text:
Forced CalmMature
Eternal gasps as her eyes open her tummys aching.
We won't hurt you mummy, the voice echos in Eternal head.... the last words of Eternal dream. She see's Falcon watching her and begins to cry pulling on his t-shirt and cuddling into him.
"What's wrong?" Falcon asks. "Eternal tell me"
Eternal shakes her head. "Its nothing just a dream" She whispers pulling away from him and wiping her eyes. She begins to get up with difficultly and of course Falcon rushes to help her.
"When they come out I am seriously going to constantly remind them that they gave me one hell of a painful pregnancy" Eternal hisses.
"They?" Falcon says raising an eyebrow. Eternal snaps her mouth shut and moves off quickly. "Wait, Eternal. You just said they? Eternal are you having twins?"
"Yes, god damn it" I say cursing when I can't walk futher cause of my back ache and the weight of my stomach.
I don't know how Falcon will react. I do know two things.
One, I am going to be giving birth to twins. One boy and One girl and that together they will only a fraction less than my power.
Two, I'm going to die. And possibly not return to this world again.
Cause dieing doesn't mean I will not come back it just means that the body I have now will lose its life and that my soul will move on.
Immortals can't die but we can fade.


text:
Love AffairMature
Chapter One
Karen watched. The body language was all there. She shouldn't be here! She should've hired someone. She couldn't leave now though! She was glued to her seat. Paralyzed to the spot! How could someone be so two faced? It was as though she were reading a book. This kind of thing doesn't happen in real life, not to her anyway. The past was supposed to be behind them, not loitering provocatively in the present!
Oh shit! They were parting. They would surely walk this way and see her. No, no. They kissed goodbye, a lingering romantic kiss, and went their separate ways, further into the bowels of the shopping centre.
Karen finished her cappuccino and tried to let the facts settle in her mind. Back to Principles where she'd seen that gorgeous red skirt. She deserved a present. Maybe they'd have a top to go with it. And some shoes. And perhaps a handbag. She definitely deserved to spend some of the bastard's money.
Chapter Two
Jamie looked at his watch. 0356. Selina still wasn't home. He'd kill her when he got his hands on her. She knew what time she was expected in, irrespective of whether he was working late or not. He rolled over towards Grace and rubbed his wife's arm. She pushed him away. How unusual!
'Go away.'
'Selina isn't back, Grace. Who did she say she was out with?'
'I wasn't really listening, I was watching Eastenders.'
Jamie got out of bed and made his way down to the kitchen. Why had he married Grace? Jesus, she'd never loved him from the start. Never mind the fact he was doing the right thing. So long as she got to have a comfortable life she didn't feel it necessary to be nice to her husband, she hadn't for the whole fifteen years of their marriage.
Jamie found his mobile phone and scrolled through to Selina's number. He pressed the call button and waited for the call to connect. But what if it didn't connect? Where would he start the search? All sorts of thoughts started running through his mind. His heart started pounding.
'Selina!' Jamie was so relieved the call had connected, his heart beat slowed a little.
'Dad! I don't know where I am!'
'Jesus, Selina! I've been going out of my mind. Why didn't you call?'
'I dunno. Come and get me, dad, please.'
'Where do you think you are?' Jamie asked, rummaging in his jacket pockets for his car keys. They had to be there, he'd only just used them to lock to the door!
'We were at Lucy's, then we went for a drive, but some of the boys got a bit aggressive, so we got out, and I don't know!' Selina wailed.
'Come on, honey, you know every street in Mormper. What direction did you leave Lucy's in?'
'We headed down Castle Street first, took a left on to Palace Avenue, right at the end, Mansion Row, then I got disorientated. They started spinning round and round and stuff! I don't know if we've ended up outside Stepsley or Bellion. The shadows are so confusing! I'm so lost, just find us dad! Please, hurry!'
'I'm on my way, buttercup. I'm calling Charlie and Bob. If they get to you first go with them, they'll let me know. I'm going to have to hang up on you, sweetie, to be able to ring them. I'll call you straight back, I promise.'
'Dad, I'm scared.'
'I know, honey. We're only five minutes apart. I promise.'
Jamie started the Audi and headed for Bellion. She was far more likely to be there, surely. The boys had a better escape route away from Mormper in that direction, whereas Stepsley kind of hemmed you in like a cul-de-sac.
He rang Bob on the way. Bob was out the door and on his way to Stepsley before Jamie had hung up. Bob was to ring Charlie. Thank god none of them had fallen asleep yet. It had been one of those nights, where you needed to wind down with a drink or two, preferably alcoholic, before going to bed.
'Dad! You were gone for ages!'
'It was two minutes, babe. Bob and Charlie are headed for Stepsley. I'm almost at Bellion. Are you on the main road, do you think?'
'Yes. No street lights, but white lines on the centre of the road.'
'Can you see any headlights?'
'Are you alone?'
'No. Lucy's here.'
'Ok. Stand in the middle of the road. If you see headlights, move, but not so as I won't see you. I'm not travelling too fast, but I need to be able to see you.'
'Ok. I'm in the middle of the road. Right on the white line.'
'Good girl. Where's Lucy?'
'She's sat on the grass. She hasn't spoken to me since we got out of the car.'
'How long have you been there?'
'About three quarters of an hour.'
'Jesus! You know I'm going to want to investigate this, don't you.'
'I think that's why Lucy isn't speaking to me. It would be very uncool.'
'Uncool? Uncool! I'll give her bloody uncool!'
'Dad! I can see headlights! God, they're bright! They're too high for you, dad. Is Bob in the Jeep? It could be a Jeep.'
'Quite possibly.'
'Dad, it's ok. It's Bob!'
'Ok, get Lucy in the Jeep first. Let me talk to Bob.'
'Ok. I love you, dad.'
'Love you too, buttercup.'
Jamie's heart pace slowed now he knew his daughter was safe. He hadn't realised until that moment how scared he was. His knuckles were white, gripping the steering wheel. Someone was going to pay for this!
'J. What's up?' Bob's deep, gruff voice came on the line.
'Bob! Thank god! Put the child locks on. Don't let them out until I've questioned them. Something doesn't sit right here.'
'No problem. Charlie'll meet us at yours.'
'Thanks Bob, see you in five.'
He wanted answers. Answers he knew his daughter would give. But he was sure her friend wouldn't cooperate. He thought he already knew most of the answers. The girls wanted to impress the boys so they got in the car with them. The boys then decided to show off, like they do. They probably knew who Selina's father was – just about everyone in Mormper did! That was why they had disorientated her down Mansion Row. The road was wide enough to go round in circles without coming close to touching a curb stone. He was sure 'being aggressive' as Selina had said really meant in a sexual way. If he got his hands on them he'd kill them all!
Before Jamie knew it he was back in front of his house. After a couple of moments Charlie was there, followed by Bob.
Charlie walked round to the passenger side of Bob's Jeep and climbed in. Jamie walked to the rolled down window.
'No comments so far, boss.'
Jamie nodded.
'Selina, you know the drill.'
Selina nodded and turned to her friend.
'Lucy, you don't have a choice. We've been picked up at almost half four in the morning by three coppers, it's totally suspicious. Unless you answer my dad's questions, he'll take you down to Vasley Street and follow protocol,' Selina advised her friend.
'It's all your fault anyway! If you had let them get their own way they would've brought us home safely!' Lucy yelled.
'Rape carries a sentence, Lucy. And have you forgotten we're minors!' Selina defiantly told her friend. Police officer in the making, she made Jamie so proud!
'She's right,' Charlie nodded from the front seat, still staring out the windscreen as though not actually listening. Normal behaviour for Charlie. Appearing completely detached from the situation. As if!
'It wouldn't have been rape!' Lucy started to protest.
'Yes it would! I didn't feel comfortable with those guys, and neither did you, I saw how afraid you looked. That's why I insisted we get out of the car! They wouldn't have settled with that. They had their friends following us in another car. They would've got to use us too, like cheap pieces of meat. They were bragging about Chelsey and Merrina, and how they used them, for god's sake! I can not believe what you are saying!'
'Fenny loves me, Selina. I can't believe you don't understand that! I would do anything for him. Maybe you're just jealous!'
'Jealous? Of Fenny? Oh, man! Lucy, let me explain something to you. You are 15 years old. He's 24! He's been shagging around for years! He's got about three kids by various different girls all over the county! Like, hello! He doesn't love anyone but himself. If he loved you he wouldn't have driven you to a lonely country lane. And he definitely wouldn't have been with his friends, would he? God, you're so stupid! Dad, I want to go to bed, I've had enough. I'll answer any questions in the morning. I can't answer with this idiot here anyway. She seems to think I'm the one in the wrong here! Can you believe that?'
Jamie opened the door and let his daughter out.
'Bob, you ok to take Lucy home?'
'Sure thing, boss. She's on my street.'
Charlie got out of the Jeep and headed to his Golf.
'Be seeing you about six o'clock, boss.'
'See you, Charlie. Thanks.'
Bob drove off, towards Tower Place. Charlie turned his car around and headed in the opposite direction to Fortress Way.
'Come on, Sel. Let's get you inside,' Jamie said with an arm around his daughter, leading her into the house. No more interrogation. Not for tonight.
'I can name them all, dad. Kieran Fench, Allan Dunn, Simon Archer, Mark Bloom, Rory Cheedle, and Gary Edwards, he was driving our car.'
'You're sure?'
'You want me to say it under oath or something?'
'Hey! I'm just trying to get the facts here! Were they coherent?'
'Yes, perhaps a little slurred. But not much, they'd maybe had a few cans, but they were smoking normal cigarettes.'
'As opposed to?'
'Joints, dad.'
'Ok. Do you know which one was driving the other car?'
'Not one hundred percent. I would guess Simon Archer. He lost his licence a couple of months ago and won't let any of the others drive him anywhere. Idiot. He definitely wasn't in the same car as me and Lucy.'
'Thanks, chicken. Would you like a drink?'
'Please. What are you going to do?'
'Surveillance. If Lucy isn't willing to talk I can't force her to. It's not worth it. Your word against six lads isn't going to stick as much as it should, so we'll forget that too, besides, I've already got a pretty clear picture of what happened out there. I recognise all the names you've given me, babe, so when I get a spare couple of hours I'll catch Archer, driving without a licence, hopefully intoxicated, high as a damn kite would be better. I'm sure we can come to some sort of an arrangement about a decent stint in prison.'
Selina smiled, 'I'm so lucky to have a dad like you. What would I do without you?' Selina hugged her dad.
'I'm not going to answer that question. I think we both know the answer anyway.'
'Yeah, I'd be dead by now.'
Jamie gave his daughter the glass of milk he'd poured for her and then sent her off to bed with a flea in her ear for getting into the car with those thugs in the first place, and for not contacting him immediately.
Jamie found his Jameson's and poured a generous measure into his tea. Now he was really off duty. His daughter was safely tucked in bed. His wife was asleep and probably dreaming of her latest shag. This was Jamie time.
Chapter Three
Karen scrolled through Michael's phone. She found saved messages in the inbox. At first she overlooked them. They were from Jamie Robertson. She knew of Jamie. His daughter was in her year 10 English class. He was a policeman. Some kind of Sergeant, she thought. So, why would a policeman be texting her husband? Let's see what they're saying.
Innocent enough. He had told her he was going to the cinema with the lads. Although his reason was high sales so the manager was treating them. Jamie definitely did not work with him, he was definitely some sort of police officer.
Ok, the 'X' seems a little unnecessary. Maybe a habit of texting his daughter and wife? An easy mistake to make.
Michael is a very conscientious employee. Maybe Jamie wanted him on the force. Karen suddenly felt that maybe she was being a little bit too suspicious for her own good. Ok, so she didn't know the woman he was in town with. But these messages were not from a female, just friendly banter between to guys. Thank heavens!
Just one more and she'll believe it's Jamie Robertson.
What does that mean? Undercover work? Ok, one more, just for confirmation.
Karen froze. This was clearly not the reply of Jamie Robertson. She needed to find out who this was, and whether they had anything to do with Jamie. She certainly hoped Selina wasn't involved in any way.
'Kazza! Do you know where my phone is? I'm expecting a call!' Michael called from the kitchen.
'No, darling. I haven't seen it. Do you want me to ring it?' Karen asked, quickly exiting all the menus until the picture of a Porsche whatever appeared, then returned it to Michael's suit jacket. Who was he expecting to call? Jamie Robertson??
'Well, I'm surprised it hasn't rung already. That brother of mine!'
'What has George done?'
Michael joined Karen in the sitting room. He heaved a sigh before telling her about George's close encounter with the police. Karen wasn't really listening. She was more intrigued with Michael. How could he just sit there and chat away like he wasn't having an affair? The nerve of him. Perhaps that was why he was such a good salesman. Karen just wasn't interested anymore. He made her skin crawl.
Chapter Four
'Ok, so are you all clear on that? Five thousand words by next Friday?' Karen looked around, twenty five heads nodded reluctantly.
The class packed their things away and headed out of the classroom. Selina stayed behind, as she had been asked to at the beginning of class. She was a little worried. She had nothing to be afraid of, surely. Her course work was always completed on time, to a good standard. She had no outstanding homework. There were no complaints from any of her other teachers.
'Thank you for staying behind, Selina. Don't worry, you're not in trouble, come over to my desk, would you?'
Selina visibly calmed. Her warm smile reappeared on her face, and Karen took it to be an invitation to speak.
'Do you know if your father does any kind of private detective work?' Karen asked.
'No, Miss.'
'Ok, do you think it would be possible for him to ring me on this number?' Karen asked producing a business card with her husbands name on it.
'This is for Mr Wood, Miss,' Selina observed.
'Yes. My number is on the back. I should be most grateful if you pass it on to him tonight. It really is most urgent that I speak with him as soon as possible.'
'No probs, Miss.'
'Thank you, Selina. Off you go.'
Selina understood herself to be dismissed. She left the classroom and waited by the old oak tree for Ella. Ever since the incident with Lucy she had steered clear of that group and found a kinship with Ella MacIntyre. Ella didn't generally fit in, she wasn't cool so Lucy's group made fun of her.
Her father had died the previous summer of cancer and she had taken it really badly, no one had wanted to talk with her about it, no one wanted to be her 'shoulder-to-cry-on.' Selina had been the first person to broach the subject with Ella, who gladly told Selina everything. Crying with happiness and sorrow during her sad tale. She now lived with her grandmother. Her mother had died during child birth, and her father had done a really good job of being both mum and dad right till the end. Something Selina could relate to.
Ella approached from the sports hall. She looked as glum as she always looked on Friday. Selina always managed to cheer her up on the walk home though. One of her dad's better skills to have acquired.
Chapter Five
Karen kept glancing at her phone. When would Jamie Robertson ring? No doubt when she got in her car and started driving home. She picked up her bag and stuffed her weekend homework – marking Year 9 Shakespeare essays – in it. She decided to stop off at the shop on the way home. A box of maltesers would be perfect company tonight, especially if Michael did his usual stop out, at his floozy's no doubt.
As Karen locked the classroom door she heard her phone going crazy in her bag. She fumbled through her bag to find it.
'Hi, Miss Wood? Or Mrs Wood?'
'Mrs. Speaking.'
'Hi, it's Jamie Robertson. My daughter, Selina, asked that I ring you as soon as possible.'
Karen heaved a sigh of relief, 'Yes, Mr Robertson, I was wondering if you have made my husbands acquaintance?'
'Please, it's Jamie. And no, I don't believe I have. Should I know him?'
'Well, I'm not quite sure how to answer that question. Would it be possible to meet you? Perhaps only for ten minutes or so, but it's quite complicated over the phone.'
'Certainly. I'm not due at the station until six. Would before six be ok?'
'Yes, thank you. Would it be possible for you to come to my house?'
'Of course. What's the address?'
'Twelve, Palace Avenue. Would about five o'clock be ok? I'd rather speak with you before my husband gets home from work. That's if he decides to come home tonight,' Karen said, more to herself than her listener.
'Sure. Do I need back up?' Jamie joked.
Karen laughed, 'sadly, Jamie, you might.'
'Seriously?' Jamie sounded shocked.
'Yes. Perhaps not while I speak with you though.'
'Is Selina ok?'
'Oh yes, this is nothing directly linked to Selina at all. She's a model pupil, wonderful in fact. If only you could attend her parents' evenings, they really are quite something. It would be so lovely to be able to compliment parents rather than complain to them all the time! We have a parents evening coming up just before the end of term.'
'I'll try and get the time off for that next one then. Does my wife not attend, Mrs Wood?' Jamie asked, genuinely interested.
'No, sadly not. Selina told me it was something of an awkward situation.'
'That means her mother can't be bothered. I'm afraid my wife's opinion of importance is watching her soaps, Mrs Wood, not taking an interest in her daughters life. And I may say some quite unnecessary things about her, if you knew her you'd realize why. Anyhow, I really shouldn't be bothering you with all this. And I shall be over about five.'
'Thank you, Jamie, see you soon.'
'Goodbye Mrs Wood.'
Chapter Six
Why the hell had he said all that? He didn't even know the bloody woman! She sounded nice too. What a shame she was married. Jamie knew of his wife's antics with other men. He had once decided to start a relationship to get him away from his wife, but the girl had wanted more, he couldn't possibly leave Grace. More so Selina. How could he break up the family home while Selina was still at school? It didn't work as he'd expected, so he knew it would be after Selina had finished studying completely before he made the leap. With her.
'Sel, you ok to get yourself some dinner, babe?' Jamie called down the hall to his daughter.
Selina was dancing and singing her way through 'Hairspray' and drooling every time 'Link' came on screen.
'Hey! Selina! I'm talking to you!' Jamie called.
'Hey mama, hey mama, have some fun!' Selina sang.
'I haven't left this house since 1951!' Jamie joined in, knowing he wouldn't get any sense out of her until the song was over.
Selina beamed at him and carried on singing. Jamie danced with his daughter. Every time they had this fun he felt guilty. This should be Grace, not him, singing and dancing along with his daughter. Selina never complained though.
'Good one, dad!' Selina said, slightly out of breath.
'Jesus! That's worse than my gym workout!' Jamie complained.
'Did you want me for something?'
'Yes, you ok to get yourself some dinner? I'm off out a bit earlier tonight.'
'Sure. Are you seeing Mrs Wood?'
'Yes. I rang her as soon as you told me. Seems a bit cryptic to me. Maybe I should take Bob.'
'Nah, she's really nice, dad. You have to promise me not to talk about me!'
'We already did that. I can tell you now I'll be making an appearance at your next parents evening!'
'Why?! Oh, dad!'
'That's between me and your teacher. If she thinks I need to attend parents evening, that's that. I'm attending.'
'But I always do my homework and everything! Hang on, are you winding me up?'
Jamie grinned, 'me? Would I?'
'Dad!' Selina threw a cushion at him, but he was much quicker and blocked it, picking her up and tickling her.
'Dad! No!' Selina shrieked, wriggling to try and free herself. But she loved it.
'Well, after all that excitement I'm off. God knows what time your mother will be home, but if she's not home by ten give me a ring, if you can't get me ring Bob or Charlie. Ok?'
'Yes, sir! Dad, sir!'
'Oh, shut up! I love you, pumpkin.'
'Love you too, dad. I hope you have a quiet night.'
'Me too, babe.'
Jamie made his way back to the kitchen. Keys. Phone. Jacket. Mrs Wood's.
Chapter Seven
Karen stirred the cheese sauce and tasted it. Mmmm-mmm. Just right. She poured the mix over the cauliflower and put it in the oven. She was getting good at meals for one again. Like during her university days, when everyone else ate in town on a Friday, but she had wanted to save as many pennies as possible.
She had tried calling Michael but his phone went straight through to voice mail. That had become a Friday night regular, obviously you turn your phone off whilst in the pub! How could he think she was this stupid? Bloody idiot!
The doorbell rang. Karen hurried down the hall to answer the down. She opened the door expecting Jamie Robertson.
A very handsome blonde man stood before her. This couldn't possibly be Jamie Robertson, could it? He was nothing she'd expected. This surely couldn't be him? This handsome specimen? Wow!
'Hi, Mrs Wood?' Jamie asked, smiling Selina's smile.
Oh that smile! It looked sweet on Selina, it looked positively seductive of this beau! Compose yourself, Karen!
'Yes, but please, it's Karen. You must be Jamie.'
'That's right.'
'Please come on in, could I get you a drink at all?' Karen was stumbling over her words now. She felt like a teenager again! Her legs had turned to jelly. Her heart was beating fiercely against her chest. He was sure to hear it!
'A tea would be great. Milk, no sugar, sweet enough already!' Jamie joked. That smile appeared again!
Karen laughed, 'please go through to the sitting room, I'll join you once I've made drinks.'
Jamie obediently sat in the sitting room. Beautiful house. Karen knew how to decorate and accessorize. This put his and Selina's efforts to shame!
'I apologise for calling you so suddenly, Jamie. I have been doing a bit of snooping around my husband, and he seems to have a fair few suggestive text messages allegedly from you,' Karen set the tea on the coffee table in front of Jamie, and took the seat next to him on the sofa. She had somewhat composed herself now. Her heart was beating at its normal pace. She was trying not to look at him though. His blue eyes pierced her, as though he were reading her mind.
'I'm afraid I don't even know your husband.'
'Yes, I thought as much. My husband is clearly having an affair. I was wondering if you would be able to find out a bit more for me, so as I can challenge him with more evidence and get rid of him once and for all.'
Karen spoke with such vehemence Jamie wondered how she'd cope if she were in his situation, with his wife constantly having affairs, ever since Selina was born and before too.
'Did you make a note of the number?' Jamie asked, business like, thinking he probably already knew the answer.
'As a matter of fact I did. Here we go,' Karen handed Jamie the scrap of paper.
'Well, this isn't something I need to investigate too thoroughly,' Jamie said, recognising the number immediately, and wondering how to break it to Karen. 'The entry in your husbands phone, did it just say Jamie?'
'No, it said Jamie Robertson. Had it been as vague as Jamie I never would've known, and wouldn't have thought to ask you.'
'Right surname. Wrong forename.'
'I'm sorry, I'm not sure I follow.'
Jamie met her gaze, 'this is my wife's number. Karen, I'm so sorry.'
Karen froze. How could she not have seen that? Oh what a can of worms! How the hell would Jamie react now? Hang on! He'd just apologised! What-?
'Don't be too stunned. My wife is somewhat, loose. We very much lead individual lives. My priority is Selina. She means everything to me, and the one thing Grace and I agree on is that we won't separate until Selina's finished studying.'
'Oh, I'm so sorry! I had no idea!' Karen blushed slightly.
'Don't worry,' Jamie smiled. 'I'm more concerned about you. How are you going to cope knowing this? I'm used to it. It's become something I shrug off now.'
Karen shook her head. There were just no words.
'My advice? Take a long hot bubble bath, get rid of all that tension, get a bottle of wine, watch some cheesy movies, and act like you know nothing. I'll have a word with Grace tomorrow, and get back to you.'
'Ok. Thank you. God, I could do with a weekend at a health spa! Get this pain out of my shoulders! I think I'll take your advice, long hot bubble bath, movies. No wine though, I used to have an alcohol problem,' Karen said rubbing her neck and shoulders and wondering why the hell she'd just told this gorgeous stranger that.
'Oh, I'm sorry.'
'Don't be! Michael's done this before. Before we were married, actually. I was told by his parents and his brother to steer clear, but as they say 'Love is blind.''
'May I?' Jamie offered his hands unable to believe what he'd just heard. Karen was not a mediocre looking woman, like Grace was. Karen was stunning. Beautiful hourglass figure, sparkling blue eyes, a mass of blonde curls. Surely she could have the pick of the bunch? So why had she settled with Michael?
Karen turned her back on Jamie, and let his hands ease the knots out of her. She pulled her hair out of the clip it was in and wound it into a bun and secured it. She closed her eyes and felt her whole body relaxing. Jamie focussed on one shoulder at a time. His touch was wonderful. Why hadn't she been introduced to this man years earlier?! Because she wasn't from around here, and he was a Mormper lad, born and bred.
Jamie couldn't believe the situation. His wife was having an affair with yet another arsehole. But this arsehole's wife was so delicious! As he started on Karen's right shoulder he had to fight the impulse to kiss her. He would've loved to start at her hairline, and worked out towards her shoulder.
Karen's whole body relaxed some more. Was she thinking the same?
Chapter Eight
Karen's stomach churned. Jesus! She had desperately wanted Jamie to kiss her, but he'd just concentrated on massaging her shoulders and neck. How could she bleat on about Michael's affair when she wanted to kiss Jamie? It felt so good as he eased her tension though! His kisses would surely be as good as his hands had been? The whole situation was completely and utterly ridiculous! When would he visit again? They'd swapped numbers and she longingly stared at her phone wanting it to come to life and be him.
'Sorry I'm late, Kazza. Manic day! What's for dinner?' Michael asked as soon as he got in.
Karen snapped back to reality and looked at her watch. 'It's half past eight, Michael.'
'Yes, I'm fully aware of how late I am, thank you.'
'You are late home every Friday. I stopped catering for you on a Friday about six weeks ago. I know my Friday's are a guaranteed meal for one night.'
'Kaz, that's a bit harsh!'
'Don't speak me, Michael. Why don't you just piss of to your floozy's, or is her cooking crap?'
'What?!' He had the audacity to look astonished.
'Grace Robertson,' Karen said, standing her ground.
'I honestly don't know what you're talking about,' Michael said with a laugh. His expression hadn't even wavered.
Karen left the sitting room and made her way up to her bedroom. Michael followed asking her to explain herself.
Michael grabbed Karen's wrist, 'tell me what the hell you are talking about!' He demanded.
'I'm talking about,' she tried to pull her wrist from his grasp but his grip was vice like, 'the kiss in Centre Plaza, the text messages, that's what I'm bloody talking about. Now let go!'
Michaels face was ashen. He released his wife's wrist. Shit!
'How long have you known?'
Karen slumped to the floor, rubbing her wrist, tears pricking her eyes 'does it matter?'
'I suppose not. She won't leave her husband for me, you know.'
'More like the husband won't break up the family unit!' Karen spat.
'I teach her daughter!'
'Oh, crap!'
'Yes, something like that.'
Michael reached for his wife's hand. It was only then that he realised she was not wearing her engagement or wedding rings.
'Your wedding ring?'
'On your bedside table. You don't belong with me. I didn't want to address this tonight, but it had to come out sooner or later.'
'How did you know it was Gracie?'
The way the he said her name, with such familiarity, made her shiver. How long had this been going on? She refrained from punching him by not looking at him and pretending he wasn't really there.
'I spoke to her husband. I asked him to do some private work for me. I gave him the number from your phone and he was incredibly apologetic. He couldn't believe she'd ruined another marriage. Do you know how many times she's done this to alleged happily married couples? Do you know how many men she's played around with? You're not the first, Michael!'
Michael shook his head. He knew of Jamie Robertson, his reputation preceded him wherever he went. A fearless police officer who had the most arrests in the county. His team was small, just three men, including him. He occasionally took slightly unkindly to criminals who were given light sentences and strangely enough those criminals often found themselves down an alley at night. Alone. While Jamie always had an alibi. If he wanted to, Jamie could wipe the floor with him.
Chapter Nine
The weekend was going to be a long one. Michael had rung at eleven to say his wife knew. That's all he would say over the phone. Jamie wouldn't be home for another couple of hours, Selina was in her room.
How could Michael not want to be a part of Grace's life? They went so well together, and Grace loved him. Grace and Jamie? No! Everyone knew they were only together because Grace had fallen pregnant with Selina and they were seeing it through until Selina left school. Only a little over a year to go! Maybe that was more fixable than they realised. Maybe they could lead separate lives more freely if Selina knew the whole story. Of course, Jamie would never agree to Michael living with them in their 'family' home, but maybe Grace could come up with some sort of arrangement and win Selina over.
Grace made her way to Selina's room. If she talked with Selina first she could use her to get an agreement with Jamie. No problem.
She pushed the door gently, not bothering to knock, 'hi, Sel.'
'What do you want?' Selina asked not looking up from her tv.
'Just a chat.'
'At midnight? I don't think so. What do you want from dad?' Selina continued to stare at the tv.
'Selina! How could you imply such a thing?'
Selina paused her movie and looked over to where Grace was standing. She shook her head at her mother and got up, making her way towards Grace.
'I'm surprised you actually know who I am!'
'What? Sel?' Grace's puzzled expression was genuine.
'Don't call me that! You have no right!'
'I am your mother!'
'Just because you gave birth to me has no bearing on whether or not you can make any decisions regarding me! Get out of my room! I'm not doing your dirty work for you! If you want dad to do something ask him yourself!' Selina shouted, outraged that her mother should think she could just swan in and out of her room. The last time they'd actually had a conversation had been over a week ago about a sale in Stepsley.
'How dare you speak to me like that!' Grace screamed at her.
'Don't like the truth? By the way, you're home a little early for a Friday. What happened? The wife find out?'
Without even realising what she was doing, Grace slapped Selina's face. She winced, her hand stung no end, god knows what Selina's face felt like, but she didn't back down. She looked at Grace, square in the face. She set herself.
'What have we ever done to you? Dad loves you, I used to love you, but you're just a dirty old slag who can't keep her knickers on! You're an embarrassment to us! Why don't you just lay over the main line and let a train make all our lives easier!'
Grace reached out to slap her daughter again. The words stung. The truth does hurt.
'If you hit me again, I'll hit you back.'
'Is that a threat? Miss Daddy's-Girl?'
'No, Grace. It's a promise.'
Grace just stood. Her mind was reeling. She wasn't about to back down from a 15 year old!
'Now get out of my room.'
'For your information, lady, your father is no oil painting.'
Selina lunged forward screaming and knocked Grace over, her hands were at Grace's throat. She had somehow managed to pin Grace to the floor so she had no use of her arms to try and free herself and fight back. For a 15 year old she was very strong. Her face was expressionless, her eyes full of rage. She wasn't going to let go anytime soon.
Grace started to struggle for breath. Her vision wasn't clear. Jesus! She felt she was going to die at the hands of her daughter!
And all because she had to have the last word. Every time.
Chapter Ten
'Sel! Fuck! Sel!'
Jamie prised Selina's fingers from Grace's neck and scooped her up and walked out of her bedroom. They settled in the study. An ambulance was on its way.
'Baby, what happened?'
Selina crumpled. She clung on to Jamie and sobbed. Jamie managed to get the whole story out of her eventually. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He could clearly see Grace's hand print on Selina's face. God he was pleased it was only Selina who'd been here, he would've surely killed her. It seemed Selina had had a pretty good go herself though.
'J,' came Bob's voice at the other side of the door.
'Come on in, Bob.'
He took one look at Selina and shook his head.
'She's with us. Gabbling away. Possibly pressing charges.'
'What?!' Jamie saw red. He could feel his blood boiling.
'Easy, tiger!' Bob placed one of his hands on Jamie's left shoulder, pinning him to his seat, 'I just told her that wasn't a good idea. After all, self defence by a teenager under the circumstances would win hands down, right,' Bob grinned.
'This is not looking good, Bob.'
'Chill. If she were dead it'd be a whole different story, you know that J. It was self defence, wasn't it honey,' Bob said turning to Selina.
Selina nodded.
'Oh, Jesus. Is that what she did to you?' Bob asked pointing at the hand print.
Selina nodded again.
'Sel, we need to take some pictures of that, ok?' Bob asked, crouching to Selina's level and holding her hand.
Again, she nodded.
'J, get out of here and find that photographer.'
He wandered down to where Grace had been laying, over the threshold to Selina's room. She was fighting the paramedics now, not wanting to go to hospital, albeit just for observations.
'It would only be for one night, you banged your head when you hit the floor, we just need to make sure you're ok,' one of them explained.
'I'm fine,' Grace insisted. She looked up and saw Jamie. It was the first time she'd seen him since she'd regained consciousness. She was completely out of it when he'd pulled Selina away.
'Jamie! Where's Selina?'
'Safe. You're lucky Tom and Brenda heard you screaming at each other.'
'They rang you?'
Jamie nodded, 'yes. I called an ambulance when Tom told me it had all gone quiet. I know what Selina's capable of. I've seen that hand print you put on her face. Proud? Are you proud that you drove your daughter to what happened here?'
'She called me a slag!' Grace had the audacity to look contrite.
'You are!' Jamie shouted back at his wife.
The paramedics silently packed up and left the room.
'What? Oh, so it's not true? You've not been shagging Michael Wood lately?' His voice changed, mocking her.
'You told his wife!' Grace spat.
'His wife approached me, to do private work. She suspected her husband was having an affair and she'd seen you, but she didn't know who you were. I knew straight away.'
'Jamie, what's going to happen?' Grace actually looked frightened.
'You're going to leave this house. Leaving Mormper would be good too. Don't even try to fight this one, Grace. It's over. You have twenty four hours to clear your things.'
Jamie turned on his heel and went to find Penny. She was their photographer. No doubt she'd already snapped Grace.
Jamie found his way to the kitchen. Penny was making tea. Flirting outrageously with Charlie.
'Pen, could you take some snaps of Selina, please. She's got a hand print on her face. Bob's with her right now.'
'Sure, where are they?'
'Last door on the right when you get on the landing.'
'I'm on it,' Penny said taking her bag with her.
Charlie finished making the tea.
'So what's going on, boss?'
Jamie lowered himself into one of the chairs around the little table they kept in the kitchen. God it was uncomfortable!
'They had an argument, Grace slapped Selina, they argued some more, Selina challenged her and called her a slag, Grace raised her hand and said something about me, and Selina attacked.'
'Never in a million years did I think this would happen.'
'What are you going to do?'
'I've told Grace to leave.'
'We're here for you, bro.'
Jamie was swamped. His shoulders carried the worries of the world. What the hell was he going to do? Sure, they could survive on his salary alone, just the two of them, but he wouldn't be able to work nights anymore. Nights were what he did!
Chapter Eleven
Karen finished her tea and put the cup in the dishwasher. The house was spotless. She had already phoned two estate agents. One of them was on their way round today in the next hour or so, the other on Monday evening. She didn't feel the need to consult Michael. He couldn't afford to run the house on his own anyway, and she didn't want to live here with his memories. There were no other houses down the Avenue which were up for sale, and it was a desirable street. So hopefully the price would be good and someone would want it sooner rather than later. Even if she rented somewhere for a few months until she got herself sorted and worked out what she actually wanted. This house wasn't part of who she was anymore.
'I'm going to stay with George for a few days. Let the dust settle. You know,' Michael said as he reached the bottom of the stairs carrying a small holdall. He certainly couldn't be planning on staying away for too long, the holdall was only just big enough for one change of clothes!
'Fine,' Karen shrugged. She hadn't told him she was having the estate agents round. She'd tell him once she had made her final decision about what to do. No point causing more arguments. It was over whichever way you looked at it.
'Karen, I'm really sorry.'
'Cut the crap, Michael. There was nothing wrong with our marriage. But you couldn't resist anyway. You couldn't resist shagging around, just like everyone warned me before we got married. I'm an idiot for ever thinking you'd changed.'
'Goodbye, Michael.'
Karen headed for the study. She had her homework to do. Not only did she need to mark the Shakespeare essays, she had to break into Michael's computer. Knowing he was having an affair was one thing, but she needed to make sure she had a bit more evidence in case he denied it for the divorce. He would more than likely try to pull a fast one and pin it all on Karen being the adulterer. She knew what he was capable of.
She heard his car drive away and heaved a sigh. How had she failed so badly? Why hadn't she listened to everyone? Right up to the morning of the wedding George had told her she had time to back out!
Jamie hadn't yet contacted her, so she sent him a quick message telling him Michael was staying with his brother in Stepsley for a few days and she was having the house valued, ready to sell up and start afresh.
The reply was instant.
Avin a mare here. Selina almost killed Grace last nite. Grace gone. Come ova if lonely. Pizza
4 dinner! And endless tea! J
Oh my god! Poor Selina. Karen had already made her decision. She had to get over there, she wanted to know everything.
Hurry up Mr Estate Agent. I have more important things to do!
Chapter Twelve
'What the hell do you want?'
'I need to speak with your dad.'
'Come to hand yourself in? You moron! They'll be willing to take you in on Vasley Street, you know, they'd love it.'
'I haven't done anything wrong.'
'Selina, please can I speak with your dad?'
'Does he know you're coming?'
'Then he won't miss you, will he?' Selina said, not looking at him and started to close the door without a backward glance.
Rory pushed his foot in the way of it closing completely and started yelling for Jamie. Selina was strong, but surely just a couple of yells would do the trick?
Selina pushed the door with all her might. She was so angry. How dare he!
Rory's face turned a funny colour. His foot felt like it was being sawn off! Selina was a lot stronger than she looked.
'Sel, it's ok! Rory's a guest.'
'You heard me. Now release his foot.'
Selina did as she was told and stalked off to the kitchen to put the kettle on. She couldn't believe her dad had welcomed that thug into their home. Yeah, ok, so she'd been stupid enough to get into the car with them all those weeks ago, but only because she didn't want Lucy to be with them on her own. Safety in numbers, and all that tripe. Just look where it had got her. Besides, what had happened since? Nothing. Her dad hadn't even managed to get Archer yet! So much for his cunning plan with all his fangled dangled surveillance.
'Rory'll have a coffee, Sel.'
'Isn't that nice for him.'
'Rory, go through to the sitting room. We'll be with you shortly.'
Selina could feel her dad glaring at her from the doorway. She refused to look him. She turned all her attention to making the drinks. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of telling her off in front of their 'guest' again.
'Are you ok?'
'Stubborn fine, or not fine?'
'Babe, when you get in there with us you'll understand what I'm doing. Rory works for us. Me, Bob and Charlie. We're going to take Fench and Archer in next week. He's more than happy to help us out, they've bullied him for too long.'
'They bully each other all the time, dad!'
'Yes, but they found out it was Rory who rang Vasley Street that night, to tell the right people where you and Lucy were.'
'He made the call just after I got you home that night. It took him an hour just to get five minutes on his own in order to make the call.'
'Why would he do that?'
'I don't know. But once I knew that I knew I had a shot at getting the gang leaders. He's more than willing to help us out.'
'Should I get a plate of biscuits out?'
'Why not, maybe you should get an apology ready too. I'm just needing to get some paper work from the study.'
Selina walked into the sitting room and gave Rory his coffee.
'Peace offering?' She gestured towards the biscuits.
Rory grinned at her, 'accepted.'
'I'm sorry. I didn't realise. And I'm sorry about trying to break your foot just now.'
'That's ok. I've been trying to make contact with you, for ages, to let you know about it. But it's been so difficult. Getting just five minutes away from them is like, totally impossible. They know every move you make, every person you look at, they know it all.'
'So they're not your friends?'
Rory shook his head and drank some of his coffee.
'Ok, Rory. Here's the deal,' Jamie said entering the sitting room with a sheaf of papers.
Chapter Thirteen
Karen drove to Manor Drive as soon as the estate agent left. He was a very peculiar little man. He looked more like a car sales man, more so than Michael ever did. Anyway, he said he'd be in touch on Monday with a figure. She felt him checking her out so she had let him walk around the house on his own. He had spent perhaps a little too long in her bedroom for her liking, but still, it was necessary to get this place on the market and get out.
Karen slowed her car to a stop on Jamie's drive. She wasn't sure how to act. She wanted to know everything that had gone on the previous night, she wanted Jamie to herself, she wanted to kiss him, to feel his touch. She had to pull herself together!
'Be still my beating heart,' Karen said to herself as she climbed out of the car and headed to the side door.
She knocked on the side door and waited.
Within seconds Jamie had opened it with a beaming smile, so warm and welcoming.
'So how did it go?'
'He'll let me know on Monday. He was a bit creepy actually.'
'You should've called, I could've come over.'
'That's ok. It seems you've got enough going on,' Karen said, thinking 'you should've come over anyway!'
'Just another day at the office. Except it's revolving around this house and everyone in it!' Jamie grinned.
A young lad joined them in the kitchen, placing dirty mugs in the sink. Karen was sure she had seen him somewhere.
'I'll be off then, J. Thanks.'
'Whoa! Rory. Meet Karen.'
'Hi, Mrs Wood. You taught me about four years ago.'
'Of course. Rory Cheedle, I knew your face was familiar!' Karen smiled, surely this couldn't be Selina's boyfriend? No, of course not, Selina would be in here wishing him goodbye. Wouldn't she?
'I'll just say bye to Selina, but I'll be seeing you soon as, yeah?'
'Keep your ear to the ground, Rory, ok? I'm home for the next week, but you can still contact me. Bob and Charlie are in, if you need them. They know everything necessary.'
'Cool. Nice seeing you again Mrs Wood,' Rory said and headed back down the hall and into the sitting room.
'Bye,' Karen said absently.
Chapter Fourteen
'So you're off now?' Selina asked. She'd actually enjoyed talking with Rory. He wasn't the person she had perceived him to be. Whoever she saw with that group she tarnished with the same brush. But Rory, well, he was alright. Her dad wouldn't be involving him if he wasn't.
'Yeah, don't want them getting all up in my face,' Rory said, pulling his zip up trackie top on, and pulling the collar up all the way around.
'I don't suppose you'll be back for a few days either,' Selina casually asked, not really looking at him. Not wanting to notice how his eyes smiled every time he looked at her.
'No. Too risky. Do you want my mobile number, you know, in case your dad and that aren't around and you happen to need someone or whatever?' Rory asked, pretending the idea had only just dawned on him!
'Oh, sure, yeah, that might be a good idea,' Selina said, hiding her smile.
Selina reached on the table and picked up her phone at the same time Rory handed her his.
'I don't know my number, so type yours in and ring it,' Rory instructed.
Selina did as asked, typing her own mobile number and hitting the 'call' button. The call connected and Duffy's 'Mercy' played for a few seconds. Selina cancelled the call and gave Rory his phone back. She opened her own and saved the entry.
'What should I save you as?'
'Oh, I dunno, how about 'Selina'?' Selina asked as though she'd just had an epiphany.
'How about no?'
'Why not?'
'There's only one Selina we all know, and she's you. They'd be on to me straight away. My cover would be blown, you know. Come on, everyone knows a guy like me doesn't go out with a girl like you.'
'Coz I'm a copper's daughter, right?'
'Not just that, Sel. You're, you know, nice and everything. It's girls like Chelsey and Merrina we're supposed to be seen with, so it'll look proper dodgy and everything. They'll know I'm up to something, for sure.'
'Oh, I didn't think of that. It could ruin the whole operation couldn't it.'
'I dunno then, sorry.'
'Your ring tone. There's a guy we used to play footie with who we used to call Duffy, so that'll stick.'
'Right, I'm off. Thanks for not sawing my foot off.'
'Thanks for not holding it against me!' Selina grinned.
Rory turned on his heel and left. Selina felt somewhat deflated. They'd actually had an ok afternoon. Rory was alright.
Chapter Fifteen
Grace went through her phone book. She couldn't stay with any of these people. Most of them were married and had the whole 2.4 children thing going on. Michael had rung her on his way to Stepsley to say he was staying with his brother there, and he was planning on laying low for a couple of days. This was not good. How dare Jamie throw her out! That little bitch had him wrapped around her little finger! She would never be welcomed into her family home again.
There was only one thing for it.
'Hello?' A polished telephone voice asked.
'No, it's me, Grace,' she said, somewhat crestfallen. How could her mum not differentiate?
'What do you want?' Came the now stern voice.
'I was wondering if I could stay for a couple of days? Be good to see you and dad.'
'All three of you?'
'Erm, no. Just me mum.'
'Have you been caught with your knickers down again?'
'You dirty little madam! Do not ring me again.'
'But mum!'
'No ifs, buts or maybes, Grace. I have no desire to be contacted by you. Neither does your father. The whole family is disgraced by you, Grace. Jamie offered you the world, he's a good lad. But you've thrown everything back at him haven't you. You don't deserve anyone.'
'Great, everyone's wanting a piece of me! Selina almost killed me last night! And no one could give a shit!'
'We'd be more interested if she'd succeeded.'
The line went dead.
Chapter Sixteen
Karen couldn't remember the last time she'd laughed so much. Jamie and Selina were great entertainers. The atmosphere was great. The food was great. The tea was flowing in very generous quantities. The whole afternoon and evening had whizzed by. It was a shame it was already nine and would be drawing to a close pretty soon.
'I'll get another drink for everyone,' Selina said, taking Karen's empty mug and her dad's empty beer bottle.
As soon as she left the room Jamie turned to Karen, a serious look on his face.
'Do you think Michael will stay away for a few days? Or might he try and return tonight?'
'I'm not sure. I don't think he'll try and come back just yet.'
'But you can't be completely confident he'll stay away tonight?'
'No. Not one hundred percent.'
'Well, you're not going home then. We have a spare room all made up, you can stay. Besides, you couldn't possibly drive home after drinking all that tea!'
Karen laughed, 'yes. If that had been wine I would be well and truly drunk by now.'
Selina returned with a fresh tea for Karen and a bottle for her dad.
'I'm going to call it a night. I haven't had my daily dosage of Link Larkin yet, so I need to watch it before bed. Nice spending time with you, Karen. See you in the morning dad. I love you,' Selina kissed her dad goodnight and left them again.
Karen could feel the electricity again. She was willing something to happen, but thought she knew nothing would. Jamie was far too nice to jump at her just yet.
'Well, that appears to have halted conversation,' Jamie said, taking a swig from his bottle.
Karen smiled, 'I'm sorry. My mind went away for a few moments.'
'Can I ask where to?'
'Your bedroom,' Karen said with a delicious smile.
She couldn't believe she'd actually said it, but she had! And what's more, Jamie didn't seem to have taken offence. He was grinning at her like a teenager!
'Well, it's nicely decorated. But then I'm biased coz I did it,' Jamie grinned.
Chapter Seventeen
Karen had never been so happy. Although she'd been married to Michael for almost fifteen years, had been with him since she was 14, she had never felt how she did when she was with Jamie. It was as though Jamie made her whole. How could someone she'd been with for just over twenty years not be the right person. Then again, would Michael be right for anyone? His infidelity knew no bounds, clearly.
Jamie had shown her the guest room, a formality rather than 'this is where you're staying.' He opened his own bedroom door, crisp white sheets covered the bed, the pillows had been plumped. Karen decided she could easily settle here.
Jamie watched Karen's eyes explore the room, when she made her way over to the window he took the opportunity to close the door. She wasn't leaving this room any time tonight, certainly not without Jamie at least kissing her.
'Considering the circumstances you're in, Jamie, this house feels like such a happy one. It's all very casual. You can tell when you walk in mine that it's a show home. It's not a happy environment at all.'
'The decoration is pretty stunning, but the maintenance is not practical. Not in a happy family home, anyway. Everything needs to be simple in a family home. There's always too much going on.'
Karen smiled, 'it's scary how you pick up on everything.'
'Yes, you. What are you picking up now?' Karen asked.
'Well, I don't think a lot of sleeping will be taking place in this room tonight.'

subset: commoncrawl


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Hillis ruled out again this week
(BEREA) -- If the Cleveland Browns are going to win their second-straight game this Sunday in Cincinnati against the Bengals, it will have to be without running back Peyton Hillis.
On Monday afternoon at his press conference Browns head coach Pat Shurmur said Hillis will be out again this weekend with the same hamstring injury that has sidelined him six consecutive games and seven games total this season.
It was the third-straight Monday that Shurmur ruled Hillis out.


text:
Rated TVMA • 89 minutes
When an out-of-work actress unexpectedly lands a starring role in the sexually explicit mini-series adaptation of a best-selling erotic novel, her aimless, stoner boyfriend does his best to be supportive. But when her volatile, Oscar® winning co-lead takes "rehearsals" too far, her dream job becomes her boyfriend's worst nightmare and the couple is forced to decide whether or not their relationship is worth fighting for. Stars Pablo Schreiber.
Thursday, Jun 1 at 2:30 AM ET/PTSEE TV SCHEDULE
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Robin Thicke Sings The Blues For Paula Patton [Video]
Robin Thicke got it bad for his wife Paula Patton. Last week Paula Patton announced that after years of being together the two will be separating revealing little to no detail on the actually reason for the separation.
How has Thick taken the separation? Well in two of his past performance the "Blurred Lines" singer has reportedly tried to woo Patton via the stage with song dedications. On February 27 during a performance in DC the singer dedicated his 2006 track "Lost Without U" to his estranged wife telling the crowed,
Now this past Sunday during a performance in Atlantic City, NJ Thicke sung Al Greens "Let's Stay Together" after a fan shouted "I Love Paula", in which he replied "I do too". Hopefully these two can work it out.


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Bangtao Village Resort
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- Shuttle bus service
- Airport Transportation
- Minbar in room
- Room service
- Smoking rooms available
- Swimming pool
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- Swimming pool
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A visit to Sin City
... and approached a hut. Outside the hut, there was a monkey on a lead wearing a nappy. How surreal. Here we had to pay a hundred baht each (two pounds) to pass onto the beach. I read on trip advisor that this is something to do with the Thai beach mafia but I'm a little cynical of this. We continued down another very steep hill, made up of arduous cement slopes and jagged steps. Upon reaching the bottom, we saw the path disappear into nothing. The only visible way to ...
Batik and rest day
... Camp Safari so much they wanted to go back. While kids were playing Hayden and I had a nap....ah bliss! We collected the kids after 3pm went swimming for the rest of the afternoon! Elloise had a go in a giant inflatable ball. At 4pm Happy Hour started which was 2 for 1 drinks.....yeee ha! The activity coordinators bought out an ...
Best Day Ever. Ever.
... with our own cove for swimming. It was so nice! The water felt amazing, and we all enjoyed attempting to use the inflatable stand up paddle board. Hilarity ensued, but technically everyone was able to stand up....at least for a second or two! Marissa and Matt were rock stars, and the rest of us will be practicing for a while. When we got back to the boat there were MORE snacks! Thin sliced and....dried? Fried? Fruits. More watermelon, spring rolls, and my ...
... re-evaluated and then the country will no longer be addressed to export but to their huge inside market that will be boosted by a significant increase in wages . On the other hand all imports of raw materials and energy will cost much less to the Chinese. This is not what the United States like as that will mean they will finish the primacy of the US dollar, the currency on whom they live too comfortably in my opinion since they printed it by the ton ...
I won't smoke if you don't fart.
... we'd had any brushes with them. We've been told we leave Baan To tomorrow."hotel full not have room" Bloody New Year!! We checked with three or four other hotels - same story. It would be like pitching up in Cape Town on 24th December and being surprised when there are quite a few people in Camps Bay. Eventually we settled on Cozy Place which could just squeeze us in for tomorrow night. We paid ahead and bit our lip. After that who knows? In the evening we walked to the ...


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To tu or not to tu, that is the question. Some years ago I addressed my son's 12-year-old schoolmate with a formal "vous" rather than informal "tu". "Thanks dad, now she thinks you are a cretin," he said. To French ears, it was as if I had called her "Miss Smith".
The Los Angeles Times marked the French national day this week with an elaborate diagram explaining when it is appropriate to say "vous" and when to say "tu". If you are an adult talking to a child, you say "tu", unless the child is royalty. If you are an adult talking to an adult, you say "tu" to family, friends and lovers – and to your boss if you work for the French branch of Google. Otherwise, you say vous.
You would need the wiring diagram of a space rocket to cover all the subtle shades of "tu". It can be a term of endearment or an insult; a put down or a verbal equivalent of masonic handshake. The whole system is in any case under siege from the Francophone social media where everyone seems to say "tu" to everyone.
And there are still families which address one another as "vous" above the age of six. When my daughter was 13, she heard a friend say to her mother "maman, vous êtes une salope" (literally, mummy, you are a whore). What shocked her most was that her friend should call her mum "vous".Reuse content


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March 2, 2009
Remember the old movie "Sabrina"? The one where the chauffeur's daughter wanted to marry out of her class, and her father told her, "There is a front seat and a rear seat and a window in between."
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Here is some great news. With release r15, ARCserve continues to bring the superior quality development that we have come to associate with the product over the last releases.
Sharepoint Granular Restores: A new feature in ARCserve r15 Beta, is appreciated by a user on the Public User Forums at Get Satisfaction. Here is the link to his appreciations and the improvements he sees:
Are you using the Sharepoint Agent, we are eager to know what you think.
Thanking all our users for some great feedback over the last year.


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Falcon Wharf
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450,000 Years of History in a Single Afternoon
... rugby union team is in the tournament - who knew? Of course, Rugby is a popular sport in England and the World Cup is only held every four years, so it's a big deal here. The caf� at the museum was showing one of the matches on a giant screen, and there was something slightly incongruous about watching the patrons cheer on the match while they enjoyed their tea and cakes.
Interesting fact: the U.S. ...
London Day 1
... and left it as is until it was decided to open it as a museum. Maps are still on the walls, color coded phones with suitcase sized encryption gear attached are in place next to the desks, and so much more. In one desk they found a person's sugar ration for the week as if they expected to return the next day. In one section they had an exhibit on the life of Winston Churchill that was very in depth. Overall we both found it a fascinating look ...
Big day out .... no way to get home
... to build a thatched roof in London anymore due to the risk of fire.
Our tour was a 'silent tour' which meant that once we got inside no one was allowed to talk as we had to replicate 'theatre conditions' as they were rehearsing for a production of Richard II. The guide wasn't sure what we would see when we got inside, she said that it may have just been set building or rearranging ….. but we were very lucky to see the ...
Our last blog...
... bad habits she had to put up with on a daily basis. I thought we'd have a few arguments and tough moments during the five months but we literally haven't (Only minor bickering after her poor directions in New Zealand). So there's my thoughts. Thank you all for reading the blogs. We've enjoyed writing them (at times they became a bit of a chore) but we know that it'll be worth it when we can look back on them. It was more for us really, it'll help us remember each day and ...
We're in LONDON
... with Windsor Castle towering over us. How good is that for a layover in London. Plane leaves at 9.30 tonight so we were both relaxed after our lunch and afternoon tea so got bus back but it was on a roundabout route which was pleasant as it took us through some lovely areas around Slough and Maidenhead and other places I can't remember in my state of fatigue. We managed to muck up getting back to the terminal we are ...


text: Computational Systems Bioinformatics Proceedings of the CSB 2008 Conference by MARKSTEIN PETER ET AL English | 1 Oct. 2008 | ISBN: 1848162634 | 355 Pages | PDF | 24 MB This proceedings volume contains 29 papers covering many of the latest developments in the fast-growing field of bioinformatics. The contributions span a wide range of topics, including computational genomics and genetics, protein function and computational proteomics, the transcriptome, structural bioinformatics, microarray data analysis, motif identification, biological pathways and systems, and biomedical applications. The papers not only cover theoretical aspects of bioinformatics but also delve into the application of new methods, with input from computation, engineering and biology disciplines. This multidisciplinary approach to bioinformatics gives these proceedings a unique viewpoint of the field. Buy Premium From My Links To Get Resumable Support,Max Speed & Support Me Code: Download ( NitroFlare ) http://nitroflare.com/view/03539214C183A0D/lh4rb.Computational.Systems.Bioinformatics.Proceedings.of.the.CSB.2008.Conference.by.MARKSTEIN.PETER.ET.AL.rar


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Welcome to the Wednesday's Favorites post. In the Wednesday's Favorites post I will talk about a book I loved and that I think deserves a little more attention. I read popular books, but also many books that aren't so popular (yet). In this post all sorts of books from all sorts of genre's will have a chance to shine. Today's Wednesday's Favorites is 'Darling Beast' by Elizabeth Hoyt, a book I read in October 2014.
About the Book:
A man condemned…
Falsely accused of murder and mute from a near-fatal beating, Apollo Greaves, Viscount Kilbourne has escaped from Bedlam. With the Crown's soldiers at his heels, he finds refuge in the ruins of a pleasure garden, toiling as a simple gardener. But when a vivacious young woman moves in, he's quickly driven to distraction . . .
A desperate woman…
London's premier actress, Lily Stump, is down on her luck when she's forced to move into a scorched theatre with her maid and small son. But she and her tiny family aren't the only inhabitants-a silent, hulking beast of a man also calls the charred ruins home. Yet when she catches him reading her plays, Lily realizes there's more to this man than meets the eye.
Out of ash, desire flares..
Though scorching passion draws them together, Apollo knows that Lily is keeping secrets. When his past catches up with him, he's forced to make a choice: his love for Lily . . . or the explosive truth that will set him free.
The Facts:
Publication Date:
October 14th, 2014
Maiden Lane #7
Historical Romance
eBook, Paperback, Audio
Available at:
Average Goodreads Rating:
Average Amazon Rating:
Praise for 'Darling Beast':
The book is part of the Maiden Lane series, but is also a standalone story and it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book that I hadn't read any of the others in the series. I loved the growing attraction between Lily and Apollo and his sweet relationship with her young son.
There isn't much I didn't like about Darling Beast. The romance, the sex scenes, the mystery, they all kept me engaged from the first page to the last. There were even a few surprises at the end that made this story richer and the heroine and hero even more appealing.
I loved the story that Ms Hoyt created. It's an obvious play on the classic fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast, but quite original and enjoyable. The twists and turns as well as the spark between Apollo and Lily had me turning the pages.
This book definitely was worth reading and it never got boring. I would definitely recommend this book to all romantic book lovers. This book is not only romantic and beautiful but it also has a sexy twist to it. Definitely one to check out! ;)
About the Author:
For more information about 'Darling Beast' and Elizabeth Hoyt please visit her website, Goodreads, Twitter and Facebook.


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Calicut Road , Perinthalmanna ,
Malappuram , Kerala, India - 679322
Phone : 04933-221111, 221112, 221113,
221114, 8089845355
Harikkara Street,
Court Road, Sultanpet,
Palakkad, Kerala, India - 678001
Phone : 0491-2531111, 2535450, 2525450, 8136915115
Ascent ENT Hospital is the First NABH Accredited ENT Hospital in Kerala .
SILVER JUBILEE CONFERENCE OF THE INDIAN SOCIETY OF OTOLOGY - ISOCON - 2016 Ascent ENT Hospital is the Conference Secretariat and Dr. Sharafudheen, our Chief Consultant ENT & Cochlear Implant Surgeon, is .
"Sruthitharangam" Scheme .
Government of India .
HANDS ON TEMPORAL BONE DISSECTION COURSE ON 6th & 7th FEBRUARY 2016 Temporal bone is one of the most complicated and complex human bone and any ENT surgeo.
Otology Refresh (Temporal Bone Exploration & Live Surgery Workshop) on 25th and 26th July 2015 Dear Colleagues Greetings ! .
Ascent ENT Hospital is the First ISO Certified Complete ENT Hospital in Kerala. .
Ascent ENT Hospital is the 1st centre to introduce the VEMP ( Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials) in kerala state. which is a modern diagnostic tool for assessment and management of balance disorders .
Ascent ENT Hospital proudly introducing Coblation technology for blood less surgery for the 1st time in South Malabar. .
Ascent is an exclusive ENT super specialty center, offers a one-stop comprehensive service for the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of the complete range of ear, nose, throat, head and neck disorders. We are passionate about providing the premier standards of ENT care, be it having the finest doctors, cutting edge technology, or nursing with a smile. As the meaning of the word 'ascent' implies, we are climbing to the summit in ENT Care revolution. Our surgeons are experts within their specialties and offer rapid valuation, diagnosis and treatment with high clinical outcomes.More...


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Sat 02 Oct 10
at 18:23 PM
Millwall were unable to mark their 125th anniversary with victory as 10-man Burnley proved the proverbial party-poopers at The Den.On an historic day, the only thing missing for Kenny Jackett's Lions was the three points that his side could and should have claimed.Despite playing for over 80 minutes a man down following the eighth-minute dismissal of Clarke Carlisle, Burnley not only took the lead with virtually their only effort on target, but then having let Scott Barron in for a leveller, Brian Laws' side adopted the most frustrating time-wasting tactics that by the end were bordering on pure gamesmanship."We had the chances to win the game, especially in the second half," conceded boss Jackett after Saturday's match. "The sending-off changed the game, but Burnley made sure we had to grind out opportunities. We did do that, dominated possession, but unfortunately we didn't take the chances when they came our way."The Lions will be wondering just how they didn't record their first win in seven games - and Alan Dunne in particular, who on another day could have been walking off with the one-off special celebration ball used on the day.Millwall, with pacey frontman Theo Robinson making his full start alongside Steve Morison, started brightly and it was a clumsy foul on the lively debutant by Carlisle that saw referee Keith Stroud brandish a straight red card with barely eight minutes gone.Burnley responded by sacrificing midfielder Dean Marney for Michael Duff, leaving Chris Iwelumo to plough a lone furrow up front for the visitors.It was The Lions who carved out the first couple of good chances with Morison chesting down David Forde's long clearance and hitting a low shot straight at Brian Jensen on 12 minutes, and then Robinson heading Chris Hackett's deep cross straight into the grateful keeper's hands 60 seconds later.Burnley made a second change on 13 minutes when former Lion Leon Cort replaced Andre Bikey, and the home side nearly took advantage of hesitency in the Clarets' rearguard, only for Dunne to tamely hit a shot straight at Jensen following good build-up play by Robinson and Hackett.It was Burnley who stunned the home fans on 22 minutes when, with their first incisive attack of the game, Chris Eagles worked space on the right and Jay Rodriguez guided his header beyond the reach of Forde.Tony Craig sent a left-footer wide as The Lions looked for an instant response, and four minutes later that's exactly what they got. Morison's persistence and determination saw him win possession on the left, he picked out Robinson who in turn laid the ball off invitingly for Barron, and his crisp low shot gave Jensen no chance.Eagles was lucky to escape punishment for a raking, late challenge on Craig - and the left-back failed to return after half-time with an injury sustained in that tackle.Prior to the break, Dunne managed to squeeze in a header from Hackett's freekick that Jensen managed to save at point-blank range.With Danny Schofield replacing the injured Craig at the start of the second-half, goalscorer Barron dropped to fill in the left-back berth and former Yeovil man Schofield slotted in wide midfield.The resulting 45 minutes proved to be pretty much one-way traffic with Millwall banging on the Burnley backdoor, but to no avail.Right-back Dunne endured a mixed second-half - getting into great positions, but ending up goalless and with a 47th-minute yellow card for allegedly diving. It was his fifth booking of the season and now rules him out of the derby at Crystal Palace on 16th October.Overall though, Millwall created enough chances to have won handsomely.Hackett's first-time volley following a quick throw by Dunne flashed wide before skipper Paul Robinson hit the foot of the post with a 57th-minute header from Hackett's corner.Another Hackett delivery was flicked on by defender Robinson and the ball fell invitingly for Dunne, who hooked over from 12 yards.The introduction of Neil Harris for tiring debutant Robinson nearly paid off immediately when, within seconds of his 68th-minute introduction, Forde's upfield punt was headed on by Morison to Chopper, only to hit a stinging shot straight into the hands of Jensen.Cue the first bout of cramp to afflict the visitors, with Cort requiring treatment by the Burnley physio, much to the frustration of the home fans.The woodwork again came to Burnley's rescue 12 minutes from time, on this occasion Schofield's sublime skills ended up with a goalbound curling effort that was tipped onto the bar by the fingertips of Jensen.Harris took too much time to shoot and the opportunity was lost on 79 minutes, with Burnley sub Duff then suffering a bout of cramp that ate up even more time.Millwall's sense of urgency was ultimately matched by a sense of frustration as chances came and went, the best of which was Dunne's free header from a Hackett corner that flew over the bar two minutes from time.Although the three points evaded Jackett's men, it was not for the want of trying and with a little more luck The Lions would have been signing off for the international break just one point outside the Play-Offs.
Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Craig (Schofield, 46mins), Abdou (Carter, 78mins), Robinson, Ward, Mkandawire, Hackett, Morison, Barron, T.Robinson (Harris, 68mins). Subs not used: Mildenhall, Henry, Smith, Laird.Bookings: Craig (43mins), Dunne (47mins)Scorer: Barron (26mins)
Burnley: Jensen, Fox, Carlisle, Cork, Marney (Duff, 8mins), Iwelumo (Thompson, 76mins), Elliott, Mears, Rodriguez, Bikey (Cort, 13mins), Eagles. Subs not used: Alexander, Wallace, Paterson, Grant.Booking: Eagles (44mins)Sending off: Carlisle (8mins)Scorer: Rodriguez (22mins)
Ref: Keith StroudAtt: 12,330 (away 842)
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Our very talented Feature animation student, Alaa Afifah, shares his thoughts on his time at iAnimate as well as his animation journey. Read his write up below & watch his very entertaining acting chops in his reel.
iA: What is the biggest thing you took away from your time at iAnimate?Mmmmm I would say there are too many things, but the main thing that I took away with me was to learn how to observe and understanding animation on my own. Because the tools and the criticism that I had been given by my instructors, has given me all that I need to continue my career on my own.
iA: What is the most surprising thing you have learned while in the "studio life"?I would say every new project I get to learn something new, there is always a challenge to get the idea across. But the greatest thing I have acquired is Speed!
Blog Tag: action, alumni, Feature, students
Feature Animation student, Moy Parra, had some fun with our character Crea in this action sequence. He says: A few months back I started sketching the basic beats of the sequence and at the time I came up with 6 key drawings. As I started working on this I realized that I would need a lot more than 6 shots to tell the story that I wanted to tell and so rather than setting my goal to finish the piece in 30 days I decided to rather give myself 90. It actually ended up taking around 10 weeks, anywhere between 3 to 5 hours daily.
I was able to work on the sequence at nights after the family went to sleep and whenever I could during the weekends, and any time that I had a quiet moment, I would conduct a sort of "dailies" in my head so that I could simply execute whenever I got to the computer.
Blog Tag: action, Feature, Sliced, students
Our talented Game animation student, Olov Johansson, shares his thoughts on his time here as well as his animation journey. Read his write up below & watch his action packed reel.
Still being new to animation I never had the chance to talk to other animators before getting into iAnimate. It has been a great way to get to know people with a common interest and to be in an environment where people talk about animation with sincerity and intensity. It is really valuable and inspiring to have instructors that are invested and enthusiastic about animation and each students work.
Blog Tag: action, Games, reel, students


text: Fabulous three bedroom home situated on a beautiful 1.38 acre lot. Great curb appeal with massive circular driveway. Well maintained home features newer vinyl siding & windows (2008) New custom designed metal roof with heavy duty snow guards installed in 2014 includes a 40 yr warranty. Water heater, heat & air (2012). Spacious living room with great views of front porch, new carpeting. Eat in kitchen features ceramic tile flooring, quartz counter tops, stainless dishwasher, gas cooktop, wall oven and microwave.Three generous sized bedrooms. Recent renovation of full bath includes high top vanity with granite, medicine cabinet, bronze fixtures, tile flooring. Huge full basement with outside entrance. Oversized metal 24' x 24' metal garage/pole building with wood stove. Perfect for the car collector, wood worker, possible uses are endless. Rear grounds are vinyl fenced. Fantastic opportunity not to be missed!


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Rare Opportunity
Extensive Maintenance Records
Full Services Bottom Paint done Spring of 2016
Satellite TV
Each Nauset is built as a custom yacht to the specific needs and standards of their owners. In this case the knowledgeable owners set the bar very high and paid a lot of attention to the details. The result is an exceptional Sport Fishing Boat that will turn your head.
She is designed with fishing in mind on many levels. When you get aboard and start inspecting this yacht you will see the many advantages of her detailing and thoughtful design. From the large open salon - to the very comfortable, practical helm and navigators seat - to the well thought out galley - to the large settee that converts to a large sleeping area to the immense amount of well-planned storage throughout. And if that is not enough then how about the large aft cockpit - side decks that are easy to walk around - solid stainless hand rails for safety and extra comfort - a large foredeck for lounging - a flybridge with separate helm, seating for many and lots of room.
this 38 Nauset is a proper yacht; one that is an excellent home for both long range and local trips. She can cruise at 20 knots with ease and has a maximum speed of 28 knots. There is a very complete electronics and navigation suite at the helm with repeaters at the navigator's station and on the bridge. This yacht has been yard maintained since new and it shows.
If you are looking for a Nauset Marine Custom Boat that is in excellent condition and ready to take you cruising you need to see this 38.
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Status: Open (Call business to confirm holiday hours)
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Tishomingo Community Living Center is listed as a retirement community in Iuka, MS.
Contact Tishomingo Community Living Center to discuss your retirement living needs in the Iuka, MS area at (662) 423-3422 or schedule an appointment to visit the facility located at 1410 West Quitman Street, Iuka, MS 38852.
Tishomingo Community Living Center provides extended-stay nursing care to seniors with varying levels of disabilities in Iuka, MS.
Please call Tishomingo Community Living Center at (662) 423-3422 for more information or to schedule an on-site visit.
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I am wanting the facility to check on the telephone in my aunt's room. It rings, but she doesn't answer. This has been going on for about three weeks.
Q: Did this provider seem well-trained and experienced?
A: Yes, they seemed very qualified
Q: Does this provider remember you by name?
A: Every single time, even if it's been months since my last appointment!!
Q: Did you feel like this provider's office was understaffed?
A: Somewhat, they could've used more help
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A: Somewhat, it didn't smell...
Tishomingo Community Living Ctr was founded in 2010. Tishomingo Community Living Ctr specializes in Skilled Nursing Care Facilities.
Tishomingo Community Living Center can be found at W Quitman St 1410. The following is offered: Doctors & Clinics. The entry is present with us since Sep 7, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 12, 2013. In Iuka there are 6 other Doctors & Clinics. An overview can be found here.
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Sweaty betty
İlgili konuları keşfedin
Although the people at Sweaty Betty were kind enough to send me a pair, I honestly would've been happy with them even if I had paid regular price. You might've seen these blow up your Instagram feed this week, and for good reason. I seriously love these pants and have already worn them a couple of times. Sweaty Betty made a great choice by highlighting these leggings this season, because they're legit awesome.
Next time you're suiting up for a long training run, these striking leggings from Sweaty Betty are your best choice. The side perforated mesh panels…
Sweaty Betty have joined forces with New York and LA's hottest studio ModelFIT to bring you an exclusive new workout and capsule collection.
Sweaty Betty Summer 2017 collection print
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run looks | Sweaty Betty
Motivation from Sweaty Betty. No Pain, No Champagne.
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Sweaty Betty Power Leggings Set


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Cleese won't resurrect Basil Fawlty
Monty Python legend John Cleese has staged a rare public reunion with his former wife and cast members of classic British sitcom Fawlty Towers - and recalled how little money he made from the show.
The 69-year-old co-wrote the comedy with Connie Booth when they were married in the 1970s, before making millions and moving to California.
He thinks they would be mad to try to revive the show.
"We're too old and tired now," he said at the launch of a documentary about the series, which only ran for 12 episodes but made "Don't mention the war" a catchphrase among generations of fans.
"The real problem is that, when you've done something that people think is really good, the bar is almost unattainably high. So I think it would be a mistake to do it," he added.
Cleese - who started in Monty Python and went via Fawlty Towers as Basil Fawlty to success on the big screen including A Fish Called Wanda - recalled how, for the first series of Fawlty Towers he was paid only 6,000 pounds ($12,100) for 43 weeks' work.
"That took so much energy to do, that show," he said, standing next to Booth - who played chambermaid Polly - Prunella Scales (Sybil) and Andrew Sachs (the long-suffering Spanish waiter Manuel).
Topics: television, arts-and-entertainment, comedy-humour, england, united-kingdom
First posted


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our new life together
When the ultrasound technician saw that my baby had a scaly tail instead of legs, she gasped in shock and horror, but I couldn't have been happier.
I watched my child wriggle about in my uterus and my heart surged with love for it. It was sort of like a tadpole, with a tiny torso and enormous, muscular tail. After wiping the goo off my belly, I went home to my parents. I was a happy woman. I was a sacred vessel, and I cradled the swollen stomach that contained my gift to the world.
Of course -- my Love and I, we could not produce a normal baby. Nothing short of a fish-human hybrid would do for people like us.
Over the next few months, we worked hard to build our new life together. It was time to be responsible adults. I moved into her beautifully finished cardboard box outside of Starbucks, and we began to renovate it to make way for our new child. We installed a white marble sink for the baby to swim in, and made a pallet in the corner of gold leaf and newspaper clippings. The walls were painted pale yellow, despite the fact that yellow is the color of agitation -- since our baby had no gender, it needed a gender-neutral environment.
Our Starbucks was located on a big grassy hill with a variety of other smaller businesses. At the bottom of the hill ran a stretch of rusty, abandoned old train tracks. Every day we walked from our humble home to the tracks and laid along them together, even when it rained and the passing cars sent water flying in our direction. Every day, she lovingly stroked my belly, and we shared a deep kiss. We were forever in awe of the miracle we were crafting together.
It was during one of these moments that my water broke.
"Damn it!" She cried anxiously. "I thought you weren't due for six more months!"
Apparently, it's different with mermaid babies.


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By now, your brand's Facebook page has probably converted over to the new Timeline format. Timeline was introduced as a radically new version of the old Facebook profile. When it was announced, users complained that the new profile page wasn't as clean or organized as the old "wall" and marketers bemoaned the fact that brands could no longer choose the landing tab visitors saw when arriving on their page. In spite of the criticism, Facebook made the change mandatory and switched all brand pages effective March 30, 2012.
Facebook had its reasons for making the change. First, social media is now a more mature business and Facebook needed to differentiate itself from other platforms like Google+ which offer many of the same features (and some new innovations Facebook doesn't offer.) Also, Facebook seemed intent on making brand pages a destination. Prior to Timeline, fewer than 2% of users visited the average brand's page after liking it. Facebook wanted to boost engagement and saw Timeline as a better way for brands to share their content. With that decision made, Facebook had to decide if it was better to let users keep their old profile and implement Timeline for brands or create a uniform experience across the platform. Simplicity won out.
While the jury is still out in terms of the overall effect (some initial studies suggest that engagement has gone up) little data has been published about Timeline's impact on brand's ability to generate the "Like." Some pundits will argue that it doesn't matter because Likes don't mean as much if consumers are oblivious to the brand when they walk past it in the store. They'll also cite several studies which claim that the number one reason consumers like a brand on Facebook is to get free stuff. They'll tell you that you must separate the wheat from the chaff and engage the users who are truly passionate about your brand.
For an established brand this might make sense, but if you're starting a new business, have a new product, or are just beginning with social media it creates a "chicken or the egg" scenario. After all, how can you engage if no one likes your page? Getting the Like isn't the end-goal, but it is a necessary first step.


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How to widen 22-5/8" window frame to 23"
I want to hang new mini blinds inside one window frame. It's supposed to be a 23" wide window frame but the trim inside the window frame makes the width more like 22-5/8". The "standard" 23" mini blinds are 22-1/2" wide and don't fit... I need my window frame to be about 1/4" wider (or the blinds 1/4" narrower).
I could get custom blinds made (but don't want to) or supposedly could cut the blinds to be narrower (but don't think I would get quality results, I don't even know what kind of tools you're supposed to use to do that). What I assume is the best solution is to take down the side trim and plane each piece to be thinner by about 1/8" or 3/16". The trim is basically 5/8 x 4" stained pine boards.
But, how do I do this? I don't have appropriate tools to do it myself, but if I can find a friend with a table saw would that work? I'm also open to other solutions.
Most big box stores will cut your blinds to fit for free.
Have a big box store cut them to size. Not a big deal. They will look fine.
Trust us, trimming the blinds is a much better alternative then shaving parts of the window frame. I will say, this is the first time I have run across this kind of question.
Steve, have you bought the blinds?
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