Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 944.

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Wuthering Dormice
(aka Bike)
Part 944
by Angharad

Copyright © 2010 Angharad
All Rights Reserved.
  
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On Saturday morning, I dropped Julie into work at the salon, Stella had agreed to collect her if Simon was too busy. I got home in time to do lunch–Simon was home by now and had agreed to help get the children ready.

However, I don’t know if I’m becoming paranoid but there seemed to be all sorts of funny looks and sniggers between all the others when my back was turned. There was obviously something afoot and it was more than five toes.

Stella seemed to have reconciled herself to meeting up with Siân again and keeping things polite. I cleared up the lunch dishes and hoped things would go smoothly. I decided to do a paella, so I had all sorts of fish and shellfish to add to it.

It’s relatively easy to make, is cost effective and the kids like it. It also doesn’t take forever to cook. I included a couple of bottles of Spanish wine to the shopping list. The first course would be melon–I had a bag full of those too.

I have one of those cutters which scrapes the melon into balls, so with three types of melon and a few pieces of orange and grapefruit, I had quite pretty starters. These were all getting nice and cold in the fridge while I went up to shower and change.

I decided to keep things fairly informal–I wore a shirt and trousers, with very little makeup and just a spot of perfume. I had dangly two inch gold earrings, and my hair was up with tendrils around my ears and neck and a few from the pile of hair on the top of my head, and I had a gold chain necklace, with a gold bangle on my right wrist.

Siân and Kirsty were due around seven. At six I got the girls washed and dressed, while Si did the boys, Stella had gone to get Julie, whom I hoped hadn’t been the subject of experiment again.

I was just finishing the girls’ hair when they arrived back. They then both went to change. Livvie got bunches, Mima, had high bunches like horns, and Trish had a ponytail.

Then Trish and I laid the table in the dining room while Simon did the wine. I then started to prepare the meal. I began to fry the fish and shellfish in garlic, then added the rice and some water and some onion, mushroom and spices and left it to simmer.

I checked my lipstick and hair and let the girls choose their own bracelets, they have several. Julie came down dressed to kill–oh well. She and Trish took the starters into the room and I added a grape to the top of each–just for colour effect.

At ten past seven, the doorbell rang and Stella looked anxious but my smiling at her meant she couldn’t run away. Julie answered the door and brought our guests into the lounge. I followed the kids in and nearly gasped, Kirsty was wearing a dog collar as in clerical–a gay woman priest–oh boy. Must remember to keep my language clean.

The initial coolness between Stella and Siân lifted quite quickly, once Siân introduced her to Kirsty as, ‘a colleague who’d taught her all she knew about willies and fannies and things in between.’

Simon was fascinated to have two gay women in his house, both of whom were very attractive and posing something of a challenge to him. There was a slight tension between them but after a glass of wine it all eased somewhat.

The fruit entree went down well, as did the paella. I brought it in in the pan and served it at the table like they do in restaurants. Kirsty had baked a delicious apple and blackcurrant pie and they’d brought a carton of Bird’s custard, which I warmed as well as the pie.

After we’d eaten and I’d cleared the dishes and started the washer–I came back in to see the dining chairs rearranged. What was going on?

“Cathy Cameron–This is your life.” Julie was standing in front of the chairs and the children were cheering.

“What?” I gasped.

“Sit down, Mummy, and behave yourself.” Julie led me to a seat which was one of a pair which were separate from the rest, and she had a red ring binder under her arm.

Apart from astonishment, I was concerned what they would say in front of the other children. She and Trish knew my past, but the others didn’t–but they soon could.

I needn’t have worried, they skimmed over the early years, with Siân sniggering and applauding, while Kirsty just enjoyed the entertainment. They went through to my degree at Sussex–where did they get all this? It would take some time to accumulate all this info plus pictures which Simon was feeding into the television, from a DVD.

Then on to my study period at Portsmouth, and then the encounter with Stella who posed in front of the piece of hedge she apparently knocked me into.

Then Simon declaring it was love at first sight–he thought I had the most perfect bum on the planet.

They showed that film clip–yeah, the one of Spike and her plunge into my plunge bra–is that why they call them that? Everyone laughed so much they showed it again. I asked them to freeze it just before the dormouse jump and there, clearly on camera, was Des.

Now it was Stella’s turn to gasp. Des had been at that meeting, when we announced the survey–he’d photographed me and had actually done a short interview afterwards. It was the first time I’d met him. Stella sat down and wept.

“That, is Des Lane, Puddin’s daddy, who died in a car crash,” I told the children and our visitors, “a brilliant wildlife cameraman and a really nice man,” I said as Stella fought to compose herself.

Tom was astounded, “I must hae seen thon fil-um a hundred times, an’ didnae notice young Des. Well spotted, Cathy.”

I hated to admit it, I’d seen it more times than that, but not on as big a screen as we had on the telly these days, one of those flat things–I don’t watch it much. I would try and arrange a still to be taken off the film and give it to Stella for Puddin’.

They went through my deeds of derring-do and I got very embarrassed, they showed clips from news bulletins, including the one from hauling the newspaper chief’s wife out of the water, when I met him on telly and he thanked me in public.

Bits and pieces of other things, and Stella and Tom stood up and said they owed me their lives, Julie said the same and even Mima.

It began to get very emotional for me when all the children stood as a group and said that they were happier with me as their mother than they’d been with their previous parents.

Finally, Simon stood up and said that the final hearing for the adoption of the three girls had been held and agreed. Social services had agreed it was okay and only needed to be formalised.

The three girls were dancing around and the two boys asked if Simon and I would adopt them as well, and we agreed to discuss it with them.

It finished with Stella asking if I’d adopt her–which brought the house down.

The kids were put to bed and Julie and the adults chatted while we drank teas and coffees.

Whilst I was talking to Kirsty, I noticed Siân and Stella talking quite amicably together–and I was pleased they’d seemed to have buried the hatchet. I suspect Kirsty was as well, she noticed me looking and smiled–“Life’s too short to waste on bad feeling.”

I nodded and we continued chatting about how they’d met. Siân was a member of the local church choir and Kirsty, although a Scot by birth, had lived in Salisbury much of her life, where her father was a family doctor–the senior partner where Siân was now a junior partner–and he approved of their relationship. Although she did occasionally have some problems from the congregation, she was a curate at the Cathedral–the bishop and dean were very supportive of her.

When they left, I felt that I’d not only renewed my friendship with Siân, I’d made a new friend in Kirsty. They were both emphatic that I should visit them and take some of the children with me. I promised to do so.

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Comments

Yay!

A nicely nice episode of niceness!

Personally,

Angharad's picture

I thought it was a trifle heavy on niceties.

Angharad

Angharad

Groan!

Pippa: A nicely nice episode of niceness!
Angharad: I thought it was a trifle heavy on niceties.

Trust you to make a pun of it!

-oOo-

So the adoption of the original trio has been approved - next challenge: the other trio.

Now that the hatchet's been well and truly buried between Stella and Siân / Kirsty, I imagine they'll both be issued with an invite to the Stanebury trip (during which Kirsty will probably make a good friend of Marguerite!).

I'm still impressed that everyone had a chance to compile and rehearse TIYL under Cathy's nose without her noticing!

-oOo-

This weekend I'd better do an update of the chapter summary spreadsheet thingy - last time I updated I did 900-908, and we've had a month's worth of episodes since! Not to mention most of 100+ is still outstanding (please, someone, anyone, volunteer to help out!)

 


There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't...

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

When was Cathy away long enough

for the group to do their tricks? Great that Cathy was able to call out Des. Thought that only one of the girls was really free for adoption but I'm not going to argue with the judge. Fantastic news.

Maybe Stella and Cathy can adopt eachother as sisters. Guess they are already that by marriage but the bond is deeper.

Cathy time

Since Cathy spends so much time in kitchen, I suspect this is when

that comment

worries me a bit. If our wonderful author thinks the episode was too nice, who knows whe she will come up with to heat things up again.

That is Alright Then !

Especially the bit about the Adoptions being approved !

Betcha Angharad has something not so alright waiting to hit them though!

Or Bonzi has.

Briar

Briar

It is always so nice when

It is always so nice when something that you run around inside your head and have constant worry about turns out to not even be an issue. Cathy, Stella, Sian and Kirsty, all found this out, as did Simon and Tom. What a wonderful and sweet surprise for everyone to find a picture of Des in the video and they will have it made up for Stella and Puddin. :) Jan

I was waiting for the other shoe to drop

but we seemed to be hopping along nicely at the moment. I agree, though; Ang and Bonzi can't leave well enough alone for too long. Now what's the Cameron clan-destiny?

Susie

I can't win

Angharad's picture

whenever the Beezer-geezer and I do a couple of nice episodes you all complain that it can't last, then grumble when it doesn't.

Angharad

Angharad

i.e.

As the saying goes, You can please all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot please all the people all the time.

Just take the story in whatever direction your muse takes you, regardless of what anyone commenting here says. Besides which, as far more people read Bike than comment on it, it's dangerous territory if you believe the thoughts of the commenters are representative of the readers as a whole :)

 


There are 10 kinds of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't...

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

I certainly wasn't complaining

Just stating my thoughts based on a couple of years of reading this tale. Enjoy the sweetness. Enjoy the tension. Trust the author.

Ah!

Loving it.
This is your life.
Well done Cathy.
But let's not dwell too much on the past.
There's life to get on with and stuff.
Still lovin' it.
OXOX

Beverly.

PS I posted this from my other address. BC Doesn't seem to like it.
Still I got around it no trouble.

bev_1.jpg

Well Done!

All is peaceful in Cathyland once more and her circle of friends grows. Not even a surprize from Julie coming home from the salon. Not a cliff in sight :-)

Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 944.

What a way to Honor Lady Cathy! Is it any wonder why she has the Gift of the Light?

    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine
    Stanman
May Your Light Forever Shine

Nice meal...

And, it seems none of those that didn't know Cathy's past before had no problem now. Not really surprising, but quite nice. Good to see that Simon was able to "mellow" a tad. Lesbians can be just as nice as any other people. (Yeah, I gotta say that, 'cause I are one... The wife wasn't sure she wanted to be one, but decided it was better than the alternative - splitting up.)

After all the recent excitement, this was a nice "interlude"... I'm afraid to ask what's happening next.

Thank you,
Anne

Nice touch with the big red book,

It was about time the rest of the Camerons showed how much Cathy means to them.....Just think where they would all be without her!!!

Kirri

It might

Get the other couple thinking of adopting. It's a thought.

Sooner or later Sian and Kirsty are going to be introduced to the BLS.