#postman's grandson

[drowsydregon]

ninjaball run is hilarious as an episode

like imagine you're a bus full of 4th graders going up against god's grandson on a 4 headed dragon

and the bus lasts longer than the dragon

also your only postman in the entire realm enters with his bicycle that he attached rockets to for that race and that race only

[alienpersonnn]

I have a few ninjago hc so imma just share 'em here

When kai was little he would steal from other people for food and/or money and he'd get into a lot of trouble most of the time

On one of jays birthdays, his parents gave him a pair of goggles, they were hand made but they were actually really good and durable. Jay still keeps them and whenever he wants to make something he'd always use those goggles until it got really rusty (he still keeps them tho)

Nelson is the postmans grandson. Idk why i came up with that but oh well

The postman is fully aware that he's in a show and that the ninjas are the main characters, hence why he broke the 4th wall by saying "see you in the next season" (he was just doing it for fun since he doesn't really get to show up screen often)

The ninjas always asks zane to make ice of their drinks and at some point zane was tired of it and froze the entire glass

You can cook stuff on kais skin

Lloyd, master wu and garmadon have naturally pointy ears cuz of the oni blood. The ninjas think they looked like elves especially when lloyd grew out his hair

Kai's really good at styling hair cuz he had to raise nya; He really enjoyed styling his sisters hair until she wanted to cut it. When nya grew out her hair again kai would scold her for not taking care of it cuz it would always be a tangled mess. He would also take care of lloyds hair sometimes

Cole likes gardening and would sometimes talk about plants with zane and how to take care of them

Jay plays rhythm games! Like phigros, arcea, lanota, over rapid, etc etc. He got lloyd to play them too so sometimes they'd compete with each other by playing the same song and seeing who's score is higher

Zane is a willwood fan, his favorite album is the normal album and his favorite song is willard

Kai wears merch of himself

That's all i have rn, i might come up with more so yee

[ratuszarsenal]

clearing out my writing folder rn, some wips under the cut because I haven't finished anything in ages but need to externalise some of it

character study of a very lonely 400-year old guy, london c. 1660

William had come to refer to the days spent in his master's village as his childhood, even though he left it well into his adult years. That childhood, no matter how padded with his early twenties, was being stretched very thin when compared to the host of centuries that followed. William not so much missed his family, as the fact that he had had one. That before the curse, before Edward, he was just another fleshy, screaming infant. It never became less of a chore to breathe, but it is a rule of life that you can only scream that very first time. William was not spared the passage of time - he was abandoned by it.

Back in his childhood, he paid close attention to smells, because they threaded the difference between a good meal and a slow death; between a beautiful person and a person who looked beautiful at a distance; between a dying body and a body ready to be buried. As time went on, meals gained more flavour and deaths became quicker. These days he only afforded any thoughts to smell when it was on his own fingers. These days, it was mostly brass, snuff and ginger; smelted, manufactured, imported. These were scents untied to any one time. They were constant and constantly late - their conception divorced from their use by months spent in ships' hauls and merchants' carts. William felt similarly orphaned.

---

from what is basically a fantasy story stylised to be the English translation of an in-universe historical novel stylised to be a real (fictional) guy's real memoirs from the period.

Now, I owe the reader a very brief treatment on the significance of ink. [...] Red is a scribe’s way of hastening – not so much of the addressee, but the postman; for if one sees words in crimson, one can be sure that they may soon become old news, or untrue, or cease to be of importance – ‘This is a matter which lives and dies, and quicker than you think.’ On black ink, I will not dwell, for it is only a more expensive version of the common brown. [...] Often times, however, clerks of Orieu could predict and orient themselves further in the motions of international trade, by the few instances when their glassy, black ink would suddenly turn a foul-smelling violet – this was inferred to mean the shellfish shipments were delayed or withdrawn, and the scribes would then be supplied with vulgar plant pigments native to that country. In fact, remembering which years I know to have been lean, I prided myself on being able to track their accounts to the right drawer, by nose only. That Orieuan flower-ink has a truly rank odour, but some credit must be paid here to my nose; [he goes on like this for a while]

---

black sails ff, selkie!flint AU

James McGraw had always had two skins. One of them he showed to the world, keeping his dark-red hair in a perfect queue, keeping his back straight, his hands occupied. The other was kept in a sea-chest with three locks; and a chain for good measure. [...]

"I know your kind," he told James over a waning candle and eel pie. "The sea chooses her men. We all hear that call. But you - you are of it. You, she will not let go. I fear for your soul, lad. I fear for you."

And then he told the story of another man who crawled from the sea, just to return not one drink later. Darby McGraw spoke it like a parable, hopeful that his grandson would see that there is nothing waiting for him by the water and seek redemption from his nature on land. James decided that if the sea had chosen him, there was no good reason to keep her waiting.

---

novel stylised to be a travel memoir, nondescript time period

Miasto, gdy zdrowe, nie zwraca uwagi na twoją obecność, jego oczy są rozproszone pomiędzy wszystkimi drzewami i kawałkami bruku, wszystkimi okruchami i falbanami dachów. Ale miasto, gdy spalone, zyskuje przedziwny wampirzy charakter - nagle stojąc między ziejącymi szczątkami budynków, czujesz jak coś skupia się na tobie. Żąda czegoś od ciebie. Skruszone cegły i czarne żebra dachów są widokiem tak makabrycznym, że nie możesz odwrócić od nich wzroku; nie możesz odmówić.

Miasto podtopione jest inne. Nie umiera. Po szoku pierwszego wylewu, woda staje się jego częścią. Wszędobylski, srebrno-brązowy wykwit męczy kamień, materię miasta jak infekcja, której nie można się pozbyć. Ale miasto nie umrze od powodzi. Najwyżej zgnije, wciąż oddychając przez spleśniałe arterie. Gdy wiatr poruszał strumienie wody powodziowej biegnące wzdłuż ulic, czułam jak puls ten rozchodzi się tępym bólem po całej okolicy.

[traveleroffarawayplaces]

From an Lu weekly prompt, I bring to you… MAIL SHENANIGANS!!

I guess this could also be called.. “From one place to another, a postman’s job is never complete” as the actual title of it.

Main Navigation Center

My Fic Masterlist

"Here, can you please deliver this message to Link?" The young princess (or not princess- this is before that time) asked.

"Of course, you can count on me."

"Here, a letter to my grandson, Link." The old smith handed him a carefully wrapped letter.

The postman tucked it carefully into his bag.

"Oh- and before you go. Take this. You might be safer."

He handed him a knife of sharpened metal, clearly well made.

The postman blinked at the large box the women who lived on the ranch gave him.

"Give this to Link please, oh! and before I forget- Here. Take this for all of your hard work."

The postman smiled at the gift.

"Hey- you! I am in need of your assistance!" A voice called out to the postman.

The postman turned his head, being greeted with a hylian dressed in a purple bunny suit.

"First of all- I have a letter to Mr Sir Hero, or also goes by Link. Secondly, will you care for some of my wares?"

Needless to say, the postman did not buy a single thing- He was far too broke already.

"Here, could you give this to Link, my friend?" A raspy voice asked.

The postman nodded, taking the letter given to him. The old man smiled gently at him.

"Thank you." he whispered.

"Hey, I was told you can bring letters to Link while he's on his adventure with his extended family! Could you bring ours?"

Children crowded around him, holding aloft letters to him.

"Yeah- I can."

The postman blinked at his predicament.

A huge stack of letters sat beside him, and a bowl of soup sat in front of him.

"Eat more dear, you must be famished from your adventure!" the old lady poured him some water.

The girl only added more letters to the pile.

"Please, take this letter to General Link, or just Link. He is currently on an adventure. I've been told you can deliver this to him?"

The postman nodded, taking the letter from the queen.

The queen smiled, her armor clanking as she strolled away.

"Let me guess- a letter to Link?"

"You know it! Wait- how did you know that?"

The postman smiled at the beetle backpack merchant.

"I have a keen sort of eye, one could say."

"Here, I have letters for Link, Link, Link, Mr Hero Sir or Link, Link, Link, Link, General Link and Link."

"Mr hero sir?" muttered the one with the blue scarf.

"Don't ask about it, 'General Link'."

"Jeez- touchy much?"

"Here- payment for all of your hard work."

A mailman's job is never over. I will continue to bring letters no matter what.

He shivered at the cold breeze that swept through the mountains.

Finding the house, he walked up and knocked.

There was some rustling, but soon a middle-aged man appeared, peering at the postman carefully.

"And to whom shall I grant the pleasure to?"

"I have a letter for someone who lives here. Who goes by the name of... Link?"

"That would be me."

EXTRA BONUS

"Hello! I have some boxes and letters to the Goddess Hylia?"

"Yes- that is me."

"So, all of these boxes and letters are from the nine Links."

"Ah- which letter or box did the one who wears no pants give you?"

"This box right here."

"Okay then- not going to open that. Thank you for all you have done."

"It was my pleasure. After all, that's what we angels do, we live to bring joy and happiness. We live to serve."

He was enveloped with a warm hug.

"You truly work too much."

[theygotlost]

7 + 13

7

13

[common-man]

Small story God's will

Smaĺl story 18God's will. Gomathi had been anxiously awaiting the postman, hoping her grandson would send the money order as usual. Since her husband and daughter had died in an accident, her grandson, Sanjay, who served in the army, had been sending her money every month. However, this month, the money had not arrived yet, and she grew increasingly worried.

Her neighbour, Ramu, noticed her waiting and asked about the reason. She explained her concern, but Ramu remained silent, unsure of how to break the sad news. A few days earlier, Ramu had received a message from a friend in the army: Sanjay had died in a terrorist encounter, and his friend, in a position of authority, had sent a cheque along with the message for Ramu to deliver.

Ramu decided to deposit the cheque into Gomathi’s account and wait until it cleared before informing her, hoping to spare her the added shock. When Ramu’s mobile rang with the news that the cheque had cleared, he slowly told Gomathi about Sanjay’s death. Overwhelmed with grief, she fainted but soon recovered and cried out in despair, questioning why God was testing her.

Ramu comforted her and promised to support her. He took her to the bank, where he arranged for the money to be put into a fixed deposit under her name, ensuring that the interest would provide for her needs. He made it clear that he was doing this purely out of kindness, not for any gain.

Gomathi, touched by Ramu’s selflessness, whispered that she saw him as a good person, likening him to a guardian angel who had come to her aid in place of her lost family. Her tears of sorrow turned into tears of gratitude as she realised how fortunate she was to have such a compassionate person in her life.

K.Ragavan

[wolfroghost]

Guess who got a grandson now??

Grandpa Joseph with his grandson Victor

Joseph é vovô, de novo...

And Wick goes brrrr

I was gonna draw the background on my own but i got so lazy to do that and i just put one screenshot and edited a little

ARE Y'ALL READY FOR THE DANCE??-

[virgothozul]

sketches of Klaus au Joseph & Caesar bc I love this movie and the personalities fit so well

I’d change a few things from the plot and maybe add more BT stuff ..

idk, Granny Erina loves her grandson, but he’s a brat and he picks fight and is a big lazy ass and plays hooky. So she and uncle Speedy sends him being the official postman in a small town on a tiny, cold, overall horrible island. There, he meets angry villagers and one super bored and grumpy school teacher turned fishmonger (that wants to collect money to go back to his family in some italian town). There’s also a solitary woman living outside the village or something.

(also for the end, I’m sorry I can’t let them spend the rest of their lives in a cold dark humid place, these boys like to move, they go to a big city or somewhere under the sun idk)

[starrysmiling]

sbhk countryside letter exchange au

subaru: temporarily moved to his mother's hometown in the country when his father died at around 8~10 years old. attends school in the town centre.

hokuto: lives away from the town centre with grandma, who owns a flower shop. adores flowers and grows them in his garden. homeschooled. very knowledgeable on flower language.

perfumed with the scent of flowers; an au hidden away in the crevices of a garden and between lines of a letter.

subaru meets hokuto while cycling around on his bike and finding a pathway out of the town. he knocks on the door of a beautiful little flowery cottage, which is opened by a boy about his age...

they become friends, but mostly because subaru doesn't really fit in with the other kids so he hangs out with hokuto, despite the other boy's protests about his annoyance. hokuto doesn't know about his father, so he treats subaru just like any regular boy. it's nice.

throughout the years, subaru ends up becoming part of the norm at the hidaka residence. he comes over when akemama is busy, sleeps over every now and then, and somehow he and hokuto become incredibly close. hokuto's grandma even considers him like her grandson, which hokuto always gets annoyed about.

but it's not eternity, because as subaru nears the end of junior high, he's supposed to move back into the city to attend high school. the country is bad for finding jobs, and the thing with his dad has already died down so much that it's safe to go back, but--

when he tells hokuto, he doesn't really react. subaru's used to that, because he doesn't show emotions on his face, but he notices how hokuto seems to look listless sometimes. and he knows it's his fault, because his hands shake a little with the polished, shiny cutlery set that hokuto had bought for him, and because when he sleeps over, hokuto turns his back to him even when they're in the same bed. he longs to to stay, because hokuto being upset but not showing it to him gives him an emotion he doesn't know how to name.

hokuto gives him his treasured book on flowers as a present when subaru goes back to the city. "i've already memorised it," he says, but his voice wavers, and subaru doesn't know what to do. he can't promise anything, and yet he still wants to stay. "i'll send you letters," subaru says eventually, and hokuto scolds him because his handwriting is atrocious. they joke like that until the train comes to take him away.

hokuto's used to loneliness. he'd been lonely before meeting subaru, but-- but it's not so easy to just return to how everything was before. how can he, when subaru has been in his life every day since they met? when his memories have been coloured by companionship--

oh.

the night after subaru leaves, hokuto allows himself to cry. he hates realising how important subaru is to him only after he's gone.

they pen letters to each other regularly -- unbeknownst to the other, patiently (or impatiently) waiting for the postman to bring their letters is part of their daily routines. and it's then, heart sinking in disappointment as the postman passes by his house without leaving any mail, that subaru realises how much he wishes hokuto was by his side. hokuto sends him dried pressed flowers, which subaru keeps inside his book, but it's not tending to them in the greenhouse behind the cottage. his neat handwriting isn't the same as hearing his voice.

subaru spends those months pining away. he has no way of talking to hokuto save for the letters, which he attaches little trinkets or gifts sometimes. once, when he gets his hands on one, he sends a little picture of himself, which hokuto keeps on his desk. (not that hokuto tells him.)

it's only when the school year ends that subaru goes to see hokuto. he catches the first train immediately after school ends, and when hokuto opens the door, the first thing subaru does is fall into his arms -- god, he's missed this.

hokuto smiles and lets him in; "welcome back, akehoshi."

miscellaneous thoughts:

once again i don't have an ending...

hokuto writes so many letters explaining how he feels while subaru is in the city, but none of them feel right, so he never sends them. grandma keeps all the ones he throws away and shows subaru after subaru tells hokuto about his feelings

"how does subaru confess" god. help. i don't know!!

mostly inspired by the spring bed gacha... though it's not the exact image of it, i do like the idea of letters...

oh yeah. they don't have phones or internet yet! i assume this is set sometime between the 1940s and 1980s theoretically, between the inventions of polaroids and phones, but... haha.......

sunsets 70 -- hokuto's thoughts on subaru leaving

sunsets 90 -- subaru returns after a year

^ i'll update these with links when they get posted to my ao3

[radioactive-synth]

random oc fact: about Olivia 'Libby' Zander:

under read more ‘cause its long

- born in 16 march 2019. parents originally from Cyprus, they moved in America before Olivia was born. has a younger sister named Helen. their mother died of an incurable disease when Olivia was 4 yrs old, Helen was 2 yrs old. Theodore, their dad, needed to raise them on his own and work to provide for them

- usually a more lonely wolf, she focused on her studies than to get out in world. during college, she went to a party held on Harvester Day (i guess) and met Ryan Hudson (7-8 yrs older than her) who back then, was a officer in the army and was charming and very kind. they had fun at the party and kept contact. she also met Michael Hudson, Ryan's brother.

- her dad, who was a very kind, but unphased man, was not so glad that her daughter started to date a soldier, or how he called him, military dog. he had a bad feeling towards Ryan, and even asked Olivia if she is sure or even should consider the other Hudson brother (he liked Michael more than Ryan). in the end, he gave up and let them marry, with the condition that Olivia keeps her last name, and any offspring they will have, all will have the last name Zander. Theodore considered that the Hudson name is too american.

- she got married when she was 24 years old, right after she graduated college

- almost 2 yrs before she had her son, Olivia has stepped in to help raise her nephew, Vincent Hudson, as his mother didnt cared at all, and Michael was away on his duty (was an army medic). taking care of Vincent made her wish to have her own child.

- she gave birth to her son, Vaughn Aleksandros Zander, when she was 26 yrs old, on 13 february 2045.

- in the first few years she has raised both boys on her own. her husband and her brother in law were away in their duty, while Vin's mother prefered to hang out with her friends than to take care of her son. when Vaughn was around 5 years old, Olivia took a job as pharmacist on night shift. she also taught both boys how to cook.

- when Vin was around 10 yrs old, his mother left the Hudson family for her boss and took Michael's car and money. he needed to go one more time in the army, then retired to take a postman job, so he can take care of his son. Olivia had expected this thing from her ex sister in law, and felt sorry for Michael. even that her husband disapproved, Olivia had helped Michael with money until he got up on his feet.

- Olivia and Michael are very close, and she stays more with him than with her own (mostly absent) husband. at some point, Michael started to have feelings for her, but never acted on her, as he waited for her first.

- continued her job as pharmacist, even taking extra shifts so she can afford books and everything Vaughn needed for his studies.

- when her nephew was drafted in the army, she was terrified for him, then faked her son's medical documents, making him unfit for drafting. she knew it was illegal and risked prison for doing this, but she couldnt let her son be drafted too.

- she had not knew anything on how her husband treated their son. she noticed that Ryan became cold and distant, but had no idea how he emotionally and physically abused Vaughn. her son didnt said anything about it as he knew that without Ryan's money they couldnt get by, but after 2 yrs when he got a job too, Vaughn said everything. in 2071, just before Ryan left again in his duty, Olivia divorced of him, and even wanted to move out of the flat with her son. a few weeks pass, and they get the news that Ryan was killed in an ambush. Olivia and Vaughn were happy to hear about and that they can keep the flat, but felt bad for Michael. a week pass, and get the news that Vin was also killed on the battlefield, which ruins them. they tried to take care of Michael, but he died of heartattack 2 weeks later. to make things way worst, Vaughn lost his job at the clinic as the army took it under their control.

- Eleanora Foster, who was dating Vaughn since his college years, had helped him with his depression, taking him out more the house. Olivia was heartbroken but continued to work. both her and her son barely could get by with money. Nora's parents worked in administration, and her father managed to get Vaughn a job as family doctor in the Medical Bay Center. in 2074, Vaughn married Nora. her family also bought them the house in Sanctuary and Codsworth.

- she wanted to get her dad and sister to her son's wedding, but they could not afford the tickets, and also her dad was sick. Olivia could not afford either to go visit them, and was heartbroken. she wished her dad and sister would finally meet Vaughn (as they moved out in Cyprus when Olivia married, so they never met Vaughn), but her son told her that as long as he has her, its all that matters.

- in the year 2077, Nora had bought tickets for Vaughn and Olivia so they can visit their family in Cyprus for christmas and new years. the tickets were never used.

- had survived during the bombs, and after being locked in her flat for 3 weeks, she finally made courage to get out. she took a gas mask, a chest combat armor and a laser pistol (the only things from Ryan that she didnt sold) and got out. she was terrified how people were killing each other or barely living. she got in Sanctuary, but found Codsworth that was malfunctioning. she tried to get to the vault, but was stopped. hoping her son and his family are safe, she went back into the house and took any remaining food and supplies. she then went back to her flat and took some things with her: a backpack, clothes, food, medical supplies and photos with her family. she knew she must find a way to survive.

- she found a group of survivors that didnt shot her on sight. with time, they all transformed in ghouls. despite the radiation that changed her body, her eyes remained the same. she lost her hair, but found a wig that she dyed in her natural hair color, and tied in the same manner her son has: ronin bun.

- they became scavengers and traders. Olivia was also a medic and helped people if needed. not many people were used to ghouls yet, so they were marginalised a lot, or in worst cases, being shot at. there were also times when Olivia had ate nothing but drank alcohol to survive.

- she only presents herself as Libby, as it was the nickname that Michael and Vin called her

- she was never interested in any other romantic relationships. years ago, she realised too late that she really felt so close to Michael. she also thinks that she is asexual, as she never felt any interest in sex.

- after a few decades, Olivia split from her group as they were not aggreing that she was giving out free supplies. she was on her own for a few weeks, until she found Nix, a grieving mongrel mother who lost her cubs and was injured. she seen the scattered dead puppies and the crying mongrel and took care of her. Olivia knew what Nix feels, and the dog decided to stay with her. since then, Nix was her only friend.

- they travelled across America, doing trades, helping out, Olivia also teaching medical stuff to other people, helping children. she also helped new mothers delivering babies, installing new trading routes, and settling down arguments between groups of people.

- she became an excelent sniper, and she and Nix worked efficient in team

- she always had her family in her thoughts, and especially her son and nephew, and talked about them proudly. at some point, she thought that even Vin was her son, but remembered she gave birth once, and was 3 yrs difference between the boys.

- she also met my other ocs: my Vault Dweller, Nonè Smith, Chosen One Clovers Smith, Tamir (when she was 10 yrs old) and Gabriella Abbey, my Lone Wanderer.

- she also met mayor MacCready, after he nearly shot Nix. Olivia was more impressed by the kid than upset, and decided that she can help them out. she gave them supplies, helped them out, and all she wanted was to trade stories. despite MacCready's constant insults, they were good friends. he never forgot her kindness.

- around 2288, she hears stories about General Zander and how he saved the Commonwealth. she got interested to see who has her last name. she had no hope that it was her son, but one of the descendants.

- first arrived in Goodneighor and met Daisy, and got info on where to find General Zander

- reunited with her son in Sanctuary, and also met Oliver, her grandson, before being introduced to the Sanctuary family. also reunited with MacCready, and was so happy to see him ending up well and with his son Duncan

- she finally retires and becomes the mama and grandma she missed so much. in present, she moved into Vaughn's old house, which she decorated it. she takes care of the kids, spends time with her son and her new family. she loves Nick and Hancock and sees how good are for his son. she also organize their wedding.

- usually a very cheerful person, she has a certain sad look in her eyes at times. yet if she is asked if she is ok, she will smile and say that she is ok.

- shocks her son by drinking alcohol and smoking and even swearing, as she never done these things pre war. but overall, Vaughn still sees her as the mom he knew.

[pepimeinrad]

I now gotta make a list of people who’ve worked together with Josef Meinrad at some point and were in a bunch of other movies together too...

Hans Moser

Hans Holt

Paul Hörbiger

Annie Rosar

Susi Nicoletti

Theo Lingen

[grumpy-zane]

(( @roseseoultae​ I really enjoy postmans’ grandson.. I know you don’t have a name for him yet, but he is good [OG post]

[etheralisi]

ρυмρкιη ριε αη∂ αℓℓ тнιηgs ηιcε

Uses references to this fic:<br /> https://archiveofourown.org/works/5832037

And more or less based on this prompt:<br /> http://transcendence-au.tumblr.com/post/160337841310/fluffbird-writing-prompt-s-an-old-and-homely#notes

Alternatively titled ‘Why Gloria Jenkins Should Not Be Allowed Near Candles’, this was the first tau fic I managed to complete back in 2018. It’s undergone a few changes, because ehhh, but I’ll release it into the wild as a short something. It’s doing nothing here, lying around and collecting dust.

𝙰 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚜𝚎𝚜 𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐  

𝙱𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚌𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚕𝚎   

 ~ 𝙹𝚊𝚖𝚎𝚜 𝙺𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚛

 Gloria smiled to herself as she sunk into her chair, her heart as toasty as an open fire, and insides tingling with the lingering feeling of contentment. Sure, the darn thing was falling apart, ragged at the edges and probably worth no more than a penny or two in a garage sale. Stuffing was oozing out that very moment. But it was home , and everything she had left of a life lived, with children running and screaming within these walls. Growing up. Living. Thriving. Leaving the coup to fly free.

 But her? The mother hen? She stayed home.

 After such a busy day of rooting around her loft for family photo albums, she honestly felt this time to rest her aching bones was well and truly earned, and no, she won’t take any constructive criticism on the matter thank you very much. What was, however, unfortunate to admit aloud and something she’d never in a million years concede to in front of her family was that her bones weren’t as energetic as they had been once upon a time… much alike her dwindling eyesight. Hazy blobs, it all was. Pretty ones, but hazy nonetheless. Her world became an abstract painting the very second her glasses left her face.

 The elderly woman groaned, realisation dawning like a sledgehammer to the head, full on smack. She knew something had been missing. Her glasses! The darn things! How could she have possibly forgotten such an important item as those? 

 Using as much force as she could, Gloria found it in her to haul herself out of the comfort of her chair, even with her body’s initial protest. She stumbled about the house a bit, the grace of a drunkard or woman in need of glasses, searching for the location of wherever she had last left her glasses case. It had been, what? Two moments ago when she saw them? She’d put down the glasses into the case, taken her seat, and fallen into quiet bliss in her chair. Had it been knocked off and fallen under something? 

 Luck was on her side since her vision wasn’t as bad as it could have been in a few years time, deteriorating as the months wander by, so she managed to make out the basic shapes and colours of her surroundings just fine. No walking into walls for this woman!

 Ah. Wait. No. Luck was very much not on her side at all, the case still having failed to show, and Gloria had to result to “making a strategic retreat” as she put it, deeming it inefficient to keep looking for something which would just turn up sooner or later when she wasn’t really looking for it. Thus is the way of life. Shrugging, she made her way back to her sad but lovable excuse for a couch seat, only stopping when she noticed the basket by the front door that she had placed there little under an hour earlier. Her niece, Juliana, had asked if Gloria had any family photos left in her house that she could share with her immediate family, and she had risen to the challenge by diving into her vast loft. And yes, she meant vast . There’s got to be at least two or three sigils on the walls at least to enlarge the interior to twice that of the outside. It was all new technology at the time she bought this house. All the rage.

 So. The whole place was a disaster zone. Where all those missing trinkets turn up. Lost some socks? Probably go there, somehow. Good luck finding it in the coming year.

 Getting to that album sure took some sweet sweet time. Which is why, on her long perilous journey, family photo albums weren't the only things she had found in her search, the numerous other knick knacks of various interest lying within the basket being an obvious example of this. There had been plenty of things she’d forgotten about, stashed away within the depths of the loft, never to be seen until they resurfaced that very day. Her gaze drifted to the fuzzy, orange sticks lying atop the basket that vaguely looked like fat carrots, if a little waxy if you so chose to chew them. But don’t be fooled by her eyesight, for they weren’t as they seemed.

 She was pretty sure those were the candles she’d found hiding in a box labelled “ dangerous ”. Gloria had no idea why they had been labelled as such (maybe a potential fire hazard? Children’s grabby hands and whatnot) and could honestly never remember buying any candles from the Pine River Candle Company in her life. Yet, she knew good quality candles when she saw them, so she had taken them out of their box and added them to her basket to be brought down and used whenever she wanted to make her home smell like fresh pumpkin pie.

 Hmm… fresh pumpkin pie, huh? It got her in the mood for a spot of baking. Reminded her of all those years back, the big grin her grandson had always given her whenever a plate stacked with her baked treats was laid out before him.

 Alas the boy never really seemed to come visit his ol’ granny anymore, always giving excuses (and oh how he had the audacity to deny them being so — she knew an excuse when she heard one, could sniff one out from a mile away, blindfolded), and barely ever sent her up a Christmas card! 

 Well, it was his loss. He didn’t want to eat her baking anymore, then fine! She knew others, like the postman, for one, who’d take kindly to being fed.

 With that thought in mind, Gloria picked up all six of the candles and made a return back into the living room. She began placing them all around the perimeter of the room, lighting them one by one as she went.

 Her chair made protests of its own as she plonked herself back, age being something they both shared in common. Sadly. But she was no feeble woman, and outright refused to fall apart. Nope, not today. Life was good. Great even. 

 Caught in the moment, she sniffed the now heavily sweet scented air, an aroma that spelled everything she loved more than words could describe. It frolicked, dispersing itself throughout the air, tickling her nose as if it were a feather.

  Ah, perfect.

 Her eyelids began to shut as exhaustion took ahold of her, which is why it can be excused how she completely missed the way the candles in the room flickered, one by one being replaced with a much more menacing azure flame. Nor did she bear witness to the figure who popped into her living room in a plume of smoke.

 What she did not miss, however, was the way said figure grumbled under his breath at the use of scented candles. Just, come on! She may have been old and her sight may have been lacking, but she wasn’t deaf! 

 Gloria wearily cracked open her left eyelid, before blinking twice to snap herself out of her stupor. The peculiarity of a strange man being in her house was something to pay attention to. And complaining about her candles no less?

 Wait…

 That brown blob of hair, that voice… could it be? 

 “Arthur, is that you?” Speak of the devil, had her grandson finally decided to get up off his backside and visit his old lady?

 Somehow, though she didn’t know how, the room seemed to become ever more quiet as if trapped within a bubble of silence where not even time dared to flow.

 “Uhm…” ‘Arthur’ choked out at last, “ Excuse me? ”

 “Aha!” Gloria’s mouth twisted up with glee as she let out a small, victorious laugh which somehow morphed into a gleeful cackle when on the verge of petering out, “I knew it! You couldn’t stay away from my baking forever!”

 “Your- nevermind .” He took a deep breath just before he continued, his words strained. “Look, Gloria, I’m not Arthur. I’m Alcor and I-.”

 “Alcor huh?” She hummed in thought, not noticing how ‘Arthur’ harrumphed at her interruption. “Sounds pretty dumb. Why’d you change it?”

 “And...” Gloria squinted, continuing. “What’s with the wardrobe change? Have you gone gothic, Arthur? That’s a lot of black you’re wearing.”

 ‘Arthur’ didn’t take too kindly to her plethora of questions, already shuffling backwards from her chair. “... Look, this seems like it was some mistake. I’m just going to go..”

 With a speed so fast that she might have even broken the sound barrier, Gloria was out of her chair and had her hand firmly grasped around his arm, “You’re not going anywhere young man! Don’t you dare stop by for two minutes and then leave! You’re coming with me to the kitchen and we’re going to do some baking together just like we used to.”

 She noticed him start to speak, though she cut him off before he could even so much as squeak a word out.

 “Now off you trot, to the kitchen!” She released her hand from his arm and began pushing him through to said destination. “This rocky road cake isn’t going to bake itself.”

 ‘Arthur’ seemed to perk up at the mention of ‘rocky road’ and Gloria couldn't help but snicker at his sweet tooth. Some things never seemed to change.

 “Ro͜cky̶ ͟ro͘àd͏?” He asked with an odd layer of reverb, getting Gloria to begin questioning if hearing was going a little off after all. 

 “Yes.” She sighed, already shovelling him into the kitchen and dismissing the reverb. “Now make yourself useful and turn on the oven.”

  Alcor’s gold on black eyes numbly trailed after the woman’s figure as she left, leaving him alone in some random kitchen and wondering what the actual heck just happened?

[papermoonloveslucy]

WILDCAT

December 17, 1960

Wildcat is a musical comedy about Wildcat Jackson and her sister who come to oil country in 1912 to strike it rich. She runs into the prowess of Joe Dynamite, and a battle of the sexes and the oil tycoons ensues. 

Wildcat wasn’t written with the 48 year-old queen of comedy in mind so when she showed interest, the script by N. Richard Nash had to be radically re-written.

At the start of the 1960’s Ball’s career was taking a new direction. She was leaving her TV personae Lucy Ricardo (as well as her real-life husband Desi Arnaz) behind for newer horizons. It was their company Desilu that would produce Wildcat with Lucy having say over who would be cast as her co-star. After several of her first choices proved not available (including Clint Eastwood), she settled on Keith Andes.

Although Ball was not known for her singing (a fact she traded on in “I Love Lucy”) or her dancing (which she was far better at), she had the determination of Wildcat Jackson to attempt it eight times a week. 

Director and choreographer Michael Kidd – known for his athletic dances – would put Ball through her paces. The score was by Cy Coleman with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, giving Ball the rousing anthem “Hey, Look Me Over!” and the tuneful “What Takes My Fancy.” 

The out-of-town critics were mixed, but obviously adored the red-headed star. The show was headed up the New Jersey Turnpike in trucks headed for Broadway when a serious blizzard stranded the caravan, causing the opening night to be delayed. 

With just two previews under their belt, the show opened at the Alvin Theatre (now the Neil Simon) on December 17, 1960. Box office sales were buoyed by audiences expecting to see Lucy Ricardo, not Lucille Ball as Wildy Jackson, so eventually Ball interpolated more and more of her trademark comic inflections into her character. 

Then Ball took ill. She left the show for a bit with the idea to return and continue the run. But upon her return she collapsed on stage. Producers decided to close the show for as long as it took her to recover and resume when her strength and health had returned. But the musicians union insisted upon payment during the hiatus, which made the wait financially unfeasible. 

All in all, Wildcat lasted 171 performances. It wasn’t Ball’s only musical, however. In 1974 she took on the title role in the film of Mame with mixed to poor critical reactions.

"Then I go to New York with the two children, my mother and two maids. We have a seven-room apartment on 69th Street at Lexington. I’ll start rehearsals right away for a Broadway show, 'Wildcat.’ It’s a comedy with music, not a musical comedy, but the music is important. I play a girl wildcatter in the Southwestern oil fields around the turn of the century. It was written by N. Richard Nash, who wrote 'The Rainmaker.’ He is co-producer with Michael Kidd, the director. We’re still looking for a leading man. I want an unknown. He has to be big, husky, around 40. He has to be able to throw me around, and I’m a pretty big girl. He has to be able to sing, at least a little. I have to sing, too. It’s pretty bad. When I practice, I hold my hands over my ears. We open out of town - I don’t know where - and come to New York in December.”  ~ Lucille Ball,  TV Guide, July 16, 1960

THE SCORE

Lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and Music by Cy Coleman

Act I

I Hear - Townspeople

Hey, Look Me Over - Wildy and Jane

Wildcat* - Wildy and Townspeople

You've Come Home - Joe

That's What I Want for Janie* - Wildy

What Takes My Fancy - Wildy and Sookie

You're a Liar - Wildy and Joe

One Day We Dance - Hank and Jane

Give a Little Whistle and I'll Be There - Wildy, Joe, The Crew

Tall Hope - Tattoo, Oney, Sadie, Matt and Crew

Act II

Tippy Tippy Toes - Wildy and Countess

El Sombrero

Corduroy Road

You've Come Home (Reprise) - Joe

(*) Songs cut sometime after opening night.

THE CAST

Lucille Ball (Wildcat Jackson) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon, which was not a success and was canceled after just 13 episodes. 

Keith Andes (Joe Dynamite) was born John Charles Andes in Ocean City, New Jersey, in 1920. Andes played Lucy Carmichael’s boyfriend Bill King on “The Lucy Show” in “Lucy Goes Duck Hunting” (TLS S2;E6) and “Lucy and the Winter Sports” (TLS S3;E3) and played Brad Collins in “Lucy and Joan” (S4;E4) co-starring Joan Blondell.  Andes took his own life in 2005 after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Valerie Harper (Dancer, right) became one of television’s most recognizable stars as “Rhoda” (1974-78) a spin-off of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” She appeared in  at “Kennedy Center Presents” honoring Lucy in 1986. She died in August 2019 after a long battle with brain cancer.

Paula Stewart (Janie) appears in the fourth of her six Broadway musicals between 1951 and 1965.  Her only series television appearance opposite Lucille Ball was in “Lucy and Harry’s Tonsils” (HL S2;E5) in 1969. In 2017, she published a memoir titled Lucy Loved Me, about her friendship with Lucille Ball.

Hal Linden (Matt, replacement) became one of television’s most recognizable stars as “Barney Miller” (1974-82). He appeared at an “All-Star Party for Lucille Ball” in 1984 and at “Kennedy Center Presents” honoring Lucy in 1986. 

Howard Fischer (Sheriff Sam Gore)  

Ken Ayers (Barney)

Anthony Saverino (Luke)

Edith King (Countess Emily O'Brien)

Clifford David (Hank)

HF Green (Miguel)

Don Tomkins (Sookie)

Charles Braswell (Matt)

Bill Linton (Corky)

Swen Swenson (Oney)

Ray Mason (Sandy)

Bill Walker (Tattoo)

Al Lanti (Cisco)

Bill Richards (Postman)

Marsha Wagner (Inez)

Wendy Nickerson (Blonde)

Betty Jane Watson (Wildy Understudy)

Dancers: Barbara Beck, Robert Bakanic, Mel Davidson, Penny Ann Green, Lucia Lambert, Ronald Lee, Jacqueline Maria, Frank Pietrie, Adriane Rogers, John Sharpe, Gerald Tiejelo

Singers: Lee Green, Jan Leighton, Urylee Leonardos, Virginia Oswald, Jeanne Steele, Gene Varrone

MRS. MORTON 

Lucy met Gary Morton while doing Wildcat on Broadway. She put off their first date due to her rigorous performance schedule. Eventually, he showed up with a pizza just when Lucy was craving one. They married on November 19, 1961.

Comic Jack Carter served as best man at Lucy and Gary’s wedding in 1961.  A few weeks later he married Paula Stewart, who played Lucy’s sister Janie in Wildcat. He acted in “Lucy Sues Mooney” (TLS S6;E12).

“HEY LOOK ME OVER!”

On June 4, 1976 Lucille is joined by Valerie Harper and Dinah Shore on “Dinah!” to sing her signature song from Wildcat, “Hey, Look Me Over.”

When Lucille Ball was celebrated at “The Kennedy Center Honors” in December 1986, Valerie Harper, Beatrice Arthur, and Pam Dawber sang a song parody of the “I Love Lucy” theme expressing their affection for Lucy. The medley ends with a specially-tailored “Hey Look Me Over”. 

In “Lucy and Carol Burnett: Part 2″ (TLS S6;E15) on December 11, 1967, Lucy, Carol, and the ensemble perform “Hey, Look Me Over” with specially written lyrics to suit the episode’s theme of air travel.  

In “Lucy Meets Danny Kaye” (TLS S3;E15) on December 28, 1964, the opening of “The Danny Kaye Show” is underscored with the music to “Hey, Look Me Over.”

While David Frost is trying to sleep during a transatlantic flight, Lucy wears her headset and hums along to “Hey Look Me Over” while tapping it out on the glasses with her cutlery.  The scene is from “Lucy Helps David Frost Go Night-Night” (HL S4;E12) aired on November 12, 1971.

In “Lucy and Petula Clark” (HL S5;E8) in 1972, Lucy Carter leaves the office singing “Hey Look Me Over.”

On “Life With Lucy,” Lucy’s grandson Kevin plays on the YMCA soccer team The Wildcats. The name of the team is probably a reference to Lucille Ball’s only Broadway show.

In the second scene of “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” (1986), an un-aired episode of “Life With Lucy”, Lucy comes down the stairs of the living room singing “Hey Look Me Over.” 

WILDCAT WILDCARDS

In April 1961, Lucille Ball played softball in Central Park for the Broadway Show League when she was appearing in Wildcat. Julie Andrews (starring in Camelot) was the catcher!  The catcher was Joe E. Brown. 

In the play Love! Valour! Compassion! Buzz, a gay musical theater aficionado (Nathan Lane on Broadway) breaks the fourth wall (a common conceit of the play) to tell the audience something personal about himself. 

The song title was also the title of a 2018 revue about rarely produced musicals at City Center in New York City.  Performer Carolee Carmello called it her “hair homage to Lucille Ball.” 

~ From the memoir Under the Radar by Clifford David, who played Hal in Wildcat

[ninjagozanefan14]

This is my Ninjago next gen OC, the postman's grandson. He is following in his grandfather's footsteps and is a postman himself. Name: TBA but for now he's just the Postman's Grandson Age: Young Adult Gender: Male Birthday: TBA Ethnicity: Caucasian Love interest: TBA Job: Postman Personality: Chill and fun Element: None Family: His grandfather is the Postman Weapon if needed: Fists and his mail bag ~Art is mine These are my original characters I don't own Ninjago or the postman Do not steal/edit/use/copy/repost ~

[chuffyfan87]

An Offer I Can't Refuse. Part 5a

Cowritten with @fairheads.

-x-

After a surprisingly good night with only two wake ups Charlie and Duffy were awoken the next morning by a loud knocking on the door which started Peter crying.

"Urgh, it's probably the postman. Can you get Peter and bring him down?" Duffy yawned.

“Sure, I’ll be right down.” Charlie confirmed, watching Duffy as she tried to scramble for her clothes as the door bell rang again.

Letting out a sigh she gave up and settled for throwing on a vest top and shorts before heading to the door. Pulling open the door she was shocked to see her mum stood on the doorstep.

"Mum! I... Erm... I didn't think you were back til tomorrow..!"

“I came back early. You’d think you have something to hide!” Kate raised her eyebrows at her daughter.

"Um, not at all!" Duffy giggled awkwardly, trying to hide herself behind the door without it seeming too obvious what she was doing.

“What are you doing!? You could help me with my bags!”

"Oh... Yeh... Sure..." Duffy stammered as she moved to grab the bags and turn around as fast as she could.

Kate was looking at her, trying to figure out what was different... “Where’s my lovely grandson?”

"He's..." Duffy's words were cut off as Charlie appeared at the top of the stairs, clad in just his boxers, holding Peter who was giggling and wriggling.

Kate turned from Duffy to Charlie and back again. “Would you care to tell me what is going on?”

"He... Erm... Charlie needed a place to crash last night. He's... Um... He's having work done at his place..." Duffy babbled in a panic, wrapping her arms around herself in an attempt to hide her swollen belly.

“Building work? At this time of year? Do you think I’m an idiot Lisa?” Kate responded.

Charlie had decided it best he take Peter and get some clothes on before venturing downstairs!

"I... Erm... I should probably get dressed... Then we can have a cuppa..."

Just as Duffy started to walk away, Kate noticed her tummy. “Lisa Duffin, you turn back round now.”

Duffy sighed and turned around.

“Your tummy!” Kate was genuinely shocked. “Please in God’s name, tell me you’re not pregnant again...”

"I... Er..." Duffy stuttered.

Charlie decided it was the perfect moment to enter the conversation. He wrapped his arms around Duffy’s shoulders, “We're having a baby, Kate.”

Duffy pulled away awkwardly. "I... Er... I need to get dressed!" She turned and dashed up the stairs.

Charlie was left downstairs with Kate. Unsure what to say and still holding Peter.

"I thought I could trust you around my daughter!"

“Oh you can Mrs Duffin, I care for your daughter greatly.”

"Clearly not enough to be a bit more careful." Kate retorted.

“I will support her and the baby and Peter.”

"I suppose that's a step up from the last idiot she got pregnant by."

Charlie was lost for words. He was wondering where Duffy had got to.

Kate reached out to take Peter from Charlie. "I think you should probably be leaving now."

“Can I just go and see her?” Charlie asked, passing Peter over to Kate.

"Two minutes."

“Thanks.” Charlie raced up the stairs and found Duffy in her bedroom.

"Let me guess, she's thrown you out?" Duffy sighed from where she sat in the middle of the bed.

She looked tiny, sitting in the middle of the bed, her legs pulled up to her chest. Charlie nodded. “But I’ll be back!” He tried to remain positive. She looked so sad.

"The appointment is at 1.30pm. Might be easier to just meet you there. She'll just get worse if you come back here." Duffy sighed.

Charlie sat down next to Duffy and reached for her hand. He intertwined his fingers with hers. “I just need to show her she can trust me. I’ll leave now, but I hope you know I’m not going anywhere. I’ll see you just before 1:30.”

"I'll sit her down and explain the situation." Duffy replied softly as she stared at their intertwined hands.

“Okay.” Charlie stood up to leave, their fingers still connected until the last minute. He couldn’t get over how vulnerable she looked. “It’ll be okay.” He reassured her, bending down to kiss her tenderly.

She wanted to pull away but she found herself in need of his comfort.

“I’ve got to go...” He tried to pull away.

"I know... I'll see you later." She attempted a smile to reassure him.

“I l... I’ll see you later,” Charlie had almost whispered the words I love you, but settled for the see you later at last minute. It almost physically hurt leaving her. Something seemed to be shifting between them, was she finally letting him in?

A few minutes after Charlie had left Duffy trudged back downstairs to face her mum.

Kate had put Peter in his high chair and was busy washing up the remnants of the previous night. She heard Duffy enter the kitchen but refused to turn around.

"Look at you messy pup!" Duffy chuckled at her son who seemed to be wearing most of his breakfast!

Peter smiled at his mother, reaching to touch her with his grubby fingers. Kate continued to ignore her.

Duffy scooped some of the cereal onto the spoon Peter had discarded in favour of his hands. "Mummy help you?"

Peter let his mother feed him the remainder of the cereal, babbling softly. Kate finished the washing up and turned around. “I can’t believe you’ve been so stupid Lisa.”

"I can explain..." Duffy began.

“I’m listening,” Her mother replied, crossing her arms and leaning back against the sink.

"Me and Charlie... We're just friends..."

“Friends don’t need to have children together.”

"We got talking and it just kind of happened. It seemed like the perfect solution. Charlie would get to be a dad and Peter wouldn't be stuck as an only child."

Kate was exasperated and started ranting at Duffy. “What kind of fantasy land do you live in Lisa? Do you honestly expect Charlie to be interested in being a father when he’s down the pub with young, attractive girls throwing themselves at him? He’s a handsome chap, he’ll soon get bored with nights looking after two children. You’re deluded Lisa, you’ve agreed to be surrogate for someone who isn’t even interested in you or a baby. How stupid can you be? You’re really gone and done it this time, haven’t you - you’ll be a single parent to two babies.” Her voice was getting more and more irate as she went on.

"He's a good man..!" Duffy argued.

“We’ll see about that won’t we!?” Kate sneered.

"We both knew what we were getting into from the start mum. We are friends, best friends, and we will raise this baby between us."

“You make it sounds so simple! Let’s see if he still wants to be best friends when reality hits!”

"What do you mean by that?" Duffy ran one hand through her hair whilst attempting to clean Peter up with a wipe in the other.

“We’ll see if he’s here when the baby is screaming, when you’re tired and trying to juggle two under two shall we? Let’s hope he’s not shagging some other girl when it’s late and you’re struggling. I hope your ‘best friendship’ stands up to this test.” Kate snapped viciously.

"You haven't seen how great he is with Peter. He'll be a wonderful dad."

“Because he only sees him for five minutes, anyone is wonderful with him for that amount of time. You’re in denial if you think that makes him a wonderful father.”

"Its not just that. He's already started buying things for the baby and is coming along to the scan later." Duffy retorted, folding her arms across her chest.

“Good luck to you, I have nothing else to say on the matter.” Kate abruptly ended the conversation and walked out of the room.

Duffy picked up Peter from his highchair and followed her mum, balancing the tot on her hip.

Kate was back to ignoring Duffy, she was struggling to carry her cases up the stairs.

"Look mum... Oh for goodness sake, let me do that! You take Peter."

“It’s fine!” Kate was her mother after all and had her daughter’s stubbornness!

"You're going to hurt your back again mum." Duffy sighed.

“Well you shouldn’t be lifting in your condition either should you?” Kate said pointedly.

"Oh for goodness sakes, not you as well!" Duffy rolled her eyes and huffed.

Kate ignored her and hauled the cases up the stairs. Duffy looked on incredulously.

"Fine! Be that way!" Duffy called up the stairs after her mum before taking Peter through to the lounge to play on the rug.

It took most of the morning but Duffy finally convinced her mum to watch Peter whilst she attended her scan. Her mother was still barely speaking to her so by the time she arrived at the hospital she was stressed and anxious.

Charlie was waiting outside the building for her, he noticed she looked stressed as she walked from her car.

"Don't ask." She sighed as she reached him, running a hand through her hair.

“Would you like a hug?” Charlie offered, he always seemed to know what she needed.

She smiled sadly and nodded.

“Come here you,” He enveloped her in his strong arms and just held her.

After a few moments she pulled back. "Apparently I'm a deluded idiot." She sighed.

“Well we both know that’s not true. Was it awful?”

"I had to beg her to look after Peter this afternoon and she says I can whistle if I think she's gunna look after both of them once the baby's here."

“That good hey?” He looked at her, she looked so tired and drawn. “We’ll prove her wrong.”

Duffy sighed. "Maybe she's right..."

“Look at me kid,” He pulled her chin up. “I’m not going anywhere, we’re in this together.”

"So you're not going to get bored of being a dad when a pretty girl takes your fancy?"

“There’s only one pretty girl I’ve got my eye on,” He winked at her.

"Oh ha ha!" She rolled her eyes but couldn't help giggling. "Come on, before we're late."

“Hey I’m serious!” He pretended to rugby tackle her into a hug, before she could move away. They both laughed. “Come on then, let’s go see this little one!” He said, walking with his arm around her shoulders.

"Are you determined to set the rumour mill on fire?"

“Yes!” He said laughing.

"You are terrible, you know that?"

He nodded and grinned at her.

They arrived at the reception of the clinic, and Duffy went to check in. Charlie meanwhile sat, looking a little nervous, waiting for her to return.

Charlie was starting to think she'd gotten lost when she finally rejoined him.

"Sorry, they had to wait for my blood pressure to come back down." She grumbled.

He turned to her, with concern in his eyes and desperately tried not to worry.

"Not a massive shock after I spent the morning arguing with my mother."

That made sense, he thought and hoped she was right. “What else did you have to do? Is the scan in a separate room?”

"Yeh, they'll call us through shortly. I hope it's soon coz I'm bursting for the toilet!"

“Uncomfortable?” He grimaced in sympathy.

She nodded. "Next time will be worse."

They waited for what seemed like ages, Duffy shifted uncomfortably in the chair next to him and Charlie trying hard not to hold her hand. Finally they called her name.

"I bet the whole hospital knows we're here by now." She muttered as she strode over to the scanning room.

“Probably! Am I that bad to be seen with?” He joked, following her into the room.

She made a big show of pondering his question as she attempted to make herself comfortable on the bed.

Charlie looked at her, expecting a reply. He sat in the chair next to the bed.

"Hmm... I think I've been seen out with worse..!"

“Hey!” He took mock offence. The sonographer soon interrupted their banter.

She explained the procedure and then waited for Duffy to tuck some tissue into her slightly lowered leggings and lift her top up out the way. Duffy gasped slightly even though she knew that the gel would be cold.

“Made you jump!” Charlie was leaning close to her, watching her every move.

"Its cold!" She pouted at him.

Charlie resisted saying anything about warming her up and instead, placed his hands right next to hers, leaning into her. He didn’t know if she would want him to hold her hand, but he wanted to be close.

It took a few moments but then the screen crackled into life.

Charlie and Duffy held their breath, they were used to working a scanner in the ED, but it was very different when it was their own child on the screen.

Duffy smiled as the screen settled, her trained eye quickly assessing the image.

Charlie nervously linked his fingers with hers.

Duffy giggled as the baby moved its arm. "I think he or she is trying to wave hello."

Charlie was choked up, he hadn’t expected the rush of emotion he experienced seeing their child on the screen. He couldn’t speak, just waved back with his free hand.

"You realise the baby can't see you right?" She giggled softly.

“Is everything okay? Are they okay?” He covered his mouth with his hand, tears springing - the emotion palpable.

The sonographer had been busy studying the scan and nodded. "All is as it should be for twelve weeks. All limbs are growing well, head is a good size and developing on track, placenta is working well and the baby has a good strong heartbeat."

Charlie let out a large sigh of relief. “That’s good Duffy, that’s good!”