Time Doctors #2 - D & D Scenario

Cursed Castle
This time, Kev has a go at creating a brand new scenario, based on experiences with a buddy who works in Warwick Castle dungeons.
The characters are loosely based on the TV show Most Haunted, with the addition of Kev's irascible Jester throwing spanners in the works at every opportunity.

What started out with the potential for great fun, quickly turned edgy, and spiralled into darkness when one of the players disappeared.

Time Doctors #1 - D & D Scenario

Tangled Warren
The first Time Doctors story starts at the end of a D&D adventure in the Savage Caverns, with the team chasing after a basilisk.

At the end of that long running campaign, the gang embark on a brand new scenario, created by Jen, based on her favourite all-time movie, Labyrinth.

Each of the characters is based on one from the movie, and the gang have great fun deaiing with similar escapades in their quest to solve the puzzles and save the world.

My First 45

All this weekend, Greatest Hits Radio are doing a fabulous feature where people fess up the very first single record they bought with their own money – as in not a gift.
This led to a pleasant couple of hours as I walked in the bright sunshine, trying to remember back that far. I remembered being bought such novelties as the The Thunderbirds theme and Puff the Magic Dragon. When I got back, I spent another hour sorting through 45s, at least a couple of dozen were from the 60s, from the Beatles She Loves you in 63 to The Four Tops Walk Away Renee in 67 (when I was 7).

I finally figured the first single I bought was I’m Still Waiting by Diana Ross 1971.
But the record I played till I wore it out was Escape by Journey 1981.
I then asked a bunch of people and got some really great responses. I guess we all like taking trip into our musical past.

Sue's favourite was Blue by Joni Mitchell 1971.
Jas's first single was Do you Wanna Touch by Gary Glitter 1973.

Sam's first 45 was In a Broken Dream by Python Lee Jackson 1972.
Her favourite was Back in Black by AC/DC 1980

Jon's first single was Gangsters by Specials AKA 1979.
One of his favourites was OK Computer by Radiohead 1997

Tracy's first single was Girl Talk by Duran Duran 1982.
Her favourite was Rio by AC/DC 1980

Kate's 1st single was Hungry like the Wolf by Duran Duran 1982
Her favourite was Hunting High and Low by Aha 1985

Chris' 1st CD was Appetite for Destruction by Guns 'N' Roses 1987.
His favourite was By the Way by Red Hot Chilli Peppers 2002

Paul's first album was Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits 1985.
One of his favourites was Staring at the Sea by Cure 1986

Jo's first album was Spice by Spice Girls 1996.
Her favourite was Stripped by Christina Aguilera 2002

Buying singles gradually died out as vinyl was replaced with CDs, so few Millennials actually bought them. And nowadays, even us baby boomers are streaming and CD players are a rarity. Sophia's first album was S Club 7 by S Club 7 1999.
The one she played to death was Busted by Busted 2002.
But nowadays, she streams Taylor Swift on a loop.

Steph's first album was Fallen by Evanescence 2003 - she was captivated by the dark drama, particularly Bring me to life.
Another favourite was The Black Parade by My Chemical Romance 2006

1990s World events

1990 German reunification
An agreement is reached for a two-stage plan to reunite Germany, and the destruction of the Berlin Wall by East Germany officially starts on June 13, (although Brandenburg gate was brought down at the end of 1989). East and West Germany merge their economies on July 1st.

1990-1 Gulf War
Iraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, prompting worldwide outrage. Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi dictator, claimed that Kuwait stole Iraqi oil to justify his invasion. The United Nations promptly imposed economic sanctions, and the United States initiated Operation Desert Shield. This included a buildup of US and Allied forces in Saudi Arabia until January 1991, when Operation Desert Storm was launched. Kuwait was liberated due to Desert Storm, and the Iraqi Army was forced to retreat. When the Iraqi Army returned to its homeland, the Allies quickly offered a cease-fire.

1990-4 Birth of the Internet
The “interlinked hypertext documents” system was created in 1989, but it wasn’t until 1990 and 1991, when it experienced its first test runs and became widely known, that it changed the world as everyone knew it. All of its components were created in 1990 by Tim Berners-Lee, a CERN computer scientist. These included HTTP, HTML, and the concept of browsers and servers, which we now take for granted. The Internet was a curiosity outside of CERN until 1994, when Netscape, Java, and Javascript were introduced. Microsoft’s invention of Internet Explorer accelerated its evolution, and the rest is history.

1991-9 Disney Renaissance
Beauty and the Beast debuted in 1991, followed by Aladdin in 1992 and The Lion King in 1994. The success of these resulted in what is now known as the Disney Renaissance, which refers to the company’s recovery from its cinematic downturn, which lasted from 1977 to 1991. Film analysts attribute this downturn to the retirement of one of Disney’s greatest animators, Don Bluth in 1981, which also contributed to the postponement of The Fox and the Hound’s debut. After 1994, Disney’s comeback continued with films such as The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Tarzan. And, while the Disney Renaissance ultimately ended, it did so on a high note.

1991 Fall of the Soviet Union Economic stagnation, such as excessive military spending and low investment in the service and consumer industries, paved the way for the Soviet Union’s dissolution. Mikhail Gorbachev’s policy of tolerance and openness to nationalist and dissenting opinions also played a significant role. In August 1991, Lithuania became the first Soviet member state to quit the Union, with Latvia and Estonia following in September. Other member states followed in the coming months, with Gorbachev formally recognizing the Union’s demise in December 1991. The fall of the Soviet Union signalled the end of the Cold War, and some saw it as proof that liberal democracy, rather than Communism, indicated humanity’s way forward.

1991 Super Nintendo
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System, or SNES, debuted in the United States in 1991 and quickly became the most popular gaming console of the 90s. Known for its advanced graphics and classic games such as “Donkey Kong Country,” “The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past,” and “Super Mario World,” Nintendo sold nearly 50 million systems worldwide.

1992 Funeral of Princess Diana
On December 9, 1992, John Major, the then-UK Prime Minister, confirmed that Prince Charles and Princess Diana had officially parted ways. However, their divorce would not be formalized until 1996. Princess Diana’s death – In the early hours of August 31, 1997, brought the world to a standstill. The stunning Princess died in a car accident in Paris while trying to flee the paparazzi with her fiance, Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul. Diana was admired worldwide for her charitable activities; over two and a half billion people watched her funeral.

1993 Hubble Telescope
NASA’s space telescope, arguably the most famous telescope in existence, was named after American astronomer Edwin Hubble. NASA believed that by installing Hubble in orbit, it would be able to capture more detailed photographs without the atmosphere warping light from deep space. Ironically, a faulty mirror prevented Hubble’s launch until 1993, when it was replaced. Hubble has captured an estimated 1 million photographs, ranging from the births and deaths of stars to galaxies and black holes millions of light-years away.

1994 End of Apartheid
Apartheid refers to South Africa’s segregation policy, which began in 1948. It established strict limits for the jobs that people of colour could have. It also determined where people could live, which public utilities they could access, and what services they could receive. By 1990, worldwide outrage had finally compelled the apartheid regime to negotiate with the ANC. In 1994, the ANC secured the opportunity to run for election and won an overwhelming majority in the South African Parliament, effectively ending apartheid on April 27, 1994. The date is now a South African public holiday known as Freedom Day.

1996 Dolly the Sheep
Contrary to popular belief, Dolly was the first mammal to be cloned, not the first animal. Dolly, born at the Roslin Institute in Scotland, was also the first clone created from adult animal cells. Scientists could previously only create clones from embryonic cells. Dolly’s success signified a significant victory for cloning science. However, it sparked alarm among opponents of the field and sparked a new debate about the ethics of cloning. Dolly, unfortunately, had to be euthanized at age six after being diagnosed with an incurable lung tumor.

1997 Exploration of Mars
Although it was not as well-publicized as Neil Armstrong’s “giant leap for mankind,” NASA’s Pathfinder mission was an equally significant scientific achievement. The Pathfinder spacecraft deployed a landing vehicle and a robotic rover to the Martian planet for the first time on July 4, 1997, supplying scientists on Earth with a wealth of data on Mars’ atmosphere, rocks, and soil. While Pathfinder did not uncover life, it provided the best evidence that the planet was once humid and possibly sustained life.

1997 Microsoft saved Apple
Bill Gates announced in 1997, when Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy, that Microsoft would throw Steve Jobs’ struggling business a lifeline financially to the tune of a $150 million investment. $150 million was a massive investment back then. Following the event, Jobs famously told the audience that people had to let go of the notion that Microsoft had to lose in order for Apple to win.

1997 – Harry Potter
In 1997, J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” was released worldwide, giving audiences their first look into the magical world of the young wizard Harry Potter. (The book was initially named “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in the United States.) Rowling famously penned the book in coffee shops while on welfare and was turned down by various publishers. Since then, the Harry Potter books have gone on to become among the best-selling books in history, as well as the foundation for a multibillion-dollar franchise that encompasses movies, games, and an upcoming television series.

1997-8 Google
The search engine was founded in 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin and initially utilized Stanford’s website with the domains google.stanford.edu and z.stanford.edu. The pair originally constructed a search engine they wanted to call “Backrub” from their dorm rooms that exploited links to determine the relevance of particular pages on the World Wide Web. On September 15, 1997, the domain google.com was registered, and Google was born in their friend Susan Wojcicki’s garage in Menlo Park, California. The name was inspired by the mathematical equation for one followed by one hundred zeros. It accurately expressed Larry and Sergey’s goal of collating the world’s knowledge and data and making it accessible and beneficial to all.

1997-9 Y2K Bug
The Y2K or Millennium Bug referred to a widespread concern among computer programmers in the 1990s who feared that computers would be unable to handle the changeover from 1999 to 2000, resulting in general breakdowns worldwide. In fact, some estimated that the computer meltdown may cost up to $600 billion. Others went so far as to predict a global catastrophe, causing a surge in hoarding activity towards the end of 1999. However, only a few crashes took place during the transition, thanks to the unnoticed hard work of computer programmers who proactively modified the computer software to enable them to cope with the change.

1998 International Space Station
Plans for the station, called “Freedom” in reaction to the Soviet Mir space station, date back to the 1980s. With the Cold War’s end, NASA chose a different name for its anticipated space station in accordance with the new post-war order. They also resolved to allow Russians to participate in the program alongside Europeans and Japanese. While the first modules of the ISS were launched into space in 1998, it didn’t become ready for human habitation until 2000.

1999 Napster
In 1999, a peer-to-peer file-sharing program named Napster rose to prominence as an apparently prophetic method to usher in the new century. Young people all over the world quickly become accustomed to accessible digital content. While Napster would eventually pay its dues for copyright infringement, the online corporation helped set a precedent for the next generation: we expected our entertainment and music content for free or inexpensive, and we wanted it on demand, at the touch of our fingertips on our computer.

Globalization and Multiculturalism
There was a widespread view that the decade had failed to deliver on the promises it began with. From the 1990s onward, several events shattered the world’s hopes for long-term peace and prosperity. These include genocide, war in Africa and Southern Europe, and economic issues in Eastern Europe. Communist China, too, survived the fall of the Soviet Union and slowly built its might to compete with the United States. Terrorist assaults continued to occur and increase in severity during the last decade. The fact that the West prospered despite the issues experienced elsewhere in the world during the decade tainted the appeal of multiculturalism and globalism.




1990
January 3 – United States invasion of Panama: General Manuel Noriega is deposed as leader of Panama and surrenders to the American forces.
February 11 – Nelson Mandela is released from Victor Verster Prison, near Cape Town, South Africa, after 27 years behind bars
February 13 – German reunification: An agreement is reached for a two-stage plan to reunite Germany, and The destruction of the Berlin Wall by East Germany officially starts on June 13, East and West Germany merge their economies on July 1st.
February 15 = The United Kingdom and Argentina restore diplomatic relations after 8 years (after Argentina's invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982).
March 21 – After 75 years of South African rule since World War I, Namibia becomes independent.
April 1 – The Community Charge (poll tax) takes effect in England and Wales amid widespread protests
April 1 – Strangeways Prison riot: The longest prison riot in Britain's history begins at Strangeways Prison in Manchester, and continues for 3 weeks and 3 days, until April 25.
April 24 – The Hubble Space Telescope is launched aboard Space Shuttle Discovery.
May 22 = Cold War: The leaders of the Yemen Arab Republic and the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen announce the unification of their countries as the Republic of Yemen.
June 2 – The Lower Ohio Valley tornado outbreak spawns 88 confirmed tornadoes in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, killing 12; 37 tornadoes occur in Indiana, eclipsing the previous record of 21 during the 1974 Super Outbreak.
June 24 – Kathleen Margaret Brown and Irene Templeton are ordained as priests in St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast, becoming the first female Anglican priests in the United Kingdom
August 2 = Gulf War: Iraq invades Kuwait, eventually leading to the Gulf War.
October – Tim Berners-Lee begins his work on the World Wide Web, 19 months after his seminal 1989 outline of what would become the Web concept.
November – The earliest known portable digital camera sold in the United States ships.
November 22 – British PM Margaret Thatcher announces she will not contest the second ballot of the leadership election for the Conservative Party.

1990s Toys/games

After several months away, I'm returning to the 1990s to finish off the last few categories.

Thunderbirds Tracy Island (1992)

In 1992, this was the must-have Christmas toy - the secret headquarters of the Tracy family, known as International Rescue's "base." But demand outstripped supply, leading to a shortage. Blue Peter came to the rescue, showing viewers how to build a home-made version out of household waste. The BBC was then, in turn, overwhelmed by requests for copies of the instruction sheet for making the model. Eventually the broadcaster stopped sending out the sheets and released a recording of presenter Anthea Turner's demonstration, Blue Peter Makes a Thunderbirds Tracy Island, on VHS.

Sony PlayStation (1994)
On December 3, 1994, Sony released the first PlayStation in Japan. The Playstation, which sold for 37,000 yen (about $387), skyrocketed in popularity and was considered Sony's most important product since the Walkman. It was released in the US in September 1995 and was an instant hit.

Tickle Me Elmo (1996)
After coming up with the idea of creating a stuffed animal that would laugh when someone tickled it, inventor Ron Dubren teamed up with engineer Greg Hyman to create a stuffed animal with laughing technology. Although that toy was never successful, Dubren's idea lived on. In 1996, the Tyco toy company asked to use Dubren's technology to create a doll with the character of Elmo from Sesame Street . Tickle Me Elmo (or Elmo Cosquillas as it was known in Spanish), became one of the most popular children's toys and was named the most desired toy of the 1996 Christmas shopping season. It now lives on the list of "100 Greatest Toys of All Time" from TIME magazine.

Toy Story Buzz Lightyear Action Figure (1996)
This saw a re-run of the Tracy Island shortage. Due to the enormous success of Toy Story upon its release, Thinkway Toys was unable to meet the demand for Buzz Lightyear figures in the holiday season of 1996. With the assumption that Woody would be the most popular character, only 50,000 Buzz Lightyear toys were manufactured compared to 200,000 Woody toys. The supply deficit resulted in hundreds of shoppers queuing in the hope of purchasing a Buzz Lightyear toy and required the delivery of emergency supplies, with the BBC describing Buzz as "the year's most sought-after Christmas present."

Nintendo 64 (1996)
On June 23, 1996, the Nintendo 64 was released in Japan, becoming the first home console to feature an analogue stick as the primary controller. In September of that year, the N64 made its way to the US The console was a breakthrough in the gaming industry, allowing users to aim with precision and control like never before.

Tamagotchi (1996)
The Tamagotchi, the original virtual pet , is a childhood staple of the 1990s. Released in 1996 by Bandai, more than 40 million units were sold worldwide. In a way, the portable handheld device taught children to be responsible, from playing with the pet to picking up their virtual waste.



Gaming
• Home consoles become powerful and affordable enough to begin replacing trips to the arcade.

• CD-ROMs, which was first introduced as a software storage media with the 1988 launch of the PC Engine CD-ROM² System in Japan, gradually replaced ROM cartridges and floppy disks as the primary storage media for video games, starting with the release of platforms such as the Turbo Duo and Sega CD, later on with the PlayStation and the Sega Saturn, while CD-ROM drives for PCs became standardized. The sole exception was Nintendo, who canceled their plans to release a CD-ROM adapter for the Super NES and chose to employ cartridges for their subsequent home console, the Nintendo 64.

• Gaming, along with animation in general becomes more appealing to adults.

• Online multiplayer environments are popular over the internet during the later half of the 1990s. The first console with built-in Internet connectivity was the Dreamcast in 1999, which failed due to the low download speeds common at the time but eventually led to an online-centric gaming industry by the late 2000s.

• First-person shooter games become popular with the release of Doom (1993).

• 3D graphics overtake the traditional 2D graphics in the mid-nineties with the release of Quake and Super Mario 64 in 1996.

• The PlayStation is released in Japan on December 3, 1994 and in North America in September 1995.

Heaven must be missing an Angel

It's not often you get a bona fide Angel come into your life, and to be perfectly honest, most of us are so busy on our own particular treadmills we wouldn't even notice her.

But I have met enough truly beautiful souls to recognise one when she flutters into my life on gossamer wings.

TikTok site

Mandy Kendrick and her husband are living the dream right now, having given up life in the fast lane for a simpler existence, living in harmony with nature, their three kids and some livestock.
But this wasn’t enough for them, they’re on a mission to make a difference in this world by sharing their hints, tips and planet-friendly recipes.

facebook page

On the way, they hope to inspiring people who are wavering about taking the plunge into a self-sufficient lifestyle.
And an extra bonus – they are passionate about reading and spend hours helping authors to spread the word about their books, be they escapist fiction or inspirational self-help books.

Instagram page

They also post reviews on their favourite tools, gear, and books which make life on the homestead more efficient, enjoyable, and productive.

You can find out more by clicking on the pictures or associated links.
Best of all are the videos Mandy posts introducing new products and books - these are super fun and reveal a little of her glorious, uninhibited passion for life.

The Traitors

Hands up, I'm an addict. At least, I have an addictive personality. Hence my ability - nay, compulsion - to binge watch.

Goodness knows how I ever managed before netflix/prime (other streaming services are available) came along. Oh, I remember - it was wall-to-wall videos.

Anyway, the first thing I did after my marathon of researching/ writing/publishing/promoting the Time Doctors series {which lasted 25 month), was catch up on one of the series I'd been missing out on: The Traitors.
The huge pull for me had to be Claudia Winkleman - she can do no wrong in my book.

I started watching S3 Ep3, and was instantly hooked, binging all the way through to Ep9 in a couple of days. Because I had to wait several days for Ep10, I loaded up on the entire series 1 and 2 in between times. Normally I can't stand reality shows (unless it's Strictly, which doesn't count because, well, it's Strictly), but this one had me well and truly hooked. Not just because of Claude's scary-faced delivery and stern voice, but the whole set-up of people trying to outsmart their fellow inmates. Genius.

And what a setting - although they're not fooling anyone about the contestants' accommodations being off site - why bother with the footage of the landrovers? Not cool guys. But I guess they've been getting away with the Strictly Sunday results show subterfuge since forever ...
I just found out there'll be a celeb one - could be fun - depends on how seriously they take it and whether they can put their egos aside.

And how fun that Molly, who should, by rights have won series 2, is now a contestant in Dancing on Ice?

Jacky Gray on Insta?

Who knew?

Writing stories is my jam, much more fun than posting on Instagram.
The idea of spending so much time creating content and schmoozing people for likes and shares doesn't sit well with me. Hence putting it off all the time I was writing the Time Doctors series. But now it's done, I'm finally taking the plunge and going for it.


Here are some of the reels I've posted so far.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jacky Gray (@jacky.gray.author)

And some I've created that didn't make the cut.

Sneak preview - Lost in Time - Part 5

“You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear that sound from you.” Something feral glittered in his eyes as his tongue darted out to moisten his lips, the message obvious. “Oh yes. Not just thinking about you, but imagining all manner of scenarios where you would have no choice but to succumb to my … shall we say … desires.”
So the veneer of gracious civility was simply a pretence, designed to disarm her. Or something. It had certainly put her right back on her guard, tensing for his next move. “Excellent. You have no idea how much of an aphrodisiac your fear is. I’m going to enjoy bending you to my will – you will definitely be my biggest challenge so far.”
The not-even-thinly veiled threat in his tone sobered her completely, although the tiny sip meant she wasn’t even approaching squiffy. Or at least she shouldn’t be. Had he drugged it? She tried to think back to whether the bottle had already been open, but he’d definitely poured both glasses together. Unless he’d added something to her drink.
“Are you all right? You seem a little peaky.”

That did it. “You put something in my wine.”
“I did?” He laughed out loud. “I suspect you’ve been watching too many James Bond films.” He picked up her glass and gulped back a large swig. “I assure you I’ve never had to drug a woman in my life.”
“Not when you can intimidate, terrify or threaten her.”
“What’s the difference?”
She glared. Now he wanted to talk semantics? He was obviously just toying with her, bully that he was. She should take his toys away. Subtly. Any overt demonstration of his lack of power over her would inevitably lead to a puffing up of feathers and a desperate desire to dominate. A cool glance. “I’m sure you’re smart enough to figure it out.”
Raising her glass in a toast, he emptied, swilled and dried it before pouring more wine and offering it.
Despite his attempts to disconcert, she was starting to get the measure of what he really wanted. The trick would be in making him think she was being duped into satisfying his weird “desires.” She accepted the glass and took another small sip, then gestured at the room. “As for James Bond – this whole set-up is straight from a Bond-villain scene. Right down to the dastardly laugh.”
He obliged with a suitably demented cackle, tapping his steepled fingers in the classic bad-guy gesture. Then his whole demeanour changed as he sat forward. “Diverting though this is, we should get down to business.”
Putting the glass on the desk-cum-table, she resisted the compelling impulse to fold her arms against his onslaught. “What happens if I refuse?”
“Did I not make myself clear? Refusal is not an option.” He paused. “On either count.” “You can’t make me do anything which would hurt Eric.”
Another belly laugh. “Whatever gave you that idea? Hurting him is the very last thing I want. He’s of no use to me unless his brain is in full working order, and that won’t happen if he’s missing a finger.” Another pause. “Or a leg.”
Ignoring the graphic images his words conjured up, she glared. “And you think his brain will be in full working order when he finds out what you’ve done to me?”
“Exactly what have I done apart from treat you to a very fine Syrah?”
She clamped her lips together to stop herself from falling into his trap.
“How hurt do you think he’ll be when he finds out you’d rather meet me than celebrate your twentieth anniversary in the romantic Scottish location where you were wed?”
She managed to quell a second gasp, but only just.
“Eric’s a passionate man and you’re a very attractive woman – or at least you would be if he didn’t make you dress like a frump.” His sidelong glance said he was baiting, and she refused to rise to it.
“But how much does he trust you? Do you honestly think he’ll believe you could spend a couple of hours alone in a hotel room with a man of my reputation and not have sex?” “You flatter yourself.”
“Every day. It has far more sincerity than compliments from toadying sycophants who would curry my favour in the hope of getting something from me.” A wink. “But I’m under no illusions about my attractiveness to women. Although I’m not a complete ogre, I realise it’s my wealth that makes them call me handsome.”
His glare demanded some reaction, but he surely couldn’t expect her to protest. The vast majority of women – and probably most men – would call him handsome, with or without the money. But Naomi never paid any attention to physical appearance, being far more attracted to courage, integrity and kindness. So she didn’t react.
Her cool indifference should have rankled, but instead of annoyance, humour sparkled his eyes and twitched his lip. “I sensed a worthy adversary, but you exceed all expectations. You’re not like most women, are you?”
“I couldn’t possibly comment, only knowing a small fraction of the available population. As, I suspect, do you. Moving in the circles you do, I imagine you come into contact with many women who have little in common with me.”
He barked a laugh. “Why couldn’t I have landed a gem with your courage and wit instead of …” A head shake. “Never mind. What’s done is done.” A speculative glance. “What if I told you there’s a way you can secure Eric’s immunity from my unsavoury attentions?”
Her lips had no more chance of not twitching at the deliberate irony than Eric did of swimming on the moon – his favourite expression for impossible situations. This pleased Devlin greatly if the glitter in his eyes was anything to go by. Down to the nitty-gritty. “I’m listening.”
Her eyes widened as he outlined the deal. She had no choice but to comply – the alternative didn’t bear thinking about.

Sneak preview - Lost in Time - Part 4

Naomi’s Ordeal – 1985

Hugging her raincoat tight against the wind, Naomi pictured Eric in the garden at Gretna, wishing she could have told him the real reason why she couldn’t go with him to celebrate their twentieth wedding anniversary. The picture dissolved into the hurt on his face when she’d told him, tinged with that frisson of fear that she’d finally met someone truly worthy of her love.
It was the one thing he kept harking back to on the rare occasions they exchanged cross words. Or rather she voiced her concerns about how hard he drove himself – working all day and then spending hours in the attic doing Lord knew what.
Like a broken record, stuck in the same groove, he would apologise for neglecting her and promise to try harder. She couldn’t remember quite when he’d gone from being confident of her love, to questioning his worthiness. But she’d never done anything to give him reason to suspect her fidelity. Until today.

The question wasn’t whether she would go through with it, rather what would happen if she didn’t. It was doubly evil that the monster had picked her wedding anniversary for this secret liaison, and she couldn’t imagine it was anything but deliberate – making the stakes that much higher
Meeting him in a Travelodge was deliberately designed to make her feel grubby, but until she had secured certain assurances, she had no choice but to play along with his sleazy fantasy. As she knocked on the door, the wind tore at her headscarf, whipping it away.
Drat! It was her favourite, the very first Christmas present from Eric, and she’d worn it to feel his presence nearby.

“You’re late.” No niceties, but nothing about this man could be called nice.
She declined to make excuses. He should be grateful she turned up at all instead of doing what a smart person would have done and gone to the police. It had better be worth it.
“You’re here now, so let’s get started. Take off the coat.”
As she’d imagined, he thought he could bully her into submitting to his intimidation tactics. He’d learn. “No.”

A frown. “Sorry. I should re-phrase. You’ll want to take off your coat because it’s ridiculously warm and it’ll dry better. If I'd known you were going to walk, I’d have sent a car.”
What the heck? Not what she expected at all. And it was stifling. As he walked over to the desk, she took advantage of his turned back to remove her coat, hanging it on a hook.
“Red or white? I wasn’t sure so I have both.” He pulled a bottle of wine from an ice bucket and spun around, a polite smile hiding his reaction to her get up.
She’d gone for a long-sleeved, buttoned-up flannelette shirtwaister – what her mum called a proper passion killer.

“If you don’t want wine, I have water, juice or a nice cup of tea.”
If he wanted to surprise her, he was doing fine. 
When she tried to reply, her voice cracked. “Red, please.”
“And perhaps a glass of water to clear your throat.”
Revising her opinion about the niceties, she accepted the water and sat in the chair he gestured, realising he’d paid for one of the executive rooms with more than just a bed.
The drinks sorted, he sat in the other chair, sipping his wine, his gaze appraising. “I suspect you have quite a different idea of how this meeting will run, however I wanted somewhere discreet in neutral territory.”
She sipped the wine, pleasantly surprised at the full-bodied, spicy tang.
His scrutiny suggested a need for her approval of his choice, and she nodded, setting the glass down and clasping her hands in her lap to stop them from fidgeting.

“I've been thinking about you a lot since that first meeting two decades ago. Despite my sister’s histrionics, I’m well aware that you and Eric did a far better job of bringing Lily up than she could ever hope to, and for that I thank you.”
‘You’re welcome’ didn’t seem appropriate, so she said nothing, wondering exactly what he wanted.
“I’m going to come to the point. I'm aware of Eric's talent as an inventor, and I want him to work for me. You must persuade him it would be in his best interests.”
Or what? Naomi knew she’d been right about the not-so-veiled threat in his invitation to meet. More fool her for thinking it was her body he wanted.
“Make no mistake, I will get what I want one way or another. Your instincts were spot on. It does include you.”
The strong wine made its presence felt, and she couldn’t prevent the small gasp from escaping.



To be continued ...