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Post by barnaby on Sept 22, 2010 11:05:49 GMT -5
Barnaby scowled at the crate he was currently unpacking and muttered beneath his breath. Maybe he'd done enough for today? Maybe he needed to get out and see what else Venice Beach had to offer. He'd seen a little of it last night when he'd run into Casper and Elizabeth but there was more to his new home than the beach and that coffee shop.
He grabbed his jacket and headed out, making for the promenade...
* * *
As with the previous evening, the place was bustling with life. People out walking or jogging... riding bikes or skate-boarding. Everyone in a rush, it seemed. Everyone but Barnaby Blackwell. He peered at the few shops he passed as he walked, making a note of what they sold in case he ever needed items like beach balls, little windmill toys or the most replusive shorts known to man.
He smiled to himself as he moved on and left the shops in his wake.
To his right lay the steely sweep of the Pacific Ocean. His left held a park area. Beach or park? Park or beach?
"Decisions..." he murmured to himself and unable to make up his mind he came to a standstill and leaned over the handrail that seperated the footpath he was using from the beach area. It really was a lovely place to live... and hopefully he'd soon start meeting more people and finding his own particular niche.
Barnaby frowned slightly when he saw a girl walking down the beach and in his direction. He screwed up his eyes to try and see her face a little more clearly. He'd been taken aback to encounter Elizabeth... so what were the chances of him meeting another familiar face? Surely negligable and yet.... "Alex...?" he murmured softly, rasing his voice and calling out the name once again.
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Post by Alex Bridgerton on Sept 22, 2010 21:38:15 GMT -5
It was the night before prom and Alex had taken Kai out for shopping and a walk along the beach. She figured Ashley could use the night off. He had been so great lately and Alex could use a little bonding time with Kai. "Do you think daddy will like this on mommy." She asked smiling at her son as he coo's and shook his head. "Pretty." Kai said in his cute Little two year old voice. it was a skirt Alex thought was cute. Something not fro prom but for a date night maybe. A family outing.''
Alex had barely spoken with Lizbeth since she arrived. She knew about it. How could she not. Her family and Lizbeth's family ran in the same circles. Alex had tried calling and left a message after hearing about the death of the girls parents. Perhaps they had grown apart. Alex was a different girl then she use to be.
The sound of her name had her turning around trying to figure out who had said it when she spotted a familiar face and smiled. "Barnaby Blackwell, Bloody hell. What brings you to this side of the ocean. Last I hear I thought you were never going to leave." She said smiling, Kai looked up at the man. "Forgive my manners. Barnaby this is my son...Kai."
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Post by barnaby on Sept 23, 2010 4:06:03 GMT -5
It WAS her!
“Wow... Alex,”Barnaby replied with a look of shock etched across his face. “I only ran into Elizabeth Livingston last night and now you. How weird is that? It was actually beyond weird!
And then it hit him.
“Your son?”
Barnaby looked down at the youngster in even more surprise. Had she been joking? He glanced back at Alex... “Wow,” he repeated. “Nice to meet you, Kai,” he added with a wink. “He’s a sweetie by the looks of things. Sooo... wow... You look good, Alex,” Barnaby commented. Being a mum clearly suited her but... “Are you still Bridgerton or did you get married?” A roundabout way of asking if Kai’s dad was still on the scene. He could only imagine how this had gone down with Alex’s parents as they’d always been sticklers for appearances.
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Post by Alex Bridgerton on Sept 25, 2010 0:21:54 GMT -5
"I heard Elizabeth has made her grand entraence into America. She oes to my school except the Gould side, I am Silver." Alex explained. "I have yet to run into my old friend, but I hear she is the same old Elizabeth. I have changed though. Back home, in London, as you well know I was not the most well mannered child there was." Her and LizBeth together had been a down right terror.
She had probably made Barnaby'slife difficult with all the pranks they pulled and other crap on him and other people. Testing the boundaries of course. No surprise among that. Alex smiled down at Kai and laughed when Barnaby asked if she was married. "I still remain a Bridgerton, much to my own dismay. My father hs disowned me for having a child at such a young age. No one back home know about Kai." She told Barnaby. "It's a long story. Kai lives with his father. I returned a few months ago to make a change." She told him with a bright smile.
"I like to believe I am a better person. If you can believe that. Me being a good girl for once." Alex said laughing.
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Post by barnaby on Sept 25, 2010 3:46:33 GMT -5
"Yeah... we met down on beach last night. Had a coffee... well, tea in her case... together. She hasn't changed much that I could see. That said, I haven't seen her for a few years. I didn't even know her parents had died."
He tilted his head a little to the left to look at Alex more closely. "It suits you... Having a kid, I mean." He dropped down to crouch before Kai. "Would you like an ice cream?" he asked, glancing up at mum for approval. Alex nodded. "Well?" Kai sucked his index finger, eyes wide as he stared at Barnaby who scrambled back upright. "There's a stall along the promenade a short way. Let's walk and talk."
Kai slipped in between Alex and Barnaby as they wandered back the way the latter had not long since come.
"So you don't have full custody? At least that means you can finish high school and graduate. Do you and his dad get on well?" He spoke in a soft voice so as to keep their conversation from the boy's ears.
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Post by Alex Bridgerton on Sept 26, 2010 0:21:33 GMT -5
"I had just foundout myself when she moved here. My mother had called." Her mother did not cal very often seeing as though she was allowing her husband to ruin Alex and Ashley's lives. Alexalmost had not spoken to her mother. "Had she not phoned I would not have known. Then again Elizabeth and I have barely spoken." It was both their faults really. Both caught up in their own lives.
"Well now that you have mentioned it, how can I say no. His fathermight not be happy,but Kai has been a wonderful boy this evening, he coulduse some dessert." Kai coo'd as he smiled.She could tell he understood the word ice cream obviously. The three walked side by side as Alex preparedto explain everything to Barnaby as he askedabout custody and Kai's father.
"We are courting...dating as they call it here." She explained. "Ashley is his name, has full custody. I left shortly after Kai's birth and droppedall contact. A decision I regret immensly. I returned a few month ago, two years later for Kai to finally be a mother." She old him."My father had made me leave, but part of me was scared about being a mother.I returned when I realized it was a mistake for me to leave. And now I take Kai out every other day and get him some weekends. Ashley and I are courting again. It is working." She told Barnaby.
"I am happy. Happier then i was when you saw me for the past two years." She told him. "I have changed." She said. "Ashley and Kai are good influences on me. What about you...how is your personal life?"
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Post by barnaby on Sept 26, 2010 3:22:22 GMT -5
Barnaby listened closely when Alex told him all about her situation. It sounded... complex... but then again, what aspect of life wasn't complex? "It sounds like you and Ashley have a good relationship," he finally commented. Alex had matured so much since he'd last seen her. She almost seemed like a different girl completely. "I truly hope you can work this out. Kai seems to be a great kid... He deserves a mum as well as a dad."
They came to a halt in front of the ice cream kiosk. "Choose your poison," he said to Alex and her son. "My treat."
A minute later the trio wandered on their way, only two of them holding cones. Barnaby made no secret of the fact that he really hated ice cream!
"You asked about my life," he finally said. "Nothing much to tell, really. I left my girlfriend back in England. I gather she's already moved on. She didn't want to come here and... well, I didn't want to stay there. The only way forwards was to split up but it was definitely for the best. Sooo... footloose and fancy free. Any of your school mates got an older sister?" he asked with a wink. Joking of course! He wanted to get himself well and truly settled in his new home before he started out on any romantic adventures. Not counting that one at the Copper Kettle the other night, of course!
"So tell me something about the school," he went on. "What's it like? Any particular students I need to watch out for?"
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Post by Alex Bridgerton on Sept 27, 2010 18:55:29 GMT -5
"I am blessed. Ashley is more then I ever could have askedfor. When I ran he stayed and raised Kai." Of course where would Ashley have gone he was American. Still he raised Kai. "I am very grateful I returned and Kai seems to have taken a liking to me. I feared he would not have been so good for me. Ashley forgave me for leaving, another minor miracle. I never should have left and I am deeply happy now that I have returned." Alex told Barnaby. "I just hope I can be a good mum now. I like to think Motherhood agrees with me." She was trying. Motherhood did seem to agree with her, she was differnet now.
"I still cannot begin to comprehend why you claim to dislike such a tasty treat." Alex licked her cone as she checked on Kai who was already making a mess. "Who ever invented wipes must have been a genius." She laughed pointing to Kai with a nice chocolate ring around his mouth and on his hand.
"Older sister. I shall put the word out...I am sure I could find someone." Alex winked with a smile. "Of course she will have to pass my approval. I cannot have you prancing around with some woman who will cause you to be a horrible teacher." Alex said still laughing. Barnaby was anything but, however back in the UK Alex had not cared, she just enjoyed messing with her teachers.
"Well you have met LizBeth have you..." Alex joked. "The school is rather friendly. There are a few people whom may be on the acting up side, but I have a feeling you can handle them. I seem to remember you were the King of giving out, as they say here, detention."
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Post by barnaby on Sept 28, 2010 6:58:27 GMT -5
“Older sister... but not TOO much older!” Barnaby pointed out. He was only a few years older than Alex, after all. “Oh? You want final approval, eh?” he asked on a laugh. “You seem to have done ok for yourself soooo... I might let you.” He winked at Alex and the reached down to ruffle Kai’s hair. The kid really was in a right old state.
It was good to know the school veered towards the amicable side but he wasn’t stupid enough to think for one second it would all be plain sailing. Every school had their tricky element and Barnaby had a feeling he’d find out soon enough what that was... Or rather, *who* that was!
Alex’s tease about detention drew another laugh from the Englishman. He knew she’d been joking because he’d never actually taught her at school. He’d left high school for teacher training college when he was 18. Gould would be his first proper assignment. Hopefully he wouldn’t earn that nickname in reality as detention would be only used as a very last resort.
“Are you a Silver or Gould student?” he asked. “Pretty sure I’ve been placed with the latter study group.” Likewise he wasn’t sure what section Elizabeth came under. If she told him last night he’d already forgotten but he didn’t think that subject had arisen.
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Post by Alex Bridgerton on Sept 30, 2010 0:31:32 GMT -5
"What...I can't find you a woman whom is at least a few years older. You have just taken most of the fun out of setting you up. Shame on you." Alex said laughing. Kai laughed as Barnaby ruffled his hair. "I promise i will be completely objective and have your best interest in my mind as I look for someone I feel would be worthy of your affections." Of course Alex knew she was not serious, and Barnaby had to know it too. maybe a few years ago it would have been different but Alex was different now. "I was lucky. I met Ashley when I was ten and four years old." When she was fourteen.
"I would love to protect you from Elizabeth and her lovely teasing, or outspoken behavior, but I am afraid I am a Silver student. However, I highly doubt it matters much seeing as though the schools will be merged permanently. Or I assume so, since Silver does not seem to be opening its doors, and there was a news report about a new school opening in August that will be big enough for us all to finally have our own locker." Alex explained.
She had to stop walking a moment to throw Kai's ice cream cup and napkins away. She pulled out some wipes to wipe Kai off. "I believe you will fit right in. LA accepts all kinds of people. Once you believe you have seen the weirdest thing in the world, believe me you shall see something different. I once saw a girl wear a tutu to school. Could you imagine what would have happened had the headmaster back in in London seen that."
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