For Project PULL!

Plot Thing-Bob: So, I'll be incorporating a few things from Angel, like the idea of the Gen 77's, and my theory on an evil overlord who is in charge of everything and everyone on both sides. But we will NOT be seeing Fang's flock, nor will the Doomsday Group be making an appearance. So, if you haven't read the book yet, you won't spoil anything by reading this, too.

Curse Alert: Yeah, swears again. (I did warn you, though.)

The theme song for this chapter is "Call Me" by Shinedown. (It's beautiful, go listen to it now!)

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Indescribable

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Rated T for language and violence.

They were together, again, and they didn't have any plans to be separated any time soon. She was back to hearing voices. He started to mimic once again. She found her voice, and she wasn't afraid to use it. In remembering how to see, he gained a voice of his own. She got her Voice back, and wasn't afraid to take charge. His voice kept her steady, and he reminded her to listen to those she looked after.

Those who had torn them apart—the ones who'd scorned them—are in for a brutal surprise. Their experiments are back, and ready to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. But, in the test of faith and endurance, can the rebels weather the storm?

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Chapter Eight: Phone Tag

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

It was quiet after that, and I found myself giving in to blissful unconsciousness. But as I fell deeper and deeper into the black, I could have sworn I felt a pair of lips brush up against my fingertips…

I chocked it up to an active imagination.

Friday, November 26th, 2010

Jeb nearly jumped out of his skin when his phone began to ring.

He'd fallen asleep at his computer, watching the latest news reports of the flock's battle at the Dallas stadium. He needed to see what the world knew, or what they thought they knew, about his talented young experiments.

"Hello?" he answered, nearly dropping the cell as he brought it to his ear.

"You took him to a football game?"

"Hello, Phoebe." Jeb leaned back in his office chair, passing a hand over his face. This is going to be good.

"Jeb, they were on national TELEVISION. Just WHAT were you thinking? You know I'm going to get hell about this! What do you think Anne or the Director will say? I could lose my job! Jeb, they could go after my sister!"

"I know, I know," he sighed, looking out the window at the building across the street. Its windows were reflective, and only showed a mirror image of this office building. "But you know that those kids deserve—"

"Did you know that they were safer when they were split up? Jeb…" On the other end of the line, Fang's pseudo-mother's voice broke. "We split them up so they could have a second chance at being normal. So they could have a second chance at life. And you brought them all here, got them all together—don't tell me you didn't have any hand in this, Jeb, I know you did—for what? So you could play God again? Because it worked out so well the first time, you know. Where did those kids end up then? Oh, yeah, they were nearly killed!"

"Phoebe, you have to know that I'm thinking about the greater good, here," the aging scientist tried to explain, but he was cut off by a sharp laugh from the phone.

"It's always the greater good with you, isn't it? Your first daughter was an unauthorized experiment that you sent away, Max got herself captured and her memory nearly erased permanently, and Ari is dead! I'm surprised you still believe you can help the world, Jeb, what with your track record with your own children."

"Stop! Phoebe, just stop." His words were hard, biting. But the damn woman had a point. "You and I both know that I'm not the only one with regrets."

Phoebe sighed, her voice suddenly defeated. "Tell me, Jeb, just what was your plan, getting these kids back together? Why do you keep fighting for them? What do you have to gain from any of this?"

Jeb found himself chuckling. "See, Phoebe, it was never about what I gained or lost. It was always about the flock, always. The six of them mean the world to me, and it's their job to save the world. I need to do everything I can to help them accomplish that," he explained. "You would never understand, anyway. You've never had children, so you wouldn't know how their lives"—As well as their goals and hopes and dreams, he thought—"become more important than your own."

"I wouldn't understand?" Even through the receiver, her voice was angry, deadly. "I wouldn't understand a mother's love for her child? I wouldn't understand those primal, protective instincts?" She laughed darkly, a sound devoid of any humor. "You don't know anything, Jeb. You were a scientist, so none of this was ever your concern. You didn't hand-select the children that would become your precious experiments—they were already there when you needed them. You didn't have to watch the parents—those innocent mothers and fathers—and have to be the one to lie to them and say that their children were dead, or be the one who snuck them out past the nurses and the doctors. You never heard their cries of horror, of anguish. You didn't see their faces, Jeb."

"Phoebe—"

"Want to know something else? You never stayed with them because you had to. You stayed because you wanted to. You never had anyone to fight for. That's what makes us different. I'm here because I'm fighting for someone."

Jeb managed to bark out a laugh. "You honestly think I don't have anything to fight for?"

"I really don't know, Jeb. And I don't want to know. I don't want to give a damn about what you're doing anymore, because really, it's none of my concern. They'll send people to get me soon enough anyway; it's only a matter of time. But this time will be different. This time, when I finally leave, I'll be gone for good. I'm going to get these people off of my back and I will break out of this hellhole. And this time, you can't do anything to stop me."

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

"Aieeee!"

Max bolted upright, her head spinning wildly as she scrambled to her feet in the early-morning light. "What's going on?" she asked, wide-awake, spinning to find the source of the noise. Her eyes landed on Nudge, who stood three feet from where she'd fallen asleep, clutching at her heart.

"S-s-s-snake!" she shrieked again, grabbing onto a drowsy Gasman and hauling him backwards, away from the two-foot-long snake slithering closer to the dead fire pit.

"God!" Max jumped backwards and crashed into a confused Fang, all the fight gone as her heart nearly burst out of her chest.

"What's going on?" Iggy demanded, while Ella nearly decapitated him as she jerked backwards with an alarmed yelp.

By this point, everyone else was awake, slowly backing away from the dark brown reptile, its long body flecked with patches of red and gold.

"It's just a snake," Wren said slowly, as if reassuring herself. Jay had his face buried into her stomach. "We're freaking out about a snake."

"It's a big one!" Nudge protested, her eyes still wide and panicked.

Total barked in approval. "Christ, it's longer than I am!"

Fang gave Max's shoulder a squeeze and looked over at Angel, who was probably the only one of the girls whose heart wasn't racing. "Is it poisonous?"

She only shrugged, but Iggy asked, some-what harshly, "What does it look like?" Ella quickly described the offending snake, and he chuckled. "It's just a broad-banded water snake. They're not venomous."

"But it's huge," Max whispered, unconsciously pressing herself closer to Fang. Then she seemed to snap out of her trance, moving away and squaring her shoulders. "Well, we're done here, so let's just clean up and get the he…heck out of here," she said decisively, stumbling over her choice of words when her eyes landed on nine-year-old Angel and seven-year-old Jay.

Everyone obeyed, picking up their discarded jackets and shoes and jogging back to the van.

"So…" Max began, suddenly anxious, shoving her hand into her pockets as she shifted her weight on the asphalt, "who wants to call their parents?"

Nudge's face lit up considerably, and she began to hop from foot to the other. "Can I, Max?"

The leader nodded and began to pat herself down for her cell phone. "Um…"

"I've got it." Gazzy held up the offending device almost forlornly. He tossed it over to the bouncing fifteen-year-old, who shot him a blinding grin.

"Okay, into the car," Max instructed, shooing the flock into the van. "We don't want anyone to see us. I have a feeling spending the night at a rest stop won't exactly be appreciated."

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Nudge settled into her seat next to the Gasman, her hands shaking as she typed her father's cell phone number in.

It rang once, twice, three times, before switching over to voice mail.

"Hello, you've reached John Bennet," said her father's voice." Please leave your name and number and I'll get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks."

Then the beep, and she was talking a mile an hour to fit everything in. "Hey, Daddy, it's me, Nu—I mean, Clara. I just wanted you to know that I'm fine, really, and I hope you're doing okay, too. If you watched that football game last night, you might have seen us. I bet we're all over the news. Daddy, just don't worry about me, okay? I don't know if I'll be able to see you again, but I just want you to know that I love you so much, and you've been so awesome. Please don't call the police or anything, I'm safe, really. And I really do love you. Bye."

She considered handing the phone over to Angel, who wanted it next, but thought better of it. She quickly typed in her best friend's phone number, waiting anxiously as it began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Dani!"

"Clara!"

"Oh my gawds! Mom! It's Clara!" Danika's voice was shocked, surprised, and frantic, all at once. "Clara, what the heck happened? You get this call, run off, and then you're gone! We called security, but nobody saw you, and then when we got back to the hotel you were on the news, fighting these werewolf things… just what is going on?"

"Oh, Dani…" Nudge felt her heart sink. "I just ran into some family—my cousins—and we have to go… visit my sick aunt. She really needs us right now, and I really need to be here, with them. I'm so sorry."

"But you didn't even say goodbye."

That nearly broke her heart in half. "I know, I'm so sorry. Dani, this is my goodbye. If I can call you again, I will. I don't know when I'll be back, if I ever will, but…" Nudge's eyes were filling with tears, and it took all she had to keep the tremors out of her voice. "I love you so much, okay? And please don't go looking for me, or send anyone else out looking for me. I'm in good hands now. Dani, thank you a million and one times for being the best ever, okay?"

"Clara…"

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking as she pressed the END button.

The van was silent, and she knew everyone had been listening to her conversation. "Who wants it next?" Nudge asked, attempting a weak smile even though she felt like someone had taken an axe and chopped her heart in half.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Twisted around so she was leaning against the back of her seat, Angel frowned at her brother, listening to the phone for a moment. "Gazzy, talk to mom." She handed him the phone, giving him a stern, pointed look.

"No!" He pushed it away, only to have it shoved into his face once more..

"Talk to her!"

"You can talk to her, since you were her favorite."

"But I want you to talk to mom first."

"I don't want to—"

"Hello?"

The Gasman was cut off by the voice of his 'mother.' She sounded out of breath, worried. But not for him, he knew.

"Hi, Mom."

"Michael?" She gasped, and something clattered, like it had been knocked to the floor. "Michael, is that you?"

"Yeah…"

"Dear Lord, Micheal?" she exclaimed, her voice easily rising in volume and anger. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been? You climbed into a strange car and just left, without any note or a number! What were you thinking? Did you want to give me a heart attack?"

"I was thinking we needed to help a friend!" the Gasman exclaimed back, his blood boiling. "And since when do you actually care? You never care about us, or pay any attention to us! It's always work for you! Maybe I wanted to go find somebody who actually listens to me!"

Gazzy shoved the phone back to his sister, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the window. The van was silent, as if stunned. He could feel Max's eyes on him in the rear-view mirror.

A warm hand settled on his arm. "Are you okay?" Nudge asked softly, as Angel began to speak softly into the cell.

The twelve-year-old shrugged, brushing her hand away.

"Gazzy, you know that we love you, right?" Nudge wrapped her arms around him quickly, pressing her lips to the top of his head, before scooting away to give the boy some space.

Her gesture of kindness, while alleviating his anger, did nothing to help the racing of his heart or to calm his frazzled nerves.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

"Hey, Momma."

"Isadora, dear, is that you?" Angel frowned at the sticky-sweet tone, knowing full-well that this woman had been furious moments before.

"Yeah, Momma, it's me."

"Oh, Izzy, dear, how are you? Are you hurt? Are you safe?"

"I'm fine… Momma, you haven't seen the news, have you?"

"No, not yet, why?"

"Oh," Angel sighed, "It's nothing." She suddenly felt very small, talking to this woman who was supposed to be her mother. Max is a better mom, any day. "Momma, don't worry about us. We just… we have to help Max." Even as she said it, she knew it to be true. "Her mom needs Max, and Max needs us. But we need her, too, Momma. We've got to save Dr. M. Then we might be able to come home. Maybe. If not, I love you, I really do. And thank you so much for putting up with me for as long as you did, even though you weren't always there for us when we needed you. Bye, Momma."

"Isadora, what are you saying? Don't you dare hang up on—"

Angel snapped the phone closed with resolution, handing it to Jay—who sat in his sister's lap—and he in turn passed it to Iggy.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

"Hello?"

Iggy felt his eyebrows draw together at the sound of his foster mother's voice. She sounded broken and fragile, like she'd been crying.

"Hi, Di, it's Aiden."

"Aiden?" she exclaimed. "Thank the Lord!" Her voice faded slightly, like she'd pulled the phone away from her mouth. "Andrew, get on the phone! It's Aiden!"

Iggy could hear the shriek of his name echo through the house, and soon he was bombarded by voices.

"Aiden! Where have you been?"

"Dude, where did you go last night?"

"Were you really kicking those monsters' butts last night?"

"Are you okay, Aiden?"

"Aiden! Where are you?"

Not to mention the chorus of "Let me talk to him!" echoing in the background. The noise alone was enough to make his eyes water.

"Oh, just put the phone on speaker!" a voice that sounded like Peggy announced, and suddenly everyone's words sounded a little more distorted.

"Aiden, where are you?"

That's Diana again, he reminded himself. "I'm on the road. I ran into…" he searched for an acceptable lie, stumbling across the same excuse Nudge had used. "Some cousins, and we've got some stuff to take care of with my aunt."

"What cousins?" That was Dave, and he sounded suspicious. "Because Mike and Izzy's mom called—she doesn't know where they are, either. And they were on the news with you. You're with them, aren't you?"

"Aiden, what aren't you telling us?"

Iggy never knew Sarah could sound so hurt, to betrayed. And she knows nothing about betrayal, he thought. "Listen, guys, I really am with family. And I have to be here now. I'm sorry for scaring you; I didn't mean to, things just got out of hand. But you guys—all twelve of you—will always be the best home-away-from home I've ever had. Thank you so much for everything."

"Wait, Aiden, aren't you coming home?" That was probably Jill, who was only seven.

"I wish I could, but we just don't know how things will go in the near future. It's safer to say that I can't ever come back."

A resounding "What?" burst from everyone's lips. "What do you mean?" Mr. Wallace demanded, his voice gruff and overly-tired.

"It's for your safety, you guys have to understand. You said we were on the news? Well, those man-wolf-monster things are called Erasers, and they might come back. I can't have them getting to any of you. I only want you all to be safe. Listen, if I can come back, I will. If I can come back only to give you all an actual good-bye, then that's what has to happen. I'm sorry."

The other end of the phone was silent—something he wasn't aware that the Wallace's could accomplish. "Bye Aiden." The words, or variants of it, seemed to ripple through the voices.

Mr. Wallace was the last one to say anything. "Take care of yourself, kiddo."

Then the line went dead.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

"No, give it to Fang first."

She wasn't ready to say goodbye just yet, Fang knew. That much was clear from last night. But she knew it was inevitable, and therefore chose to put it off until the last moment. Thanks, he thought wryly, as Iggy passed the phone to Nudge, who tossed it over her shoulder without really caring where it landed. Gazzy was still giving the whole van the cold shoulder, but Fang wasn't surprised that no one was talking to him yet. Really, he'd only just sort-of fixed things with Max. The rest of the flock was a whole other matter.

Fang swiped the phone up off the floor of the van, staring at the keypad for a moment, deliberating whether or not he really wanted to call his 'mother.'

You don't have to be afraid. Angel's thoughts whispered.

I'm not afraid, Ange. And he really wasn't. Just tired that the whitecoats had had their way for so long. But… he did owe it to Phoebe. No one else would have put up with all of his crap like she did.

He dialed her number.

"Hello, you've reached Phoebe Dinardo."

"Hey, Mom—"

"Sorry, I can't come to the phone right now. If you leave your name and number, I'll try to get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks. Bye."

Fang couldn't hold back a sigh. "Right, hey Mom. It's me, Owen. Listen…" He struggled to think of something that could function as an alibi. After a quick, rather fruitless brainstorming session that really only lasted a few moments, he settled on, "Staying with Dad just isn't working, and I need some time to think, and figure things out. Don't worry about me, okay? I'm not worth it. Anyway, thanks for putting up with me, and everything. I'll call if I can. Love you, I guess. Bye."

As he hung up, Nudge spun in her seat, an eyebrow quirked. "You're definitely worth worrying over, Fang," she said matter-of-factly, holding her hand out for the phone.

Fang passed it up slowly, wondering if there was hope for him after all.

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

The phone landed in my lap, courtesy of Ella. "You need to call your family, too, Max," she said gently.

I sighed. My hands tightened on the wheel a little, and I felt my eyebrows pinch together. "Right, because it's going to go over so well."

"Max," Total interjected, propping his paws on the center console, "if you don't call them your face will be on every Amber Alert in the country. We kind of need the anonymity right now."

I sighed again, annoyed that the dog, of all people, was the voice of reason. Behind me Angel giggled, whispering something to Total, who let out an indignant huff.

"Fine." I pulled over onto the shoulder, turning the car off. The road was still empty, save for the occasional car that sped past us faster than I could blink. I knew people usually hated two-lane country roads because they were so far from everything, but honestly, I loved them. There was no one to look twice at a van filled with nearly a dozen kids who couldn't vote. "Ten minute break, guys," I announced, turning around.

Angel whooped, slapping a high-five with her brother over the seat. Gazzy seemed to lighten up a little at that. I've got to talk to him soon. I'd only heard half of his conversation with his mom—his half—and I didn't like what I'd heard.

Everyone scrambled out of the van, letting out sighs of relief to be out in the sun again. Ella squeezed my shoulder as she opened her door. "Take your time," she said with a smile.

I nodded, looking down at the phone in my hands. Do I really want to do this? Damn… what will they say? Well, Mom and Dad… err, Mr. and Mrs. Kimmel would be pissed, that was for sure. Rose would probably be mad at me, and Rachel would want me to come home, the peacemaker that she was. Becca… I didn't even want to think about her.

I felt eyes on me as I punched in the phone number to Rose's house. "Fang, aren't you going outside?" I didn't press talk, but I did spin around to see him, still sitting way in the back. We were on good terms now, but we both knew he had a long way to go before he was back in Gazzy, Nudge, or Iggy's good books.

"No." He shook his head, hiking over the rows of seats until he was sitting beside me. "You're going to chicken out. Angel thought I should stay here to make sure you don't."

I rolled my eyes. Thanks, Angie.

You're welcome!

"Okay," I said softly. "Thanks." I gave him one last smile before squeezing my eyes shut and pressing the talk button.

Brrriiing, brrriiing, brrriiing!

"Hello?"

I fell back against the seat. "Hey there, Isaac. How goes it?"

There was a clatter as he dropped the phone. Sounding far away, he shouted, "It's Riley!"

Shouts seemed to echo from the other end of the line, and I could just imagine everyone running up to the phone. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so, so sorry.

"Riley?"

"Riley!"

"Riley, where are you?"

"Riley Elizabeth Kimmel, you will come back here right now!"

"Riles?" Becca's voice was soft, confused, and… angry? My eyes flew open.

"Hey, everybody."

"What are you doing, young lady?" My 'dad' demanded. If I knew him at all, and I thought I did, he was probably glaring at the phone, his fists clenched.

"Um…" Excuse, I need an excuse… "I'm with some friends."

"Riley," 'Mom' begged, sounding desperate, "where are you?"

"I think we're on Interstate 40." I winced when they cried out.

Rose spoke up. "Riley, who are you with?"

"Some friends—I saw them at the game, on TV, and I wanted to go say hi."

"So you just left?" 'Dad' demanded.

"Well… yeah." I couldn't even begin to explain what had been running through my head. Honestly, all I could focus on was Fang… and getting him back. The realization made me blush.

'Mom's voice sounded suddenly nervous, and scared. "Honey… what were those… those… things? You were on the news, and you were…"

"You were fighting these werewolf things," Rachel finished, her voice hard. "What's going on, Riley?"

"I..." What the hell am I supposed to say?

Fang squeezed my free hand. You have to tell them, he mouthed. I nodded, slowly, frowning at the steering wheel.

"Look, I can't come home," I began, which only lead to another round of exclamations and shouts. "Please, just listen! Those werewolf things? Yeah, they're called Erasers, and they… they want me. They want to find me. But I can't let them." I sighed, squeezing my eyes shut again. "Look, they're tracking us, probably, and if I go back, they'll get you, and you don't deserve that. You didn't do anything. You were just… brought into a fight that really wasn't yours."

"Riley…" Rachel sighed, too. "What are you saying?"

"You aren't really leaving, are you?" Rose sounded broken, wounded. I hate you so much, I thought to whoever had put me in these innocent people's care. When we get my Mom back, yours will be the first ass I kick.

"Look," I murmured, "I need time to figure some things out. This is partly about the Erasers, but partly about me, too. I just… I can't do this anymore. I can't pretend for you guys; it's too hard. I'm not the person you think I am, really. I…" I just can't tell you the truth. "I have some things I need to do. My mo—a vet I know really needs my help right now, and there's a bunch of people I really care about, and we've got a lot of things to settle. Everything is so different now."

They protested and objected, saying that I had to come back, I was in so much trouble, and that I was being immature and just like Becca. (Twenty bucks on who said that one.) "Look," I snapped, sure she was still there, "I'm not being like Becca. Becca is fantastic, and she's the best sister a girl could ask for. Thanks for lying to me about that, by the way." My hands tightened around the phone, and I could have shouted right back at them. But I didn't. "I'm sorry, but I have to do this. You really don't understand, and I don't blame you. I just have a lot of things I need to fight for. I just…" I exhaled, leaning my head forward, onto the steering wheel. "I really do love you, all of you. You've been so awesome. I make no promises, but if I can, I'll try to call you. I probably won't see you again. I'm so, so sorry." My voice had gotten soft by the end, so I was almost whispering.

My ex-fake-family all said their good-bye's, some more reluctant than others.

My phone beeped, telling me that it was about to lose battery. Shit. "Bye," I said quickly.

Becca's voice calling out was the last thing I heard before my phone died.

"Bye, Max."

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

I looked over at Fang, my eyes bugging out of my head. "You heard that, too, right?"

He nodded, frowning at the dashboard. "What's going on, Max?"

My heart was beating wildly in my chest, and the only thing I could think was, Becca knows who I am. Shit. Becca knows who I am! Shit!

So I answered as truthfully as I could. "I have absolutely no idea."

~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~:~

Another filler-ish thing, I'm sorry. (But everything moves the plot along, I promise!)

Sorry for taking so long, but I like my updates to coincide with PULL days, since I'm taking longer to write the chapters.

This brings me to my new poll (on my profile): How long do you like your chapters? I got a complaint/suggestion from a reviewer during Incredible that my chapters could be longer. And I've delivered longer chapters. But it also means that I take longer to write them. So… do you like longer chapters, and slower updates? Or shorter chapters, and quicker updates? Please go vote on my profile! This will really tell me how to proceed here. (Or, would you mind if I threw in a few shorter chapters amidst the longer ones?)

Also, I haven't forgotten about you, my loverly readers! I'm still keeping track of the Muffin Match (sorta… basically, I haven't deleted anything from my inbox since… forever. But you're muffins will be accounted for soon!) I'm going somewhere for the week (spring break, and no homework!) but I'm bringing my laptop. :D (Also, so you don't think I'm spoiled, this is the first time it's left the house. So there.)

Chapter Review Song Theme: Um… in honor of my 15-hour road trip—smashed into a Honda Odyssey with my obnoxious little brother and annoying little sister—road trip songs! (Or songs that make you fall asleep. For me, they go hand in hand.)

"Love Drunk" by Boys Like Girls. I know this song is so last year (or two years ago, or whatever) but I really like it. It's all preppy and angst-y, which is really hard to pull off. And I like the whole extended metaphor thing (we're doing poetry in English). It's witty and catchy!

"Darlin" by Avril Lavigne. I just got her newest CD, and I am totally in love with this song. (What's really cool is that she wrote it when she was fourteen—yeah, I bought the deluxe edition. :P) It's not a love song, like you'd believe, but it's about stepping into your skin, and being happy, and growing up. And it's just so beautiful, and it's one of the few completely curse-free songs on this new album ("Smile" is loaded with them), so I can sing along with it and no one will get mad. :)

Thanks for putting up with these really slow updates, guys. I'm actually almost done with the next chapter (I've got an extra scene that I hadn't planned on, but I think it will help with the flow of everything), so maybe, MAYBE, you can get an update on Friday. But I AM on vacation. So… keep your fingers crossed. Also, I swear to Bob that I will get all the Muffin Match stuff up-to-date by my next update. (The Bob reference is from You Killed Wesley Payne, by Sean Beaudoin, and it's devilishly hilarious. Go read it!)

Love and Hugs (and many apologies),

Your faithful author,

Lea