Janie looked downcast, maybe it was true, she had thought she was protecting her daughter from the facts of life, but that protection had possibly resulted in the very outcome she had dreaded.

‘Jean-Luc told me that he loved me afterwards, said he was sorry when I cried and said it shouldn’t have happened. He told me that things would be all right, that one day we would be married and it wouldn’t matter. He never tried to get me to do that again, then we went back to the house and had another drink.

His uncle brought me home, I couldn’t even stand properly. That must have been when Miss Murgatroyd saw us, he carried me into the house and to my room then left. I don’t think you and Daddy were back yet and the maids didn’t see him and the others were in bed.

We saw each other nearly every day after that, sometimes just for a few minutes as he had to go fishing with his father a lot. One night he climbed through my window to put a rose on my pillow, that was when Daddy called the police thinking we had a burglar when he saw him climbing back down.

When I went back to school we carried on writing to each other, and he was going to come and meet you during the Christmas holidays but not long before the end of term I stopped getting letters from him. I went to his house the first week I was at home, but his mother shut the door on me when I asked to see him. I don’t know what I did wrong to make him hate me?’ Julie finished in tears, Jean-Luc had been the love of her life and she had dreamed of marrying him and having his children, well she had his son but without him how was she meant to keep him?

#129: Author: Lisa, Location: South Coast of England

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:48 pm

Yip yip yipee! Poor ole Julie - it's really quite plausible that she woyldn't know - I bet things like that did happen. Great stuff Claire!

#130: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:52 pm

Poor naive, trusting Julie. Crying or Very sad

#131: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 8:55 pm

Poor Julie.

#132: Author: JackieJ, Location: Kingston upon Hull

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:00 pm

Ohhh..... poor Julie. That would be so horrid.More please?JackieJ

#133: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:42 pm

*sneaks into drabble to hug Julie* Claire, are we going to find out WHY he stopped writing?

#134: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:56 pm

Poor Julie, Its a sad way for Janie to realise that sheltering her children does not always protect them.

#135: Author: Mora, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 10:11 pm

Ohh poor Julie Sad

#136: Author: ellend, Location: Bow, London

Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 10:32 pm

That was great writing Claire. I could really believe in Julie not knowing about the facts of life and being too naive. Ellen

#137: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 4:18 am

Poor silly naive Julie. Stupid customs of not telling girls the facts of life and then reacting badly when they "get into trouble".

Evil Jean Luc!

#138: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:07 am

Poor Julie and poor Janie too. It is horrible to think you are doing your best and to fail.

#139: Author: Kate, Location: Ireland

Posted: Sat Sep 25, 2004 5:19 pm

Poor Julie. I'm really moved by the fact that she honestly didn't know how babies were made - and that this was true for SO many young girls who became mother out there. What did people expect if they didn't tell them the truth? Sad

((((Julie))))

#140: Author: Lisa, Location: South Coast of England

Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2004 6:49 pm

So... is there any more winging its way over to us? Wink

*starts chant* we want MORE! we want MORE! we want MORE! we want MORE! we want MORE! Geddit?!

#141: Author: Laura, Location: London (ish)

Posted: Sun Sep 26, 2004 7:07 pm

*Seconding Lisa's..er...request!*

#142: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 1:19 am

Kate wrote:

((((Julie))))

A couple of years ago I was involved in running a sex and drugs weekend for teenagers - no NOT how to, more how not to (but realistically). I went to an anti-abortion group for some of their literature to put in the pack we were handing out to everyone and they thought what we were doing was great. Till I mentioned that we were also giving them free condoms and they were shocked and appalled that we would give teenagers condoms. Shocked

Claire - this is so moving and realistic, I'm sure it did happen like this for many girls

#143: Author: pim, Location: Helmel Hampster

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:33 am

Poor Julie Sad

Claire, have just read all this in one go and it's great!

#144: Author: keren, Location: Israel

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 11:49 am

Dawn wrote:

Kate wrote:

((((Julie))))

.
Till I mentioned that we were also giving them free condoms and they were shocked and appalled that we would give teenagers condoms. Shocked

please explain why

#145: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 1:00 pm

Their reasoning seemed to be, that if a girl got pregnant she shouldn't have an abortion as that was *wrong* (and some of the things they quoted in their leaflet seemed to twist statistics/info). However it was even more wrong for a teenage couple to make an informed choice about pregnancy. This was not a religious group btw They didn't seem to agree with teenagers having sex, but wouldn't accept that it does happen and it's better to accept that and prevent pregnancy rather than have an (often very unwanted) baby As far as I can remember the leaflet also talked about how much support you would get to help you keep the baby, but sadly I suspect that in the real world it wouldn't always work like that, and certainly not once the child started to grow up.

#146: Author: Gem as Guest,

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 2:59 pm

Poor, poor Julie. I wonder how many other CS girls this might have happened to? After all, it's not something that was ever discussed. Though, I do vaguely remember Bride saying something about Mollie being pregnant with Peggy and Rix befor she and Dick were married, was this true? This is wonderful Claire - thank you! Smile

#147: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 3:04 pm

Gem as Guest wrote:

Though, I do vaguely remember Bride saying something about Mollie being pregnant with Peggy and Rix befor she and Dick were married, was this true?

Really? Can't imagine them discussing it with Bride and Bride then bringing it up in conversation if that did happen? Would love to be enlightened on this if anyone knows the quote refered to. Sounds like material for a drabble! Going to write it Gem?

#148: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 7:13 pm

Janie looked down at her hands, twisting them helplessly in her lap. How could she shatter what was left of Julie's broken heart? If only she had known about Julie and Jean-Luc then she could have spared her daughter the uncertain wonderings since December, the constant questioning of what she had done wrong. She, herself, had known, as had everyone on the Island, she had even thought to write and tell Vi, to spare Melie having to break the news, but Julie had been left in the dark. Vi obviously never thought that the two were that close and had seen no reason to tell her.

'Julie,' Janie began, 'it's not that Jean-Luc didn't want to write to you anymore, I'm sure he didn't lie to you about his feelings but he, he...'

'What do you mean? How could you know how Jean-Luc feels about me? Did he come to you and you told him never to see me again?' Julie's voice started to rise.

'No, I never spoke to Jean-Luc, not, as far as I'm aware did your father. There was a bad storm at the beginning of December, the De Garises were fishing at the time. There's no easy way to say this, but Jean-Luc is gone. The boat was almost destroyed by the storm, they found Mr De Garis clinging to the wreckage when the weather had calmed down but they never found a trace of Jean-Luc. I'm so sorry.'

Julie's face crumbled, Jean-Luc was gone? She would never see him again, Jean would never know his father, a sob broke from her.

'Why didn't Mrs De Garis tell me? She knew about us, but she just shut the door in my face?'

'From what I've heard she has fallen apart since her son's death, her husband has never fully recovered and she feels that she has nothing left to live for now, Melie does her best but she can't break through the wall her mother's built around herself. Maybe...?'

Julie looked questioningly at her mother, 'Maybe what?'

'Maybe the baby could help her? She could take Jean, she'd have a part of her son back again. You could visit him during the holidays, still carry on with your career, and you'd know he was well and healthy. He'd be with his grandmother so you wouldn't have to worry about him.' Janie voice became more animated as she found what she felt was the perfect solution, it would end Julie's distress about sending the baby to strangers.

#149: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 7:22 pm

Perfect solution for whom? This is so sad, Claire, it's really touching.

#150: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 7:37 pm

Ooh thats so sad, the poor de Garis family. Thank you Claire.

#151: Author: Rosea, Location: Edinburgh

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:01 pm

awww - that was so sad. I am glad that Jean-Luc wasn't just using Julie, but obviously not glad that he died. Thank you Claire.

#152: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:23 pm

Thank you Claire Smile

You know what I'm going to say next, don't you? *smiles sweetly* :angel:

#153: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:30 pm

Shades of Catherine Cookson. I believe she thought her grandmother was her mother! Back in the 70's, after the liberated 60's (Huh!) I had a 17 yr old girl working for me. She had suspected appendicitis, that was ruled out and the doctor did not know what was wrong. She was recently engaged and I got suspicious because she was sick every morning. In the end I asked her outright if she had had s*x (don't know if we have an autocensor any more, not being prudish Shocked

). Not an easy conversation Embarassed

She had - once! She quite honestly thought she could not get pregnant because she was not married. The wedding was brought forward, she had a premmie baby - but quite respectable size Confused

The doctor honestly never considered pregnancy.

#154: Author: Lisa, Location: South Coast of England

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 8:51 pm

Wow. Unbelievable that some women went (go) through that. Also amazing how some people conceive after the one and only time - when others will try for a baby for years. Confused

Great stuff, glad my gentle hint for more was heeded!!

#155: Author: Jay, Location: Aberdeen

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 9:04 pm

PatMac wrote:

The doctor honestly never considered pregnancy.

stupid doctor! It's maybe understandable that ordinary young women didn't realise the full consequences but doctors?! Well done Pat for having the gumption to put her right! This is wonderful Claire, please may we have some more soon?

#156: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 10:13 pm

Thank you Claire for the latest bit -Poor Julie Crying or Very sad

And PatMac - well done!

#157: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 10:18 pm

'Twasn't easy - but what was the alternative??

#158: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 10:23 pm

PatMac wrote:

'Twasn't easy - but what was the alternative??

Many people would have done nothing - thinking it was 'someone else's problem' - you should be proud. Laughing

#159: Author: Kate, Location: Ireland

Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2004 10:58 pm

Well - listen to this: my mum is a teacher. The Health Board were in doing the Meningitis C injections my last year in school (2002), and Mum was supervising the kids while they were waiting in the "recovery room". Some of the third years (and these were quite intelligent girls who would have been streamed into the A class) were quite giggly afterwards and Mum went over to them and said "what's going on, girls?" suspecting them of messing around. "Oh miss," one of them said, "The doctor asked if there was a chance I was pregnant and when my last period was!" And they went off in to hysterical laughter. Mum explained "Well, he has to ask that, because if you were pregnant the injection might damage the baby. They don't give it to you if there's the slightest chance you might be pregnant." "But miss!" protested the girl. "He had my date of birth - he knew I'm only 15. Everyone knows you can't get pregnant til you're 16!" Mum resolved there and then to start sex ed classes IMMEDIATELY.

#160: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 1:04 am

Lesley wrote:

PatMac wrote:

'Twasn't easy - but what was the alternative??

Many people would have done nothing - thinking it was 'someone else's problem' - you should be proud. Laughing

*agrees with Lesley* I hope she thanked you Pat! And that's a lovely post Claire. Very sad, but at least he DID love her! :crying: :crying:

#161: Author: pim, Location: Helmel Hampster

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 8:30 am

Thank you Claire. *sniffling away*

#162: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 12:19 pm

So glad Jean Luc didn't just dump Julie, but sad at what did happen to him. See Janie is still jumping to conclusions - perfect solution indeed.

#163: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2004 3:58 pm

One poor little girl of fifteen in my Tutor Group got pregnant. She was a(very) Special Needs pupil. I had to have a counselling session with her so that I could write a report for Social Services and the medical people. She told me, 'But we only had sexual intercourse, Madam, we didn't mean to have a baby.' Then I had the dreadful business of talking to the rest of my tutor group about it. I hated doing it, but I had to tell them that she was their form-mate, and she needed their support, and ask them to try to deflect other pupils' criticism away from her, and to walk away from the gossip if they posibly could. I must add that it was one of the worst times of my life, and I cried my eyes out over her.

#164: Author: Guest,

Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 7:09 pm

‘No,’ Julie’s voice rang out. ‘Mme de Garis told me that I could do better for myself than marrying her son, even if I wanted nothing more than to be a part of her family, if it’s not good enough for me then it’s not good enough for Jean either.’

‘I know you want is best for Jean, darling. All mothers want what is best for their child, but I can not see how you bringing up a baby at your age is the best thing for you, nor how being known as a bastard for the whole of his life is best for Jean. The amount of insults he will face as he grows up, the questions he will ask, the fights which he is bound to get into, just for defending your honour. Julie, can you honestly tell me you believe that it the best thing for him? Ignore your own emotions and think purely of him.’ Janie stood and bent over the bed, dropping a light kiss on the head of both Julie and Jean, she rummaged in her bag, before withdrawing a kodak and placing it on the bedside table. ‘There’s a new film in there, use it all, I’m sure you’ll want to have early pictures of your son, whatever your final decision.'’ With that she left.

Julie lay quietly in the bed, feeling her son’s heart beat, watching his sleeping face, calm and ignornant of all the commotion that was going through his mother’s mind. ‘Maybe she is right,’ she whispered to him, ‘I never want anyone to hurt you, and if keeping you with me is going to cause you pain in the long run then, then maybe I should let you go. I need to know you are happy and healthy, I just don’t know what to do.’

A tap on the door made her pause, Simone opened the door and peeked round the corner. ‘I’ve just been to see Tessa, may I come in?’

#165: Author: Helen P, Location: Crewe, Cheshire

Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 7:27 pm

Quote:

Julie lay quietly in the bed, feeling her son’s heart beat, watching his sleeping face, calm and ignornant of all the commotion that was going through his mother’s mind. ‘Maybe she is right,’ she whispered to him, ‘I never want anyone to hurt you, and if keeping you with me is going to cause you pain in the long run then, then maybe I should let you go. I need to know you are happy and healthy, I just don’t know what to do.’

This sent shivers down my spine - as an adoptee I can only wonder what my birth mother went through when she had me. Love the part about using a whole film to take early photos of Jean - what a thoughtful gesture.[/quote]

#166: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Fri Oct 01, 2004 7:36 pm

Lovely post Claire - and a very honest response from Janie - poor Julie though. Crying or Very sad

#167: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 1:04 pm

Janie is so much a product of her time. It makes one realise how much heart-break there was in the situation.I've just read Joanna Trollope's 'Brother and Sister' which is about the question of adoption. It's quite moving, and makes one realise just how many unanswered questions there are.

#168: Author: Mora, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 10:23 pm

*sniffs back tears* Poor poor Julie. Sad

*absolutely shellshocked at Kate's story* Shocked

That is disturbing for only last year.

#169: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Sat Oct 02, 2004 10:34 pm

Poor Julie, poor Jean-Luc, poor everyone.

#170: Author: Kelly, Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Posted: Sun Oct 03, 2004 7:52 pm

Poor Julie. What an awful situation. *feels teary*

#171: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:03 am

Poor Julie. At least Janie is explainging herself a bit better now. Is this where Simone begins to help?

#172: Author: keren, Location: Israel

Posted: Fri Oct 22, 2004 8:55 am

would really like to see this one continued. I am sure there is only a little bit left to go...

#173: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:16 pm

I'd like to see this completed, it's too good to leave here.

#174: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:30 pm

If you possibly can, Claire, I'd like to see it finished too. It's such a true story and really well written.

#175: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 5:09 pm

I've just read all of this and would really like to know what happens at the end please!

#176: Author: Kat, Location: Swansea

Posted: Sat Oct 23, 2004 5:30 pm

Yup, come on Claire and do your duty! Wink

But seriously - I would definitely like to read more of this!

#177: Author: Miss Di, Location: Newcastle, NSW

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:19 am

I'd like to see the ending too. Sure to be crying into my sarnie again...

#178: Author: Abi, Location: Alton, Hants

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 12:09 pm

Claire!!!!! I just found this. Poor, poor, poor Julie Confused

That must have been such a terrible shock for her. *begs to be told what happens next*

#179: Author: claire, Location: South Wales

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:51 pm

Sorry girls, I know it's been a while (Godmother knid of took over) but here's another snippet

“Of course,” Julie shifted her sleeping baby to a more comfortable position. Simone sat next to the bed, enquiring after Julie’s health and making cooing noises over baby Jean. Then espying the camera she offered to take some snaps of Julie holding Jean. Julie smiled and posed with her sleeping baby.

After several shots the smile on Julie’s face cracked. “What is wrong, chérie?” Simone asked gently.

“It’s, it’s everything,” Julie muttered. “Jean-Luc is, he’s dead so we can’t get married and how can I look after Jean and give him everything? Mummy says Daddy wouldn’t let me bring him home so I’d be on my own with him. She thinks it would be best for him to go to someone else, and part of me thinks that would be best, but I couldn’t cope, not knowing if he was healthy or what if they didn’t love him like I love him?”

Simone struggled to make sense of this tangled jumble of information. “Julie, your mother would make sure that Jean would go to a family who wanted him and would love him, why, look at him, he is adorable, any woman would be proud, and lucky, to have him as a son. I would love to have a son like him, but alas Andre and I were never blessed.”

“Maybe you will have a son one day, and you have Tessa,”

“We both love Tessa, but I can not have any more children, it’s physically not possible.” Simone smoothed her hair over Jean’s downy head, “We have accepted that now, but we are talking of you and of Jean. You love him and that is not going to change if he is not with you, if you decide to give him for adoption then you are doing that out of love, out of belief that that is the best thing you can do for him. That is true ‘mother love’ putting your child first, regardless of your own feelings.” She leant over and picked up Jean, cradling him in her arms.

“But I wouldn’t know that he was all right, how would I know if I made the right decision. If I knew he had gone to good parents then maybe it would be easier. If it was someone I knew would care for him as I would want to.” Julie paused, thinking this over in her head. If she let Mrs De Garis take Jean then she would be able to visit, she thought, but was that the best that Jean could have, if he had that life he would no doubt follow his father to the sea and become a fisherman, Julie shook herself mentally imagining her baby son sharing his father death as well as his lifestyle. There was no way she could risk that. She looked up at Simone, silhouetted against the window, light shining around her and Jean.

“Simone,” she began, “have you thought of adoption?”

#180: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:55 pm

Thank-you Claire! Julie's thought patterns are very realistic at this point!

#181: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 6:57 pm

Thank you Claire - a very realistic possibility.

#182: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:08 pm

Thank you for continuing this Very Happy

Liz

#183: Author: Ally, Location: Jack Maynard's Dressing Room!!

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:31 pm

Thank you Claire, poor Julie and poor Simone Crying or Very sad

#184: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 7:47 pm

I can really understand why Julie has asked Simone that question. She would know that Jean would be all right with Simone and Andre.

#185: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 8:45 pm

Simone is so lovely in this - really supportive of Julie wothout being overbearing or pushing her into anything

#186: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Oct 25, 2004 9:04 pm

If Simone and Andre adopt Jean, Julie will know he has gone to loving parents who will do their best for him.

#187: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 12:17 am

AND because she knows them, she can keep in touch and hear about how he's doing. Please post more soon Claire!!

#188: Author: Marianne, Location: Lancaster

Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 12:42 am

oh gosh, poor poor julie Crying or Very sad

#189: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 3:16 am

Oooh, good solution! Especially since it's coming from Julie, not Simone.

#190: Author: Nicole, Location: New Zealand

Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 6:05 am

Claire, this is absolutely phenomonal. You've done a fantastic job and I hope there's going to be more...

#191: Author: patmac, Location: Yorkshire England

Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 6:42 am

Oh! I never thought of that. I still think it is terrible for Julie but it would be her decision and not forced on her. Please let Simone say yes.

#192: Author: Robin, Location: London

Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 9:25 am

really glad this is back! Thanks Claire, hope Julie can find the strength to do what is best, however sad it makes her.

#193: Author: Gem, Location: Saltash/Aberystwyth

Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 11:07 am

Yay!!! So that's how Simone gets her son! Very Happy

Absolutely lovely, Claire, thank you.

#194: Author: Josie, Location: London

Posted: Tue Oct 26, 2004 11:13 am

Just read this all the way through. Poor Julie, how hearthbreaking for her Crying or Very sad

Please say yes Simone!!

#195: Author: Vikki, Location: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!!

Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 8:49 pm

Awwwwww! Lovely, Claire! Thank you!

#196: Author: Cazx, Location: Swansea/Bristol

Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 9:15 pm

Thanks Claire, please don't let Simone and Andre's conversation be behind closed doors!

#197: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 9:17 pm

Thank you Claire. What a shock for Simone.

#198: Author: Josie, Location: London

Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 10:51 pm

I want to give both Julie and Simone great big hugs right now. Lovely, thanks Claire

#199: Author: Sugarplum, Location: second star to the right!

Posted: Wed Oct 27, 2004 11:13 pm

I'm so glad this hasn't finished! Its really good. Can't imagine how poor Julie's feeling Crying or Very sad

#200: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Thu Oct 28, 2004 9:43 am