Christmas Changes Chapter~5

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‘What do you want John,’ enquired Auntie Abby with an edge to her voice...

 


Christmas Changes

A Penmarris Story
Chapter 5

Previously…

We were looking at an intricately patterned vase when the door opened with a ping from the bell over the door.

‘Sorry, we’re closed. We will be open the day after Boxing Day,’ said Auntie without looking up.

‘Well, this looks nice and cosy. Here are the two freaks together.‘

We turned around and there he was; a sneer on his unshaven face and a tyre lever in his hand.

‘I warned you not to get anywhere near Andy and here you are, together. You both need to be taught a lesson and I’m the one to do it.’

He came forward menacingly and the look in his eyes showed that he was not all there.

And now the story continues…

‘What do you want John,’ enquired Auntie Abby with an edge to her voice.

‘I see that you are still dressing as a woman. A freak like you should stay hidden like Andrew. You should have stayed a boy. You were born that way and no amount of cosmetic surgery is going to change that fact.’

He looked at a vase that was on a plinth. It was beautiful, aqua blue in colour and spotlighted from above. Without warning, he threw out his arm and with the tyre lever; he smashed it into thousands of pieces.

By this time, I was terrified. He was a big man and I had seen what he was capable of. Why had Mum married him? Was he nice to her or was it all an act?

‘Oop’s, silly me.’ he said with a sly grin.

‘Get out now.’ said my aunt with a calm voice that I could only marvel at.

He carried on as if she had not spoken.

‘So, Andrew ran to you, did he? I suppose that birds of a feather stick together. Did I ever tell you Andy that you look really silly in a dress?

‘My name is Amy and I am not Andy and if I do look silly in a dress, I would rather that than wear boys clothes and not be true to myself.’

‘”True to myself”’ mocked John. ‘Listen to you; the shrinks have brain washed you into believing that you are anything other than a boy. You have dick and balls, don’t you? You can’t have a baby, even if you have the fucking thing cut off. What’s the point eh? Now Andrew, you are coming with me and if you try and stop me Abby, I will make a mess of your perverted, painted face. Do you get me?’

All the time we had been backing up as he advanced, threateningly waving about the long metal bar. Auntie Abby had made sure that I was slightly behind her.

As he passed a shelf full of gaily painted pottery, He swept the tyre lever across the shelf and it all came crashing down on the polished wooden flooring, making a terrific noise.

‘Enough,’ shouted Auntie, ‘what the hell do you want?’

‘That’s a bit more reasonable,’ he said, ‘all I want is for Andy to come home and retract all the lies he has said about me.’

‘I’ve not told you any lies,’ I shouted.

‘I believe her,’ said Auntie.

‘Did Andy tell you that he hit his brother? Did he say that when I tried to restrain him, he got all stroppy and hit me too? Did he say that I cut his hair when he did it himself, just because he couldn’t get his way about dressing like a sissy fag?’

‘You liar!’ I screamed, ‘you did all this to me because I didn’t want to go along with you. I am a girl not a boy…’

‘Amy, be quiet,’ said Auntie Abby, ‘shouting will not help.’

She turned to John and said, ‘why do you want her to come back with you,’

‘What?’

‘You heard; why are you so keen for her to go back with you? You don’t love her or even like her, that’s obvious, so I repeat, why do you want her to come back with you?’

John still gripped the tyre lever and looked like he was dying to use it.

‘I want him back, because he belongs at home and I have parental responsibility for him. For too long he has got his own way and now he has to do what I tell him.’

‘She is not going anywhere and if you don’t leave now, I’ll call the police.’

‘The police, that’s a laugh. They don’t like getting involved with domestics.’

‘They are involved and are looking for you. I am surprised that you were stupid enough to come here.’

‘I have done nothing wrong.’

‘So the fact that you perforated her ear drum, gave her extensive bruises on the arm and hacked off her hair is your definition of doing nothing wrong is it?’

John had been doing a very good impression of a pressure cooker about to explode and those words set him off, violently.

He started smashing more things.

Suddenly Auntie Abby, who I think might have a bit of a temper herself when roused, threw a pot at his head and it hit him on the temple. That stopped him for a second as he shook his head and then he came for us, roaring like a madman.

The look in his eyes showed that he wanted to cause us grievous bodily harm but my aunt was of sterner stuff. She just waited for him to come up and when he swung the bar at her face, it wasn’t there as she ducked under the killer swipe and then with great presence of mind, she kneed him in the groin.

He dropped the tyre lever and clutched at his crown jewels and his eyes sort of crossed.

Auntie Abby with great presence of mind; grabbed the tyre lever and stood over him. I wondered if she was going to brain him, but all she said was ‘Get out now, or else.’

Then he said a few naughty words, threw a couple of insults at us and then, limping and bending slightly, he turned and fled.

Of course for me, reaction kicked in and I burst into tears.

‘Why doesn’t he leave me alone?’

‘Because he’s a bully and he want to get his own way. Well we won’t let him will we?’

‘No,’ I sniffed.

She picked up her mobile phone.

‘Hi, Terry, look that slime ball John Barnes has just threatened us in my own pottery and ran wild with an iron bar. I thought that you were after him?’

‘All right, I know it’s Christmas, but the man is a bloody danger. He nearly killed us, or would have if I had let him. He’s just left the pottery….okay, thanks; love to Mary,’

She put her phone down and then looked at me. I was still doing my young girl upset routine and it seemed that I now cried at the least thing. Mind you, John’s antics were enough to make a saint cry.

‘Don’t worry honey, he’s gone. That was the local Bobby (policeman) I spoke to. He’s a good lad, but the problem is that it’s Christmas and evidently, crime stops at Christmas so that there is a skeleton staff. It’s not like this area has much in the way of crime. It’s not like Bodmin…’

‘What’s wrong with Bodmin?’

‘Don’t ask. Anyway, its high time we went home.’

‘H…he won’t come back, will he?’

‘Not if knows what’s good for him,’ said my Aunt, picking up the tyre lever and flourishing it dramatically.

‘We need to tidy up.’ I said, looking around at the carnage.

‘Leave it, it’ll still be here tomorrow.’

‘I’m sorry I caused all this,’ I said.

‘You didn’t, he did and anyway, nobody messes wid my sisters kid,’ she said in a poor imitation of a Bronx accent.

I giggled, feeling a bit better.

‘I didn’t know you spoke Welsh,’ I said, tongue in cheek.

‘Stupid girl.’ She replied giggling.

As we left the pottery, I looked around nervously, wondering where John had got to, then in the distance I saw his car heading out of the quay car park and going up the hill leading out of the village. It was easy to see and recognise his car, as it couldn’t go too fast on the still icy and snowy road.

‘There’s John,’ I said, pointing.

‘Good riddance,’ she said, ‘the police have his car reg number and description, so they will catch him soon enough. Now lets go home, I’m in need of a couple of mince pies and a nice warming medicinal glass of mulled wine.’

We walked as fast as the conditions allowed, but my attention was drawn by a loud, foghorn noise coming from out to sea. Glancing over, I saw this huge yacht coming through the harbour entrance. It dwarfed everything else and I did wonder if it was too big to fit in.

‘Wow, that’s big. I wonder what it’s doing here. It looks like it should be in Cannes or St Tropez or some other posh, jet set type place.’

‘Oh, it’s often here, you could say that Penmarris is it’s home.’

‘You must have some seriously rich people living here.’

‘You could say that,’ she replied with a funny smile on her face.

We walked up the hill and stopped outside Dun Roamin.

‘Jo said that your stuff is still here, shall we pick it up?’

‘Okay.’

She went up the steps and rang the bell.

A few seconds later the door was opened and the cheery face (not) of the B&B owner appeared.

‘Ah, Mrs Potts; Happy Christmas,’ said Auntie happily.

‘If you say so,’ she sniffed.

‘Young Amy here wants to pick up her things, she’s staying with me.’

‘No refunds.’ said the landlady promptly and with practiced ease.

‘That’s all right. I would hate to see you deprived of your payment.’

‘Best come-along in then.’

She motioned with her arm and we soon found ourselves in the cheerless hallway.

‘Do you want to nip up to your room and get your things? Asked my aunt.

‘Okay.’ I replied and then went upstairs, glad to get away from the stony glances of mine host.

I quickly put my things together and found my way back downstairs. Ma Potts was in, for her, an animated discussion about her piles and bunions and how the doctor was puzzled about the state of her bowels. She seemed to be happier than I had seen her before, but I must admit that Auntie didn’t look too thrilled about the conversation.

With a hurried goodbye we left her mid explanation about her bowel movements and carried on up the hill.

‘Sam should be back from church now with the kids.’

‘Is she alright with me coming?’

‘Of course, she’s dying to meet you. I haven’t many rellies, and she wants to know if my madness runs in the family.’

I think that she was joking and just giggled nervously.

As the weather had improved and the sun was shining, some hardy souls were now out and about. Some children had toboggans, dustbin lids and other improvised modes of transport and were flying down the hill in the park and making a great deal of noise. The church bells were ringing some sort of festive ding-dong that was very in keeping with the season.

Many people who all seemed to know my Aunt and several who knew me by name too passed us. The jungle drums and village grapevine were obviously alive and kicking in Penmarris.

From the gaily painted houses came the sounds of music and laughter and the heady smells of Christmas cooking. I recognised, bacon, roasting meat, baked bread, cinnamon and many other smells that made my mouth water and realise that I hadn’t eaten anything for ages.

‘Hungry?’ asked my aunt.

I nodded.

‘Me too, lets hurry up and get home.’

Jellicle Cottage looked lovely and welcoming. There were lights around the door and windows. Outside the trees had many twinkling lights that looked lovely now and would look even better when it got dark.

Auntie Abby opened the door and shouted ‘we’re home!’

A few cats dashed out of the door and then as I followed her in, I was stopped by a sight of someone coming out of a side room.

She was pretty, about my mum’s age and had a smudge of flour on her nose and an apron over her dress. I instantly recognised her from the church. She had a happy smile on her face. Behind her was a very young child, hanging onto her legs and peeping out.

‘Goo goo, cat, mama’ said the girl.

‘Hi Amy,’ said Samantha.

‘Hi,’ I replied shyly.

‘Come here and give me a Christmas hug then.’

She opened her arms and I went over to her and was embraced warmly.

I went all mushy when she whispered in my ear, ‘welcome home honey.’

~*~

Just then, there was a slam of a door upstairs, a baby started to cry and I could hear the clatter of feet hurrying downstairs.

‘Is she here then?’ asked the voice coming down and then she was there, looking at me intently.

She looked a bit older than me, but I knew that she was in fact younger. I took this to be Hannah. She was pretty, with long blond hair and a sunny smile.

‘Hi Amy, Happy Xmas.’

‘Erm Happy Xmas to you too.’ I replied.

‘Hannah, you have woken up Gabrielle again, I have just put her down. She’ll be all ratty now at lunch time and if she is, you will have to deal with it.’

‘Sorry Mummy,’ she said in a voice that frankly didn’t seem too sorry.

‘Anna huggle,’ said the little girl holding out arms.

‘Alright Heather, come to Hannah,’

Hannah opened her arms and Heather let go of Samantha and walked rather unsteadily to Heather and allowed herself to be picked up. She buried her head into Hannah’s shoulders. I had a feeling that she was a bit shy of me. I didn’t blame her.

‘Right, go and sort out your sister,’ said Samantha, ‘while we get things sorted out with Amy here.’

Hannah raised her eyes to the ceiling and muttering to herself she went upstairs carrying a giggling Heather. She turned as she went up.

‘Slave drivers, that’s what they are. I actually have to do the washing up too. What’s wrong with a dishwasher? Go now Amy; save yourself before it’s too late…’

She then disappeared on a bend in the staircase. I didn’t take what she said too seriously as she had been grinning when she said it.

‘Heather is a bit behind with her speech. She was premature and that may be the reason, but she is catching up with normal kids of her age,’ said Samantha who chose to ignore the accusation that they were slave drivers.

‘She’s sweet,’ I said.

‘Mmm, she is, isn’t she? Now, do you want to freshen up?’

‘Please,’

‘I’ll show you your room,’ said Auntie Abby.

‘Okay, you two go and do what you have to do and then you can and come down and try my famous mice pies and maybe a sip of mulled wine?’

‘Sounds delish,’ I said enthusiastically.

The room was nice, if a bit small. - I don’t think that the house was built for this many people plus a thousand cats, but I wasn’t complaining.

Auntie Abby must have been reading my mind.

‘Sorry about the cramped space,’ she said, ‘we have asked for planning permission to extend. We have plenty of land here and want to make the place a lot bigger, but in the same style as we currently have. Red tape is holding things up a bit, but we will twist the arm of the committee and should get the go ahead in the New Year. We could move to a bigger place, but we love it here.’

‘It’s lovely and quirky.’

‘It is, isn’t it? Anyway, I’ll leave you to do what you have to do. Come downstairs when you’ve finished and have a bite to eat. We always have Christmas dinner late and then we are due to go to Mummy Dotty’s later.’

‘Is she as fierce as she looks and sounds?’

‘Not really, although others might think that she breaths fire. She is a real sweetie and she is someone who is great to have on your side.’

‘What is that thing with the shotgun?’

‘She made it her life’s ambition to get rid of the moles on her lawn. Mind you, to my knowledge she’s never hit a mole with her gun yet and between you and me, Jenkins, her butler, only supplies her with blank bullets. Right, see you downstairs. The bathroom is at the end of the landing.’

She left me to it and I took my meagre selection of clothes out of my case and hung them up in the closet.

After that, I looked out of the window. Below I could see the snow covered garden and a small lake, complete with ducks and the occasional cat prowling about. In the distance, the beach and sea was visible, although it was a bit misty out there.

After doing what I had to do, I made my way downstairs and found everyone in the large, cheerful kitchen. Heather was playing on the floor with Gaby. Hannah was pealing spuds with a look on her face that I interpreted as her not liking the job very much. Auntie Abby and Samantha were sitting at the table, shelling peas and sipping glasses of wine.

‘There you are love,’ said my aunt, ‘pull up a chair, grab a mince pie and try some of this.’

She poured some wine out of a saucepan, it was hot and smelt lovely; all sort of spicy.

‘Not too much as officially you are under age, but a small glass shouldn’t hurt,’ said Auntie.

‘I can’t drink much of it either,’ said Samantha, ‘it goes to my head.’

‘Mummy Sam gets drunk, just sniffing alcohol,’ said Hannah.

‘A bit of an overstatement,’ said Samantha, ‘but still, there is a grain of truth to it. Now, Amy, Abby has told me about what happened at the pottery. Are you all right?’

‘Yes, I think so. Auntie Abby saved me.’

‘Super Abby, flies through the air with the greatest of ease. Can jump over mountains, has the strength of ten, heroine…’

‘Shut up Hannah.’

‘Sorree,’ she replied, smiling.

‘Well, you are safe here,’ said Samantha.

Hannah’s phone went off.

‘Hi Sarah, yea, she’s fine, the usual number of arms, legs, stuff like that.’

She was looking at me and I felt a bit under the microscope.

‘Sarah is Mummy Dotty’s dotty adopted daughter,’ explained Auntie, ‘she can talk the hind legs off a donkey and even in this place of strangeness, she is a one off.’

‘Thank goodness,’ breathed Samantha.

Hannah who didn’t seem to mind being eve dropped, carried on as if I wasn’t there.

‘Yea, quite pretty, bit of a disaster, hair wise under the wig, but still, she has prospects. She won’t beat off the boys yet, but with a bit of help and excellent advice from me, I think that she might make something of herself….’

‘Hannah,’ said Auntie Abby firmly, ‘enough.’

‘Oops, sorry Sarah, parental unit malfunction, got ta go, see ya laters,’

She stabbed a button on the phone and then looked around expectantly.

I could have cried, what with all that had gone on recently, but I had a bit of a funny bone and I just laughed out loud.

‘What?’ asked Hannah, with an all innocent and butter wouldn’t melt in the mouth look.’

‘You do not tell other people about Amy without her permission and that crack about her hair is rude and insensitive.’

Hannah looked crestfallen.

‘Sorry,’ she mumbled, ‘I got sort of carried away and anyway, Amy is pretty and her wig suits her and what if she has less hair than that Kojak bloke you like watching on Ancient TV…’

Hannah sort of tailed off as her combined mothers looked at her as if she was deep in the doo-doo.

‘Sorry,’ she mumbled and then turned to me, ‘wanna see my room?’

‘Okay,’ I said, ‘if that’s all right?’ I enquired.

‘Off you go, take a mince pie with you. You are all skin and bone. I can see that you will need fattening up,’ said Samantha, eying me up and down.

We went upstairs leaving the adults to talk about me. As we reached the top of the stairs, Hannah stopped, put her finger to her lips and then crept downstairs a bit. Still out of sight of the adults, she could, I think, hear all that was being said.

She stayed there for a few minutes and then came up. Without a word, she grabbed my hand and led me to her room.

Shutting the door quietly, she stood there for a moment and then came over and gave me a hug.

‘They are making plans about you. Something about going to the hairdressers, makeovers, stuff like that. Sorry about the hair thing; my mouth sometimes says silly things without my input. It’s my mouths fault. I keep telling it to shut up, but it keeps saying things without my permission.’

‘That’s all right. I know that you weren’t being mean.’

‘You will find that we are all a bit nuts around here. It must be something in the water. Anyway, this John Barnes character, is he for real?’

‘Unfortunately yes. He liked me at first…’

I told her all that had happened to me. The fact that she said nothing made me wonder for a moment if she made a mistake in befriending me.

I finished and for some reason I was crying.

She looked at me and then I noticed that she too had tears in her eyes.

‘I feel awful now,’ she said, ‘I didn’t know the full story and I thought…well never mind what I thought. I got it wrong. You’ve really been through it haven’t you?

‘Sort of.’ I said, smiling sadly.

‘Right,’ she said, ‘when I came here I was in a mess too and everyone was kind to me and I was taken in by Sam and Abby. They made me welcome and helped me with my issues. I am transgendered too and they have always been there for me. Now I’m their daughter and I love them more than words can say. If anyone can help you, they can. Most of the people in Penmarris have been so nice to me and not judged me; it’s that kind of place. Oh there are one or two idiots around, but if they say anything, they are jumped on from a great height. What I’m saying is that I am sure that you have a home here and everyone will fight to protect you.’

‘I hope so, I can do with all the help I can get.’

‘Just let that John show his face around here again; he won’t know what hit him! Anyway, enough of that; what clothes have you brought with you?’

‘Not much; John threw most of them away and I could only bring what I had hidden away from him and his sons.’

‘They sound like a bad bunch. Lets go see what you’ve got.’

We went to my room and soon all the clothes that had been lovingly hung up, were strewn across the bed.

‘Not much is there?’ she said after going through them, ‘still, a couple of nice tops and skirts to mix and match. It looks like we are going to have to go on a Boxing Day frenzy of shopping.’

‘I don’t have much money left.’

‘So what?’

‘Well you can’t buy clothes without money.’

‘We have money; pots of it.’

‘I couldn’t…’

‘Don’t be daft…’

‘I’m not being daft. Look, Auntie Abby didn’t…I mean she’s lovely and everything and so are you and the children and Samantha, but I don’t want to sponge off anyone. I’m nearly sixteen and I was only going to ask her if she would let me stay until my birthday and then I could get a job and be independent and not have to worry about being let down by anyone or losing them like I lost my mum and dad…’

Of course, I started crying again and couldn’t finish what I started to say.

How could I explain that anyone and everyone that I had loved had gone away or had turned against me? I didn’t want the pain of any more rejection. I thought that John loved me, but he didn’t and I did not want to go through any more pain and suffering.

I found myself, face down on the pillow and somehow realised that I was alone. Maybe, Hannah was fed up with my being a cry-baby or she just didn’t like me and couldn’t wait to get away from me…

I felt the gentle touch of a hand on my shoulder. I turned over and looked up through tear stained eyes.

‘Oh Amy, come here love.’

I fell into the arms of my aunt and cried my eyes out.


To Be Continued…

Angel

The Cove By Liz Wright

Please leave comments…thanks! ~Sue

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Comments

Love

No cliffs tonight just love all around. John is likely to show up again. So everyone needs to be on the lookout. The local constabulary is none to swift from past recollection, so they cannot be depended on.

Rami.

RAMI

It's A Good Thing...

...I never got around to putting my face on today, or my mascara would be dripping off my chin right now. You really manage to twang those heart-strings, don't you?

Such a lovely story !

All this month I have looked every day for the next installment. I really do love your Penmarris universe.

Thank you Susan for keeping it going.

Briar

Home

So Amy's finally made it to Jellicle Cottage and we can assume is now safe and sound, while John is attempting to escape up the slippery hill. With any luck, even if he makes it to the top, he'll travel too fast for the conditions and crash, thus making it easier for the police to pick him up.

As others have speculated, I imagine that Amy's mum's will specified the proceeds of her estate to go to her when she reaches 18/21, bypassing John and the boys. Not that she'll want for money given Abby and Sam will no doubt push through legal guardianship / adoption proceedings asap. Still, it'll be interesting seeing the look on Amy's face when she finds out exactly how wealthy her new family are :)

Meanwhile, let's see how we're doing against the prophecy back in Chapter 2:

Beware, the strange dark man. John?
A storm is coming. Could be interpreted many ways - but if the prophecy's chronological, the literal (meteorological) storm?
Epiphany is nearly upon us. Seeking refuge in the church?
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts. Grecian vases and a tire iron?
Have you seen the light? Being accepted into Abby and Sam's family?

As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!

Don't Spend Too Much Time on the "Prophecy"...

The most -- actually, the only, IMO -- attractive thing about the seer is that she's not very good. Anybody speaking sufficiently elliptically will probably do better than a straight coin toss. (A lot of mentalists have made a living thanks to that.)

And that was about as well as she did the first couple of times we ran across her. It helps when you say indisputable things like "time is marching on" or "there's a storm coming" (literally or figuratively, now or in the future).

Eric

John is definitely up to

John is definitely up to something, I seriously suspect he's so persistent for some monetary reason. Maybe the house etc wasn't left to John, he'd need Amy/Andrew there so he keeps control. Maybe he was planning to get Amy/Andrew to sign a Will leaving everything to him the find a way to dispose of Amy/Andrew.

Either way the guy is a snake, one that needs it's head cut off.

Looking forward to more

Big hugs

Lizzie :)

Yule

Bailey's Angel
The Godmother :p

BIG mistake letting John go. But then Abby is no policewoman

A pity she couldn't detain him until the local plod could leave their Chirstmas party and lock him up. He has already attacked Amy twice in the town. AND the police know of the injuries to her the doctor cataloged.

He is getting dangerous and likely will drink heavily to *boost his courage*.

I am nearly certain now he did NOT inherit his wife's estate and in fact could be charged with felony theft, what with buying the fancy car and lord knows what else he took. It could well be mom discovered his true intentions when she was dying and made provisions for her son but somehow he was never informed. Or could have been she was young they were only married a short while so she never got around to changing her will.

He needs to be taken in alive so they can learn of all his crimes. And Amy can recover her stolen legacy. Nit sure if her step brothers can be salvaged.

My suspicions is high speed police chase, crash and deads your John. Personally I'd prefer him in prison, a castrated cripple and convicted of the murder of his first wife and of contributing to the delinquency of minors when it is learned what they did to Amy with him.
I still wonder about the two nasty boys mom. I am suspicious she did not stay away from John but dies/disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

Agree the local plod are just that, plods. Okay for very minor stuff but totally untrained in important police work involving dangerous criminals. Look at Sue and how she nearly died when the police and local courts knew full well of her ex father-in-laws dangerous criminal connections.

Nice chapter.

John in Wauwatosa

P.S. Blank shotgun shells? Holy moles!

John in Wauwatosa

I wanted Abby to brain John

with the tire iron, but that just isn't Abby. And, no holy moles with blank shells...though plenty of moles in holes, I should think!

SuZie

SuZie

Well...

Over here, were John to end up in jail and word were to get around that he'd been "beating up" a young girl... He'd not have a "fun" time... No, not at all. Not saying that is the "right" thing to have happen to him, but, it would happen. For some reason, it seems that a big chunk of those in jails frown upon that kind of activity. (It's okay to rob or murder, but harm a kid...)

Annette

Letting John go

RobertaME's picture

I know that it's just good storytelling, letting him get away so we can have a big climax later, but really Abby should have caved his skull in. It was not only justified, but necessary. So long as he breathes he'll be a menace and a threat to Amy. If that were my niece he was after, looking at her the way he did, he would have gotten off lucky if all he ended up with was a severe concussion or maybe brain damage.

I'm a gentle and loving mother of two wonderful boys and wouldn't wish harm on anyone... but if I were in Abby's place I would have slaughtered him like a prize hog without a second thought or remorse. There's not much I'd kill for, but defending the life of a child tops that list. It's why I carry my 'great equalizer'... a S&W 686... that was given to me by a close friend of the family that carried it as a deputy sheriff's sidearm. I'd never touch it in anger, and she knew that when she gave it to me, but Lord help the thug who threatens their safety. People who would harm a child have given up their humanity already, so it's not a matter of killing so much as a matter of defense against a wild animal.

I'll get down off my high horse now... sorry!

That john needs to be flushed

into the loony bin with no hope of release. As for the beasts offspring, they might be redeemed after unlearning it's evil. Amy has found a home in Penmarris where everybody seems to have some endearing quirk.

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

16

That is the key here I think.

at age 16: required to pay full adult fares on the railways,
pay income tax,
pay national insurance,
get a job,
Can legally have sex,
smoke/buy cigarettes.

So, it implies one can also own property. She is very close to 16 apparently and John knows he will lose something very valuable when she does.

Kim

Not quite

You have to be 18 in order to be able to sign legal contracts. Therefore a 16 year old can't rent or buy property. In the case of renting, it can be done if a guarantor signs on their behalf. Usually has to be a parent/guardian, but the local council/social services could act as a guardian in this sense I think.

While you can't buy property until 18, the is nothing stopping you from inheriting property before then, but I suspect it has to be held in trust until the person can take legal responsibility for it at 18.

I'm afraid that Amy is in for a culture shock

Spare no expense! This new girl is going to have to adjust to Christmas Cornucopia, Penmarris Plenty and--most important of all--Loads and Loads of Love!

SuZie

SuZie

How do you figure?

It only takes one judge to put Andrew back in his stepfather's "loving" arms, and I know plenty of judges here in the U.S. who'd do it. There may not be as many in the UK, but as I said, it only takes one. As much as we are all rooting for Amy, it ain't over 'till it's over. Party later, there is still a lot that needs to happen first.

I wonder if Jenkins can be persuaded to get some live ammo for Lady Dottie's blunderbuss. Might need to get rid of some vermin!


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

Confused

I thought Abby was the painter and Sam the potter. So why did Abby take Amy into the pottery, instead of the gallery where her paintings are featured?


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

Confused?

No, Sam has always been the painter, and Abby the potter.

great chapter...again!

kristin's picture

I love this new twist on 'as penmarris turns". :) A new charactor, in need, finds our two heroines, who as usual, are only too happy to help the lost soul. i look forward to more stellar writing, to help me thru this Holiday season! It is your gift to us, and we thank you. :)

kristyn nichols

Not sure...

I'm not sure what to say this time. But, I do occasionally try to follow instructions and you did say leave a comment.

I see that Abby asked John WHY he wanted Amy... And got no real response. Leads me to believe that earlier speculation on the point (where Amy's mom's money belongs / who owns the house / etc.) might have been spot on.

John does seem to be a typical bully - in at least one way. He got "hurt" and ran. Sad the plod's been so slow in finding/capturing him.

Interesting household... I'm wondering if John'll try something when the "old battle axe with a shot gun" is around... And, all discover that the butler doesn't provide her ONLY with blanks...

Thanks,
Annette

Oh Amy is safe now!!!

Pamreed's picture

Abby is going to make sure she is safe and loved!!!!
She now has a family who will love her and support her!!
I know John will try to cause more trouble, but he is in
for a rude awaking!! He will have to deal with her family
now and that includes Dotty! Maybe her shotgun will have
real bullets.....

Hugs Susan,
Pamela

Just An Everyday "Bravo"

joannebarbarella's picture

Seeing I came in late, everyone else has said all the nice things and tried all the second-guessing on outcomes, so I just say I like it!

Joanne

Mice Pies ?

Mice pies? I wouldn't think there were any mice within a mile of Jellicle Cottage what with all the thousands of cats there. Mummy Dotty would gladly donate moles for pies instead.

Pippa NewHouse