The previous chapter got mixed reviews, which is always exciting. But what's super-cool is that everybody who reviewed negatively explained specifically why that chapter didn't work for them- that's really helpful and encouraging, so thank you very much. (I will say this though- the 3 things I've ever written which have got the most negative reviews were the 3 which presented Barney in the most unsympathetic light).
Here's a new chapter!
Nuggets De Poulet
November 2027
"OH MY GOD YOU CALL THAT A TACKLE?! MY GRANDMA COULD DO BETTER THAN THAT!"
"I thought your Grandma was dead, Aunt Robin?"
"Exactly! Come on, Donlan! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU CALL THAT?!"
"Told ya she shouts," Marvin smirks to Anna.
"I thought Dad was into hockey, but Aunt Robin is insane," Anna replies. It's her first time watching ice-hockey at Madison Square with Marshall, Robin, Daisy and Marvin, and despite it not being a league match, it's proving to be somewhat of a baptism of fire regarding what Marshall has dubbed SHR, Scherbastky Hockey Rage.
"Two minutes to half time and they're throwing it away," Robin groans, "GET BACK UP THERE!"
"No, Brisbois needs to smack it through- yeah, yeah! Smash it!" Daisy adds, but the keeper deflects it, and the resulting goal-line scuffle lasts until the half-time whistle blows. You Make My Dreams Come True begins blasting out on the stadium speakers , and Robin sinks dejectedly into her seat as. "We need to get off to a better start in the second half, that was way to slow on the uptake, just wasted that first ten minutes,"
"They're better tactically," Marshall adds, "But we've got brute strength,"
"-And hockey's about brute strength," Daisy shrugs.
"You know better than that, Day- hockey's about sweep-checking in the defence line," Robin tells her sharply. Marshall is to Robin's left and Daisy has the seat to her right, next to Marvin and then Anna. Marvin jumps up to go to get burgers and drinks, but then stops abruptly, staring up at the big screen. Daisy's jaw drops. Anna yelps.
Marshall and Robin are on the Kiss-Cam.
The two of them look at each other in horror. Marshall looks genuinely revolted.
"Oh my God," Robin breathes.
"Keep calm and it'll go," Marshall mutters through his teeth, "Just wait,"
But now the camera's on them it seems an awfully long time to wait, squirming while the crowd (well, the crowd keeping an eye on the Kiss-Cam and not heading to the bar) whistle and cheer. Marshall is reminded horribly of waiting, stony-faced, for the last Skittle to fall from the pocket at that art event he and Lily went to years ago. After an extrucatingly long wait, Daisy takes initiative and leans over Robin to peck Marshall on the cheek.
"Aaw," comes the murmur across the stadium. Marshall ruffles Daisy's hair and then, thankfully, the camera cuts to somebody else.
"Thank Christ!" Robin breathes.
"Nice going, Daisy," Marshall congratulates, offering his hand for a high-five. Daisy exaggeratedly wipes her mouth with the back of her arm and cringes, "Ew," but returns his high-five. Marvin and Anna are just laughing.
"Dad looked like he was gonna cry!" Anna notes.
"You looked like you were gonna be sick," Marvin tells Robin.
"Well, duh. I mean your dad's great but so not my type," she shudders.
"Ditto," Marshall agrees counting it off on his fingers, "Too tall; doesn't believe in ghosts. Total manatee,"
They high-five.
"Dad, you got any money? Who else wants burgers?" Marshall asks.
"Me,"
"Yup,"
"Chicken nuggets,"
"Bacon burger, no-"
"Bacon burger, no tomato but drowned in ketchup, I've got it Anna. You know that's totally weird, right?"
"I like it," Anna shrugs.
"You like fake tomato but not real tomato. This is why America has obesity problems," says Marvin, despite the fact that his sister's skinny.
"You gonna need an extra pair of hands?" Robin asks.
"No," says Marvin, then thinks about it for a second, "Actually, yeah,"
They head up to the burger kiosk at the back of the stadium.
"Anna thinks you're insane," he tells her happily.
"Pierre Donlan's insane if he thinks he's going to start anywhere other than the bench in the next match," she growls. They join the back of the kiosk que, which is so long that they only just make it back to their seats by the time the second half starts. Burgers and chicken nuggets are passed out, and after one bite Anna's lips are covered in ketchup.
"What are you, four?" Daisy snarls at her, unimpressed.
"Give it a rest, you two," Marshall chides.
" Us two?!" Anna gasps, outraged, "I never sai-"
"Who are they subbing?" Marshall asks loudly, changing the subject. As the teams skate out, Daisy grumpily props her feet up on the seat in front of her. She looks on the verge of a sulk, so Robin jumps to her a feet and starts shouting again. Daisy stops looking so surly, and mutters a few additional words of admonishment to the players.
"SHR has its uses, then," Marshall notes.
Thank you for your time :- )
