It's been a year and I'm really really sorry!

Chapter 10 -

The next morning dawned bright and clear, and the five rose in high spirits. They chattered loudly all through breakfast, and for a short time Fanny forgot they were almost grown up, and was reminded of what it was like to have young people in the house, and the amount of noise they could produce. It was decided that they would play a board game, or read, that morning, as they wanted to save all their energy for the afternoon's adventures, so they climbed upstairs to clean their teeth and prepare for the day. No one rushed about, there was no need, and they all gathered in the boy's room once they were ready. As Anne commented, it felt just like old times.

Conversation was interrupted by the phone ringing downstairs, and it was answered by a grumpy Uncle Quentin, who had been disrupted from his work. The four could hear his voice from the room they were in, as he shouted into the receiver,

"Who do you think you are, calling at this hour in the morning and disrupting my work? IF you call again and induce the receiver to make such a racket I shall report you to the police."

Whatever the person on the other end said couldn't be heard, but it seemed to pacify Quentin. To the surprise of the four upstairs, they even heard him chuckle as he listened to the voice on the other end, and then he apologised, apologised, for shouting at whoever it was when they'd called. Then Quentin started off on science, and the four turned back to their previous conversation. All except Julian, who had picked up on the science his Uncle was talking about, and was listening in on the conversation.

It seemed his Uncle had taken it into his head that trying to explain Quantum Physics over the phone was a good idea. Surprisingly, Uncle Quentin's explanation was far more comprehendible than the explanation in the book he was supposed to be reading. He was drawn back into the room by Dick's voice.

"Julian? Ju? Are you there?"

Blinking a few times, he nodded. "Sorry, what?"

"You've spent the past few minutes ignoring the conversation. Are we really that boring?"

"What? No! Why'd you think that?"

"Because," Said George, "You'd rather listen to my father talk science at someone. Who do you think is stupid enough to call up and ask him about science, anyway?"

"I don't have a clue. But whoever it is, the explanation they just got is far more comprehensive than the one in my text book."

"Comprehensive?! Did you just suggest that father's explanation was comprehensive?"

"Ye-es. Well, more so than the book I have."

"..."

Julian took in the astonished faces around him and collapsed with laughter, which everyone soon joined in. They were laughing so hard that none of them heard Aunt Fanny call, and she had to actually climb up the stairs in order to get their attention and announce that the phone call was actually for Julian. Having all assumed it was for Uncle Quentin this was rather a shock, and once Julian had left the room the others looked at each other curiously. Who could it be? Why would they ask about science? Anne solved the problem.

"It's probably just someone on his course. I bet he mentioned that his uncle was a scientist, and he's studying science now, so whoever phoned up was probably just interested in talking to Julian's 'famous' uncle."

"Of course! That's it, I bet. Well done Anne, you cracked it."

...

Julian got downstairs to find his uncle holding the receiver, still talking animatedly to whoever was on the other end, and wondered whether his aunt had misunderstood. It certainly seemed that his Uncle was the person the speaker wanted. But Uncle Quentin caught sight of Julian hovering at the bottom of the stairs and gestured to him to come and take the phone, saying 'He's here now, so I'll pass you over. It was nice to talk to you.'

Julian took the phone, and Uncle Quentin disappeared back into his study.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Julian, is that you at last?!"

"It is! Sorry it took so long, I was upstairs, and we all assumed the call was for my uncle. How are you?"

"Alright. Everyone seems to have gone as mad as always, as follows Christmas here!"

"Well, what did you expect? They're a bunch of lunatics, and presents, alcohol and burnt turkey are bound to send them over the top. Sometimes I wonder if you're the only sane one there, El!"

She laughed. "Sometimes I do too! Oh, John asked me to pass on the message that Andrew says blame him for the socks, though he can't remember whether it really was him or not. Chances are it was."

"I thought it might turn out like that. Tell him I'll return the socks when I return, I'm not paying postage for them!"

"I don't think he was expecting you to. So, are you up to anything interesting today?"

"We're going to see the circus, later. How about you?"

"I don't think we have any real plans. We might go into London later in the week, to make a change, but today I think we're staying in."

The conversation continued for some time, and the three (plus Timmy) left upstairs gave up on waiting for Julian to return, and set up a board game which Dick had received for Christmas in the middle of the boys floor. In order to do this they pushed the beds to either side and had to reshuffle bedside tables and lamps. Then they spread out the board, and Timmy, eager to join in, promptly lay on it.

Julian, appearing in the doorway in time to see this, burst out laughing and told them that they really should have seen it coming, as Timmy always lay on whatever they'd spread on the floor.

"Remember that time we were preparing to go to Billycock Hill?" He added.

"How could we forget? The state Uncle was in was highly amusing… Or it would have been, if we weren't so scared he'd bite out heads off."

This sparked a long conversation about old times, and the morning was passed quickly and pleasantly. It was only when Aunt Fanny called them down for lunch that they realised Timmy was still lying across Dick's board game. Chuckling and in high spirits, they made their way downstairs.

...

Erm... Sorry?

I don't know where the last year went, and I don't know where this story is going anymore. I'm not planning on abandoning it, but... Well, I don't know when I'll next update. Does anyone care anymore?

Book girl fan, bananas r gd, Phyllidia Blue, Tigerbella101, and Sheryl, thanks for your support! Hello to all my new followers, too.

Tigerbella101: I don't know if I'll give George a pair, we'll see. (Any opinions?)

Sorry again, and I hope to update soon (but I meant to last time as well...)

G4E