Yay, finally get to update the ''front-sheet' description with a character at long last, and a proper picture too. And think I'll actually be able to put a proper synopsis up without the risk of spoilering things within the next few chapters too! Reviews and/or theories (whilst you still don't know) always welcome! ENJOY...

6. Diversionary Tactics

2nd April 2015

8.42am

"Hey, Nance." John-Paul said sounding surprised, as he walked in to the staff room "I thought I'd be the first one in today. Well apart from Gregor obviously."

"Yeah well Darren said he'd drop Oscar off at nursery this morning so I thought I'd get an early start. I really want to get as much of my marking done as possible today, so I've been in since just after half seven."

"Wow – I didn't even know the school was open that early?"

"Yes it is, just – Gregor starts at 7.30." Nancy replied, "Of course, the only problem with early starts is they mean early breakfasts," she continued, "I've had to come here for seconds – I'm starving," she said, indicating the microwave that John-Paul now realised was on and spinning. "Luckily I found one of those porridge sachets in my desk, or it would have to have been a chocolate bar from the vending machine, and I think I'll probably need that later if the state of the year 10 work I've read so far is anything to go by. Do you want one?" she said, pointing at the cup on the counter beside her.

"Oh yes please," John-Paul replied, as Nancy flicked the kettle switch to on.

"Tea, coffee?" Nancy asked

"Coffee please, I'll do it though," he said, walking over to where Nancy had just opened the cupboard to get a cup out for him.

"Thanks" he said, as she handed it to him and then the coffee and a teaspoon too. "So," he said remembering his promise to Mercy and diving straight in to the plan he had formulated, "has Oscar come down from the chocolate high yet?"

"Just about," Nancy said smiling. "Honestly I had no idea they'd have that many chocolate eggs there. I was thinking it'd be one each, two at the most. But I think he had about seven by the end. He wasn't sick though – he's obviously inherited his mother's tolerance to huge amounts of chocolate. How about Matthew?"

"Well he wasn't sick but he did say he had a bit of a tummy ache when we got home. Didn't put him off though – he asked me if they were going to have another Easter Egg party when I took him in yesterday. Oh that reminds me, I knew what I meant to ask you, erm - is Frankie alright?"

"What?" Nancy asked, knocked off kilter by the question and desperately trying to gain a few moments more thinking time, and even more desperately hoping the conversation wouldn't go down the route she feared it might.

"Well it's just, I thought it was a bit odd that she wasn't there on Tuesday, and then Mercy said that she'd gone away and I thought that the timing was a bit strange. I mean, Frankie never normally misses any of the nursery events does she? She is alright isn't she?"

"Erm," was the only thing Nancy could manage as she desperately tried to make her brain come up with something other than swear words. "Erm, yes she's OK, well apart from her essential Frankie-ness obviously," she continued. Before, suddenly, and just in the nick of time – inspiration. "And, anyway she hasn't really missed much, Darren took loads of photos on Tuesday and I'm sure he said he'd already sent the best ones for her to see. Ooohh, and he took some really cute video on his phone of Oscar and Matthew, before we arrived as well, and she's seen that too. And actually, d'uh," she continued, "I can send it to you as well if you like cos he's sent it to me as well."

"Oh yeah, that'd be great" John-Paul answered, "I took some photos but it's always nice to have some moving footage too, isn't it? I don't know why but I always forget I can do it on my phone – stupid really,"

"Right, well, I'll just sort out breakfast number two" Nancy said opening the microwave door, "whilst you make your coffee, 'cos I think the kettle's boiled now" she continued, looking over at it steaming, "and then I'll send it on to you. OK?"

"Yeah, yeah," John-Paul agreed as he poured boiling water into his cup, all thoughts of Frankie and promises to Mercy driven from his mind, "that'd be great, thanks."

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12.02pm

"That was really good!" Darren stated.

"Yes, I don't know where it came from." Nancy replied, "I couldn't think what to say and then, suddenly - bing. And it meant I didn't have lie to him either," she finished, the relief evident in her voice.

"And he didn't say anything about Frankie again?" Darren asked.

"No, no – as soon as I showed him the footage I think she was the last thing on his mind, thank god! Because seriously Darren I don't know what I'd have done if he'd kept on asking questions."

"Well we don't need to worry about that for now, do we?" Darren tried to reassure her.

"No, not with John-Paul, for the moment. Especially because with any luck by the time Frankie's back he'll be off on holiday with Matthew." Nancy admitted, "But there's still motor-mouth to consider!"

"Motor-mouth?" Darren asked, the puzzlement evident on his face as well as in his tone of voice.

"Ttt, Mercedes!" Nancy replied, as if it was the most obvious thing on earth. "John-Paul said that she'd been wondering about where Frankie's been and I can't see her being fobbed off by some cute photos of Matthew, can you?"

"Oh jeez," Darren said, "so what are we meant to do then?"

"I don't know. When's she next in?"

"Well, she was meant to start at 12 so," Darren said, looking at his watch, "I expect she'll be in in about ten minutes."

"Right, OK. Urm…well that gives us a bit of time at least. John-Paul's up to his eyes in marking so he won't be speaking to her anytime soon, so she won't be putting any more ideas about Frankie into his head for a while.

"Yes," Darren said, "but presumably they will speak at some point – and if she's as interested as you say, she's going to ask him about it isn't she. What happens then?"

"I don't know," Nancy replied, "I suppose we'll just have to hope something happens in the meantime to take her mind off it."

"Ttt, and how like.." Darren began.

"Unless…" Nancy continued, talking over him, "unless WE GIVE her something else to think about."

"What?"

"Well, she's all hot and bothered about Frankie's disappearing act at the moment, right?"

"Rrright." Darren repeated uncertainly.

"So, we'll give her something else to gossip about."

"What? How?"

"How do you think, Darren?" Nancy asked. "What is it that Mercedes gets off on?" She paused for a few moments before, noticing the confused look on his face, answering her own question. "Other people's misery!"

"I'm not sure that's qui.."

"Well, conflict then," Nancy conceded, "she thrives on it. She's never happier than when she's watching people tear strips off each other. Well," she continued, noticing the expression on Darren's face, "that might be a bit of an exaggeration but you know what I mean. She does love a good argument, right?"

"Right, sooo…"

"So, we give her a good argument, or arguments – tonight," Nancy stated. "I'll keep John-Paul at the school until she's started her shift tonight, when's that 6?" Darren nodded. "It shouldn't be too hard because I know he wants to get most of his marking done today so he can go on holiday without feeling too guilty, and Carmel's picking up Matthew and Katherine-Angel tonight. And then, when I get back we can put on one of our best shows – give her so much to gossip about that Frankie will be the last thing on her mind."

"Fake fights?" Darren said, smiling "yeah, think I can manage that. Just as long as the making up part isn't fake too."

"Idiot!" Nancy said affectionately, returning his smile. "Right, I'd better get back, I told John-Paul I was only popping out to get a bit of lunch to bring back, and I really don't want him coming to look for me. So I'll see you later then," she finished, before leaning over the bar to give him a kiss.

"Yep, bye," Darren said, watching her walk over to the door before returning his attention to the paper he'd been reading before Nancy came in. Only to be startled a few seconds later by the door of the pub crashing open again, and a seemingly furious Nancy shouting across at him.

"And if you think you're getting your own way on this then you've got another thing coming!" before storming off, and letting the pub door crash behind her. He stood bewildered for a few moments before everything became clear as Mercedes walked in, looking curiously after Nancy as she marched off towards the village, then turned to Darren and asked.

"What's rattled her cage?"

"That's none of your business," Darren snapped, before turning away for just a moment because he needed to hide his smile, 'she really is brilliant', he thought. Before turning back and continuing in the same annoyed tone of voice, "And what time do you call this? You're meant to start work at 12 o'clock, not just waltz in when you feel like it. You'll have to make the time up!"

"Ok, ok," Mercedes said, "keep your wig on! It's not my fault you and Nancy are having a domestic!"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

11.16pm

"Where you going?" Mercedes demanded of John-Paul as she walked through the front door and spotted him heading up the stairs.

"Erm…bed." He answered, stopping to turn round and look at her as if she was simple. "Where else?"

"Oh…don't you feel like staying up and talking to your favourite sister for a bit?"

"Well, if she was here I might, but as Carmel's at Sonny's it's a moot point."

"Oh John-Paul, please – I'm wide awake now and I don't want to sit down here on my own like a billy-no-mates."

"Mercy, I've spent nearly twelve hours in school marking god knows how many pieces of work, most of which weren't as good as they could have been, its nearly half past eleven already and no doubt Matthew is going to wake up at stupid o'clock tomorrow because it's a bank holiday and we could have a lie-in without worrying. So, surprisingly enough helping you with your loneliness isn't high on my priority list! If you're so wide awake there's a pile of ironing there that needs doing and the oven looks like it hasn't been cleaned since it was fitted. I'm going to bed!" he concluded firmly, and started up the stairs again.

"What's up with D0arren and Nancy?" Mercedes asked, in an attempt to pique his interest and keep him talking.

"What?" John-Paul asked, partially fulfilling her wish by reversing down the stairs so that he could see her.

"Well something's up," Mercedes said, "they were going at it hammer and tongs today. Had a slanging match behind the bar and everything. She ended up pouring Ziggy's pint over him, which did not go down well – with Darren or Ziggy. So, did she say anything to you, cos she was mad at him when I went in at lunchtime too?"

"No, no," John-Paul, replied thoughtfully, "she didn't say anything this afternoon. Although, now you come to mention it she was a bit off this afternoon. I mean not with me or anything, but yeah I suppose she did seem angry or upset or something. But like I said she didn't say anything."

"Well, you're going to have to ask her?"

"Oh no, no!" John-Paul stated flatly. "I'm not going to get involved – I've had enough relationship dramas of my own without asking to be pulled into someone else's."

"Oh – please!"

"No, not a chance!"

"But John-Paul, please, how else am I meant to find out what's going on?"

"Don't know, don't care." John-Paul replied, continuing "I'm going to bed" and setting off up the stairs again.

"But John-Paul, ple…"

"Night Mercy," John-Paul called pointedly down the stairs, and a moment later she heard the bathroom door close.

"Dammit," she said out loud to herself. "Fine," she continued, "I'll just have to find out for myself, won't I?"