Twas The Night Before Prom.

 

Tomorrow is a big night for The Teenager...................................Its Prom night. After several months of organisation we are almost at the final hurdle. I never knew it could be so stressful and worrying, let alone how expensive and time consuming it all is.

Here are some of The Teenagers biggest fears for Prom and the truly brilliant advice I have given her............................




Teen Worry:- What if someone has the same dress as me and more to the point looks better than me.
Mummy Advice:- I suggested turning her dress back to front so it wouldn't look the same...........This was dashed when I remembered it was a backless dress.

Teen Worry:- What if I spill something down my dress???
Mummy Advice:- This was a tricky one.........Aside from an apron, a bib or once again turning her dress back to front there wasn't really an answer to this except grab your bestie and run off to the loos to try and get it out with soap and loo roll.....................................DO NOT USE TOILET PAPER IF IT ISN'T WHITE!!!

Teen Worry:- What if I cant dance in my shoes??
Mummy Advice:- Kick those buggers off......But not too hard in case the 11inch heel that I advised you not to wear takes someone's eye out.

These were to name but a few and quite frankly some of them were so crazy I am not even go to print them. My worries on the other hand were far more normal..................................

Mum Worry:- Where are you going to put your bag with all your money, phone, plasters, mace spray,umbrella and list of emergency numbers??
Teen Response:- Chill mum it will be fine.

Mum Worry:- What time are we picking you up from the venue which is in the back of beyond??
Teen Response:- Dunno, I will call.

Mum Worry:- Do you need to take a coat/scarf/hat/gloves for when you come out and its cold??
Teen Response:- Manic laughter followed by "What coat".

Someone once told me that trying to give a Teen any advice is like trying to bath a fish and I couldn't agree more. I will post again tomorrow with the outcome and photos of this momentous night.............................................................

Lots of Love
Me
xxxxxxxxxxxx

Paddington Goes To BritMumsLive

One Upon A Time there was a bear.........Not just any old bear................A nervous but friendly bear called Paddington who came all the way from Darkest Peru.

Once Upon A Time there was a woman.........Not Just any old woman...........A nervous but friendly woman called Sam who came all the way from Darkest East Sussex...................................................I felt just like Paddington as I stood outside a bar in Central London on Friday afternoon waiting to be claimed by 3 lovely ladies called Suzanne (3childrenandit) Sarah (apartyofseven) and Sarah (thevoiceofsarahmiles). All I was missing was a little sign around my neck saying "PLEASE LOOK AFTER THIS BEAR" and a pot of Marmalade.

As I pretended to look like I knew what I was doing I peered across the road to see the smiling faces of my brand new real life friends waving at me. As we entered the bar we met more lovely people and within 20 minutes we were all chatting like we had known each other for years, well I suppose we had known each other for years but only via Twitter.

We were all there for one reason and one reason only..............................Brit Mums Live 2013...........................We had planned, coordinated and chatted about this amazing adventure and now it was finally here.

I have never felt so proud of myself as I pulled up my big girls pants, took a deep breath and entered the venue with a big smile on my face. Squeals of delight rang out as people suddenly realised who you were and arms were flung around each other in delight at finally meeting this virtual person for real. I was warned that I might spend most of the day staring at other peoples boobs and this was true.....................................Except that I didn't have my glasses on so almost had my nose in their cleavages as I tried to make out the names on their badges..(Sorry to anyone that had to experience this).

It all went so quickly and the highlight for me was definitely the talk given by Katie Piper who gave the most moving, inspirational and emotional speech I have ever had the privilege to listen too. No longer will I moan about being overweight and short and never again will I whinge when my hair looks crap and I my clothes don't fit. She has changed me not only as a person but as a mother too determined to teach my 16 year old daughter about positive body image.

As we went to another session it struck me that I was miles away from home and as close friends will know that is not something I am a fan of. I tried hard not to dwell on this thought and suddenly felt a bit of a wobble coming on....................Then.....................A set of arms were around me and another squeal followed of "Ooooooo its you.....I cant believe we are finally meeting" all my anxiety vanished and I smiled a knowing smile that I was fine and amongst friends.

I cannot begin to tell you how much I enjoyed my weekend in London with 500+ amazing writers (no longer know as bloggers according to the very funny comedienne Viv Groskop.) I feel so proud to be part of this fantastic community and have loved meeting each and every one of you gorgeous people.

Lessons learnt for next year are....

1. Do not wear Pop Socks (no matter what you mother says about blisters) this will result in hot flushes and much wafting of the agenda to keep cool.

2. Do not look like a crazed stalker as you smile and wave at someone in a session ,sorry Aimee Horton (passthegin).

3. Do not get stuck in the loo with your massive bag in front of a famous celebrity (Katy Hill). Thank goodness she was busy chatting and didn't notice me squeezing through the loo door behind her.

4. Do drink much wine..................It helps with any nerves.

5. Do turn your mobile phone off during sessions............( this ones for you Jodie Aka Mothering Frights) .........So funny. xx


Thanks again to everyone who made it such a fantastic experience.

Lots of Love
Me
xxxxx

A Guide To Surviving The Teenager.

After publishing yesterdays very popular post The Lesser Spotted Teenager it struck me that I am not alone in this bewildering time of my life and that in fact there are hundreds of parents just like me trying to understand this rare species.
Its funny isn't it that I don't actually remember being a Teenager and this proves that they really have no clue what they are doing or why they are behaving in a certain way. My Mother tells me I was no trouble just a bit moany. I have come to the conclusion that it was because she had no clue where I was or what I was doing (seems you didn't really have to worry back in the 80's as a parent). With no mobile phones it was just a case of "See you later mum" and off I went until it got dark or I was hungry.

I have decided to ignore some of the books I have read and write up my own Survival Guide To Living With A Teenager list. Please feel free to add your own in the comments box below.

1. When approaching a sleeping Teen do not under any circumstances pull back covers or open curtains to quickly. Slowly enter the room using Stealth like manoeuvres and gently whisper the sleeping species name.......After 11 attempts and numerous versions of "GET OUT I'M TIRED" (this is the cleanest one I could think of) change tactics and threaten to remove Xbox as punishment.........You have about an 80% chance of this working.

2. Once the Teen has risen and is dressed treat with kid gloves as the Chewbacca vocal communication begins.........BEWARE.........Questions of "What have you got lesson wise at school today?" or "Have you got everything in your school bag?" will be greeted with the worst type of Grunt in the Teen language as you have dared to mention the School word.

3. DO NOT under any circumstance touch, advise or help with hair styles. You may receive what I like to call the "Death Stare" and be reduced to a quivering wreck as The Teenager descends into a full on 2 year old throw yourself on the floor of Sainsbury's tantrum.

4. DO NOT (and I cannot stress this enough) wave them goodbye as they depart for prison school, I have learnt this the hard way that this is definitely not a good idea, you are left waving like a lunatic at nobody as they ignore you and pretend they don't know you.

5. If cleaning their rooms due to the smell of .......................Well...................I don't know what the smell is but its not pleasant..............................Be aware that anything you move, touch or God forbid bin will be punished by The Teen and accusations of "Invasions of Privacy Act 2 Part 8" will be quoted to you until you understand FULLY.

6. If Child Line is threatened by The Teen for what they see as "Unfair Parenting" hand them the phone and the number and then leave the room welcoming them to ring it. Then in turn tell them you are ringing Parent Line to complain of "Unfair Teenager Syndrome".

7. Accept that the phone will never be for you anymore and you will become The Teens PA. DO NOT try and joke or laugh with The Teens friends....They all have no sense of humour at this age and you will be left feeling totally uncool.

8.Try to avoid eye contact during an argument.............If by accident you do then quickly avert your eyes before it fuels the situation with screams of "WHY ARE YOU STARING AT ME...........YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND ME". The best form of action at this tense moment is to leave the room keeping you back to the wall at all times (just in case something is thrown).

9. Accept that girls tell their Mothers everything and I mean everything......................."She said that I said, and I said that she said" Blah blah blah  (earplugs are advised to avoid a headache). Boys on the other hand will tell you...................NOTHING.................ZILCH........................ZERO........................The old saying "Its like trying to get blood out of a stone" will all make sense now.

10. Rather than the games of Hide and Seek you used to play when they were little, a new game can be played now called "Find the floor", this will involve using all of your Commando skills to see if you can find the carpet buried beneath the piles of pants, socks, handbags, shoes and clothes. The first person to find it wins and the prize of..............................................."Now you can clean it all up" will thrill and delight The Teen.....................NOT!!!

11. If you Husband is DIY minded (mine is not) strengthen all door frames. This will save you a heap of time and money as the Teen slams them shut with the force of a Gorilla and then wonders why you are slightly cross. "WHAT.....IT WAS ONLY AN ACCIDENT"....

12. Pick your battles very carefully, The Teens are at a vulnerable stage and any slight criticism  or nagging will conclude in a full scale war of epic proportions.

13. Accept that The Teen will suddenly become very clumsy, this is down to the fact that their legs and arms have suddenly grown resembling Mr Tickle and they have not quite worked out how to use them to their full potential. Under no circumstances laugh when they trip, drop or bang into something..........................................................You have been warned.

14. Your food bills will rise dramatically and The Teen will suddenly transform into a whole plague of Locusts in your kitchen. I actually think mine suck everything they can out with a straw from the fridge leaving me and The Hubby with an orange and a pint of milk. The simple solution to this is .................................A Padlock...........................Or.......................................Electric fencing around the kitchen.

15. The bathroom will become an obstacle course of washing, weeing and cleaning teeth as quick as you can possibly complete it. This is due to the alarm system installed in all kids and especially Teenagers, the alarm will alert them to the moment you put one toe in a bath................"MUUUMMM I NEED A POO" and...."MUUMMMM CAN I JUST TALK TO YOU ABOUT SOMETHING". A lock will have no effect as this just results in them banging on it until you admit defeat and leave desired Sanctuary.

16. Keep your Money Tree at the end of your garden well watered and pruned......It will need careful looking after if it is to cope with the constant demands of A Teen. Please Note:- If you have an oil well at the bottom of your garden please remember to keep this a secret from The Teen as they will have it sold off to the highest bidder on Xbox or EBay before you have even noticed what's going on.

17. DO NOT volunteer unless absolutely necessary to go clothes shopping with the female Teen. I have made this school boy error and suffered the severe consequences resulting the behaviour known only to parents as "Huffing" loudly and "Tutting" with attitude. Please also note:- Chinos are not, I repeat not the same as skinny jeans....I have no idea why but they are not.

18. Try and learn a little about computers, game consoles and computer jargon...This will aid you in many ways and allow you to have a certain insight into the mind of the male Teen. However...DO NOT use these newly learnt skills in front of friends, teachers and especially computer game shop workers...................This will result in the male Teen turning a rather fetching shade of red and collapsing in on himself in embarrassment.

19. When in a restaurant DO NOT allow the waitress to offer your Teen the child's menu........BIG.....BIG....Mistake.......The cry's will be heard in New Zealand as the Teen displays the characteristics of an adolescent monkey and screams "WHY DO THEY DO THAT.....I'M NOT A KID ANYMORE......I'M A GROWN UP"..................Yeah right!!!!!

20. And lastly.................................Your Teen will have moments where he or she will forget that they are in the throws of puberty and on rare occasions will snuggle up next to you for a cuddle..................DO NOT make any sudden movements when this happens as it will frighten the species away, instead respond and savour the moment with a smile on your face at this tender display of affection. Once the moment is over carry on as if nothing has happened and congratulate yourself that they do still love you and you must be doing something right.


Remember that this is only a short period in their lives (although it may seem to you to go on for longer). They are just testing the waters to see how far you can be manipulated and pushed. However you will need to have life jackets on hand for you and them.

Happy Parenting to you all
Lots of Love
Me

P.S Did I mention .............................Gin is always the answer. (For you obviously, not them).

The Lesser Spotted Teenager.

I'm not going to lie to you all but last week was a bit emotional for me as a mum. I was struggling with something that I had no power over, something so natural yet so frightening....I am talking about .........Time.......And in particular time slipping away to fast for me to catch up with it.........My kids are no longer babies, toddlers, pre-school age, primary school age and one of them is now no longer Secondary school age.....

It all began on Wednesday morning when The Whirlwind burst into our bedroom to announce in a rather loud voice that he had "A" hair under his armpit....Just the one, but it was definitely there for all to see. He towel dried himself very carefully in fear of it falling out and then used "Dads" stronger deodorant just encase. Then he noticed more hair on his legs....Well, that was it..."Yippee" he yelled "I'm a man"............................Everyone else found it thoroughly amusing.........................But I did not....................For me this was the beginning of the end of childhood and the end of reason, humour and cuddles for Mummy. I've seen all the programmes, read all the books and dreaded this moment for months.I've even had to do a quick course in a new language called "Grunting"......................This language resembles a Chewbacca (hairy thing from star wars) noise when asked to do anything remotely concerning leaving the vicinity of the Xbox, it then gets louder the more they protest and results in the very impressive "Door Slam" manoeuvre.

I have also noticed since the arrival of "The Lone Hair" a change in the smell of his room.........................A bit like a cross between a football changing room (after the match) and ......................Well....................How can I put this politely.................................A public lavatory. I have started waiting until he is up and downstairs before flinging the window open to relive the air pressure and then spraying 4 gallons of air freshener until I choke or suffer an asthma attack. The strange thing is that he doesn't even seem to notice the pungent smell and carries on regardless of the Febrezey type fog all around him.

The hair style is another story and now resembles that age old fashionable hair cut know only to Teenagers as "The Bieber".................................He kind of dips his head then flicks it all sideways looking like he has a nervous twitch ever 2 seconds. And if you touch it......Well.....Light The Touch paper and stand back..."MUUUMMMMMMM DON'T TOUCH MY HAIR....IVE JUST GOT IT RIGHT" the strange flicky, Bieber like creature yells at me.

Where has my little boy gone?...What have you done with him Mother Nature and when will I get him back please?....The answer to this unfortunately is ................................"Not for a long time Dear girl"............................................I have come to the conclusion that "If your child smells, grunts, shouts, is prone to mood swings and generally has become unrecognisable then you have a perfectly normal Teenager. Do not fear this and embrace it as the next chapter". I have printed this statement off and am regularly reading it each time I forget that its normal to have this new species living with us.

Its the following Tuesday now and I am slowly coming to terms with the fact that my little compliable, easily bribed children are now that rare breed of human known as.........The Lesser Spotted Teenager. Up until 2 hours ago I had accepted this and felt strong enough to cope with anything The Teenagers may throw at me (not literally of course) and was feeling quite positive about the challenges ahead...That was until the letter box clanged and a "Plop" was heard followed by a squeal of delight from The Female Teenager..........................."OMG..OMG..............IVE ONLY GOT MY NATIONAL INSURANCE NUMBER MUM" she screamed............................"ITS MY NATIONAL INSURANCE NUMBER MUM, CAN I DRIVE NOW?" she continued as I held the piece of paper in my hand "WHAT DOES IT MEAN?" she asked.........................."It means, you have to pay some of your wages to the Government now when you have a job and start earning money" I replied...............................With that she burst into fits of laughter "Yeahhhh, right...What's it really for?" she asked..........................................Bless her...............She actually thinks I'm joking.....Once I had explained it all to her she stared at me with horror and confusion. "God..........I wish I was little again" was the reply as she swept out of the room in disgust...You and me both sweetheart...You and me both.

Lots of Love
Me
xxxx

This post has been linked up with the lovely Jaime over on Magic Moments

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Chapter 8

This is it lovely readers, the final instalment of my little book "Stolen". Thank you so much to all of you who have read it and left such lovely comments. I really hope you enjoy the last chapter and if you have any unanswered questions please feel free to message me.

Once again Thank you. The next mini book is already in process and I will let you all know when it is out.

Lots of Love

Me xxxxxxxxxxx
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"What the hell.....What.....Why?" she stammered not quite believing her eyes "What's the hell is going on?"
"I'm so sorry Catherine" he soothed
"Don't you dare call me that, my name is Mia now" she spat her words in his face.
"Now now" he said and pulled a reel of cord from behind his back.

Mia tried to fight, tried to struggle but was overpowered by this strong powerful man she had once known and loved with every piece of her soul. He tied her hands together and gently placed a piece of tape over her mouth.

"You will listen to me Catherine and you will listen well" he whispered into her left ear.
"Now" he begun "I will start at the beginning, I owe you that much.......... I loved you with all of my heart Catherine and slightly misjudged your intelligence. I would of married you and we would of had a happy existence with you having no knowledge of my other life" Mia's eyes widened in disbelief at what she was being forced to hear.

"The problem was you got nosey, really nosey. Questions after questions about my father and brothers deaths. I begged you to stop but you wouldn't and when you started to question their accidents, well that was the last straw. It was me you see Catherine, me who ordered their hits" he laughed as he retold his sick and twisted story. Greg poured himself a large scotch and drank it in one go wincing at the sharp taste.

"They held me back so much and wanted no part of the amazing empire I was building. They threatened to reveal everything I had worked so hard for. All the targets we had taken out for the good of society for clients, all the cover ups and lies that had been told. That's when I came up with the plan, the plan that could kill 3 birds with one stone" he laughed again "Literally".

"My father was easy, a fat over eater who drank to much and thought he was some big shot. My brother was even easier, he had more drinking convictions than anyone I knew so when he drove his flashy car straight off of a mountain nobody batted a eyelid. The story about them being part of a big Mafia cartel was built by me to make sure you were scared enough to comply." Greg looked pleased with himself and Mia could barely breath as she listened trying to recognise this monster that stood before her.

"Then it was just a case of tipping you over the edge and what better way to do this than fake my own death on the eve before our impending marriage." The final unbelievable pieces of the puzzle were slotted into place as Greg paced up and down the office.

Mia wanted to put her fingers in her ears and block this horrific story from her mind. Tears poured down her face stinging her cheeks and silent sobs throbbed in her throat. A wave of nausea swept over her and the room seemed to spin. Greg slapped her face again and Mia glared at him through her agony. "Come on now Mia, you are made of stronger stuff than that. I know you are because we trained you" he said whilst wiping her face with a hankie. Mia twisted her head away and shut her eyes tightly.

"I had to make sure you would never find out but I just couldn't bring myself to have you killed. Don't you see Mia, this was the only way and funnily enough it has almost been like we have been together. It has been me that has instructed you each time, me that organised everything for you to live a charmed life. I've watched you grow into a powerful woman"  Greg looked like he actually believed what he was saying and that he had in fact done Mia a favour. He poured himself yet another Scotch and greedily drank it in one go.

"Eventually we would of let you go to live your life in peace, safe in the knowledge that we had all of your ....shall we say...Indiscretions here on this memory stick." he lifted a USB stick up and waved it around to show her then placed it in a briefcase he had on a chair.

"That's why I have brought you here tonight, admittedly it is a little sooner than I anticipated but with all of your snooping in the records office I figured it was only a matter of time before you discovered the truth. And once you had bumped into Mummy I knew it was time to bring you in" He knelt down beside her, his face closing in on hers.

It was him, everything she had ever believed had been a lie. All the painful surgery and the forced separation from her family had all been for nothing. Greg butted in on her thoughts..."Tonight my darling, you have a choice you see.....A very important choice." Mia stared at Greg in confusion.
"You can go now from here tonight to a new life, a new start where you must never look back. Nobody else in The Institute knows of this and seeing as there is nobody above me nobody ever will. The one stipulation is that you will forget everything you have ever known and done. The minute I feel you are getting nosey again then Mummy might be paid a little visit from me" Mia kicked out with her free leg and Greg laughed. "You always were a little minx Catherine". Greg stood up and walked across the room to the briefcase and pulled out a gun.

"The other option should you chose not to take the generous offer of a new life up is a slightly more difficult one. I will put one bullet into your head and we can call it a day, Now then little one...What's it to be....I've laid all my cards on the table and told you everything" He was beside her again and ran his hand up her leg then started to unbutton her shirt "We could......You know...Always catch up for old times sake too" Mia thought she was going to throw up but managed to hold it down. She nodded and raised her eyes in the only way she knew how to win him over.

Greg gently pulled the tape from her mouth and Mia took a much needed deep breath. "Oh Greg...Why have you done this to us. It didn't have to be this way, I would of understood if you had just confided in me. We could of run the operation together and been the most powerful couple in the world. I still love you Greg as much as I did back then, it doesn't matter what has happened. You only did it for my own good. Please darling, I just want to hold you" Greg looked taken aback by this unexpected revelation and a frown appeared on his forehead. He studied Mia's face and then bent down kissing her hard on her mouth. Mia responded and she felt the familiar feeling of Greg's mouth on hers. He snipped the ties from behind her back and Mia placed her arms around Greg's neck. The smell of Scotch on his breath was overpowering and Mia wondered how many he had actually had. Their kissing got more and more passionate and Mia could tell that he was putty in her hands.........Men....She thought.....Honestly, what a dumb son of a bitch he really was.

Mia issued a powerful kick to Greg's groin and smacked him hard in the nose. Blood splattered across his face as he dropped like a stone to the floor in complete agony. "YOU BITCH" he screamed. "I'm only what you created" Mia replied. "Now its my turn to speak you spineless bastard" she shouted.

She thought about all the horrific times she had spent recovering from surgery, all the lonely nights spent alone whilst laying awake torturing herself about all the murders she had committed. How could another human being do this to someone, how could she of been so blind. Before she could speak Greg lunged at her knocking her into the desk, Mia gasped for breath as he winded her. A sharp pain pierced her chest as he punched her in the ribs, then his hands were around her throat. Mia grasped for something to defend herself with but everything was going blank, her windpipe felt like a straw that had been pinched shut at the top.

Suddenly she felt something cold, long and sharp, a letter opener was within her reach. She curled her fingers around it and stabbed it hard into the side of Greg's neck. He stumbled backwards towards the window holding his throat a gurgling noise escaping his mouth as he stared in disbelief at what Mia had done. Blood poured down his shirt and dripped onto the floor, Mia grabbed the gun she had been holding earlier and pointed it at him,  she fired it but with her head still swimming she missed him instead shattering the window. She tried to fire again but something was jamming the barrel.

Then something happened, time almost stood still like it was giving her the opportunity to think about what would happened next...................................................


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OK lovely people....Here's where it gets interesting.....I have a slight dilemma....I have 2 endings...And you are going to decide which one you like best. So without further ado...Here they are.


ENDING 1.

She stared for a long time at Greg, the man she had trusted, loved and even worshipped. The way she saw it she had no choice in what happened next, her life was over whether she lived or died.

Suddenly she found herself running almost charging at Greg, she put all of her weight into knocking him off his feet and then.............The sound of more glass shattering filled the room.

Then a scream.....His scream followed by a silence she had never experienced. The wind rushed past her face and she watched as Greg fell, his face filled with terror. She knew she was falling too but felt nothing but peace, Mia shut her eyes and prepared to meet her own end. Finally she was free of this existence, free of all the loneliness, guilt and pain. She took one last look at Greg .....

"Till Death Us Do Part My Darling" was Mia Campbell's last ever thought.

......................................................................................................................................................................

ENDING 2.


She stared for a long time at Greg, the man she had trusted, loved and even worshipped. The way she saw it she had no choice in what happened next. Suddenly she found herself running almost charging at Greg, she issued a well trained sideways kick and he toppled backwards. Then the sound of more shattering glass filled the room, it all went in slow motion as Greg just kind of disappeared out of the broken window. A scream broke the silence that followed as Mia came too from the trance like state she had been in. Then screams of horror in the distance came next as Mia realised Greg must of met the pavement below. She felt pity for the people that had witnessed it and the terrible nightmares that would haunt them forever. Mia knew she had about 8 minutes before she needed to get the hell out of there and she had to get out of there fast but there was something she had to do first.

The plane had started its decent, Mia had taken only what she needed and stupidly Greg had bought all the relevant paperwork with him in his briefcase to Neville Dawson's office. He had meant it when he had offered her a new life and Mia had all the money and documents in her bag and more importantly the USB stick. Where she was going nobody would ask any questions, they would just be happy that someone was coming to their island to create jobs.

She looked at her new passport, what sort of name was Sophia Jenkins...Honestly....That man had no imagination.

One day she would go back, back to her Mother and try and convince her that it had all been a terrible lie. But that day was a long time in the future. She would just have to wait until the dust had settled and the second inquest into the death of Greg had finished.

It would tell a story of a man that had coldly and brutally murdered his father and brother, faked his own death in order to be the most powerful man ever only to suffer a breakdown after assassinating Mr Dawson. He then threw himself off of the 26th floor of a high rise office building after being intoxicated and racked with guilt and not able to take any more.

The inquest would know all of this as Greg had left a suicide note admitting everything including information about all the murders and more importantly all the kids that had been coerced into becoming assassins for The Institute.....He obviously hadn't written this himself but after years of being with the same man as well as the training she had had in forgery it had been a breeze to write a quick detailed note herself. The Institute would be discovered and many arrests would be made as well as many young men and women being freed.

Mia put her head back and shut her eyes tightly as the plane touched down. This was it, her new start and she was going to live it to the full.

THE END

All material on this website is the property of The 40 Year Old Domestic Goddess (SJ Thurley),  so should you wish to reproduce any of the content, please contact me to request permission first. Thank you.

Chapter 7

The rain fell heavily like shards of glass under her feet, Mia tutted to herself as she tried to avoid splashing through the puddles. She found the little coffee shop that had become like a second home to her and pushed the heavy old door open revealing her own little bit of heaven. Big comfy arm chairs with pretty scatter cushions and mismatched furniture adorned the little shop. On each table sat a vase with Peonies in each one and next to them a pile of magazines and books to make it feel more like a home rather than a business.
The smell of coffee and home baked goods filled her nostrils and Mia closed her eyes and inhaled the heady aromas. Her usual chair was empty as always, Mia knew exactly why....It was because it was the oldest, scruffiest one in there and to the naked eye looked to be uncomfortable. That couldn't of been further from the truth and Mia sank down into the squashy chair feeling like she was being enveloped by an old friend.
The girl behind the counter nodded and smiled "Just the usual" she said whilst leaning over the back of the chair. Mia jumped "Errrr...Yes.......Sorry....Yes please, just the usual". The girl laughed and hurried off to get the order.

Hours had gone past and Mia had read 3 magazines, 7 chapters of a book and finished 2 crosswords. She had also consumed 2 slices of lemon drizzle cake, 1 ham sandwich and 4 coffees. She sat back and marvelled at how hungry she had been whilst rubbing her belly. It was dark outside now and Mia decided it was time to make a move or risk exploding through greed. Just as she reached for her bag that familiar ring that only Mia understood sounded in her ears....."Yes" she answered "There is an envelope waiting for you in your mail box, once you have finished your coffee and copious amounts of cake I would be grateful if you could retrieve it and follow the instructions" the same electronically distorted voice spoke to her. "OK, OK, no problem, calm down, I was only grabbing a bite to eat.....I take it that is allowed" Mia spat back down the phone. "Now now little one, lets not forget where you are and who you are shall we" the voice on the end calmly replied.
Mia almost threw the phone across the coffee shop but instead grabbed the sim out of the back and snapped it viciously between her fingers.

She walked home kicking at the puddles whilst looking around to see where he was watching her from. It was worse than being a prisoner and she knew that every second of every day was governed by them.
Once in her building she grabbed the envelope and stormed upstairs to her apartment almost taking the door off of its hinges as she opened it with a bang. She had to calm down and control her emotions, Mia didn't care what they did to her but after seeing her mother it confirmed why she was doing all this.
The instructions were as detailed as ever and she read them the usual 3 times before destroying any evidence. She made her way down to the parking lot and was greeted by a BMW Z3 waiting for her in the allocated parking bay. The car was new and Mia screwed up her nose as the smell of the new leather hit her, she quickly turned on the engine to get some air into the small space.
Suddenly she stopped.....This was the very same car that Greg had been going to buy her as a wedding present, she had chosen it herself and it was to be the first brand new car she had ever had. Was this The Institutes idea of a joke she wondered as the car roared to life and she sped out of the car park.

It handled beautifully and in no time as all she was at her destination. She carefully adjusted her wig and left the car in the correct bay as instructed. The building was dimly lit as she entered. Expecting to find at least one security guard Mia was surprised to see the front desk completely empty and the screens of the security cameras all turned off. She made her way to the elevator and pressed the button for floor 26. A memory pierced her subconscious...Floor 26 was where Greg had fallen from............

The elevator pinged and the doors opened to revel a long corridor with offices either side of the hallway. Carefully checking her surroundings Mia made her way along the hall "Good God what awful wallpaper" Mia whispered, Funny the things you notice just before pumping a bullet into someone she thought.

The office of Mr Neville Dawson was in front of her and Mia stopped outside for a few minutes to get ready for her grand entrance. Mr Dawson deserved everything he was about to get, he had stolen millions from a soldiers widows fund and then claimed he had lost it all in bad deals. He was to stand trial in 2 days and had been granted bail on the condition he didn't leave the country. Unfortunately for him for whatever reason someone wanted him dead and they clearly wanted him gone before the trial began.

Mia slowly opened the door and looked around for any signs of life. That was the strangest thing....There should of been the face of Neville Dawson looking surprised as she entered but instead she was greeted with an empty chair. For a few seconds Mia was confused, then a sight that she wasn't expecting......A man......Neville Dawson..........was there but he was slumped against the wall with a single bullet hole between his eyes.

Her eyes darted round the room as the sound of the door locking behind her rang out. Mia swung round only to receive a swift punch to the face followed by the gun she had been holding being grabbed out of her hand. She shook her head trying to gain some composure, a figure stood in front of her wearing all black, a hand reached for her face and she smacked it away.

Then a voice....................Not just any voice.............A voice she knew..................."Catherine, my little one"

Mia slowly lifted her eyes to face a ghost.......There in front of her stood a very real a very alive....... Greg.



Come back on Monday for the final chapter....And a bit of a twist. xx

Chapter 6

The sound from a siren woke her from a dream, she had been running along a narrow path by the side of a canal being chased by someone. Greg had been standing on a bridge urging her to run faster, she hadn't dared look round in fear of seeing what or who was chasing her. The siren got louder and louder and it was only when she was fully awake she realised it was for real and was outside. Mia sat up with beads of cold sweat prickling her skin. This was not the first time she had had this dream and was becoming a weekly occurrence.

Sometimes she wondered if it was Greg's way of telling her from the grave to run and get the hell out of the situation she found herself in. She knew this to be an impossible task, she was getting closer each day to her final goal. Mia smiled as she thought of the moment she finally came face to face with the person who had murdered Greg...The person who had forced her to become Mia Campbell.

It had taken her a long time to gain the trust of The Institute and along the way she had become relatively close to a few useful people who had given her access to the records department. Here she had copied details concerning her life old and new, incident reports about Greg's death and those of his family. She had been correct about their endings and had not been surprised to find out that none of them were accidents:-

File 1026 - Blake MacArthur - Killed in a car accident in Northern Cyprus - Verdict - Accidental death due to misadventure.
Extra Notes - Eye witnesses told police officers that a black Mercedes had been seen forcing the car off of the road resulting in the car plummeting over the side of the mountain. These statements had not been recorded due to inaccuracies.

File 1037 - Callum MacArthur - Heart Failure - Verdict - Death by natural causes.
Extra Notes - High levels of Potassium found in blood stream, enough to stop the heart of an elephant. Autopsy notes had been discarded from investigation due to negligence case concerning the pathologist.

File 1067 - Gregor MacArthur - Accidental fall from a height due to intoxication - Verdict - Open verdict, although alcohol and drugs were found in system no foul play had been detected.
Extra Notes - N/A

Mia knew that Greg would never of done anything to jeopardise their happiness, he had been her soul mate and had even joked they were like lobsters that had their claws locked together....Inseparable.

She rose from her bed and padded softly across the room. The car would be here in a couple of hours and she had to make sure she had everything before heading back to England. Mia flicked the news channel on and was greeted with the sight of her last target. Police were saying that there had been 2 fatalities and that a young 18 year old girl had been arrested with their murders. That poor kid, little did she know that she had been part of a bigger picture. The Institute would take over now and represent her claiming it was all self defence then she too would be swept up and given a choice of giving herself to them or risk a life of jail. Not only had they got away with another hit but they got a new recruit as a bonus.

The plane touched down at Heathrow with a bump and once again Mia thanked God that she had made it all of the 3,500miles home from New York. Luggage retrieved she made her way through security feeling tired and almost hung over. As she emerged into the arrivals lounge she watched as loved ones greeted each other. How she wished someone was here waiting for her with open arms full of love. There was no one here for Mia Campbell and the best she could look forward to was a microwave dinner and a glass of Chardonnay for one.

She pushed her way through the heaving crowds making no eye contact with anyone. As the doors came into view a gust of wind escaped through the terminal sweeping Mias passport straight out of her grasp. It plopped to the ground and she swung round to retrieve it. Her hand reached out for it at the same time as another "Whoops" said a voice "Bloody wind. There you go". "Thanks" said Mia slowly raising her head to see who had spoken. A pair of familiar eyes almost knocked Mia backwards with surprise....Her mother stood before her smiling holding her passport out in front. She tilted her head and squinted at Mia as if a memory had been triggered. "No problem" her mother said. Mia stood staring for what seemed like an eternity at the woman who had driven her mad but who now seemed so sad that Mia wanted to scoop her up and tell her it was all ok. Her mother smiled again and turned to walk away, something wasn't right and Mia knew that although her face had been completely reconstructed and contact lenses had been applied there had been something in her mothers look that had recognised a tiny feature.

Mia watched as she disappeared out of sight desperately wanting to follow her but knowing that it was the worst thing to do. Had that really just happened ? Had that really been her very own mother right in there? Why had she hesitated and looked at Mia that way? What if she was on her way back right now? The answers to all those questions ran through her mind as she grabbed her luggage and high tailed it out of the airport and into the fresh air. They had been very clear "you must disappear, or your family will be next". She had no choice and had to follow their instructions or God knows what would happen.

Over the next few days Mias head was a complete mess. She hadn't told a soul even though she knew it should of been reported to The Institute. This chance meeting changed everything and she was going to have to step it up a gear and finish this once and for all. The Institute had taken enough away from her and seeing her mother had almost broken her heart.

Enough was enough!



Come back on Friday for the next chapter xxx