Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience. >The Girl at the Bus Stop by alan14 Copyright(C) 2021 by alan14 Chapter 34 Upstairs Jenny showed the girls into her office, it was quite small, so I waited outside and watched through the window. She had a couple of police college diplomas on the wall behind her desk, flanked by photos of the girls. On the side wall were a few rows of missing person notices pinned to a cork board, as far as I could tell all of them were teenage girls. Belle scanned the wall, looking at each photo carefully. -Oh, oh! - she exclaimed, pointing at one of the photos on the second row, -I know this girl - Poppy and Katie turned to look where Belle was pointing, -oh shit, it -(TM)s Lia! - Katie said. -Oh, do you know Lia? - Belle asked. -Yes, we met her in Camden when we were looking for you, I really liked her, - Katie replied. -Katie liked Lia so much, she kissed her on the lips. - -Oh wow, that -(TM)s awesome, - Belle gushed, -she -(TM)s so pretty, isn -(TM)t she. - -And smart, and funny. - Belle ran her fingers over the photo, as was her habit, I think this helped her focus on the person, -Emily-Mae Jackson, from Wood Green, she -(TM)s not far from home. I wonder what drove her away? - -We don -(TM)t ask that, remember, - Poppy reminded Belle. -I know, but she -(TM)s clean, and clever, and not at all fucked up, she doesn -(TM)t belong on the streets. - -Neither did you, but that -(TM)s where I found you. - -Yeah, but there wasn -(TM)t a missing person notice for me, - Belle pouted. -Ahh, but there was, - Jenny replied, she dug through a pile on her desk, -here you go... - Belle took the proffered paper, -Amelia Dean, missing from York, suspected to have travelled to London... - she read, -I thought everyone had forgotten about me, who reported me missing. - -Clive Dean... - Jenny answered. -Oh gramps, he must be so disappointed in me. - -His face on Thursday would suggest otherwise. - I told her, -Nobody who knows anything about your life back then would criticise your actions. - -I still feel bad for leaving him. - -You -(TM)d have felt worse if you were living with Liam, - Jenny said, -now, who have you found for me? - -This girl, Emily-Mae, - Belle told her, -we know her as Lia. - -Is she on the streets for a reason? - -We don -(TM)t know, she -(TM)s on the waiting list for a shelter, but they only let girls stay there for two weeks, - Poppy told Jenny, -so once you -(TM)re in there, with a mailing address and stuff, you have to get a job really quickly before they send you back out onto the streets. - -I thought she -(TM)d be good to work for your charity, - Katie said. -Why don -(TM)t we try to find her, - Jenny said, -tomorrow. You have money in your charity now, you could recruit her to do something, maybe help Jeremy coordinate suppliers, storage, distribution, whatever needs doing. You could pay her enough to get somewhere to live, she is an adult isn -(TM)t she? - -Oh, I don -(TM)t know, - Belle said, looking at the notice again, -ahh yes, she -(TM)s 18. - -Great, so you could pay her enough to get somewhere to live, and while she finds somewhere, she can stay in our spare room. - -That -(TM)s a great idea, - Poppy said, -ahh, is it OK if Lia uses Helen -(TM)s room for a bit, dad? - -Of course it is, - I replied. -Well, that -(TM)s agreed then, we -(TM)ll go to Camden tomorrow and look for Lia. So, do you know anyone else on the board? - Belle scanned the rest of the wall, she pointed at one on the bottom row and whispered to Poppy, they conferred for a minute before Belle reached out and pulled the notice off the wall, -I -(TM)m afraid this girl died, nothing suspicious, - she pulled three more down, -and these. There may be more, but these four are the only girls we knew personally. - -My god girls, you know four girls who died on the streets? - -We knew four of the 30 on your wall, there -(TM)s a lot more we could tell you about. - -Oh gosh, of course. I have no idea how you managed to stay so grounded with all the horror around you. - -I told you already, - Belle said, kissing Poppy -(TM)s cheek, -she -(TM)s a goddess, and she kept me safe. These girls, - she added, lifting the paper notices, -they didn -(TM)t have someone like Poppy around. - -I feel we should have some kind of memorial, - Katie said as she took the pages off Belle and slipped them into her bag. -I know, - Belle cried, -we should have a section in the book, we could print these notices, and any others we can think of, a chapter for the girls who fell through the cracks and never managed to climb back out. - -That -(TM)s exactly what we should do. Mum, can we look through the photos again, both of us, and find all the girls we know died. - -Of course you can, err, actually I -(TM)ll probably have to check with DI Williamson, especially if you want to print them out and put them in a book. - -He seems nice, - Belle replied, -I -(TM)m sure he -(TM)ll agree. - Jenny looked at her watch, -ok girls, we -(TM)ve got 30 minutes before we have to go to the talk DI Williamson mentioned, shall we go to the briefing room and see if you can solve any of the crimes, then we -(TM)re just across the hallway from the canteen. - -That sounds like a plan, - Katie replied, and we all fell in behind Jenny as she led us down to the briefing room. There were four large tables in the room, each had been laid out with several pieces of paper, notes, photos, objects in plastic bags. One table already had a family crowded around pouring over the evidence. Belle chose the table furthest from the door, she immediately picked up the pile of crime scene photos, -is this a real crime? - she asked. -Yes, it was about 5 years ago. - -And do you know who did it? - -I do, because I actually worked this case, so I -(TM)m not going to help you. - -Oh wow, so we -(TM)re walking in your footsteps, this is exciting. - Belle looked at each photo as Poppy read the notes and Katie sorted through the evidence bags, looking closely at each one as Poppy mentioned them from the notes. -Err, there -(TM)s no point us playing this one, - Katie announced. -Why, it looks like fun, - Belle said as she looked at photos of a broken back door and an open safe. -I know who did it... - -How have you figured it out, you -(TM)ve not even read the notes yet. - -The guy who did it was Jordan Cooper, with help from Don Parker. - -Are you some kind of crime solving genius? - an awed Belle asked. -Ahh, if only, Jordan -(TM)s my uncle, my mum -(TM)s younger brother. - -Oh fuck, I -(TM)m sorry, - Jenny cried, panicked that she -(TM)d upset Katie. -I -(TM)m not upset, Jordan -(TM)s a twat, I never liked him and he -(TM)s been in prison most of my life. Shall we do another one, see if we can solve it together, I don -(TM)t think I have any other career criminals in my family. - We moved to a different table and Katie picked up the notes, -ahh, this will be ok, looks like a woman did it. - -How do you know? - Jenny asked, she sounded both impressed and cautious, -it would be a massive coincidence if you were related to the person who did this one. - -Hahaha, I don -(TM)t think I -(TM)m related to them. I see they used poison, and I -(TM)ve read enough Agatha Christie and Shelock Holmes books to know that poison is a woman -(TM)s weapon of choice. I -(TM)ve no idea if that -(TM)s actually true though, but I -(TM)ve got a 50/50 chance of sounding like I know what I -(TM)m talking about. - -Well, most murders by women are stabbings, but most poisonings are by women, so Sherlock was partly right. And in this case, yes, the offender was female. - -Cool, so let -(TM)s look at the clues, - Belle said as she picked up the first sheet of notes. We watched as the girls read through the notes, looked at the crime scene photos and bags of evidence, they debated loudly, with Belle and Poppy disagreeing over the significance of a bagged glove, Katie laughed as she stepped between her sisters and pointed at the glove in one of the photos. Eventually they calmed down and agreed on the suspect, the victim -(TM)s cousin who was dating his girlfriend. -Oh, so the girlfriend was bi, I didn -(TM)t see that coming, - Belle said quietly. -Ahh, I wondered why you didn -(TM)t connect the glove, it -(TM)s all here on page three of the notes, - Poppy replied kindly. -Oh shit, I didn -(TM)t even read that page, - Belle sighed, slapping her forehead dramatically. -Is it Kailee? - Katie asked Jenny. -Well done, it was Kailee that killed Gary, and for the reason you said. - -What happened to Julie? Was she involved, it -(TM)s not clear, - Poppy asked. -Well, she was charged at the same time, as she was willingly dating Kailee, and actually moved in with her after Gary -(TM)s death, but we couldn -(TM)t find enough evidence to safely prosecute her, so she was released. - -Ooohh, has she gotten away with murder? - Belle asked. -I honestly can -(TM)t answer that, I wasn -(TM)t involved in this investigation as I was busy dealing with Katie -(TM)s Uncle Jordan. - -So these were around the same time? - -Yes, all four tables were cases we were dealing with 5 years ago this week. - -Can we do the other two? - Belle asked, tingling with excitement at solving crimes. Jenny checked her watch, -we need to go to the canteen now, but you can come back after, unless you want to go to the armoury, or see the police dogs. - -I -(TM)ve never seen a real gun, - Katie said. -I have, and they -(TM)re no fun when they -(TM)re pointed at your face, - Poppy replied, her voice devoid of emotion. -Oh fuck, really? - Katie said as she pulled Poppy into a hug. -Yeah, there was this one guy who enjoyed sticking a gun to my head as he fucked me... - We heard a gasp from the family at the other table, -ahh, maybe a story for later, - Belle whispered. -Maybe a story for never, - Poppy whispered back, -the fucker -(TM)s dead now anyway, nothing to do with us, he pointed the gun at someone less submissive than me and she cut his cock off and he bled to death in an alley. He won -(TM)t be missed. - -Mmm, I -(TM)m glad I didn -(TM)t hear any of that, - Jenny broke in quietly, -shall we make a move, DI Williamson seems to be keen that you all go to this talk. - -I wonder what it -(TM)s about, maybe he -(TM)s got one of the homeless charities in to talk to everyone, - Katie said. -I hope so, I -(TM)m pretty sure most people here have little experience of homeless life, - Poppy added. As we walked into the canteen I noticed a small stage at the far end, there was a podium emblazoned with the Metropolitan Police logo, behind the podium were a few chairs, and in front, seated either side of the stage, were a couple of press photographers and a video camera on a tripod. -Mmm, this looks more like a press conference, - Poppy said suspiciously as she slid into a seat near the back of the room. Most of the seats in front were full, including the family Poppy had annoyed with her comments a few minutes earlier. A couple of minutes after one DI Williamson rushed into the room and took to the podium. -Thank you all for coming to our annual family fun day, I hope you -(TM)re all enjoying yourselves, and learning about the valuable work the Metropolitan Police do to keep you all safe. - A round of applause spread across the room, the photographers took photos of the DI and the clapping public. -Ok, and now I should thank you for all coming to this little talk, not something we -(TM)ve done before at a family fun day, but some work we did this week made it abundantly clear that an issue in our city needs to be highlighted and work needs to be done to help the people involved. -So, I -(TM)m not sure if you saw on the news last night, or read in your newspapers this morning. On Friday afternoon we carried out a raid on a gentleman -(TM)s club in the West End. In the process we arrested a large number of people who are being held in police stations across the city on suspicion of a number of offences including child sexual exploitation, immigration and modern slavery. -The raid wouldn -(TM)t have been possible without the help of two teenage girls... - Belle looked at Poppy, and then at Jenny, her eyes wide with shock. - ... these girls were both homeless until very recently, living on the streets, in squats, in parks, anywhere they could find shelter from the elements, ignored by society. They came to the attention of a local celebrity and one of our finest police officers, who took the girls into their home, showing them the love they deserved so much. As they got to know each other the girls told about their past and described the vile goings on in this club. DC Wilde passed the information on to me, and we coordinated the raid with other forces and the Home Office Border Force, which culminated in the arrest of over 40 people in total. -So, I -(TM)d like to ask Poppy and Belle to come forward and accept both my profound thanks for their bravery in talking about some fairly horrific events in their past, but also a community spirit award. - Poppy and Belle looked dumbstruck, -go on girls, - Jenny whispered, coaxing them out of their chairs. Belle stood first, prompting a round of applause from the audience, Poppy followed and they walked nervously towards the stage, every step captured by the press photographers and police videographer. DI Williamson shook both girls -(TM) hands warmly before he presented them both with a medal and framed certificate. -I wonder, would you like to talk to everyone about the charity you -(TM)ve founded, I -(TM)m sure everyone is very excited to hear about the work you will be doing. - Belle gave him a very black look, -I guess this is the talk you said we -(TM)d enjoy, - she said sulkily before turning back to the audience and giving them the benefit of her warmest smile. -Hi everyone, well, this is a surprise, - she started, -before I carry on, I -(TM)d just like to apologise on behalf of my sister, to the family we upset a few minutes ago. You see, a few weeks ago Poppy and I were on the streets, and life there is so enormously different to your lives, and sometimes we forget that. -On the streets, days, weeks, months, they blur into one, the year is divided into dry days and cold, wet days, so I don -(TM)t know exactly how long ago it was, but I used to share a squat with Poppy and some other girls. We were dry, we were warmish, and we kept each other safe, we were happy. -Then one day the squat was demolished while we were out, and we were scattered, and no longer able to keep each other safe. I didn -(TM)t know where Poppy went, she disappeared one day and I couldn -(TM)t find her, so along with a couple of other girls I hid out in the tunnels below Kings Cross, we were safe, Poppy though, wasn -(TM)t and she was treated horribly by some truly evil men, I won -(TM)t go into details, but she was nearly dead when Alex, oh, stand up Alex, he -(TM)s the local celebrity, you might have read his books, I -(TM)m told they -(TM)re good. - I stood and waved as the people, who were hanging on Belle -(TM)s every word, clapped. -So, yeah, Alex found Poppy and took her into his nice house, which, let me tell you, is not something most people would do. He called his sister over, and her girlfriend, and between them they treated Poppy -(TM)s bodily injuries, and then they worked on her internal hurt, because you know, it takes a lot longer for our minds to heal than our bodies. Mental injuries don -(TM)t leave marks, so it -(TM)s hard to know just where you -(TM)re hurting. -Once Poppy was well, she started school, and that -(TM)s where she met Katie, stand up Katie, let everyone see you... - The crowd clapped, and a couple of boys whistled as she stood and waved. -Katie saw immediately where Poppy was hurting inside, and she stepped in to help, and within a week she became Poppy -(TM)s new girlfriend. - The boys who -(TM)d whistled at Katie looked a bit put out by this news, but I also saw a few people wipe their eyes. Belle is an absolute natural at holding a crowd. -And then, Katie decided it was about time Poppy had me back in her life, so they went out searching for me, and they found me, and now we -(TM)re one big, happy, gorgeous family... - Belle waited for the applause to die down before she continued. - ... and now it -(TM)s about time Poppy told you about her charity, yeah, I know my name -(TM)s attached, but it -(TM)s all her idea. - They hugged for a few moments as everyone clapped Belle. -She -(TM)s so great, - Jenny shouted over the applause, -I -(TM)d never have the guts to stand up in front of a hundred people and a camera and talk off the cuff like that. - -She -(TM)s a natural extrovert, I found that on Wednesday at my publisher, she plays all nervous, then instantly switches on the charm as she steps up to the plate. - Poppy let go of Belle, who took a seat next to DI Willaimson, he whispered something in her ear and she smiled broadly. -Err, well, like Belle said, this is a surprise, mum and dad didn -(TM)t mention anything about this, and we -(TM)ll be taking that into consideration as we make their dinner later. - She got some laughs at that, which gave Poppy the couragre to carry on. -So, yeah, one of the first things I decided after I got back on my feet, is that I need to do something to help the girls who are not as fortunate as me. -Do you know, there are hundreds, probably over a thousand, people sleeping rough around London every night, that -(TM)s people on the streets, under bridges, down back streets, under fire escapes, in railway tunnels, every night. And every night people are being attacked, raped, killed. -Oh, Katie, can you bring those photos up please. - Katie dashed forwards and gave Poppy the four photos, Poppy gave two to Belle and they held them up. -Upstairs, in our mum -(TM)s office, she has a wall of photos of runaways, thirty photos pinned to a corkboard. Belle was looking at them before and found a girl we knew had died, then we found another, and two more, that -(TM)s four girls out of thirty on mum -(TM)s wall who died on the streets. Four girls whose parents might still be looking for them, four girls who will never go home, never go back to school, never become great, powerful women. -I survived, it was touch and go, but I did, and so I -(TM)m here to tell you that I intend to do whatever I can to help those girls, and boys, who are less fortunate. I decided to work with the strongest man I -(TM)ve ever met, a man who saved me twice, who put me on the straight and narrow twice, who showed 200% more patience with me than he needed to. -We -(TM)re going to intercept food waste from supermarkets, restaurants and markets, we -(TM)ll give the food out in shelters, in car parks, under bridges, wherever homeless people go at night, we -(TM)ll be there with food for them. Some will be cold, like sandwiches, but we plan to open kitchens to cook veg and pasta and rice. We -(TM)ll make tasty warm food out of food waste. -It -(TM)s not just food, although that -(TM)s the most important thing people need, people on the streets need a bit of dignity, so we -(TM)re going to distribute sanitary products, soap, toothpaste, deodorant, clothes, contraceptives, anything people need, we -(TM)re going to find it and let them have it. - The whole room stood and applauded Poppy, she turned bright red, blushing, unused to people reacting to her like this. -So you -(TM)re asking me, - she started as the applause subsided, -what do you want us to do? And I say I don -(TM)t want you to do anything, I -(TM)m highlighting what I -(TM)m doing to help people I know, people I -(TM)ve met, people I -(TM)ve slept beside in streets and in squats, people who haven -(TM)t yet found their knight in shining armour. -What you can do is give food to food banks. When you do your shopping there -(TM)s always a basket by the door, buy an extra can of beans or soup, some pasta or rice, something that -(TM)s non-perishable and will survive being thrown into the back of a van. When you -(TM)re in central London pop into a church, almost all of them have a collection tin for their shelter, or a homeless charity. -If you want to help me, well, right now we -(TM)re not ready to do all the things I -(TM)ve said, but we will be soon, very soon I hope, as we -(TM)re off to Camden to pluck staff member number one off the streets. Come back here in a few weeks and Jenny, DC Wilde, will have some leaflets with all our details on, more than money or food, we -(TM)d like some volunteers to help out at collection centres, to cook tasty soups and stews, to make up care packages. -I don -(TM)t expect to clear the streets, or to help everyone, but I would like to think together we can make a difference, to make at least a few people a day smile, to fill a few hungry tummies. -Thank you for listening to me and Belle, and thank you to DI Williamson, I -(TM)ve never had a medal before. - As Poppy stepped away from the podium DI Williamson stepped forward, -thank you so much, and yes Belle, that was the interesting talk I said you -(TM)d enjoy. You were both very entertaining and informative, if you -(TM)d like to do the 8am briefings in here each morning I -(TM)m sure fewer officers would fall asleep before the end. -I -(TM)d like to thank each and every one of you for staying to listen to what turned out to be a very enjoyable talk about a very important subject. If anyone would like to contribute to the Poppy and Belle Foundation -(TM)s work, or would like to find out more about volunteering we will have information on display as soon as we get it, in reception, and on the community notice boards outside the station and in the park. There is a collection tin already in reception and a wire basket for food bank contributions. -Enjoy the rest of your day. - The girls were treated to another round of applause before people started to file out. I noticed the family who were in the room before held back, the mother stepped forward and grasped Poppy -(TM)s hand. -Please excuse our reaction earlier, your talk was inspiring beyond belief, take my card, give me a call when you -(TM)re up and running and I -(TM)ll do your marketing. My husband is in IT, he -(TM)ll run your website. - -Oh, thank you very much. I am genuinely sorry about my language before, I -(TM)m trying very hard to behave properly, especially when there -(TM)s kids in the room. - -How old are you Poppy? - -I -(TM)m 15, - she had another look at the business card, -Mrs Carlisle. - -Call me Judith, please. You -(TM)re 15 and have been raped at gunpoint... - -Oh gosh, I -(TM)ve had worse done to me than that. - -Indeed, my point is, you seem remarkably well adjusted for someone who -(TM)s been so badly mistreated, both of you spoke so well, and so passionately, you put many a professional speaker to shame just then. Would you be willing to do more talks like this? I could put you in front of people who would give your charity thousands of pounds without blinking. - -Oh, wow, err, yes, - Poppy looked at Belle, -what do you think, could you do that again? - -I enjoyed speaking to the room, - Belle smiled. -I could tell, - Judith agreed. -Well, we -(TM)re both still at school, so we can -(TM)t really do much work in the week, and we -(TM)re writing a book about our lives on the streets, and that -(TM)s going to take up our spare time. - -Ahh, a book, that -(TM)s interesting, do you have a publisher? - -Speak to Alex, we -(TM)re using his publisher. - -Great, I will do, I can help with the marketing for that too. - Judith approached and gave me her card, I gave her mine and Lois -(TM) and the deal was done, free marketing for the book and charity. With everyone gone Katie ran up to her sisters, hugging and kissing them both, -you were both fantastic, Belle, that was amazing, I just love what you said to DI Williamson, and that look, so funny. - -Did you see that lady just then, - Belle asked Katie. -Yes, she was with her family when we were solving the poisoning. - -She -(TM)s just agreed to do the marketing for the Foundation, and her husband will do our website. - -Oh wow, that -(TM)s amazing. - -She was so nice, really, genuinely shocked about what we told her, she wants us to do more talks. Not really something I -(TM)m looking forward to, but Belle here is a star, she -(TM)s an absolute natural on stage. - -Ahh, Poppy, Belle, you were brilliant! - -Thank you DI Williamson... - -Call me Oliver, Poppy, only fellow officers have to use my title. - -Thank you, Oliver, - Belle said with a smile. -I -(TM)m so sorry about springing that on you, I didn -(TM)t tell Jenny because I wasn -(TM)t sure until yesterday if I could get the medals in time. - -I love the medal, I -(TM)m tempted to wear it for my first day at school tomorrow. - -It will certainly get you noticed. Listen, would you be able to have a quick chat with the reporters, then you can be on your way. - -Err, ok, yes, we can do that, - Poppy replied. -It -(TM)ll be on camera, because I -(TM)d like to get you both on the TV news. -(TM) Poppy immediately panicked, -we didn -(TM)t dress for TV this morning! - -You look fine Poppy, really. - -That -(TM)s OK for you to say, you -(TM)re naturally gorgeous, I have to work at it. - -You don -(TM)t, I fell in love with you on the streets remember, you -(TM)re just as pretty as I am, now relax, breathe and smile, you -(TM)ll be fine. - -Thank you Belle, you -(TM)re the best friend anyone could ask for. - They were led away to some seats that had been placed in front of the TV camera. We watched as a reporter chatted to them, asking several questions which they both answered well, remaining calm and animated throughout. I watched them in the monitor and the room, and I noticed Belle had cleverly dropped her hand beside her chair and was holding Poppy -(TM)s where it couldn -(TM)t be seen by the camera. Today she was the stronger of the two. They spent 20 minutes answering questions, when the reporter raised the subject of the charity Poppy and Belle took it in turns explaining what they wanted to accomplish with the foundation, Belle told him about the book they were writing about their experiences on the street, and how they hoped to have it in the shops before next Christmas. -All our profits from the book will go to the charity, so every copy sold will be like a Christmas gift for a homeless girl or boy, - she proudly told the reporter. At the end of the interview the reporter stood and shook Poppy and Belle -(TM)s hand, -thank you, I -(TM)ll push for this to go on the news bulletin tonight, I -(TM)ll also get a longer version on the early evening show on Monday. You -(TM)ve really brought the issue home to me, I -(TM)m sure you -(TM)ll get a lot of support from viewers. - Katie hugged both her sisters as they stepped away from the camera, -you were great! I think we -(TM)ve found a star of the future with you Belle. - -I enjoyed that, I guess I like talking to people, especially about important stuff. - -You just like talking, - Poppy laughed. -Well, there is that... - Jenny put her arms across Poppy and Belle -(TM)s shoulders, -so, dogs and horses next? - -Yes please, - Belle answered, -my head isn -(TM)t right for solving crimes right now. After the girls had spent a lot of time with the police dogs, including some puppies who would be going through training once they were old enough, we said goodbye to Oliver and gathered outside by the Bentley. -Why don -(TM)t you two go for a drive for a couple of hours, - Poppy suggested, -find a nice pub or something. By the time you get back we -(TM)ll have your special dinner ready. - -That -(TM)s a lovely idea, it will mean I get a ride in this wonderful car, thank you girls. - I unlocked the doors and Jenny slid into the passenger seat, as she rolled the window down she motioned Belle over, -please, don -(TM)t stress over dinner, I -(TM)d hate it if you spoiled your day worrying about a meal. - -It -(TM)s ok, I know what I -(TM)m doing tonight, except the Yorkshire puddings, I -(TM)ll need to find a recipe for them. - -Are you sure? - -Like I told you before, we used to read recipes for fun, dreaming about what the food would taste like. Now I -(TM)ll get to taste the food, it -(TM)s going to be amazing. - -Ok honey, enjoy bringing your recipes to life. - -And you enjoy your trip in the Bentley, it -(TM)s such a nice car. Go find somewhere quiet to make out. - -That -(TM)s a great idea, we -(TM)ll definitely do that. Now give me a kiss and go join your sisters. - I drove south, once we were out of Wimbledon I put my foot down, Jenny smiled as we were pushed back into our seats by the acceleration. -Belle was right, this is a nice car. - -Belle is always right, - I replied. -Did you see the look on her face when Oliver gave her the medal, I wish I had a camera with me, the sheer joy. - -I -(TM)m sure one of the press guys got it, I -(TM)ll ask the photo desk at the paper on Monday. - -Oh gosh I forgot to tell you, I phoned Jeremy this morning, I just had to rest my eyes from the video thumbnails for a while. He -(TM)s getting on really well with finding depots for food, clothes and stuff, and he -(TM)s got people talking to supermarkets and also the sandwich shop chains. We -(TM)re nearly ready to roll Alex, and I -(TM)m so excited for the girls. -While he was on, I told him about what Liam did to Amber, the original Amber, he was horrified, I also asked him to give Helen a call. - I found a country pub, there were a few flash cars in the car park already, so I guessed it would be a decent place. I reversed the Bentley between an S-Class Mercedes and a Range Rover and walked over to the pub. It was a late 17th Century building, probably a coaching inn originally, the interior was dark, the ceiling low, with thick, exposed oak beams keeping the walls upright and the roof in place. -I -(TM)ll drive back if you want a drink or two, - Jenny offered. -Well, Helen -(TM)s already had a drive, so it -(TM)s only fair you get a go, - I replied as I waited for the barmaid to notice me. -Great, I -(TM)ll find a table, just a Diet Coke for me then if I -(TM)m driving. - I bought a pint of Meantime Chocolate Porter and a Diet Coke, and a couple of bags of crisps, as we -(TM)d had no lunch. -So, tell me all about your trip with Belle, - Jenny demanded as she sipped her Coke. -What do you want to know? - -What did you learn about her family? - -Her grandad, or gramps as Belle calls him, is a genuinely lovely guy, very sharp, he -(TM)s always known Belle is gay and has no problems with it at all. He loves her a lot, you can tell by how well they got on, they were chatting like they -(TM)d never been apart. - -Just like she is with you, she -(TM)s so close to you it -(TM)s like you -(TM)ve known each other forever. - -Mmm, we have had a lot of fun the last few days. Helen and I were never super close to our parents, so I don -(TM)t really have a template or role model to see how a dad should be with their daughter in public. We didn -(TM)t get any funny stares from people, so I guess we looked ok. - -All I see is a girl who loves her dad, and a dad who loves his daughter. - -Thank you, and on that subject, ahh, it -(TM)s a shame we don -(TM)t have her photo album, you -(TM)ll have to wait until we get home for that. Anyway, as Belle said, her mum was quite friendly with a lot of boys at school, and she was heavily pregnant during her A-Level exams. For reasons that became obvious, she couldn -(TM)t marry Belle -(TM)s father, but she didn -(TM)t want to become a burden on her parents, so she set about auditioning for a father, and Jake won. According to Clive, gramps, Jake was a decent, steady lad, by far the most suitable of the candidates. - -Did Jake look anything like you? I -(TM)m wondering if that -(TM)s why she -(TM)s latched onto you so quickly. - -Ahh, no, nothing like me, but this is the interesting part. Belle has mentioned a few times that she was forgetting what her parents looked like, she described how they were fading in her memory. - -Ahh, that -(TM)s sad, I guess if you -(TM)re concentrating on surviving day to day, your past gets shoved to the back of your mind. - -Yes, that seems to be what -(TM)s happened, but she said it -(TM)s got worse since she moved in with us, she described it like her mum was still there a little, watching over her, making sure she was OK. Then once it was clear she was safe, Lana faded away. - -Oh, that -(TM)s interesting. I -(TM)d not thought it would happen like that. - -So, Clive gives her a photo album. You should have seen Belle -(TM)s face when she looked at the first photo, she lit up like a beacon, and it was almost like a weight lifted off her shoulders, her whole body relaxed, because she -(TM)d realised exactly why she loved you so much. - -Oh really, I didn -(TM)t realise ... because she loves you so dearly, I just thought she liked me at best. - -Oh no, you struck her first, and you -(TM)ll realise why when you see the photo album. Basically, you are the absolute spitting image of Lana. She saw you and that -(TM)s when her mum started to fade fully, because you -(TM)d replaced her completely. - -But I -(TM)m not really a mother to her, Poppy acts like her mother, and you -(TM)re her dad, what am I? - -I guess Poppy is more like the big sister in a single parent family, if that makes sense, because that -(TM)s how they were on the streets. They -(TM)ve both said Max was like the squat mother. Now they -(TM)re home, Poppy still cares for Belle in the same way, because that -(TM)s what they -(TM)re used to. If you -(TM)re worried that Belle hasn -(TM)t taken to you, her excitement this morning should disprove that thought. - -Mmm, yes, she was excited, I wondered if it was more for you, though she hugged me so hard it hurt. - -I also wonder if, despite her sexuality, she -(TM)s more comfortable with male adults than female. She was very cosy with Clive, and she talks about Jake very fondly. - -Yes, she -(TM)s definitely a daddy -(TM)s girl. - -We had a long discussion this morning with Helen, I forget how we got onto the subject, ahh yes, that was it. Belle was complaining that Lana has big boobs and she doesn -(TM)t. Helen was explaining how small boobs are better because they -(TM)re more sensitive... - -Oh they are, my last girlfriend had small boobs and I was so jealous because she could cum just from me playing with her nipples. - -That was Helen -(TM)s point, yes, so Belle chips in that boys prefer big boobs, and we got onto the subject of whether she -(TM)s attractive to boys... - -I -(TM)d say she -(TM)s attractive to everyone. - -Which is exactly what we said, and Poppy told her that if she wants to sleep with boys that -(TM)s OK. - -Does Belle want to sleep with boys? She -(TM)s on the pill, she can if she wants to, although she -(TM)s not had much experience, some boys are total bastards and can be really cruel. - I laughed, -that -(TM)s exactly what Poppy told her, maybe she is more of a mother than a big sister. Anyway, Belle was adamant, she doesn -(TM)t want to sleep with boys. She likes heterosexual sex, but not enough to go looking for it. I get the feeling that if I wasn -(TM)t around she -(TM)d be completely happy spending the rest of her life with Poppy and Katie. - -Mmm, so, what about us? - -Well, I answered that question this morning? - -Mmm, not that specific matter, and I -(TM)ll reiterate, I love you completely Alex and want to be your wife more than anything. No, I -(TM)m wondering what the future holds, once we -(TM)re married. - -If you -(TM)re asking what I think you -(TM)re asking, then Helen had a similar concern. If you want us to become exclusive after we marry, then I will be OK with that. I think Poppy and Katie are happy together, Belle may be upset about losing both of us, but I also think she -(TM)ll be fine with Poppy and Katie. -Helen said this morning that she -(TM)ll miss us both, but she -(TM)ll respect our wishes. - -Oh Alex, I don -(TM)t want that, I want everything to stay the same, I know how much Helen means to you, and how much you mean to Belle. - -If I -(TM)m honest, Helen was more concerned about losing you than me, - I replied with a smile. -Really? - -Helen is gay remember, and you are very much her ideal woman. - -Ohhh, I was so excited about sleeping with her I didn -(TM)t realise she felt the same. - - -Yes, she wants to keep sleeping with you when she can, so do the girls. I think you -(TM)ll find you are way more popular than I am. - -I don -(TM)t believe that, you -(TM)re just being kind. - -One day someone will believe me when I -(TM)m complimenting them. - -I guess I love you so much I can -(TM)t understand how someone would prefer me to you. - -And in return, I love you completely. - -More than Belle and Poppy? No, don -(TM)t answer that, it -(TM)s a terrible question to ask someone. - -It -(TM)s OK, I can answer. I love you all differently, if that makes sense. I love Poppy, it wasn -(TM)t really love at first sight, although I felt something for her, she has this aura, and I felt it straight away. It was when she stripped off for her bath, the look in her eyes, as if to dare me to look down and see her naked body, I felt it then, the strength of her personality, while she was cold, wet, filthy and clearly in great pain, she still had that twinkle. - -I know what you mean, the first time we met, she had so much personality. I was actually torn that night, because I was immensely attracted to you both. - -With Belle, it really was from the moment we met, she was so beautiful huddled up behind the doorway with Flower. You saw Flower at the funeral, how beautiful she is, well Belle outshone her even when she was filthy, then from the moment she recognised Poppy her personality leapt out. Poppy gave her almost £1000, and she didn -(TM)t run off and spend it, she gave some to Max, and gave some to other girls, she still had a couple of hundred left when we found her. - -What about Katie? - -She -(TM)s not got the strength of personality of Poppy and Belle, so I -(TM)m not so sure. She loves Poppy, she did from the moment they met, and she loves Belle. It was very brave of Katie to suggest they go looking for Belle, because she knew just how much Belle meant to Poppy, and that could have backfired. Poppy could have left Katie once she -(TM)d got Belle back. - -I know, I was terrified of that happening, but I think Poppy just has too much love for one person. - -And so does Belle, - I replied. -Yes, and she -(TM)s the only one of the three who still sleeps with you, she -(TM)s so tiny, I don -(TM)t know how she manages. - -She only has me inside for a short time, she enjoys it but knows her limits, it was the same when we were with Amber, she pulled away from Amber as soon as she -(TM)d had enough of her fingers up her bum. - -Oh yes, Amber, I -(TM)d definitely like to meet her, she does sound like fun. - -Ahh, now there -(TM)s a girl who doesn -(TM)t seem to have limits, if we put her and Poppy in a room there would be no furniture left. - -Gosh, she -(TM)s that horny? - I unlocked my phone, -give me a second, I sent the photos to Belle -(TM)s iPad and deleted them, they may be in my bin, ahh yes... - I played the video with the sound off and showed it to Jenny, her mouth opened wide, -is she? Both hands? Oh my god, I do need to meet that girl, I -(TM)ve not even tried putting a hand up there. Oh gosh, I -(TM)m all hot and horny just thinking about that. Don -(TM)t you delete that, I want to watch it again later. - I ordered another pint and diet coke, and moved in closer to Jenny as we drank them. -So, - she started, her head resting on my shoulder, -we can get married, look all respectable to the outside world, and keep our existing life behind closed doors. - -I think we can. - -I like the sound of that. - -I -(TM)ve been thinking about Lia, - I said as I took another drink. -I bet you have, - Jenny laughed, -I hear she -(TM)s very pretty. - -Not in that way actually, well at least not from my perspective. - -Ok, I -(TM)m listening. - -I think we should let Lia stay, there -(TM)s still Helen -(TM)s room, she can stay in there. - -I thought you didn -(TM)t want any more children? - -She -(TM)s an adult, so she doesn -(TM)t count. I -(TM)ve been thinking about Katie, she took to Lia immediately, we told you that she kissed Lia properly, Poppy was amazed about it, because, well, it -(TM)s not terribly hygienic. Katie seemed to be so taken with Lia she just got carried away. So I -(TM)m thinking Lia could be Katie -(TM)s full time girlfriend, if she -(TM)s interested obviously, I -(TM)m not even sure if she -(TM)s gay. - -Aww, you -(TM)re matchmaking for Katie, that -(TM)s lovely. - -It -(TM)s just a thought, if she -(TM)s not interested, but still willing to work for the charity, we can pay her enough to afford a room somewhere. - -I -(TM)ll tell you what, when we find her tomorrow, I -(TM)ll bring it up, otherwise you may come across as a dirty old man trying to kidnap her. - -That -(TM)s probably a good idea. - -Right, so we -(TM)ve got our daughters sorted out, why don -(TM)t you kiss your bride to be. - -I might just do that, - I replied. And I did. And it was nice. And then our phones rang. I picked mine up, it was Belle, -hey Belle, how are you doing? - -Oh my god dad, I -(TM)ve just had a call from the police. - -How did they get your number? - -They phoned gramps and he gave it to them. - -What -(TM)s happened? Why did they call you? - -Uncle Liam -(TM)s dead, someone killed him. - -Oh shit, do you know why? - -I guess he pissed someone off, I just thought I -(TM)d let you know straight away. Oh yeah, dinner -(TM)s nearly ready, so if you -(TM)ve finished making out with mum you can come back any time. - -Well, we were kind of in the middle of doing that when the phone rang. - -Ahh, sorry, my bad. - -No worries, your mum -(TM)s phone rang at the same time. - -Oh, that -(TM)s weird. Anyway, come back any time you -(TM)re ready. I love you dad. - -I love you too Belle. - I put my phone back down and waited for Jenny to finish her call. -That was Jeremy, - she said as she put her phone on the table. -My call was from Belle, Liam -(TM)s dead. - -I know, and Jeremy swears it -(TM)s not his guys, he -(TM)d asked his people to make a deal with someone inside, but their contact reported back that someone else got there first. It looks very much like Liam annoyed the wrong person and got himself shanked in the showers. I -(TM)ve investigated a murder in a women -(TM)s prison, if they stab you in the showers you end up bleeding to death, it -(TM)s not nice. - -I think the important point here is that Liam was killed by someone else, it -(TM)s not on your conscience. - -I know, and thank you for looking at it that way, although I honestly don -(TM)t think I -(TM)d be too upset if it was, the guy was a first class bastard who deserved to die. Anyway, on a brighter note, Jeremy has spoken to Helen, he knows exactly where the studio she mentioned is, and will have the matter dealt with in a few days. - -That -(TM)s great, I assume Helen told him to destroy any hard drives he finds. - -To quote Jeremy, he said Helen told him to -~raze the fucking place to the ground, smash it to atoms -(TM). He also mentioned he -(TM)s aware of the guy who runs the place, before they get to work he will be asked some pertinent questions. - -Ahh, so one way or another he will be able to sort out the problem with Poppy -(TM)s films. - -Yes, he hopes to be able to take down any websites that might be hosting the films. There -(TM)s no doubt some copies will survive somewhere, but Poppy doesn -(TM)t need to know that, ever. - -Agreed. And on an even brighter note, Belle says that once we finish making out we should return home for dinner. - -Ahh, do you think we -(TM)ve got time for a bit more making out? - -I think so... - Chapter 35 We were home in half an hour, I opened the gate while Jenny carefully parked the Bentley. Inside the house was in darkness, the only light was from the many candles marking a path through the hallway, there was just enough light to see the floor was strewn with rose petals. -Oh my gosh, what have they been doing? - Jenny whispered. -Take your coats and shoes off at the door, - Katie called out, -we -(TM)ll put them away. - We did as we were asked, then Jenny took my hand as we walked along the rose path to the dining room. -Oh my, this is romantic, - Jenny cried as she saw the table set for two. The room was again lit only with candles, lots and lots of candles. -Where did you get all the candles? - I asked. -We borrowed them off Helen, - Poppy answered, -although I -(TM)m not sure borrow is the right word, we can -(TM)t really let her have them back when they -(TM)re all used up. - Belle stood behind Jenny and slid her chair back as she reached the table, Jenny thanked her as she sat down. -This isn -(TM)t my cutlery, or my crockery... - I commented as I sat down unaided. -Ahh, they -(TM)re from next door, - Katie said, -we decided your knives and forks weren -(TM)t fancy enough for tonight, so whilst Belle and Poppy were cooking I went round the neighbours to see if I could borrow some. - -I can -(TM)t remember the last time I spoke to the people next door, - I said quietly. -They -(TM)re really nice, Mrs Carboddy was very happy to hear you were engaged. She was very curious about your new family and would be happy to have us all over one evening. I assured her we -(TM)re all house trained. - -Ok, and there -(TM)s me worried about the neighbours when I first brought Poppy here and now they -(TM)re inviting us over. I -(TM)ll pop by tomorrow and thank her for the invite. - -Ok, no more chatting now, - Belle said as Poppy started some music playing on the speakers, -are you ready for the starter? - -I -(TM)m starving, - Jenny said, -I -(TM)ve only had a bag of crisps since breakfast at 6 this morning. - -Well, we -(TM)ll soon make up for that. I hope you like the starter, it -(TM)s a bit experimental. - Belle dashed away with Poppy, Katie stayed to pour our wine. -Where are you eating? - Jenny asked. -We -(TM)ll eat in the kitchen, although we -(TM)ve been sampling the food all day, so we -(TM)re not that hungry. - -This is fantastic wine, - I offered, placing my glass down as Poppy carefully positioned my plate before me, turning it a little so it was just right. -I present your starter, - Belle announced, -Lancashire black pudding served with potato and apple puree. - Jenny -(TM)s eyes went wide, -I -(TM)ve never had black pudding before. - -Neither had I, - Katie laughed, -but it really is fantastic, especially with the potato. - I looked at my plate, three generous slices of lean black pudding, dressed with piped potato and apple puree, it looked amazing. I cut a piece of the black pudding and spread some of the potato on it, everyone watched as I lifted it to my mouth. Nobody breathed as I ate it, chewing it deliberately slowly as they waited for my verdict. -Well? - Jenny asked. -It -(TM)s fantastic, whose idea was it? - -I remembered the black pudding at breakfast, - Belle said, -how it was really tasty even though it sounded gross, so I looked at some restaurant menus for posh ideas, and I saw this one. Helen got me the black pudding from the butchers near her house and brought it round, she says it -(TM)s won awards. - -The potato puree is amazing. - -Thank you, Poppy cut the potatoes up really small so they boiled properly, there -(TM)s farmhouse butter and cream in it, with a little bit of mixed spice. Anyway, enjoy it, I -(TM)m just going to start plating up the main course. - Belle slipped out, followed by her sisters, we were alone. Jenny used her napkin to wipe a tear from her eye, -this is all so wonderful. They -(TM)ve worked so hard, - she said as she cut off a small piece of her black pudding. She tentatively forked it into her mouth, nodding her head as she chewed it, -well, that -(TM)s a surprise, really tasty. - We enjoyed the starter in silence, even going so far as to wipe up the remaining mash with our fingers, like Belle when she -(TM)s being polite, rather than licking the plate. -Adding the apple to the mash was a work of genius, - I told Belle as she came back to clear our plates away. -Not my idea, did it work ok though. Some people hate lumpy mash, so I mashed it in the blender. - -It was fantastic, - Jenny said, -I -(TM)ve not had black pudding before, and I loved it, and the mash was perfect, I really liked the apple flavour. - -I -(TM)m so glad, I was really worried about serving you black pudding, Poppy said it would be fine, but she -(TM)s never had it either, so what does she know? - -Has she had some now? - Jenny asked. -Oh yes, we -(TM)ve all had some now, - Belle replied as she took Jenny -(TM)s plate, -Oh wow, have you licked this clean? - -Err, no, but I wiped it clean with my finger, it was so good. - -Thank you, that -(TM)s all the compliment I needed, - Belle said as she left the room. -How did our little girl cook that so well? - Jenny asked. -The same way she spoke for 10 minutes to a roomful of strangers without notes, it -(TM)s not just Poppy that -(TM)s a superhero. - -Once more I -(TM)m left thanking my lucky stars that it was me on the callout rota that night, or we -(TM)d never have met. - -You -(TM)re not the only one, I -(TM)m not sure how I -(TM)d have managed with three girls, especially with the traumas of the last few days. - We reached out and held hands as we waited for our main course, which arrived a couple of minutes later on a trolley. -I don -(TM)t remember owning a serving trolley, - I queried. -Well, it -(TM)s lucky Mr Newbold at number 24 has one then isn -(TM)t it. - Katie stated as she placed a couple of warm plates on the table. Poppy had a basket of warm bread rolls, she placed it on the table as Katie brought a dish of roast potatoes and parsnips, and a dish of steamed veg. Poppy added a plate of Yorkshire puddings and a gravy boat as Belle walked in with a plate of sliced beef. -I was going to slice it at the table, but I was so nervous I suspected I -(TM)d have an accident, so I -(TM)ve just done it in the kitchen with nobody watching. Mr Newbold helped me work out how long to cook the beef, and he brought a carving knife and sharpener, I felt like a proper chef just then. - I couldn -(TM)t help but smile at Belle, she looked so happy as we filled our plates with meat and veg. -There -(TM)s more meat and gravy if you want seconds, Katie made me buy half a cow this morning. I -(TM)ve no idea how she carried it home, it was so heavy. - -Have you got food, - I asked the girls. -Oh yes, we filled plates before we brought yours in, - Poppy replied. -Bring them in here then, come and join us, - Jenny told them. -But this is your special day, - Belle replied. -It is, and it -(TM)s special because of you three, so bring your food in here and all the leftovers, and we -(TM)ll have a family feast. - I -(TM)ve never seen them move so quickly, within seconds they were back with plates piled high. Belle sat next to me, Katie and Poppy sat on Jenny -(TM)s side of the table. Soon we were tucking into the fantastic main course they -(TM)d put together. -This beef is perfectly cooked, - I told Belle as she piled some beef, potato and carrot onto her fork. -And the Yorkshires are amazing, did you find a recipe? - Jenny added. Belle chewed her food for a moment, -oh man, it is nice isn -(TM)t it! - she said as she finished, -it -(TM)s lucky Mr Newbold came round when he did, I -(TM)d worked out how long to cook the meat, so I was going to do it at the end, so it would be hot. He told me that was not the best way to do it, because the meat needed to stand for about an hour before I carved it, and that I needed to start it at one temperature then turn it up really, really hot for the last 15 minutes. He also rubbed some flour into the meat to make the crackly crust, and he showed me how to make the Yorkshire puddings. - -That is lucky, - Jenny replied as she filled her fork, -this is a great meal. - -Do you want to know the best bit? - Poppy asked, a huge smile on her face. -Mr Newbold is the Food Technology teacher at school, - Katie told us. -And guess who -(TM)s now doing Food Technology when she starts school on Monday, - Poppy added. -Me! - Belle cried, holding her fork high triumphantly. -Are you still doing Textiles? - I asked. -Oh yes! Mr Newbold thinks he can fit me into his Year 10 GCSE class, which is when I should be doing Spanish. - -That -(TM)s great, - Jenny said, -you didn -(TM)t want to do languages did you. - -No, I -(TM)d be so far behind everyone it would be embarrassing. Mr Newbold asked me loads of questions, he -(TM)s really pleased about how much I know already, and how excited I was, well we were all excited, about cooking this fancy meal. - -I -(TM)ve lived here over five years, and had no idea he -(TM)s a teacher, let alone a teacher at your school. You already know more about my neighbours than I do. How many did you speak to? - -Me and Poppy only spoke to Mr Newbold, it was Katie who knocked on doors. - -I went four doors either side. A couple of people weren -(TM)t in, well, it -(TM)s Saturday, so what did I expect. One guy had no clue who you were, he was just house sitting for his brother. The lady at no 16 seemed a bit sad when I told her why I was calling, I think maybe she fancies you... - -Who -(TM)s that? - Jenny asked, mock shocked. -I -(TM)ve no idea, - I replied. -She -(TM)s tall and slim with obviously fake boobs, bleached hair, a bit brassy looking. - -She sounds lovely, - Belle laughed. -Ahh, that -(TM)s probably Theresa, a proper gold digger. She tried it on with me one day when I was outside the cafe in the park. - -So we can take her off the wedding guest list. - Jenney laughed. -Maybe she could come with Mr Newbold. - I suggested. -Noooo! - Katie cried, -he -(TM)s nice, we can -(TM)t do that to him. - -I think he might be gay, - Belle whispered. -How do you know, you only just met him, - Katie asked, -I had his lessons for one term in Year 8, he never struck me as gay. - -Look at Poppy, - Belle said in answer, so we did. -So? - Katie asked. -He didn -(TM)t, - Belle told us, -he said hello, but that -(TM)s all. Poppy -(TM)s extra pretty today with her hair in buns, you did her makeup so well this morning Katie and look at her cleavage, how could anyone ignore that? Yeah, I think Mr Newbold is either immune to pretty girls because he -(TM)s been teacher at a girls -(TM) school for so long, or he -(TM)s gay. - -Mmm, ok, maybe, but if he -(TM)s not out it -(TM)s best to leave it that way, - Jenny cautioned Belle. -Oh yeah, I -(TM)m not going to tell anyone, and Katie is so right, he -(TM)s really nice. - We continued to eat in silence, Belle cleared her plate first, I tipped my plate her way and saw Jenny smile as Belle helped herself to my last roast potato. -There -(TM)s more beef if anyone wants some, - Poppy announced as she finished the last of her meal. -I -(TM)m stuffed, - I replied. -Me too, - Jenny agreed, -save it for tomorrow, we -(TM)ll make up some sandwiches when we go looking for Lia. - -So we -(TM)re really going to look for her tomorrow? - Katie said, a note of real excitement in her voice. -Oh yes, I said we would, and you did say she -(TM)d be good to work for the charity. - -Oh yes, definitely, but I thought dad said he didn -(TM)t want any more people in the house? - -Well, maybe he -(TM)s changed his mind, or maybe he said no more children, Lia -(TM)s 18, she -(TM)s an adult, and maybe she -(TM)ll only be staying a few days, or she won -(TM)t even want to stay at all. We -(TM)ll leave it all up to her and see what she wants to do if we manage to find her. - -Oh yes, of course. It -(TM)ll be nice to see her again. - Poppy and Belle took the empty plates away and came back with a fresh bottle of wine. -I made a dessert, spiced apple pie with custard, we cheated and bought the custard, the pasty is home made though, Katie rolled it. I guess we can leave it until later. - -Yes, we -(TM)ll have it later, for now, why don -(TM)t we move into the lounge and we can watch a film. - I helped Belle stack the dishwasher whilst the others picked a film, -that meal was amazing Belle, thank you so much. - -Did you really enjoy it? - -Every single mouthful. - Belle visibly relaxed with the news, -thank you, I -(TM)ve never done anything like this before. Poppy and Katie helped, but they -(TM)d never cooked a proper meal before either, so we were all really worried. I was so glad when Mr Newbold arrived and he showed me where I was about to go horribly wrong. - I put an arm around her shoulders, -you are amazing Belle, even if you -(TM)d waited until the end to cook the beef it would have been OK, we -(TM)d have just had to wait a bit before you carved it, that wouldn -(TM)t have been a disaster. - -Thanks dad, you -(TM)re always so kind to us all. - -It -(TM)s nothing less than you deserve. - With the dishwasher stacked we gave the kitchen a quick clean, they -(TM)d kept the place remarkably tidy while they cooked and we only needed to wipe down the worktops and sweep the floor. Ten minutes later we were finished and we took the rest of the wine into the lounge. Jenny, Katie and Poppy were on one sofa, so I took an armchair and Belle sat on the arm, snuggling up as close as she could. -What are we watching? - Belle asked. -Black Widow, - Poppy replied as Jenny worked the remote to dim the lights and turn on the TV and sound system. -Oh great, I -(TM)ve been dying to watch this, it -(TM)s got Florence Pugh in it, I love her. - Belle enjoyed the movie so much she slid down and sat in my lap. Half way through Poppy paused it and warmed up the apple pie and custard, Belle offered to help but Poppy told her she looked far too comfortable to move. They -(TM)d left the pie in the warming oven, so Poppy was back in a few minutes with four plates on a big tray, -you two get to share, - she told us as she handed Belle a plate with a double portion of pie and custard and two spoons. Belle handed a spoon back to Poppy, -we only need one spoon, I -(TM)ll feed dad. - The pie was great, I got three spoonfuls before Belle decided she would eat the rest herself. -Wow, - I said, -based on the small amount I -(TM)ve been allowed, that really is a tasty piece of pie. - -Thanks dad, - Belle replied, -I love the custard, Katie picked it, it -(TM)s got Madagasan vanilla beans in it, which is apparently a good thing. - -It -(TM)s a very good thing, - Jenny replied, -and this is the perfect dessert to end a perfect meal. - Katie put her hand up, -I vote that Poppy and I swap all our cooking chores for Belle -(TM)s cleaning chores. - -That -(TM)s not fair, - Jenny said, -it -(TM)ll mean she cooks three dinners a week and breakfast all weekend. - -That -(TM)s OK, because it means I do no cleaning, and I -(TM)ll get to practice stuff I learn at school, and all those recipes we read Poppy, I can make them. - -Oh yes, and I could help, - Poppy added. -I -(TM)m not taking any choses back if you help, - Belle laughed. -That -(TM)s OK, I -(TM)ve found out I like cleaning and ironing. - Katie restarted the film and we were quiet for another hour. Well, I say quiet, Belle cheered every time Florence Pugh -(TM)s character Yelena was on screen. When the film ended Belle and Poppy chatted for a few minutes about what they -(TM)d just seen, and how the post credits scene would map across to other films in the franchise. -It -(TM)s to do with the TV series, - Poppy insisted. -What TV series? - -The new Hawkeye series, it -(TM)s starting next year, and Yelena is one of the main characters. - -Next year, I -(TM)ve got to wait until next year to see her again? - -We can watch this again tomorrow if you want, - Poppy replied soothingly. -Oh please, I love her so much, she was so funny, and so gorgeous, and tiny boobs like me. Can we go to ComicCon next year if she -(TM)s there, please Poppy, can we go. - -If she -(TM)s there then I -(TM)ll take you, - Poppy replied. -Amazing, thank you so much, you -(TM)re the best sister ever. - -Ok, now that -(TM)s settled, let -(TM)s go to bed and give mum and dad some time together. - -No, it -(TM)s ok, stay a while, - Jenny said softly. -But it -(TM)s your special night mum, - Katie replied. -It is, but you know, it feels like you three play just as important a role in our engagement. Poppy, you brought me and Alex together, without you, I wouldn -(TM)t be here, and without you, Katie wouldn -(TM)t be here, and without Katie, Belle wouldn -(TM)t be here, and ultimately, without Alex, none of this would have happened. So you see, we -(TM)re all entangled, I asked your dad to marry me this morning, but really, we -(TM)re marrying you all. - -Ok, - Poppy replied, -so what do we do now? - -It -(TM)s Saturday, - Jenny replied simply. -But don -(TM)t you, you know, want to be with Alex? - -No silly, I want to be with you all. - -Ahh, I see... - Poppy replied, grinning as she started to undress. -Who -(TM)s doing who? - Belle asked. -Ahh, now I -(TM)m glad you asked that, Belle. Your dad showed me a video before... - -Ohh, was it from the hotel? - -Yes, and I -(TM)d like you to do the same to me. - -Really! Oh my god, I got so horny doing this to Amber. - Belle jumped down and ran to the drawer by the HiFi system where we kept the lube. As we made love in every room we kept lube in every room, just in case. -You -(TM)re getting extra lucky Alex, you can have Poppy and Katie tonight. - -Ahh, don -(TM)t take this the wrong way dad, but I -(TM)ll stick with mum if that -(TM)s ok. Sex with you was fun and everything, but it helped me make my mind up, and I -(TM)m firmly in the sex with girls camp now. - -That -(TM)s absolutely fine Katie, - I replied, -at no point should anyone ever do anything they don -(TM)t feel comfortable doing. - -Thanks dad, I don -(TM)t mind doing stuff in bed, like it was really fun giving you a hand job that time, but I worry if I get really horny I might do something I -(TM)ll regret, and right now I -(TM)m really horny, so I think I -(TM)ll play with mum and Belle. - Poppy, now down to just her panties, kissed Katie passionately, -have fun with Belle, I think she -(TM)s ready for anal play with a dildo if you -(TM)re careful. - -I wish I was ready, I just don -(TM)t feel brave enough to try it. - -Then don -(TM)t try it, you -(TM)ll get no pressure from me, the absolute worst thing you can do is try it when you -(TM)re not ready, you -(TM)ll hurt yourself. - Katie pulled Poppy into a tight hug, -everyone is so nice to me here, I -(TM)m so glad you let me move in. - They kissed again, then Poppy knelt astride me on the armchair, draping her arms over my shoulders in the exact same way Belle did in the park. -Do you want some music, - I asked. -No, it -(TM)s ok, I bet Belle didn -(TM)t need music. - -She managed just fine without. - Poppy leant in close and nibbled my ear, -she had a great teacher, - she whispered, low and sultry. She started to grind on my lap, -did Belle tell you the rules? - -No touching. - -That -(TM)s right, if you want to touch you have to pay extra for a private dance in the other room, but this is going to be way more fun, because I -(TM)m going to make you cum in your pants, and there -(TM)s nothing you can do to stop me... -Oooh, daddy -(TM)s getting hard already, I like that a lot. - Poppy ground herself hard against me, using her hips to rhythmically move up and down, left and right, in and out. -Oh man, if I cum first you get this ride for free, daddy, - she whispered in my ear in her sexiest voice. She wrapped her arms around me, pulling me close so her breasts were pressed against my chest. -Oh god, this feels so good, - she gasped, pressing her pussy against my engorged cock. I was still fully dressed, as Poppy moved, my cotton boxers brushed against my cock in a most pleasurable manner, it -(TM)s going to be a very close race to see who cums first. Poppy -(TM)s movements became faster and more erratic, she pressed her lips to mine, her tongue exploring my mouth. Harder and harder. Faster and faster. Until she gave one final thrust of her hips, she gasped, her fingers gripped my hair as she pulled my face to hers. Her orgasm, when it hit, was brutal in its intensity, and it did the trick, as the pulses of her orgasm ravaged Poppy, her movements triggered my orgasm, I thrust my hips up to meet hers and I came hard in my pants. It was filthy. It was depraved, It was fantastic. -Oh man, - I heard Belle cry, -there -(TM)s no way I could ever compete with Poppy. - -It -(TM)s not a competition, Belle, - Poppy panted, -and I -(TM)m sure dad was just as wasted on Thursday as he his now. - -Yeah, at least I wasn -(TM)t cruel enough to make him cum in his pants, I finished him in my mouth so he could walk back to the hotel. - -You -(TM)re very thoughtful, Belle, - Poppy laughed before she put her lips to mine and my cock came back to life, but Poppy knew even she couldn -(TM)t get me hard enough for intercourse so soon, so she stopped kissing me and we cuddled for a while as we watched Jenny, Belle and Katie get prepared for some extreme action. Jenny has stripped naked and lying on the floor, her blouse underneath her bottom to protect the carpet, Belle and Katie were undressing as quickly as they could, but were hampered by their need to keep kissing and touching each other. -Belle is so fucking sexy isn -(TM)t she, - Poppy whispered. -She -(TM)s just perfect, - I replied. -You know, she loves you so much. She was so excited about spending the day with you at work, she almost burst. - -She was great in the meetings, we had a lot of fun. - -Belle worshipped her parents, she talked about them a lot. She loved her mum, Lana was really talented, she played piano, and guitar, and she was a painter. Belle has a problem with men in general, which is probably from Liam, but she loved her dad a lot, he was cool and funny she says, and he took her to work when she was little, she -(TM)d sit in the garage and watch him work. You -(TM)re her new dad, and you -(TM)re also cool and funny, and you took her to work, you -(TM)re a perfect replacement. Probably even better, because she says you -(TM)re a lot more handsome than her dad. - -Did she ever... - -Go to bed with her parents? Never with her dad, she didn -(TM)t have any feelings that way for him, and reading between the lines he wasn -(TM)t really interested in sex. Her mum taught her how to kiss, and other stuff, by all accounts her mum was very, very sexual. - -That seems an odd mix, her mum having a high sex drive and her dad not. - -I know, but if she was still sleeping with Mr Clarke, maybe she was also still sleeping with all the other men. She didn -(TM)t have a job, just helped with the paperwork at the garage one day a week, so she had plenty of opportunity. - -You -(TM)ve put a lot of thought into this haven -(TM)t you, - I laughed. -Well, we had a lot of time to think about these things, and I love Belle so much, I took a lot of interest in her. - Poppy started to writhe in my lap as she watched Belle use two fingers to lube Jenny -(TM)s arsehole, -oh god, I need something in my bum soon, we -(TM)ve not made love for so long daddy, do you think you could fuck me twice tonight so both holes get used? - -I can certainly try, - I replied as Poppy fought to unfasten my belt and jeans. -Urghh, you -(TM)re a bit messy, maybe I won -(TM)t make you cum in your pants ever again. - -Let me get up and I -(TM)ll go clean myself up a bit. - -Oh no, that cock is going inside me this minute, - she replied, lifting herself up slightly so she could slide it inside her welcoming pussy. We both sighed as Poppy slid herself down my cock, taking the full, hard length inside. -Oh my god, I -(TM)ve missed this feeling, don -(TM)t move, I -(TM)m going to turn around so I can watch the action. - Without lifting fully off my cock Poppy carefully turned around so she was riding reverse cowgirl in my lap, using her strong thighs to ride me as she watched Belle fist Jenny -(TM)s ass, while Jenny ate Katie -(TM)s pussy. The noise in the room was filthy as we all moaned with pleasure. -Oh fuck daddy, I -(TM)m going to cum again, can you rub my clit quick, oh shit that -(TM)s so good. Oh fuck, fuck here it comes. - Poppy slammed down on my cock, she let go of the chair arm and grabbed my hand, forcing it hard onto her pussy as her orgasm ripped through her body. It took a minute or two for her to come down, during that time we watched as Belle slid her right hand slowly into Jenny -(TM)s pussy, who let out a scream as her pussy and bottom were stretched to their very limit. Belle stopped moving, shocked at her mother -(TM)s reaction. -Oh fuck, honey, - Jenny panted, -I didn -(TM)t mean to shock you, carry on, this feels absolutely amazing, it hurts, but in such a good way. - Poppy lifted off me as her breathing returned to normal, -I -(TM)m going down there to eat Belle -(TM)s bum hole, fetch the lube so you can fuck my bum. - As I grabbed the lube, Poppy lay down behind her sister, spread her cheeks and pushed her tongue into Belle -(TM)s anus. -Ooohh, that -(TM)s not supposed to go in there, - Belle giggled. -Wooo, - Jenny cried, -that really tingled when you laughed. - -My tongue can go anywhere it likes, now relax whilst we have some fun. - Poppy was lying on her front, I picked up a cushion from the sofa and slid it underneath her belly, giving me better access to her ass, then I took a leaf from her book and ran my tongue around her bum hole, not something I -(TM)d ever even contemplated before, but the passion of the moment drove away any hygiene concerns and I pushed my tongue inside. -Oh shit! - Poppy cried, pulling away from Belle, -that feels so good, dad -(TM)s doing it to me Belle, doesn -(TM)t this feel amazing? - -It really does Poppy, so it -(TM)s so slutty, but so nice. - I worked my tongue in and around Poppy -(TM)s arsehole for a couple of minutes before I replaced my tongue with two well lubricated fingers. Poppy obviously enjoyed this, as she pushed back against my fingers until they were fully buried. I used them to fuck her ass hard and fast until she was writhing under my hand, ready to cum once more. -Rub my clit daddy, rub it hard! Oh fuck, that -(TM)s it, shit, shit I -(TM)m cumming, oh god! I -(TM)m squirting daddy, oh shit I -(TM)ve killed the cushion! - -It -(TM)s ok honey, - I told her as I slid my fingers from her as and replaced them with my rock hard cock, -we can get another, you just enjoy yourself. - -Fuck dad, your cock is so big tonight. - -It -(TM)s been looking forward to this for a few weeks... - -I -(TM)m sorry, I -(TM)ve neglected you... - -No you haven -(TM)t, you were injured, then you got your best friend and lover back. I don -(TM)t have a monopoly on you Poppy, - I told her as I slid my cock all the way inside her rectum. I held it there as the pulses of Poppy -(TM)s tiny orgasm played along my shaft, then I started to make slow, passionate love to my sexy daughter. Jenny came hard after about 5 minutes of treatment from Belle, who withdrew from her mother and rolled over so Poppy could work on her pussy. -You can put a finger up my bum if you like, - Belle whispered, -two if you -(TM)re extra careful. - -I -(TM)ll be super careful, - Poppy replied as she poured a few drops of lube on her fingers. -Ahhh, that -(TM)s nice, - Belle sighed. Jenny came round at this point, she shuffled over to me and kissed me passionately as I continued to drive my cock deep inside Poppy. -I love our family Alex, - she gasped, running her hand through Katie -(TM)s hair, who was kissing Belle. Poppy lifted her head from Belle -(TM)s pussy, -I can feel you -(TM)re nearly there, cum inside me dad, please, I need to feel you cum. - I was almost there, and Jenny decided to help, she reached around and cradled my balls, teasing them with her long, delicate fingers, then I felt pressure as she pushed her thumb in my ass. -Oh god what just happened! - Poppy cried, -you just got bigger, you -(TM)re nearly too big dad, cum quickly! - Jenny -(TM)s thumb made sure of that, and with a couple of hard strokes I let loose, pumping jets of hot cum deep inside Poppy, the orgasm was so strong I nearly blacked out, Jenny reached for me and kept me from falling forwards on top of Poppy, who came herself as my final thrust hit her. -Oh man, that was so good, - Poppy gasped as we came round, -but you were so fat at the end, you really stretched me. It didn -(TM)t hurt, though you -(TM)ll need to be careful pulling out. - We fell into a heap, a happy five person heap, all of us lost in the passion, our minds whirling. -I missed our Saturday night orgies, - Poppy said sleepily, -they -(TM)re like the best workout. - -Oh yeah, that -(TM)s all the calories from dinner gone, - Jenny laughed, -I think we all need to get upstairs and jump in the shower soon or we -(TM)ll fall asleep like this. - -I really do need a shower, I -(TM)ve been lying in my squirt, I -(TM)m all messed up. I hope I -(TM)ve not killed the carpet as well as the cushion. - -Don -(TM)t you worry sweetheart, - Jenny soothed her, -we can get it cleaned, and the cushion covers come off, I -(TM)ll put it in the washer in the morning, - I helped everyone up, Katie held Poppy, whose legs were wobbly, -I think you need a bath, the warm water will help your bum, - she said. -That -(TM)s a good idea, we can both fit in our bath. - -And you can have a bath with me, Belle, - Jenny told her. -And I -(TM)ll have a shower, - I laughed, -on my own. - -I -(TM)ll have a shower with you dad, - Belle said brightly, -then I -(TM)ll get in the bath with mum. - -That -(TM)s a great idea, - Jenny said, running a hand through Belle -(TM)s messy hair. Later, we cuddled in bed, just the two of us. -That was a wonderful evening, - Jenny whispered, -thank you. - -What did I do? - -You agreed to marry me. - -You asked, so I -(TM)ll return those thanks. - -You looked like you had a lot of fun with Poppy. - -I did, she -(TM)s amazing, no disrespect to you, my love, but Poppy really is the most skillful lover I -(TM)ve ever met. - -No need to worry about disrespecting me, she really is amazing. On that note, I knew we -(TM)d find the perfect use for Belle -(TM)s tiny hands. - -Did you enjoy that? - -Fuck yes, it was fantastic. Not something I want to do a lot, but having her fill both holes like that, moving around as well and in and out, no cock can do that, especially not in both holes at once. Mind blowing Alex, absolutely mind blowing. - -I couldn -(TM)t believe it when Amber asked Belle to do it, I had no idea her hand would fit. - -When she curls her fingers in, Belle -(TM)s hand is smaller than your cock Alex, it slides in easy, the magic happens when she spreads her fingers inside. - -I didn -(TM)t realise that, I just thought it looked really uncomfortable. - -Not at all, why don -(TM)t you ask Belle to stick her hand up your butt? - -No, I don -(TM)t think so, - I laughed. -So, I saw Poppy talking to you, she looked serious, what was she talking about. - -She was talking about why Belle loves me so much, she loved her dad a lot, and he loved her a lot. She loved him because he was cool and funny... - -Just like you. - -Apparently so, and he used to take her to work, she liked to sit in the corner of the garage and watch him work. - -So, you offering to take her to work was the icing in the cake. - -Yes, it was. I asked if he ever did anything to Belle and Poppy says almost certainly not. It seems Jake wasn -(TM)t interested in sex at all. - -Well, that -(TM)s interesting, because by all accounts Lana was highly sexed. - -Yes, and I -(TM)ve been thinking about that. I suspect Lana picked Jake because she saw him as a steady guy who -(TM)d look after her and her baby, but wasn -(TM)t interested in her sexually, so wouldn -(TM)t get bored of her. I think a lot of the guys she slept with were pretty much one night stands, and she liked that. She had her steady lover in Jake -(TM)s boss, and she had a man to provide for her and her baby. She did well. - -Belle loved Lana as well. - -She did, she adored her mum, and Lana loved her. - -Did Lana and Belle ever... - -Poppy says Lana taught Belle how to kiss, and do other things. - -So Lana was bisexual. Poor, poor Belle, by all accounts she had a perfect family, such a shame that they were ripped away from her. - -Look at our three girls. We -(TM)ve got Belle, she had the perfect family, they weren -(TM)t wealthy, but they were happy, then we -(TM)ve got Katie, a far from perfect family, she had everything she could wish for except love, and finally, Poppy, she had no kind of upbringing, I think her Nikki did love her, but her priority was only to feed her addiction. I don -(TM)t think you could find three more disparate lives, and somehow they -(TM)ve come together in our house. - -We -(TM)re truly blessed to know them, - Jenny whispered sleepily as she snuggled up close. We slept the sleep of the just. And we slept right through until 10am, not even the church bells woke us. What did wake us was Belle coming into the room with breakfast. -Hey mum, hey dad, are you ok, - Jenny rubbed her eyes, -what time is it sweetie? - -A bit after 10, did you sleep ok, - Belle answered. -I really did, and I think that -(TM)s all down to you, what you did to me made me very, very sleepy. - -I -(TM)m glad, because you -(TM)ve been working too hard this week, you needed a good night -(TM)s sleep. And now I -(TM)ve got your breakfast, mum. Poppy will be up with yours in a minute, dad. - Jenny shuffled up the bed and Belle laid a tray across her lap, orange juice, coffee, scrambled eggs and mushrooms on toast. - -This looks wonderful, - Jenny said as she took a sip of her orange juice. -Poppy and me, we made the bread this morning, it -(TM)s soda bread, so it was quite easy, but we -(TM)d never done anything like it before. - -How long have you been up? - I asked. -A few hours. Katie -(TM)s stripped Helen -(TM)s room and is cleaning it now for Lia. Poppy and me, we decided to make you breakfast in bed, I hope it -(TM)s OK. - Poppy arrived with my tray just as Jenny ate some of her egg. -So sorry, we didn -(TM)t want to do too much of the egg in one go, so Belle made mum -(TM)s, and I -(TM)ve just made yours. I -(TM)m sorry if yours is a bit rubbery dad, I -(TM)m not as good a cook as Belle. - -Stop putting yourself down Poppy - I said, -you -(TM)ve cooked me eggs before and they were great. - -It -(TM)s just Belle is such a great cook. - Belle pulled Poppy -(TM)s sleeve, -I might make better eggs that you, but I -(TM)ll never be as good as you at sex, so I think we -(TM)re even. - Poppy pulled Belle into a hug, -I -(TM)ve had more practice, and to be honest, that -(TM)s not necessarily a good thing at our age. Anyway, let -(TM)s go and see how Katie -(TM)s getting on. - -The eggs are great, - I told them as Poppy opened the door, -just the right amount of pepper. - -Thanks dad, now try mum -(TM)s, they -(TM)ll be better, - Poppy said as they left the room. Jenny forked some onto my plate. They were better, but there -(TM)s no way I -(TM)ll admit that to them. -I feel awful lying in bed while they were slaving away baking bread for our breakfast, - Jenny whispered, as if the girls were listening at the door. -Well don -(TM)t, you were up well before us yesterday. - -True, but I had a job to go to, you were nursing an emotional Poppy until the early hours. - -Eat your breakfast and stop overthinking, Belle -(TM)s found she -(TM)s got a skill Poppy doesn -(TM)t have, and she -(TM)s making the most of it. - Jenny scooped up some of my egg, -mmm, your egg is really good, but mine is better. Ohh no, what do we read into that, why did I get the better breakfast? - -We read nothing into it, beyond the fact that Belle had sex with you, and Poppy had sex with me, so as far as Belle is concerned I got the better deal last night, and you got the better deal this morning. - -Oh yes, and that is true isn -(TM)t it, Poppy is so good in bed. How have you managed for a few weeks without sleeping with Poppy? - -I -(TM)ve managed just fine, I -(TM)ve had you, I -(TM)ve had Helen, and Belle. I think that -(TM)s quite enough. - -Oh my god, Belle is so good. I can -(TM)t believe what we did last night. And she really is beautiful isn -(TM)t she. - -She really is. She -(TM)s so pretty you can hardly believe your eyes, like she -(TM)s been photoshopped or something. When I -(TM)m out with her I find myself struggling to believe she -(TM)s my daughter, and she really likes being with me. I feel like the nerd in a teen comedy that -(TM)s pulled the prettiest girl in the class. - -I think it -(TM)s nice that we both fancy our daughters. - -And they seem to like us just as much. - -Yes, even Katie, who is the most firmly lesbian of all of us, doesn -(TM)t seem to mind giving you head once in a while. - -I was serious last night you know, if Katie wants to stick with you and the girls, then that -(TM)s fine. I -(TM)m not even slightly upset. - -And that -(TM)s why they love you Alex, they feel completely comfortable expressing themselves in any way they want to. - -And I love them because they -(TM)re not afraid to tell me exactly how they feel. I -(TM)d absolutely hate myself if Katie had sex with me because she felt she had to. - Jenny put her tray on the floor, then she took my tray and put it next to hers, -do you think you -(TM)ve recovered from last night? - -I think so, - I replied. Jenny rolled on top of me, -so, how did Belle do it the first time? - she whispered, grinding her mons against my cock, -was it something like this, then when you were hard she just did this? - she continued, as she lifted up a little then slid my cock home. -Ahhh, - we sighed together as Jenny moved her hips, making slow love to me. As Jenny reached her climax she increased the speed and the noise, over her shoulder I glimpsed the door opening, three sets of eyes looked in for a moment then pulled back and the door closed silently. -Was that the girls, - Jenny whispered. -Yes, they -(TM)re gone now. - -Good, I -(TM)ve got you all to myself -- -