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Title: 21st Advent drabble Post by Carolyn P on Dec 21st, 2003, 9:41am The Maynard family had gathered once more. This time it was to celebrate, there had been a funeral in the past year, and a marriage, but this was different. Those present knew they should be celebrating, but it felt different. They would be saying goodbye to one of their own, not knowing when or if they would see her again. Jack and Joey held each other closely, having vowed to greet their once wayward daughter with a smile and support her in her vocation, but the loss of her sister only a month before was keenly felt at this time. “Why couldn’t you wait a year or so?” Con demanded of her remaining triplet. “Mamma is heartbroken, it’s like loosing both of you in a single year, and at Christmas too!” Margot looked gravely at her sister, “Con I can’t leave it any longer, my novitiate is over, I take final vows or leave. This is for life, if I had made my vows a month before Len’s death then you wouldn’t dream of asking me to renege on them and return home. Mother Peter set this day as the day of our final vows a long time ago, there are other novices to consider too. I love mamma, but this is something more, something greater.” Con knew her sister would not change her mind, had never expected her to do so, but had still felt that she had to ask. Len’s death, days after their twenty-eighth birthday had hit their mother especially hard. “No parent should out-live their children’” she had been heard to say bitterly, and in spite of Jack tenderly speaking of other times when the children had been near death, or of other parents they knew who had seen their children die, Joey had remained adamant that it should not have happened to Len. Con had spent the past month as her mother’s companion. Margot away in the convent preparing for her final vows, Jack shutting out the trouble by burying himself in his work and the other children busy with their own lives. ‘As I should be’ thought Con, her mind flying to her husband of less than a year and the news that she had yet to break to him of the new life she had felt moving within her only that morning. Margot grinned and embraced her sister as Con suddenly took her arm and whispered the delightful news in her ear. Then the two left the dressing room and went to join the rest of the family in the sitting room of the convent. Jack looked at Margot proudly. Tears welled up as he surveyed her in the simple white dress she had chosen, and he passed her the veil that Joey had worn on her wedding day, and had then been worn by Con the previous spring. Margot took it gratefully and turned to Joey with a mute appeal. Joey rose from the chair and helped her to put it on, forcing back the tears at the thought of loosing another daughter so quickly. All too soon for the family the time came for the mass to begin. A short while later the Maynard family gathered to bid Margot farewell and to leave her to her new life, one that would only include them by letter and the occasional visit. As they left the convent grounds, the first snow beginning to fall, Margot watched them leave with a slight unease, ‘What would they say if they knew Mother Peter had offered to let me wait another six months so that I could spend this Christmas with them?’ Joey gripped Con tightly in the back of the car on the way home. “You are the last of my triplets, my Connie. I’m so glad you are still here.” Con started at the use of her baby name, she hadn’t heard that in so many years. Looking forward she could see her father glance back through the mirror and he shook his head slightly in warning. Con said nothing she just tucked the rug around her mother and the two cuddled up as Jack sped them homewards through the snow. |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by LulieCat on Dec 21st, 2003, 9:50am Oh gosh, what a beginning. I didn't know whether to feel sad for the Maynards or glad for Margot. *wonders what Rachel will subvert this into :P * |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Ally on Dec 21st, 2003, 10:13am Oh dear poor Con looks like she won't be seeing her husband for a while. That was wonderfully moving Carolyn and I'm really intrigued as to what Rachel will do. |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by xanthe on Dec 21st, 2003, 11:02am *sniffles and reaches for the tissues* *wonders what Rachel will do with this one...* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by LauraT! on Dec 21st, 2003, 12:30pm Oh no! Poor con! :'( *sniffs and reaches for tissue box* Who is Con's husband??! |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Chloe on Dec 21st, 2003, 12:44pm :'( That so sad, please post theend soon Rachel! |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Lesley on Dec 21st, 2003, 5:25pm Thank you for that Carolyn - feel your part could definitely be expanded to a full length drabble. Waiting to see what Rachel does with bated breath! |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Rachel on Dec 21st, 2003, 6:05pm on 12/21/03 at 17:25:38, Lesley wrote:
I normally release it before I turn blue and pass out ;D |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by xanthe on Dec 21st, 2003, 6:07pm Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaachel! I thought you'd posted the conclusion you-you-you *searching for a word that won't have KB chasing her* *unable to find word so settles for glowering* |
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Title: ! Post by Carolyn P on Dec 21st, 2003, 6:09pm Thank-you. This is another one that I would like to come to at some point. The trouble is that I wrote all these to be stand alone pieces and I didn't think about what happened before or after. Also the two I feel most that I would like to do more with are both Maynard ones, and are not compatible with each other, so that would be two furture stories baout the same family with incompatible storylines...I think I might blow a fuse if I did that. Don't know when Rachel will do the end of this as she is rather busy today. That also means I haven't got the ends for about half of the drabbles already posted, so they will not be on the website just yet. Before Christmas, Rachel willing. Don't fuss the poor girl, she is still writing the christmas one and that is slightly more important! |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Rachel on Dec 21st, 2003, 6:10pm Two months later Con was still at home helping to look after her mother and ease her through the traumatic transitional phase. Joey didn’t appreciate the gesture quite so much, looking forward eagerly to the time when Con would leave her and Jack alone. Joey hadn’t told any of her children, but she and Jack had lately taken up Naturalism, but were unwilling yet to inflict this on their children, so were putting up with the chafing of the now unfamiliar apparel. Con, comfortable in the knowledge that she was doing her filial duty, had written to her husband explaining matters. At first indignant at Con’s continued absence, he soon realised that this was actually the opportunity he had been waiting for and was in actual fact busily selling up the home he and Con shared with the plan of moving in with the “ageing Maynards” (his own private name for his in-laws). Margot had taken her vows and from that point on had ceased to even think about her family. The relief of the calmness in the convent was the perfect antidote to all the years of chalet school life, with it’s accompaniment of Joey’s surrogate motherhood of every female in hailing distance. Margot found herself drawn to her Mother Superior, finding in the older woman the dignity and grace so lacking in Joey. One afternoon, Joey having attended to the donkey in the bathroom and having nothing else to occupy her, decided it was time to have a chat with Con – or tell her to pack her bags and sling her hook. It depended which words came out first really. “Con,” Joey began, “When are you leaving?” “Oh I shant leave you yet mother. I’m the only triplet you have left now, and with all the others leaving home so young and staying so far away, I know how much you need me.” Joey regarded her daughter sourly. “Honestly Con, your father and I can manage! We aren’t complete idiots yet!” Con patted Joey’s hand gently. “Hush mother, you need time to adjust still. I’m not going to leave until I know it is the right thing to do.” Joey groaned aloud, sick to death of being treated like an eejit by her own daughter. “Mother, I have some news for you,” continued Con, gently caressing her stomach. “I am going to have a baby. In fact I am going to have lots of babies. As a tribute to you, I am going to have the most babies any woman ever has. I am going to be famous for being the woman who had so many babies she had to live in six houses. Are you proud mother? You are my inspiration!” Joey sat back in her chair weakly, contemplating the monster she had created. “And how many do you anticipate this time round?” she asked at last. Con gave her mother a smug look. “I already know exactly how many there are,” she said gloatingly. “Mother, I’m having quads!” Joey shrieked in anguish before falling back in her chair, still, grey and to all appearances totally and completely pissed off. Con quietly left the room to go and write to her husband and tell him how well mama had taken the news. Jack Maynard attempted to persuade Con to go home also, using the argument that Con needed to be with her husband at this time. “I’m so glad you think so daddy!” Con gushed. “He’s arriving tomorrow, he starts his new job on Thursday and all our furniture arrives on Friday.” Con gave her father a brief hug before wandering upstairs to work out where precisely she would put all her furniture and possessions. |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Rachel on Dec 21st, 2003, 6:10pm Jack and Joey were having a sneaky consultation, trying to figure out how to get rid of Con, and how to avoid the imminent arrival of their son-in-law – whom they both reviled and detested. Jack offered the suggestion that they should both fake their own deaths (thus adding to the ADBC), but Joey pointed out this had already been tried by Madge unsuccessfully, leading to a premature cremation that was still painful to think about. Finally, Jack spoke. “There’s nothing else for it Joey. We’re going to have to be straight with them both and just tell them we want our house back and if necessary, why! It is our home after all, and they can’t refuse to leave ever!” Jack was confident but Joey looked at him sceptically. “Do you realise Jack that ever since that peculiar girl wrote about Con, our daughter has been bolshy, pushy and a so assertive it’s unbelievable? She defies anyone she pleases these days, and I don’t think us asking her and her husband to leave will really work if she has made up her mind to stay.” The following morning, Con wandered the house, mooning in and out of rooms as she waited for her husbands’ arrival. Finally, a glance down the driveway gave Con her reward, and she saw a car approaching the front door. She ran from the room and flung herself into her husband’s arms almost before he had a chance to exit the vehicle. The couple embraced warmly in the driveway, kissing passionately much to Joey’s disgust as she peered through the lacy curtains to spy on the pair. “Right Jack, he’s picking up his case, they’re walking towards the door and – NOW!” Jack walked out of his office into the hallway. Con stared in disbelief at her father and her husband sniggered faintly. Jack was stark naked, carrying a cup of coffee in one hand and a sthingy in the other. “Daddy!” hissed Con. “You’ve forgotten to put on your clothes!” Jack grinned at his daughter. “Nope sweetie, I choose the right to wear sod all in my own home. Like it or lump it – or leave!” Muttering words unlawful to be heard by some of the younger members of the CBB, Con dragged her husband into the Saal and away from Jack who grinned and continued on his way. In the Saal, Joey was sitting in a chair mending some of Jack’s socks. “Ah, there you are,” was her amiable greeting. Joey rose to greet the son-in-law she hated, and the sight of her mother wearing nothing other than her birthday suit confronted Con. Con moaned feebly and tried to drag her husband out of the room, but he was unwilling to go, having a twinkle and glint in his eye. Joey spotted the twinkle, and smirked. She might hate this man but it was nice to know she still had power over him. Reg raised an eyebrow at Joey, who shook her head. Heaving a sigh of regret, Reg turned to his wife. “I think now is the time for us to make our excuses and leave sweetie,” he said. Con looked at Reg adoringly. “Of course darling,” she assented quietly, turning to leave the room to pack her belongings. Before she was even out of the room, Reg and Joey were locked in a passionate embrace, sucking and mashing faces together in the most embarrassing manner. Con turned to observe, then left without a word, walking straight out the front door. She didn’t stop walking until she had reached Roger. She flung herself into his arms, and choked out her story. Roger liked the idea of nakedness so much that he and Con decided to start their own Naturalist Reserve, and bring up Con’s quads (who all turned out to be girls and were named Molly, Polly, Dolly and Jolly) in nakedness. Reg stayed with the Maynards, moving in and establishing the first “Ménage a Trois” seen on the Platz. The idea soon caught on, and spare doctors were soon in high demand. |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Rebecca on Dec 21st, 2003, 6:30pm Rachel! :o Speechless but rather concerned about the lack of fatalies! |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by xanthe on Dec 21st, 2003, 6:30pm *giggles* Thank you Rachel ;D can it be - there was no death in the conclusion... (unless you count the mention of Madge's cremation)... :o |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Polly1 on Dec 21st, 2003, 6:39pm Oh good grief!! That was almost surreal! V funny though 8oo 8oo |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Lesley on Dec 21st, 2003, 6:55pm 8oo Wonderful!! Slightly worried as only the one death and that only mentioned as an aside! (Poor Madge!) Rachel, some of the others were worried that i might be turning into another Rachel - no way, I couldn't come close! |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Carolyn P on Dec 21st, 2003, 7:40pm I think Rachel is a wonderful person. Not only has she written a great conclusion to this, but has sent me all rest as well. |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by LauraT on Dec 21st, 2003, 7:49pm RACHEL!! *consider there to be many grinning smileys if only i could get them to work!* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 21st, 2003, 8:10pm *giggles until I have a stitch* Rachel, that's my favourite one so far!!! And I do think these should be title for easy reference, eg. Story 21, in which Con comes home, all upset... I don't think any of us could fail to remember what comes next! :o *feeling mildly sorry for Madge* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 21st, 2003, 8:55pm Oh Rachel!! I think this may be the best yet!! 8oo 8oo And Carolyn, the beginning was a real tearjerker! Would like to see that expanded! :-* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Chloe on Dec 21st, 2003, 9:05pm 8oo oww i actually fell of my chair i was laughing so hard! That was great Rachel Thanks you two! |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Carolyn P on Dec 21st, 2003, 9:25pm All the advent drabbles are on my webpage, follow the house or www.dabblingducks.co.uk I hope it is all there. I used Frontpage which D thinks is ******** and it didn't want to upload. Can you let me know if there are any problems, it looks OK from this end. He says he will redo the whole thing for me after christmas, all singing all dancing ect. I'm just not sure which christmas. I think this is a case of cobblers children... |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Chloe on Dec 21st, 2003, 9:32pm it works fine for me Carolyn :) |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Rachael on Dec 21st, 2003, 10:16pm Mind-blowingly tasteless! 8oo 8oo 8oo Thank you!! Just what I needed! |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by LulieCat on Dec 21st, 2003, 10:34pm Oh, the mere thought of Joey and Jack wandering about sans clothes reduces me to a tiny lump of giggling amoeba flesh. 8oo8oo8oo *chortles, knowing she has overdone the smileys* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Esmeralda on Dec 21st, 2003, 10:39pm That was so good, both parts, the beginning was really thoughtful an dthe ending too funny for words 8oo 8oo 8oo, Three cheers for the authors. |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Carolyn P on Dec 21st, 2003, 10:49pm *looks at Lulies post and coughs meaningfully* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Abi on Dec 21st, 2003, 11:21pm Oh my gooodness, Rachel, how do you do it? ::) *is speechless with laughter and the attempts to stifle it* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 22nd, 2003, 1:02am *sends Lulie off to the fines box to pay her fine for excessive smilies!* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Kathy_S on Dec 22nd, 2003, 1:07am Should have guessed after Joey’s appearance in fig leaves the other day. But didn’t. ;D Thanks for the web site, Carolyn! |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Susan on Dec 22nd, 2003, 1:30am Wonderful, poignant beginning Carolyn and a wonderfully hysterical ending Rachel. What a way to start the week. |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 22nd, 2003, 3:34am *suggests a mod remove the excess smileys, just in case they attract the TEM* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 22nd, 2003, 11:00am Your wish is my command KB! :-* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Ally on Dec 22nd, 2003, 5:03pm Rachel you are a star! I love your surealism, can we have advent drabbles every day please! |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 23rd, 2003, 4:58am on 12/22/03 at 11:00:45, Vikki wrote:
*liking the idea of this a LOT* ;) |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 23rd, 2003, 11:07pm *quickly retracts statement!!* :o :o |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 24th, 2003, 12:25am Too late, I'm afraid, my dear! *evil chuckle* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 24th, 2003, 4:34am *feels great concern!!* :o :o |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 24th, 2003, 8:24am First decree for Vikki: You will make an effort to enjoy Christmas Day. (I'm a really hard taskmaster... ;)) |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 24th, 2003, 5:26pm Phew! Think I can cope with that one! ;) ;D |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 24th, 2003, 9:25pm Second decree for Vikki: As a New Year's Resolution, you will yibble as much as time and common sense allow. |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 25th, 2003, 12:39am Oh good! Another easy one!! ;D |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 25th, 2003, 3:34am Wait 'till you see the ones I come up with for you in March! *evil chortle* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 25th, 2003, 3:58am *lets out a scream of horror!* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 25th, 2003, 4:03am *hopes Vikki didn't wake up everyone else* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 25th, 2003, 3:20pm *wonders why KB felt so strongly that she posted twice?* ;) |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 25th, 2003, 9:39pm *has no idea what Vikki's talking about* *all innocence* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 25th, 2003, 10:07pm *thinks KB's a crafty madam who went back and deleted the second post!!* >:( ;) |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 25th, 2003, 10:45pm *repeats earlier denials with a saintly expression* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 25th, 2003, 11:02pm *points out to KB that she really isn't fooling anyone!* ;) |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 25th, 2003, 11:04pm *is fully aware of the fact but enjoys a little pretence* 8oo 8oo 8oo |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 25th, 2003, 11:23pm *wonders whether to humour KB or not!* :-/ |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 25th, 2003, 11:27pm *thinks it would be nice of Vikki to do so* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 25th, 2003, 11:36pm Aw, go on then, since it's christmas!! ;) |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 25th, 2003, 11:37pm Thank you! *is so sweet and innocent that it's nauseating* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 25th, 2003, 11:49pm *reaches for the sick bucket!* ;) |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Rachel on Dec 25th, 2003, 11:51pm ** scampers off with the sick bucket so Vikki has to be sick on the carpet ** |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 25th, 2003, 11:55pm Well, since it's your fault I was sick on the floor Rachel, you can clear it up!! ;) |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 26th, 2003, 12:11am *supposes Rachel should be welcomed back, but thinks that was a rather nasty thing to do* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by Vikki on Dec 26th, 2003, 12:17am *appreciates KB's back up!* :-* |
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Title: Re: 21st Advent drabble Post by KB on Dec 26th, 2003, 12:22am You're very welcome. It was a pleasure. |
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