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    1. MarniMoo 5 yrs ago

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3 yrs ago
Current Bored. So, freakin' bored.
3 yrs ago
Trying to build IKEA furniture. Send help...and possibly wine.
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4 yrs ago
When people take themselves so seriously, it makes you giggle. Like sheesh - this is a solid two 2 on my importance radar. I think I'll live👌
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"I can't complain."

The past three years had passed by with relative ease. It was the same old routine, and it had been since she was a girl of thirteen. Nothing ever changed. Except for her sister moving out of the family home, and her Mother's moods. Now they were alarmingly changable. Everything else seemed to just blunder along as it always had.

"How are you?"

Momentarily, Tilly's blue eyes flicked to Arthur. The last she'd seen of him, she vaguely remembered that he was about to be deployed. Details were foggy. But most memories of that Summer were rather fooggy. Three years felt like a lifetime when you were rather stuck in a rut. Like a hen that hadn't seen the outside of the barn. But what did she know? All her role in society was to wed. And then of course came the expectation to produce heirs for whatever family it was that she got married off into. Wasn't exactly an exhilarating thought. Matilda prefered horses to children.

Major Bradford seemed rather sour in mood, but she didn't dwell on it. "Well, Major. I should probably leave you in peace.."

Meanwhile, Mrs Hollyworth had become all too much for Henry, and he had tracked down his Sister as an alternative entertainment source.

"Ah, Tilly!" He interjected, a polite nod to Major Bradford as he stepped closer. The bemused expression on Henry's features spoke volumes, and the elder sibling couldn't resist a small laugh. He simply rolled his eyes and shook his head. There was no need for words.

"Tilly, I must steal you for this dance. Tis the only one I can endure. Will you forgive me, Major Bradford?"

Henry was a likable chap. A hardworker. Down to earth and strong willed. A trait that all three siblings shared. "I shall bring her back.. Or if you should prefer, keep her away." He offered a mischievous grin as he held out his arm for his sister.

Matilda shook her head in feigned exasperation as she looked at Arthur, "The cake is very good if you're at a loose end... Just avoid the plum jam."

Henry cringed, "Yes, do avoid it Major. Mother can't cook."

Bump
"Are you seriously snapping at me?"

Alix narrowed her eyes dangerously. "You've lied for the last eight years, and you're going to stand there and bleet like a bitch?"

If she'd had something in her hand, she would have thrown it straight at his head. Unfortunately, she didn't. So the best she could do was slam the study door behind her. He stepped on her last nerve.

"I am not dragging Sophie and Luca away from everything they know, because of this, Josh. You decide what you're doing about it. I'm not going to be shouted at by you." She held her hands up in surrender and grabbed her running shoes from the box enroute to the Kitchen. Not that she ever went running..Running was just a terrible thing. As was aerobics.

"I need to to go and get the kids. Either go to the Police or make some sort of plan. Hell, join the damn Mafia for all I care." And with that, she headed for the front door. Alix's parents lived a mere ten minute walk away.

"And if I thought you were a monster, I wouldn't be wasting my time with all of this. I'd already be gone." She paused her procession up the hall and turned to look at him. "You are really starting to piss me off."
Major Bradford

Of course that's where she knew the name from. The Major had been staying with Eleanor and William, when she herself had been in Bath. Poor Eleanor had been knocked sideways by a bad bout of flu, and as Matilda had been in town, she made sure to call upon her old friend. The two girls had grown up together in the wilds of Appleby, and remained close through letters and visits. Eloise, Matilda's sister, resided in Bath herself with her husband Monty. It was very easy to make arrangements to see Eleanor when she stayed with them.

Arthur. That was his name. When the Major nodded in her direction, she returned the gesture in kind. Henry spotted the interaction with his hawklike eyes, and he made a note to ask Tilly about it later on. And by ask, he obviously meant to tease and use it against her when the occasion called for it. After all, that what brother's did best. Especially younger ones.

Matilda, always one to spot an exit opportunity during an awkward social interaction, smiled chamringly at the Colonel and Mrs Hollyworth.

"Do excuse me. It was lovely to meet you both."

Anna was about to open her mouth to a voice a protest, but alas, the crestfallen woman was too late. Tilly was already out of earshot, and well on her way to finding Alice. However, enroute, she did spot Major Bradford. Perhaps she should leave him to his brooding. He certainly seemed to be trying hard to avoid everyone. But, it would be courteous to say 'Hello' to an acquaintance, would it not?

Mainly through curiosity and no real care for social etiquette, Matilda walked up to the Major and stood beside him.

"Hello." The blonde smiled warmly as she straightened out the skirt of her dress, "You look very busy trying to avoid everyone.."

Naturally, it was a rather blunt observation, but a valid one nonetheless. Matilda quite believed, that it was often the blunt observations, that were the most accurate.
Truth be told, Alix had eaten the pasta and fallen asleep whilst skimming through her photos. One minute she was looking at a picture of their wedding day, and the next Joshua was talking to her through the Study door. With a disorientated yawn, she wandered her way to the door and opened it fully. She let her side rest against the frame, and she looked at Joshua. No amount of sugar could make this situation a cupcake, but she had to roll with it.

In many ways, not loving Joshua would have made this so much easier. She would have agreed that he should leave, they'd arrange the details for visitation and that would be that. All done and dusted. She could move on with her life. But, unfortunately or not, she loved him. And she didn't want him to leave. However, she wasn't convinced about the sensibilty of his plan.

"I don't want you to leave." She sighed, "Although I probably should." A blonde eyebrow perked, "But is going to the Police such a good idea? From what I remember, you stated lunatics and bad men. Doesn't sound like they'd enjoy you going to the Police station, does it?" Or had every Mafia movie she'd ever watched been a lie? Now that was an interesting notion.

"But, if it's what you want to do... It's your decision."
"You know, I have a real urge to strangle you right now..."

In fact, she could feel her hands twitch with the inclination. "I am so angry." The blonde tensed her jaw and stared back at her husband. It was an unreadable glare. The part of her mind that wanted to scream and shout, battling with the rational part that just wanted to be calm and measured. Who'd win, that was the question..

"Explains why you're always going away for weeks on end." Alix rolled her eyes, and pulled her hands away from Josh. "The Mafia? I mean really..." A frustrated groan escaped her as she walked into her study. Was she going to do some work? No. Of course not. She just wanted to walk. To move. To use some of that energy for something that wasn't murdering her husband.

"Josh..."

Alix called from the other room. Voice now calm.

"How many years would I get for murdering you right now? I reckon I could get off on a crime of passion..."

The woman was absentmindedly clicking her stappler, when her iPhone started to ring. It pulled her back to reality as she picked it up and held it to her ear to hear Luca giggling.

Hey trouble. Grandad been feeding you chocolate, huh?
Alix had been doing a good job of staying calm, when she heard those words...

I agreed to kill for them..

Kill what?! Wasps? Blow flies?! Fuckin' rats?!!

But no. It was evident what Joshua meant. And when the realisation hit her, the blonde choked on her wine. Her green eyes shot to Josh and stared at him. An indredulous expression evident on her features.

"Jesus Christ Josh."

Naturally, she finished her wine and set the glass down on the counter top. What was happening to her? The young woman ran her index finger down along the bridge of her nose in exasperation. Was this some messed up dream? She'd wake up soon to find Luca jumping all over her... Nah. Sadly not.

"I don't even know what to say.."

Alix shook her head and stared at her husband. It was just so hard to process. To imagine that he could do that. Of course, to some extent she understood the stimulus. If anything, that was oddly reassuring. That he did actually love her, and the children. Did that make her a terrible person? That she didn't feel sick? Should she feel sick? It was just so far removed from the man that she knew, it felt as though it was an entirely alternative reality. And perhaps to some extent, it was.

Eventually, Alix grabbed a breakfast bar stool and took a seat. She slapped her cheeks gently with her palms, as if it might help to make her understand all of this.

"You should have told me sooner...we've got two children, and who knows - there might even be another one on the way.. And you just drop this now. Were you ever going to tell me? Or were you going to just carry on lying.."

Mrs Hollyworth seemed very jolly. It was quite the change to the overtly formal introductions that were the norm. Anna immediately took a dislike to the woman, but she often did to anyone that wasn't sour and overbearing such as she. George smiled charmingly and bowed his head.

"Welcome to Appleby, Mrs Hollyworth. We're very happy to meet you." The head of the family continued on with the introductions, "I am George Farr.." Anna immediately bristled. The one thing that the woman couldn't abide, was her husband not using his formal title when meeting new aquaintances. Which in all honesty, only made George do it all the more.

"This is my son Henry." The son nodded politely, but was evidently bored by the whole ceremonious intrusion. "My daughter Matilda." Tilly looked up, and smiled cheerfully. "Hello." She offered in a friendly tone. "And last but not least, my dear wife, Annabelle." The emphasis that was put onto the word dear, made Tilly want to laugh out loud. But she rallied and held her composure.

Major Bradford..where had she heard that name before?

Subtly, she tried to look behind the Colonol to see the man in question, but he appeared to be trying to keep out of view. She couldn't blame him, she'd tried to do the very same.

"Have you been in town long?" Henry enquired. He had often fancied himself a military man - much to his Mother's abject horror, of course.
Alix sat on the edge of the bed, and she took the photo that Josh handed her. A part of her wanted to scream and shout. But in truth, that wasn't really her. How were you supposed to react to something like this? Hell, she could really use some kind of handbook. Maybe she was just stupid. Surely she should have figured this all out long ago?

"You look like Luca."

And this time, she handed the family photo back to him. The story of his parents was tragic, and her eyes glanced over the Newspaper with a wince when she saw the treason. Russia wasn't somewhere you wanted to be accused of shit like that. A sigh escaped her, one that caused her cheeks to puff out.

"This is not how I saw Friday going." It wasn't how she saw any day going. So her reality was this, was it? Married to a Russian that was in the Country illegally. But, she couldn't bring herself to shout at him, or berate him. Or do anything other than to role her eyes.

"I'm hungry." And with that, she walked past Joshua and headed down the stairs. Luckily, the Children weren't home. They were spending the day with Nanny and Grandad. It struck her as sad that they'd never get to meet Joshua's family.

Was it too early for wine?
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