The CBB :: View topic - Tom's Boys 2

#1: Tom's Boys 2 Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:41 pm

Edit: Earlier parts of this story may be found at:
here
andhere
Carolyn

Wonderful Lulie, glad to hear all about T&E's live together and see Alice growing up!

#2: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:49 pm

Later that evening, Tom had put Alice to bed and was looking distastefully at some much hated darning, wondering if she stared long enough it would do itself. Ed was out at the club and wouldn’t be home until around 8.30pm. She jumped when there was a tentative knock at the door. Going to open it she was astonished to see Peter standing nervously at the doorstep.
‘Peter, whatever’s happened?’ Tom was horrified at the state of the boy’s face. He was covered in bruises and had blood running down from a cut by one eye. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, having run from his home, which was quite a way away. ‘Here, come in. You’re shaking like a leaf!’
Peter glanced fearfully round before stepping through the door. He staggered as Tom shut the door. She threw a strong arm round his shoulders and led him through to the kitchen. ‘No, don’t talk. Let’s get you cleaned up first,’ Tom ran warm water into a bowl and found some antiseptic and cotton wool, being as gentle as she could. Peter couldn’t help flinching, and tears prickled at his eyes as he realised he’d found a safe haven. Worried by his continued shivering, Tom put the kettle on for tea. ‘I’ll just make some tea, and then you can tell me what’s up,’ she explained, gently. Peter smiled, grateful for a bit of time to pull himself together. Tea made, Tom gently wrapped his hands round the steaming mug, ‘Drink that,’ she said, pulling up a chair opposite him and taking a cup for herself. She immediately put her cup down. Peter was shaking so much his teeth chattered on the side of the cup and he was in danger of dripping scalding tea all over himself. Leaning forward she took the cup and held it to his lips. Peter drank about half the cup before taking the cup back and managing for himself. ‘Th…th…thank you,’ he managed to gasp. He stared at Tom, his lips quivering.
‘Tell me what happened,’ said Tom, gently, taking Peter’s hands in her own. It took Peter a few minutes to collect himself, ‘My step dad’s chucked me out,’ he managed, ‘I’m sorry, Miss, but I didn’t know where else to go,’
‘Did he hit you?’
Peter nodded, ‘Mum tried to stop him, but he hit her as well. I…I…she fell down and…’ Peter choked on a sob, ‘I don’t know if she’s all right,’
Tom’s lips tightened, but she swallowed her temper and concentrated on the task in hand. ‘All right. I’ll make sure she’s OK, even if I have to go there myself and find out,’
‘You can’t do that, Miss, not in your…I mean…well…’ Peter went scarlet, but the pointed glance at Tom’s stomach told her what he meant.
‘Never mind about that now. I’m not being nosy, but why did he hit you?’
Peter flushed again and stared at his feet, ‘He said I was cheeky and didn’t deserve to live in a decent house,’
‘Why?’
‘I…He was swearing at Mum because tea was a bit late and I told him not to and to leave her alone. He just lost it. He had been at the pub all afternoon,’ he added, by way of explanation.
‘That’s no excuse,’ Tom frowned, wondering what she should do. She had met Peter’s mother once before, a gentle rather nervy woman, and knew she’d be worried about her son’s whereabouts. However, Peter seemed to be her first responsibility. She stood up, ‘Finish your tea, I’ll go and run you a bath. Do you want anything to eat?’
‘No, thank you, Miss’ Peter bit his bottom lip, but once Tom had left the room he couldn’t stop tears from rolling down his cheeks. Tom set the bath going, and then went into her bedroom. Ed’s pyjamas would be far too big, and he couldn’t wear any of hers, though again they’d be too big. Finally she rootled about in a drawer and pulled out an old pyjama jacket of Ed’s and put it on the bathroom heater to warm. It would cover most of Peter, who wasn’t big for his age. She then went into the spare bedroom; thankful that they kept the bed made up and aired, and tucked a couple of hot water bottles into it. Pulling the curtains across the window, she went to turn the bath taps off and went back downstairs. Peter was waiting quietly for her. Tom wisely said nothing about his red eyes, ‘Come on up before the bath water gets cold,’
Having shown Peter where everything was, she went to check on Alice, who had slept through all of this, then went back downstairs. As quietly as she could, she phoned Ed at the club, thankful that they’d decided to put a telephone in there, and explained the situation as succinctly as possible. ‘Could you do me a favour and go and see if his Mum’s OK? Pretend you were looking for Peter to give him something he’d left behind or something, and could you have a root in that bag of clothes that somebody left us to cut up, see if there’s anything that’ll fit him. The clothes he’s got are in a revolting state, but I’ll never get them dry by the morning. And Ed, take care of yourself. That man sounds a nasty piece of work.’
The result of all this was that it was after 9.30pm before Ed finally got home. ‘She’s all right,’ he reported, ‘She was more glad to hear that Peter was safe than she was worried over her injuries. She was in a state as well, I almost brought her home with me, but I doubt she’d have come. Where is he?’
‘In bed. Shall we go up and see if he’s awake? He was desperately worried about his Mum, poor thing,’
Together they crept up the stairs and peeped round the door of the spare room. All they could see of Peter was a lump in the bedclothes. Tom, carrying the bundle of clothes that Ed had brought, went into the room and put them on the chair. She then pulled the bedclothes down and tucked them round the sleeping child. ‘Poor little soul,’ she murmured, looking at his flushed face and tearstained cheeks. Once they were back downstairs Tom gave vent to her feelings. ‘If I ever set eyes on that man I’ll punch him myself until he can’t stand up. I could kill him!’
‘You’d have to wait until I’d finished with him,’ replied Ed, sounding outwardly calm, but his flashing eyes showed his anger, ‘Come and sit down, darling. I want to go to bed, but I can’t while I feel like this, I’d never sleep. Come and keep me company,’
Tom did as he asked, feeling the same herself. They sat there for a while, arms round each other, talking softly about anything but their present trouble, to calm themselves down.

#3: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:53 pm

It's so good to see their relationship deepening and growing.

#4: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:55 pm

to Peter's father.

I'm guessing Tom and Ed aren't just going to leave it at that but will try and help Peter and his Mum... *worries*

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

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 4:07 pm

Lovely, its just like Tom to care for Peter, I just hope Peter's father doesn't get nasty with them both.

#6: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 4:32 pm

So lovely that Peter knew he could go to Tom. His step-father sounds a really evil b*****d!

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

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:07 pm

*wibble for poor Peter!!*

#8: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 7:32 pm

The next morning Tom was up earlier than usual. Hurrying over her dressing, she laid the table for breakfast, and then went back upstairs to check on Alice. Alice was making noises that indicated she would soon be awake, so Tom got her things ready and when her daughter had woken she dressed her and passed her over to Ed, also now awake, and tapped on the door of the spare room. Peter was just rousing up when Tom put her head round the door. It took him a few seconds to remember where he was, and he sat up in alarm when he did so. ‘Have I slept in?’
‘No, it’s still early. I just came in to see if you were awake,’ Tom slid further into the room and perched on the end of the bed. ‘I’ve been thinking about what to do,’
‘Don’t make me go back there, Miss. Not while he’s still there – he’d kill me and…Mum too, if she isn’t dead already,’ Peter clutched at Tom’s arm, his colour fading.
Tom put an arm round his shoulders, ‘Your Mum’s fine. Ed went round there last night and spoke to her, so she knows where you are and that you’re safe,’
‘Really? Oh, Miss…’ Peter’s chest heaved and he began to cry, great sobs tearing at his body. Feeling utterly inadequate Tom simply held him and murmured comfort words to him. The storm was a short one, and Peter was just catching his breath when the door pushed open a little further and Alice toddled in. She almost broke into a run when she saw Peter, ‘No crying!’ she said, plaintively, ‘Petey no cry! Allie cry too!’ She pouted and screwed her face up. ‘No you don’t,’ said Tom, hurriedly, ‘you’ve got nothing to cry for,’
Peter reached out and picked her up, burying his face in her curls for a minute, ‘I’m OK,’ he said, gruffly, ‘don’t worry about me, little Alice,’
Alice returned the hug with as much strength as she could manage; which was a lot for a two year old, as Peter found out. She then rolled off his lap onto the bed and rubbed her face on her mother’s leg. ‘Thank you,’ remarked Tom, eyeing her dress, ‘Tell you what, Alice, shall we go and make Peter some breakfast while he gets dressed? Wouldn’t that be nice?’
‘Toast,’ agreed Alice, ‘Allie’s hungry,’
Tom got up, and lifted Alice down onto the floor, ‘There’s some clean clothes for you on the chair,’ she said to Peter, ‘yours should be washed and dried by this evening. You know where the bathroom is,’ She smiled at her guest, and led Alice from the room and down the stairs.
‘Have you had any ideas about what we’re going to do?’ asked Ed, as he made the toast.
‘Mum’s involved somehow with this Women’s Shelter, where women and their kids can go if they’ve been beaten up or evicted, or whatever. I was going to ask her about it, I can’t leave Peter’s Mum in that house any longer. God only knows how many times a day that man uses her as a punch bag. From what Peter’s not said, last night wasn’t the first time it’s happened.’
‘Those were my thoughts. At least the one about getting Peter and his Mum out of the house, I didn’t know there was such a place as a Women’s Shelter,’
‘I suppose they’re not that well advertised,’
‘I don’t blame them. If everybody knew about them, they’d have hordes of violent husbands on the doorstep and there’d be no point in them then!’ Ed put the toast rack on the table, ‘No Alice, dolly doesn’t want to drink the milk!’ He was just in time to prevent Alice from dropping her rag doll headfirst into the milk jug. Alice put the doll’s arm in her mouth and giggled. Tom brought the coffee and tea over, ‘I’ll go and see Mum this morning, if you take Peter with you to the club. I’m going to see if she’ll come with me and talk to Peter’s Mum, who may listen to her more than she’ll listen to me,’
‘I’m not sure. All the parents have a lot of respect for you, Tom,’
Tom opened her mouth to argue back, but closed it again when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs.

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

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 7:34 pm

AAwwwwww Alice is so sweet, thank you Lulie Very Happy

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

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 8:33 pm

Lulie, this is such a lovely story! More soon please!

#11: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 10:08 pm

Alice is adorable Lulie. The shelter sounds like a great solution for Peter's mum if she'll go. I'm looking forward to the next bit.

#12: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Tue Jul 27, 2004 10:14 pm

Thanks Lulie! I love what you're doing and I'm very glad I'm not about to get lynched by the rest!!! Wink

#13: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 8:15 am

Lovely, Lulie. This is really good, love Ed and Tom, Alice is soo sweet and the shelter seems like a good idea I only hope Peter's mum can be persuaded to go.

#14: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 10:21 am

Lovely post, Lulie. It's so good to see that they aren't insular in their happiness, but still have a great sense of social responsibility.

#15: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 2:35 pm

Thank you Lulie for more lovelly story.

It is so nice to see Tom happily married with her own family yet staying true to her own ideals. Glad Peter and his Mum have Tom and Ed to look out for them. Hope she will go to the Shelter.

#16: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:03 pm

Once Ed and Peter had left the house, taking Alice with them, Tom rang her mother. Mrs. Gay was just on her way out, but she agreed to wait until Tom came round. ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to come to you?’ she asked, anxiously.
‘No thanks, you’re nearer to the bus we want,’ replied Tom, ‘and it’s not as if I’ve got Alice with me. Try not to fuss, Mum I’m only pregnant. I don’t have a deadly disease and I’m not one of your delicate ladies!’
‘Oh all right,’ laughed Mrs. Gay, ‘I’ll wait in for you.’
It didn’t take Tom long to get to her parent’s house, and even Mrs. Gay couldn’t fuss when she saw her. Tom looked the picture of health, with bright eyes, clear skin and a faint flush of colour in her cheeks. As succinctly as she could Tom outlined the events of the previous evening, and the plan to try and help. ‘Only I’d like you to come with me,’ she said, ‘Peter’s Mum would probably listen to you more than she would me. No offence, but you are that bit older than me, and you know all about these Refuges and how they work,’
Always ready to help, Mrs. Gay agreed. She rang her contact at the centre, to check that there was room for Peter and his mother and once more put her hat and coat on.
‘This may not be easy, Tom,’ she warned, ‘the hardest step is getting the women to admit that this isn’t their fault and they have a right to be safe,’
‘I know, but she was terribly worried about Peter, until Ed went to see her. Perhaps if it was to keep him safe she’d go. Otherwise he’d probably have to go into care. I can’t see the authorities letting us keep him,’
Mrs. Gay said nothing. She knew that Tom would keep the boy as long as necessary with no second thoughts, but Mrs. Gay didn’t think it was such a good idea, with Tom being eight months pregnant and having a toddler in the house. Life had the potential for being difficult enough for her and Ed in the not-too-distant future without this being flung at them. She also knew that if she said anything; Tom would see it as being mean-spirited, rather than looking out for herself and her family first. ‘And Ed’s just as bad,’ she mused, as the two of them made the bus journey into town, ‘It’s all very well, but not when you’ve got a young family in the house.’
Peter’s mother, Mrs. Roberts, peered nervously round the door when Tom banged on it in her usual fashion. She looked startled when she saw who her visitors were, and let them into the house quickly, in case the neighbours saw.
‘I’m sorry about our Peter,’ she said, once her guests were seated, ‘disturbing you like that,’
‘I’m not,’ replied Tom bluntly, before her mother could stop her, ‘I’m just glad he felt he could come to us. He may have spent the night on the streets otherwise,’
Mrs. Roberts’ lips quivered slightly, but she composed herself and got up, offering tea. Mrs. Gay smilingly accepted for them both, and while Mrs. Roberts was in the kitchen she turned and glared at Tom. Tom had the grace to look slightly sheepish, but said nothing. ‘I’ll tell her about the Shelter,’ whispered Mrs. Gay, ‘but you may have to persuade her to go. I’ve a feeling she’ll listen to you.’
Mrs. Roberts returned at that point, with a loaded tray, ‘I’m so glad you took Peter in, Mrs. Kerr,’ she said, pouring tea, ‘I was worried sick until Mr. Kerr came and told us he was with you. It really was kind, especially with you being so near your time and having the little one as well,’
‘I couldn’t do anything else. He’d come to me, not knowing where else to go. The last thing I was going to do was to turn him away, especially as…’ she dried up at this point, trying to be tactful. Mrs. Roberts took out a handkerchief and dabbed at her nose, ‘I know he was a mess,’ she sniffed, ‘Mr. Roberts took his bare fists to him, I couldn’t stop him, ‘specially when he’d got going,’
‘You did what you could, Peter told me everything that happened,’
‘But what now? He can’t come back here, Mr. Roberts’d half kill him,’
‘There is somewhere that you could go and be safe, just you and Peter,’ said Mrs. Gay, gently, ‘We could take you there now, and Mr. Roberts would never know where you are,’
Mrs. Roberts stared at them, dumbfounded. Then her eyes filled with tears, ‘Just me and Peter? Safe? But I couldn’t, what if he found us?’
‘He won’t. You can stay there as long as you need to, and there are people there who will help you find another place to live, on the other side of town if you need it. They’ll help you find work and help to build yourself up again. You’re not the only woman that this has happened to, Mrs. Roberts. Please, think about it.’
‘Would he really never find us again? And I could go back to work? He wouldn’t let me work, once we were married, though Lord knows we needed the money,’ Mrs. Roberts blushed at this frank confession, but both Tom and Mrs. Gay ignored it.
‘If you wanted to pack some things we could take you there now,’ said Tom, ‘and when Peter’s finished for the day he could join you there. I’ll come and help, shall I?’
‘Oh, no, Mrs. Kerr. You stay there and rest, you’ve done more than enough for this family. I don’t have much, just our clothes and a few trinkets. Most of this stuff he bought once we were married, threw all my other things out. Said he didn’t want anything of Christopher’s around the house. That was Peter’s dad; he died in an accident at the docks. I shan’t be long,’
Tom didn’t protest further, though privately she wondered why Mrs. Roberts had married the man in the first place. Mrs. Gay looked at her, obviously thinking the same thing. ‘I presume ‘anything of Christopher’s’ includes Peter as well,’ muttered Tom, once Mrs. Roberts was out of earshot.
‘It looks like it,’ replied Mrs. Gay in the same low tones. She got up, ‘I’ll go and wash these up. If there’s no sign of our being here he’ll think she’s left of her own accord,’
It took Mrs. Roberts less than twenty minutes to pack all of her’s and Peter’s things into two small cases. She carried them down the stairs, already wearing her outdoor clothes. She looked round the small room, which was rather bare, but spotlessly clean, ‘I won’t be sorry to leave this house,’ she said, taking a deep breath, ‘Can we go now, before I change my mind?’
With her head held high, and Tom on one side and Mrs. Gay on the other, Mrs. Roberts left the house. The street was curiously quiet as they made their way to the bus stop at the end. ‘They’ll all be twitching their curtains,’ said Mrs. Roberts, ‘But they won’t tell him I’ve gone. They all knew what he was like,’
It seemed a long journey to the Women’s Shelter, but once they were there, the woman in charge welcomed Mrs. Roberts warmly and showed her to the room which had been set aside for her and Peter. ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to sleep in the same room, we’re rather full at the moment,’ she said, apologetically, ‘the bathroom’s at the end of the corridor and downstairs there’s the kitchen and a couple of lounges. Do you want to settle in a bit, and then I’ll take you round and show you everything and introduce you to some people? I’ll be down in the office when you’re ready,’
Mrs. Roberts looked as if she were going to burst into tears at this kindness, but she merely nodded. Turning to Tom and Mrs. Gay, who had stuck by her, she took their hands, ‘I don’t know how to thank you both,’
‘You don’t need to thank me,’ said Mrs. Gay, kissing her cheek, ‘It was all Tom’s idea,’
Mrs. Roberts turned to Tom, who was looking as if she didn’t know where to put herself, ‘Thank you, Mrs. Kerr. If there’s ever anything you need, well, you know where I am,’
‘Good luck,’ replied Tom, ‘I hope it all turns out OK for you,’

#17: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:10 pm

So pleased that Mrs Roberts agreed to go so quickly, somtimes women in her situation are so brow-beaten that they stay there until their husband kills them.

Thanks Lulie - love Tom in this -they needed her bluntness.

#18: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:18 pm

It had to be that way, Lesley. I couldn't face somebody being beaten to death - feeble I know, but that's me!

#19: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:20 pm

Oh I agree Lulie -I was just expressing thanks that Mrs Roberts was able to make the decision! Laughing

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

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 3:23 pm

Thank you Lulie, Im so glad that she will be safe. Very Happy

#21: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 7:42 pm

‘What are you going to do now?’ asked Mrs. Gay, as they sat in a café, enjoying lunch.
‘I’ll have to go over to the club and tell Peter all the news,’ replied Tom, ‘Then, if Alice is all right, I might stay for a bit. There’s some paperwork needs doing and I don’t want to bring it home. If she’s a bit bored, I’ll come home with her and do the work there,’
‘Don’t stay too long,’
‘I won’t. I can’t! I get so tired doing the smallest things. Still, at least I don’t have long to wait,’
‘No, I suppose you don’t. How long is it now?’
‘Four weeks and two days,’ replied Tom, with a grin, ‘Unless it follows Alice’s example and is early,’
‘I hope not!’ said Mrs. Gay, ‘Well, if you feel up to it, I won’t even try and stop you,’
‘Weren’t you telling me just the other day about that woman who was working right up until the day before her baby was born? Why is it any different for me? I’m not working full time at the club now, I just pop in and out basically because I’m bored at home when all the everyday chores are out of the way,’
‘All right, you win!’ laughed Mrs. Gay, ‘It’s hard to believe sometimes, but it was twenty-eight years ago since I had you. Things have changed rather a lot since then,’
Lunch over; Tom and Mrs. Gay went their separate ways. When Tom got to the club the first thing she did was to find Peter and tell him what had happened that morning.
‘Really?’ Peter’s face lit up, ‘so we never have to go back there again? That’s marvellous, Miss,’ he went back to his work quite happily. Tom looked slightly surprised that he didn’t question her more, but decided that he was so pleased to get away from his stepfather that he didn’t want to think about anything else. She wandered round, talking to the others and was helping somebody stick some dolls furniture together when Ed found her. ‘There you are,’ he said, ‘I thought I heard you come in. Did everything go OK?’
‘It did. They’re going to be all right now,’ Tom smiled; returning the tender look Ed gave her. They both carried on with what they were meant to be doing; Tom checking that Alice was all right then going to attack the paperwork that she’d put off for the past three days and Ed went back to teaching a small group how to French polish. Tom, her head muzzy with figures, was just passing the front door to go and find her daughter when it opened and a large, brawny man came in with a face like thunder. ‘Can I help you?’ asked Tom, pleasantly, feeling unaccountably nervous at the sight of the stranger. He stopped and looked up at her disagreeably. ‘Where’s my wife?’ he snarled, ‘What have you done with her, you interfering busybody.’
Tom drew herself up, ‘I beg your pardon, but I have no idea who your wife is or why she’d be here in the first place,’
Their voices had attracted a small crowd, though neither of them noticed, ‘You just tell her to get herself back home where she belongs and that good for nothing son of hers too. I’ll show ‘em what they need to know,’
Tom, having a good idea with whom she was dealing with, merely repeated, ‘I don’t know who your wife is. Why don’t you go home and wait for her, I’m sure she won’t be long.’
With a wordless snarl Mr. Roberts (for it was he) took hold of Tom by the shoulders and gave her a violent push. Tom let out a shriek, partly of surprise, partly of panic and staggered backwards. She would have fallen if Richard, George and Graeme hadn’t dived forwards and caught her, holding her until she had steadied herself.
‘Get out,’ came a new voice. Everybody turned in surprise. They barely recognized Ed standing in the doorway. He somehow looked twice as tall as the 6’4” he usually admitted to, his blue eyes flashed cold fire and his face was white with fury. Mr. Roberts looked insolently at Ed and squared himself up, as if for a fight. Before anybody could move further Alice, who everybody had forgotten about, ambled out of the common room to see where everybody had gone. Tom’s eyes widened in fear as she spotted her daughter. Alice let out a sudden terrified scream as she found herself picked up roughly by somebody she didn’t know and flung up into the air. Tom screamed as well, all sorts of horrors passing through her mind. Ed darted forward, only to be pulled back by the sudden appearance of Adam’s father, Billy, who had been showing those who were interested the art of painting and decorating. Finding himself firmly held by Adam and Tony, Ed could only watch; his heart in his mouth as Billy walked calmly over to Mr. Roberts, who was having difficulty holding a wildly struggling and screaming Alice. He raised his hand to slap her into silence, only to find it grabbed by Billy. Billy wasn’t a big man, but he was wiry and tough, and he sounded extremely menacing. With his free hand he scooped Alice out of her captor’s arms and put his face close to the other mans. ‘Now get out before I put you out, and if you don’t want trouble with the police you’ll stay away from here. The minute you put your nose within a hundred yards of this place you’ll be up before the beak. Got it?’
Evidently Mr. Roberts did ‘get it’ as, after a few seconds of trying to stare Billy out, he seemed to realise the futility of the attempt. He glanced round the tiny entrance hall and met nothing but stony eyes. Pulling himself away from the smaller man he threw himself out of the door. Billy shut the door firmly and wiped his hand down the front of his trousers. The other hand was still fully occupied with Alice, who on finding herself in the arms of somebody familiar, had subsided into sobs. He took her across to Tom, who looked as if she didn’t know whether to faint or be sick, ‘There you go, sweetheart,’ said Billy, ‘Here’s Mummy, you’re all safe now,’
Taking Alice in her arms, Tom opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Billy smiled at her and laid his hand briefly on her arm. He then looked round at all the boys and raised his voice. ‘Right, you lot, show’s over. Back to work,’
There was a prolonged scuffling as they all fled back to their various jobs. Ed, as Billy passed him, reached out and took Billy’s hand in his own. ‘Thank you,’ he managed to say, ‘I’m glad you were here, if I’d…’
‘I know,’ Billy grinned, ‘If I’d have let you at him, there’d be nowt but a corpse there now. I’d’ve done the same and I don’t want to see either of us hang for murder.’
Billy clapped Ed on the back as he went back to his own task. Ed took several deep breaths and only a small sound from the other side of the entrance hall reminded him that he wasn’t alone. He took Tom and Alice in his arms and hugged them tight. ‘Are you both OK?’
‘Y…yes,’ Tom still felt rather shaky, but she made an effort and pulled herself together. Ed looked anxiously at her, ‘Are you really? The baby..?’
‘It’s fine, honestly. My legs wouldn’t say no to a chair though!’
Ed half led, half carried Tom and Alice through to the kitchen, which opened off the entrance hall. Tom sank gratefully onto a chair, Alice cuddled, as best she could, on her lap. A sudden shuffling noise from under the table made all three of them bend to see what it was. Peter was hiding there, curled up into a ball, his eyes wide with fright as he gazed up at them. Ed bent down and held a hand out, ‘It’s all right, Peter, he’s gone. You can come out now,’
Peter moaned and shuffled backwards. Tom allowed Alice to slide to the floor as she bent her head so she could see Peter, ‘Don’t be afraid, Peter,’ she said, guessing what was wrong with the boy, ‘you don’t have to be frightened of us. We’re not cross with you,’
Ed gave Tom a startled glance, but turned his attention back to Peter, ‘Come on, son, come out. None of this is your doing; we don’t blame you for anything. Anyway, he’s gone now and you’re all safe here with us,’
‘Honest?’
‘Honest,’
‘And you’re not cross?’
‘We’re not cross,’
Peter crawled out at the opposite side of the table and stood up, keeping the furniture between himself and Tom and Ed. Ed got up from his knees and sat down. Peter looked like a frightened rabbit, eyes darting from one to the other. Tom held her arms out, ‘Come here, Peter,’ she said.
Rather unwillingly Peter came towards her and Tom gave him a hug. It let down his reserve and he leaned against her, trembling slightly. Tom could see that he was at the end of his tether and couldn’t take much more. ‘Tell you what,’ she said, much more brightly than she felt, ‘we’ll take you to see where you and Mum will be living for a while. What do you think, would you like that? You’ll be able to see for yourself then that it’ll be safe,’
‘Yes please,’ mumbled Peter.
‘We’ll go now. Ed can go and tell Billy that you’re going home and we can go and gather all of Alice’s things together. It’s more than time she was having her afternoon nap and Ed can drop us off on his way back here. How does that sound?’
‘OK,’ Peter was still very quiet.
‘Alice, don’t pull the drawers out, pet. Come and show Peter where you left your bag,’
Ed waited in the car while Tom accompanied Peter into the Shelter. She had a quick, quiet word with Rose, the woman in charge. Rose nodded understandingly and went into the corridor, where Peter was staring at the pictures on the walls. ‘Hello, Peter, I’m Rose. Come with me and I’ll show you where your mother is, it’s a bit of a rabbit warren in here until you get used to it,’
‘Is Mum OK?’ demanded Peter, shaking the hand that Rose held out to him.
‘She’s fine; she was laughing the last time I saw her. Come on, this way,’
Peter turned to Tom, who was waiting until he’d gone before making her own departure. He took Tom’s hand and shook it, gravely, ‘Thanks, Miss,’ he said, ‘I’ll come tomorrow, promise,’
Tom grinned broadly at Peter, and squeezed the hand she held in her own, ‘See you tomorrow then,’
Once Peter had followed Rose into the back of the building Tom made her way out to the car where Ed and Alice were waiting for her.

#22: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 7:57 pm

Goodness!!

That was a bit tense for a while there!! Poor little Alice, poor all of them!!

Glad they all seem to be OK though.

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

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 7:58 pm

Oh Lulie that was lovely. But I'm so glad theyre all ok. Except the father, who in my humble opinion needs a mysterious implement to fall out of the sky and maim him.

#24: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 8:07 pm

*Hoping Laura's mysterious implement does more than just maim him!*

Excellent post, Lulie - edge of seat tense!

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

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 8:11 pm

I thought their might be a confrontation, but Im glad it happened with others around to help. I dread what to think what might have happened if he had turned up at their house.

Thank you Lulie Very Happy

#26: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 9:05 pm

Tom, much to her annoyance, had been ordered by the doctor to go into hospital for a week before the baby was due. Feeling very pregnant and very uncomfortable she looked thoroughly disgruntled at visiting time the day before she was due. Ed grinned at the expression on her face, ‘Here, maybe this’ll cheer you up,’ he said, dropping an envelope into her lap. Tom snatched at it eagerly, ‘Let’s hope Bride feels as uncomfortable as I do,’ she said, not very charitably. Ed looked somewhat smug, ‘Open it and see’
‘Have you read it?’ demanded Tom, on noticing his expression.
‘No, since when have I ever been in the habit of opening other people’s letters?’
‘I don’t know, you may have done it before I met you,’ Tom slit open the envelope and took out a single sheet of paper. ‘That’s not like Bride, she generally writes reams,’ Tom unfolded the sheet and her eyes widened as she read the short missive it contained. ‘Where in heaven’s name did they get Belinda from?’ she exclaimed.
‘It’s a Carrington family name,’ replied Ed, calmly, ‘Simon rang this morning to announce the news, but Bride wanted to tell you herself. She said she would love to be a fly on the wall when you found out,’
‘I dare say she would!’ was Tom’s comment as she re-read the letter, which simply read ‘Belinda Mary Carrington arrived at 7.10 this morning (that’s yesterday to you!). Everybody safe and well, much love, Bride.’
‘Oh well,’ Tom dropped the letter in her lap, ‘Knowing Bride’s family she won’t stay Belinda for long! It could be worse.’
‘Do you want the rest of my news?’ asked Ed, looking slightly mischievous. Tom stared at him, ‘Go on then. I didn’t realise there was any more,’
‘I also got this, it came this morning too.’ He took a sheet of thin paper out of his pocket and handed it to Tom. She stared at the words written on it, her jaw dropping as she read ‘Baby Thomas arrived 23rd. Mother and baby doing well. Everybody thrilled. Jonathan.’
‘But…but…but…’ stuttered Tom.
‘That’s more or less what I said. I’ll be writing to Jonathan tonight, demanding to know why they didn’t tell us they were expecting. Any message you want passing on?’
‘Ouch,’ came the rather unexpected response. Ed stared at Tom in alarm, ‘You’re not..? Shall I call the nurse?’
‘No, I’ve been having pains on and off all day.’ Tom rested a hand on her swollen stomach, ‘There is such a thing as false labour, you know,’
‘Is there?’
Tom giggled at Ed’s bemused expression, ‘There is. It shouldn’t be long before I do go into labour, though,’
Alice diverted their attention by picking up Bride’s letter from the bed, where she was sitting with Tom, and tearing it to shreds. Once they’d picked them all up and paid Alice a bit of attention the talk went onto other things.
‘Ed,’ said Tom, suddenly, ‘Could you do me a favour?’
‘Of course, anything,’
‘Without panicking walk over to the nurse and ask if she could come and see me when she’s got a spare minute. I said without panicking!’
Once Ed had gone, Tom turned her attention to Alice, ‘You and Daddy have to go home soon,’ she said, ‘and you’ll be going to stay for the night with Granny and Grandpa. You like staying with Granny and Grandpa, don’t you? And when you come back and see Mummy tomorrow you might have a new baby brother or sister. Won’t that be exciting?’
Alice nodded, smiling, ‘Dolly go too?’
‘Yes, dolly goes too,’ Tom tried to smile back through the contraction that seized her at that moment. Luckily Alice didn’t appear to notice that her mother was in pain and chattered away quite happily to her doll. Ed and the nurse came back at that moment, and Ed picked Alice up from the bed, ‘We have to go home now, pet. We need to get your suitcase and you’re going to stay with Granny and Grandpa,’
‘And dolly!’
‘And dolly. Come on, shall we kiss Mummy goodbye?’ Alice stretched out her arms and gave Tom a hug and a kiss, insisting that dolly got a kiss too. Tom then put her arms round Ed’s neck and kissed him, ‘Come back as soon as you can,’ she begged.
‘I will,’ Ed returned the kiss, and with a final squeeze of Tom’s hand, led Alice away down the ward. The nurse, who had been standing discreetly at the end of the bed while all this took place, drew the curtains round Tom’s bed and smiled comfortably, ‘Let’s have a look then, Mrs. Kerr,’ she said, cheerfully.

#27: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 9:27 pm

Alice is adorable!!

Thanks Lulie!!

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

Posted: Wed Jul 28, 2004 10:27 pm

*wibbles about the labour*

Alice is lovely, and Im so glad Bride has had a baby too Very Happy

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

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 12:54 am

Thank you Lulie!!!

PLEASE let everything go wiythout any problems for Tom this time! pretty please?

#30: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 12:59 am

Lulie!! What a place to leave it!

#31: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 3:39 am

Goodness, lots has happened! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Quite worried about Peter's dad for a while there -- still wouldn't put it past that scumbag to track Peter to the shelter or start another fire.

*hopes the delivery goes well*

#32: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:48 am

Lulie, that was great. I'm glad that bully got some of what he deserved, even if it wasn't all he should have had. To do that to a pregnant woman and a small child shows just how evil he is.

#33: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 10:25 am

Arrgh! Lulie please post soem more! I need to know Tom and bay and everyone are ok before i go away tomorrow morning!!!

Lovely! I'm well and truly hooked!

#34: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 3:00 pm

It was 8.30 the next morning when Ed tapped on his parent’s-in-law front door and let himself in. ‘Hello!’ he called.
‘In here!’ came the response from the dining room, where the Gays were just finishing breakfast. As soon as Ed appeared in the room all eyes were fixed on him. Alice held out her arms and shrieked ‘Daddydaddydaddydaddy!’ until Ed picked her up and sat her on his lap. ‘Well?’ demanded Canon Gay, impatiently. Ed grinned, ‘Baby Elizabeth Joanna was born at 6.30 this morning, weighing 7lbs 4oz and letting the world know that she didn’t like it!’
‘And Tom?’
‘Bright as a button and twice as shiny. She’s asleep now, of course, but she looked exceptionally well, all things considered, when I left her,’
Canon and Mrs. Gay relaxed visibly at this news. Ed turned his attention to Alice, ‘Did you hear that, Alice? You’ve got a baby sister, Elizabeth and we’ll be going to see her later today,’
‘Wants Mummy,’ Alice pouted slightly.
‘We’ll be going to see Mummy later too. She’s in hospital still because she needs to rest, but she really wants to see you too and misses you lots. She sends a special kiss for her big girl,’
‘Don’t want baby Elibeth, wants Mummy now!’
Canon and Mrs. Gay looked slightly worried at these words, but Ed appeared unruffled by it all. He regarded Alice with interest and said, ‘Do you? That’s a shame because Mummy was hoping you’d take me shopping this morning, before we went to see her. Never mind, you can stay here with Granny and Grandpa while I go and I’ll come and pick you up before I go to the hospital,’
Alice let out a piercing squeal at these words and buried her face in her father’s chest, ‘Nononononono! Allie come too! Allie be good!’
‘Sure?’ asked Ed, ‘All right then. We’ll go and see what we can find. Have you finished your breakfast?’
Alice hadn’t, so Ed popped her back in the high chair and, in between eating his own breakfast, offered by Mrs. Gay, he pampered Alice by helping her with her food.
As previously arranged with Tom, Ed “just happened” to be passing a toy shop when he was in town with Alice. He stopped to look in the window, casually. Alice pressed her nose against the glass, just able to see over the windowsill. ‘You know something,’ Ed crouched down next to Alice, ‘I can hear a dolly in there and it’s calling ‘Alice, Alice, come and get me, Alice!’’ Alice stared at Ed, ‘Me?’ she asked.
‘Well, it must be. There aren’t any other Alices around, are there?’
Alice gazed around at the busy shoppers hurrying past and shook her head. ‘Come on then, lets go and find it,’ Ed got up and picked Alice up, carrying her into the shop. They came out a while later, Alice carrying a teddy bear that growled when you squeezed its middle. She had got rather excited when she’d discovered this, ‘Bear talks to Allie, Daddy!’ she’d screeched, bouncing up and down.
After taking Alice home for some lunch, Ed had taken her to the hospital, complete with ‘Bear’ – for some reason Alice refused to call it a teddy! Tom had just finished nursing Elizabeth and was looking for them as the visitors streamed into the ward. Seeing Alice trotting towards her she shifted the baby to one arm and held the other hand out to Alice. ‘Who’s this you’ve brought to see me?’ she asked, as Ed lifted Alice onto the bed next to Tom. ‘Bear,’ Alice held the toy out for Tom to inspect, ‘Bear talks,’ Alice took the teddy back and pushed its middle. Tom laughed when she heard the growl, ‘So he does. Do you want to see your baby sister? Here, sit up next to me,’ With one arm round Alice as she knelt up on the bed, Tom showed her the new baby sister. The two girls regarded one another for a few minutes before Alice pronounced judgement. ‘Not as nice as Bear,’ she remarked.
Tom and Ed both looked thankful. They’d been worried that Alice would be intensely jealous and refuse to acknowledge the baby. While neither of them expected her to accept it immediately, this was better than they had thought it was going to be.

#35: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 3:20 pm

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Lulie, I declare that you're getting sentimental in your old age.

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

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 3:39 pm

But its a lovely sentimentality... I feel a warm and fluffy moment coming on! Very Happy

#37: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 3:54 pm

Lovely! thank you Lulie!

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

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 5:18 pm

Lulie wrote:

‘Bright as a button and twice as shiny

I love that line!

Thanks Lulie, Alice is as lovely as ever, and bear makes a nice addition ~ oh and Elizabeth too!

#39: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:10 pm

Definately a warm and fluffy moment. And I understand Alice totally, after all, Bear talks and the new baby doesn't Very Happy

Thanks Lulie

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

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:37 pm

Awwww, how cute.

#41: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 8:54 pm

I want Alice!!!

She's absolutely gorgeous, Lulie, and I hope the new additions to the family fit in well!!

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

Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2004 11:08 pm

Wonderful Lulie!!!!

(Oh, and Honeycomb and Spike approve wholeheartedly of Alice's choice..... Wink

)

#43: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 4:05 pm

Wants Lulie to post some more, then remembers that she's meeting Catherine.

#44: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 9:17 pm

No more drabble today as I haven't got any that I'm satisfied with!!

Actually, I have a favour to ask of everybody that reads this. I'm having a bit of dilemma in that I'm at a certain point now and I know where I want to go, it's just the getting there.

What i'd like you to do, to help me is to:

a) Say what you think works in the drabble (the whole thing, not just recent stuff) and why

b) Say what you don't think works and why

Thank you in advance for your coperation and I'll go off and try to do a bit more.

#45: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 9:47 pm

*breaking the ice as Lulie's already heard my views*

Lulie, to be absolutely honest, I don't think I can think of anything that doesn't work in the drabble although I would like to see more of Tom's work with her boys.

I like what you've done with Tom - you've shown her gift with boys and combined it with a more feminine side. You've shown her as dependent as well as dependable, as a mother and a wife which is something I could never visualise her as prior to this.

I love the way you are showing us family life and revealing Tom's insecurities too. I also like the way she is so capable and the way you are showing how strong Tom and Bride's friendship still is. Perhaps Eve and Jonathan could feature again?

Alice is adorable, perfectly drawn - you couldn't have done any better.

Think this is a bit waffly but thought I'd start it off!!

#46: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Fri Jul 30, 2004 9:50 pm

I would have replied before but i couldn't think of anything that doesn't work!!! I also find it hard to pick things out that work better than anything else!!! I love the whole thing.

#47: Author: Guest,

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 11:12 am

Lulie, whilst we're not being particularly helpful here, I can't think of a single thing that doesnt work. I've loved every minute of it.

I would like to see more of Bride and co, as well as Jonathan and Eve again though.

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

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 11:14 am

Ok, er, that was me. Don't know what happened there but never mind.

And that extra bracket thing at the end is really annoying me and there's nothing I can do about it!! Agh!

#49: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 11:15 am

Laura wrote:

Ok, er, that was me. Don't know what happened there but never mind.

And that extra bracket thing at the end is really annoying me and there's nothing I can do about it!! Agh!

Fixed for you, Laura!

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

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 11:16 am

Thank you! *sighs with relief* Very Happy

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

Posted: Sat Jul 31, 2004 6:06 pm

Hello Lulie! Another not very helpful one here, but I also can't think of anything that doesn't work!

#52: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 10:28 pm

This bit is dedicated to Catherine, for helping me with where to go next. I hope it matches the rest of it!!!!

Whistling cheerfully Ed entered the house. He’d just dropped his daughters off for a Saturday with their Grandpa Kerr and had spent the journey home thinking up all sorts of ideas of how he and Tom could spend the day together. He found Tom at the dining room table, surrounded by screwed up pieces of paper, a pen in her mouth and a frown on her face. ‘What are you doing?’ he asked, in surprise, seeing all his plans going out of the window. Tom looked up, ‘Writing to Bride,’ she said, absently, reading the words on the sheet in front of her. Growling in frustration, Tom screwed up the paper and aimed it in the direction of the bin, following it with her pen.
‘Since when did writing to Bride put you in this kind of a state?’ Ed retrieved the pen and began to pick up the rubbish. Tom came to help him. ‘I got a letter from her this morning asking for advice and however I put it, it just doesn’t come out right,’ she explained, flinging the last ball of paper in the bin and sitting back on her heels. ‘Why she asked me, of all people, when she has a mother and two sisters to help is beyond me,’
‘Perhaps she feels more comfortable coming to you for help. Mothers and sisters don’t always give unbiased advice,’
‘Says he who is the expert!’ came the pert reply.
‘Sez you!’ Ed picked a ball of paper out of the bin and threw it at Tom, who obligingly tossed it back. Thus began a rather undignified scuffle, ending with the pair of them in a heap on the floor.
‘So what did Bride want advice about?’ Ed let Tom go and rolled over onto his stomach, propping his chin on his hands. Tom arranged herself more comfortably on her back and replied calmly, ‘Potty training!’
Ed looked rather startled, this being the last thing he’d expected. Tom grinned at his expression and hastened to explain. ‘They’d started to train Lindy and all was going well, but then the new baby was born and since then Lindy has been ever so jealous of Greg and has gone back over. Bride says that she’s always having accidents when she didn’t used to and Bride’s sure that most of them are on purpose, and with Greg being so frail most people pay her more attention than they do Lindy, which of course makes things worse. Bride seems to be doing her best to give Lindy equal attention, even extra attention when she can and Simon does when he’s there; but of course he’s up to the eyes in work at the moment! She seems to be at the end of her tether, poor thing,’
‘That sounds familiar,’ was Ed’s response.
Tom sat up, ‘Alice was never jealous of Ellie – at least not in the way Lindy seems to be. She may have protested in the same way when Ellie was born, but from what Bride says, Lindy tries to be as nasty as she can over Greg. Not that Bride and Simon stand for it, of course, but at that age you can’t express yourself as you’d like and it is a struggle to cope with two at the best of times. I know, I’ve been there,’
‘This is why Bride asked you for advice,’ said Ed, ‘She knows that you know what a struggle it can be with two small children,’
‘But it sounds worse for her. I have you to help me; Simon’s out at work all day and only sees them for a short time in the evening when he gets home. You and me share things more – at least we’re not quite as traditional, because we both work.’
‘That may be, but you still work less than I do,’ Ed pointed out, ‘I know you’ve increased your hours since Ellie started going to nursery in the mornings, but you’re still at home three afternoons and three evenings during the week, and all of the weekend,’
‘That’s all very well, but it doesn’t help me to help Bride,’ Tom ran her fingers through Ed’s hair, looking thoughtful. ‘We thought it was tough with Alice, but she sounds like a picnic compared to Lindy,’
‘Mmmm. Would it cheer Bride up if you told her it wasn’t as bad the second time round?’
‘No,’
Ed sighed and pulled his head away from Tom’s hand, ‘Come on then. I’ll help you and we’ll see if we can’t sort Bride out. What a shame we don’t live nearer, you could visit her more often then,’
‘I think that, with a tantrumy three year old and a sick baby the last thing Bride needs is visitors,’ remarked Tom, getting to her feet.
‘If you could get there and back in an afternoon is what I meant,’ replied Ed, following her example, ‘May I see her letter?’
Tom held it out, and while she was getting a fresh sheet of paper and making a beginning to the reply, he read it; no longer wondering why Tom had been frowning so when he’d first come in. Turning a chair round and sitting astride it, Ed watched as Tom scribbled a short update on her doings. Putting her pen down, Tom looked at Ed for inspiration.
‘Begin by telling her that you had similar problems with Alice – over the…er…potty training, that is.’
‘Yessir,’ replied Tom, meekly, though her eyes twinkled as she bent her head and began to write. With the initial input from Ed, Tom found it much easier to put down what she wanted to say in a way that, as she commented, didn’t sound like a baby manual! ‘There,’ she said, signing her name with a flourish. ‘Let’s hope that helps. Oh dear, poor Bride. She must be feeling so desperate,’
‘Let’s have a look,’ Ed held his hand out for the letter.
“Dear Bride,” Tom had written, “I’m sorry to hear that things aren’t so good with you. Alice seems to be enjoying school, and is doing well from what her teacher says. Ellie now goes to the nursery next door to the school every morning, and doesn’t even bother saying goodbye to me some mornings, she’s so eager to get indoors! Ed and I are both busy as usual, and everything is going well with the club. The new boys are settling in and producing some excellent stuff. That new man we got to teach them glass-blowing is really good with them and he makes it look so easy – I might even have a go myself one of these days! Anyway, back to your questions. Don’t worry too much about it all, it only makes it worse. I know you are probably thinking that it’s easy for me to say, I don’t have to live with it, but I went through similar problems with Alice. If she was as jealous of Ellie as Lindy seems to be with Greg, she didn’t show it in the tantrums and general unpleasantness that you have described, but her toilet training went all to pot, if you’ll excuse the pun. It wasn’t intended! Maybe you should try putting her back into nappies for a couple of weeks, until she settles a bit and gets used to Greg. Then you’ll only have her temper to worry about. Maybe that’s inherited? Remember the rages that Margot Maynard used to go into, and didn’t Sybil have something of a temper when she was a kid? I seem to remember your Auntie Madge saying something about it once. Luckily Alice is an incredibly placid child, though Ed says that Ellie’s had one or two spectacular tantrums. He just puts her into the middle of the room and lets her get on with it and she’s always very sorry when she’s calmed down. I’m glad that she hasn’t done that with me, I’m not sure I could be so tranquil about it, but my day will come no doubt. Perhaps you should try something similar with Lindy? Seeing you with a new baby she may be frightened that you don’t want her any more and that’s why she’s developed a temper? I know Alice was scared when she realised that Ellie wasn’t going to go away, but she just used to dissolve into tears, and somehow that was easier to cope with. But, looking at all this from a distance, I would shelve the potty training for a while and work on making Lindy comfortable with the new family situation and when that improves, work on the potty training again. I know there are kids at the nursery who aren’t fully trained yet – including my own Ellie. She seems a bit slower in that respect to Alice, but then she is another pair of shoes altogether.

Anyway, I really can’t think of anything else to advise you with. Let me know how you go on, won’t you? And if you want to really talk you’re always welcome to ‘phone for a chat, or if you need to get away and can dump the kids on somebody and, come and visit. You’re always welcome to visit, with or without children. Hope everything’s OK otherwise.

Much love,
Tom.”

‘Well?’ Tom looked anxiously at Ed as he read this missive.
‘I think you’ve said it very well,’ he said, ‘I couldn’t do any better, and it’s hard to advise when you’ve never been in a situation like that.’
Tom put the pages into an envelope and wrote Bride’s name and address on it. ‘It seems so unfair that horrible things have to happen to some people and I seem to go through life so easily. I’m still waiting for something terrible to happen to me. What are you laughing at?’
‘You! After some of the things you’ve been through in the past few years, and you’re waiting for something terrible! I’d love to know what your idea of terrible really is,’
Tom grinned, ‘I suppose. I didn’t really think about it at the time, I was too busy on getting through things and putting them behind me,’
‘And so will Bride be.’ Ed put his chair back in it’s proper place, ‘Now you stop worrying about other people for a change and get a stamp for that letter. We’ll post it when we’re out,’
‘Why, where are we going?’ Tom allowed Ed to help her to her feet.
‘I don’t know. We can find out when we get there!’ Ed surprised Tom by giving her a sudden affectionate squeeze, ‘Get your coat on, or the day will be gone. You are going to forget about being all grown up for a change!’

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

Posted: Sun Aug 01, 2004 11:16 pm

Thank you Lulie!!!

Poor Bride though!

#54: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 6:24 am

Thanks for that Lulie - feel sorry for Bride but Tom and Ed's advice sounds good!

#55: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 8:11 am

Poor Bride! I'm glad that Tom gave her such sensible advice.

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

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 10:45 am

I love the partnership of Tom and Ed, but feel so sorry for Bride, I hope the advice helped!

#57: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 11:23 am

Thank you, Lulie!

I'm honoured to have it dedicated to me - although, considering the content, what it says about me, I'm not very sure!!!

More please!! Very Happy

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

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 6:06 pm

Lulie - great story.

You asked for comments earlier. I think everything you've written is fine; no suggestions for omissions. Like someone else I did wonder about a bit more about the lads at the club and what they've done.

You've written some very moving words without being sentimental and somehow.

Great all round. I'm also glad to find a drabble that is pretty complete; only problem is I've stayed in the office an hour after finishing work to read it. Is that praise enough?

E

#59: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 8:24 pm

Ellen, that's good enough for me! I'm usually only to eager to leave when finishing time comes around!! Glad you're enjoying it, here's a bit more - with some more to follow...

‘You’re hiding something from me,’ said Tom, accusingly the next morning, as they were finishing breakfast.
Ed wiped jam from Ellie’s chin, ‘I can’t think what,’ he said, looking slightly too innocent. Tom piled the dirty dishes into a sinkful of hot soapy water and began washing them, ‘Well, you are all the same,’ she said, refusing to rise, in spite of Ed’s smirk, ‘and as I know you’re going to be all old-fashioned and masterful I am not even going to try and find out what it is,’
‘You do that then,’ Ed cleaned Alice’s face and dropped the cloth into the washing up water, giving Tom’s curls a playful tug as he walked off, ‘I’ll go and get these two little ladies ready for church while you stew!’
Tom watched him go, suspiciously, but had to smile when Ed turned in the doorway and winked at her. She shook her head, wondering what he was up to and preparing herself for anything. Ed, the previous day, had volunteered to cook the Sunday lunch, so after church he set to and began preparations. Tom took the girls out into the garden, as it was a warm day. They were quite happily playing, not taking any notice of the outside world until a car drew up and stopped outside their house. Tom glanced up, wondering who it was. Alice and Ellie were astounded when a pretty, suntanned lady leapt out of the car with a shriek of ‘Tom!’ and flew into the garden, flinging herself onto their mother. Tom wasn’t expecting the onslaught and her gasp of ‘Eve!’ turned into a yelp as the pair of them overbalanced backwards into the hedge! Jonathan, who had got out of the car in time to see all this, was unable to come to their rescue for laughing, and Ed; who had been keeping an ear open for the car, came out of the house just in time to see the pair pitch into the hedge. He retired to the kitchen once more, in fits of mirth. Tom and Eve, however, had kept their heads and were soon standing on their own feet once more. ‘When did you get back?’ demanded Tom, looking Eve up and down, ‘You’re looking great! Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?’
‘We did. At least Jonathan wrote to Ed ages ago…I take it Ed decided to keep the news to himself,’
‘Looks like it,’ Tom grinned, ‘He was in a mysterious mood this morning, this must have been why. Jonathan, come in and stop standing there looking like the proverbial lost soul!’
Jonathan, who was carrying a small boy about the same age as Ellie, grinned and came into the garden, putting the child down to hug Tom. ‘You haven’t changed a bit!’ was his comment, ‘Where’s Ed in all of this?’
‘The kitchen, I assume,’ Tom looked round for her daughters, who were hiding behind her, peering round her legs at the visitors. She drew then round in front of her and bent down to them, ‘Alice, Ellie, this is your Uncle Jonathan and Auntie Eve, just come home from Egypt. Go and say how do you do,’
Ellie, to whom shyness was a closed book, trotted forward to be kissed by Eve and petted by Jonathan. Alice looked at Tom with wide nervous eyes and clutched at her hand. Tom gently led her forward and she gravely shook hands with the newcomers. Overcoming her shyness as best as she could, she pointed to the little boy who was now investigating the daisies, ‘Who’s he?’ she asked.
‘This is Thomas, our little boy,’ said Eve, rescuing some daisies from Thomas’s mouth and picking him up, ‘Say hello to Auntie Tom, honey pie,’
Thomas stared at Tom from under long lashes and suddenly held out his arms to be cuddled. Tom took the boy, ‘Hello Thomas,’ she said.
‘Is he come to play with us?’ asked Alice, watching all this with curious eyes.
‘If you’ll let him, yes he wants to play,’ Thomas was struggling to get down, and when he found his feet on the floor, he trotted over to Alice, holding out a damp fistful of daisies to her. Alice took the flowers, then taking his hand in one of hers and Ellie’s in the other, she led them off to where the two girls had been playing minutes before. Eve watched them go, ‘Tom, what a lovely girl you’ve got,’
‘Who? Oh, Alice. She is rather, isn’t she? She could bring Ellie up better than I could, if I let her! She can quite funny with her sometimes,’ Tom led the way to the table and chairs that she and Ed had set out. Ed had come to join them at this point, bringing a tray of drinks with him and the four of them sat and brought each other up to date with what they’d been doing over the past five years. Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a scream that outdid that of a railway engine. Ed closed his eyes and took a deep breath, while Tom, Eve and Jonathan turned in alarm. Ellie had flung herself onto the floor and was screaming at the top of her lungs, while Alice was engaged in pulling a scared looking Thomas back towards his parents. Tom half got up, under the impression that Ellie was seriously hurt. ‘Leave her, Tom,’ said Ed, firmly, ‘She’s OK, that’s just temper,’
‘But she might hurt herself,’ Tom looked worried, and with good reason as Ellie was purple in the face.
‘No she won’t. She’ll calm down soon enough. Don’t even look at her, Tom, just ignore her completely. If she hasn’t stopped in ten minutes I’ll go and see what the matter is, OK?’
‘OK,’ Tom didn’t look too happy with this arrangement at all.
‘Ellie’s in a temper again, Daddy,’ Alice and Thomas had reached them by this point, Thomas looking rather frightened, ‘I said that Thomas had to have the big truck because he was only visiting and she wanted it for herself and so she screamed. I thought we ought to come to you, cos that’s what you did before,’
‘All right, Alice, it isn’t your fault. You were very generous. Stay here for a while and when Ellie’s calmed down you can go back and play. Why don’t you go and sit on Mummy’s knee?’
Alice did as she was told. Tom cuddled her; still feeling worried at the screams that were going on as loud as ever behind her, and embarrassed that it had to happen when they had friends over. Eve saw her face and leant forward, laying a hand on Tom’s arm, ‘Don’t look like that, Tom. There’s nothing you could have done to stop this. Thomas has tantrums like this occasionally too; you just have to sit them out. You certainly can’t reason with them when they’re like this and spanking them doesn’t work,’
Tom gave Eve a rather tense smile, grateful for her words but still wishing she could crawl under a stone and not come out again. Ellie’s screams soon died down and when a pathetic little voice cried ‘Mummy, Daddy,’ Tom had set Alice down and was out of her seat before anybody else could move. She carried the still crying child back to her seat and set to work to cuddle her better, ‘Now, you dry your tears and say you’re sorry to Alice and Thomas, and then after lunch you can play again,’ said Tom.
‘Don’t want to say sorry,’ hiccupped Ellie.
‘I know you don’t, but you must or they won’t want play with you any more and that won’t be nice, will it?’
‘No,’ Ellie looked at nobody in particular, ‘I’m sorry Alice and Thomas,’
‘There, that wasn’t so hard, was it?’ Tom shifted Ellie so she was more comfortable, ‘Now you just stay here until lunch is ready,’
At the mention of the word ‘lunch’ Ed gave a suppressed squawk and dashed into the kitchen. Alice giggled, ‘Daddy always burns things,’ she told Jonathan, solemnly, ‘It’s funny!’
Jonathan grinned, ‘Let’s hope he hasn’t completely burned everything,’ he replied, equally solemnly, ‘I’m hungry,’
Fortunately for Ed’s reputation, he managed to catch the meal just before it scorched, and everybody soon cleared his or her plate. After lunch Tom and Eve washed up, while Jonathan and Ed took the children back out into the garden.
‘I can’t believe you with two children!’ remarked Eve, halfway through a conversation about Eve’s time in Egypt. Tom followed her gaze out of the window, where they could see Ellie and Thomas tumbling about watched over by Alice. ‘Neither can I sometimes,’ she said, placidly, ‘But there you go. For some reason I seem to spend a lot of my life surprising people!’
Eve giggled, ‘I’ll say,’ She put a bundle of knives and forks on the table, ‘Are you going to have any more?’
‘I am not!’ replied Tom, emphatically, ‘Ed can do what he likes on the subject, but he’ll have to find a box to carry the baby in for nine months because I’m certainly not!’
Eve let out a peal of laughter at the mental picture that this created, ‘Have you told Ed this?’
‘Not quite so plainly, but he’s grasped the general idea. What about you? I can’t see you sticking with just one,’
‘We’re not,’ Eve suddenly looked self-conscious. Tom raised an eyebrow and Eve smiled and nodded. ‘Good for you,’ was Tom’s response.
‘Actually, I’d like four, but Jonathan isn’t sure,’
‘Pray for triplets, then he can’t complain!’
‘Tom, what a horrible thought! Still, it’s an idea,’
‘What’s an idea?’ Jonathan stuck his head round the door. ‘Are you almost finished? We’re going for a drive,’

‘How’s Bride?’ Eve was packing all Thomas’s necessaries back into their bag and the same time that Tom was doing the same for Ellie. ‘Not so good,’ replied Tom, ‘She’s got toddler problems,’
‘Oh, poor Bride!’ Eve looked sympathetic, ‘Maybe I’ll write. We wrote a few times when we were out in Egypt, but it wasn’t a regular thing. Is she alright otherwise?’
‘Oh, I think so, just worn down by everything,’ Tom picked Ellie up, straightening her clothes as she did so and began to make her way back to the rug where they’d left the others. As they approached, Eve laid a hand on Tom’s arm, ‘Look,’ she said, in a low voice. Sprawled on the picnic blanket, fast asleep, were Ed, Jonathan and Alice. ‘Oh, look!’ murmured Tom, ‘I so wish I had my camera with me!’
‘I do. Here, hold Thomas for a minute,’ Eve pulled her camera out of her handbag and crept stealthily closer to the sleepers. The tiny “click” of the camera disturbed Ed slightly, and Eve held her breath, but he merely turned over and settled down again. Creeping back to Tom, the two girls settled themselves at a safe distance, but so they’d be easily seen. ‘I thought I might pop into the club some time this week, if you’re going to be there,’ said Eve, sprawling out on the dry grass.
‘I’m there in the mornings and on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. Come any time you like. You’ll see some changes, I expect.’
‘Oh, like what?’
‘Come and you’ll find out!’
‘Tom Kerr, you’re doing this on purpose! Teasing me so I’ll have to come and find out what you mean!’
Tom simply smiled aggravatingly and turned her attention to Ellie, who was making noises as if she were about to scream.

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

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 8:33 pm

Excellent Lulie!!!

Love the sneaky photo taking!! Twisted Evil

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

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 8:36 pm

Lulie that was a magnificent post.Thank you!

Hadn't commented before on your request - cannot think of anything that has been badly done, love it all.Please keep going!

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

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 8:40 pm

Aww. Lulie I love this. It's all absolutely amazing. Thanks! Very Happy

#63: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 9:13 pm

Murky Buckets Lulie!!

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

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 9:34 pm

Lulie that was wonderful! And I like Ellie, she seems to be a real character!!

#65: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Mon Aug 02, 2004 9:56 pm

Ally wrote:

And I like Ellie, she seems to be a real character!!

What do you expect with a mother like Tom??????????

#66: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 3:41 pm

So is Alice. Yes, Lulie's right, with a mother like Tom, the children will need a lot of character to be able to hold their own.

#67: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2004 8:22 pm

And that will be very useful to them in the future!! Wink

Had another very interesting chat with Lulie today ............

Very Happy

#68: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:31 pm

Wonders why Catherine appears to be gloating?..... Razz

Eve stood outside the boys club, staring at the building. There was a large sign over the main door and the door and windowsills looked freshly painted. The windows were clean and there looked to be an extension of some kind on one side and at the back. The side extension looked to be fitted up like a shop front and it had its own door. Eve was just wondering which door to use when the shop door opened and Tom came out of it. ‘Are you going to stand out there all day, or are you coming in?’ she demanded, a grin softening her remarks. ‘I was just admiring what you’ve done with this place,’ replied Eve, with dignity, taking a final look round before following Tom into the shop. She stopped just inside the door, ‘Tom, this is amazing!’ she exclaimed, ‘You sell all this stuff?’
‘That’s the idea,’
‘Wow!’ Eve looked round at the shelves crowded with wooden toys, small household items, delicate glass, pottery, items for dolls houses and, standing on the floor; stools, occasional tables and single chairs. Unable to take it all in at once glance; Eve wandered round the little shop examining everything. Tom moved to the counter, where two of the boys, both of whom had known Eve when she was last in England, were taking their turn at serving. Both Adam and Tony had given Eve a startled glance, but kept quiet in response to a gesture from Tom. When Eve reached that part of the shop, she did a double take and – as she said later – seemed to be looking up an awfully long way! ‘Adam? Tony? What on earth happened to you two?’
The two boys grinned as Tom replied, serenely, ‘They’ve grown. A terribly annoying habit, I agree, but they will insist on doing it!’
Eve gave Tom a withering look, and asked the two boys how they were getting on, had they made anything to sell and other questions of the kind. Tom offered to take over Tony and Adam in the shop while they showed Eve round the various workshops. Eve was extremely impressed with the whole set up, and the range of things that the boys did. They were used to visitors and didn’t take too much notice of Eve, apart from those who recognised her, and they stopped to talk. Tom came and joined them after a while, having persuaded somebody to change their turn in the shop from the afternoon to the morning. ‘I think what you’ve done is incredible, Tom,’ said Eve, when she’d finished her tour, ‘All this from one little idea, and it’s all been you really. I know you’ve had help, but none of it would have happened if you hadn’t begun it. Look at all the things you’ve done, not just practical things either. Some of these kids wouldn’t have had a hope in hell of a decent job or anything if you hadn’t been you and helped them to develop as people as well.’
‘I couldn’t have done it without help,’ replied Tom, truthfully, ‘and it took me long enough to get that, at first. I had the idea when I was at school and got Dad to help me look into how practical it would be. Then the really hard part was getting other people to see my view,’
‘Isn’t it always,’ Eve grinned, ‘Still at least you got there in the end,’
After Eve had gone Tom thought about what she’d said. ‘I suppose she’s right,’ she admitted to herself, honestly, ‘How odd!’ A thought that had been crossing her mind, on and off, for the last five or six years rose up again. ‘Hmmm, I wonder,’ Tom shook herself mentally, ‘oh well, it will have to wait. There’s not much I can do about it now,’
And with which thought she went off about her lawful business.

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

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 12:55 pm

Great, but where are we going next with 'A thought that had been crossing her mind, on and off, for the last five or six years rose up again'?

I'm still looking forward to the next one.

Ellen[/quote]

#70: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 1:17 pm

Lulie this is the first time I've had to catch up in days.

As far as the drabble working is comcerned - it all works very well for me. You have rounded out and foleshed up the character of Tom. IT is wonderful to see her with Ed and the children, she is certainly full of surprises. Nice to see Eve and Jonathan again.

Now Tom has her family and has emphatically said 'No more' (unless a little afterthought comes along) could we maybe see more of the club and the boys? Has Tom changed towards then now she has 2 children of her own?

and the thought she's been thinking is?

#71: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 2:55 pm

‘Daddy! Daddy!’ Two frightened little voices reached Ed’s ears as he came in from work one evening. Wondering what on earth had happened and where Tom was, Ed took the stairs two at a time and climbed over the gate that they still kept at the top, even though Ellie was four and Alice six, and both able to manage stairs safely. ‘What’s the matter?’ he asked, gathering the pair into his arms, ‘Where’s Mummy?’
‘In there,’ Alice indicated the bedroom, her lips trembling now that Daddy had come home and she didn’t have to worry any more. ‘Grandma came round and her and Mummy were just talking and then they both got upset and Grandma went home and Mummy brought us up here and went into her bedroom and shut the door and I think Mummy’s been crying but we couldn’t go in cos I can’t reach the door handle and…’ Alice stopped due to sheer lack of breath and turned tear-filled grey eyes onto her father. Ed tore worried eyes away from the bedroom door and onto his eldest daughter. Seeing she was on the verge of tears, and Ellie wasn’t much better, though she understood less of what was going on, it was his first duty to calm them. Picking them both up Ed took them into their bedroom and sat them both on his knee, once he’d established himself on Alice’s bed. Both girls were crying by this time, and it took Ed a long time to soothe them but eventually they lay cuddled against him, quiet. ‘Will Mummy be alright?’ asked Alice, brokenly.
‘I don’t know, sweetheart. What’s the matter with her, do you know?’
Alice shook her head, ‘I wasn’t listening; we were too busy playing with the doll’s house. We decided it needed rearranging,’
‘Daddy, I don’t want Mummy to cry,’ Ellie spoke for the first time.
‘I know, honey, I don’t either,’ Ed kissed her flushed cheek, ‘but I couldn’t leave you when you were crying, could I?’
‘No,’ Ellie shook her head, vigorously.
‘Go and see if Mummy’s alright,’ urged Alice, ‘we’ll play in here, won’t we Ellie?’
‘We’ll be good,’ agreed Ellie, her fright over she slid down from Ed’s knee and went to pick up Bear, who was sitting on Alice’s bed. Rather reluctantly Ed put Alice down. He dreaded going into the next room and finding out what had made Tom behave so out of character. He was thinking hard while he made sure his daughters were safe. He stopped outside the bedroom door, a thought striking him. ‘Oh, but it couldn’t be,’ he thought, ‘She always said she wouldn’t, that it didn’t matter now. I do hope she hasn’t changed her mind.’
Ed stayed where he was, one hand on the door handle which was higher than most door handles, but this was an old house and they were all like that. There was no sound coming from the other side of the door and Ed began to feel slightly unnerved himself. Taking a deep breath he pushed down on the handle and went into the room.

Razz

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

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 3:06 pm

Lulie you can't leave it there!!! Whats happening?????

#73: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 3:09 pm

Lulie!!! Stop taking lessons from Lesley and post some more!!!

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

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 3:17 pm

Stop tormenting us, and come back and post!

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

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 3:29 pm

eeeek!!!

Wibble!!!

LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUULIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE?????

#76: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 5:33 pm

Perfect!

#77: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 7:16 pm

Very sneaky, Lulie!! I do like the way you're dropping hints but giving nothing away!!

It must be an awful shock to Tom, no wonder she was upset ...

*could get used to this gloating lark*

Very Happy

#78: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 7:20 pm

Catherine, you do want picking up at the station on Friday, don't you? Twisted Evil

#79: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 7:28 pm

Lulie, another cliff?

#80: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:42 pm

Pat wrote:

Catherine, you do want picking up at the station on Friday, don't you? Twisted Evil

I do indeed, Auntie Pat. Thank you very much.

Poor Tom ..... Wink

#81: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:51 pm

May I suggest you stop gloating then? Just a little suggestion and very easy to follow!!!!

#82: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 8:57 pm

Is it? I had no idea! Wink

You would do the same if you had the chance - as you very well know!!! Twisted Evil

Besides - I have full permission from the drabbler to go ahead and gloat to my heart's content! Very Happy

#83: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:00 pm

Enjoy it Catherine! Laughing

#84: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:11 pm

Are Lesley and Catherine the only ones enjoying my beautifully decorated cliff? After I made so much effort to ensure there's enough sofa and wine and nibbles for you all Rolling Eyes

*pushes wine and nibbles over to L and C*
*apologises to Auntie Pat. I don't agree with drinking and driving Twisted Evil

#85: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:20 pm

*accepts gratefully*

*sits back and relaxes on sofa*

#86: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:23 pm

The pair of you are asking to be left behind in Doncaster!!!!!
I'm not driving tonight and have had a nice glass of cider thank you.I

#87: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:33 pm

But Pat, you're far too nice to do that - and think of all the people who would be deprived of our excellent company if you did that!! Wink

It's not our fault we know what's going to happen and you don't!!!

#88: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:37 pm

*Hands Catherine a spare wooden spoon for better stirring! Wink

#89: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:45 pm

I'm honoured, Lesley!! Very Happy

#90: Author: Pat, Location: Doncaster

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:48 pm

You must have a vast collection of those spoons Lesley!!! Wink

#91: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 9:49 pm

All shapes and sizes, Pat! Wink

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

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:05 pm

Pat wrote:

The pair of you are asking to be left behind in Doncaster!!!!!
I'm not driving tonight and have had a nice glass of cider thank you.I

No, no, Pat!!! It would be FAR more fun if you stopped at the services on the way and left them there.......... Twisted Evil

#93: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:08 pm

Funny how wrong you can be about some people ...

ETA: If you lot want her to resolve her nice little cliff, don't you think you'd better start being nice to her? (and me!!!)

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

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:11 pm

BLACKMAIL????????

I am shocked at you Catherine!!!!!

#95: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:13 pm

Who said anything about blackmail?

I just happen to know Lulie and I thought I'd be nice and point out what you need to do to make her post more!!!

*very, very hurt* Crying or Very sad

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

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:15 pm

Catherine, my precious, I don't think you're fooling anyone...... Wink

#97: Author: Desmond, Location: The sofa

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:18 pm

Now now, ladies, play nicely. If my Dmitri spoke to his friends the way you are I'd spank him hard! Mummy is busy trying to finish the next bit, but can't because of laughing at your yibbling.

*whispers* she's rather fond of Smirnoff Black Ice and salt and vinegar pringles.

*shakes head at the way humans respond to those who try and give them advice*

*hands Catherine a tissue*

#98: Author: Honeycomb, Location: On the bed

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:22 pm

Oooh!!! Hiya Desmond!! Haven't seen you for ages!!!!

How have you been? Are you coming to this summer gathering thing they keep on about???

#99: Author: Desmond, Location: The sofa

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:26 pm

Honeycomb, how's it going? I shall be there, me and Desdemona. I'm trying to persuade Huddersfield Bear to look after Dmitri for the weekend (honey bribes work quite well!). I hope you and Spike are going too?

I'm so excited, we're going in Auntie Pat's car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#100: Author: Wrinkles, Location: My Bedroom

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:32 pm

Hiya Desmond and Honeycomb!!

It's so long since we've all talked!!

I'm so excited about this gathering thing!! Mrs Wrinkles is too!! It's almost as exciting as last Friday when we met Desmond!! It'll be fun riding in Auntie Pat's car!!!

#101: Author: Honeycomb, Location: On the bed

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:32 pm

Yep! I'm coming! And so is Spike, and his girlfriend Tiggy!! (as long as they behave and don't try and get in the cake mix tomorrow while Vikki is cooking!!!)

#102: Author: Wrinkles, Location: My Bedroom

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:34 pm

Hey Honeycomb - I heard about that night you and Spike sneaked out and got drunk!! It sounded so much fun - pity you got caught sneaking back in!!

#103: Author: Desmond, Location: The sofa

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:35 pm

*jumps for joy*

We can have our own mini-gathering in the corner. I don't think we ought to go outdoors though, I've heard vicious rumours about water fights.....

ETA: That's the problem with sneaking out. The sneaking back in.........

#104: Author: Honeycomb, Location: On the bed

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:36 pm

Wrinkles!!!!! Did you have to blurt that out to everyone???????

And Desmond, I heard the water fight rumours too! I shall be bringing my raincoat and sou wester.....

#105: Author: Desmond, Location: The sofa

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:38 pm

Honeycomb wrote:

And Desmond, I heard the water fight rumours too! I shall be bringing my raincoat and sou wester.....

I don't have one. I only have my lovely jumper that Mummy bought for me yesterday

#106: Author: Honeycomb, Location: On the bed

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:42 pm

Won't you get all hot and sweaty wearing a jumper in this weather???

#107: Author: Desmond, Location: The sofa

Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2004 10:46 pm

I don't sweat. I'm from Africa and I often find it cold in England, even in the summer.

#108: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:09 am

I hope all you lovely furry creatures are enjoying the thread that you have...er...hijacked!!! See you tomorrow xxxxx

Tom was lying on her side on the bed, her pillow clutched in her arms. If it weren’t for the tension in her body and the occasional tear that trickled from wide-open eyes, Ed would have thought her dead. She made no response to his entrance and it was with increasing nervousness he bent down and took one of her icy cold hands in his own warm ones. ‘Tom?’ he said, in low tones, ‘Come on, my darling, tell me what the matter is,’
Tom lifted her eyes to his and Ed got a shock. Usually so expressive they were like cold dead stone. Before he could say or do anything further Tom’s body heaved and Ed got out of the way just in time as she was sick all over the floor. Again and again she retched, almost as if she were doing it on purpose, as if there were something inside of her that she was trying to get out. Eventually, just as Ed was getting really concerned, she stopped and flung her pillow down on top of the mess. Turning away, Tom curled herself into a ball, shivering violently. Ed walked round to the other side of the bed, wrapped Tom in what he could of the duvet and held her close, secretly scared at the whole situation. When Tom’s face and hands felt a bit warmer and the shivering had subsided Ed tried again. ‘Tell me what’s happened, my love. Please?’ Tom made a strange choking, retching noise and Ed looked at her in alarm, thinking she was going to be sick again. It was only on seeing her face that he realised that she was trying to speak and couldn’t get the words out. Ed shifted Tom’s position and lay himself down on the bed, practically wrapping himself around her so she’d feel warm and safe. Tom clung to him for what seemed like hours, but was really only a few minutes, before she made the effort to speak again. Her voice came out rough and sounding as if she hadn’t used it for a long time. ‘I’ve done the most terrible thing,’
‘Can you tell me?’
‘I – I don’t know why I started to think about it, but I did when Alice was born,’ began Tom, rather confusedly, ‘and I always vowed that there was no point in going into it, that I was fine as I was and what if I didn’t like the answer, but I couldn’t help myself and I did it and I wish I hadn’t!’
‘What have you done?’
‘I…I asked Mum why they’d brought me up as a…as they did,’ Tom shuddered violently as she spoke, ‘and she…when I was born they didn’t want me, they wanted a boy and because Dad was ill he looked after me while Mum did his work and she didn’t object when he pretended I was a boy and not a girl. Oh Ed, my parents didn’t want me!’ Tom buried her face in Ed’s shirt and her next words were so muffled that Ed couldn’t make them out at all. He was at a loss; he’d never seen Tom like this before and he didn’t know how to cope with it. All he could do was hold her. He couldn’t even think of anything to say that wouldn’t sound trite. Eventually he asked the question that was uppermost in his mind. ‘But why did you want to know in the first place?’
‘I…I…it just seems an odd thing to do. It didn’t when I was a kid, and I only had spasms of wishing I’d been a proper girl when I first went to the Chalet, but that’s only cos I really didn’t fit in and it took me ages to settle down…oh, I don’t know. It was really since having Alice and then Ellie and bringing them up that it struck me as peculiar, and I did think about…oh God, I think I’m going to be sick,’
‘No you’re not,’ replied Ed, firmly, mainly because he didn’t want her to throw up all over his front. Tom lay quietly for a few minutes until her stomach had stopped churning quite so fiercely. ‘Am I making any sense to you?’ she asked, presently.
‘Not really,’ Ed could never be anything but honest, ‘Why don’t you skip to this afternoon and tell me what your mother said?’
Tom took a deep shaky breath. She had known that Ed would ask her this and she didn’t really want to tell him at the present time, but neither did she want him to leave the room just now. Seeing no way out of it she tried to sort her muddled thoughts out and tell him as best as she could.
‘I’d been thinking about it for the past few days and when Mum came over this afternoon it just kind of came out. I asked her, probably very tactlessly, why her and Dad had brought me up as a boy when I was obviously a girl. I mean they’d even given me a very soppy girly name!’
‘Go on,’ prompted Ed, when Tom stopped.
‘She said…she…my own mother said that I was a disappointment to them.’ For one awful minute Ed thought Tom was going to start crying, but she got hold of herself, ‘They always wanted a boy but Mum was old for a first child, and so they hoped that they could have more, more boys that is, only it never happened. Then Dad had the most awful accident, he fell down some stairs and did something to his back. Obviously he couldn’t work and so Mum took over his duties and he looked after me. I suppose I must have been a bit of a tomboy to start with. I don’t ever remember having dolls or anything, like our girls do, and I must have been at least five or six when Dad was first laid up. I can remember it happening, vaguely. Anyway, he started me off on lessons, and concentrated more on things like maths and Latin and Greek. I didn’t know very much in the way of history and geography and things like that until I went to school, and as for stuff like cooking and cleaning and sewing, I’d heard of them and that was about it! I must have been a nightmare for the mistresses when I first went to school. I suppose he taught me what he knew. But, you see, Mum felt really bad about not giving him a boy, she felt it was somehow her fault, and she let him have his own way about my education and upbringing, even though she didn’t really agree with all his methods, and well, I’m the result.’
‘So how on earth did you end up at a girl’s boarding school?’
‘That was my Aunt Mary. She came to see us and was horrified at me, and insisted that I go to a girl’s school so I could be turned back into a girl. It didn’t quite work though, did it?’
‘Ahem,’ said Ed, rather pointedly ‘This is me you’re talking to. I happen to be married to you, and I wouldn’t have done that if I’d wanted to marry a boy, would I? Aunt Mary can take a long walk off a short pier if she thinks you’re still boyish, you’re certainly feminine enough for me, thank you very much,’
Tom gave a weak chuckle at this, ‘Oh you! Nobody can feel sorry for themselves when you’re about,’
‘That’s the general idea,’
‘Ed?’
‘What is it, darling?’
‘What am I going to do?’
‘You could try talking to your mother,’
Tom clutched at Ed’s shirt, almost strangling him in the process, ‘I can’t do that! She’s convinced that I hate her and am never going to speak to her again,’
‘Carry on like that and you won’t speak to her again, and how will that make you feel?’
‘Pretty rotten,’
‘There you go then. Go and see her in the morning, I’ll cover for you at work. Leave it for tonight, she’s probably feeling as bad as you are. Now, if I were you I’d go and see Alice and Ellie, they got a bit of a fright. Then you can have a nice bath and go to bed.’
‘I don’t want to go to bed!’
‘Well at least go and wash your face then!’
Reluctantly but obediently Tom went off, first to the bathroom, then to Alice’s bedroom. While she was occupied Ed ran downstairs and fetched cloths and buckets of water and cleaned the floor.
Tom was very quiet all that evening while they were putting Alice and Ellie to bed and she hardly touched her dinner. Ed knew there was no point in trying to make her talk any more, though he desperately wished he could find the right thing to say. Tom, glancing at him on and off throughout the evening, knew what he was thinking. She didn’t want to talk about it any more though. In spite of Ed’s words she still felt upset and angry with her parents and she wasn’t quite ready to go and talk to them yet.

#109: Author: Caroline OSullivan, Location: Reading, Berkshire, UK

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:14 am

Poor Tom. I'm glad Ed is looking after her so well.

*reaches for the tissue box*

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

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 10:11 am

Poor Tom, I do hope her and her mother can talk it through to save more heartache. As for Ed, he's sooo wonderful! Very Happy

#111: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 1:03 pm

Thank you, Lulie. Very Happy

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

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 2:53 pm

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawww!!!
poor Tom!!!!!!!!!! bawling

#113: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 3:14 pm

Poor Tom, poor Ed, poor Alice and Ellie. Hope it all gets sorted out soon.

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

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 3:27 pm

Aww. Poor them!

However I accidentally read the first line of the p36 posts before reading the p34 post after realising i'd missed a bit... and I was SO worried they'd had arson again! *phew*

#115: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:24 pm

This is the last post until after the SG, so make the most of it!

Tom insisted on going to work the next morning, though Ed begged her not to. She obviously hadn’t slept all night and looked dreadful. ‘I’ve got to go, Ed,’ she said, ‘I’ll go mad if I don’t do something,’
Ed was too tired to argue. He’d not slept very well either and the last thing he wanted to do was to argue with Tom over nothing. So he went off to work early, Tom having volunteered to take her turn at dropping Alice and Ellie off at school and nursery. Everybody at the club knew that something was up, and nobody dared ask what it was. It made for a not very nice day, as everybody ended up being subdued. Early in the afternoon Tom came to find Ed, who was in the office. ‘Pick the kids up for me, will you?’ she not so much asked as demanded, ‘I’ve got to go somewhere,’
‘Of course. Where are you…’ Ed realised he was talking to empty air and, resisting the urge to throw his pen across the room, tried to concentrate once more on what he was doing. It wasn’t a very successful attempt and Ed was glad when it came to three ‘o’ clock and he had to go, to reach the school by half past. He went to find Billy to tell him he was leaving. ‘Look,’ said Billy, ‘I don’t mean to pry, but is everything alright?’
‘I’m just tired,’ replied Ed, ‘Tom’s had some bad news though, and she’s a bit distracted at the moment,’
‘I’m sorry to hear that. Tom doesn’t have to come in if she doesn’t want to, we’ll manage,’
‘I’ve tried telling her, but she won’t listen,’
‘Oh, well, if there’s anything else I can do you know where I am,’
‘Thanks Billy. I’ll see you tomorrow, OK?’
Alice and Ellie were surprised but pleased when they saw their father had come for them, and they ran to where he was waiting, looking a little out of place amongst all the mothers. ‘Where’s Mummy? Is she being sick again?’ asked Ellie, as they walked the short distance home.
‘No, she had to go somewhere,’ replied Ed.
‘Somebody hasn’t died, have they?’ asked Alice, balancing on the kerb as she walked. Ed looked down at her in surprise, ‘No. What made you ask that?’
‘Susan Hopkins’s Grandpa died last week and her mummy cried and cried and was poorly for two days in bed,’ replied Alice, ‘I just wondered, cos Mummy was sick yesterday,’
‘Oh, I see. No, nobody’s died, as far as I know. Mummy was just sick, that’s all. Her tummy was poorly,’
‘Will she be at home when we get home?’
‘No I don’t think so. I’m not sure what time she’ll be home, she didn’t say. Ellie, don’t walk in the road, please. I don’t want to have to carry you home in a jam pot!’
Ellie giggled as she skipped onto the pavement. Alice gave her a very elder-sisterly look and lapsed into silence. She was a bright child and knew that something wasn’t quite right, but was too young to realise what it was. Ed knew that not much escaped the notice of his oldest daughter and hoped she wouldn’t ask any awkward questions. As he’d surmised Tom wasn’t at home when they arrived. Ed gave the girls some milk and biscuits and sent them out into the garden. He wanted some time alone to think. He hadn’t been alone for long when there was a furtive tap on the back door and Canon Gay came through it. Ed looked startled, this being the last person he’d expected to see. ‘Sorry to burst in on you like this,’ said the Canon, ‘but I thought you’d like to know that Tom’s with us. She’s closeted in the drawing room with Lilian and I haven’t the faintest idea when she arrived. They were there when I got home about forty minutes ago and from the look of them both, they’d been there a fair while,’
‘Tom left me about one thirty,’ said Ed, ‘I don’t know if she went somewhere else first,’
‘Possibly not, judging by their looks,’ replied the Canon. He looked rather drawn himself and Ed was privately shocked at how old he suddenly looked. Rising to his feet he indicated the doorway leading into the house, ‘Come through,’ he said, hospitably, ‘Would you like a drink?’
‘Some tea would be lovely, thank you,’
Ed stayed in the kitchen while the Canon went through to the living room. When Ed joined him, with a tea tray, he also had a glass with a rather large measure of whisky in it. ‘Drink this,’ he commanded, holding the glass out to his father-in-law. Canon Gay took the glass and swallowed its contents in one gulp, ‘Thank you,’ he said, replacing the glass on the tray, ‘How…how was Tom yesterday?’
Ed hesitated, not wanting to lie, but not knowing how to tell the truth without hurting the Canon’s feelings more than they were already. He poured the tea to give himself more time. Canon Gay took the cup that was held out to him, ‘Tell me truthfully, Ed. I know it’s not going to sound pleasant, however you put it. Please, I need to know,’
Sighing, Ed told the Canon of events the evening before. ‘To be honest,’ he concluded, ‘She was so mixed-up that I don’t think she quite knew how to react. It was all instinct.’
‘I don’t regret the way I brought Tom up,’ said the Canon, steadily, though his cup rattled slightly in its saucer, ‘I’m very proud of her and I wouldn’t have her any other way. I just wish that the facts didn’t sound quite so hurtful when said out loud. She is right, I always did want a boy and I was disappointed when she turned out to be a girl. I’ve never had much experience of little girls you see, but when she grew a little and started to develop her personality, she was delightful, and she was always a bit of a tomboy anyway. When I had a bad accident and couldn’t work, it was the obvious solution that Lilian take over the parish duties and I take over looking after Tom. We didn’t have a curate then, there weren’t any to be had, and somebody had to do the work and it did save getting a locum in, especially as we didn’t know how long I’d be unable to work. I didn’t know how to deal with girls, and she was getting to the age when she was starting to read and so I taught her what I knew best and she seemed to thrive on it. Lilian never said anything about it and just went along with everything, so I had no idea that she wasn’t in total agreement. By the time I was well enough to work again Tom was…well, just Tom and it seemed to be silly to change things at that late date. We only realised just how much of a boy she was when Lilian’s sister came to visit us and didn’t give us any peace until we sent Tom to a girl’s school.’
‘What about her name?’
‘That started as a nickname, years before my accident and it just stuck until she wouldn’t answer to anything else. I stopped being disappointed in Tom being a girl not long after she was born, after all she was our child and I loved her regardless. Yes, having a boy would have been wonderful, but it just didn’t happen. If anybody had asked me to swap Tom for a son, I wouldn’t you know,’
‘Have you told Tom all this?’
‘No, she wouldn’t listen when I tried to telephone her yesterday and today I was not exactly welcomed at home,’
‘Hmmm,’ Ed thought quickly, ‘Wait there a minute. I won’t be long,’
Leaving a rather astonished Canon, Ed went racing next door and had a quick word with his neighbour. Then he dashed back to the garden and said, cheerily, ‘Who wants to go and play with Deborah and Anne, and have tea with them?’
Alice and Ellie came dashing across to him, excitedly. ‘Can we? Will Auntie Kay let us? When are we going? Now?’
‘Yes, now. I have to go and help Grandpa with something, and I may not be back for tea. Come on then, is there anything you want to take with you?’
After depositing the two girls with ‘Auntie Kay’, Ed took the Canon home in his car, as the Canon had taken the bus to get to his house. Once there he beckoned him to the drawing room and knocked on the door, not waiting for a response before opening it. Tom and Mrs. Gay both looked as if they’d been crying, but they stared at Ed in amazement as he escorted the Canon into the room. ‘I’ll be in the garden if you need me,’ he said, and closed the door leaving the three of them to sort things out between them.

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

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:35 pm

Good for Ed!

Thanks Lulie!

#117: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:37 pm

Aw!! Ed is just wonderful!!

I do feel sorry for Canon Gay, he was only doing what he thought was right and now he obviously feels he's to blame in some way.

Thanks, Lulie!! Very Happy

#118: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:48 pm

Should a real-life Ed appear as if by magic I would just like to point out that he is MINE MINE MINE.

MINE I tell you, and I'll kick butt if anybody tries to entice him away. MINE I say. MINE!

Did I mention that he is MINE?

So hands off, ladies (and gents if there are any out there), he's MINE!!!!!!!!!

Twisted Evil

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

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:51 pm

*liking Ed even more!*

I feel sorry for Canon Gay, I just hope he can express himself properly to Tom

Yes Lulie, whatever you say dear Rolling Eyes

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

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:05 pm

Lulie wrote:

Does anyone else get the feeling that maybe Lulie is trying to tell us something? Rolling Eyes

#121: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:29 pm

Like she's desperately seeking Ed, for instance?!!!

#122: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 8:42 am

Aww Lulie Ed is a real SLOC isn't he?

BTW Sorry to disappoint you but if he turns up this weekend he is mine actually as a compensation for not being able to go to SG.

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

Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 8:55 am

Poor Tom!

#124: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 9:22 am

Sue and redirects any potential Eds to Fenny Compton and ME.

#125: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 10:52 am

Lulie just think how many people you'd have to fight off if he did turn up this weekend. I really think it would be better if I keep him safe.

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

Posted: Fri Aug 06, 2004 11:30 am

*giggles*

Now play nicely girls!!!

Lulie!!!! Stop poking Sue with your umbrella, or you will go to Miss Annersley's study!!!!

#127: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Sat Aug 07, 2004 5:14 pm

Lulie,

What can I say - I've spent a good proportion of this afternoon catching up on, well, I don't know how many pages but it was lots, and I can't think of a better way of spending a hot Saturday afternoon than alternating a sunny garden and this drabble.
Going back to your earlier question, I can't think of anything that doesn't work either, maybe the getting lost on the moor part which you wrote ages ago seems a little bit like a totally seperate story, but that could be because I started at the fire.
What does work? Er, all of it. I love the way you're developing Tom's life through the years - it's consistently excellent all the way through.
I'm very much hoping the SG will soon be over so that you can post more.

#128: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:14 pm

Obviously I am back from the SG, but this makes it more official! I did lots of plotting on the train (I had a long wait at Darlington) so I hope you enjoy the results as they come.

Ed was deep in thought; looking over the garden wall without seeing much of what was on the other side, when arms went round him from behind and Tom murmured ‘What did I do to deserve you?’
Ed entwined his fingers in Tom’s, ‘Everything OK?’
‘OK-er than it was, thanks to you,’
Ed turned round and held Tom close, ‘I did nothing that you wouldn’t have done yourself. I just pushed you into it, because I could see you were going to be all stubborn and leave things until it was too late!’
‘I ought to treat that as an insult, Edward Kerr, but I shan’t!’
‘Glad to hear it, Lucinda Kerr. Ouch, that hurt!’
‘It was supposed to!’
‘Oh, all right, truce?’ Ed laughed and caught Tom’s hand before she could inflict further damage to his person.
‘If you insist,’ Tom grinned up at Ed, knowing that he disliked being called by his full name. Ed narrowed his eyes in response, an effect that had no impression on Tom whatsoever.

Her grin faded and she looked anxious for a moment, ‘Seriously, I came out to say that Mum and Dad want us to stay and have an early dinner with them. What have you done with Ellie and Alice?’
‘I left them with Kay, she offered to keep them as long as we needed her to, so really it’s up to you if you want to stay,’
Tom hugged Ed tightly, ‘I’d like to stay, but I don’t feel I can. I think I just want to go home and do normal things like putting the kids to bed and being with you, and sort things out in my head. Perhaps we could come over tomorrow or later in the week, if we can find somebody to look after the kids?’
‘OK by me,’ Ed kissed Tom’s upturned face, ‘You go and tell them and I’ll follow,’
Though he wouldn’t have said anything, Ed was really glad that Tom didn’t want to stay that evening. It had been all a bit of a strain and he wasn’t sure how long he could keep up the front. ‘And if I feel like that,’ he thought, as he waited in the car, ‘what on earth must Tom be feeling like?’
It wasn’t until much later in the evening that Tom’s façade dropped. Alice and Ellie had gone to bed, and were supposedly asleep, Tom and Ed had made some pretence at eating a decent evening meal and everything was cleared away and things prepared for the next morning. During this time Tom had appeared to be her normal self, if a little quieter than usual, though Ed wasn’t fooled, a fact he kept to himself. Sitting relaxing in a chair, he was surprised, though not displeased, when Tom came and sat on his lap and buried her face in his neck.
‘Want to talk?’ he asked. Tom shook her head and snuggled closer into his arms. They sat there in silence for so long that it was only when Ed felt his own eyes closing that he realised that Tom had fallen asleep. Moving carefully so he didn’t wake her, he managed to stand, still holding her in his arms. It was then easy work to carry her up the stairs and lay her on the bed. Tom didn’t even stir when Ed undressed her and tucked her in, before going to make sure the house was secure for the night and taking himself off to bed too.

Tom looked much better the next morning and appeared to be back to normal. ‘It’s about time we started to think about the dolls house for this year’s Sale,’ she remarked at breakfast time.
Ed looked startled, ‘Is it that time of year already?’
‘Well, it is a little early, but there’s no harm in being organised for once. I’m going to call a meeting of everybody for Saturday morning, to ask for volunteers to help. I have Plans,’
‘Why don’t I like the sound of that?’ Ed eyed Tom’s serene expression with suspicion.
‘There’s no need for you to worry,’ replied Tom, ‘the kids maybe, but you’re quite safe!’
‘Hmmm,’ Ed buttered his fifth piece of toast and ate it thoughtfully, ‘I take it you have an idea this year?’
‘I do, but don’t think you can get it out of me before Saturday, for I simply won’t tell you!’
‘How did I know you were going to say that? All right, I won’t ask but I shall be there on Saturday, by hook or by crook!’
‘I wouldn’t expect you to be anywhere else,’ replied Tom, ‘Are you finished, girls? Go and wash your hands and faces then, quickly, or you’ll be late for school,’
True to his promise, Ed didn’t ask further questions of Tom about her plans for the dolls house. Indeed the rest of the week was so busy that he forgot about it until Saturday morning. Tom had called the meeting for ten ‘o’ clock, though everybody was there a good fifteen minutes beforehand. Alice and Ellie had had to come, as there was nobody to look after them. They were quite happy with this state of affairs. Trips to the boys club were few and far between now that they were both at school and they loved to go and play with all the exciting things that were there, as well as being well and truly spoilt by all the members; even those boys who were at the age of being dismissive of the opposite sex. There was now so many people involved with the club that they had to hold the meeting in the main hall, it being the only place big enough to fit them all in at once. ‘I wanted you all here to discuss what form this year’s dolls house was going to be,’ said Tom, her clear voice reaching to every corner of the room. ‘I thought that this year it was about time I took a back seat, so it will be your responsibility to decide everything for yourselves, as well as making the thing entirely on your own,’ She paused as a gasp and a murmur went round the crowd, ‘Of course I’ll be on hand for help, as will Ed, Billy, Carl, Drew and Paul,’ she added, noting one or two aghast expressions on the faces of the younger ones, ‘but there are enough of you with plenty of experience to mean that we may not need to help you all that much. As there are so many of you I have appointed a committee to oversee everything and to be the final vote on any decisions. This committee consists of Adam, James, Tony, Gerry and Brian; all of whom were chosen simply because they have been here the longest. I hope you will support them and not cause them any trouble, because I shall certainly hear of it if you do, and deal with it as necessary. Now, I suggest that you take a little time to think of any ideas and make a note of them. We will be about if you need us,’
Tom, accompanied by the other five adults, left the hall and as Carl closed the door, a buzz of chatter broke out. ‘I hope this works,’ said Billy, as they went into the kitchen, where Tom began to make coffee for them all. ‘Oh, it will,’ replied Tom, airily. ‘At school we used to practically organise the whole Sale ourselves, with very little input from the staff. If we could do that, then they can more or less make a dolls house by themselves. It’ll do them good to have a bit of organising experience; the older ones anyway,’
‘Did you ask before you appointed your committee?’ asked Ed, curiously.
‘Of course I did. They were a bit taken aback, but none of them needed any persuading. I wouldn’t have picked them if I didn’t think they could do it,’

Meanwhile, back in the hall the boys had broken up into little groups and were discussing the unexpected news and ideas for the house. The ‘committee’, looking very serious at their new role, were looking over a list that Tom had provided of all the different dolls houses that had been made over the years. ‘Is that list in order of date, or just any old how?’ asked Brian, as Adam read it out. Adam looked blank, ‘I don’t know. Why?’
‘It’s just that if it’s in date order and we decide on an idea that’s already been done, we don’t have to worry about it if it was one that was done years ago. We just have to be careful that it isn’t one that was made last year, for example, if you see my point,’
They did, so Adam went to ask, coming back with the information that it was arranged chronologically. ‘So that’s OK if we pick something that was done years and years ago,’ he said, ‘nobody’ll remember it from that far back,’
‘Do you think they’ve had enough time?’ asked James, ‘Lets see if anybody’s had any ideas. Got your paper and pencil, Tone?’
Tony had, so James jumped onto a table, making it rock alarmingly. It had the effect of getting everybody’s attention, so once he was steady James simply had to speak. ‘Before we discuss ideas Adam’s going to read out the last ten houses that have been made, so if your idea is one of those, please think again. We don’t want to repeat ourselves if we can help it, and especially not one of the last ten. Before that doesn’t really matter as people probably won’t remember them. Once Adam’s finished, please put your hand up if you’ve an idea and we’ll take them one at a time. Ready Adam?’

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

Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 11:24 pm

Lulie, wanted to use my 100th post to tell you how much I am enjoying this drabble!

The way Tom reacted to her parents was so sensitively written and as someone who as "issues" with her parents family planning, I can really understand her reaction.

Looking forward to seeing how the boys cope with making the dolls house on their own and thinks Tom is very wise to let them

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

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 12:23 am

Lulie. this is excellent!!! thank you!!!

#131: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 1:19 am

Brilliant Lulie, I knew train journies were good for something!

Ed cuddling Tom till she was asleep was an image that me all warm and fuzzy inside, and actually so did Tom giving the boys control of the House for the Sale. A really lovely installment Very Happy

#132: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:56 am

*growls at Lulie* Evil or Very Mad

You were supposed to have gone to bed!!! Evil or Very Mad

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

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 8:56 am

I'm glad Tom's given them more responsibility, and very glad you have been plotting, thank you Lulie Very Happy

#134: Author: Robin, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 9:10 am

I like seeing Tom in the club, thanks Lulie

BTW, if you get bored of Ed, feel free to send him my way... Or am I at the back of a very long queue???

#135: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 12:06 pm

Lovely, Lulie. Glad Tome got things sorted with her parents. Lovely scene with Ed. Looking forward to seeing how the boys get on with the house.

#136: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 12:08 pm

Sorry Auntie Catherine, it was too hot and I couldn't sleep Crying or Very sad

Robin, you may have to join a queue. I know there's Sue after him, at least. Not that I'd ever get sick of him! (well, would you?) Having said that, he still hasn't arrived. Perhaps he's got the map upside down? Or maybe Sue has stolen him away - in which case I'd just like to remind her that Carlisle isn't that far away and Vikki didn't manage to confiscate my umbrella Razz

There should be more drabble later today. It's raining and I'm expecting gallivanting parents home, so I can't see me going anywhere very far today.

#137: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 12:13 pm

Lulie, you'd need a lot more than an umberella if you come over today. Better have a word with Lesley and see if she can spare you a scuba diving suit from RCS.

Still haven't seen him, though. Maybe he's waiting at Scotch Corner for me to pick him up on Friday?

Hope your parents arrive safely and have had a good holiday.

#138: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 6:11 pm

Sue, my dear, if you want an Ed who is idiot enough to wait at Scotch Corner for three days in all this rain, you're welcome to him! I know, I know there's a hotel, but I just had this mental image of a very drowned rat Ed standing next to the A66 waiting for you Laughing

As it is, this particular Ed is still MINE when he gets the map the right way up. I don't usually like to be selfish, but in this case....!

Adam read the list out and, once he’d finished there was a pause, before a positive forest of hands were raised. Many and varied were the suggestions made, most of which were rejected as being done too recently or for being too ambitious. When Tom and the others came back they were still chattering hard. ‘Have you decided yet?’ she asked, teasingly.
‘Yes, we have actually,’ replied Tony, glancing down at the pad of paper held in his left hand, ‘shall we tell them?’
‘Kenny should,’ replied Adam, with a grin at a small boy near his feet, ‘It was his idea in the first place,’
Scarlet at this very public notice, Kenny got to his feet and took a deep breath, ‘IsaidweshoulddoamodeloftheChaletSchoolanddecorateitas
itisnowbutwe needyoutohelpuscoswedon’tknowwhatitlookslikeinside,’
Tom, once she’d worked out what Kenny had actually said, grinned, ‘That’s a marvellous idea!’ she cried, ‘Why hasn’t anybody ever thought of that before, I wonder? Now, let’s see,’ There was a silence as Tom thought, ‘I know. A friend of mine is the art mistress at the school, I’ll let her in on our secret and send her some rolls of film and she can take some photos for us, and sketch out a floor plan, so we know the layout of the buildings. In the meantime you can all be thinking of the little things that you’ll need to make. You all know how fiddly they can be. You’ve all either been or are at school, so you should know the kind of things that any self-respecting school has in it. Now, as it’s after twelve we think you ought to go home before your families think we’ve kidnapped you. We’ll see you all on Monday!’
True to her word, Tom wrote to Rosalind Yolland, enclosing several rolls of blank film. Rosalind wrote a postcard, expressing her delight at the scheme and promising to keep it all a secret. She added that she’d take the photos as soon as she could and send the films back to Tom. To the delight of all concerned she managed to return the completed films within a fortnight, and the boys practically fell on Tom when she returned from the chemist bearing several envelopes of photographs. ‘Hey, don’t all swamp me!’ she cried, ‘If you’ll give me ten minutes I’m going to have a look through them all and put them up on a board, so you can use them for reference whenever you need to,’
Taking “the committee” with her, Tom retired to the common room, taking several large pieces of hardboard with her, and the six of them spent a good half hour taking the best of the photos and blu-tacking them onto the pieces of board. Rosalind had ‘done them proud,’ to quote Tom. She’d taken several of the outside of the buildings, from as many angles as she could, as well as at least two of each room. Tom gave vent to an exclamation of surprise when pictures of the Head’s private suite appeared, as she well knew nobody went there without an invitation, unless it was a matter of life and death. ‘How on earth did Ros manage that?’ she wondered aloud, but that was something that Rosalind had omitted to mention in her letter. Indeed all she had done was to wrap a piece of paper round each film with a numbered list of what each picture represented, which Tom had handed over to the chemist with instructions that the lists be placed inside the correct envelope. As the photos were sorted, the boys made a note on the back of each one what it was. It was a very eager set of boys that crowded round the boards when they were propped up against the walls in the main hall.

#139: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 7:07 pm

Wonderful couple of posts Lulie - and what a great idea, having a modelof the CS itself!

Thank you! Kiss

#140: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 3:42 am

Glad Tom's feeling a little better about her parents. (That Ed is something!)

Also wondering how Rosalind engineered those photos Surprised

.And how the girls will react to seeing a model of their headmistress' suite ...

#141: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 10:43 am

Thank you Lulie what a wonderful ides.

I hope Ed isn't stupid enough to be standing in the rain (or sun today) I would expect a man of his sensibilities to be waiting in the hotel with a table booked for lunch.

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

Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 11:10 am

A great idea Lulie, and its good to see the boys so excited!

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

Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 11:44 am

Lulie! I LOVE the idea of the model of the school!!! Inspired!!!

#144: Author: Guest,

Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 7:22 pm

Thank you for all that!

I've only just discovered the site, and I've been reading this story on and off for three days - really glad I didn't have to wait at all the cliffs despite the goodies being handed out.

I hope there's more on the way?

Claire

#145: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 10:43 pm

This is it until after the weekend, as I'm going away tomorrow and not coming back until Sunday - possibly Monday. Read it slowly and then it will last longer Very Happy

On seeing the scale of the Chalet buildings there were many qualms about doing the job from most of the boys. ‘How on earth are we going to start? It’s enormous!’ wailed Gerry.
‘Draw some plans, silly,’ replied Ed, to whom the complaint had been addressed, ‘or if you can’t, then delegate. That’s what being part of a committee is all about!’
Gerry went off, not looking too pleased with this advice, though he was old enough to see the sense in it. Brian, who was the best out of the five at drafting, went and got some paper and pencils, and set to work. As nobody could do anything until the plans were drawn up, they all went back to their usual jobs.
Tom and Ed were together in the office, sorting out the paperwork that seemed never ending, when a tap on the door disturbed them. ‘Come in,’ called Tom.
Brian and Adam peered round the door, ‘Are you busy, Tom?’
‘Not now I’m not,’ replied Tom, laying her pen down, ‘What’s the problem?’
‘We’ve finished the plans and want you and Ed to look them over, if that’s OK?’
Ed, who was nearest, reached out a hand and took the drawings and the pair leaned over them. ‘Blimey!’ remarked Tom, ‘these are good. Who did them?’
‘Me,’ replied Brian, rather more gruffly than usual and hoping his ears weren’t as red as they felt. Neither Tom nor Ed took much notice of his appearance; they were far too busy looking at the plans for the Chalet. ‘Have you thought how you’re going to do this?’ asked Ed, looking up.
‘We thought we’d divide people up into groups, depending on what they want to do, and each group tackles a different part of the building. That way they’ll be kept separate from one another until they actually have to be fitted together. Then others can be doing all the inside bits. We’ll need somebody to help us with the curtains and bedclothes and things,’
‘Don’t you worry about that. I know quite a few folk who’ll be willing to give a hand with all that stuff. Sounds a good enough plan to me, but remember don’t struggle if you get into difficulties. That’s what we’re here for.’
‘We won’t.’ The two boys left the office and went back to where the others were waiting for them. ‘Right,’ said Adam, not even having to raise his voice, as everybody was eager to hear what he had to say. ‘All those who want to help with the actual buildings go over there. Everybody who wants to do the furniture go to the other side and all those who are good at doing the small bits stay here,’
Having divided everybody into their groups Adam and Brian went with those who were going to make the shell of the model, Tony and Gerry went over to those wanting to make furniture and James went to the smallest group, being very talented at making miniatures he had been immediately appointed to do that job! When Tom looked in an hour later the hall was a hive of industry and nobody even noticed her. Smiling to herself at the apparent success of her plan, she wandered into the shop, where the two boys there thought themselves the unluckiest creatures in the world.

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

Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 10:57 pm

How many hours til Sunday night someone? Crying or Very sad

#147: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2004 11:12 pm

Far too many, Vikki!! Evil or Very Mad

Anna Louise Walker!! You mean and evil person leaving it like that for four whole days!! Evil or Very Mad

#148: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 5:23 am

Thanks for that Lulie!

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

Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:11 am

Thanks Lulie Very Happy

*Brings cushions and chocolate and settles down to wait*

#150: Author: Susan, Location: Carlisle

Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 10:52 am

Thank you Lulie, nice to see them all sorted out and working as a team. Hope you enjoyed York and that the workshop went well.

#151: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Aug 12, 2004 11:45 am

Thank you Lulie! This still has me completely hooked!

*joins Ally on the cushions to wait patiently til next week*

#152: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 7:01 pm

I know it's Tuesday and I've been back for almost two whole days, but I needed some time to recover from some of the scarily worrying FOCS ladies!!!

Adam sighed and ran his fingers through his hair and patiently unscrewed the tiny screws that were holding the shell of the Chalet together. There were times he wished he could do the whole thing himself! People just didn’t seem to take care over these things. Tom wandered in to see how things were progressing and couldn’t help smiling at the look on his face. She knew exactly what it meant! ‘I wouldn’t get too frustrated, Adam,’ she said, coming across to help him, ‘The kids are only too eager to help and you don’t want to put them off,’
‘You’d think they’d have learnt how to screw two pieces of wood together by now,’ replied Adam, shortly, as he put the screws into a small jar.
‘They won’t learn if they aren’t taught,’ Tom picked up a screwdriver and took the wood from Adam, ‘Go on, you get off home and I’ll finish up here,’
‘You’ve got more to get home to than I have,’ said Adam, with a good deal of truth.
‘Perhaps I have, but the mood you’re in, you’ll make just as many mistakes. Go on, I’ll see you tomorrow. Scram!’
Seeing that there was no point in arguing, Adam scrammed. It didn’t take experienced Tom long to put the walls back together, whistling as she did so. Standing back to admire the general effect, Tom decided that, Adam to the contrary, the younger boys had done a good job of cutting and joining the Chalet. On reflection she decided that they’d do better if they took their time, and resolved to tell them so the next day. She put the tools away and made the final rounds before locking up and going out to the car, which Ed had left for her to come home in. ‘You’re back late,’ remarked Ed, when she came into the house.
‘I know, sorry. Adam was getting himself into a rage, so I sent him home and finished what he was doing. Some of the kids had rushed things a bit and I decided that, as Adam had already undone the work, I’d better finish putting it back together again. It would break their hearts if they saw anybody doing it in the morning,’
‘It certainly would,’ agreed Ed, ‘Do you think it’s really a good idea to let these kids loose on the House? I mean, if they’re going to make all these mistakes, it’s going to take an awful long time to re-do everything properly,’
‘How else are they going to learn?’ demanded Tom, leaning against the mantelpiece with hands in her pockets. ‘If you don’t make mistakes, then you don’t learn how to do things properly. Are you telling me that when you were a kid you didn’t make mistakes? How would you feel if you’d never been allowed to do things because they weren’t good enough for public show? You wouldn’t be where you are now, would you?’
‘S’pose not,’ agreed Ed, almost reluctantly, ‘Oh, OK, I won’t argue any more! I just wish I could be as good as you are,’
‘Oh rubbish, I’m not good! It’s just my job to think of these things and do them,’
‘Well it should be mine too,’
‘You’ve had other things to think about today, looking after the girls all day. That’s enough to make anybody tear their hair out,’
Ed grinned, ‘They haven’t been too bad, actually, a bit quiet really,’
‘And that’s a bad sign!’ said Tom, darkly
The quietness of the two girls was soon explained when Tom and Ed were woken in the small hours by a tearful Alice, who reported that Ellie had been sick and was crying. Tom dived out of bed and into her dressing gown. She nearly shrieked aloud when she took Alice’s hand; it was burning hot, and on taking in Alice’s bright eyes and flushed cheeks, Tom realised that Ellie wasn’t the only one who was ill. With a feeling of dread Tom went into the bedroom that they shared, telling Alice to tuck herself back into bed while she went to look at Ellie. What she saw sent her across the room to Alice, and then flying down the stairs to the telephone, where she called the doctor immediately. ‘What’s up?’ asked Ed, coming to the top of the stairs.
‘Looks like something infectious,’ replied Tom, pausing on her way back to the bedroom, ‘Stay with them for two minutes while I get dressed will you? The doctor’s coming straight out,’
The doctor seemed to take ages to arrive, and by the time he did Ellie was whimpering that “it hurt” and Alice was hotter than ever and barely aware of her surroundings. Ed let him in, as Tom was engaged in sponging Alice in an attempt to cool her down. The doctor examined both girls thoroughly and then turned to Ed, ‘May I use your phone?’ he asked. Ed indicated that he should and accompanied him down the stairs. The doctor rang the hospital and requested an ambulance, giving out a lot of instructions to the person on the other end before turning to the anxious Ed. ‘It looks like scarlet fever, I’m afraid,’ explained the doctor, once he was back in the little bedroom, ‘It isn’t as bad a thing as it used to be, but I want to get both girls to hospital as they’re going to need regular doses of antibiotics and specialised care to ensure that they don’t develop any complications. I’ll just give them something now, to cool them down, then you can wrap them up and have them ready for the ambulance when it arrives,’
Tom and Ed watched in silence as the doctor and the ambulance men carefully placed their little girls in the large hospital van and prepared to leave. The doctor came over for a final word, ‘Try not to worry,’ he said, ‘They are going to be receiving the best of care. I’ll call round in the morning to keep you up to date on their progress,’
‘Will we be able to visit them?’ asked Tom, annoyed at herself for sounding so pathetic.
‘I’m sure you will, Mrs. Kerr. There isn’t the long quarantine that there used to be. I expect both of them to be out of hospital within a week and not long after that they’ll be up to their monkey tricks again. Do either of you work with children, by the way?’
‘Yes, we both do,’
‘Right, the incubation period for scarlet is one to two days, so if you were to pass the germ onto any of the children it would be within that timescale. I would advise you both not to go to work for two days, to be on the safe side and you must notify all the parents that your two have an infectious disease. That’s a legal requirement. After that you should be able to get back to normal. Either the District Nurse or myself will call round in the morning, to give you a progress report and to pass on any further information. Now you must both go back to bed and sleep. You’ll need all your strength for when they come home again, your being ill will do nobody any good. I’d better go, I think they’re ready for the off. Goodbye,’
‘They’ll be all right, won’t they?’ Tom asked, as they made their way back into the house.
‘Of course they will,’ replied Ed, thankful that Tom was in front of him and so she couldn’t see his face. Muttering something about not being able to sleep and a hot drink, Tom went into the kitchen. As she’d half turned to speak to Ed she’d caught sight of his white face, eyes dark with fear, and immediately felt a pig for unloading her worries onto him, when he had exactly the same ones. Bringing some cocoa through to the living room, where Ed had turned the gas fire on, she gave him a quick hug. ‘They have antibiotics,’ she said, a lot more cheerfully than she felt, ‘That’s something we never did as kids,’
‘No,’ agreed Ed, ‘Have you ever had it, by the way?’
‘Years ago, when I wasn’t much older than Alice,’ replied Tom, ‘It went round the parish like I don’t know what. Have you?’
‘One of the things I managed to miss, we had it at school and about three quarters of the school was down with it. Can adults get it?’
‘Haven’t a clue. I suppose if you’re going to get it there’s nothing much we can do! Do you feel all right?’
‘Fine. I never did go in for being ill very much, and I’m not about to start now. Come on, let’s drink this and get warm and then go to bed. Going without sleep isn’t going to do either of us much good and we’ll have to make rather a lot of phone calls in the morning,’
‘Ring the club and ask them to do it. We haven’t got all the contact details here anyway, and not everybody has a phone, some of them will have to have letters,’ Tom suppressed a yawn as she put her cup back on the tray. Ed followed her action, ‘You go up, and I’ll dump these in the kitchen. They’ll be OK until morning, I’m not about to wash them now,’

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

Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 7:08 pm

Wibble!

Please let them all be ok and it not go round all the club

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

Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 7:13 pm

Eeeeek!!!!

Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulieeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

What are you doing?????? Shocked

#155: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 7:27 pm

I'm not doing anything, Vikki. It's out of my control, I just press the keys!

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

Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 7:44 pm

*Really really worried*

I'm trusting Lulie likes Ed too much to do anything nasty to him, so I'll concentrate my worries on the boys.

#157: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Tue Aug 17, 2004 8:34 pm

Lulie, honestly! Do you have to inflict so much trouble on them?? Rolling Eyes

#158: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 8:45 am

And the girls Ally! *weebling gently*

Hope they'll all be ok...

#159: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 3:13 pm

Honestly, what do you lot take me for? (don't answer that Catherine or Vikki!!) Bonus points for the first to notice something in this bit!

There was alarm all round at the boy’s club when Tom rang the next morning with the news. Billy rang round as many of the parents as they had telephone numbers for, while Carl typed and copied a letter for those parents not on the ‘phone. Tom, suddenly remembering to ring the school and requesting to speak to the Headmistress was calmly informed by her that there were four others in the infant school absent with the illness that day, and three in the junior school. The District Nurse, a pleasant woman called Lesley, who had known the family since the birth of Alice, assured them further that there was no real reason to worry. ‘Your two are amongst the strongest healthiest kids I’ve seen,’ she said, ‘I popped in to see them this morning, and though they would seem very poorly to you, they haven’t got it badly,’ She didn’t tell them that one of the children from the same school had got the disease very badly and had died in the night. There was time enough to find that out when their own children were recovered.
It was the longest two days of Tom and Ed’s lives. Both of them felt completely well, if a little short tempered at being cooped up when both of them were used to being out and about. Also, as Ed said on the second morning, it was all very well their being told that their children were recovering, but it just wasn’t the same as seeing for yourself. On the morning of the third day, when they were considered to be out of quarantine, Lesley came as usual to see them and to tell them that they could visit the hospital whenever they liked. ‘Only for today though,’ she warned, ‘after today you’ll have to stick to the visiting times like everybody else!’
As soon as Lesley had gone, which she did immediately after checking them both over for symptoms, Tom and Ed dived into the car and made their way to the hospital as fast as the morning traffic would allow them.
Alice and Ellie were in a small isolation ward, with six of the others from their school, who had been admitted at the same time as they were. All of them were now considered free of infection and well on the road to recovery, though they were all very weak and listless. The two girls were very pleased to see their parents, having had serious thoughts about being abandoned when they’d finally come to themselves and found themselves in a strange place with no mother or father to come rushing to their rescue. Being young they bounced back quickly, especially when they were reassured of their imminent homecoming by both parents and the nurse. The doctor, on his morning rounds, had said that all of the children could go home once they were convalescent and able to swallow oral antibiotics and light foods. Feeling grateful that both Alice and Ellie were so healthy, and therefore likely to recover faster than some of the white-faced specimens in the ward, Tom and Ed took their leave having stayed as long as they were allowed to. They arrived at the boys club, to find that the only person missing was Tony, who had been absent all week with a nasty head cold. Everybody else was rushing about as usual, looking almost indecently healthy in comparison to the roomful of invalids that they’d just left. The progress that had been made on the house was astounding. The main Chalet was complete, as an outer shell, and the outer buildings almost so. One side of the room looked like a miniature furniture depot, piled high with tiny beds, tables and chairs. Wandering into the other workshops they were greeted with other minuscule accessories such as pictures, crockery and Drew was in the process of teaching a small group how to blow minute glasses to go into the kitchens and Speisesaal.

#160: Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 3:30 pm

Thank nice and loverly Lulie for making Alice and Ellie and Ed okay.

*noticed Lesley the nurse, but that 's probably too obvious a think to be looking for*

#161: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 3:57 pm

Chelsea wrote:

Thank nice and loverly Lulie for making Alice and Ellie and Ed okay.

*noticed Lesley the nurse, but that 's probably too obvious a think to be looking for*

However that was also my thouht Chelsea!!

Thank you Lulie - glad everyone is ok!

#162: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 5:49 pm

And mine!

Thanks Lulie - I think Wink

ETA Has anyone noticed how apt my avatar is at the moment?

#163: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 7:43 pm

OK, so it wasn't that difficult! *has plans* Twisted Evil

but not yet!

Though Alice and Ellie continued to progress well, Tom and Ed never stopped worrying about them until the day, a week later, that they could bring them home. They had discussed things previously and arranged to take alternate days off until both girls were well again and back at school. Though both of them were soon fit and healthy they continued to look a little frail for the rest of the term. This was partly because they’d grown enormously with the fever and though Ellie could wear Alice’s old clothes, Alice herself had to be fitted out entirely anew. Luckily it was her birthday not long after she returned to school and a lot of well-meaning people gave her clothes as presents, much to Alice’s disgust and Tom’s relief. Though they weren’t exactly short of money, it was expensive to buy everything brand new and it was one of the few times in her life that Tom wished she could sew decently! Luckily, on one of her many pleas for jumble, somebody gave Mrs. Gay a large bag of fabrics, amongst which were some dress lengths of Liberty prints. She immediately put some money into the jumble fund and turned the fabric into two summer dresses each for her granddaughters. ‘Blimey!’ remarked Tom, when Mrs. Gay brought the dresses round, ‘Were they mad, giving it away?’
‘I don’t think they knew it was in there. They said it was some old stuff from their mother’s house, which they’d just cleared. They gave us quite a lot of things, actually. I think they just wanted to be rid of it,’
‘Well, I am thankful to them. Alice could do with some more clothes, she has so few now while Ellie had loads!’
‘Are you sure they’re both well again? I thought they still look terribly pale,’
‘They seem their usual selves. But I wouldn’t worry; it’s probably partly the weather. We’ve had so much rain lately it’s enough to make anybody look pale. Anyway, Ed and I have looked at our savings and decided that we’ll take them abroad on holiday this year, to put a few roses into their cheeks,’
‘Oh how nice. Where were you thinking of going?’
‘Switzerland. The house isn’t coming on quite as fast as I’d like it to, so if we don’t send it as soon as we usually do, we can have that little bit longer to do it and then take it with us. Interlaken is lovely and the girls would love the Sale. I’ve written to Miss Annersley and told her that’s what we’re doing, so she doesn’t think that there’s no house this year.’
‘How are you going? Train?’
‘No fear! Would you take two lively girls on a cross-Continental train, because I wouldn’t like to. We’re going to fly, the cost has come down in recent years and we can afford to do it without going short of anything essential,’

In spite of the extra time that the boys had to finish the house, it was still a bit of a rush at the end. The adults attached to the club came as early and stayed as late as they could for the last week, to tie up the last odds and ends and make sure it was really up to the standard that people had come to expect. Finally the last desk had been put into place and the last picture fixed to the wall. There were even dolls attached, dressed as staff and pupils, in the correct uniform. Visitors to the club ooh-ed and ah-ed over it, and seemed quite disappointed when they heard that it was going out of the country. Ed, Billy and Drew carefully packed it up in tea chests, with all the delicate fittings and fixtures wrapped in extra packing materials. Ed then drove it to the airport, where he had arranged to have it transported to Berne, and he would pick it up at the other end. He and the rest of the family were to fly out the next day and Ed hoped devoutly that all the arrangements would tally.

I'm going to a quilt show in Birmingham tomorrow, leaving at 7am Shocked

There probably won't be any posted tomorrow as I may be tired when I return (which hopefully will be about 7pm!) I'll do what I can though Very Happy

#164: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 7:50 pm

Lovely - looking forward to the School's reaction to the model of the School! Laughing

#165: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 8:19 pm

Enjoying this hugely. Thanks, Lulie! Very Happy

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

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 9:03 pm

Yay a holiday, hope it rounds the girls recovery off nicely.

Have fun at the show, mum was hoping to go, but some nasty person pipped her to the last seat on the coach!

#167: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 9:11 pm

Nasty person, ally! it can't have been me, I was first!

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

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 9:14 pm

Lol, you are keen! Wink

Mum rang up someone to get the organisers number, the person she rang, phoned the organiser immediately after and got the last seat. Mum was not pleased!!

#169: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Aug 18, 2004 10:26 pm

Evil person! hammer

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

Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 1:31 am

Enjoy the show Lulie! And we will TRY to be patient!

#171: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 1:38 am

Thanks for letting the girls be ok Lulie, I hope they, and the house, all arrive safely in Switzerland. It will be good to see Tom back at the school again.
And enjoy the show tomorrow.

#172: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Aug 19, 2004 9:04 am

Enjoy the show Lulie - we may try to be patient but I'm sure as ever we'll fail!!!

Look forward to seeing reactions to the model of the school and to see Ed, Tom and the girls at the Sale!

#173: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Sat Aug 21, 2004 8:55 pm

*pleading for more* Wink

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

Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2004 6:15 pm

*pleading too*

OMG my post number has gone down huuuugely... has Prunella been at work? Or is it just that RCS has been archived?!

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

Posted: Sun Aug 22, 2004 10:58 pm

Laura, we've archived a tad more than just RCS!!!!! Wink

The C&D section has gone down from 9 pages to 4 !!!!! (that's a LOT of drabble.....)

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

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:02 pm

Wow! Well done you! How long did that take??!

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

Posted: Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:44 pm

Well, Pat and Carolyn and I spent several hours one evening with an MSN window, so we didn't all archive the same threads, and I think we all did other bits at odd times. Doesn't take too long once you get into the swing of it though.

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

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 1:04 pm

Hurray, at last I've caught up! Very Happy

I love the story, Tom always was one of my favourites - a real character! It's lovely to hear more about her, keep up the good work Wink

Hope you had a good time at the quilting thing; my godmothers quilt - they create absolutely amazing things. What sort of quilts do you make? Really big bed-quilts (mine in college is fantastic and makes the room look homey and not institutionalised!), or other things? I love handwork, crochet us my speciality, cross-stitch, too, but that's easy, anybody can do that! Is it difficult to start quilting? What sort of a kit do you need to do it?
Sorry, small diversion into hand-work-land, all who wish to leave this road please turn right now... Embarassed

#179: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 2:17 pm

I have pm-ed you Dackel, to save lots of people turning right!

Whatever Tom had said about taking two lively girls on the train across Europe, she did wonder if it would have been easier than taking the same two keyed up girls on an aeroplane. However, once at the airport Alice and Ellie behaved impeccably for the rest of the journey, charming all the staff and their fellow passengers into thinking what delightful children they were. Once they were in the car that Ed had hired, and on the way to the Gasthaus where they were spending the night the façade dropped and they began to whine and argue with each other. Tom dealt with it in the only way she could think of, by putting both of them into silence until they reached the Gasthaus. It worked, and by the time Ed had negotiated the unfamiliar streets they were drowsy and didn’t complain once when Tom took them straight to bed and gave them their supper there. The next morning they were up early, as bright as buttons. Enchanted with everything new, Alice demanded to be taught German, so she could understand what people were saying to her. Not wanting to be left out, Ellie wanted to learn too, so Tom obligingly began them on the basics. Ed watched their efforts with amusement, until Alice insisted that she taught him too, which soon wiped the smile off his face! They didn’t make the journey up to Interlaken until after tea, spending the day looking round Berne and visiting the bear pit, where they were just in time to watch the keeper feed the bear family, much to the delight of Ellie. Bed was early again; as it was the Sale the next day and both girls were going to have a long day. The kindly owner of their Gasthaus offered to keep an eye on the girls, in case they woke up, so Tom and Ed took advantage of this and went for a stroll after Abendessen.

Rosalind Yolland came down with the school car after breakfast the next morning. She had previously arranged this with Tom, so they could take the house up to the school and set it up. Ed had promised to keep Alice and Ellie down at Interlaken for the morning, so they wouldn’t get underfoot up at the school. As he’d said at the time, ‘There’ll be enough kids rushing about the place without adding our two to them,’ Alice and Ellie had been disgusted when they heard the plans, but decided that it was better than being left behind all day, which had been the alternative if they didn’t behave themselves. So it was two excited, if resigned girls that capered about between the two cars as the boxes were transferred from one to the other. ‘Will you be able to manage when you get to the other end?’ asked Ed, wiping his hands on his handkerchief when they’d finished.
‘Oh yes, Gaudenz will be waiting for us when we arrive. He’s got the trolley we use for carrying the trunks,’ replied Rosalind, easily, ‘Ready Tom?’
‘Just about,’ replied Tom, before being jumped on by Alice and Ellie, worried that she was going to go without saying goodbye. ‘Be good, you two, or Daddy will tip you headfirst into the lake and leave you there!’
‘He wouldn’t be so mean!’ exclaimed Alice.
‘Well, don’t be naughty, or you may get a nasty shock,’ replied Tom, with a grin, as she kissed her daughters goodbye, ‘See you this afternoon,’
The little car drove off, slowly. ‘You won’t find things much different,’ said Rosalind, as they drove, ‘Though I suspect change will be on the cards in the next couple of years. Miss Annersley is retiring at the end of next summer term, and notices have already been sent out advertising the post. It will probably take a while to appoint somebody. Replacing Miss Annersley isn’t a job I’d relish. I do know that a lot of people are expecting Len Entwhistle – Len Maynard as was – to apply for the post. Out of the present staff she’d be about the only one suited to the post. I expected Nancy Wilmot to consider it, but she says that, having had the experience of being Head pro-tem when Miss Annersley’s been away, has made her realise that she couldn’t do the job justice,’
‘But you said she was good at it, the times she’s done it,’
‘She was, and is. But it’s her decision, and maybe with Len on the scene, she feels that Len is a better candidate. Of course it all depends on who applies from outside,’
‘That’s true,’ replied Tom, ‘I couldn’t say, of course. The last time I really saw Len Maynard she was Head Girl, and people do change a lot once they leave school,’
It didn’t take long to reach the school, where the girls were out on their morning walk and Miss Annersley was waiting next to Gaudenz and the luggage trolley. She greeted her ex-pupil warmly, and looked slightly impatient as Tom, greetings over, helped Gaudenz to load the boxes onto the trolley. ‘What have you treated us to this time, Tom?’ asked Miss Annersley, as she led Tom and Rosalind to the rose garden, where the house stall was to be set up, ‘Rosalind has been most mysterious this past week, and we’re dying to see what you’ve done,’
‘I haven’t done very much,’ replied Tom, ‘I handed it all over to the boys this year. They’ve done most of the work, with help, of course. That’s why they were a bit late finishing it off,’
‘Really? They’ve done it all? Well, I suppose it’s no more than you and your friends did when you first came to us. Here we are,’
They had reached the pretty rose garden, usually the private stamping ground of the staff. Those of the mistresses who were not on duty were awaiting them and Gaudenz had already lifted the boxes onto the tables, with the help of Miss Wilmot and Miss Derwent. Gaudenz then handed over a screwdriver to Tom, with a smile and a rumbled comment that nobody quite caught. Tom, rather on purpose, stood right in front of the boxes and unscrewed their sides, aware that people were desperately trying not to bob about behind her for a better view. Finally she put the sides of the boxes to one side and stood back. The mistresses crowded round the tables, gazing in silence at the model.

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

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:28 pm

Awwww. I can't wait to see Len! And for some reason I feel really sad that Miss A is retiring.

Please continue Lulie!

Last edited by Laura on Tue Aug 24, 2004 6:47 pm; edited 1 time in total

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

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 3:36 pm

I'm sure the mistresses (and girls) will love the house!

I'm looking forward to seeing the school, and what has happened there. Thank you Lulie Very Happy

#182: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 6:44 pm

Looking forward to seeing their reaction. Laughing

Laura - you're not the only one!! Crying or Very sad

#183: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 8:35 pm

Come on, Lulie! Don't leave it there!!!

More, more, more please!!! Very Happy

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

Posted: Tue Aug 24, 2004 11:30 pm

Oooh! Thank you Lulie! (but more please!!!!)

#185: Author: Sarah_K, Location: St Albans/Leicester

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 1:42 am

Thank you Lulie, that was a wonderful bit, I felt for poor Tom with two little ones on a plane!

I'd love to read what the mistresses think though... Wink

#186: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:12 pm

The silence lasted for a split second, then Miss Ferrars exclaimed, ‘It’s the school! Oh Tom, it’s just stunning,’
‘I thought it looked familiar,’ said Miss Wilmot, ‘Doesn’t it look funny, being able to see the whole place all at once?’
‘But how did you get everything so…so perfect and accurate?’ Miss Derwent peered into one of the classrooms.
Tom grinned, ‘We worked from photographs,’ she replied, sweetly.
‘Photographs? But how did you get those?’
‘From me,’ replied Rosalind, equally sweetly.
‘So that’s how you seemed to know all that was going on,’ exclaimed Miss Ferrars, ‘I did wonder if you were just winding us all up. Now I know,’
‘What I’d like to know,’ said Miss Annersley, severely but with a twinkle in her eye, ‘is how you managed to reproduce my private quarters from photographs?’
‘I asked Jeanne to take the pictures, as she slept there. She didn’t seem to think that you’d mind and I know that she can keep a secret. Sorry, Tom, I know you said not to tell anybody, but I couldn’t see a way round it,’
‘No problem, I’d probably have done the same myself,’ replied Tom. She turned to Miss Annersley, ‘Do you mind?’
Miss Annersley laughed, ‘Not really. How can I when it’s for something as spectacular as this? Are you going to tell us the competition?’
‘Unfortunately we had to fall back on naming the place, ‘said Tom, ‘we seem to have done the rounds with competitions, and this had the most votes. Anyway, the chalet did have a name before the school bought it,’
‘Did it?’ the exclamation came from several people, and they all turned to Miss Annersley, who looked as startled as everybody else. ‘Don’t all look at me,’ she said, laughing, ‘I had no idea. How did you find that out, Tom?’
‘I didn’t, it was Ros,’
Rosalind grinned, ‘I just asked,’ she replied, ‘It was something that occurred to me when I had Tom bleating at me like a lost sheep. So, if you like Miss Annersley, I could oversee this particular competition, seeing as I know what the answer is, which does debar me from entering,’
Miss Annersley agreed to this, and turned once more to inspect the model school. ‘How on earth did you get all the tiny kitchen things?’ she asked, picking up a tiny glass from the Speisesaal table.
‘Made them,’ replied Tom, succinctly, ‘Everything in there is made either by the boys, or by somebody who is expert in that field,’
‘But this is made of real glass!’
‘I know. We’ve expanded our…er…repertoire of crafts quite a bit in the past couple of years. Don’t ask me how they’ve got things so tiny, but they did. One or two of the boys are very talented when it comes to making miniatures and, like I said, I gave them a free hand with this. They’re getting quite well known for their dolls house things,’
Miss Annersley shook her head slightly as she replaced the glass, ‘Tell them from me that I think they’re amazing. I wouldn’t know where to start on something like this,’
‘Isn’t that the girls coming back?’ asked sharp-eared Miss Derwent, suddenly. They all listened and there was no mistaking the sound of voices as the girls returned from their walks. Quickly the mistresses pulled screens round the house that were standing there for that very purpose, and made their way into the house.

Tom, invited to a private lunch with Miss Annersley, Miss Wilson, Lady Russell, Joey Maynard and Len Entwhistle, chatted cheerfully about her work and her family, as the four elder ladies plied her with questions. She felt more than mildly irritated when Joey kept asking her when she was going to have more children, but Miss Wilson gently steered the subject onto something completely different, and saw that it stayed firmly away from the topic of families after that! She was exceptionally fond of Joey, but she did think her fixation with large families bordering on mania. Len, understanding the expression in Tom’s eyes, grinned at her but said nothing. She herself, in spite of marriage, had not yet begun her family. She didn’t dare tell her mother that she and Reg had decided to wait a while, and that Len was thinking about continuing to work after having children. Once the after lunch coffee had been served, Len moved onto a chair next to Tom and murmured ‘Is it OK if I have a word with you later? In private,’ Tom raised an eyebrow, but merely nodded, wondering what on earth Len could have to say to her.

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

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:19 pm

Ooooooh.
Wow I love this drabble so much! It seems such a part of the series is weird!
Thanks Lulie Very Happy

#188: Author: catherine, Location: York

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:20 pm

Intriguing!

Can't wait for more, Lulie! Very Happy

I know you're busy tomorrow though ...................

And I know you're busy at wkend too although tomorrow is slightly more important ..... Wink

#189: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:24 pm

*Hastily adds not THAT kind of busy*

#190: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:58 pm

Lovely! Love Joey's characterisation- think she'll be disappointed with Len.

Do you think Joey was obsessed with large families because - to all intents and purposes - she was an only child? There being more than 12 years between her and her brother and sister?

(Never forgive her comment to Simone in Joey goes to the Oberland)

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

Posted: Wed Aug 25, 2004 10:54 pm

Lulie!!!!!!
When do we get the next bit?

#192: Author: Nell, Location: London, England

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:41 pm

So does Len want to talk to Tom about Miss A retiring...intrigued...

#193: Author: Rosea, Location: Edinburgh

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:47 pm

Lesley wrote:

(Never forgive her comment to Simone in Joey goes to the Oberland)

I haven't read that one - what did Joey say? I agree about the only child theory.

maybe Len wants Tom's advice on how to balance children and career?

Looking forward to seeing what happens next!

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

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 12:57 pm

This is great Lulie. I've the banter between the staff, as it was typical CS.

I suspect Len wants to discuss having a family and working, but I look forward to reading it.

Ellen

#195: Author: Ellie, Location: Lincolnshire

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 4:39 pm

Rosea wrote:

Lesley wrote:

(Never forgive her comment to Simone in Joey goes to the Oberland)

I haven't read that one - what did Joey say? I agree about the only child theory.

maybe Len wants Tom's advice on how to balance children and career?

Looking forward to seeing what happens next!

I think, if my memory hasn't totally failed me, that Joey told Simone that she was finally getting a proper family - Regardless of the fact that Tessa was older than the trips.

I agree with the only child theory though - being an only myself I find large families quite fascinating, although not to the extent of wanting eleven children of my own!
I also find it interesting that all the boys in my dad's large family only had one child each - although the two girls both managed four.

But to get back on topic - love the updates Lulie, & I would also like to know what Len wants to talk about.

#196: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 6:33 pm

What she said, while looking at Simone's 9 month old son,was

"I'm awfully glad you have him, Simone. I know it's always been a grief to you that you had only Tessa when the rest of us were steaming ahead with real families!"

I thought that was exceptionally insensitive of Jo - suppose Simone had problems conceiving? Or if Tessa had heard - what would she have thought!

Lulie - more please.

#197: Author: Lulie, Location: Middlesbrough

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 10:01 pm

Firstly apologies. I'm going away tomorrow (to Bath) until Monday - so there'll be no more drabble until Tuesday at the earliest Crying or Very sad

Secondly, I agree with Joey's "real families" comment in Joey/Oberland. If I had been Simone I would have served up tripe for breakfast, dinner and tea for her whole visit. And given her tripe sandwiches for the journey as well!!!

#198: Author: Lesley, Location: Rochester, Kent

Posted: Thu Aug 26, 2004 10:03 pm

So you don't like tripe then, Lulie?? Laughing

Enjoy Bath, will be waiting (im)patiently for the next bit.

#199: Author: Robin, Location: London, England

Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 11:24 am

ok, so it's now Tuesday.... and I've spent ages catching up with the last week of this and now I've come to the end, I feel all disappointed!
Lulie? More?

#200: Author: Jennie, Location: Cambridgeshire

Posted: Tue Aug 31, 2004 2:37 pm