In the final two weeks of university before the Christmas break and only one essay to go. (on Edgar A. Poe if anyone's interested) but here's another new chapter for you. Why? Because I love you all. Yes I've had some whiskey because my teeth have been playing up recently and I've tried so many other things but this is all that seems to work.) but really, you're all wonderful for putting up with me, following this story and supporting my mad and crazy temperament.
kie1993: Thank you :)
sonotalady: Well I'm always happy to relieve anyone's boredom, I only hope that I haven't had an adverse effect on your marks :) originally her Hen night was just going to be simple and boring but then I made the fatal decision to send it to Rachy Babes who wrote the entire hen night so props go to her :)
1945: No worries, she would probably flirt with her own son. Flirting is just the way she communicates.
Fawks and Rachel: HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU,YOU KNOW I HATE THIS SONG SO MUCH , SO THANK GOD IT'S NOW THROUGH.
Dwatlaskrhtch: I have indeed returned. The story has to end sometime but when it does you won't have to worry, I'll still be writing for Nemo if something pops into my head.
The phone rings in the middle of the night,
My father yells "What you gonna do with your life?"
Oh,daddy,dear,
You know you're still number one,
But girls,
They wanna have fu-un,
Oh,girls,just wanna have
That's all they really want...
Some fun...
Some boys take a beautiful girl,
And hide her away from the rest of the world.
Girls just wanna have fun
Cindi Lauper – Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
"Fawks, I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to go back here." Amy said as Fawks pulled up a garage door.
"I'm sure we're not meant to be here," Lucy said with a grin as she ducked under the door and inside.
"I like her." Fawks told Winter as the two slid inside.
"I thought you might." Winter laughed.
"Can I ask what we're actually doing here?" Winter's Gwen asked.
"1941. The first ever Mardi Gras parade, that had women in it." Fawks said, she flicked on the light and grinned, rushing to racks of clothes that were located on the side of the garage pushed up against the wall. She grabbed a bright coloured shawl and wrapped it around herself, mostly covering the dress.
The other's rushed to the clothes stalls and pulled things out, spinning and laughing as Jacky found a box of Masqerade masks.
"Hey!" Amy said as she climbed onto the decorated float that dominated the space.
"Look," She reached down into a tray shape box on the floor and picked up a handful of stringed multi-coloured beads.
"They throw them," Winter said, climbing onto the float. "Good luck apparently."
"Well, I don't know about you lot," Fawks said, shimmying the car handle and climbing into the driver's seat, within minutes the float was up and running. "But I say we get this show on the road."
"All aboard!" Lucy laughed as they all, now donned in bright masks and accessories over their dresses, clambered onto the back of the float, Fawks drove out of the garage and into the street towards the joyous music of a brass band.
'I should have guessed I'd end up doing something like this.' Winter laughed nervously as Fawks threw beads out to the cheering crowds.
'Oh come on, lighten up a bit.' the demon yelled, happily twirling for the sea of people watching. The crowds cheered and roared as the women's float pulled out onto the main street, Fawks could hear the laughter behind her as the group waved and danced and threw the stringed beads into the frantic crowd. They were in the parade for most of the day, taking turns driving so everyone got a chance.
Fawks took over near the end, driving their stolen float into the lot where all the other floats were pulling in. They pulled up and all climbed out and as they were about to head back to the festivities that were still in full swing a man stopped them. He was tall and looked bored, Fawks eyed up the pile of papers in his hands and the pen he was using to check floats off.
"What?" Winter's Gwen asked.
"Papers." He asked, then nodded over to the float. "For the float and licences and such."
"Err..." The women looked at each other and Lucy stepped forward.
"I think we left them in the truck, hang on." She said turning to the others and tugging them towards the float. "Come and help me look." She nodded over to the vehicle they'd been in most of the daylight hours and they all, under the suspicious eyes of the gentleman climbed onto or into it.
"Go!" Amy cried. Fawks floored the gas and the float zoomed off.
"Hey!" The man yelled after them as they tore down the narrow street, the thuddding footsteps of the man behind them as he chased them down but up ahead came a large obstacle in the form of a huge crowd.
"Abandon ship!" Fawks yelped, jumping down off the float and looking to where the man was fast approaching.
"Come on!" Amy yelled, helping Alexandra out of the cab of the truck.
"Run for it!" Lucy laughed as they all abandoned the truck and rushed into the bustling crowd of people.
Winter panted as she walked into a smaller not so busy side street that held the others, both Gwens, Lucy, Alexandra, Jess, Jacky and Amy were all slouched against the walls or sat on the floor panting but laughing all the same.
"Did we lose him?" Winter asked. Alexandra nodded from her place on the floor,
"Where's Fawks?"
"Don't know," Amy panted.
"She's not back yet!" Winter's worry disappeared in a second and she turned at the sound of a familiar voice, Fawks waltzed into the side street with bags of food singing happily.
"Hey don't save your kisses,
Just pass 'em around,
You'll find my reason,
is logically sound.
Who's gonna know that you passed them around
A hundred years from today," She sang happily, dropping one of the bags and grabbing Winter's hands, spinning her under her arm as she sang. "I love the music here." Fawks smiled, dropping winter's hands and opening the paper bags.
"Oh thank God, I'm starving." Fawks' Gwen commented Fawks pulled out a stick of candyfloss and picked at it as the others pulled out various other carnival food and they sat quietly as they ate.
'You're going to make yourself sick.' Alexandra warned her, staring at the bag of sweets. She was rewarded with a glare.
'Sorry mum, should I leave some room for my tea.' Winter laughed and pushed Fawks' arm.
'Don't be mean, she completely right and if you start throwing up I'm out of here.' Fawks shook her head.
'My stomach's made of stronger stuff.' She announced.
'Tell that to my sheepskin rug.' Alexandra complained.
'Oh come on I paid for dry cleaning.'
'No, you stole Jack's credit card and paid for dry cleaning.' Fawks shrugged.
'So what? He's happy to do anything for his Alice.' Alexandra blushed furiously and quietly replied.
'What's that supposed to mean? And don't call me Alice.'
'Why not HE gets to call you Alice.' Alexandra looked away, obviously upset by the teasing so Winter rolled her eyes and chose that moment to step in.
'Hey, both of you, but mainly Fawks.' Fawks looked over innocently, 'calm it down. Fawks stop picking at people's feelings and Alexandra stop letting her get to you. It only encourages her.'
"So, what now?" Amy asked.
"What about that?" Alexandra quietly wondered out-loud, pointing to a flyer that was stuck on the wall opposite to them. Winter leaned over and snatched it off the bricks.
"King and Queen's masquerade ball." Winter read aloud.
"I'm all for it." Jacky said, leaning against Jess as she bit into a hot dog. "But we're going to need some costumes."
TTT
The Ball was at a grand hall and the women gasped on entry. A huge chandelier hung from the ceiling, men in tops and tails and women in lavish brightly coloured dresses, dancing and laughing. Every single person with a different elegant mask decorated in glitter and faux gems of every colour, shape and size. A live jazz band was playing swing jazz up on the stage. They were all donned in fancy dresses, all but Fawks, who had bought a dress only to have it snatched away by Winter saying she wasn't allowed out of the orange dress so Fawks had simply draped a long cloak over her shoulders and a glare in her eyes. Fawks snatched the purse from Winter and headed to the bar.
Dancing, laughing and a little drinking took up the majority of the night. Until at least half nine when Winter turned to find Fawks bowing low and holding her hand out to her, sat on a chair with her glass. "May I have this dance?" Fawks asked.
"1941, two women dancing? People will talk."
"Let them," Fawks replied, pulling Winter onto her feet. Fawks wrapped her arms around Winter's waist as the two swayed to the soft music.
"Will you dance with me at the wedding?"
"I take every opportunity to dance with you Win. Regardless of the morbid situation." Winter smiled as Fawks span her under her arm. Fawks went quiet as she looked over towards the stage.
"Are you going to be like this all the way through?"
"Yes, but I am behaving."
"Just about." Winter smiled and Fawks went quiet as she stared up at the stage. "What are you thinking?"
"Something shiny is locked up over there." Fawks mumbled, her eyes glued over to the stage.
"Leave it." Winter chuckled.
"But it's in a box. With a padlock..." Fawks mumbled, her eyes had gone wide and glazed over. Winter turned to look at the item of Fawks' attention, in a glass case on a purple cushion were two crowns, one for a king and one for a queen, to be crowned at the end of the night.
"Fawks, it's not even real silver, it's plastic."
"I know, it's the principle though." Fawks mumbled.
"Fawks..." Winter sighed. "Don't you have enough junk?" Fawks span her around to face the case. Winter could just about see her reflection.
"But don't you look good as royalty." Fawks smirked.
"We could just win it?" Fawks scoffed.
"No way, we've got a curfew. Remember?" Alexandra appeared and stood with them where they were admiring the crown.
"Why is a curfew so bad?"
"Find me one thing that's good about it." Fawks said, letting go of Winter and letting her eyes scan around the hall with the dancers and band and the big heavy red curtain on the stage.
"Speaking of curfew..." Amy said, walking to the conversation. She looked up at the clock behind the bar.
"We better get a move on to get back."
"Yeah, sure whatever..." Fawks mumbled, her eyes darting around.
"Oh lord. What now?" Fawks' Gwen asked. Fawks grinned brightly and turned to the others.
"You don't have to do anything, but just, listen." Fawks said, she didn't say anything else, instead she grabbed Winter's shoulders and stood her in the middle of the dance floor.
"Stay?" Fawks said, Winter rolled her eyes but nodded.
"Why on earth do I put up with you?"
"Because I'm beautiful and charming."
"And oh so modest!" Winter called as Fawks darted through the crowds. She was placing everyone in various places around the hall, she grinned triumphantly and pulled off her shoes, handing them to Lucy.
"These things, not working for me." She smiled. "Right."
"What are you doing?" Lucy asked, the others had learnt from experience that asking about Fawks' plans weren't always wise.
"The usual. Chaos, destruction and theft on a dramatically pointless scale."
Lucy just nodded and Fawks disappeared from sight leaving women wondering for minutes in worried stillness and then there was one single scream. And chaos ensued.
A maid from the back burst through from backstage screaming about Satan. She barged through the band who were scattered on the floor, by chance one of the floorboards was loose, as the large tuba player fell hard onto the ground it knocked the table that held the glass case high up and as it was falling down the fire alarm blared, bells rang and Amy and Jess who Fawks had placed at the big doors opened them to let the panicking crowd through as they hurried to leave, meanwhile the glass case hurtled towards the ground and smashed, the tiara rolled from the wreckage right to Winter's feet where she simply chuckled and put it on and the other crown rolled towards Alexandra, who picked it up and held it under her arm, with a roll of her eyes.
The band were scrambling to their feet when a rope fell into Lucy and Jacky's hands on one side of the stage and both Gwen's on the other side. All four tugged on the thick rope and the curtain dropped with a thud as one of the men yelled.
"Hey! Stop!"
"And all that in an ugly set of drapes." Fawks laughed, taking her shoes back from Lucy.
"Where were you?" Amy asked, as they headed leisurely from the empty hall, fire alarm still blaring and the jazz band struggling behind the curtain. Fawks held up the two big bottles in her hand.
"Wanna drink?" Fawks grinned, Alexandra chuckled and placed the king's crown on her head.
"If we wait around long enough, do you reckon hot firemen will come and save us?" Lucy suggested. They burst out in giggles as they walked away from the hall, Winter and Fawks hand in hand with their new headwear glimmering on their heads.
"As fantastic as that sounds, we are late," Winter's Gwen laughed.
"Ugh... I wonder who'll get the blame." Fawks sighed.
"It is your fault!" Amy chuckled.
"Not the point. I'm just used as a scapegoat all the time. There was a flood; it was Fawks! There's an assassination; it was Fawks! Honestly, I'm not the only criminal around"
"I thought you liked the attention." Alexandra pointed out.
"Still not the point."
Reveiws are always welcome, next up, the night before the wedding day :)