Jack - a different Chalet girl (update 19.2)
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The CBB -> Ste Therese's House

#1: Jack - a different Chalet girl (update 19.2) Author: KatarzynaLocation: North West England PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:07 pm
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A while ago someone who should know better and would remain nameless but I believe in telling tales - Carolyn - sent me a bunny, it's a Lancastrian bunny so i actually understand what it's trying to tell me, and for a while it has been whispering at me about redemption! This is the result.......

“Got it!” the jubilant tone in the speakers voice told the group of overall clad men surrounding the machine that the news was good, despite the muffled tones caused by the voice coming from under the machine itself and the fact that none of them spoke English.

The dolly wheels scraped over the floor as the slim figure emerged feet first from under the machine, a broad grin on her dirt smeared face, oil glistening in the short mop of dark hair. Automatically switching to German she continued,

“There’s a small leak around one of the piston ends, I think I can fix it.” She gave a list of tools she would need and then slid back under the machine, thinking to herself how nice it was to be accepted as part of the team, even if it did mean as the only woman, having slighter hands she ended up under the machines with the small fiddly things to fix.



Two hours later, her shift over, the machine fixed, she walked out of the hydro-electric plant into the warm September sunshine. There were few tourists still in the area, most of which were on the lake, either in boats or swimming from the landing stages around various hotels.

The steamer waited at the head of the lake but after a long day spent in the plant she felt the need of fresh air and exercise so made her way along the path towards the big house at the other side of the lake where she was currently staying.

People had a tendency to stop and stare as she walked past, hands in the pockets of her denim dungarees, whistling, although attitudes were changing rapidly, young women in general did not do that sort of thing, whether in Austria or any other country.



Forty minutes later, having stopped at the post to pick up the mail, some groceries and a bottle of wine she pushed open the garden gate, the lights were already on in the lower windows, though the curtains had yet to be shut.

“Only me,” she called out as she opened the door.

“In here,” the reply came from the back of the house.

Swapping her sturdy steel toe-capped boots for the more comfortable, if no more glamorous moccasins, she slid over the polished parquet floor and tumbled through the swing door at the end of the corridor.

“Steady,” Roger turned from the cooker with a grin as she landed with a spin and plonked the bottle of wine and post down on the scrubbed oak kitchen table.

“Sorry, that Friday feeling,” she replied with an impish grin.

“I know,” he grinned in response, “and for once a whole weekend off! I gather you got the main cistern pump up and running this afternoon.”

“Yes, just a loose part, nothing to it really,” she tried to sound modest at her achievement but failed miserably knowing full well that without her the machine would still be idle awaiting the arrival of the repairs team from Germany.


Last edited by Katarzyna on Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:06 pm; edited 3 times in total

#2:  Author: KatLocation: Little Venice/Swansea PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 8:23 pm
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Yippee!! A new Kate drabble! Very Happy Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!

Thank you, Kate! May we have some more please? Very Happy

#3:  Author: LesleyLocation: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:09 pm
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Yeah! Glad you listened to the bunny. Laughing



Thanks Kate.

#4:  Author: VikkiLocation: Sitting on an iceberg, freezing to death!!! PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:27 pm
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Lovely!
Thanks Kate!
*coaxes the bunny*

#5:  Author: dorianLocation: Dublin PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:26 pm
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Oooh! Jack the mechanic...in the School's first home... Niiiiice!

More please! ::bounces impatiently::

#6:  Author: Alison HLocation: Manchester PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 10:39 pm
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Ooh, I like the look of this Very Happy .

#7:  Author: TaraLocation: Malvern, Worcestershire PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 12:17 am
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Me, too. Love Jack the mechanic!

#8:  Author: LexiLocation: Liverpool PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 12:50 am
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I've been watching Top Gear too much, my first thought was "She's working for a F1 team? Shocked "

Laughing

#9:  Author: Fiona McLocation: Bendigo, Australia PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:19 am
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This sounds great and are Roger and Jack together?

#10:  Author: SugarLocation: second star to the right! PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 1:55 am
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Ohhhh Laughing Thanks Kate - great to have a new drabble from you!

#11:  Author: KatarzynaLocation: North West England PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 7:52 am
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“I thought I’d make a start on dinner,” he said turning back to the large pot steaming on the cooker top.

“Here, let me,” Jack unceremoniously shoved him out of the way taking the large wooden spoon from an unresisting hand.

“And what am I meant to do?” he protested mildly, “I can’t just sit here and watch you do all the work, even if it is woman’s work!” he added with a grin, knowing how much this particular phrase annoyed her.

“Watch it,” she lifted the spoon from the pot and brandished it towards him, “I’m only doing this for your benefit, you might want to check your mail.” She turned back to the pot, knowing full well that the London postmark and familiar handwriting on one of the letters would either leave him ecstatically happy or painfully morose for the remainder of the weekend.

She heard Roger shuffle the letters until he found the one he wanted, she would rather have been anywhere else than in the same room, never comfortable with any sort of emotion.

“Why don’t you,” she began, turning as she spoke.

“I know, go to the sitting room to read it.” Roger stood with a sigh and left, the letter, still unopened in his hand.

#12:  Author: Alison HLocation: Manchester PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 8:57 am
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From Con?

It's great seeing Jack as a mechanic!

#13:  Author: LesleyLocation: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 9:07 am
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So are they just housemates then? Confused


Thanks Kate.

#14:  Author: Smile :)Location: Location? What's a location? PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:33 am
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Ooh, who's the letter from?

Looking good!

Thanks Katarzyna

#15:  Author: brieLocation: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 10:40 am
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thanks this is great!! i love jack and roger here

#16:  Author: arky72Location: Cheshire PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 11:20 am
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most intriguing!

#17:  Author: JennieLocation: Cambridgeshire PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2007 2:22 pm
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Thanks, Kate. Sending lots of bunny treats.

Gloating: mine are still away soaking up the sun somewhere.

(Adds note to self: keep the ptio doors firmly locked)

#18:  Author: KatarzynaLocation: North West England PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:32 pm
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Jack continued with the preparations for dinner, and after half an hour, the meal simmering nicely on the stovetop, she poured a glass of wine for both herself and Roger before wandering through to the sitting room.

Die Blumen, the house which the pair shared, belonged to the Maynard family, Roger, a managing engineer at the Hydro-Electric works, had been, as a minor, a ward of the family, his own parents having died whilst he, and his younger brother and sister, were still at school. The house was big enough to hold the large Maynard family, along with several guests, when they used it during the holidays so with just the two of them they tended to stay in the sitting room and kitchen, where they cooked and ate their meals. On the first landing they had each taken a bedroom and shared the main family bathroom.

Both had worried at first as to how people would view their living arrangements, however, Joey Maynard, arguably the real head of the Maynard household, had made it perfectly clear that for either of them to rent another property would not only be a waste of money for them, but of potential income for the house owners, as many spare rooms and houses were rented out to holiday makers for far in excess of the amount they could charge for a longer term rental.

Admittedly, when she had first moved in there had been some speculation, particularly at the plant, over her relationship with Roger, but now, some eight months on she was very much just one of the guys on the engineering floor. Occasionally, a visitor or new member of staff would start in surprise when asking for Jack Lambert, and discovering that he was in fact a she, but most of her colleagues respected her for the work she did.

Pushing open the sitting room door with her hip, both hands holding onto wine glasses, she found Roger standing by the big French windows at the far end of the room, in his hand the letter he’d received. He didn’t hear her soft footfalls as she made her way across the carpeted floor and jumped when she silently handed him the glass.

“Thanks,” he said softly taking it from her.

“Tea will be ready in about 5 minutes,” she tactfully ignored the letter and what it’s contents had been, “do you want to wash up?”

She quickly left the room and returned to the kitchen where she busied herself laying the table and dishing up. As much as she might growl about women’s work her schooling had made her a competent cook and taught her the basics of housekeeping, which even she admitted came in useful.

Dinner was a silent meal, as Jack and Roger at she noticed that he kept his wine glass topped up. Eventually, the food eaten, Roger sighed.

“Why can’t she just tell me?”

#19:  Author: LesleyLocation: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:37 pm
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Thanks Kate - Roger has problems then - wonder if it's with Con - or with someone else??? And what about Jack -does she have a significant other?

Hopefully questions will be answered at some point - I can wait. Wink

#20:  Author: brieLocation: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 5:48 pm
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more please Very Happy

#21:  Author: Alison HLocation: Manchester PostPosted: Sun Feb 18, 2007 9:22 pm
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Good that all the guys respect Jack at a time when female mechanics would've been few and far between - good for her!

#22:  Author: KatarzynaLocation: North West England PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:04 pm
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Jack remained silent, not sure if the question was meant for her to answer. Eventually Roger spoke again,

“Sorry,” he grinned sheepishly, “this hasn’t been a good start to our free weekend has it?”

“Forgiven,” Jack grinned back, then on impulse she added, “look, tell me if it’s non of my business, but do you want to talk about it, every time you get a letter from her you are either miserable or extremely happy.”

“I, well,” Roger stuttered, not sure he did want to share his feelings, after all it was hardly how he was brought up, men didn’t share, come to that, did any of those he had known whilst growing up show any emotion at all, save for anger at their children’s actions, he shuddered slightly remembering Jack Maynard’s reaction to one of his son’s misdeeds.

“Come on,” Jack said impulsively, rising to her feet and lifting the now empty wine bottle, “lets get another bottle, take it and our glasses into the sitting room and you can tell me about it.”


The last of the daylight had faded and Jack switched on the lamps that stood at the edges of the room, she set the wine bottle on the small table near the windows and, with little regard for the carpet, dragged two of the comfortably overstuffed chairs to the table.

“Sit” she commanded and Roger, still acting strangely numb obeyed. For a while they sat in silence, which whilst not as strained as before was still for Jack quite uncomfortable, though what Roger was feeling she didn’t even want to guess. Roger quickly drained his glass and then poured another for himself, gesturing to Jack’s half drunk glass. She shook her head, knowing full well from previous experience that too much wine for her was not a good thing.

“I don’t really know where to start,” Roger muttered.

“Try the beginning, I know the letter was from Con, and I know that you love her.” Jack blushed as she spoke, love was a concept that she had never been comfortable with herself, she’d been loved, by her parents, her siblings, her friends, and she’d loved in return, but to actually be in love, she shuddered slight, for her that was a place into which she tried not to venture.

“Yes, I do love her, and I am pretty sure that she loves me, but that’s it,” Roger looked hurt and bewildered, “I’ve asked her to marry me, several times,” he gave a bitter laugh, “do you know what she says?”

Jack shook her head.

“That she’s not ready, that there is so much she wants to do with her life, that she wants a career. I wouldn’t stop her; I would never stand in the way of her career, of anything she wanted to do. I’d wait as long as she wanted, I just want some form of commitment, some sign.”

He pulled the letter out of his pocket and opened it, “this is typical,” he continued scanning the letter. “It’s full of what she’s been doing, her work, her old school friends who are in London with her, her family, but that’s it, the letter could have been written to anyone.”

#23:  Author: CarysLocation: London PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:39 pm
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I'm hooked by this drabble, loving it!

#24:  Author: brieLocation: Glasgow, aka the land of boredom PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:40 pm
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((roger))

#25:  Author: Fiona McLocation: Bendigo, Australia PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:41 pm
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Hmm interesting. Can't say I blame her. Once she does commit to Roger a lot of things will change no matter how supportive Roger says he'll be. I know I married later than most purely because I wanted to travel and no matter how much you may talk about doing when you are married, priorities change. Anyway hope Con and Roger sort it out.

#26:  Author: Carolyn PLocation: Lancaster, England PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 10:26 pm
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I am so glad you went with this. Look forward to hearing what else the bunny has to say, even with the little bit I do know this should be good. I like redemption bunnies, they tell another side of a character.

#27:  Author: LesleyLocation: Allhallows, Kent PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 6:08 am
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Can understand Con's POV - at that time and with her background she would expect, as soon as she married, to place her ideas and career to one side. With the exception of Joey that happened to every female role model she had, including her cousins and aunts. The only women that continued their careers were those that never married.


Thanks Kate.

#28:  Author: leahbelleLocation: Kilmarnock PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:41 pm
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Just caught up with this. Its fascinating to read about Jack. Thanks, kate.



The CBB -> Ste Therese's House


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