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Meeting Charlie http://www.the-cbb.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=5852

Author:	ChubbyMonkey [ Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:31 pm ]
Post subject:	Meeting Charlie
This drabble will be short, no matter what the plot bunnies think. I don't have time to get involved in another long drabble now. This just begged to be written though. Er, plot to follow at a later date. - X - The train station was cold and bare, the last train having just been sent off by the furious whistle. Even in summer, which was just beginning to bud, there was still a sharp breeze this high up, and both people were in light clothes, having been travelling for some hours now. The girl shivered, and at once the boy wrapped his arm around her shoulders and offered to dig her coat out of the suitcases at their feet. Before he had even bent over, though, there was a loud shout from the other end of the platform and a tall figure appeared, striding over to them purposefully. The boy’s face lit up, and he leapt to his feet, running forwards to greet the figure. The girl remained where she was, trying to keep guard over all of their luggage and not wishing to disturb the reunion. She could still catch what was being said, though, as the platform was otherwise devoid of people. “You haven’t changed a bit,” declared Jack Maynard as he surveyed the slight boy in front of him. His dark hair was slightly longer than it had been before, and now flopped into his grey eyes, but otherwise he was unchanged from his last visit. “From the way that Joey went on I think that she was expecting an orange monstrosity with green hair. She will be disappointed to see you still as normal as ever. You look well; degree work not too hard? Good. Now, where is this friend you were bringing with you?” Charles grinned and waved a hand to the girl, still sat on the bench, who ran over to meet them. She was no taller than him, with blonde hair, curled, that floated loosely midway down her back and large brown eyes, sincere and honest. Once Jack had stared at her in shock for a few seconds, he recovered enough to appreciate her obvious prettiness. He even managed to stammer, “Please forgive me, you must think that my manners are appalling. But when Chas wrote to say that he was bringing a friend called Charlie home, we assumed you were going to be a boy.” “Dad,” muttered Charles, raising his eyebrows slightly. “I told you last time not to call me Chas. Anyway, this is Charlotte.” “Charlie to my friends,” she laughed, extending her hand for a dazed Jack Maynard to shake. He seemed unable to get over the shock of his second eldest son bringing young ladies home, and it was left to Charles to go and fetch the bags. Jack took one of the rucksacks and a suitcase, and lead them out to the car park, where his car was waiting to run them up to Freudesheim. It was slightly racier than the minibus, an open top that seated four, and a present from Joey out of the proceeds of her last book. As they drove through the mountains, the wind blowing not enough to stop Jack having the top down, he filled them in with all the news from home, and Charlie contributed a little about college life from the back seat. Charles was mainly silent, observing his father interacting with his friend, but he spoke a little on occasion. When they drew up before the front door of Freudesheim, there was an instant pouring of people around them, mainly younger children. Jack laughed and tried to fend them off, until a golden voice from the door, which made Charlie turn her head instantly, called them back. They surged the opposite way, so that Charles could run up to the front door and throw his arms around the willowy women who had captivated Charlie so much. “Don’t mind us,” laughed Jack quietly to her, fishing out the last suitcase and slamming the boot shut. “This is a low level of mayhem compared to usual. You’ll get used to it very quickly.” He took her arm and lead her up the steps, where he presented her in the most startling manner he knew how. “Charlie, meet my wife.” “Charlie?” asked Jo, puzzled for a second. Then, suddenly, realisation dawned and she gave a chuckle. “Of course, Chas said that he was bringing a friend home. Welcome to Freudesheim. We hope that you will be very happy with us.” While Jack continued to bring bags into the hallway, she ushered Charles and Charlie inside, where they were promptly seized on by the small crowd which had appeared so unexpectedly before. Charles watched Charlie anxiously, but she only laughed and began to try and explain who she was. He let out a quiet sigh of relief, confident for now that she would fit in, and turned to Mike, who was clamouring for his attention.

Author:	Liz K [ Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:21 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Title Coming Soon
Nice one, a little surprised Jo wasn't as surprised as Jack to find out that Charlie was Charlotte!

Author:	LauraMcC [ Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:33 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Title Coming Soon
Charles and Charlotte - the names go so well together! Thank you ChubbyMonkey - a great start.

Author:	Abi [ Fri Mar 20, 2009 8:11 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Title Coming Soon
Loved the confusion about Charlie - who seems very nice. Looking forward to seeing what happens.

Author:	ChubbyMonkey [ Fri Mar 20, 2009 11:37 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Title Coming Soon
I'm going to call this a temporary end, as RL isn't going to let the plot bunnies multiply at the moment. Sorry, but it's short and sweet! - X - Once the closest thing to order Freudesheim residents could ever hope to achieve had been restored, Joey lead them all to a comfortable, airy room filled with delicate, tasteful furniture. Charlie was sat down and made to feel – as she said to Charles later – as if she were the Queen come to visit. All the same, she couldn’t fail to notice Joey’s disapproving glances at her dirty nails, loose, windswept hair and, most of all, her attire. Charles had assured her that his parents wouldn’t object to her wearing her favourite pair of jeans or a figure hugging top, but judging by Joey’s caustic comment to one of the children about a lady always keeping her dress tidy, that wasn’t necessarily the case. She had just finished feeling self conscious when introductions began. Joey ushered forwards a dark girl, whose big brown eyes met Charlie’s solemnly. Charles broke off what he was saying to watch the introductions, and while a small man also came over to shake her hand, Joey picked up an auburn haired beauty and began to explain. “This is Claire, the youngest of our large brood. The young man trying to be polite with sticky hands –“ she fished Geoff back and sent him out to wash the jam from the doughnuts they were enjoying off – “is Geoff, our youngest son, and twin to little Phil. Both Phil and Claire are taught by me at the moment, although Geoff has just started his first year at the same prep school all of our boys go to.” She paused to set down Phil, who went quite happily back to her food. Next Joey singled out two flaxen haired children, enough alike to pronounce them twins. Charles had told her rather proudly about all of his family, but she hadn’t envisaged them quite like this when he described them. “These are Felix and Felicity, the oldest of the twins. Felix is, of course, away at prep school for most of the year now, although he’s still as argumentative as ever. The self possessed mortal next to him is Felicity, who is currently the leading Maynard at the Chalet School – I’m sure Charles has told you about that. She hopes to become a ballerina when she grows up, last time we heard.” “Mum!” protested Felicity at once. “I told you – I like ballet, but I’d rather be a PT teacher.” She rolled her eyes, but Joey only laughed and turned back to Charlie. “Please excuse us, we tend to be quite informal. Anyway, the only other Maynard girl to grace the Chalet School at the moment, I’m ashamed to say, is Cecil.” She pointed to one of the prettiest little girls Charlie had ever seen, who waved but didn’t get up. Joey sighed, but let it pass to finish her introductions. “The young man currently keeping Charles from the rest of us is Mike, who wants to know all about university – though why, I don’t know, when he wants to join the Navy.” Charlie had said hello to all of the people she was introduced to quite without shyness, and she was rewarded by a smile from Charles before his brother decided that niceties had been observed and he could drag him back into the previous discussion. Geoff wandered back into the room, showed Joey his hands, which passed inspection, and then settled back down among the small fry. Felicity seemed to be mainly in charge, although Cecil was doing her best to not do as her elder sister said, very much on her dignity. “Some people aren’t with us,” continued Joey, with some idea of helping Charlie to feel welcome. “Charles must have told you about his elder brother, Stephen. He couldn’t come back from university yet, though we hope that he’ll be with us in time for the wedding. Did Charles tell you that the eldest of my brood – Len – is getting married in three weeks? She did a years teaching, but then the school shut down unexpectedly and so she decided to come back and now organisation is in full flow. Her triplet, Margot, couldn’t make it because she’s just taken Orders, but Con should be coming up within a day or two, once she finishes the article she’s working on. She works for one of the big London newspapers already, you know.” Having rattled off this information, Joey sat back with a question about Charles at university. Charlie blushed, sure that he wouldn’t want his parents knowing some of his exploits, but thankfully he had been released from Mike long enough to hear and sprang to her rescue. “I’ve been made head of our debating club,” he informed his family in general. Charlie at once fell to teasing him. “He’s already decided that, on that basis alone, he shall be headed for Westminster as soon as he finishes his degree.” “Really?” asked Jack, quickly interested. The fifth Maynard had never expressed much interest in any career before, but with his quiet influence most people who knew him could see that he was destined to go far if he took on a leadership role. “It’s an idea,” replied his son defensively. This was, of course, the signal for the whole family to start shouting about what they thought. Charlie sat in the middle of it all, rather overwhelmed, until Charles slipped a hand into hers with a grin and promised in an undertone that they could slip out in an hour or so and he would show her around the Platz.

Author:	Alison H [ Sat Mar 21, 2009 8:29 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Title Coming Soon
I can imagine that meeting the Maynards en masse would rather overwhelm anyone! Like the idea of Charles entering politics.

Author:	Fiona Mc [ Sun Mar 22, 2009 12:57 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Title Coming Soon
Alison H wrote: :lol: I can imagine that meeting the Maynards en masse would rather overwhelm anyone! I must admit I had fun the day I introduced my SLOC to 10 of my brothers and sistres and their families! And that wasn't all of them!! Kind of left him feeling a little overwhelmed to say the least. It took quite a few years before he could work out who belonged to who. And one of my sister-in-laws said she used to hide with the youngest two because it wasn't so nerve wracking as it was with the rest of us. Thanks, enjoyed the drabble

Author:	Miss Di [ Sun Mar 29, 2009 6:00 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Title Coming Soon
ChubbyMonkey wrote: All the same, she couldn’t fail to notice Joey’s disapproving glances at her dirty nails, loose, windswept hair and, most of all, her attire. Well Of Course she has dirty nails. It's the soft coal they use on the continental trains you know. And I'd be windswept too after driving fast up a mountain in a topless car! Maybe if someone had shown her the splasheries she wouldn't look quite so scruffy!!

Author:	JB [ Sun Mar 29, 2009 1:15 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Meeting Charlie
Just caught up with this. Love Felicity wanting to be a PE teacher. Looking forward to seeing where this one goes.

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