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| The Matchmakers; An off beat Helen and Nikki fic | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Feb 18 2007, 06:18 PM (11,653 Views) | |
| richard | Feb 18 2007, 06:18 PM Post #1 |
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THE MATCHMAKERS- A HELEN AND NIKKI FIC All characters borrowed from Shed with gratitude. I have also borrowed from selected televised Bad Girls scenes and given them a new twist. It is an offbeat comedy "alternative history" of Series 2 Bad Girls and has some very mild heterosexual references for reasons, which will become clear. The origins of this fanfic are from a challenge originated by Kristine, a fellow writer and has been recently expanded. I am happy to accept comment, but am not looking for any criticism (negative or positive) either publicly or privately--only general encouragement Chapter One Di stared dreamily into space in the prison officer’s room off G wing, feeling down in the dumps. Once again, the refrain that life wasn’t fair floated back into her mind. She and Dominic were thrown together every day and they had all the chances in the world for romance to flourish but nothing ever happened. Instead of the words of love that she was dying to tell him every minute of the day, there came the workaday words of ‘locks bolts and bars’ or intense discussions of prison officer’s problems, every problem but her own or his. They had so much in common, their opposition to the hated Fenner and Sylvia but when were they to ‘come out’ or at least when would Di? The one thing that held her tongue that, desperate as she was to think that Dominic felt the same was the lurking suspicion that Dominic might not feel the same about her. All through her life she felt plain and unloved and while her school friends went out to the discos, she was stuck at home, already at that stage looking after her Mum. It wasn’t fair, some voice in the bottom of her mind complained once again. At that moment, Dominic came into the prison officer’s room shaking his head and dying for a cup of tea and Di broke off from her daydreaming. “Thanks Di, though I wish it was something stronger.” Dominic said as he promptly drained the cup of tea with a gulp. “What’s the matter love?” Di asked in her friendly open way. “Yvonne Atkins is the matter, Di” Dominic spoke with feeling.”If it isn’t Shell Dockley trying it on blatantly, it’s Yvonne Atkins.” “Don’t let them get to you, love,” Di said in her cosy mumsy fashion laying her hand on his arm. Really she was ready to scratch out the eyes of those tarty women who were dressed in the skimpiest outfits while she was stuck with the same unflattering black trousers and white blouse with the black epaulettes. She never felt good about herself when she was dressed that way. “Thanks Di. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Dominic said gratefully. Di was a great help round the wing. He needed an ally and they could talk all day about the way prisoners should be looked after. He was really glad that Helen Stewart had come back to the prison service even though her Home Office projects sometimes took her elsewhere. He missed the chance to talk to her, especially remembering that day she invited him to the pub. He pictured the way she looked deep into his eyes and liking her flirtatious manner. Without her, things weren’t too bad as Di was a good mate and he felt comfortable being around her. The problem was that Dominic knew he was all fingers and thumbs around women. He worked in a prison where the women there had an invisible “don’t touch” sign hung round their neck, partly because the rule book said so, partly because seeing Fenner misbehaving round Shell offended his moral code and partly because the sexual allure given off by the prisoners made him feel uncomfortable. With all the long shifts that he was doing, what time did he have to meet women on the outside? What he didn’t know was how good-looking he was, especially to Di Barker’s lovelorn eyes. By contrast, every day that Nikki woke up in her bare prison cell, she felt that spring was coming back into her life after a long hard winter. She was grateful that she was getting her just deserts after more than two years of being treated as an outcast. Her cell on the 3s, and her university course were symbolic of this. What mellowed her most of all was Helen’s tangible presence and the knowledge that she knew felt the same way about her as she felt for Helen. It wasn’t just a matter of romance but also that Helen shielded her from injustice and cared for her. That alone was a big step up in the world by contrast with past personal officers she’d been lumbered with who were either hostile or, at best, well meaning but thick like Lorna Rose |
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| sanddancer55 | Feb 18 2007, 06:30 PM Post #2 |
Down the Block
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Great to see another offering from you. Looking forward to more of this. ASAP
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| Lisa289 | Feb 18 2007, 07:28 PM Post #3 |
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Welsh Bad Girl
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Hey Richard, great start to a new story from you.
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| Nikkis Only Luvver | Feb 18 2007, 10:25 PM Post #4 |
Out of Dorm
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Nice one Richard. I like the way its going. So some more would be appreciated and soon
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| MJNet | Feb 19 2007, 02:52 PM Post #5 |
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Governor
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Nice start Richard
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| richard | Feb 19 2007, 07:43 PM Post #6 |
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Hey, great to see your nice and friendly posts. This is the only part where I have used a Bad Girls scene in its entirety as, after this, things start to get skewed into an entirely new direction. Apologies in advance to readers for the particular interpretation I have placed on the scene but I couldn't have got the same starting point without this scene. Chapter Two One summer morning, Nikki was out in the garden, daydreaming and smiling fondly at the George Eliot postcard Helen had once sent her. A friendly “hello” suddenly came from out of nowhere from the back of her. Nikki hastily stuffed the postcard into her works jacket and Di Barker came up to her with outstretched hand. Nikki politely shook hands with her. It was only recently that she had been greeted in a friendly fashion by prison officers rather than with a sneer and a snarl and, still more, that she didn’t verbally lash back at them automatically. “Hi, I hope I’m not disturbing your work.” “No, no,” Nikki replied, being dragged rudely back to the present, automatically shaking the outstretched hand. “I’m Di Barker. I thought I’d introduce myself. I’m going to be your new personal officer from now on. If you have any problems, anything you want to talk about…” “I think you’ll find I’m pretty low maintenance on that score,” Nikki said. Some instinct told her to be wary and to keep the conversation to the minimum. She cast an eye on the patch of ground she’d been weeding and hoped that this woman got the message. “You’re a keen gardener,” Di said stating the obvious. Nikki noticed the friendly smile and was wondering if there was more to it than that. She’d run the club with Trish and when Trish wasn’t there, some of the new women had tried it on with her not knowing that they were an inseparable item till she politely told them otherwise. At least she knew they were lesbians or they wouldn’t be there at the club. Larkhall was supposed to be different although, as Denny told her once ‘half the prison officers are dykes.’ “Yes well it gets me out,” Nikki said, both looking and feeling distinctly uncomfortable. “Doing Open University as well, Nikki. English Literature. You’ve got many strings to your bow…….” Di simpered. Nikki conceded grudgingly that Di had at least done her bloody homework and had read the file rather than pick up the usual hostile gossip and labelled her the ‘black sheep.’ “………if you’ve got any problems then you know that you can come to me at any time, Nikki.” Oh Christ, I think this bloody woman really does fancy me, Nikki thought, getting really worried. As if her life wasn’t complicated enough. They chatted awhile about books and Nikki found to no great surprise that their taste in books differed markedly. Di next confessed that every plant she touched died on her. Nikki couldn’t exactly see what helpful horticultural advice she could give. That set the seal on just what these two women had in common. “Are you married or got a partner,” Di suddenly asked. Either this woman is a bit nosy or she’s trying to persuade me to let my guard down. “Actually, I’m a lesbian.” Nikki said with more certainty than she felt. She might as well put all her cards on the table and see how she reacts to that one. “Have you got a partner….or a special friend?” Nikki felt the bubbles of humour well up inside her and concluded that perhaps she’s just hopelessly naïve after all. Her mother used that expression and she and her girlfriend of the moment and they used to fall about laughing when they were on their own. “No I haven’t…well yes I have but it’s rather complicated.” Nikki stumbled as her jumbled thoughts battled for order in her mind. How could she say she, as a prisoner, and Helen Stewart, the wing governor, were having a relationship? The answer was tell nobody, not ever but she would have to be diplomatic in giving this woman the brush off. This woman was a step up from Fenner’s homophobic taunts. “I’m a good listener.” Di said earnestly looking into her eyes. “Now if you don’t mind, I’ll get on with my work, ”and Nikki bent down to resume her gardening. ”Me and you are going to be friends, Nikki.” Nikki crouched down to dig her trowel into the earth. She felt safer at shrub level. Nikki didn’t waste time in tapping into the highly effective ‘grapevine’ on the gossip about Di Barker. Single woman living at home, no rings on her finger, no talk of partner. It was possible that the woman was gay, in the closet or stuck halfway through the door. After all, Helen Stewart once had a boyfriend and was engaged to be married. She needed to think this one through carefully and cover all possibilities. “Yvonne,” Nikki called out as she passed by her cell, “what do you make of this new prison officer Di Barker?” “You’re asking me,” Yvonne grinned, gesturing her to take a seat. ”You’re as sharp as anyone. She’s your bleeding personal officer, you ought to know.” “It’s just like I can’t make her out. Yvonne, and that worries me so I thought I’d get a second opinion and who better than you to ask.” “The Julies know a bit about her. She’s bloody sex starved ….nearly as much as I am. In fact they said that she would shag a broomstick if she had half a chance.” At that point, Nikki fumbled for a cigarette and lit up fast as her blood pressure and paranoia level shot up through the roof. The woman really is after me. “ She’s always talking about boyfriends and dream lovers.” Nikki heaved a huge sigh of relief along with a cloud of cigarette smoke. Thank Christ, Di’s straight and hopefully would stay so. “I’ve got a feeling that Di Barker has got a crush on Dominic.” Yvonne smiled knowingly. “That’s good,” Nikki answered without thinking. The other woman looked at Nikki narrowly between mascaraed eyelashes. There was something up here although even her vast databank memory couldn’t make sense of what Nikki was driving at. “Hey, I thought you are a lesbian. How come you are taking an interest in the love life of the screws, especially those two,” questioned Yvonne sharply. She saw a slow smile spread all over Nikki’s face. The other woman tapped the side of her nose twice but said nothing. Yvonne let it go as Nikki obviously wasn’t talking and the whole thing was her business. For her part, Nikki basked in her feelings of sheer relief. Thank Christ she was safe after all and a few hours of worrying could be soon forgotten. She felt a bit sorry that Di was looking for love and had never found it despite her freedom to live on the outside. Everyone should have someone to love. A foolish fancy Nikki thought, laughing at the preposterous idea of acting as Cupid for a straight woman and her dream male lover. |
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| Lisa289 | Feb 20 2007, 02:15 PM Post #7 |
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Welsh Bad Girl
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Great update, Richard. I wonder where this is going..... |
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| bgfanatic | Feb 20 2007, 05:35 PM Post #8 |
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Out of Dorm
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a great start, two great chapters... now for more!!! |
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| richard | Feb 21 2007, 05:12 PM Post #9 |
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I conceived this part as an extension of the famous 'art room scene' out of total affection asnd respect for it and out of intense sympathy with Nikki every time Helen says those words 'gotta go.' I have woven this storyline for about the last occasion Bg Series 2 stay on the same course. After this, I start to introduce my changes. Chapter Three “You don’t give up do you,” Nikki said admiringly. They were sat together in the arts room finishing off a real heart to heart talk. Di Barker had conveniently left the library where they had both been pretending to read and Nikki’s sideways nod to Helen indicated all was safe in the room next door. They kissed gently as they looked into each other’s eyes but Nikki started to go into panic mode, as Helen was about to say, “Gotta go” as she always did. She always dreaded the moment when Helen would make her exit. “Helen, does it occur to you that everyone ought to have some love in their lives?” “Sure, Nikki. Why else are we here? We hardly get any privacy around the wing,” Helen answered with raised eyebrows at the strange tack their conversation was taking. “I can’t help noticing how well suited Di and Dominic would be for each other. It’s just something that’s been on my mind. Dominic is a great guy and I’ve felt really sorry for him as he is clearly in love with Di Barker. He’s all fingers and thumbs and can’t say what’s on his mind. Di Barker’s my personal officer and she gives the impression that all is sweetness and light but she lives at home with her disabled mother and she’s obviously looking for love. I sense that every time she sees me as her personal officer. It’s ironic that I’m locked up but my life is just fine or would be if I was on the outside and we were living together. Here they are, they’ve got all the freedom in the world yet they don’t take advantage of it. It tells me how sad life can be. I just feel really , really sorry for them both. Each of them would be so good for the other……….” Nikki sat by incredulously, observing herself jabbering away with this stream of idiotic verbal diarrhoea. It spewed forth without her thinking about it and her mouth was utterly unable to stop talking. She groaned inwardly at the spectacle she was making of herself even though her case was well reasoned. She must be totally mad, she considered, after all the girlfriends that she had had in the past. She was a thirty something, out and proud lesbian, for God sake, not some teenage kid out on her first date. She could only put it down to being in a state of total confusion and tension in being so near to Helen after all these months. It must have gone to her head. Whatever would Helen think of her except that she’s a total headcase? She dare not tell her that at one point she had mistakenly thought that Di was attracted to her. What she didn’t realize as her eyes were screwed tight shut was Helen’s reaction. Feelings of tenderness were welling up inside Helen that Nikki would think so much of other people’s happiness as well as theirs. It was so like Nikki, even at a moment like this. Eventually, mid sentence, Helen laid her finger across Nikki’s lips. With an effort of courage, Nikki opened her eyes and saw the light of love in Helen’s eyes and a tender smile spreading across her face. “I don’t get you Nikki sometimes but you really are very sweet. Here you are, you’ve spent months trying to lure me away from men- from Sean if you can call him one. It takes you nearly being transferred out in a cattle truck before I finally get the message. I get my job back and nearly the first thing you do when we’re finally on our own is talk about Di and Dominic. Sod my next appointment. It can wait. Come here love……” Helen’s sultry Scottish accent made Nikki go weak at the knees as well as most parts of the rest of her body as well. Besides, she was suffering the after effects of emotional vertigo. In rapid succession she had assured Helen that she wasn’t some cold blooded killer, helped nurse each others insecurities for the future between kisses and then they romantically declared their commitment to each other. Finally, what does she do at the golden moment but suddenly babble on about matchmaking two sexually inhibited screws? Her ears switched themselves on as she heard Helen finally convince her of her desires. She nodded her head and latched onto the positive. Doing what came naturally, she slipped her arms round Helen’s shoulders, as Helen turned round to face her. This must be the weirdest chat-up line of all time but, in some cock-eyed fashion, it had distracted Helen from her errand. Her growing desires erased her confusion in the way that her tongue slipped deep into Helen’s mouth and how eagerly Helen responded to her. |
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| Lisa289 | Feb 21 2007, 05:23 PM Post #10 |
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Welsh Bad Girl
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Great update, richard!
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| zena | Feb 21 2007, 06:21 PM Post #11 |
I said SIT IN THAT CHAIR
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Wonderful update Richard more please.
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| SexySimone | Feb 21 2007, 09:28 PM Post #12 |
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G2 landing
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Thanks for the great update. Can't wait for more.
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| richard | Feb 22 2007, 06:09 PM Post #13 |
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This next part parallels the scene in Episode 12 of Series 2 but takes a decisive move in a different direction. I'm really grateful for the lovely feedback given to this piece which is a little out of the ordinary. Chapter Four A few days later, Helen was at work on her papers late at night and there was a knock on the door. A bit irritated she went to answer it and Dominic appeared out of the blue with a takeaway meal. Jesus Christ, Helen thought to herself. Why in hell has he popped up like this? She got worried as she had known Nikki phone her up at home round about this time of night. “Dominic, this is a pleasant surprise,” Helen answered after a pause, putting on her most convincing insincere smile.” To what do I owe this visit?” “Err I thought I’d pop round and talk to you as I’ve got a few things on my mind I wanted to talk to you about. I want to get some ideas from you about prison reform as you work for the Home Office. I don’t get time for this at Larkhall.” Dominic said. He looked a bit flustered and embarrassed and that made Helen feel distinctly edgy and uncomfortable. They had recently enjoyed some friendly exchanges and caught up with Helen’s period of absence from Larkhall. She would always be grateful for Dominic’s support alone among the prison officers when her progressive ideas had been greeted by barely concealed derision by the others. Nevertheless, this visit had come from out of the blue and Helen wasn’t sure what Dominic was really here for. They engaged in a bit of idle chitchat while Helen took the initiative and made two cups of coffee. Helen carefully sat down in her armchair while Dominic claimed the sofa. “Are you glad to be back here?” “I’ve got unfinished business here, Dominic.” Helen said, non committally. “Anyway, It’s great to see you around here again.” “I’ll be better able to stay around since I won’t be in charge of some of those backstabbing bastards. They nearly did my head in last time I was here.” “I’m not one of them, Helen.” “I know, Dominic.” The conversation petered out in an uneasy silence while they ate the curry and rice. After Helen dumped the remains in the wastebin, she took a careful sip of her cold cup of coffee while Dominic looked straight in front of him. Where were these burning questions on Dominic’s mind, Helen wanted to ask but didn’t. In the middle of this oppressive silence, the phone rang. It was situated on Dominic’s side of the room. “I’ll get it,” Dominic offered. “No Dominic, It’s my bloody house. You stay right where you are, make yourself comfortable and I’ll be with you in a minute.” Helen picked up the phone and, to her delight Nikki’s voice had come to the rescue. The next five minutes were moments of pure tedium for Dominic as Helen was clearly having a heart to heart talk on the phone to someone whom she was clearly very fond of. He couldn’t work out the name of the guy but they were clearly on intimate terms. The most attention that he got from her was the very sharp look she directed at him to remain silent. At that moment, Helen was thankful for her period as one time wing governor, which enabled her to achieve the necessary forcefulness when she needed it. She had to make absolutely sure that Dominic didn’t make his presence known down the other end of the phone. Even though Helen was following her part of their plan, she didn’t want Nikki getting the wrong ideas. She wondered just what might happen if Nikki overheard Dominic’s background presence. “Better go, darling, the pips are going” Nikki said hurriedly and put the phone down, a big contented smile on her face. For once, there wasn’t soul about instead of the normal long queue for the phone or her enterprise would have been a definite non-starter. All the others were watching some nameless soap on television, which she normally detested but she made the mental note that it had its uses on this one occasion. Was that your boyfriend?” Dom asked in a disappointed tone of voice, as this visit had turned out to be a bit of a let down. Helen nodded, this being the convenient answer. “So, Dominic, what’s troubling you? I can see that you have something more on your mind than picking my brains on prison reform.” Helen questioned, in a bright, alert tone of voice. After some hesitation and false starts, Dominic finally started to speak. “I admit that talking over prison theory is a bit of an excuse to call on you. It feels the same that time I came round for a drink when you invited me to the pub.” “That was to get you to withdraw your resignation,” Helen said rapidly, smiling kindly but firmly on him. “I really need some general advice about women, or the lack of them. Working all hours in a prison doesn’t help. I thought that being older than me, you would be the sort of woman who would understand. I’ve always got on with women who are older than me.” His head was in a complete spin as Helen was now definitely beyond his reach. He kept on talking while he sorted his head out. Helen was momentarily uncomfortable, being not sure if Dominic was harbouring any residual romantic feelings for her or that she was simply asked to be Marge Proops. Into Helen’s mind flashed the thought that now was the golden opportunity to give Dominic a pep talk about Di. Imagine you are a saleswoman and go for it, she thought. “I have the answer to your dreams, Dominic. Di Barker. She’s the woman for you. As soon as I saw you two together in the prison officer’s room, I could see that the two of you are made for each other, ”Helen replied enthusiastically, going into sales pitch mode. “But she’s just a good friend,” Dom protested. “Is that how you feel about her or how you think she feels about you?” ”I’ve always thought that Di wanted my friendship but nothing more than that. We talked about all sorts of prison matters and we enjoy taking the piss out of Sylvia behind her back. We had a field day when she was banging on about nearly being killed that time when she accidentally fell down the staircase.” ”Di Barker is just the sort of shy woman who is too scared to come out with how she really feels,” countered Helen, slipping him a knowing look. Jesus Christ, ‘come out’ isn’t the most fortunate expression she could use, she thought inwardly, but Dominic isn’t to know. He sat back in the chair, open-mouthed. Helen’s words made him suddenly focus on a number of little subtle hints of Di’s, which he’d unaccountably overlooked. “I think I have been in love with her and not known it myself.” Dominic said very slowly to Helen’s delight. Helen could see the wheels turning round in his mind. Keep thinking that way, Dominic, and just stay off my patch. “Well, you’ve chosen the right woman. I have it on good authority that Di Barker is very smitten by your good looks and charm.” “She is?” queried Dominic, his eyes wide open in amazement. “Of course. How do you know that she hasn’t felt the same about you and been too scared to say it? After all, she’s not known for having hordes of boyfriends queuing up for her. Perhaps she’s been waiting for Mr. Right all these years and you’ve been there all along and she’s not realized it. You have to make her understand,” Helen answered him with smooth precision. “That’s true…..I never thought of that before,” Dominic said slowly, the look of dawning hope in his eyes. Thank God the penny’s dropped, Helen thought with a sense of relief. It’s taken a lot of pushing. It made Helen realize just how much she wanted to make dead sure of her own Ms. Right for herself. “But how do I get to tell her how I feel about her. I mean Larkhall isn’t exactly intimate.” That’s all you know, thought Helen impatiently but she pushed that thought to the back of her mind. He means how will I have the chance to get off with her but it would be tactless to put it that way. It would only scare him off. “Sylvia’s got her golden wedding anniversary dance in Larkhall prison. It’s the chance of a lifetime and Di’s bound to glam herself up. Just think of it. Everyone’s bound to let their hair down a bit. The place won’t seem like its normal self with soft lights, party music and some alcohol.” Helen enthused, with a smile and a wink. She tried to overlook the very obvious point that Sylvia and her Bobby would be most unlikely to organize the rave of the century. A very much cheered up Dominic left Helen’s flat and Helen sank back against the inside of her front door in total relief that things had gone so successfully. She made a mental note to talk to Nikki and make sure that Di, being Nikki’s personal officer would be given similar regular pep talk in their regular weekly chats. She smiled to herself at Nikki’s powers of persuasion and questioned just who was being the personal officer. |
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| SexySimone | Feb 22 2007, 07:29 PM Post #14 |
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G2 landing
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Very nice work Helen, making Dominic think about Di. Thanks for the update.
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| Lisa289 | Feb 22 2007, 10:53 PM Post #15 |
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Welsh Bad Girl
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Great update Richard. But please don't let my Dominic get sucked into the madness of Di Barker! I couldn't bear it!
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Great to see another offering from you. Looking forward to more of this. ASAP




I couldn't bear it!

8:48 AM Jul 11