#we just want more gargs
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Hi hi! Thanks for the follows. :) I don’t know if you’re on Discord but over on the Gathering of the Gargoyles server (https://discord.gg/eENwA6aGGw) we’ve been sharing you guys’ art and awaiting Goliath underwear pics!
We were not on Discord, but for the Gathering of the Gargoyle, y'know, just to check... now we are XD
We just signed in and... wow, other Gargoyles fans! And we see that it's true, people is sharing our art (you too!) and giving direct links! Yay! All credited! And we're seeing so many new Gargoyles fanarts, just... thank you for telling us.
(And Goliath underwear pics will come soon, we just need a pinch of free time!)
#gargoyles#this is the best fandom#gargoyles fandom#we're gonna use discord ONLY to check Gathering of the Gargoyles#sorry not sorry#we can't be on another social#we just want more gargs#thank you!
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Creative Goals Summary (November)
November's basically over already, huh? Oh well, let's see how we did!
Fandom Stuff:
Fanfic Progress (Current projects: “There But For You Go I” chapter 5, at least one (1) Gargoyles one-shot, title TBD) Status: In Progress; carrying over into December. So close to declaring a percentage on the Untitled Garg Fic! I want to keep working on it so bad, but I think December is basically spoken for with other projects + holiday prep + travel. I wanna draw illustrations for it too T^T Oh also, I didn’t talk about all of the Scottish geography and geology research I did this month, nor the travel math based on the airspeed velocity of an unladen gargoyle.
Gift for Digimon Secret Santa. Status: 20% complete; carrying over into December. Made a lot of progress the past couple days, looking forward to continuing work on it!
Personal Stuff:
Birthday card for friend’s kid Status: Done
Secret Personal Project (SPP) drawing Status: Done
Design xmas present(s) for family members Status: 45% complete; carrying over into December. I have a design mocked up two different ways, just gotta execute one of them. Both of them? Probably just one of them. It's gonna take some more time + iteration to get there, but it feels so close. Designing things, physical things, is SO HARD!
Paid work, first draft. Status: Done (overall project carrying over into December). Well, I turned something in on time. It's not REALLY what I would call a first draft, just a progress shot. Can't believe how much I'm gonna have to bust my butt to get this one done before the end of the year. I really shouldn't have volunteered for this assignment, but c'est la vie. Gonna try to jam on it over the weekend.
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Gargoyles Re-watch - Awakening Pt 1
It’s been a long time since I’ve sat down to rewatch Gargoyles; probably since 2020. This is a show that is absolutely synonymous with my childhood, having premiered when I was 6 years old. Memories of watching it are hazy, but I hope I’ll always remember vibes of watching it at my grandmother’s house with my older sister @cherryfinolahobbes and our late uncle. Seeing all of the new content, from the amazing Neca figures, to the new comics (which I still need to purchase and read), to listening to the entertaining and informative Voices from the Eyrie podcast (which indulges my love of hearing from voice casts and behind the scenes trivia; seriously if you’re a fan of the show go sub to this great podcast); it’s been great being a fan of such a lovingly crafted show as of late.
However, I’m awful at not only keeping up with things, but also with rewatching, because my ADHD will try to fill in memory gaps/distract me and I’ll just... not turn things on or put them on pause lmao. BUT I want to share one of my most favorite shows! And seeing a lot of rewatches and analyses of Avatar the Last Airbender from so many of my mutuals (I need to do a series for that show too), I’ve decided to do one for my beloved Gahhguyles. So sit back, Happy New Year, and get ready to hear me gush about voice lines, music cues and magic spells recited in latin that have been rattling in my brain for the better part of 30 years!
Immediately you’re welcomed with a title card, a jagged set of stone letters that read ‘Awakening’, overlayed with snarls and a hint of ominous music. Bitchin.
We then cue in to New York City in present day (well, present day in 1994), where explosions can be heard and seen in the clouds; one of the tallest buildings in the city disappears into these clouds, and after a continuous round of noise begins to catch onlookers’ attention, rubble begins to fall from out of the clouds, nearly killing multiple people.
The police are on the scene, and from a particular red car steps out Detective Elisa Maza, voiced by Salli Richardson-Whitfield. Elisa is no beginner to her field. She’s smart and quick-witted, and when she arrives she’s greeted with respect from her fellow policemen who update her on the situation.
More rubble falls, and Elisa sees a set of marks that takes her off guard.
“What could be strong enough to leave claw marks in solid stone?” Elisa asks. This line, if I recall, was used in almost every piece of advertising for the show. We’re then greeted with the Gargoyles logo, and we go back in time. 1000 years to be exact, and now we’re in Scotland, where a group of Vikings are attacking the castle. They’re led by Hakon, voiced by Clancy Brown, and they seem to be winning against the castle, as their catapult destroys a wall and takes down some archers.
We then get our first glimpse of the Gargoyles, a set of stone statues in the dying light of day.
Quick detour for a moment to talk about the animation. Gargoyles is GORGEOUS. The colors of the sunset at the moment we look up at the tower that the Gargoyles are sleeping on are beautiful. There are some episodes that have infamous animation, but they’re not often, and even then, Gargoyles has some great character animation, as everyone has their own unique personality.
We’re then shown the Captain of the Guard, voiced by the late Ed Gilbert, defending the Castle and shouting to his men, who are uncertain about their fate.
Captain: “Stand fast! We can hold them back!”
Soldier: “Aye, and catch boulders with our teeth while we’re about it!”
Gargoyles has one of the snappiest scripts and we’re not even 3 minutes in.
The Captain mentions that once the sun goes down they’ll ‘see some fun’, but just as he does, another boulder strikes nearby, and we get to properly meet the Vikings as the camera pans in on them while they cheer, and Hakon stands proud in front of his army. However, he has his dissenters.
Viking: *talking to another standing near him* “Attacking a castle full of Gargoyles near nightfall! This is crazy, and Hakon knows it!”
Hakon: No, my friend. That’s not crazy *he grabs the viking to look him square in the face* Questioning my sanity when I’m in earshot, that’s crazy!” *he looks back to the castle* I say these Gargoyles are naught but chiseled stone! And even if they aren’t, it’s worth the risk for the plunder within! ATTACK!”
The Vikings charge over a gorgeous red sky, continuing their assault, even making it through the gates as they climb the tower leading straight up to the Gargoyles.Hakon leads the way, his rope secured to where the largest Gargoyle rests.
The sky is getting darker. Hakon reaches the top just as the sun sets, and he witnesses the stone statue crackle and burst to reveal a mammoth purple beast, who looks at him with more annoyance than fear. He grabs Hakon easily and holds him over the ground, more than capable of dropping him right then and there.
The first words of our main man Goliath, voiced by Keith David, are a growling, matter-of-factly “You are trespassing.”
The rest of Hakon’s men witness the rest of the clan awakening (hehe) from their daily stone slumber, becoming alive at night. Hakon draws his sword and slams it into Goliath’s hand, drawing blood. He then urges his men to fight as ‘they are not invincible’.
The battle ensues, and Hakon manages to escape Goliath.
As we see more warring, we come across three distinct Gargoyles; I want so badly to call them by their names, but they don’t have those names just yet XD so for now we’ll just go by Red, Green and Blue.
Green, voiced by Thom Adcox-Hernandez, is the smallest, but that doesn’t deter his personality. He’s sharp as a tack and sassy, and doesn’t hesitate to berate his brothers when they annoy him.
Red, voiced by Jeff Bennett, is impulsive, but earnest and caring and tends to get put into the ‘badass’ category (... but I mean... come on he is a badass; he was my favorite when I was a kid)
Blue, voiced by Bill Fagerbakke, is the laid back foodie, but there’s more under his exterior than meets the eye.
When we meet the trio, Green is watching intently, while Red’s eyes are darting from place to place, bursting with excitement as Blue just sits back.
Red: “Shall we let all our brothers and sisters have all the fun?”
Red then immediately glides away, leaving Green and Blue as Green smirks at Blue, who seems reluctant to join.
Green: “Not afraid, are you?”
Blue: *offended as he stands to his full height* Afraid? Me? HAH! Why, all of nature trembles at my passing! *he lifts up his gut to his chest... only for it to wobble back down*
Green: *pokes his brother’s pudge* “I can see why”
The two join the brawl, and we witness more fighting just as we’re introduced to the next member of our main cast, a capable, much older Gargoyle, voiced by the late Ed Asner, holding his own until a Viking sneaks up on him just before Goliath can glide down to stop him.
Goliath: “Watch your back, old friend.”
Old Friend: *amused* “Huh! Watch your own.”
The fight rages on, we witness the Captain of the Guard in his element as he and Goliath begin fighting side by side. The Captain mentions the Vikings most likely followed a band of refugees the castle is giving shelter to, and as we pan over, we see Blue make his way to the clearing where said refugees are staying, helping himself to some of their food as he’s watched by a young boy and his mother. The boy is amused as he watches Blue easily dispose of a Viking with a large drumstick.
Hakon is then greeted by a Gargoyle beast, a big blue Best Boy who absolutely destroys a stone wall trying to tackle him. Our man Shakin’ Hakon tries to run off, but is stopped by the haunting visage of our final main Gargoyle, Goliath’s mate and second-in-command, voiced by Marina Sirtis, who is going to be one of the show’s absolute BEST characters, if not one of the most amazingly complex characters I’ve ever witnessed. She scares Hakon off easily, and he’s promptly defeated by her and Goliath, but he proclaims he’ll return as he retreats with his men, who are chased away by the arrows of the archers; but as the archers proclaim victory, we notice the way Red, Green and Blue look at each other, feeling their hard work has been ignored.
It’s just the first taste of how the humans of the castle treat them.
Goliath gets his hand bandaged by his mate as the Captain proclaims how the castle owes them their lives.
Goliath: “As we owe you ours every day.”
All is well.
: )
We then cut to the inside of the castle as some upbeat music plays. A flute, a tambourine and a drum lead a simple, but effective merry jaunt as the soldiers enjoy a feast to celebrate the victory. We get our first glimpse of Princess Katharine, a somber-looking young lady voiced by Kath Soucie, and the Magus, voiced by Jeff Bennett (Jeff is like, half the cast in this show), a sorcerer who is always by Katherine’s side.
As the Captain joins the feast, he overhears some of his men teasing about how he’s more like ‘captain of the gargoyles’. You get a sense that the Captain really truly cares about the Gargoyles. He seems unhappy with the teasing, but doesn’t argue. Anytime we see the Captain with his army, there’s not a lot of camaraderie; but with the Gargoyles, he seems very at home. When he’s greeted by the Princess, who thanks him for the battle well fought, the Captain doesn’t hesitate to also credit the Gargoyles for their assistance - but Katharine doesn’t feel the same. She becomes unhappy hearing about them.
Katharine: *after hearing Goliath’s name* “Please, don’t mention that monster’s name in my presence”.
The doors burst open, the Magus drops his drink when he sees their ‘guests’ are that of none other than Goliath himself and his mate, who are there as the Captain’s guests. But not everyone is happy to see him. Katharine admonishes the Captain, and the Magus as well has some choice words, but when the Gargoyles approach and frighten Katharine, she’s surprised to see Goliath bow to her in respect. But after she insults them once more, Goliath’s mate is ready to strike, but Goliath is quick to diffuse the situation and he promptly leaves.
Goliath, despite his name and stature, has great patience and understanding; he is a great leader, and will later show some really interesting character faults. Keith David’s performance hits the nail of the head in every episode, making Goliath relatable, even when he’s at his most stubborn or at his wisest.
As Goliath, his mate, and the Captain reconvene in the halls, the Captain apologizes for Katharine’s words.
Goliath: “No apologies needed. We are what we are. Her opinion will not change that.”
Mate: “Have you no pride? No sense of justice?! We saved their lives and they repay us with contempt!” (this line has lived in my head rent free for nearly 3 decades it’s acted so amazingly)
Captain: “She is right, Goliath. You deserve better than this.”
Mate: These cliffs were our home ages before they built their stone fortress. They should bow to us!”
Goliath: *takes her hand* “It is the nature of humankind to fear what they do not understand. Their ways are not our ways.”
Going back to Goliath and his design, his words and beliefs can carry so much gentility; however we’ll also see later that a lot of old teachings can often drive wedges between him and loved ones, especially when we meet Angela next season.
However, the Captain is still unhappy with the situation that has unfolded. He cares so much for the Gargoyles, and it’s obvious he wants to change some minds.
Cut to the Magus, perusing in his book, the Grimorum Arcanorum within his study; and at dawn, a mystery figure rides off away from the castle - all the way to Hakon to make a bargain.
At nightfall, Goliath removes the bandages from his injured hand, which is now fully healed; in the meantime, the Captain of the Guard urges for Goliath to take the Gargoyles away from the castle as the Vikings had promised to return. The Captain and the Mate continue to try and convince Goliath of the idea, but he refuses to leave the castle unprotected. He decides to go and ward off the Vikings with his old mentor, and he tells his mate to stay with the castle. He promises to her that they are one, now and forever.
In the meantime, we return to the trio of Red, Green and Blue, playing catch with Best Boy, using a slab of meat. The Mate comes around to watch, smiling as they have fun around the refugees that are still under the castle’s protection. The little boy from the previous night curiously runs over to watch just as Best Boy finally gets his meal. Mate is apprehensive of the boy’s presence, and he introduces himself; his name is Tom and he asks for the trio’s names.
Green: “Except for Goliath we don’t have names.”
Tom: “How do you tell each other apart?”
Green: “We look different.”
Tom: “But what do you call each other?”
Red: “Friend”
But Tom’s mother, Mary, steps in, afraid for her boy, and she tells him to get away from ‘those monsters’. Red insists they wouldn’t hurt him, but Mary chucks a hunk of wood at him, striking him. Goliath’s mate, from up high, is enraged, and she insists Mary is the monster, just before Red and Green agree that if she thinks they’re monsters, maybe they should live up to the name.
But just before they can do anything, Goliath appears. He orders for Red, Green, Blue and Best Boy to go to the Rookery until he returns. Mate insists they weren’t at fault, but Goliath refuses to condone any fighting, and he must find ways to deter it, and he promises he’ll make it up to the boys later.
Goliath and his Mentor leave to find the Vikings, locating some questionable tracks. We then check back in with the trio, sent down to where a clutch of eggs rest in a cave like children sent to their room. Blue, interested in some slime on the wall, decides to have it as a snack and we’re treated to an uncomfortable several seconds of him just chewing on this slime.
The camera cuts to a mystery figure, tampering with the Castle armory just as we return to Goliath and Mentor, who laments sunrise is near just as Goliath finds the Vikings. They attack, but realize they’ve been tricked and were being decoyed the whole time. They try to return, but the sun rises, and Goliath and Mentor turn to stone, unable to make it back home before the Vikings ransack the castle. This time, successfully, as the inside job and betrayal is revealed to have been because of the Captain, and he personally apprehends Princess Katharine in a really great moment as she rushes down the stairs, and he slowly ascends to greet her in shadow.
Katharine: “The Vikings, Captain! We are attacked!”
Captain: *grabs her wrist, looking her in the eyes* “It is worse than that, your highness.”
The following silence as Katharine realizes what’s happening, her expression, this quick moment is SO GOOD. We then watch the castle inhabitants led out in chains as Hakon and Captain talk above the commotion.
Hakon: “Not that I’m ungrateful, but why? Why betray your own kind?”
Captain: *almost in pain* “They’re not my kind.”
But it’s not long until Hakon, mace in hand, decides it’s time to get rid of the Gargoyles as the sun sets. The Captain is horrified, and he tells him to leave them alone.
I wish I could describe how much I love that Gargoyles mostly had it’s actors record together (although some exceptions had to be made); you can often feel the fluidity of the conversations, and while I’m not sure if this particular exchange between Hakon and the Captain were recorded in the same room, it’s one of my absolute favorites.
Hakon: *staring at Captain as he’s prevented from destroying a gargoyle* Are you mad?! In a moment they’ll be flesh again and my men will be their prey!”
Captain: “Once your band is out of sight, they won’t follow! It’s not their nature!”
Hakon: “Ahh, well, in that case-” *he strikes Captain, aiming his mace for his head as he pins him against the wall* “Care to discuss the matter further?”
Captain: “...No.”
Hakon: *releasing him, he looks at one of the stone gargoyles* “I haven’t lived this long by taking foolish chances.”
The swell of music as Hakon lifts his mace, the sound of the stone being smashed as Hakon’s silhouette casts over Captain’s horrified face as he stumbles in agony. Damn; DAMN I love this show.
Night falls, and Goliath and Mentor return to the castle, now in smoke as fire still rages. They find the smashed remains of their clan, and Goliath shakily picks up the pieces of what he believes to be the form of his mate as he speaks to her in anguish, just before releasing a roar of despair; we pan out to another hauntingly gorgeous shot of the smouldering castle with a glowing full moon behind it as the screen fades to black, and we’re greeted with the first of many ‘To Be Continued’ cards.
The first episode of Gargoyles wastes no time in getting right into the action, while also building mysteries that will be revealed in later episodes. Yup, we’re already laying groundwork for later plots!! This show is dense with storylines that weave in and out so well, sometimes you’ll get payoff to a question you never even asked about.
Writing this was a DOOZY; I was not expecting this to take me a good couple of hours lmao, but hopefully I can keep with it! I love this show so much and I don’t think I’ll ever stop recommending it!
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I literally just stumbled across your blog and omg! the concept of speculative biology and paleontology on the Garg is so cool! It is such an awesome creature and the crumbs of info we get in-game truly are an appetiser, we want to know more about this old beast that once roamed the vast oceans of 4546B...
Good luck on your project, anyways! I'm definitely looking forward to whatever you'll post next ✨
(Funfact, but when I was a kid I wanted to become a paleontologist, but then realised sciences weren't my forte, heh- yet, it still catch my interest, especially concerning such a beloved videogame that Subnautica is)
Thank you so much!! I also wanted to be a paleontologist when I was younger, my father even took me to a fossil dig once and I excavated my own Trilobite fossils! (I still have them!) But my disabilities prevent me from doing any physical work in the field, so I’ve taken to studying what I can digitally!
Subnautica’s always been one of my favorite games because it combines so many natural sciences that’ve always fascinated me, and ramps it up to 100! I did a study on the extant Leviathans for my Marine Bio class a couple years back, figuring out which was the most scientifically plausible (it’s the Ghost, feel free to torment your friends and family with this information like I have) so it’s fun to dip my toes back into this awesome watery world!
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Are you looking for a way to make your project more comfortable and eco-friendly?
I will share with you some tips and ideas which we used in our projects on how to create a seating enclave that is both cozy and sustainable.
A seating enclave is a space where people can sit and relax, chat, read, or enjoy the view.
But before we dive into the details, let's talk about why seating is so important for any type of project.
Seating is not just a functional element, but also a way to express your style and personality.
So how do you choose the right seating materials for your project? Here are some factors to consider:
- Durability: You want your seating to last for a long time and withstand different weather conditions, especially if it is outdoors.
- Comfort: You want your seating to be ergonomic and supportive, so that your users can sit for a long time without feeling any pain or discomfort.
- Sustainability: You want your seating to be environmentally friendly and ethical, so that you can reduce your carbon footprint and support local communities.
One of the best ways to achieve all these goals is to use sustainable green furniture.
Sustainable green furniture is furniture that is made from recycled or natural materials, such as wood, rubber, bamboo, cork, or rattan.
These materials are not only durable and comfortable, but also biodegradable and renewable.
Here are some examples of sustainable green furniture that you can use for your seating enclave:
- Wooden trunk: A wooden trunk is a great option for outdoor seating, as it can blend well with nature and create a rustic and cozy vibe. You can use a whole trunk or cut it into smaller pieces, depending on the size and shape of your space. You can also paint it or decorate it with cushions or blankets to make it more colorful and inviting.
- Rubber: Rubber is a versatile material that can be used for indoor or outdoor seating. It can be moulded into different shapes and sizes, such as stools, chairs, benches, or sofas. It can also be recycled from old tires or other rubber products, which makes it eco-friendly and cost-effective. Rubber is also soft and flexible, which makes it comfortable and fun to sit on.
- Seasoned wood: Seasoned wood is wood that has been dried and treated to prevent decay and insects. It is a good choice for indoor seating, as it can create a warm and elegant atmosphere.
These are just some of the many options that you have for creating a seating enclave with sustainable green furniture. You can experiment with different combinations and styles to suit your project's needs and preferences.
The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the process!
I hope you found this blog post helpful and inspiring.
If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. I would love to hear from you!👇
Thank you for reading and happy designing!❤️
#art #architecture #project #sustainable #design #landscape
#architecture#art#landscape#design#interior design#nature#project#sustainable#photography#architectdesign#student#lifestyle#geometry#college#campus#digital marketing institute#school#teaching
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Construction Companies in India
The cities like Noida, Ghaziabad, etc. have enticed the eyeballs of the construction companies in India. These companies are competing to maximize their market share in the construction industry by offering different USPs.
Among the many construction companies existing and emerging in Noida, Svarrnim Infrastructures Pvt Ltd (SIPL) holds the tag of the Top Construction Company in Noida. The consistency with which we have delivered excellent projects is very well known. The years of experience that we hold in construction of different types of houses, multi level car parking, hospitals, stadium, etc. has given us an edge over the other players in the area.
We, being the pioneer in construction services have the skill and capacity to deliver large, complex projects within the stipulated time. The other advantages which the clients get from us are of cost saving and unmatchable project execution. We have the true understanding of how to stick to the budget of the client. Over the years we have focussed on innovation along with paying a keen attention to quality in all our projects. Our commitment to all the positive aspects has eventually resulted into getting us new clients and repeated orders from existing clients as well.
The managing director of Svarrnim, Mr. Ajay Garg has been in the construction business from last 34 years. His rich experience is also something that can be heavily relied upon.
We hold strong belief of crafting difference making masterpiece through creation of value. This has built the bridge of trust between us and the clients and has earned us the crown of Top Construction Company in Noida. We are not just made of words which make our image look good, but we deliberately display our value system in the daily tasks that we do. Our mission and vision hold our actual definition.
Sustainability is an implicit characteristic of all our projects. We keep in consideration the environmental factors throughout the execution. To maintain quality along with compliance to environmental rules, we have expert man power on our board. Every project is handled by them as they carry prior knowledge of their job unit. Svarrnim transforms the designs into structures in every promising manner that it leads to client satisfaction.
Nothing can make things faster and better than can embracing technology and Svarrnim is well aware of this fact. Therefore at Svarrnim Infrastructure Pvt Ltd., we bring into use the latest technologies and equipment in all our projects. Just to make a true impression about how well we are geared up for handling big projects, we have mentioned on our website the plant and machinery that we are equipped with. Be it Lathe machine, Drill machine, motorized pumps, concrete mixers or tower crane we have them all. They make our execution even more world class and get us counted in the Top construction Companies in Noida.
Now you know that you don’t need to go on searching to get a construction project done in Noida. If you want the work to be done as per the mentioned specification with high standard of quality and workmanship in the targeted time, Svarrnim is definitely the best organisation to be reached out to.
For more information about Top Construction Company click the link below Top Construction Company
#Top Construction Company#Top Construction Company in Noida#Top Construction Company in India#Construction Company in Noida
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If you're looking for a great dentist in the Sushant Lok 1 area, look no further than Gargs Dentario.
Introduction:
Finding a trustworthy dentist is critical to attaining optimal dental care, which is vital for maintaining good oral health, which is essential for general health. Among the many businesses and restaurants in the busy Sushant Lok 1 district, Gargs Dentario stands out as a leading provider of high-quality dental care. We'll go over what makes Gargs Dentario the go-to for dental treatment in Sushant Lok 1 and explain why we think you should, too.
Realizing the Value of Good Dental Hygiene Good dental hygiene is about more than just looking good. Prevention of oral diseases, maintenance of healthy teeth and gums, and preservation of long-term oral health all depend on regular dental check-ups and treatments. As a result of the importance it places on oral health, Gargs Dentario provides a comprehensive menu of dental services.
Gargs Dentario: Dedication to Quality
Located in the middle of Dentist in sushant lok 1, Gargs Dentario is a reputable dental office. The clinic is run by a group of highly trained dentists and oral health experts who are dedicated to providing top-notch service to each individual patient. Expertise, honesty, and individual care are the pillars upon which the clinic's stellar reputation rests.
When it comes to your oral health, you can count on Gargs Dentario for a full suite of services. The clinic caters to patients by providing individualized plans for everything from routine checkups and cleanings to preventative measures and advanced procedures. Some of the most important services provided are:
Oral health is evaluated, problems are uncovered, and customized treatment strategies are developed through comprehensive dental examinations.
Professional dental cleanings are important for maintaining healthy gums and teeth by removing tartar and stains.
Fillings, crowns, bridges, and dental implants are just some of the restorative dentistry services that Gargs Dentario provides to help patients who have suffered tooth damage.
Patients can have the whiter, brighter smile they've always wanted with the help of the clinic's cosmetic dentists and cosmetic dental procedures including veneers and smile makeovers.
When it comes to orthodontics, Gargs Dentario is your one-stop shop for braces and aligners to straighten your teeth and enhance the alignment of your bite.
Modern Equipment and Technology: Gargs Dentario uses cutting-edge dental equipment and technology to provide precise diagnosis and excellent care. The dentists and staff at this clinic use cutting-edge technology to provide their patients with better care and a more pleasant experience.
At Gargs Dentario, we place a premium on our patients' happiness and ease of mind. Open dialogue and patient participation are encouraged in the clinic's friendly environment. Highly trained dental professionals provide each patient their undivided attention, explain all of their treatment choices in detail, and put patients at rest.
Patients' praise and confidence in Gargs Dentario are evidence of the company's dedication to quality service. The clinic has established itself as a go-to dental service provider in Sushant Lok 1 thanks to its dedication to providing high-quality care and excellent results for patients.
Conclusion:
In Sushant Lok 1, Gargs Dentario is well-known as a go-to for quality dental care thanks to their dedication to service, cutting-edge equipment, and a focus on each individual customer. You can trust that Gargs Dentario will provide you with the highest quality dental care, whether you require regular cleanings and exams, repairs, orthodontics, or aesthetic work. The friendly staff of Gargs Dentario, along with their extensive training and experience, will see to all of your dental hygiene requirements.
#Dentist in sushant lok 1#Dentist in sushant lok 2#Dentist in Sikanderpur#Dentist in Golf course road#Dentist in Golf course extension road
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A chain-store folds and a local one emerges
It’s official! Adobe Drugs (taking over the local storefront space on West Napa Street) from Pharmaca is now in business. As reported by the Sonoma Valley Sun, June 1st was the grand opening and as new owner/lead pharmacist Aman Garg said “we are so pleased and grateful to be here!”
Over 400 customers showed up that Wednesday for the very first day and Aman, his wife Pooja and staff were “anxiously busy getting things ready and overjoyed at the same time,” added Garg.
Back in February when Pharmaca’s subsidiary Medly filed bankruptcy and sold off to Walgreens, the future of an independent locally-owned pharmacy was bleak.
Garg and his entire family had to pull together and reassure the landlord/building owner that they could take over where Pharmaca had departed. For more than two months of negotiating Garg and his family were able to establish a contract.
“I know everyone, said Garg. I know the doctors, the hospitals, the vendors and most of all the customers.” “I love Somoma and my family and I are committed to the health and wellbeing of the community.”
Despite the obstacles, Garg didn’t give up. From the onset, Garg and many others saw the rebranding and employee/pharmacist take over as a “no-brainer” and an obvious wise move. Just about everything was already in place. Just restock the shelves, change the signs/logo outside and all is good to go. But the landlord/building owner still had reservations. Preferring to focus on the positive rather than discus too many details, Garg reiterated.
“I simply wanted the quality and the service to continue. And most of all, Sonoma needs and deserves a locally-owned pharmacy,” said Garg. His family, including his extended family agreed and they stood by him. They helped meet the landlord’s request & requirements.
Garg reassured even at the first proposal/meeting with the building owner that everything would be kept the same as before as much as possible. Most of the same staff were eager and willing to return. Paul Clark, licensed herbalist & complimentary medicine consultant, retail/customer service staff Stacey Knego and Natalie Friscia were on board and are now working and pleased that eventually everything came together.
“They empty spots you see on the shelves, said Clark, they will be filled.” With Pharmaca’s departure and demise, so went the extensive array of Pharmaca-brand products. “We will be getting new (high quality) product lines in soon,” added Clark.
Ironically, with all the landlord’s concerns about the ability of the tenants to maintain consistency and continuity, Clark pointed to a sign placed at the entrance as customers walk into the front door.
“This building was always a pharmacy,” said Clark. Originally it was called ‘Adobe Pharmacy & Drug.’ “When we went up to the attic space above the ceiling, we found the original (store window) sign and some display shelves.”
“I think, added Clark, that’s an indication that it was all meant to be.”
Clark and the rest of the staff all mentioned how much they all wanted and worked together to make sure the transition was as seamless as possible. And, yes! The weekly senior discount will continue and be every Tuesday, just as it was when Pharmaca was in business.
The landlord/building owner handed the keys to Garg on April 15. “We have been working nonstop for over 6 weeks to get everything ready,” said wife Pooja.
Like the new sign outside above facing the street says, Adobe Pharmacy is locally owned and locally loved.
“We have been feeling the love from the community, especially all this week and we appreciate it. We are here for you, the community,” she said.
Located at 303 West Napa Street, Adobe Pharmacy & Drugs is open Monday thru Friday 9: AM to 6;00 PM, and open on Saturday 9: AM to 2:00 PM. Closed on Sundays. Call 707-931-4454 for details.
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Meet the Best IVF Doctor in India: World Fertility Services' Expert Team
The best IVF Centre in India has the best IVF doctor in India. Only the best doctors can provide successful outcomes of fertility treatments. When infertility hits only fertility treatments help the couples have children. However, if their treatment is not performed by the top IVF doctors in India then it will be futile. The Best IVF Centre in India has the best IVF doctor in India. Only the best doctors can provide successful outcomes of fertility treatments. When infertility hits only fertility treatments help the couples have children. However, if their treatment is not performed by the top IVF doctors in India then it will be futile. The best IVF Centre in India makes sure only the IVF specialist in India will perform the treatment. This way the success rate will raise and there will be no chance of mistakes happening.
However, people should know IVF and other fertility treatments, if performed by nonexperts then they might give side effects on the body.
To know more about the best IVF Centre in India and the top doctors, people should read below:How to check infertility and the treatment for it?
To check the infertility the couples should first of all go to the best IVF clinic in India. At the best IVF hospital in India, there is the best infertility specialist in India.
The doctors here firstly will check the conditions of the body and then do any necessary tests. Only after these steps, they will be able to how severe or mild the infertility is.
Once you know the infertility level the IVF doctor in India will be ready to suggest fertility treatments to the people. There are many fertility treatments to cross out infertility. IVF is the number one and the most popular treatment right now.
Which is the best IVF Centre in India?
The best fertility clinic in India is obviously World Fertility Services. World Fertility Services is the Centre that has all the fertility treatments. This is known as the best fertility Centre for a reason. Because here all the services and the facilities are top-notch.
The techniques and technology are also advanced. Not to mention the advanced treatments for infertility.
The staff members are always polite to the patients. And the most important reason, the top IVF doctors in India here have high skills and methods.
The qualifications of those doctors are also high. These qualifications make sure to provide successful treatment to the patients.
What are the benefits of having treatments at the best IVF Centre in India?
The benefits of having treatment at World Fertility Services are many. The first benefit is obviously the successful treatment.
Nobody will be ready to have their treatment and use a large amount to pay only to receive negative results in the end. That is why having your treatments at the Best IVF hospitals in India is beneficial.
Next, the best Centre does not just provide success but also reasonable cost. No doctor here in this Centre will ask for an amount that is unreasonable for the treatment.
The next benefit is the special VIP services. If the patients want a room all for themselves, then they will receive this service though they will have to pay a little extra.
Who are the top 10 IVF doctors in India?
Here we are providing the list of the top 10 IVF doctors in India:
1. Dr. Bindu Garg –
She is one of the best infertility and IVF specialists. In her more than 30 years of experience, she has provided the best results to her patients. No patient has ever gone back with dissatisfaction.
2. Dr. Sulbha Arora –
She is a gynecologist and fertility specialist with 12+ years of experience. Not just that she has won many awards too. Other than that every patient of hers has given her a high rating.
3. Dr. Sushma Ved –
Dr. Sushma Ved has 13 years of experience. She is a professional embryologist and has given her services to both India and foreign countries.
4. Dr. Nutan Agrawal –
She has 37 years of experience. And she is a professional obstetrician and gynecologist. Almost in every subject of gynecology, she is an expert.
5. Dr Meenakshi Dua –
She is an expert gynecologist, obstetrician, and infertility specialist. With 19 years of service, she keeps sending her patient back with satisfaction.
6. Dr Shakti Bhan Khanna –
With 54 years of experience, she has become a senior consultant. Her expertise is in gynecologist and obstetrician. Her manners make the patients leave a good review.
7. Dr Richika Sahay Shukla –
She is an IVF specialist with 21 years of experience. Now her expertise has become as a consultant and endoscopic surgeon. Other than this she also has 10 years of experience in gynecology.
8. Dr. Neha Gupta –
She is an infertility expert and a Laparoscopic surgeon. She has many certificates in her 18 years of service.
9. Dr. Geeta Baruah –
She is a consultant with 25 years of experience. She is a gynecologist, infertility specialist, and laparoscopic surgeon, and obstetrician.
10. Dr Sreeja Rani VR –
She is a well-known obstetrician and a gynecologist with 24 years of experience. She is working with various institutions to nourish her knowledge.
What are the treatments at the best IVF Centre in India?
There are many fertility treatments at the Best IVF Centre in India. The first treatment is IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). In this treatment, the fertilization of the gametes happens outside the female body. In the test tube or a Petri dish this process happens.
The other treatment is IUI (Intrauterine Insemination). This is a treatment where the doctors wash and choose the sperm will high concentration to insert into the uterus.
ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is a treatment where the doctors select the sperm with high motility to directly insert into the egg.
SSR is another treatment for male infertility. When the male ejaculation does not produce sperm a minor surgery doctors can perform to retrieve the sperm.
What is the cost of the treatment at the best IVF Centre in India?
The cost of the treatments is important to know before the treatment start. Or else how will the couples know if it is affordable to them or not?
That is why the best IVF centre in India 2023 is here with the costs of every treatment. IVF cost in India is INR 1,50,000 to INR 2,00,000. ICSI cost is the same as the IVF cost in India.
IUI cost is less than IVF treatment cost in India. Surrogacy is around INR 15,00,000 to INR 25,00,000.
All these costs have affecting factors that can increase them.
#Best IVF Centre in India#best ivf doctor in India#top 10 ivf doctors in india#best infertility doctor in india
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River Castle – The IT place to invest in Naimisharanya
Naimisharanya, a town in Misrikh Tehsil in Sitapur District of Uttar Pradesh is known for its spiritual and religious significance. Naimisharanya is among the most revered religious tourism destinations for Hindus. There are many places of mythological and spiritual significance here such as Maa Lalita Devi temple, Chakra, Vyas Gaddi, Soot Gaddi and Hanuman Garhi among others. Lakhs of devotees visit this pilgrimage site every year, especially on the occasion of Navratri and 14 kosi Parikrama. If this already doesn’t seem to be a good reason to invest in farmland & other opportunities in Naimisharanya then read on to know more.
The state government has decided to develop Naimisharanya as Naimish Dham -a Vedic City just on the lines of Ayodhya and Kashi to promote religious tourism. This means that returns and income opportunities in days to come are certainly going to touch the sky in Naimisharanya. Rakesh Garg and his company ‘Invest with Rakesh Garg’ have carefully analysed this great opportunity. Working in the field of real estate for more than 10 years now, they have successfully catered to more than 10,000 investors. As their experience ranges from organic farming plots, cottages, restaurants, and residential and commercial plots, seeing this great opportunity in Naimisharnaya, they came up with the project ‘The River Castle’.
‘The River Castle’ is not just another high-end real estate project or a luxury resort or a wellness centre. This is the combination of three super-trending and growing industries. At The River Castle, the belief system to be followed will be in the cosmic nature of food, that is it is not only to settle your hunger pangs but the food is the center of life, food, or anna as prana itself. Thus, the idea of Bhoj Palace.
Investing in Bhoj Palace is one of the best decisions that one can make today, as this would not be just any other investment but an investment that would guarantee long-lasting returns. Now, you must have a very valid question -Why so?
The Bhoj Palace would not be like other fine dining restaurants, it will be our one-of-its-kind 700+ seated restaurant, where food will not just be our business, but, it will be our passion.
The Bhoj Palace is aimed to be the largest restaurant in the country covering 50,000 Sq. ft. One of the highlights of our restaurant will be its hi-tech kitchen spreading over 12,000 sq. ft. We will have it all at the envisioned newest culinary hotspot. The Bhoj Palace will have the best of award-winning chefs designing and executing delightful menus but, this place will not be restricted by just the menus, you may get anything that you want as our chefs will be catering to all your dietary and health needs. For any and everyone who loves food or enjoys a good meal at any time of the day, the Bhoj Palace will be the place. Chinese, Continental, Italian, our own Indian delicacy or any other delicacy of the world that you can think of, will be made available there.
Naimisharanya will be the next biggest rapidly growing destination, attracting a large number of tourists and pilgrims from all over the world which will lead to an increase in demand for high-quality accommodation, which is precisely what River Castle Booking will offer. With its state-of-the-art amenities and scenic surroundings, River Castle and the Bhoj Palace will surely be a hit among tourists and residents alike.
Diversify your portfolio... Real estate has historically been a reliable investment option, and investing in The River Castle Lucknow and/or the Bhoj Palace with Rakesh Garg is a safe bet. Investwithrakeshgarg has a proven track record of successful projects, and his experience and expertise in the field ensure that your investment is in safe hands. Investing in farmland in Naimisharanya is another promising opportunity. Farmland in
Naimisharanya is in high demand due to its fertile soil and favourable weather conditions. Agriculture is a major industry in the area, and investing in farmland can yield significant returns. Additionally, farmland in Naimisharanya is relatively affordable, making it an accessible investment option for a wide range of investors to yield not only profitability but also to enjoy sustainability.
This might be your chance to make investments that meet your goals and doesn’t even pinch your pockets as these will be secure, profitable and takes up minimal risk. Naimisharanya is a growing destination with great potential. Whether you are looking for a luxurious lifestyle or a profitable investment, River Castle and farmland in Naimisharanya are excellent options that you should consider. This is your chance to take advantage of growing India and to grow along with it. Visit To Our Website -
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The Gales pt 5
It seems that Jon, the heir of the Gale Family, will be having his first child soon! They also had a home remodel with the new class system. Aqua is now two classes systems higher than the rest of her family thanks to her early marriage.
They will be the beekeepers and fishers for now. For the most part their days have been peaceful.
Jon has no business looking that good. Hopefully he won't want to indulge in any more extramarital affairs. He is a knowledge sim after and I thought he would be faithful, but ACR might have other plans and he does have the irresistible trait.
In a few days the family welcomes baby Anil and baby Zeru.
Back at the main house the family eats a a meal together as Kindle focuses on making money. Since this family is bigger, Jon is allowing them to stay in the main house for now, but my plan is to have them switch homes once the kids start to move out, which is some years from now.
I like it when the family eats together. As of now, Ivy is the only daughter of the Gale family. The twin boys Sora and Luce will have to move out eventually and so will Marco. I think I will be sad when it's time to separate them. I love the Gales.
Kindle is working on building up the stock for their in home business. I love having the sun and moon weaving mod in my game. You can create so many things with it and I'm excited to start a business around it.
However, the crafting is halted due to an 'unknown illness' Oh boy. I though we were almost done with this.
They have a lot of spaces to fill up to make sure they can pay their taxes and I hope Kindle can keep up while she's pregnant and Tohru is working away from home. At least the kids are going to school now which is one less thing for her to worry about. We'll see how it goes.
Anil and Zeru meanwhile grow up into toddlers. Anil is good and a genius. Zeru is excitable and loves the heat.
In no time Aqua is pregnant again with their third child, while Kindle (Jon's mom) gives birth to his new siblings Lulu and April. Finally more girls!
Marco, having grown up into a teen recently, is helping with the childcare. He has the same hairstyle as Jon, but it looks so good on him that I don't want to change it. Marco is a romance sim and he's eccentric, absent-minded, clumsy, and a heavy sleeper.
I couldn't resist taking a picture of them together. Marco looks like he could be Jon's son instead of his little brother, lol.
Ivy is the next to grow up. She is a family sim and has the brave, insane, equestrian, and perfectionist trait.
Their new home has a lot more space for the kids, but with all of these sims....It can be a bit much to keep track of everyone. And sometimes I miss things.
Like Luce and Nettle Greenleaf sneaking into his parent's bedroom.
Sigh....the treason! ACR strikes again.
The girls have grown up. Lulu has the insane and loves the cold trait. April has the insane and absent-minded trait. These kids just keep getting the worse traits from their dad! I hate it! Kindle and Tohru have seven kids and four of them are insane! Garg!!
Anyway, that's enough for now. I'll see you all soon.
Until next time.
[Back to main]
[The Gale Family]
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Creative Goals and Progress (Nov. 21)
Adding projects now that will definitely be carrying over into December. Also, it’s holiday time, and for once we actually have a houseguest over for Thanksgiving, so I (mostly) only have time for work and hostessing until the weekend.
Fandom Stuff:
Fanfic Progress (Current projects: “There But For You Go I” chapter 5 and two (2) Gargoyles one-shots, titles TBD) Status: In Progress. The ball is still rolling, oh yeah!! I wrote what feels like a lot last week (word count indeterminate, though it’s not really that much, because I did my absolute favorite thing, which is to write in longhand first! One of the many reasons I’m such an appallingly slow writer, sometimes I like to write w/ a pencil and then edit as I type it, and then I edit the soft copy several times more, ahaha). I might be ready to declare a percentage on Garg Fic #1, but I also don’t want to jinx it… so I’m gonna hold off until I get the next big section written first.
NEW! Gift for Digimon Secret Santa. Status: Not Started. I’m doing Secret Santa this year, woohoo! Just got my person, starting to think about ideas :D
Personal Stuff:
Birthday card for friend’s kid Status: Done
Secret Personal Project (SPP) drawing Status: Done
Design xmas present(s) for family members Status: In Progress (no progress since last week). Argh, why am I doing this to myself?? I am stressing about this WAY too much, more stress than there will be appreciation of the final product, I’m sure :/
NEW! Paid work, first draft. Status: Not Started. Technically the draft needs to be done by the end of the month?! Somehow the creation cycle seems really short on this one, but I’m also only allowed to spend a few hours on the whole thing anyway, so it’s… fine? It’s fine *looks at the rest of the list, makes a face* 😬
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Sit Like a Girl - The Untold Stories by Prisha Garg
About the Author
Prisha Garg, a young writer, was encouraged, like every other ‘ready to fly" 14-year-old, to write on gender inequity in order to educate people who believe it isn't a big deal. She is a sister and a daughter who wants every girl to be treated equally as boys. She does not want women to have a higher position than men, but she wants both of them on equal footing. She met a lot of people her age, both younger and older, to talk about the difficulties they faced as a result of inequality in their life. She merged their unwritten stories into a single narrative. She wants this book to be a universal voice. She wishes for the world to be the way she desires.
About the Book
Sit Like a Girl" is a book about gender equality between both genders. It discusses how girls are just as capable as boys and that they should enjoy their independence. Let them open their wings and allow them to fly. People are more concerned about society’s mentality than their sisters, daughters, or mothers. This book is a voice that will tell society that tying the girl up is not the solution to the problem, but making her strong enough to break the chain is. When the chain is broken and no one can put it back together, we will know that the
women of the globe are ready to fight their war. This book is made up of 10 chapters that are categorised according to the challenges that every female faces when she considers her equal independence. This book is about ending gender inequity in every corner of the globe. The idea is to begin the remedy today, right now, rather than tomorrow. The book will answer society’s mentality that the hurricane has begun and we have drawn our sword, there will be no silence now.
Shop now from Amazon, Flipkart, and BlueRose Online.
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How to find the best fertility centre in India?
How to find the best fertility centre in India?
There are many ways to proceed once you feel that you have been able to achieve pregnancy.
How much do fertility treatments cost in India?
Fertility treatment costs vary greatly between healthcare facilities. While some hospital prices may seem reasonable, you should also know that fees are often not covered by insurance companies or government subsidies.
To avoid being surprised after spending hundreds of dollars or thousands of rupees on infertility treatments, learn about how these therapies can be offered at hospitals and clinics.
It is important to understand that just because a clinic has “in vitro” fertilization (IVF) procedures does not mean they offer top-quality care. Many smaller cities without adequate reproductive health resources have clinics that claim to provide high-tech IVF but actually use low-tech methods.
You might think that medical centers with extensive infrastructure and rich histories would give you confidence when you undergo IVF. However, research shows that those patients who received care at such institutions were no more likely to achieve pregnancy than those who had consignment visits for IVF at outpatient clinics.
Frequently asked questions about fertility treatments in India.
Find out everything you need to know before starting your treatment, by reaching out to local clinics near you.
Talk to their doctors about cost of medication as well as the procedure itself, which will also help you decide if the clinic is reputable or not.
If they don’t offer testing or procedures themselves, they may be able to get it for you at a nearby hospital or pharmacy.
Most pharmacies and hospitals that provide reproductive health services can test for female fecundity, but some may only test for anaphylaxis. [substeps] Anaphylaxis is a condition where there’s no reaction to pregnancy hormones so it’s usually used to determine infertility causes.
Some people prefer this method over blood tests because it is more accurate. You can also have your doctor administer a blood test himself/herself.
Is fertility treatment right for you? Do you have to travel to find a good fertility clinic?
If you are struggling with your weight, having children becomes much more difficult. Between dieting, hunger, cost and time spent working days), trying to get pregnant can be overwhelming.
There are also many people who struggle with infertility due to genetic diseases; such conditions affect not only the person but also their family as well. This is why I recommend that everyone should try to conceive at least once in their life.
It’s easy to become obsessed about finding another child or if you already have one to convince them that they need two. Or you can go and have three! It is very common to want multiple kids and IVF allows us to have plenty of them.
Some people argue that we live in a highly prosperous country where everything is new and cheap. But do we really deserve it all?
Are we paying enough attention to global warming and the decreasing quality of our water supply? Are we consuming too much meat? What can we do to change that?
Do we take better care of ourselves health wise?
The cost of IVF in Gurgaon is around 1 lakh to 3 lakh rupees. It depends on the type of treatment required for the patient. Consult for IVF Cost in Gurgaon.
Book your appointment at the best fertility centre in Gurgaon.
Dr Bindu Garg, Neelkanth IVF centre, Gurgaon.
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Riding On Ch7: Home, Sweet Home!
Summary: Frank and Fliss find their perfect family home, but there’s something bothering Mary.
Warnings: Bad Language words. Discussions about suicide. A little bit of angst.
Pairing: Frank Adler x Fliss Gallagher
A/N: This is a bit of an emotionally charged filler chapter…and we move time on a little through to June in the middle. And photos of the Adler house are included so you can visualise what I used for inspiration!
Chapter Song: Kill For A Dream by Beady Eye
Series Masterlist // WIYPT Masterlist
You’re giving it another try, staring at the deep blue sky, and you say to the driver just drive, coz you never felt so alive.
April 2019
“Hey honey, you ok?” Frank juggled his phone, pinning it between his ear and his shoulder as he leaned over his computer in the office, scanning the database on the screen for a filter part they needed to order.
“No, I mean yes! I’ve just heard some awesome news!”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah, so you remember the guy that bought the house that backs onto the yard when Old Man River died…”
“That wasn’t his name.” Frank chuckled “It was Mr Morris.”
“He called himself River, it was funny and suited him. Anyway, that’s not the point. You know the guy who bought it…guess what I found out before?”
Frank stopped what he was doing and straightened up. He didn’t like that dick, one bit. When Mr Morris had died at the start of the year, Fliss had been quite upset about the news as the old man had been very friendly to her, often popping in for a cup of tea a few afternoons a week for some company. Mr Morris’ son had sold the house without them even knowing it had gone on the market, which was a shame as it would have been perfect for them given the location. The guy who had bought it, Frank didn’t even know his name, nor did he care because he was a douchebag and a pervert to boot. The way he looked at Fliss made Frank want to punch his face in.
“What’s Douchey Mc Douchebag done now?”
“You’re so childish.” she scoffed “Anyway, I was only commenting to Joanne last night that we haven’t seen him for like a month and she went home and mentioned it to her dad who works with some other guy in the property development business and the long and short of it is he’s gone bankrupt Frank!”
Frank laughed loudly “Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy, babe!”
“I know right!” Fliss voice was gathering pace and pitch, the way it always did when she was excited. “So literally about half hour after she’s told me this, someone turns up and there’s a For Sale sign outside, the house is on the market!”
Ok now he was interested. Frank could picture the look of excitement on her face as she spoke to him and he felt the smile cross his face “No shit?”
“Yeah, I’ll send you the website to look at the photos but…oh God, it would be perfect! Some of it is really nice, some of it needs decorating but…”
“Ok, well, why don’t you call the realtor? Arrange a viewing” he said “Hopefully you won’t puke halfway round this one.”
“Ok, first off that wasn’t my fault. Bean objected to the smell. Who the fuck cooks eggs the day they know they have someone coming to view their house?” her indignant tone made Frank chuckle “And second off…”she paused “I already did. He said he can meet us at half 12.”
“Half 12? As in lunch time? Today?” Frank frowned.
“I know I just really don’t want to miss out on this one Frank, and you said you were gonna come up here for lunch and-”
“Ok, ok.” Frank sighed “I’ll shuffle some stuff around, work a little later tonight and take an extra half hour.”
“I love you.” she replied and he could hear the smile in her voice.
“Good job I love you too.” he said back gruffly “Because you’re a pain in my ass.”
He bid her goodbye and just as he was looking at the rota to make sure there were enough staff in to cope if he took a longer lunch, his phone beeped. He clicked through to the link Fliss had sent him and had a scan through the photos. To be fair the house didn’t look in too bad condition. It was deceptive from the outside, looked like a small farmhouse but they knew thanks to the extension Douchebag had put on the back it now formed an L shape and from the look of it, was pretty spacious. The kitchen was new, the main bathroom was new so the big work looked like it had been mostly done. The décor in some of the rooms was really old fashioned, especially the hallway you and the front reception room, but that was all cosmetic. What really grabbed him was the price. It was up for just over 320 thousand, which was a fucking steal considering the size, location, the garden and the garge/outhouse it came with.
“You ok Frank?”
He looked up and smiled as Alan, his boss walked in to the office. “Yeah, sorry, Fliss has found a house and managed to book a viewing for lunch time. Fucking 7th one in 2 weeks.”
Alan snorted “Keeping you on your toes I see?”
“Well I gotta say, this one’s looking pretty good. It’s the house that backs onto our Yard out in Pinellas Park.” Frank explained “It was sold not even 6 months ago to a developer and he’s apparently gone bankrupt so put it back on the market.”
“Huh.” Alan smiled “Sounds like it was meant to be. Take it you’re going then?”
“Yeah, Charlie and Gary are in all afternoon. I thought I could take an extra half hour, work it back tonight or…”
“Frank, when was the last time you actually took a full hour for your lunch and didn’t cut it short by 10 or 15?” Alan looked at him.
Frank hesitated “Yeah, but that’s-”
“No buts.” Alan shook his head. “Do what you gotta do.”
“Thanks Alan.” Frank smiled, “I appreciate it.”
Alan waved away his gratitude before he dropped into the chair on the opposite side of Frank’s small desk and gestured for Frank to sit down.
“I wanted to talk to you in person.” Alan said, “Before the news gets out. I’m looking at retiring Frank, fully this time.”
“That’s good news, for you I mean.” Frank smiled, taking his seat. “You must be happy?”
“Kinda bitter sweet.” he shrugged “But I hit 70 this year and bout time I let it all go. Bill’s already chomping at the bit to book damned fishing trips so...it’ll be nice to step back. But I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Shoot.”
“My son, James is going to be taking over, that won’t come as any surprise to you as you’ve seen him knocking around a bit and he likes you.”
“Good to know I’m not going to be out on my ass.” Frank smiled, breathing out a little.
“No, not a chance. I wouldn’t allow it.” Alan said “I’ll still be the owner, just stepping back from major decision making and day to day running. Anyway, the point is Frank, James needs a deputy. He is young and a little inexperienced. I’ve seen how quickly over the last year you’ve picked up rotas, staffing issues, dealt with the stock takes, haggled with the supply chain…I wondered if you’d consider it.”
Frank blinked “You wanna make me deputy manager?”
“In a word, yes. And I know you got your hands full at the moment and they’ll be even more full when that boy of yours arrives but the changes won’t come into effect until the end of the year so we got plenty of time to work out the details.”
“Wow, I err…” Frank shook his head “I don’t know what to say.”
“I don’t need an answer now.” Alan said, “Take some time to consider it. Talk it over with Fliss.”
“I will, I’ll give it some thought.”
“Ok, well, that’s all I dropped in for.” Alan said, standing up, groaning a little “Did you just hear my damned knees click?”
Frank laughed and shook his head “No, but to be honest mine click too so I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“Getting old sucks.” Alan said, shaking his head “I tell ya, the minute I can’t enjoy the simple things in life, put a bullet in my head.”
Frank snorted as Alan shot him a wink and left him to his thoughts.
*******
Frank glanced down at the wooden boards beneath his feet in the entrance hall. They were solid old wood, oak he thought, and with a clean and polish would look stunning. He looked up and saw Fliss talking animatedly to the realtor, a young man called David as he nodded and gestured to his left. Fliss opened the door and looked at Frank who followed her into the first reception room. It smelt musty, and there was an old sofa and threadbare carpet in the room but it was light and had a nice, airey feeling to it thanks to the large windows at the front of the house.
“New carpet and a bit of paint…” Frank mused nodding, “Be good as new.”
She nodded eagerly, her eyes shining a she looked around and nodded at the fire place “Really, in Florida?”
“It gets cold, as you know.” he teased “Besides, we just fill it with some of your million candles or whatever…”
She nudged him and they turned around, David watching them.
“So, you’re obviously in the older part of the house that hasn’t really been touched apart from upstairs.” he explained, “But if you follow me I’ll show you the extension which is all new and, well, to be honest, I think it’s stunning.”
The three of them moved back into the hall and through a door at the end which led into a huge open plan kitchen and living area. The kitchen was gorgeous. Sleek white units, modern appliances, marble tops, a huge breakfast bar. Douchebag had clearly spent a fortune doing this up. The floor was a light grey and white laminate which David pointed out was heavy wearing. To the left of the kitchen area was a huge space where Frank could clearly picture their sofas and TV, and then just off that was a door which led into another smaller reception room, freshly painted and carpeted. He was just pondering how they could turn that into a play room when Fliss gave a gasp and nudged Frank pointing to the large bay window at the back which had been converted into a seating nook of sorts. They made their way over and saw that the view extended right over their garden highlighting a small pool area which was surrounded by a low set of railings with a gate that were all painted a glossy black. The pool itself was sparklingly clean and clearly brand new.
“Oh wow… “ Fliss mumbled, looking at the sand stone tiles that surrounded the area and the rest of the garden.
“Yeah the rear garden loops in an L round the house” David said. “There’s a larger fence around this area to keep it private and separate from the land at the front that runs flush to the yard area.”
Frank’s hands dropping to her hips as he nodded to the right “Could extend that little patio area for a table and chairs, maybe build a brick BBQ. Couple of sun-loungers for that bit at the back of the pool.”
She nodded eagerly before they headed back into the hallway they’d entered into where the realtor showed them the little room that was to the right as you came in the door which held a number of shelves and coat hooks and a toilet and sink basin. They then headed up stairs to find 4 bedrooms. The master extended down the entire side of the house overlooking the main yard area of Sandybrook. It needed some work, the plaster and paint was peeling away in some areas, but Frank wasn’t worried at that. It was an easy job. What he was pleased to see was that the rest of it was in good condition. There was a brand new en-suite attached to it, housing a toilet, a huge shower and his and hers sinks. The room also had built in wardrobes and huge ceiling to floor bi-folding doors which opened up onto a small balcony. Douchebag had clearly been focussing on the big jobs first before he got into the cosmetics, which Frank had to give him credit for.
The main bathroom was in between the wall of their en-suite and the next bedroom, both situated at the back of the house over the extension and overlooking the fields belonging to the yard. The plaster was fresh in that bedroom but hadn’t been painted, again, not an issue, because Frank knew a certain little miss would be no doubt picking a colour as soon a she spotted this room.
“Bet Mary chooses this one.” Frank said, voicing his thoughts and Fliss nodded, smiling
“I would if the Master didn’t have that en-suite.” she grinned “Look at that view!”
“Yeah, who’d have thought you could work from home in the equestrian business” he chuckled as they then headed to the next bedroom on the opposite side of the landing. This was also rather large, but like the main part of the master bedroom, was clearly one of the original two bedrooms the house had and it needed some updating.
The 4th bedroom was a smaller one up a narrow set of stairs hidden by door in the hallway. It opened up into an attic room which tucked into the roof of the house.
The realtor then led them back down and the out to the outbuildings. There was a huge garage with a half- finished apartment of sorts above it that had been used as storage but could be easily a guest suite if they so wanted, and then the thing Frank had really loved was the workshop off the side of the garage, accessed by a small door. It was musty and full of crap but was somewhere for him to store all his tools and work on any side projects he decided to pick up.
All in all Frank was finding it pretty damned hard to pick faults in the place.
As they headed back to the main house and Frank asked David politely to give them a moment to look around alone and he nodded eagerly before Frank and Fliss headed back into the house.
“I’m getting good vibes Sailor.” Fliss said as she turned round, looking at the kitchen, once more heading over to the bay window seat, “really good vibes.” she spun back to him and he smiled at the look on her face. “I mean, ok, a few rooms need decorating and there’s some finishing off bits to do all over but it’s nothing that dad can’t help with and I’m sure-“
At that she stopped dead, and gave a little gasp as her hand flew to her bump.
“You ok?” Frank stepped forward.
“Yeah he’s…” she swallowed “Bean’s kicking, Frankie! Quick!”
He reached out with his hand and she took it, pressing it to the side of her bump. After a second or two he felt something wriggle a little under his palm and he looked at Fliss, his face cracking into an open mouthed smile as he felt his son move for the first time.
“Lissy…” he swallowed his eyes misting over. “That’s…oh my God!”
“You should feel it from my POV!” Fliss smiled her own eyes glassy too.
Frank didn’t want to take his hand away. Instead, he kept moving his palm, tracking their baby’s movements when eventually they stopped.
“I think that means BB likes the house.” Fliss looked at him.
Frank scoffed, shaking his head. “BB’s Momma likes the house.”
“Doesn’t his Daddy?” she asked, her hands sliding round his neck.
“Yeah, his Daddy does.” he replied honestly in a low voice as he looked around the large room. “In fact, I like it a lot.”
“You think Mary will?”
“Are you kidding?” Frank snorted “Soon as she sees that view and that pool, she’ll be packing to move in straight away.”
“Suppose there’s only one way to find out.” Fliss smiled.
So they did. They brought Mary back the next day after school. She had squealed at the window seat, yelled about the pool and as she had shot upstairs and headed into the bedroom Frank had predicted she would like, given a jump for joy as she realised from the upstairs she had a view over the tall picket fencing that shielded the private area of the garden.
“I can see Monty!” she gleefully pointed out before turning to Frank and looking at him then to Fliss, her hands on her hips “If you don’t buy this house you’re a pair of dumbasses.”
The same sentiment was echoed by Bill when he turned up fifteen minutes or so later and walked around with Frank whilst Fliss and Mary headed to feed the horses. He did exactly the same thing he had done when they had looked at the apartment, pointed out what they needed to do, how long it should take them to do, rough estimates of cost. Plus, he also reminded Frank they were in a great position. They could buy the place and then give his months’ notice on the apartment meaning they could stay where they were until it was finished.
So that was it. Decision made. The next morning they went in with a cheeky offer, some twenty thou below the asking price which was rejected instantly. Then they upped their offer by five…then an additional three to total eight, with the fact that they were cash buyers and not in a chain a huge bargaining chip.
It was later that evening, just after they had finished dinner when the realtor called back.
“Evening Mr Adler, ok so…I have spoken to the vendor. He says if you can up your offer by another two thousand then you’ve got a deal.” David spoke. At that, Frank let out a huge grin, as he looked out of the kitchen window at Mary and Fliss who were outside the apartment, both sat on a chair round the table. He and Fliss had both agreed they were prepared to go to the full asking price, in their mind it was worth it, but they were about to seal the deal here for ten thousand less.
“Ok, two thousand more.” Frank said, keeping his voice level “But the property comes off the market as we don’t want anyone else spotting it and offering him more before we exchange contracts.” he repeated word for word what Greg had instructed him to do when he had asked him to handle the conveyancing earlier that morning.
“Ok, so the offer on the table is Three-ten on the proviso he grants exclusivity…” David repeated. “Ok, leave it with me.”
Frank finished loading the dishwasher, and had just grabbed himself a beer when David called back not even five minutes later.
“Congratulations Mr Adler, you have a deal.”
He thanked him, and grinning ear to ear headed outside, jumping down the steps onto the lawn.
“What you looking so pleased about?” Fliss looked up at him suspiciously.
“David called… we’ve settled on three-ten plus exclusivity” he smiled
“What, you mean…” Fliss’ mouth fell open and Frank nodded.
“Yup, subject to contracts, the place is ours!”
Mary gave a loud cheer as Fliss jumped up and leapt at him as he smiled, wrapping her in his arms, swinging her up slightly.
“I can’t believe it…” she whispered. “Our own home!”
“I know” he beamed, setting her down as he gave her a quick peck. “I’ll call Greg in the morning. When I talked to him about it he said that with no loans involved it shouldn’t take too long. We could be looking a having the keys in a month.” His hands dropped to her hips, palms resting either side of where his son was growing “So plenty of time to do his nursery.”
Fliss grinned and using the arms that were round his neck pulled his face down to hers and pressed a fierce kiss to his mouth. “God I love you.” she mumbled.
“Love you too.” he grinned, kissing her again, ignoring Mary’s fake puking noises in the background.
*******
******
June 2019
“Mr Adler?"
Frank stopped as he had been striding over the yard to collect Mary and turned to see Mrs McCarthy, her teacher walking towards him.
"Hi." He smiled, removing his sunglasses so he could look her in the eyes.
"I'm so sorry to bother you"
"No bother at all." He assured her "is everything OK?"
Mrs McCarthy glanced over to where Mary was stood talking to her friend, Rosie, and turned back to him
"Yes...nothing too drastic but I wanted to make you aware about a little incident in class this afternoon"
Frank looked at her, blinking "incident?"
"Maybe that's the wrong word." The older, blonde woman said "Look, as you know next week it's the end of year Gala, the fundraiser and we invite the parents to join us for activities.”
Frank nodded, wishing the woman would get to the damned point. He was hot, dirty and bothered after an afternoon of helping the team on a particularly awkward repair and wanted nothing more than to stand under a cold shower for an hour and flop down outside with a beer.
"Well, one of the girls asked Mary if she was bringing her mom and if they were making anything for the bake sale and Mary rather bluntly told the girl her mother was dead and then clammed up. She didn't speak a word for the rest of the afternoon."
Frank felt his chest tighten as he looked over at Mary who was now giggling with Rosie and sighed
"She didn't do anything wrong" Mrs McCarthy pressed "I was just a little worried."
"OK...thanks for letting me know, I'll make sure she's ok." Frank assured her.
The woman nodded and headed back across the yard as Frank gave a sharp whistle and slid his aviators back onto his face. Mary looked up and said goodbye to Rosie and came wandering over as Frank waved to Rosie's mom who tossed a hand in greeting in response.
"I'm not Thor" she said, fixing Frank with a stare.
"I know but I couldn't be bothered walking over." He said honestly as they climbed into the truck
"You have a good day?"
"It was OK." She shrugged. Frank eyed her for a second before she pulled the car away from the kerb and set off down the road.
"What's for dinner." Mary asked.
"Steak, baked potatoes and salad." He replies "Fliss' choice."
"Are you grilling?" Mary asked.
"Yup." He nodded
"Cool." Mary nodded "Can I go in the pool before?"
"Got any homework?" Frank countered with another question as he looked at her. Mary shook her head
“End of year next week and Uni didn't give me any summer work."
"Then yeah, of course you can.”
Frank didn't raise the so called incident, deciding to let her chill out a little bit at home first and digest how she felt. After 20 minutes or so of general chat Frank pulled up their driveway and stopped the truck next to Fliss' truck. As they hopped out Mary glanced across the garden over the smaller part of the fence where she could just see Fliss walking across the yard.
"Please can I go see Monty?" She looked at Frank and he nodded.
"I'll watch you." He agreed. With a grin she sprinted over the lawn, climbed over the fence and dropped over onto the other side. Thor gave a bark and Fliss turned round and smiled at her, before she waved at Frank. He waved back before he headed down the side of the house, through the gate in the larger fence before he unlocked the back door and stepped inside the cool air conditioned kitchen, kicking off his shoes and heading straight to the fridge for a beer. Draining half in one he stood, looking around and smiling. They’d finally unpacked the last box yesterday evening and Fliss was still in the process of moving things around their new home, positioning them where she wanted them.
True to Greg’s word, they’d had the keys to the house 4 and a half weeks after making the offer, and 2 weeks post that once the bedrooms and hall had been decorated with a lot of help from Bill, Verity and Roberta (who had been happy for them yet still cried her eyes out when they’d left the park, despite the fact they had assured her they would still come visit and she could also come stay with them too) they’d moved in. The only thing left to do was the reception room (which could wait, it was easy to just shut the door and pretend it didn’t exist) and Bean’s nursery, which he, Fliss and Mary had decided to do together as a project. Mary and Fliss had spent nights pouring over Pinterest for ideas and they’d finally settled on a scheme. Frank had picked up all the plastering supplies and the paint, the furniture was on order and should be arriving at any time that week now he thought about it…so hopefully that weekend they could get cracking. That might cheer Mary up now he thought about it.
Taking his beer with him, he picked up his boots and took them to the cloakroom/bathroom by the stairs. He trudged up the steps, shaking his head at Fred who was led at the top, his paws hanging over the edge of the step as he eyed Frank.
"You're gonna cause a fucking accident." He looked at the ginger cat who merely swished his tail in response. Frank headed into their bedroom, stripping off as he went, walking straight into the en-suite, turning on the shower, setting his beer down on the edge of the sink unit. He stepped in and under the stream of cool water, closing the screen behind him, his mind still on Mary and how he was going to bring up what her teacher has said. With a groan he opened the door, reached out of the cubicle for his beer, took another gulp before he set about washing the grime of the day away.
*****
"Have you finished grooming him?" Fliss asked, standing in the doorway to Monty's stable. Mary glanced over from where she had been brushing through his white tail and nodded.
"Wanna take him to the paddock?" Fliss smiled. "Cap and Bronson are waiting for their little pal."
"Sure." Mary shrugged and Fliss frowned a little at her demeanour. She was quiet, which was unlike her when she was round the horses. She was normally full of excitement.
"You OK?" She asked and Mary nodded.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"You seem quiet, that's all."
"No, I'm good." She shrugged, before she tossed her brush into the little grooming box she had, closing the lid and passing it to Fliss. Fliss placed the box into the larger wooden one outside the stable before Mary put Monty's halter on and led him out of his stall. Fliss allowed them to walk ahead, her hand on her bump as she followed them out of the yard and down the little path to the gate that led to the paddocks. They reached the one were Monty was going and undoing the gate, Mary led him in. The white pony stood patiently for her to take his halter off before he stuck his nose into the crook of her neck and shoulder. Fliss smiled as Mary gently stroked his neck and then to her utter horror she saw Mary’s shoulders begin to shake as the girl started to cry.
"Hey, Mary..." she soothed, stepping forward as the small girl turned to her, wrapping her arms around her as best she could, pressing her face into her bump "Oh baby what's wrong?"
Mary didn’t reply, instead she continued to sob and Fliss felt powerless to do anything other than wrap her arms around her, one hand resting on her head, the other between her shoulders.
“Something happened at School…” Mary whispered and Fliss gently tipped her head up to look at her. “Someone said something and…”
“Ok, how about we go back to the office and you can tell me all about it ok?”
Mary nodded, sniffing as her sobs died down. Fliss held out her hand and Mary took it and together they headed back down to the yard. Joanne looked at Mary who was hiccupping slightly with her sobs and frowned but Fliss shook her head.
“Can you feed the top barn for me and then you can go.” she said to Jo who nodded. “I’ll lock up.”
“Sure, see you tomorrow. Bye Mary.” she smiled. Mary looked at her and gave a small wave before Fliss led her into the office. She grabbed them both an apple juice from the fridge and then Mary sat on the chair at the end of the desk, wiping her eyes with a tissue that Fliss handed her from the box.
“You ready to talk?”
Mary nodded, and then she stood up and walked over to Fliss who made room for her to clamber up onto her lap. It was a bit awkward but after a little shifting around they found a way she could sit unobstructed by Boston Bean and Mary lay her head against Fliss’ shoulder.
“It was about the gala.” she said gently “One of them asked me if my mom was coming and…”
“Oh sweetie.” Fliss sighed, rubbing her back. “I get that must have been hard.”
Mary shrugged “I told them she was dead.” she said matter of factly “I get that and I never knew my mom so I don’t miss her as a person…but then I started to think about why she died and I don’t understand.”
“Understand what?”
“Why?” Mary looked at her. “Why would she do what she did when she had me? Why did she want to leave me behind?”
Fliss took a deep breath and cradled the girl as best she could, trying to think of a way to explain to which Mary could relate, and then it came to her, she could use her own experience here. There was no getting around the fact this was going to be a heave conversation, but Mary was a smart kid and deserved to be treated as such.
With another deep inhale, Fliss looked down at her, kissing her head before she opened rather bluntly "You know I tried to kill myself."
"You did?" Mary pulled back to look up at her "Why?"
"Because I saw it as my only way out." Fliss said gently, smoothing her hair back. "I was stuck in an awful situation. My ex-husband hurt me physically and mentally and I gave up. I wanted out."
Mary remained silent and looked at her.
"For someone to get to that point...they have to have hit rock bottom. Like there is nowhere to go. It's not their fault. And it doesn't mean they don't love the people they leave behind just that they're desperate to escape whatever pain they feel, be it in their head or their body or both."
"But I still don't understand." Mary shook her head.
"And you may never, not fully." Fliss said gently "And as horrible as it is that's something you are gonna have to live with but you have to remember that your mom was sick. And for whatever reason she saw this as her only escape. It wasn't Evelyn's fault, it wasn't Frank's fault and it certainly wasn't yours."
"But if she loved me like Frank says she did..."
"You think I don't love my mum? Or Bill? Or Steve?"
Mary blinked before she lay her head back against Fliss' shoulder. "Yeah"
"But I was still gonna leave them behind." Fliss sighed "I was desperate. And you wanna know the real stupid thing?"
"What?"
"When I got better I still went back. I went back to a real toxic environment and a man that abused me. Because I felt like it was what I deserved. And even though I left him way before I met you and Frank, it wasn't until me and Frank started dating that I really understood I wasn't to blame. I always thought I did something to make him hurt me but I didn't. Being with Frank, the way he treats me and loves me made me see that it was him with the problem, not me.”
"But that's different" Mary glanced up
"The trigger was, yes." Fliss nodded "But your mom, like me, was in a position so helpless, so unbelievably sad that she thought she was to blame and that the world, including you, would be better off without her even though she was so wrong."
****
Once showered and dried, Frank dressed in a pair of shorts and clean T-shirt before he headed back downstairs. There was no sign of Fliss or Mary but as he strode out into the garden he heard a car heading down the drive by the side of the house from the yard and correctly assumed it was Joanne leaving for the day. He opened the gate and just saw the tail of her car turn onto the main road as he headed into the garage for the charcoal to light the BBQ.
Once that was done, leaving the flames to die down he headed out across the lawn, vaulting over the small fence onto the yard. He headed round the barn and frowned as he couldn't see anyone. After a quick look round he spotted the door to Fliss' office was closed. He went to open it but stopped as he could hear the sound of voices. It was Mary and Fliss but he could tell from the pitch and stutters in Mary's that she was upset. He paused, hand hovering over the handle as he heard Fliss speaking to her softly.
"Stack, you are so loved. Frank loves you, I love you, Nanny V, Poppa Bill, Uncle Steeby, Roberta, Evelyn...Thor, Fred and Monty..." she paused "You're such a special little girl and I know I'm not your mom but...I feel like I am."
"You do?"
"I'd do anything to keep you safe and happy. And so would Frank"
They both fell silent and Frank swallowed, the lump in his throat almost choking him.
"Don't ever feel like we don't" Fliss continued "and if I have to bake 200 fucking cookies for your Gala next week to prove it then I will."
Mary giggles "You know Bean can hear you swearing."
"Well I won't tell Frank if you don't"
"Do you think Frank feels like my dad?" Mary asked a moment later and at that point Frank really wanted to walk away. He couldn't listen to this, he didn't want to listen to this...but something kept him rooted to the spot.
"I know he does." Fliss replied.
"But he doesn't like it when people say it. I know that, I heard him talking to you. Bill’s not your real dad but you still say he is…."
“That’s slightly different sweetheart.” Fliss sighed "My real dad left my mom before I was born, so when he died…I didn’t even know him and I don’t care that I didn’t either. But your mom was Frank's sister. He wants to make sure you remember her, understand who she was. He could have easily just pretended to be your dad all this time, you would never have known any different but he didn't. Because he loves you and your mom too much. He's too honest and it’s important to him that you understand. But that doesn't mean he doesn't love you like he is your dad, or that you can't love him like he is."
Frank turned away from the door, looking up at the sky and taking a deep shuddering breath. Fuck, this was hard to hear. He knew Mary had been upset before but the thought that it ran this deep was killing me. Wiping at his face, his hands then dropped to his hips and he looked down at his sneakers before he turned to the door, reaching for the handle but once more pausing as he couldn’t face interrupting them, not whilst they were in the middle of a moment.
“I suppose that makes sense.” Mary continued “And I do love him like he is. And I love you like you’re my mom too.”
“Well that’s all that matters.” Fliss replied “It may be unconventional but we’re a family, and that’s the main thing huh?”
“Yeah, you’re right. Thanks Lissy.” Mary spoke.
“You’re welcome Stack” Lissy’s voice was soft and there was a pause as Frank could picture the pair of them hugging.
“Hey, did you now I’m going to be doing all the money stuff for the bake stall?” Mary’s voice was suddenly up beat as she switched topic “Because I’m good at maths they said I could be in charge of payments and handing people their change and stuff.”
“Nice work kiddo.” Fliss smiled, “Tell you what, we’ll put Nanny V on the case, her baking is way better than mine. We can get her over one night next week whilst Pops is helping Frank with the plastering in the nursery.”
Ok, that was it, safe to enter without interrupting anything. Frank gave a little knock and then opened the door, fixing a smile on his face.
“Hope I haven’t interrupted any girl talk” he smiled and Mary jumped up and ran to him, giving him a hug. He looked at Fliss who wiped her eyes.
“Ok?” he mouthed at her and she nodded back, her lips moving silently as she replied.
“Tell you later.”
“BBQ is lit.” Frank said, looking down at Mary “You still wanna play in the pool?”
She nodded and grinned. “Yeah.”
“Sounds like a great idea.” Fliss grinned “Let’s lock up and head home…oh wait, we don’t need to head home because…”
“We’re already there!” Mary grinned, and then she spun round to see Fred peering round the door. “Hey, look who came to visit!”
“Bout time he earned his keep.” Frank grumbled “Go catch some mice.”
Fred stalked past him into the office, looked around, before he sauntered back out, clearly not interested.
“He’s a lover not a killer Frank.” Mary grinned, as Frank watched the cat walk off into the evening sun.
The three of them locked up before they headed back to the house and Mary shot upstairs to get changed.
“So, how much did you hear?” Fliss turned to Frank as he pulled a beer from the fridge along with a bottle of water, sliding it over to her.
“Enough.” he sighed “Her teacher collared me before. Said that one of the kids had asked about her mom in class and she’d gotten upset.”
“She asked me why Diane did what she did.” Fliss sighed, “Why she left her behind if she loved her so much.”
Frank swallowed. “What did you say?”
“I explained about why I tried to kill myself.” Fliss shrugged “Told her about the desperation I felt…but that didn’t mean that I didn’t love my family just that I saw it as my only way out. I know it was heavy and maybe not really the right thing to do but...”
She was cut off as Frank stepped forward, taking her face in his hands as he kissed her, hard. It took her a moment to catch up but once she did she melted into him, her mouth opening to grant him access as he ran his tongue along her bottom lip.
“Thank you.” he said gently as he pulled away, his hands still cupping her face.
“What for?” Fliss asked, reaching up to gently wrap her fingers around his wrists.
“For loving her as much as you do.” he said simply “for loving us both as much as you do.”
“Oh Sailor.” Fliss’ eyes brimmed with tears “How could I not?”
*****
Frank didn’t sleep particularly well that night. Mary’s conversation with Fliss was running through his brain and every time he drifted off he would wake about an hour or so later, fresh worries and concerns running through his mind. In the end, at just before 5 am he gave up and climbed out of bed. He grabbed a T-shirt and a pair of sweats and putting them on he headed downstairs. He flipped on the TV in the hope the early morning new would distract him, but it didn’t.
It was clear to him that Mary was struggling with where she was going to fit in the family dynamic. He hadn’t really worried much up to that point, being convinced by Fliss that if they kept her involved with stuff to do with Bean she would be ok but this went much deeper than the fact they were expecting a baby.
He’d be lying if he said the thought of him claiming to be Mary’s Father had never entered his mind. It would have been a lot easier but out of loyalty and love to Diane he had wanted to make sure she knew about her mother, and understood the truth because in the end, a lie would always come round to bite you on the ass. It wasn’t that he had a problem with people assuming he was Mary’s father but…
God what a fucking mess.
“Hey…” a soft voice drew him from his thoughts and he looked up to see Fliss stood in the doorway, his T-shirt she was wearing now hardly covered the top of her thighs thanks to her Bean bump.
“Sorry beautiful, did I wake you?” he asked.
“No.” she shook her head, dropping down next to him. “I got up to pee and you were gone.”
“Couldn’t sleep.” he shrugged.
“What’s wrong handsome?” she lay her head on his shoulder and he took a deep breath.
“Just thinking about Mary that’s all.” he shrugged. “She’s always asked questions about Diane but not like that.”
“She’s getting older Frank.” Fliss said, her hand reaching out for his as she began to play with his fingers “She’s bound to start thinking about things differently. She was ok last night after she talked to me, and then later you when you tucked her in. She doesn’t keep her feelings bottled up, and that’s good. It’s a testament to you that she feels like she can talk to us about things.”
“I know.” Frank looked down at her, kissing her head “I guess I just worry Lissy, worry about how she’s gonna feel when Bean is here and he’s calling us mom and dad and she doesn’t.”
“Frank.” Fliss sighed as she sat up straight. “Mary knows we love her. And what she calls us doesn’t change a damned thing. You’re worrying unduly now. We can’t do anything about that other than-“
“Yes, yes we could.” Frank looked at her. Fliss took a deep breath as his eyes locked onto hers, instantly understanding.
“I thought you said you’d never even consider adopting her?”
“I never thought I would.” he shrugged. “But it’s been playing on my mind after what mother said and then after last night…”
“Why? What did Evelyn say?” Fliss asked.
“When she was here last, she told me that Diane’s memory wouldn’t suddenly fade if Mary called me dad…” he licked his lips “It was almost like she was giving me permission to do it…you know? Not that I need it or really give a shit what she thinks.” he paused, taking a deep breath “If I’m totally honest Diane isn’t the only reason I said I didn’t want to. I just never thought of myself as being dad material. I was such a screw up until I met you and I thought that by staying as her Uncle, it would give her that distance, you know?”
“Not dad material?” Fliss looked at him, shaking her head “Oh Frank, you idiot. You’ve done an amazing job with her…and you will do with Bean too.”
He smiled at her, sniffing slightly as she continued.
“But there is one person who’s opinion counts most here.” Fliss said gently “And that’s Mary. If you’re serious then you should ask her if it’s what she wants. Because after 9 years of calling you Frank…”
“I know.” Frank agreed, “And I agree, completely. It would have to be her decision. But at least if I ask her if she would like us to then-“
“Us?” Fliss looked at him, blinking. “You mean you want me to?”
“Of course I do.” Frank nodded, before he frowned slightly “But if that isn’t what you want, I understand. It’s a big-“
Fliss cut him off by pressing a kiss to his lips “Of course I do Frank. I love Mary like she is my own anyway so…”
Frank beamed at her and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her head. “So, we’re agreed. We ask her?”
Fliss nodded and pulled back, her hand resting on his cheek. “We ask her.”
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Be honest with this. Do I come across as abrasive? Annoying? Too forceful? I don’t get why but when I feel like I just can’t hold things together. Whenever I feel that I have a steady relation to a friend, offline and online, something just happens or I say something stupid because my brain loses all common sense and that person loses contact with me. I don’t want that to happen here. I feel safe here with this little community you‘ve got going on this site. So be honest with your answer.
Apologies in advance if this comes off as rude, but here we go.
In all honesty, the frequent Garg asks are getting kind of annoying. I've neither played Subnautica nor have any interest in doing so, but not yet to the point where I have a physically averse reaction to it like with Dark Souls or Undertale or Fate/Stay-whatever-it's-called (because meatspace friends literally wouldn't stop telling me to play it or watch the anime until it gave me actual headaches).
I get a lot of Monster Hunter asks too, and also haven't played those, but the MH asks are spread enough apart where I might still have some interest in trying it out (like, MHS2 is like Monster Rancher or something and you get a baby Rathalos? That sounds fun!). But Subnautica was already in the "meh" corner of my mind because I already know oceans are big and mysterious and scary as hell, and the survival aspects don't grab my interest at all.
The OC asks started out kinda interesting (lone survivor with a crazy Titan on the loose) but quickly the guy seemed more bored with it than anything, the terminology told me less than nothing, suddenly he's a werewolf?! It felt more confusing than anything, and one should NEVER be confused when werewolves are involved!
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