#earlier this year… speaking of which i need to call the attorney and get set up w them…

[girlneuter]

if I’m gonna b honest I’m very worried about my body and how it’ll affect my career long term. i just resigned during the second week of a new job because i can’t keep up and it was making me suicidal. i emailed my therapist yesterday because i was having a crisis and he was able to make time for me and help stabilize me so that i didn’t need to go to in patient... i was really looking forward to this job because it’s so accommodating and I’m really disappointed that my body can’t keep up. my supervisor was incredibly understanding and offered to give me the position again once I’m strong and healthy (if it’s still available). im only 27 but it feels like i have the body of a neglected elder

[fullhalalalchemist]

🚨🚨CONGRESS SECRETLY TRYING TO SNEAK IN EARN IT ACT COPYCAT INTO MUST PASS SPENDING BILL (PLEASE READ EXTREMELY IMPORTANT)

July 20, 2023 Congress is right now determining what is included in a must pass spending bill the NDAA. Often congress will sneakily add as amendments their bills that they can't pass in a normal setting.

If you remember, I made a previous post about EARN IT being reintroduced here.

The EARN IT Act and it's copycats are bipartisan bills that will greatly censor if not completely eliminate encryption and anything sexual and LGBTQ+ from the internet, globally. Anything the far-right doesn't like will be completely gone. The best way to stop them is to use https://www.badinternetbills.com/ to call your senators.

Following it's initial introduction earlier this year was massive opposition from human rights, LGBT, tech, political groups, and grassroots groups. Bc of this, the senators decided to remake the bill but give it a new name, so they can still pass Earn It without actually passing Earn It. Those bills are the Stop CSAM Act (yes really, they actually named it that), and the Cooper-Davis act.

The entire point of these bills is to mass surveil and censor everyone and I don't know why more people or senators speak out against it. There is a direct timeline from when the Attorney General Barr (under Trump) said he wanted to do this to it's initial introduction in 2019, and how the senators explicitly knew they couldn't actually say that so they lied and said it was about "stopping CSAM" or "stopping drugs" for Cooper-Davis Act.

These bills essentially do the following:

they gut encryption, the one thing actually protects you from having your data seen by anyone. Do you want republicans to know you're trans? that someone had an abortion? that they spoke out against the govt? to see your private photos you have uploaded to the cloud? to see what porn you watch? if youre a journalist, or an abuse survivor, any hacker or abuser can see your stuff and track you.

they gut parts of Section 230, the one thing that allows anyone to post online and birthed social media. Previous gutting into 230 gave us the tumblr nsfw ban and killed that site.

they create an unelected commission with some already established govt body (DOJ, FTC, etc) that will include law enforcement and people from NCOSE or other Christian conservative groups who will decide what is and isn't lawful to say. no citizen can vote who's on this commission, and the president gets to pick. it's like the supreme court, but for the internet.

lead to mass censorship and surveillance because of the above

We have until the end of the month to stop this, but this can be added literally any moment until then. It's literally code red. If this is added it goes into effect immediately. The BEST way to stop this is to drive calls and emails to the senate. https://www.badinternetbills.com/ connects you directly to your members of congress & gives you a call script.

It is ESSENTIAL to call the Senate leaders who can stop this. Here's a more precise call script you can use: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1huD5Ldd1lPTECYTEb9Gg2ZzrqW6Y9tryHT-MdjOl8kY/edit

All these people expressed concern over Earn It, so we need to press them hard to not allow it's copycats Cooper-Davis or Stop CSAM into the NDAA. This is URGENT and needs all hands on deck. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) (202) 224-6542 Maria Cantwell (D-WA) (202) 224-3441 Jon Ossof (D-GA) (202)-224-3521 Alex Padilla (D-CA) (202) 224-3553 Cory Booker (D-NJ) (202) 224-3224 Mike Lee (R-UT) (202) 224-5444

Please please please spread this message and blow up their phones.

TLDR; The Senate is trying to quietly push the Earn It Act's copycat bills into the must pass NDAA, which will lead to mass censorship and surveillance online by gutting Section 230 which is the entire reason you can even be on tumblr and why the internet exists, killing encryption which put everyone's lives in danger, and appointing far-right people to a supreme court-esque commission that the president has direct control over. They could be added in ANY DAY and we need to push hard to stop it before it gets to that point. CALL YOUR SENATORS **NOW** BY USING https://www.badinternetbills.com/ AND CALL THE SENATE LEADERSHIP AND SPREAD THE WORD!!!!

[curiousconch]

Chase You / Chase Me (Pt. 3)

Part 3: Remember when everything was different

Catch up here: Series Masterlist

Chapter Summary: Aislinn, Gigi and Alex find friendship in the midst of the competition. One discussion led to another, pushing Alex to take a trip down memory lane, revealing the moment in her past where she and Gabe's paths crossed for the first time.

Book/Pairing: Choices - Laws of Attraction / Gabe Ricci x MC (Alex Keating)

Words: 1.7k+

Rating/Warnings: Mature (16+) / alcohol consumption, language. Scenes/themes may trigger trauma for some, reader discretion advised.

Disclaimer: Most of the characters as well as some dialogue belong to Pixelberry. I am merely borrowing them.

Sunday, downtown New York

"Wait, can you back up for a moment," Aislinn said across Alex, who was scooping the remains of her melted banana split. Gigi was sipping her ice-cold mimosa, their brunch table full of plates with scrapes of leftovers. The sun was out and so were they, dining al fresco under the shade of a huge white parasol and the gentle breeze cooling them every now and then. It was a perfect day so far.

The trio has agreed to meet up that Sunday to discuss what went down with the Rothswell case as well as to prep for the conference Sadie had invited them to. They were on some kind of a peace pact, all of them sharing the view that pitting women against women in the corporate world is just shitty business.

Alex has enjoyed their company. They exchanged imaginary one-liners that would have made Martin frown his heart out or Beau McGraw chortle his head off. And speaking of McGraw, they all concluded that the best strategic course of action was to let Beau enjoy his moment in the sun. One day, Alex would make sure to remind him that he tried to rain on her parade.

It was a refreshing and enlightening discussion, though she will forever be traumatized with how many swears Gigi can cram in a single sentence. But the sight of a flustered Aislinn while Alex and Gigi engaged in a battle of pick-up lines with their waiter was a strong second contender.

As their drinks flowed, the conversation naturally led to rhetorical questions, now settling at why they became a lawyer. Aislinn shared first, surprisingly, stating that her knack for analysis was just a natural fit to the demands of a career in law. Gigi's answer was simple - she can leverage her eidetic memory to earn herself some serious dough, allowing her to live it up and take impromptu vacations to Bali.

Alex tried to dodge the question. She had never needed to discuss her reason of leaving pre-med behind to attend law school. It wasn't a pleasant memory, and she doubted it will ever be.

The two ladies were quick to see her attempts of evasion. But together, they finally wore her down, Alex left laughing with their shenanigans as they cornered her to tell her story. So she told them that she knew Gabe Ricci. And that it was because of him why she was a lawyer. Alex decided that revealing the truth was worth it, seeing how their jaws just dropped to the floor.

"Girl, you have to explain yourself right now," Gigi demanded, to which Aislinn seconded.

Alex snorted as she went back to skimming what was left of her dessert. "It's a boring sob story, and I don't want to turn this lovely morning into a snooze fest."

"We're not going anywhere, right Gi?" Aislinn turned to Gigi beside her, who nodded whilst sipping another glass of cocktail.

"Fine, but only if you swear this won't leave this table," she said. The two held up their hands invoking a half-smiling Alex, sensing nothing but sincerity. So she drank down her glass of bloody mary and took a deep breath, composing her tale.

"Buckle up, ladies, you're in for a ride."

**

10 years ago, in a town near Boston

Alessandra Keating had never felt more alone than she did that day.

They said she needed to just move forward. But how can she, when every day since the crash, she felt nothing but emptiness? How can she feel alright, when the only life that she knew was suddenly taken away from her?

It wasn't long before she found out that the car accident was caused by someone being reckless, by someone who thought they were above the law. Then, she imploded. No way could she let her parent's deaths be forgotten. No fucking way.

For the past three years, she invested all of herself into this endeavor. Researching, studying, choosing the right counsel, even raising funds. It was what kept her breathing, what gave her purpose. Ultimately, it was what kept her sane.

From filing the lawsuit to attending mediations, to numerous settlement meetings and colliding with every legal roadblock possible - Alex made sure to see them through. Only for everything to be decided that day - the bench trial.

One sweltering summer morning in her hometown's courthouse, Alex sat on the side of the plaintiff, with her long brunette hair tangled in waves. She let her senses wander, taking in the dark wooden panels and pews, her sense of smell invaded by the scent of old mahogany. She sealed her lips into silence, hiding her nerves by straightening the bargain khaki suit that she borrowed.

She barely held it in as her eyes travelled to the table beside them, catching a glimpse of the man that caused her immeasurable pain. With jet black hair and looking as young as her, he sat with an almost mocking expression. He was wearing a crisper set of suit, creating an illusion of trustworthiness that Alex can easily see through.

Maximilian K. Cornell. The green-eyed teenager who swerved his sports car onto the same slippery road Alex and her parents were passing through. The very same boy who got out unharmed, but left Alex's family to die in the snow. Her opponent was a slithery snake who managed to screw the justice system so many times over, just because his parents had the grease to do so.

But after the crash, the town decided they can no longer turn the other cheek. Alex's decision to sue was propelled by the support of the countless friends and families whom her parents have helped in their hour of need. But that still proved not enough.

Her mind whirled back to the proceedings, and to how every strategy, every plan of attack was being thrown out. With every whip from the defense, she started to grow impatient. As another traffic expert from her camp was dismissed, Alex just snapped inside. She leaned to Mr. Leroy, a withering man on the brink of retirement who was her lawyer, asking for them to convene outside.

"I'm sorry Mr. Leroy, but your strategies were just scrutinized and torn into pieces," Alex said in a low voice the moment they stepped out into the hallway.

"Alex, I am doing my best here. We clearly don't have the upper hand, lacking the incriminating evidence that we need," the man replied, exasperated.

"Have we dug up his previous records? I mean, why on earth would he have a sealed history? Doesn't that mean something?" she continued.

She continued to dictate her litany of better-positioned moves, but even Alex knew she wasn't getting through. So she excused herself from the conversation, hoping a cup of iced coffee will somehow mitigate her frustrations.

As soon as she came back, she found Mr. Leroy convening with a much younger man in a dark navy suit. His aura screamed "big city hotshot", albeit the exhausted look in his brown eyes. Not wanting to interrupt, she held off from approaching. However, her curiosity didn't stop her from eavesdropping.

What she heard the charismatic man say was a legal precedent that would have opened the sealed records in question. And with all the mind-boggling legal jargon, that's just about what she understood.

"Gabriel Ricci? I'm looking for an attorney named Gabriel Ricci?" a female voice from a nearby window called out, which made the young man raise his head. She saw him end the conversation abruptly, where a flustered Mr. Leroy hastily thanked him. Alex took that as her queue to approach her lawyer.

"Alex, we might be able to turn things around," she heard Leroy say.

And by some miracle, things did turn around. With her lawyer using the precedent offered by the young attorney earlier, their side gained the needed momentum to tip the scales in their favor. By the end of the trial, the verdict was out - Cornell will never be able to drive another vehicle, along with paying her a hefty amount of damages and fees.

They won.

Alex had to pinch herself before the victory sunk in. When it did, she felt an immense burden lifted from her shoulders.

After a long, long time, Alex can finally breathe.

Broken free from her nightmares, she asked herself what's next? The answer came to her almost immediately. Right there and then, she decided what she wanted to be. Like that man from the courthouse, she will become a lawyer.

Fueled by this new sense of mission, she saw a future for herself. No longer held by the past, she finally was able to move forward.

Indeed, Alex became what she set out to do - a lawyer who took on hopeless, even impossible cases and won them. A lawyer her parents would be proud of.

A damn good lawyer, just like Gabriel Ricci.

**

Present Day, at a New York Penthouse

Gabe sat in his home office clad in nothing but his white bath robe, holding a worn manila folder.

Five years ago, Gabe saw this case as his opportunity to make Robbie proud. The defendant had all the parallels with his brother - a teenager, incarcerated young, where the punishment had presumed to be too harsh. He now knew it was rightfully just.

But at that time, he was blinded by passion and ambition. He wanted to prove to himself and to Sadie what he can do. Taking on this case that was practically unwinnable would give him more power, more control over the pro bono cases he wanted to take. Actually winning this though, that proved to be his fatal mistake.

Your cockiness got the better of you again, Ricci.

His mind went to Alex. That was the direction his every waking moment drifted to nowadays. Whether he liked it or not, he'd answer some other day.

He had to let her know. If he didn't, Alex would eventually find out herself. Once she discovers that he was the one who had set this man free, she would hate him.

Gabe can't bring himself to think of that happening, of losing that chance with her, or of losing Alex's trust.

Hell, I'm going to lose her entirely if she finds out.

These realizations devastated him.

But how can they both escape the looming shadows of the past unscathed? Even he couldn't figure that out.

Sighing, he rubbed his hand on his face, reeling at his lack of options. He then stood up, slamming the open folder on his desk as he turned to face the window, simmering in his own regrets. Papers slipped out to the carpeted floor, including a full-page mugshot of the defendant.

It was Maximilian Cornell.

Author's Notes: With Sadie being shady AF, I feel like we all need some dose of female friendship right? Also, this is my HC why Gabe constantly pulls away from MC, not only because of their working relationship. Did the reveal live up to the cliffhanger? Let me know in the comments! 👇👇👇

Tag list: @adiehardfan @pixelnutrookie @starryjieun @latinagiraffe @sarcastic01lily   @spookycolorpeanut @ophrookie @suitfer @thegreentwin @mkatschoicesblog @made-of-roses

@choicesficwriterscreations

Thank you for your continued reading!

Want to be added or removed to the tag list? No problem - just let me know 😊. Reblogs are also much appreciated! 💕

[gottawriteanegoortwo]

Damien x Reader - Debate Night

University is a great place, and it allows you to get to know Damien in a setting that isn’t the lecture halls. Inspired by personal memories of university clubs and societies, I thought it would be nice to consider what the District Attorney and Damien took part in.

(Damien x DA!Reader)

Word count: 1,176

-

It was Friday night, the best night of the week! It was the night in the week that you could go wild without any worry of waking early. The university grounds were quiet - as most of the staff and students had quickly vacated for the weekend. Only a few hung around, and it was the perfect opportunity to claim one of the smaller rooms. With no one around who might demand the occupants leave so they can prepare for whatever study seminar might be taking place there, you could drop your guard, and go wild. It was safe to do whatever nefarious deeds you could only dream of. 

That's right, Friday nights were Debate Club night!!

You and a few others had banded together as a way to practice for debates in your law degree, but it had turned into an excuse to socialise and have fun in the midst of an intense course. You would all bring snacks and drinks, pick random topics to dramatically debate over (the main rule was that topices were never anything related to the course or the news), and enjoy the fun while choosing the ‘winner’ each round. As a lawyer-in-training, it was a great chance to practice and build up your confidence in speaking in front of others without the stress of formal debating competitions.

It was also how you got to know Damien better. He was one of the top students in your class, and you suspected it was the same for the entire year group. Though you might be impulsive and reckless at times, it was hard to shake that fear that he was too ‘good’ for someone like you to befriend, so you could never muster the confidence to approach him before the club was established. Him joining this club was, to quote another student, “40% help and guidance, 60% impulse control”. At first, that was exactly what Damien did. He kept a backseat, giving advice on how someone handled an argument, held their composure, or something else. But gradually, the ice began to crack and he began to engage more. This was when you finally started talking to him. It was a chance to help with your nerves about speaking in front of others and other topics you struggled with, but you found him wonderful company. You soon agreed to have study sessions together during a free period on Mondays and Wednesday; something that soon paved the way to you two starting a relationship. 

In return, you further encouraged Damien to take part in the wacky debates and have some fun. You two got along like a house on fire, and the club would insist the debates you two would have ranked highly in terms of pure entertainment. Tonight, for instance, had you two arguing about whether a cat or a dog would be the best pet to have. A day or two earlier it had come up during lunch, and both of you agreed that either would be an ideal companion. Which only made the current debate even funnier for the rest of the group.

-

"So let me get this straight, you would be alright with some loud, overbearing mound of fur charging at you any chance you get, loudly barking all the way?" argued Damien, the resident dog-lover. "There's no ideal middle ground with any of those creatures. You either are stuck with a giant monster that will knock you over, or a tiny rat that will bark and yap and snap at anything that moves to try and assert dominance. A cat would never do such a horrid thing to you."

You, the cat-mad student, scoffed at the idea of a cat being the ideal pet. What about the invasiveness of a cat? How many times had the other students heard about cats sitting on their owner's faces to get them to wake and feed their beloved pet, or sprawling over books so no work could be done? Dogs would never do such a heinous thing. No matter the size, dogs are fluffy bundles of love. Cats are horrid, selfish creatures that can’t follow simple instructions.

On and on the two of you went, completing subverting your normal opinions to trash talk your ideal pet in a wacky, stereotypical manner. The other students were giggling at the absurdity of it all, and it fuelled you to keep going. 

At long last, the moderator called time (you suspected she extended the time to see how long you two could keep bickering) and it was decided that Damien was the winner. You weren't surprised, as Damien’s debating experience had him competing in official competitions. A break was called, and most of the club darted out for a bathroom or smoke break. You began tidying your poorly scribbled ‘anti-cat’ notes back into your bag with the intention of sitting in your normal seat, when the sound of a notebook being dropped against the desk made you jump. Your eyes shot up, only to see Damien grinning at you in the same cocky way he had during the debate.

"I'm not quite finished with you yet. I was taking notes during our debate." You could feel your face drain of colour at the thought of having to continue this argument. Thankfully, he took the moment of silence to lean across the small table and kiss you. When he spoke again, the act of a dramatic debater was dropped so he could give you a more genuine smile. "You did great, sweetheart. That was one of the best debates you've given all semester. There are some things I noticed about your deliverance or arguments that I want to go over with you, if that's alright?" You nodded, relieved that it wasn't about the actual debate. Damien agreed with a laugh, revealing he couldn't stomach saying more terrible things about dogs, however comedic they might have been.

When the club resumed after the short break and mini pep-talk, you two took your seats at the best, where you could rest your head on his shoulder while one of his arms loosely wrapped around you. You were close enough to the action to watch the chaos of the debate of "Underwear - do we need them?", but far enough away for Damien to share tips and comments without disrupting anyone else. This was the part you enjoyed - where Damien could share his interest and expertise in the topic while explaining why certain approaches worked better than others. You kept your hand in his free hand for the rest of the evening, and it let you squeeze his as you decided that if you two moved in together in the far future, you could consider having a cat and a dog. 

You were swiftly pulled closer into a half-hug as Damien kissed the top of your head. You couldn't decide if it was him reacting to the idea of a compromise, or the idea of you suggesting you could see a future with him in it, but you liked both possibilities. 

[emotionallyabuseddaughter]

Word vomit update.

So. This year has been quite the rollercoaster concerning my relationship with my mom. She’s experienced a lot of loss in general, but after 3 long years of being my grandmother’s power of attorney as she declined in her nursing home we’ve experienced the greatest loss yet.

And I knew this was going to be tough on us but in different ways- my grandmother was part of my mom’s daily routine: advocating for her, checking on her, visiting/facetiming with her. For me, my grandmother had a caregiver-like role when I was very young, watching me while my mom worked. Always heavily involved in my life events growing up (dance recitals, sports, Girl Scouts, graduation, gave me her old car as my first). We had a great relationship and she was the funniest, wittiest, kindest lady ever. But as I moved through college and adulthood I saw her less and less, and she lost her ability to speak eventually. So she was much less a part of my routine, not for lack of love though.

So while my mom is mourning the loss of her presence and changes to her daily routine involving her, and probably regrets about their relationship, I was feeling conflicted about how to help my mom and support her and still set boundaries and be true to me. My grief has been acute in comparison, and my mom has thrown that in my face to make it seem like I don’t love my family. Also using her sadness as a shield for really awful behavior toward me. And I can’t judge it because that would be “cruel for someone who just lost their mom”. Per usual, my feelings have not been considered.

Thanksgiving came, and it was a train wreck. My partner and I drove to my mom’s house and cooked almost everything, but my mom ignored the fact that she was not in the mood for company (medical issues) and just wanted me around- bad idea. Her bad mood rubbed off on everyone and her energy was palpable. Passive aggressive comments about how I focused on cooking right away rather than chatting and hugging, shaming comments about myself and her roommate enjoying snacks, and getting mad about us conversing without her. This escalated into her demanding to chat with me privately, and still verbally confronting me in front of the others after we did so. I was so disgusted in her behavior I took space to myself for about a week and muted all forms of communication.

After reflection and chats with my best friend, I decided to answer her call earlier this week. We had a pretty great discussion involving lots of relief tears (mostly from me), validating statements, taking ownership, and vowing to do better. It seemed so promising; I felt better inside but still was skeptical. I was right to be, cause these things can’t change overnight (25 years of abuse). A couple of days later, she crept back into old patterns of asking me too many questions - not to connect but to judge, putting down my friends, and insinuating she deserves more of my time and attention. I tried several ways to diffuse but had to hang up eventually. Didn’t talk the rest of the day, and then something woke me up at 4:30am and prompted me to send her all the Badass Counseling tiktok videos that related to us (check this guy out if you haven’t, he’s amazing!). I probably sent ~15 videos; to my surprise she responded well. That she really enjoyed his videos and advice, wanted to learn more from him, and although it made her feel bad to hear her parenting wasn’t as great as she thought she seemed to accept my point of view. Which is honestly more than I could’ve asked for, I was expecting her listening and getting mad. Sooo all of that to say, maybe there’s hope? I know I don’t need her acceptance and approval and open-mindedness to heal but it could be the cherry on top that could really catapult our relationship into a positive direction for the first time ever. But don’t wanna get my hopes up too much. Is it bad that I’m expecting this to fail and blow up in our faces again? Or is this healthy and warranted skepticism… who knows. If you made it this far you’re a trooper and thank you. Maybe y’all can make sense of all this, any perspective is welcome! 🤍

[me-and-your-husband]

Need Someone Part 6

Summary: The trial begins.

Warnings: age gap, mentions of kidnapping and attempted sexual assault, mentions of a rape kit

Pairing: Andy Barber x Reader

Word Count: 1.6k

Note: Lets say reader is 18 and in senior year.

NOT BETA READ!

I swallowed the large lump at the back of my throat as the trial began, my hands clasped together in my lap, palms sweaty. Andy grabbed my attention as he cleared his throat and stood up, giving me a knowing glance before approaching the jury. He drew in a breath before beginning to recite his opening statement, and oh how hard I tried to keep my gaze off his toned body.

“We are all looking for the same thing here, justice. That’s what I’m here to do, get justice for the young woman over there, who had any sense of safety in this world stolen from her when the defendant kidnapped her and held her captive for three days,” he said, gesturing towards me with his hand. The sudden overwhelming feeling of all eyes on me caused me to stare down at my hands, focusing on my breathing. “He tried to strip her of her innocence, take away the one thing she’d never know had been taken. And he almost succeeded. I’m here today to tell you the truth, and its up to you if you choose to listen, or to turn a blind eye to a young woman who’s life has been put on hold due to the defendant. Please, listen to the case and you will understand why the defendant is indeed guilty, and we can bring a sense of twisted justice to the plaintiff, Y/N Y/L/N.”

A few nods came from some of the jurors, some hums of acknowledgement, and some were harder to read. Andy let his statement sink in for a moment before taking his seat beside me. He placed his hand on top of my sweaty one. To an unknowing person, someone who wasn’t Andy or I, it would have been completely platonic. But Andy and I hid a shared look in our eyes, a reassuring look. He pulled his hand away from mine when the defense attorney began his opening statement.

“We are all gathered here today to find justice. But I’m here to bring justice to the name of the wrongly accused Robert Haddock. I’m here to convince you all that the plaintiff killed Robert after an unrequited sexual interest transpired at 1271 Aspin Way on the 7th of October.”

My head snapped towards Andy, and with panic in my eyes I asked, “Did you know that the defense was taking that approach?”

“No. No, I didn’t,” Andy answered, eyes trained on the defense attorney and jaw clenched. He ran his hand over his face and rubbed his temples as the other attorney continued.  

“You’ll understand that Robert is the victim here, not Ms. Y/N. So, if you pay attention, hopefully you’ll see the truth, and you’ll understand that this is nothing but a desperate cry for attention on the prosecution’s part.” I let out a shaky breath when the attorney looked my right in the eyes with a cold, dead stare. I took my head in my hands as Andy platonically put his hand on my back in an attempt to calm me.

              Being the only witness, I was on the stand pretty much the whole time. This meant that all Andy could do was send me reassuring glances from across the room. He’d give me a soft smile and a nod, and I’d nod back taking in a deep breath.

When it came time for him to question me, I was prepared. We had rehearsed what to say the few days that he had been with me after it all played out.

“Ms. Y/L/N, it’s true that you were walking home from your friend’s house that night, correct?” I froze. We didn’t talk about this, but I still answered honestly, the judge beside me a constant reminder of the oath I took when I got on the stand.

“Yes,” I stated simply.

“And who was that friend, Ms. Y/L/N?” He asked me with wide eyes. Why would he ask that when it’s very possible for him to just leave it out completely? Doesn’t he know that he’s dragging his own son into this?

I gave him a look of confusion, in order to communicate silently the message of, “what the fuck?”. He just nodded and mouthed for me to answer the question.

I took in a reluctant sigh. “Jacob Barber.” The jurors let out what sounded like a collective gasp. Some covered their mouths in shock, some didn’t regard it. Andy nodded with his eyes on the ground, one arm on the lectern I was stationed at.

“Your Honor, I’d like to call Jacob Barber up to the stand as a witness after the defense has a chance to cross examine,” He said directly to the judge.

“Mr. Barber, you do understand that you’re talking about your son, here?”

“Yeah. Yes, I do.” Andy nodded, eyes shifting back to me.

“Alright, if that’s what you want to do. Are you done here?” The judge said quite judgingly, to put it ironically. Andy gave a swift “Yes, Your Honor,” and gave me a grin before walking back to where we sat earlier. My brows were raised in an extreme sense of confusion, wondering why he would put Jacob on the stand. My thoughts were cut short, when the other attorney I found out to be Mark Grimm approached me for the cross examination.

“Hi, Y/N,” he said. I gave a small “hi,” back in acknowledgement. “This is probably very hard for you, so I’ll try not to overwhelm you too much, alright?” He said, flashing a million-dollar cocky smile at me, making me turn my gaze to my fidgety hands.

“You’re nervous. Why do you think that is?” He asked me, back completely turned to everyone else, yet speaking loud enough that the whole courtroom could hear.

Andy stood up abruptly. “Objection! Relevance,” he called out.

“Sustained,” the judge said monotonously.

Mark sighed. “Alright, alright.” He removed himself from his place directly in front of me and began pacing the floor. “So, Ms. Y/L/N, have you ever been romantically involved with someone?”

“Objection!” Andy almost whimpered out.

“Mr. Grimm, where are you going with this?” The judge said, tired of the antics.

“Please, Your Honor, you’ll see.”

“Alright. Objection overruled.”

“So, have you ever been romantically involved with someone?” he badgered.

I gulped down the lump in my throat, giving Andy a worried look. His hand was rubbing his beard anxiously, something that shouldn’t have turned me on in this situation, but it did.

I pulled myself back to reality. “No. Not officially, no.” I answered, looking anywhere but his eyes as he paced with his hands behind his back.

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve never been in a relationship.”

“But you’ve had feelings for someone?”

“Yes.”

“So it would be fair to say that you know what romantic feelings are, you’ve felt them and would act on them. Yes?”

“I guess so.”

“When you first encountered Robert Haddock, did you have these feelings for him?”

My snarky answer died in my throat with offense. “Objection! Relevance?” Andy shouted in frustration.

No reply from the judge.

“With all due respect, Your Honor, you’re not seriously considering letting him ask her that?” Andy questioned, at his widths end.

“Sustained. Mr. Grimm, I’m cutting short this cross examination. We will pick up tomorrow with Jacob Barber’s testimony, as well as a few pieces of evidence. We will also hear more from Y/N Y/L/N herself. Court is adjourned, see you all here tomorrow.”

I stepped off of the podium and avoided the prejudice eyes of the jurors and the few members in the audience. I slid passed people as Andy packed his briefcase, and I made it out of the courtroom before him. I pushed open the doors to the front of the courthouse promptly. The chilly air hit my face and I held my hand against my stomach, the urge to throw up growing on me. That is until I felt a large hand grip my shoulder.

“You alright?” Andy said, voice laced with concern that also showed in his eyes.

I huffed out a solid puff of air, accumulating in front of our faces. Despite the slight Boston chill, the sun shone bright, highlighting all of his perfectly chiseled features.

“No,” I whimpered out as I shook my head, letting my emotions spill out all at once after keeping them bottled up for so long. Hot tears stung my eyes, cascading down my cheeks and dripping onto the pavement. Andy set his briefcase down and wrapped his arms around me, burying my face into his neck. My hands grabbed at his shirt as he placed his chin on my head.

“It’ll be okay, shh,” he whispered reassurance to me. He finally moved our heads so he could look at me. “What can I do? What do you need?”

I took a breath in, looking everywhere but him. His hands cupped both sides of my head, and I could smell the aroma of his musky cologne evermore. Taking a deep yet shaky breath, I met his eyes.

 “I just…I…” I swallowed and placed my hands on his. “I need someone, please.”

He kissed my forehead and placed his head back on mine.

“Let’s get out of here. We can talk somewhere more private, okay?” He asked me with a pleasant smile, to which I nodded my head fervently. He led me to his car as I wiped my face with the back of my hand. I’d pay the fee for my car tomorrow. I just needed him right now.

On the ride to wherever we were going, he called Laurie and told her he’d be home late.

PERMANENT TAGLIST:

@sunflowercaptian

@zaddychris

@ilovemarvel-andcats

NEED SOMEONE TAGLIST

@zaddychris

@sunflowercaptian

@lexeeehhh

@kelbabyblue

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CEVANS/ CHARACTERS TAGLIST

@patzammit

[stuckinapatriarchalbullshitland]

🙂 - ɟ

Hiii babies and dear Anons 👋🏼🤗 Here’s another post with the answers to the asks Mari sent me. Enjoy 🙃

 Hi @sawwyouuinadream 👋🏼😄 I’ve already talked about how C exaggerated for the sake of the songs in my ‘💭- ɟ’ post (8th question) [click on the #f anon of this post to see all my others]. As for the rest, you need to understand the difference between our normal life and theirs, especially when they were in the group. You can’t compare your life and what you would do with your girlfriend in their place simply because they’re completely different things. Any parent of famous artists who gets the chance to spend time with their child when they can, seizes the opportunity. I saw it with 5H, I saw it and keep seeing it with Ari, I saw it in Taylor’s documentary, and many others. But not all artists have this luck.

5H were far from home, always around the world, without parents most of the time, and with fans who recognized them. Unlike the other parents who didn’t always have the opportunity to be with them because of work, the most present were Sinu, papa H (Jerry, Ally’s dad), and mama Dre (Andrea, Normani’s mom; as much as Sinu and continued as Sinu even after the hiatus). The only difference is that Camila suffers from depression and variants of OCD (diagnosed in 2015) and for these reasons, Sinu has always tried to be as present as possible. She only became a regular presence after C’s explosion in early September 2016. And, honestly? I don’t know where Camila would be without her mom. I don’t think she could have gotten through most of the things. I don’t think she would be in the industry anymore.

Now, I’d like to remind you of something else: we only see 5/10% of their lives. And that 5/10%, is ONLY what they want to show. You said that Sinu always accompanied C on dates? That’s not true. We saw Sinu with them a couple of times when they went shopping, once for dinner at Katsuya’s, and once at the beach in Australia. And these are literally only five times in what, four years that C was in 5H? Do you really think those were their only dates? Or that those can even be called dates and not just spending time with the mother-in-law? Come on. Try to look at it differently. Try to look at it from a broader perspective. Try to look at the big picture.

I send you a hug 🤗

 No, dear Anon. Lauren was together with Camila. That whole conversation was based on Camila teasing Lauren. That episode was another confirmation for me regarding their first kiss. Lauren answering “Kind of” because Camila literally nearly passed out from nervousness is one of the things that amuses me the most.

Oh and, dear Anon? Bread Simplified, aka I don’t know what lips are, was just another one of her PRs. I don’t know how this is still something to doubt about. 75/80% of all Hollywood couples are fake, and as I said earlier, we only see 5/10% of what they want to show us about their lives. I’ve said this before and will write it again: “Any PR relationship involving Camren is simply this: fake, and for publicity and narrative purposes”. Real relationships, dear Anon, are not public ones. They’re the ones we don’t see.

 I’m still a little bit confused about your ask actually if I have to be honest, dear Anon. I’ll answer based on what I understood.

None of the five of them are with Syco Music anymore because it has integrated with Sony Music Entertainment and therefore doesn’t exist anymore.

Only Camila and Lauren are with Syco Entertainment simply because only the two of them were asked to sign. Simon never cared about the group per se. He wanted Lauren and Camila from the start and he got them. He created an opportunity to prepare them for that world and for their eventual solo careers. How? By creating 5H. By creating three products (C, L, and 5H) at once that would make him money.

 Because, dear Anon, as twisted as it sounds, it’s part of their publicity. I’ll explain myself better. Camren sells. From the beginning. A large part of the 5H fans became their fans BECAUSE of Camren. The labels still use them when needed. For labels, it’s okay to get people talking. It’s okay to get them to speculate, take their name out there, create buzz, create gossip, everything’s okay, EXCEPT confirming it. The important thing is the publicity. The important thing is to sell what they want to sell, and many times, they use Camren to do it. And it works. It works EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. Plus, I think both C&L also had fun doing it to “keep the boat afloat”. More in the past than now tho.

I know about the rest of the pictures because it was said a while back by a guy who said he was yet another ‘insider’, dear Anon. This guy even published an email that was supposed to be from 2017 from TMZ to Roger in which they were supposed to have a meeting to discuss the extension of the agreement made not to publish the dossier. It’s actually old news, and it indeed seems strange to me that you’re only finding out now 🙃 Has anyone ever talked about it here on Tumblr?

But anyway. That he was an insider, I have my serious doubts. That the email picture was specially created, perhaps by him himself, I’m sure of it because it looks more fake than a plastic flower. That TMZ actually has a dossier on them, is very likely because this is another one of the many ways paparazzi agencies make money.

Dear Anon, I guess this ask of yours is due to your reading of my last post. If you’ve read it, then you have also read the sentence that I will now copy: “Everyone’s ready to point the finger when they don’t even know what is really going on behind the scenes”. You’re doing the same thing. You’re doing the same thing because all I see here is Roger did this and Roger did that, but you don’t know that. You don’t know why he did certain things. You don’t know why he didn’t do certain things. You don’t know why he handled some things in one way and some things in another. You know nothing, yet you’re pointing the finger.

I understand that you’re speaking based on what you see, believe me, I understand, but you’re judging without knowing. We know this PR is for Skittles, so what do you know if the deals made were exactly for Roger to promote him more? What do you know if the deals made were exactly for Roger to do or not do certain things? And more importantly, what do you know that Roger no longer has Camila’s best interests at heart? Just because of this show? Come on!

I’ll try to be clearer this time because I’ve noticed that many, like you, didn’t get the big picture of my last post. The labels decide everything. Camila can choose certain things, propose ideas, and be more liberally creative, but she doesn’t have the last word. If Camila comes up with the idea for a video she wants to make, but the labels don’t like it, then she can’t make that video. If Camila wants to perform a song in a certain way, but the labels don’t approve of a thing, then Camila has to change that thing in order to perform it. If the labels say no, then it’s no. Periodt.

Camila accepted the PR. COVID has changed things. She couldn’t expect such a thing. Hell, none of us could have expected a worldwide pandemic. But things turned out this way, and now she’s miserable. The choice she had initially made has backfired on her, and there’s nothing she can do to change that because it’s a legally binding contract. Neither she nor Roger, whom I remind you is also an attorney, can do anything about it.

I made this little scene for you. I hope that with this, you’ll see things a little more clearly.

*During the meeting*

“And that’s the idea” Roger says as Simon continues to look at the various set designs and documents by nodding

“So.. what do you think?” Camila asks anxiously and with a small hopeful smile

“I think we only need to change a couple of things, but for the rest, everything’s fine” Simon replies

“Really?” Camila asks excitedly

“Yes, really” Simon replies with a chuckle due to her enthusiasm “Good job, Camilla”

“Yay!” Camila cheers towards Roger. She’s too happy to care about the cringe due to the mispronunciation of her name. She’s used to hearing him call her that for years now.

“What are the changes you were referring to?” Roger asks him

“Oh, you know, this and this” Simon replies, turning the set designs towards them “It’s a little too…”   “Gay?” Camila asks with a laugh, finishing his sentence

“We knew, but she wanted to try anyway” Roger says, indicating Camila with his palm “So, by changing those two things, we’re ready to go? We’re gonna shoot the video in a week”

“Yes, I approve. Everything’s all right” Simon says, handing the set designs back

“Thanks, Simon” Camila says, getting up together with Roger ready to leave the room

“Oh and, Camilla? Remember what we talked about” Simon tells her as soon as she gets to the door

“But-”   “Remember what we agreed on” Simon says, interrupting her

With a sigh, Camila nods and turns to look at Roger who smiles at her sympathetically. With another sigh, this time of acceptance and determination, Camila positions herself behind Roger, who’s bending his knees to get down and is bringing his torso forward.

“Um.. what exactly are you two doing?” Simon asks, confused and curious at the same time

“When you tell me to jump, I ask you ‘how high?’, right?” Camila answers him as she climbs on Roger’s back

Simon nods with an even more puzzled expression.

“I’m helping her jump from higher” Roger explains to him

*the end*

This is just a silly example, but I hope it helped you understand the dynamics better. I also copied and pasted another piece of my previous post as a reminder: “If Roger does certain things that you may not like at first glance, before accusing him, please wait. Wait till you see why he’s doing what he’s doing, and then if you really don’t like it, then point the finger. But if you have to do it for no good reason, then don’t. You’d only going to look worse after. Same thing for Camila. They have a reason for doing what they do, so just wait before speaking and judging.”

Have a great day too, dear 😊

 I don’t think you’re gonna like my analysis, dear Anon, but you asked for it, so here it is.

I’d like to start by saying that Thinkin’ Bout One is a half-demo. It’s not a completed song and it’s from ‘The Hurting. The Healing. The Loving.’ era, so even before the album title changed to ‘Camila’. I’m talking about the very beginning. When Havana wasn’t even remotely ready to be complete, or recorded if that’s why. When I Have Questions had just been recorded or was about to be recorded. I’m talking about the end of 2016.

The demo is pretty messed up because there is no intro, verses, pre-chorus, chorus, etc., like in a normal song. The quality and the way the demo is structured reminds me a lot of the GarageBand Camila times. To be honest, I think that’s how it was recorded. I think Camila created the demo on her own and then she abandoned it once she started recording other songs that would adapt and fit in the true direction of the album.

The reason I said I don’t think you’re gonna like my analysis is because this song, it’s not about Lauren. I have reason to think this song is for someone else, but without dwelling on that, I’ll explain why in my opinion it’s not about Lauren through my interpretation.

“Where you at

Come baby show me where you at

Finally got time off work

Tryina disappear off the map with ya

What’s love gotta do with it

This my vacation time

Bathin suits and tan line

Thirst trap for your timeline”

Camila is asking this somebody where they are. Camila was still working with Lauren in 2016. She knew where Lauren was because she was with her, this somebody wasn’t. She’s asking them to meet and spend those days she had free together. She’s asking them to go together to a place where they could be off the radar. A place with a warm climate. And she’s not asking them to see it as a romantic getaway, but just as a vacation. Love was the last of her thoughts given what she was going through with Lauren that year.

“Num num num num num

Pass the henny not the rum

I go num num num num num

If I decide to give you sum

Talkin talkin talkin

All this time that we been rockin

Hey”

“Sip a lil this

Sip a little that

Now this ain’t nothin but a fact

I need you come and take control”

This vacation that Camila proposes also included alcohol and other activities, if you know what I mean. I’ll explain the slang she uses here to indicate those two very things.

In case you didn’t know, num is the slang for making out. Henny is the slang for Hennessy, which is a brand of cognac. It’s used a lot together with coke for a simple two-ingredient cocktail, and indeed, Camila specifies that she prefers henny over rum (rum and coke) in her simple two-ingredient cocktail. Sum is the slang for some. Now that you know, I believe you can put the pieces together and better understand the puns she used here.

And that’s all. There’s nothing about Lauren for me. There’s nothing deep about it. Just another distraction. And for me, for my timeline, this event happened during the 7/27 tour break. The break that lasted from July 6 to 26 before starting the North American part.

Hello to you too dear Anon 😄 No, I personally don’t think those scenes represent her experiences exactly as they happened. I think she and Dave (Meyers) represented her experience in a cinematic and straight way, but with symbols that represented Lauren.

For example, the fact that Dylan plays the piano is to represent an artist, aka music, aka Lauren. The flower on the back of his shirt in the kiss scene: Lauren. The book’s scene you mentioned? The scene is represented in winter with snow, yet in her memory, they’re both represented dressed in a light way, aka ‘In Miami, where winters are hot’ (Sangria Wine’s verse 2) [or even in L.A. since the winter climate is much more similar to the spring one]. They both like to read, so the book was a perfect clue. Alcohol and fights were represented in a much stronger way than I think they happened in reality because we all know that Lauren is not a violent person. The moon? There’s not even the need to explain it. Oh and, the fact that she’s holding hands with herself at the end of the video is also a representation of what we saw in the Havana music video. The “I do love you. But I love me more” that we saw there. With that scene at the end of the Consequences music video, Camila shows us that she has finally managed to love herself.

So dear Anon, to me, that video is just an artistic representation of how things went. And thanks. I hadn’t watched that video in a long time, but I went to re-watch it for you, so thank you, dear 🥰

🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍🤸🏻‍♀‍

Aaand I’m done 😄 I hope I was helpful in this case too. As always, I’m available for those who have questions, so feel free to ask 😊 Thanks once again to you for asking me and Mari for making this exchange possible 😍

As usual, remember to be kind, to others and to yourself. Be a good example. Be patient. Be safe and take care of yourselves. I send you virtual love and hugs 🤗🤗🤗 I love you, babies. Always with love, F ❤️

___

This was awesome, thanks again F. BTW, the marks on the asks is a small detail I couldn’t erase but you can read them anyway, so sorry bout that.

[olliedollie1204]

everything fits (2/8)- the follow up

Single father Patton is utterly devoted to his son Virgil. Recently divorced Logan is utterly devoted to his twin sons Remus and Roman. The pieces come together.

Pairings: Romantic Logicality

Word Count: 4,795 words

Tags: Single dad Patton and kid Virgil, Divorced Dads Logan and Janus and kids Roman and Remus (their split was mutual and their relationship is good)

chapter 2 babey! this chapter features that past romantic Loceit-- just a reminder that there’s no drama or conflict regarding their divorce at all!

warnings for general discussion of divorce, siblings bickering, brief descriptions of injury, and arguments between ex-spouses!

(Read it on AO3!)

Logan mostly pushed the morning’s incident out of his mind, switching gears into what Janus lovingly referred to as his “Robo-Teacher” mode. After he relieved the substitute from her position watching his class, he wasted no time in getting the second graders back on schedule.

They were good kids, if a bit rambunctious, but Logan enjoyed the work. Children are so much brighter than society gives them credit for. All they want is what anybody would want: to be heard, and respected, and taken seriously. Logan could understand that; he remembered feeling exactly the same way when he was a child.

So even though he had a reputation as a stickler for rules, order, and schedules, he actually didn’t mind too much when a student would interrupt math time with an unrelated question like, “Mr. Croft, why can’t we drink hand sanitizer?”, or when one would come up to his desk during silent reading with a request of, “Mr. Croft, can you tell us about stars, please?”

He would simply nod and change the subject, giving an impromptu lecture about alcohol poisoning or Alpha Centauri, and within minutes his pupils were satisfied and engaged again.

This attitude was a little unorthodox among his peers, but made him a hit among the children. Every holiday would result in his desk being covered in candies and coffee mugs and handmade cards (which he saved in his bottom right desk drawer— every single one).

So the day was not wholly unenjoyable, even though it had gotten off to a rocky start. Truthfully, he really had never once been late to work, not even when the twins were little.

Logan sighed to himself as his work was once again interrupted by thoughts of his children. At least he didn’t have any reason to worry about them at the moment. They were happy, healthy, and safe— three things that were becoming harder and harder to maintain in his prepubescent sons.

In hindsight, babies are remarkably uncomplicated compared to the minefield that is nearly-teenage children. Babies simply have certain physical, mental, and emotional needs that must be met in order for them to grow up happy, healthy, and well developed. And Logan, not to brag, was very good with babies.

Especially cute little twin baby boys, with their gurgling coos and their sweet smiles and their tiny, pudgy hands, one for each of their daddies to hold—

Logan shook his head, attempting to read the words in front of him for the third time, but he still found his mind drifting to his sons.

That was the main problem, really: Logan was constantly thinking about the twins.

The thing is, there was really no reason for Logan to worry as much as he did. Roman could be a little self-absorbed, and Remus had no concept of a filter whatsoever, but they were generally kind, courageous, and so unbelievably creative, it made Logan wonder where on Earth they got it from. Certainly not him; the arts were admittedly not his forte, although he did know a great deal of trivia about art history. And although Janus was crafty and charming, even he had to admit that he had no idea where the boys got their innate sense of innovation and originality.

Logan hummed, tapping his pen against his desk as his mind drifted from his children to his ex.

His relationship with Janus was about as healthy as ex-husbands could be— you’d think that getting divorced from a lawyer would be hell on Earth, but Janus Sanders had gotten to be one of the top attorneys in the city for a reason. He was so furiously thorough at ensuring everything was fair and just in their divorce papers, Logan hadn’t doubted for a second that everything would end on equal terms.

He’s a good man, Logan thought, not for the first time. They still liked each other, but they weren’t in love, not really— not anymore. It had taken them so long to get to the point where they could make that distinction, and even though they knew it would’ve been easier to carry on in their marriage, neither could deny the somewhat sombering realization that their separation was for the best.

That was a year and a half ago. And things were good between them, sometimes better than they were when they were married, but if he was being honest, Logan just missed his kids.

He had stayed up all night last night thinking about them; their goodnight phone call had been cut short when Roman burst in on Remus’ time, begging his brother to help him add something to their current art project before they had to go to bed. And Logan understood how important their projects were to them, he really did, but he couldn’t deny the twinge of hurt when the line went dead, his sons on the other side of the city. They might as well have been a world apart.

So he had gotten very little sleep the night before, and this morning, he had overslept.

Logan knew, rationally, that it was not a big deal: he had immediately called the school, requesting a temporary sub to watch his class, and set about preparing for his day. He lived relatively close to the school, so despite the increase of morning traffic due to him leaving at a later time, Logan knew he would be there before a substantial amount of time had passed.

But still, it was the principle of the thing, to be on time for work. And then he had remembered that he needed to make those photocopies for his students, and he had been in such a rush to get to his class, until—

He paused, letting his mind drift to the interaction he had had with the man— with Patton— this morning. He found himself flushing a little, even hours after the conversation, as he thought back on the awkward way he had first invaded Patton’s personal space, then spoke to his child without his permission, and then proceeded to continue to converse with him when he and his son were very clearly in a hurry.

And Patton had been so polite, trying to let Logan know he didn’t need to walk them to the office, and he had replied, what? ‘It has nothing to do with you’? ‘I would be going this way regardless’?

He groaned internally. It was not a pleasant interaction to look back on. Normally, he would push it out of his mind altogether, but…

But Patton had been kind, not judging him for his somewhat stilted way of speaking. He had asked him about his kids, a topic of conversation which Logan could never possibly tire of. And he was clearly a doting father to Virgil, who was, in Logan’s professional dad opinion, objectively adorable.

He hadn’t meant to duck out right before the two of them had to leave; he had seen Virgil coming to rejoin his father, and Logan could tell that the boy was at least moderately uncomfortable around him. He had quickly stepped away to give them space, entering the break room and beginning the photocopying process, but when he heard Patton make a comment about getting Virgil to his classroom, he suddenly realized that he couldn’t let them go without saying something.

So when he saw that they were mere seconds away from stepping out the door, he acted without thinking, calling out Virgil’s name on a whim.

He remembered how the two had turned to him, identical looks of confusion on their faces, and how he had scrambled for something to say to the shy boy, something that would perhaps make up for all of the mistakes he had made earlier in the conversation.

So he took a swing, and complimented his hoodie.

In no way could he have predicted the reaction he got. Virgil, who up until this point had barely even looked at Logan, broke into a delighted smile, chirped “Thank you!” in a clear, sweet voice, and waved his free hand at Logan so hard that the hoodie sleeve flopped around in the air.

And Patton— Patton’s reaction was almost as good: the half-second as he registered that Virgil had spoken to Logan directly, and the uninhibited joy in his face as he looked at his smiling son made Logan feel… well. He didn’t know what exactly that smile made him feel. Maybe satisfaction, that he was able to help Virgil in a way that made Patton so happy? He pondered it for a moment more before shaking his head. Feelings were really not his area.

And right before they left, as Virgil practically skipped into the hallway with Patton in tow, the two men met eyes yet again, only this time there was something different in Patton’s gaze— not just friendliness, but like he was… exceedingly grateful. Yes, that was it. His gaze was full of gratitude for Logan, for the small act of kindness that apparently would leave a big impression on his son. Then he, too, raised his hand and waved at Logan, and Logan waved back, and then the door shut, and they were gone.

Logan stared into space for several seconds, picturing Patton’s smile in his mind’s eye, before straightening up in his chair. He would think about this interaction in greater detail after his work day ended. In the meantime, he picked up a pen, continuing to decipher the scrawled handwriting of his students.

He was glad his class had electives for the last section of the day; he had the classroom to himself for 45 minutes up until the final bell, which usually gave him plenty of time to finish his work before the school day officially ended. But today, his attention kept drifting to the clock on his desk, until he looked up as it read 2:03.

His fingers twitched slightly as he did the math in his head: school let out at 2:00 on the dot, his classroom was on the second floor of the main building, and it was approximately a five minute walk to here from the gymnasium; so if two little boys were to, hypothetically, sprint at full speed from the gym as soon as the bell rang, in order to come join Logan in his classroom, then they should be arriving right about—

“Dad!”

Logan dropped his pen, spinning haphazardly in his desk chair just in time to catch the child that was diving in to wrap his arms around his waist.

Immediately he felt himself break into a large smile. “Hello, Roman.”

The boy in his arms pulled back, grinning wildly. Both of his sons were on the scrawny side, but Roman was already building up a bit of muscle mass, while his brother seemed content with somehow becoming even more gangly and bony with each passing day.

“Where were you this morning?” Roman demanded, shifting to sit on Logan’s knee.

“We thought you got hit by a bus!” Remus interjected with glee, running in to give Logan a quick hug before hopping up to sit on a desk.

Roman frowned. “No, we didn’t,” he insisted. “I said you were probably running late, and— oh!”

He suddenly tugged on Logan’s shirtsleeve. “And Remus called me stupid! This morning! He called me stupid, Dad!”

Logan shifted his eyes to his other son.

“Remus?”

Remus shrugged, not looking sorry. “He said something stupid. You’re never late.”

“First of all, although it’s true one might say something which may be qualified as ‘stupid’,” Logan began, rubbing circles on Roman’s back as he lectured Remus, “it’s inappropriate to assume that a single statement is indicative of one’s intelligence. Second, don’t call your brother stupid, you both have big, beautiful brains,” he continued, planting a kiss on Roman’s temple, which the young boy attempted to duck away from.

“And third,” he finished, “Roman was correct. I was running late this morning, and I did not arrive until school had already started.”

“Ha!” Roman exclaimed in a gloating fashion. Remus seemed unbothered by being proven wrong, instead leaning forward to taunt, “I’m gonna tell Papa you were late for school!”

“Please do,” Logan replied dryly. “He’ll probably find it highly amusing.”

As he spoke, he reached into his desk drawer, pulling out two packs of fruit gummies. Both boys gasped as Logan passed one to each of them.

“Thanks, Dad!” they said simultaneously, ripping open the snacks. Logan grinned.

“Now, if my memory is correct, I believe it is Remus’ turn to tell me about his day first.”

Roman’s jaw dropped. “No, it’s not!”

“That was rhetorical,” Logan replied. “I am positive it is Remus’ turn. You went first yesterday, because you wanted to show me your paper mache project. Remember?”

Roman paused, then groaned. “But that’s not fair!”

“Yes, it is!” Remus jumped in, his mouth full of gummies.

“Not!”

“Is!

“Not!”

“Is!”

“Not!”

“Is!”

Logan sighed. The twins would literally keep this up for hours if he let them.

“Time out,” he interjected. The boys shut down immediately, turning to him with matching sheepish expressions, and Logan would have to remember to thank Emile again for suggesting he and Janus implement that technique back when the boys were first learning how to talk.

“Roman, will you please staple these papers for me while Remus talks about his day?”

Roman huffed and slid off of Logan’s lap, sticking his tongue out at his twin as he did so.

“What would happen if I stapled myself?” Remus asked Logan with idle curiosity. “Would it hurt?”

“Depends on where, exactly, you stapled yourself,” he replied as he passed Roman the stapler and stack of papers.

“My finger?”

Logan hummed. “It would hurt like a pinch, but as long as you pulled the staple out smoothly and made sure to disinfect and bandage the wound afterwards, you would be fine.”

“Can I try it?”

“If you feel like you need to experience the pain in order to learn why you shouldn’t staple yourself, go ahead, but I will not feel sympathy for you when you get a booboo.”

Remus wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Don’t call it that, I’m not a baby!”

Logan bit back a smirk. “Of course not.”

Roman cleared his throat.

“Excuse me,” he interjected. “Will you start talking about your day, so that I can talk about my day?”

Remus made a face at his brother, but he did turn to Logan and begin rambling about his day, from the bus ride to school to the food they had for lunch to the game he, Corbin, and Sloane played at recess. He was halfway through explaining the increasingly incomprehensible rules for the game (something about who could perform the most dangerous stunts on the playground equipment while simultaneously answering trivia questions about their favorite cartoons) when Logan caught sight of the clock, realizing almost fifteen minutes had gone by.

“Switch,” he interjected the next time Remus took a breath.

“Aw, what?” Remus protested as the two boys swapped places, Roman hopping onto the desk while Remus grabbed the stapler.

“Your bus arrives at 2:30, and I still need to hear about Roman’s day.”

“But I didn’t even get to tell you about the bee that got in the classroom,” Remus grumbled.

“Save it for tonight,” Logan commented absentmindedly. Silence followed for almost two full seconds, which was a clear sign of trouble with the twins.

Logan looked up from his gradebook to see the two having a silent conversation. Whether it was from growing up attached at the hip or a genuine case of twin telepathy, Logan couldn’t be sure, but very often the twins could convey rather convoluted ideas to each other using only their faces.

“What are you hiding?” he asked bluntly. Both children jumped.

“Nothing!” Roman insisted, turning and giving him what he probably thought was a winning smile (it was, but Logan would not be distracted).

He turned to his other son, who was suddenly very interested in sorting the papers into neat piles.

“Remus?”

“Hm?” he replied, looking up innocently. “Did you say something, Father?”

“Boys—”

“We’re going to a sleepover tonight!” Roman blurted out. Remus groaned.

“Why did you say it?” he asked accusingly. “You suck at lying.”

“Stop.” Logan held up a hand. “Explain, now.”

Roman took a deep breath. “It’s Sloane’s birthday today, and he invited all of us—”

“He invited me, and told me you could tag along—”

“Falsehood! The invitation had both of our names on it!” Roman shot back with a dirty look at his brother. He turned back to Logan, continuing, “He invited us and Elliott and Corbin to a sleepover at his house, and, um, he said we could come over at six, and we know we usually do our goodnight call at nine, but—”

“You will ideally be busy gorging on pizza and playing video games at that time,” Logan finished, giving them a measured look. “That’s why you didn’t want to tell me?”

The boys looked down in guilt, nodding.

Logan toyed with the pen in his hand.

“Come here,” he said suddenly, patting his lap.

Roman and Remus hesitated, glancing at each other for a moment, before Remus bound over and sat down on Logan’s left leg. He leaned his head on Logan’s shoulder, and Logan’s hand instinctively came up to stroke his hair. Roman soon followed, taking his spot on Logan’s right leg.

Logan gave an exaggerated groan. “You’re almost getting too big for this,” he said, bouncing his legs as much as he could under the boys’ weight. They both giggled at the movement, each clutching onto his shirtsleeves to avoid falling off.

Logan took a deep breath. “I love you.”

Remus rolled his eyes. “We know, Dad.”

Logan leaned forward to kiss Remus’ forehead, causing the young boy to squawk.

“I love you,” he said again. He turned his head, catching Roman with a kiss on the cheek.

“Ew, Dad!” Both boys were blushing at the display of parental affection, but they were smiling, too.

“I love you,” he repeated once more. “Nothing you can do will ever change that. Even missing our goodnight call.”

Both boys seemed to relax, and Logan felt his heart swell a little bit.

“Don’t lie to me again,” he finished sternly.

“We won’t!” the twins chimed in unison. Logan fought the urge to roll his eyes.

“Falsehood,” he muttered, before asking out of pure curiosity, “What was going to be your excuse for when nine o’clock rolled around and I didn’t get a call from you?”

“Rats chewed the phone wires,” Roman and Remus replied instantly. Logan registered this for half a second before he let out a bark of laughter.

“That makes perfect sense.”

~

“So, the boys are at a sleepover tonight.”

“Yes, I walked them over to Sloane’s house about an hour ago,” Janus replied, his smooth voice losing its hypnotic effect over the phone.

“And when, exactly, was I going to be informed of the whereabouts of our children for approximately the next 18 hours?”

Silence came from the other end of the call before Janus gave a huff of annoyance. “They told me they told you about this days ago.”

Logan smirked, holding the phone between his shoulder and ear as he carried his dinner to the dining room table. “I’m beginning to see why we should not trust our children to act as go-betweens.”

Janus heaved a sigh. “I’m sorry, Croft. I don’t have any idea why they would lie about something so minute.”

“Falsehood, we both know they were doing it to protect my feelings,” Logan replied in a clipped tone.

“You know, I did think it was weird when they insisted they would be okay making their goodnight call from Sloane’s house,” Janus remarked idly. Logan could picture him sitting in his home office, his feet propped up on his desk as he spoke. “I had assumed they had reached some level of maturity where it’s not embarrassing to love their parents.”

“An obvious mistake on your part.”

Logan could also picture the smirk Janus was currently trying (and failing) to suppress. “Clearly.”

Logan resituated himself as he sat at the table, turning on speakerphone and placing the phone next to his plate.

“Speaking of our children being liars,” Janus continued, “Remus had this crazy story about you being late for work.”

Logan reached over to pour himself a glass of water from the pitcher. “Crazy indeed. I didn’t arrive until almost eight.”

“And the school descended into anarchy and chaos,” Janus deadpanned.

“My students were merely happy for a break,” Logan replied. “I should’ve slept in a little longer to give them the entire morning off.”

The conversation fell silent for long enough that Logan leaned over to check that the call hadn’t dropped.

“You overslept?”

Logan blinked in surprise at Janus’ incredulous tone. “Correct.”

“You. Logan Croft. Overslept.”

“Is our connection failing? Are you having trouble hearing me?”

“Logan,” Janus said with the air of someone who was explaining something very simple. “I have known you since you would bike to school on four hours of sleep and three energy drinks, stay awake in all eight classes, go to at least one extracurricular after school, work retail for a few more hours, do homework until you passed out, and then do it all over again the next day. You have never overslept in your life.”

“Falsehood,” Logan replied. “In fourth grade—”

“Why did you oversleep today, Croft?”

Logan paused. “I was… thinking,” he admitted.

Janus waited a few seconds before prompting, “About…”

“About the boys,” Logan confessed, suppressing a sigh.

Immediately Janus dropped his overcasual schtick. “What’s wrong with them?”

“Nothing at all,” Logan rushed to reassure him. “I was merely reminiscing about some of their childhood antics, and it prevented me from going to sleep on time.”

“… Antics like when they accidentally ripped a book of stickers they’d been fighting over for an hour, and proceeded to scream like banshees in the middle of a crowded Walmart?”

Logan smirked. “Antics like when they ran around the house with pull-ups on their heads, calling themselves aliens and demanding we take them to our ‘leader-ers’.”

Janus snorted with laughter. “Oh, God. I’ll have to find those pictures for their next birthday party.”

“I’m sure they’ll thank you for bringing up such delightful memories in front of their friends.”

“Snarky today, aren’t you?”

“Only for you, Sanders.”

A companionable silence fell as Logan finished his dinner.

“Are you okay?” Janus asked, gentle in the way he only got when he spoke to Logan or the twins.

Logan hesitated for just a moment before answering, “Of course.”

“Because if you want to take the boys out somewhere tomorrow night, I’m sure they’d—”

“It’s important we stick to the schedule,” Logan interrupted, a touch more defensively than necessary. “It’s your weekend with them, and I don’t wish to complicate things.”

Janus paused, and then scoffed. “It’s not… complicating things if you want to spend time with our children, Logan.”

“You’re already sacrificing one of your nights together for the boys to attend this sleepover,” Logan insisted, feeling himself becoming increasingly irritated that Janus wouldn’t drop the subject. “I don’t want to take another night away from you.”

His ex-husband’s voice dripped in derision as he cooly remarked, “I love how it doesn’t even cross your mind to consider that the two of us could possibly spend an evening with our children together. So glad to know you would rather spend your night alone than have to be near me for even a sec—”

Logan hung up, his hands shaking as he attempted to hit the button to end the call. He hadn’t realized he was clenching his jaw until he forced himself to release the tension in his body. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths in through his nose and out through his mouth.

Logan had known Janus for over half his life. They had been married for almost as long— 18 and fresh out of high school, Janus insisting he was only doing it for the tax benefits right up until Logan had kissed him in the middle of city hall. They had spent the last decade raising their sons together.

Logan did love Janus. Which is why moments like this, moments that reminded him why they shouldn’t be together, were so particularly painful.

He continued to fume for a few moments, replaying his ex’s callous tone and harmful accusations, but his mind also drifted to how he had shut down Janus’ genuine attempt to be considerate of his feelings, how abruptly Logan himself had left the argument when he didn’t know what to say.

The anger seeped out of him, replaced with something akin to shame. Logan curled inwards, leaning his head on his hands.

It made sense that all of their worst fights in recent history had been over their children. Janus was an excellent father, Logan recognized, his thoughts turning somewhat bitter as he continued, a better father than me—

Suddenly he saw Patton’s face in his mind. Patton smiling at him kindly when Logan had slipped up and made his divorce obvious. His quiet voice, telling Logan, ‘I reckon you’re probably a really great dad’. Logan focused on the words, allowing himself to remember the sincerity in Patton’s voice.

It didn’t make sense how much comfort Logan found in the memory. Patton didn’t even know him, had never seen him interact with any children besides Virgil, and even that had started off poorly.

But for some reason, when Patton had reassured him, Logan wanted to believe him.

Logan realized he had been staring into space for a few minutes, finally shaking his head to bring himself back to reality.

He reached over to grab his phone, muscle memory taking over as he dialed the familiar number, but when it rang in his hand Logan remembered that his ex was just a little bit faster than him when it came to self-reflection.

“I’m sorry, Logan,” came Janus’ voice as soon as Logan answered. “I didn’t— I shouldn’t have said that. I’m sorry.”

Logan sighed. “I apologize, as well. Ending the call in that manner wasn’t productive or healthy.”

Again Logan could visualize the way Janus was waving his hand in the air dismissively.

“Pobody’s nerfect.”

Logan’s lips quirked into an involuntary smile. “What a ridiculous statement. I had assumed an attorney would have a more advanced vocabulary than that.”

“Lawyer, shmawyer.”

Logan laughed lightly, and he swore he could hear Janus’ grin through the phone.

“While I do appreciate your offer,” Logan eventually continued, breezing past the topic of the previous argument, “I have plans tomorrow evening regardless.”

“Oh?” Janus questioned casually. “Hot date?”

Logan scoffed. “An all-day teaching seminar,” he replied with distaste, “in which a group of corporate-funded administrators are going to spend twelve hours lecturing the faculty of the top school in the state about how we need to be making them more money.”

Janus clicked his tongue in sympathy. “Plus on Monday, you’ve got that parent-teacher meet and greet thing at the school.”

Logan paused for one, two, three seconds, before letting out an unceremonious, “Fuck.”

He heard Janus laughing on the other end of the call. “Sorry I said anything.”

“No, it’s fine.” Logan heaved a sigh. “I had forgotten that was this week as well, and I still have to prepare packets for all of my students’ guardians—”

He froze midway through his sentence.

“Logan?” he faintly heard Janus ask. Patton’s smile flashed through his mind again.

“Yes,” he responded, a little too quickly. “I apologize. I just remembered I have more work to do than I thought, and I will need to hang up now to complete it.”

“Uh huh,” Janus replied slowly, sounding unconvinced. “Cough twice if you’re being held hostage.”

Logan coughed once, pointedly falling silent.

“... Oh, you’re funny, you know that? Just absolutely hilarious.” The sarcasm in Janus’ voice was palpable, making Logan grin.

“Goodnight, Janus,” he said with affection.

Logan could hear the fondness in his ex-husband’s voice as he responded with a quiet, “G’night, Croft”, before the line went dead.

Logan turned his phone over in his hands, his mind far away. The likelihood that Logan would see Patton again at this event was causing him to feel a strange sort of tension. He didn’t understand it. Why was he still thinking about this man, this stranger, really, who he had spoken to for less than five minutes?

Logan couldn’t answer that question. All he knew was that he would most likely have trouble falling asleep again tonight.

[conniejoworld]

By KEVIN KRAUSE

Staff Writer kkrause@dallasnews.com

He was a fugitive who had threatened to go to war with the government and had illegally gotten his hands on a powerful firearm after being released from prison.

And he was in contact with another militia extremist who months later would begin plotting to kidnap Michigan’s governor, according to the FBI.

“I am now a sought after man, who is going to stand up and NEVER allow them to kidnap me again,” Kevin “KC” Massey said on Facebook.

Massey’s final days were spent running, hiding and talking about a final confrontation. That, however, never happened. The North Texas man who once led vigilante patrols on the Texas-Mexico border shot himself two days before Christmas in 2019 in Van Zandt County, putting an end to the manhunt.

Over a year after Massey’s death, some associates who allegedly provided him with aid and support are now themselves facing prison time. While on the run, Massey, 53, became a powerful symbol of resistance for the resurgent anti-government militia movement that has been radicalizing people disaffected by the pandemic and national politics.

Cody Gene Reynolds, 34, of Hunt County recently pleaded guilty in Dallas to buying Massey an AR-15-style firearm a few months before Massey’s suicide. Reynolds is scheduled to be sentenced in August, according to court records. His attorney declined to comment.

And Barry Gordon Croft, 44, was communicating with Massey on Facebook in the fall of 2019, promising to help him and to train him for a coming war against the government, the FBI says. Croft, of Delaware, has been charged along with about a dozen others with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

A third man, James Russell Smith, was arrested and tried on a charge of harboring Massey at his Hunt County home. But a federal jury in Dallas found Smith, 70, not guilty several months ago.

Massey was already a hero to some other homegrown extremists, and his death only served to make him a martyr in the eyes of like-minded militia members. An Illinois podcaster last year called Massey a “fallen political prisoner.” And a Facebook page created for him called Massey a “patriot who served on the Texas border repelling foreign invaders.”

For federal authorities who are looking to contain the growth of domestic terrorism in the U.S, that is a concern.

“Massey’s status as a fugitive became a symbol of government oppression for individuals like Croft who harbored anti-government and anti-federal law enforcement views,” an FBI complaint in that case said.

Croft was arrested in October. Prosecutors called him a ringleader in the Whitmer kidnapping scheme as well as the “prime mover behind” the construction and testing of “weapons of mass destruction.”

Croft took part in nighttime surveillance of the governor’s house, planned to bomb a bridge and detonated test bombs he planned to use, Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler said in a filing. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His attorney declined to comment.

‘They will ... pay’

Croft messaged Massey on Facebook in October 2019 when Massey was a fugitive, the FBI says. Among the things Croft said to Massey were, “They will have to pay for what they have done,” and “I don’t care if we destroy this whole planet in the fight that is coming, but a reckoning is necessary,” an FBI affidavit said.

Croft also allegedly said that “the People” didn’t support what happened to Massey and that “Our hour draws near, brother.”

“I’m going to North Carolina on Saturday to discuss going to war against the government of North Carolina,” Croft allegedly wrote. “They invited me to speak and share tactics. Please come out bro. We need you.”

Croft also told Massey in his messages that he could help him, according to the FBI.

“I can pull you out,” Croft allegedly told him. “Let me get you nourished back to combat ready … I need to recover you, sir.”

Massey, 53, was an electrician from Quinlan, an hour east of Dallas, and a man with “alarming rage” and a love of heavy weaponry, federal authorities have said.

He had gone into hiding around May 2019, several months after being released from prison on probation for a federal weapons charge that stemmed from his armed border patrols, court records say.

In addition to being a militia member, Massey was a Three Percenter, which refers to a far-right, anti-government movement that the FBI is building a conspiracy case against in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot and insurrection, according to published reports and court records.

Three Percenters are also referred to as “III%ers” or “threepers.” The term Three Percenter is based on the myth that only 3% of American colonists fought against the British during the American Revolution. Authorities say it’s not a single group but more of a common belief that a small yet determined force of armed citizens can overthrow a government. Many independent militias incorporate it into their names.

Authorities say Croft posted the following comment online in April 2019: “Be it known, any harm to KCI Massey III by the federal government will trigger my 3% [expletive] to action!!!%”

Help from friends

Massey came to the attention of federal authorities in 2014 when he was in Brownsville as a member of a border vigilante group called Rusty’s Rangers. Dressed in military fatigues, he conducted armed patrols with others on the South Texas border to search for immigrants attempting to cross into the U.S., authorities say.

The militia members, displeased with U.S. border enforcement, said they took matters into their own hands after obtaining permission to access private property. Their makeshift “Camp Lonestar” on rural land served as a “staging area for their patrols,” according to the feds.

Massey routinely videotaped his border activities and posted them on Facebook, court records said. He would later say on Facebook that he had the power of citizen’s arrest. In posts, Massey described detaining immigrants at gunpoint and binding their wrists with zip ties.

He vowed to remain at the border until regulators “sealed the border or there’s some sort of civil war,” prosecutors said.

Instead he was arrested and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Massey was found with 20 homemade explosive devices and other weapons at the time, court records say. He was convicted and sentenced in 2016 to 41 months in federal prison.

His prison writings, archived online by a supporter, as well as his Facebook posts, show that he fervently embraced right-wing extremist movements.

According to prosecutors, he also expressed support for Timothy McVeigh, whose bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building in 1995 killed more than 160 people and injured over 680 others.

Massey was released from prison in June 2018 to begin serving his three-year probation term, according to court records. As a felon, he could not legally have firearms.

But Massey drove with Reynolds to a Caddo Mills gun store in December 2018 to buy one, according to court records. Massey gave Reynolds money and told him which gun to buy. Reynolds then purchased the Diamondback Arms DB15 for Massey. The gun, although called a pistol, looks and performs like an assault rifle.

Reynolds pleaded guilty on March 30 to acquiring a firearm from a licensed dealer by false or fictitious statement and to aiding and abetting a felon in possession of a firearm, court records show. He faces up to 10 years in prison.

A warrant was issued for Massey’s arrest in May 2019 after he tested positive for illegal drugs and failed to report to his probation officer, court records show.

While on the run, Massey went to a second man for help, an old friend, prosecutors said.

An acquittal

James Russell Smith is retired from the construction industry and lives in Lone Oak, east of Dallas. He had known Massey for about 20 years and recruited him to join the Cossacks Motorcycle Club years earlier, prosecutors said. Massey told Smith he was broke, hungry and needed a place to stay, according to court records.

In July 2019, Massey moved to Smith’s property near the banks of Lake Tawakoni, court records say. Smith provided him with food and shelter and also allowed Massey to store his property, including firearms, on his land, according to prosecutors.

U.S. marshals learned Massey was there and set up surveillance. Massey was seen coming and going from the home with what appeared to be a firearm on his hip, a federal complaint said.

Agents raided the home with a search warrant but Massey was gone, having “escaped into the woods,” prosecutors said.

Smith told agents he didn’t know where Massey was. The marshals said they found an AK-47-style pistol inside a bag he left behind. While the marshals continued to look for Massey, the government in July 2019 charged Smith with conspiracy to conceal a person from arrest.

Smith’s trial ended in September with an acquittal. Juror notes submitted during deliberations indicate they had an issue with a critical element of the charge — that Smith knew of the existence of a federal arrest warrant for Massey at the time.

‘Key issue’

Smith’s attorney, Keith Willeford, said in an interview that the arrest warrant for Massey had been sealed and therefore wasn’t public knowledge.

“The key issue was the fact that they had to prove that my client knew that KC had a warrant,” he said.

Willeford said Massey stayed at his client’s property for only about four nights. And no one ever called Smith to inform him that Massey was wanted or to ask for his help in locating him, Willeford said.

William Hagen, a federal prosecutor, tried unsuccessfully in 2015 to seek a tougher prison term for Massey, citing his “utter disregard for federal law.”

And he issued a warning that turned out to be prophetic.

“Because the defendant not only disrespects the law, but explicitly rejects the legitimacy of it, he will undoubtedly rearm and reoffend once released from prison,” Hagen wrote.

The 911 call came in on Dec. 23, 2019. Police said Massey’s body was found in a “small wooded area.”

Twitter: @KevinRKrause

[spookyold-saintjm]

Pieces of You - Part 2

Mayor Damien x reader

| Part One | | Part Three |

Warnings: none...this time

Word Count: 1,550

Series Summary: Damien is your world, and you are his light. One night, just shy of the long-awaited evening on which he’s planned to ask for your hand in marriage, he goes out for a poker night reunion with old friends at the Markiplier manor. He doesn’t come back.

a/n: SO this happened tonight! Just some soft Damien before we get to the inevitable pain, you know? As always, I’d love hear your thoughts! Let me know if you’d like to be added to the tag list for future updates. All the love! x

—

“Good morning, love.”

Damien’s voice was low, still scratching in his throat from sleep as he wrapped his arms around your frame at your waist.

“Morning,” you hummed as he planted a quick kiss to your cheek.

He walked around to your side, on arm still around your frame as you both looked down at your current project: breakfast.

“Smells wonderful,” he mumbled, his lips then leaving a small trail of light kisses down your neck. You breathed out a light chuckle before reaching over to teasingly pat him on the stomach.

“Eat up, then.” You handed him a plate from the opposite side of the countertop, and he forced himself to pull away from you as you stepped aside to let him fill his plate with what was practically a buffet that you’d laid out for the both of you that morning. You liked to cook, so this wasn’t all that unusual, but Damien adored the gesture nonetheless.

  You retrieved your own plate soon after, then joined Damien at the table in the dining room, the already bright sunlight of the spring morning striking in through the curtains and across the space. 

You spent your meal together talking about everything and nothing, peppered with contented silence as you enjoyed your meal. No matter what a day had in store for either of you, your mornings were a ritual, a sacred time between the two of you reserved just for each other. No business, no plans, no distractions. If Damien had an early morning meeting or you had an assignment that required an earlier start to the day, you pushed breakfast forward to an earlier hour. It was a commitment that you both treasured immensely.

His gaze settled on the sight of you, your sweater hanging off one shoulder and the frames of your glasses slightly tilted on your face as you took a slow, indulgent sip of your coffee. Or, as he often joked, your cream and sugar with a splash of coffee on top.

You noticed his lingering eyes as you sat down your coffee mug, and sent him a narrow-eyed stare of your own. “What’s on your mind, mister mayor?”

It was easy for you to pick up on his “thinking” face. He blinked once, twice to call back his focus before he answered you, a soft smile spreading on his lips.

“You, my darling. Just you.”

Well, you, but mainly the fact that he had realized that the date he’d been so anxiously awaiting, had been thinking about the night before, was now officially a week away. In one week, he would ask you to marry him.

You felt a distant warmth creep across your face and down your neck at his answer, always taken captive by his affectionate words no matter how often he said them. You met his smile with one of your own, then stood and stepped around the table to collect his now-empty plate. 

You leaned down to gently kiss his cheek before walking back into the kitchen with dishes in hand.

“You forgot to look at your mail last night,” you called back as you turned the corner and headed toward the sink. “I left it all by the coffee machine.” 

Damien was behind you soon after, sifting through the various letters. A bill here, a couple business letters there, and at the bottom of the small stack…

He audibly hummed, perplexed as he opened the wax-sealed envelope with no return address. A single, square card rested inside, and Damien squinted his eyes at the elaborate text printed inside it.

You Are Cordially Invited To Poker Night At Markiplier Manor.

A date, time, and note to bring the invitation along for entry were printed along the bottom of the card, and a slide of Damien’s thumb revealed a scrawled signature of someone who he hadn’t seen or heard from in quite some time.

“What’s wrong?” You asked. You peered over Damien’s shoulder as you dried your hands with a towel and scanned over the invitation, your eyes widening at the name. “Mark? That’s…surprising.” You stepped back as Damien turned around toward you, though he continued to stare down at the card.

“Yes. It is,” he muttered as he flipped the card over to check for any information on the back before setting it on the counter on top of his other pieces of mail.

Damien wasn’t quite sure what to think. After all, Mark had been one of his absolute best friends; they’d known each other practically their entire lives, and had always gotten along, but didn’t become best friends until university years. Mark was the one who had introduced you to each other, after all, and Damien was eternally grateful for that. He supposed Mark still was one of his best friends, knowing that if he ever truly needed him, he would be there, but he hadn’t actually spent time with him in years. They had grown distant, after everything had happened with his sister, Celine, and the Colonel, and…

Well, put simply, it wasn’t a time that Damien particularly liked to dwell on. For any of their sakes.

He initially wanted to brush off the invitation, to keep the safe distance that had formed between them. After all, he wasn’t quite sure what he would even say to Mark once he saw him again. Would they be able to talk again like old friends, let bygones be bygones after all this time? Or would it only bring back memories of a time that he was quite certain none of them wanted to relive? But the desire to reunite with his friend, to perhaps have a chance at repairing the bond they’d once had, poked at the back of his mind.

It was a choice that Damien carried with him into work that day, becoming even more surprised to find that Abe, another friend in the circle, had been invited as well. The event was briefly discussed between the two men, the detective stating that he would be attending when Damien asked. The situation wasn’t quite so complicated for him, but rather simply a gathering of old friends at the home of one of the richest men in town, which sounded like a damn good time to him.

When Damien arrived home from work that night, he learned from you that the District Attorney had also been invited. As well as the Colonel. The news was a bit of a peculiar blow, but intrigued Damien all the more. You didn’t speak of it again until a few nights later.

“So, are you going?” You asked a few days later, propped against the doorframe as Damien focused his stare at his reflection, slowly gliding a razor blade down the side of his jaw.

“Hm?”

“To Mark’s. Are you going? It’s tomorrow night.”

Damien’s eyes flicked to meet yours through the mirror, momentarily taken breathless by the image of one of his sleep shirts tossed over your form, your legs bare as you patiently awaited his answer.

God, you were always so stunning.

“Well,” Damien hesitated, finishing the last of his shaving and leaning down to splash the water pouring from the faucet onto his face before he answered. “I’ve been considering it.” He grabbed the towel by the sink and rose to pat his skin dry.

“Do you want to?” you asked, unfolding your arms and straightening yourself away from the wall.

A small lift of his shoulders. “I’m…very surprised by the invitation. But our old gang, gathering together again…” he finally turned from the mirror and faced you, adjusting the towel wrapped around his waist. “Well, it couldn’t be such a bad thing, could it?”

“I know how much they all mean to you,” you agreed. Damien stepped toward you then, and you reached to gently rest a hand atop his shoulder as he leaned into you, his body still slightly damp, but you didn’t mind.

“So you wouldn't be upset if I went?” He asked, his fingers curling at your waist, around the fabric of his own shirt that you wore. You stifled a laugh and shook your head.

“No, silly, I won’t be upset. They’re your friends.” Your hand trailed downward, your fingers spreading flat on his skin as your eyes met. “As long as you promise me you’ll be careful.” Your hand curled inward as you poked him in the chest. “I know good and well how wild you boys get when you’re together.” 

Damien scoffed in feigned offense, then chuckled as he wrapped your arms around your frame. “I’ll be careful. I promise.”

“Good.” You let your head rest against his chest then, your own arms sliding around him. “Because you promised me dinner on Sunday night, remember?”

“Of course, darling.” 

How could he forget? It was practically all he’d been thinking about for ages now. 

He quickly pushed back his prickling nerves at the thought as he softly kissed the top of your head.

If you would have known then that it was the last night you would ever spend wrapped in his embrace, wholly enveloped in love for the man that held your entire heart in his hands, you would have clung onto him harder. You would have never let him go.

| Part Three |

—

tag list (open!): @aheistwithyaboi @dapper-comedy @pandacookieowo @jennabonenna​ @nightfuryobsessed​ @a-okay-rj​ @shaydeevee33​

[greenwaterskeeter]

I took fairly complete notes from an informational session held by local organizers and lawyers with relevant experience from the National Lawyers’ Guild. I learned a lot! At the beginning, it also includes some notes on how to approach going to actions regardless of outcome. Some portion of the information is Chicago-specific, but not all, and most of it translates within the US, I think. It’s at the link above, and also under the read more:

[missed first 5 minutes]

At Actions:

-wear nondescript, practical clothes. pants that allow motion: close to skin so as not to get caught. Jeans are better than sweats. Shorts are great, except that they don't protect you from sprayed chemicals. Wear pants that stay on, unless leaving them behind is something you're willing to do in a pinch (a strategy that Has Worked). Try not to have holes in clothes (they get caught on things). no jewelry, layer up. Ok to wear belts, although [presenter] doesn't like to need to wear one. Best to have as little as possible on you in case of arrest.

-if you have long hair, put it up out of your face. Hats are good: they can be taken off to change your identity if need be. Never ever wear sandals to an action. They will be lost and either way your feet are vulnerable. Wear shoes you're able to run in: shoes that tie. Broken-in tennis shoes are good. Boots, especially steel-toe boots, are very good, but only wear them to actions if you're used to wearing them (and running in them).

-Helmet: for batons and thrown objects. Bike helmets have limited usefulness bc they only take one hit. Skateboarding and skiing helmets take multiple hits. Construction helmets can work ok but don't stay on well usually. Spin is giving away helmets right now, all you have to pay is shipping.

-always bring goggles: not swimming goggles, not construction glasses. Goggles that 1. seal to keep out gases and 2. can handle high impact. Don't wear contacts either, and try to bring glasses that can break and not leave you without a pair.

-Gloves: go a size down from normal so they fit snugly. Welder's gloves are good for protection, including for picking up tear gas canisters. Any gloves are good for keeping your fingerprints to yourself.

-Multitools are useful, you never know when you'll need it. Umbrellas can be useful too.

-Backpack contains: snacks, water bottle with nozzle for washing out tear gas, gauze and bandaids, little towel (like a tea towel), extra N95 masks/respirators (which can be found at hardware stores and paint stores-- it's hard to keep moving when you can't breathe!), anything else you want.

-Tell people before actions that you're going, and make sure someone else at the action knows your full legal name and birthday so you can be gotten out more quickly in case of arrest

Social media: don't post videos or photos of yourself or others at actions, especially ones in which people are identifiable. This amounts to snitching. Don't wear logos or other identifiable clothing (see Etsy arrest and conviction). Also, don't post pictures of yourself or others NOT at actions but showing off stuff taken from cops etc.

-National Lawyers' Guild > National Bar Association

If Arrested (in Chicago):

The result of being stopped by police is only likely to result in a ticket and immediate release at actions organized with the input and approval of police: scripted demonstrations. At other actions, if they arrest you, they take you into custody and then to the station. The point is to intimidate you and your comrades. There are things you can control about the situation.

What you should do depends on what your goal is. If you want to get out asap, that's one track. If you want to make a point of being arrested, that's a different track.

Sometimes they use metal and sometimes they use plastic cuffs.

When you get to the station they'll take your address, name, and fingerprints-- these are the only demands you should grant. They are not covered by your constitutional right to refuse to answer (that only covers information that could be used as evidence to incriminate you, not information used to identify you). Speaking of: they will not read your Miranda rights right away, if at all. They only are supposed to do that right before asking incriminating questions.

Being arrested typically leads to lots of waiting. People who have been arrested more times usually get out quicker (their fingerprints are already in the system, and they can check for warrants easily). This is largely what they are making you wait for: checking to see how high to set your bond based on any warrants you may have.

They will put you in a cell and not give you food or medicine, typically. If you get food it will not be tasty, so eat right before the action and bring food with you.

If they've arrested a bunch of people at once, it might be 12-14 hours before you're released.

I-bond: they release you without you having to pay money for it. The bond consists of a promise to attend court later. The bond slip may not be legible (it should have the court date, place, and maybe the charge on it), but don't worry about that. It can be figured out.

D-bond: They make you pay to leave as a punitive measure. Still trying to intimidate you. The Chicago Bond Fund has covered all such bonds resulting from arrests at actions so far.

Don't count on getting a phone call, especially in case of mass arrest. If you get it, call a trusted person or the National Lawyers Guild, who can take care of getting you out. Tell whoever you call: where you are, if there is anyone with you who is injured, names of any other people you know who have been arrested.

Even though they won't offer it, if you need medical care, request it. They might tell you getting treated will make releasing you take longer or some other reason you shouldn't get treated: they are probably lying, and in any case, it's worth it to A. get the care you need, B. get it on record that they hurt you, and/or C. get it on record how long they put you off/that they refused to get you care. These records can be used in civil cases.

When you're released, they give you your stuff back that they confiscated, unless they're keeping it as evidence in charges (cellphone, shoelaces, belt. They take the laces and belt in an attempt to prevent suicide)

Would not advise taking cellphone to demonstration. Take a burner phone if you must. If you're arrested, the police will definitely take it and will try to get into it. They technically need a warrant to do that, and they may get one. In general, don't bring anything you'd be sad to lose or can't replace.

Charges: most common ones put on protestors are misdemeanors. The difference between a misdemeanor and a felony is that the maximum sentence on a misdemeanor is 364 days, and the minimum sentence on a felony is 365 days. It's very unusual as of now for a protestor to actually go to jail. The common misdemeanors applied to protestors are disorderly conduct, mob action, and destruction of property. They require different kinds of evidence but result in the same punishment. Earlier this year they charged more people with disorderly conduct, but the sentences weren't harsh enough/ too many people's charges were dismissed, so now they're charging people with mob action, since "mob" has a violent connotation.

Felonies: include theft, criminal damage to property, aggravated battery, resisting arrest. What defines felony theft and felony property damage is how much money is "lost" (more than $300 for a felony. Might have been increased to $500 or $800 recently). No matter what you do to a cop, if they are injured at all or perceive or can suggest that you tried to hurt them, that will be aggravated battery. Resisting arrest is rarely made a felony but it can be if the cop is particularly offended.

Resisting arrest carries more weight than other misdemeanors because police take everything personally. The punishment is harsher than for other misdemeanors. Technically the arrest has to be legal for resistance to count as resisting arrest. In practice, they will not respect any refusal to be arrested. The best thing to hope for if they do arrest you while you're resisting is that you'll be declared innocent later due to unlawful arrest. Resisting arrest can be a lot of things: jerking away, refusing to stand up to be arrested, taking too long to stand up... They can definitely charge you with resisting when you're not resisting. If you are resisting (by the legal definition), you'll know you are because you'll be doing it on purpose. If they order you to move and then push you and you fall over, that can't lawfully be considered resisting, but it has.

Grand juries: have been called for actions around [George] Floyd. Whatever they may once have been, they are now used to repress and that's about it. The city can't call one, but the feds and state can. Technically, must be composed of fellow citizens called to evaluate evidence for felony charges. In practice, the people they put together listen to the state's attorney, who tells them what to do. If you're subpoenaed to a grand jury, they're not trying to get you personally (or at least not only trying to get you personally), they're after information. They want you to give people up. Police want to know who's organizing. Compliance is snitching. No matter how clever you are, trying to act compliant but keep information back, if you answer at all they will get more information out of you than you want them to have.

If you do comply, they'll get what they can out of you. If you refuse, they can charge you with contempt and imprison you up to the length of the grand jury or 18 months (or until you snitch). They can charge you with either civil or criminal contempt.

Information security: Police put a lot of effort into tracking data. They also make attempts to infiltrate and get informants. Sensitive information can't be said over the phone or texted, not even on Signal. Meet in person to plan.

Nothing you say to police will help. They are only looking for evidence against you, and will do everything they can to use what you say as evidence. There have been many cases of people thinking they can explain and show that they're innocent, only to have their own words used as the evidence that puts them in prison.

When they confiscate your things, police can also confiscate any protective gear (and of course weapons) you have as evidence that you came to start a fight. (they did this at Standing Rock).

When police give you an order to leave, they lawfully must 1. give an order to disperse 2. that everyone can hear and then 3. wait a reasonable amount of time for you to follow the order. If you don't have the ability to leave, they legally cannot arrest you. This doesn't mean they won't.

While filing a complaint against police with COPA is an option that gives lawyers evidence they can use in your favor, there are problems. 1. it will ensure that your charges won't be dropped, because police take these claims personally and 2. COPA requires people who file complaints to come and give evidence under oath (which they will make you do under unfavorable conditions and mess you up). Don't file a complaint with COPA in criminal cases, they will use it against you. Don't do it for civil cases except for very specific circumstances, since they will try to use it against you there too.

If you are not a citizen / do not have a green card, being arrested can be a longer-term problem even if they don't charge you. There are ways around it (ask an immigration attorney).

If you have a previous misdemeanor or arrest, this will not increase your chances of being arrested again, since they almost certainly won't recognize you. It won't increase your chances of being charged again either, since they decide whether or not to charge you before they look up your record. However, once they do look up your record, it may increase the chances of them deciding to increase your charge from civil to criminal.

Typically, they will put more charges on you the more you do to get away (if you are not successful or they get your identity). Any struggling will likely be construed as "aggravated battery on a police officer" (a felony). Attempts at dearrest, when not successful, are charged as aggravated battery on a police officer. For this reason, practice dearresting ahead of time, run, drill, drill, drill.

What you bring can be seized as evidence, yes, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't bring it. The point of all this is that you can go into it with your eyes open, making informed choices. Practical advice and legal advice do not always agree.

Dearrests: person initially being arrested may be charged extra if the dearrest is unsuccessful or if their identity is known/found out. Police will definitely charge them if possible, as they are easily offended.

Court: don't worry about finding or paying for representation. The National Lawyers' Guild has plenty of volunteer attorneys working pro bono representing activists. You can talk to an attorney and go over your options over zoom before court. Court is also on zoom these days. Lots of waiting involved in this. One person is known to have mown their lawn while in court over zoom.

You can refuse an attorney to go to trial; there is empowerment in this option. May be most prudent to do this only if you've been to court several times.

You can talk to the corporation [illegible] (who covers city law) or the state's attorney (covers state law) and see whether they're going ahead with your case. 1/2 of cases involving protestors have been thrown out so far. If they throw it out, there's nothing else you need to do to prevent being convicted.

You can request discovery (access to evidence) which will tell you how likely you are to win. It will also tell you how bad police records are. Another thing that can make you more likely to win is if a different cop arrested you than wrote the report about it.

There's no one right answer to how to approach this, whether to prioritize getting it over with or making a point. That depends on your goals. If you're going for quick, that will usually involve a plea deal. They may assign you 3 months to a year of "supervision." This means that if you don't make trouble in that time (specifically, if you're not convicted of breaking the law in that time), they'll clear the present conviction from your record in 2 years.

State cases are supposed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Smaller cases can be decided by "a preponderance of evidence."

necessity defense- "I did it, but I felt that I needed to do it to prevent further harm or illegality from ocurring." This is a common defense for activists, and can be a good strategy.

Even if your case is thrown out, arrests stay on your record unless expunged. If your case is thrown out, if you undergo supervision, or if you are found not guilty, you can get the arrest expunged. It's something you have to do on your own initiative. Cabrini Green Legal Aid will help you do this for free. It's easy, it's a form you fill out, but processing can take a year or two (backlog).

If you're arrested during a protest, you can contact the National Lawyers' Guild as soon as you can, or have someone do it for you, and they'll help you get out. hotline 773-309-1198

Before an action, if you're putting one together, you can contact the National Lawyers' Guild and they'll help with jail support (it helps to specify whether you expect arrest).

Don't use 1800 law rep 4 anymore

If you're arrested NOT at an action, the Cook County Public Defender hotline is 844-817-4448

They gave personal contact info for the people who presented all this information, but I'm not going to share that here. They were local organizers and lawyers from the National Lawyers' Guild (with experience defending activists and being arrested themselves).

[kjack89]

Testimony

This idea popped in my head and I couldn’t not. This could easily be the start of something longer, a series, perhaps, if there’s any interest in me continuing it. And if not, well...the potential it sets up is sweet in and of itself ;)

ExR, Modern AU.

“Case number 246-01,” the bailiff read in a bored voice. “The State v. Enjolras. Judge Madeleine presiding. All rise.”

Enjolras stood, smoothing the invisible wrinkles from the immaculate suit he wore for the occasion, one of the ones his mother insisted on buying for him before she gave up on speaking to her son altogether. Luckily, his measurements hadn’t changed much in the years since and the suit still fit well.

Very well, if the looks a few of the women on the jury had tossed his way when he walked in were anything to go off of.

Judge Madeleine entered the chamber to begin the second day of the trial against Enjolras and took a seat. “You may be seated,” he said, glancing over the notes in front of him. “Is the prosecution ready to begin?”

District Attorney Javert stood, looking even more dour than usual, and it took every ounce of self-control that Enjolras possessed not to glare at the man who, during opening arguments the previous day, had referred to Enjolras as a homegrown terrorist who would settle for nothing less than the total destruction of all government institutions.

Which was hyperbolic even for Enjolras’s standards. At best he wanted to destroy a solid half of governmental institutions.

Maybe two thirds.

Public libraries could stay. The rest was on thin fucking ice.

Javert cleared his throat and Enjolras blinked. “The State is ready to call our first witness,” Javert said, and Madeleine nodded.

“You may proceed.”

For the first time, Javert glanced at Enjolras, something like triumph in his expression as he announced, “The State calls Sebastien Grantaire to the stand.”

Enjolras gritted his teeth as Grantaire swaggered into the courtroom, trying not to look like he was seething. He had known it was coming, but still — seeing Grantaire take the stand, seeing him raise his right hand to swear to tell the truth against Enjolras—

“Objection.”

Marius Pontmercy stood up, looking almost unconcerned as murmurs broke out in the courtroom. Madeleine blinked, looking almost amused. “You have an objection before Mr. Javert has even asked a single question of the witness?”

“I do,” Marius said.

“On what grounds?” Javert spluttered, looking indignant.

“Spousal privilege,” Marius said. “Mr. Grantaire cannot be compelled to testify against his husband.”

No sooner were the words were out of Marius’s mouth than all hell seemingly broke out in the courtroom. Javert was shouting something, looking positively apoplectic, and as the bailiff hurried to restrain him, Grantaire turned and winked at Enjolras.

--- Four Weeks Earlier ---

Marius looked unusually grave as he stood in doorway of the backroom at the Musain. “I have bad news,” he announced, and the general babble died down as everyone looked over at him. “There’s a warrant out for Enjolras’s arrest.”

Bahorel snorted. “Not the first time,” he said dismissively.

“Not likely to be the last time, either,” Joly added with a grin.

But Enjolras could tell by the look on Marius’s face that this was more serious than his usual brushes with the law. “On what charges?”

“Terrorism,” Marius said grimly, and the room fell silent, “in addition to making a terroristic threat and providing support for an act of terrorism.” He paused. “And a host of other things, too, criminal conspiracy, inciting a riot, assaulting an officer of the peace, and, uh—” He checked his notes. “Seventy-five unpaid parking tickets, apparently.”

Courfeyrac winced. “Oh, man, most of those are mine,” he started, but Enjolras gave him a look.

“I very highly doubt the parking tickets are the state’s highest concern,” he said dryly, before looking back at Marius. “They don’t have enough evidence to make the most serious charges stick, so—”

“Actually, they do,” a tired voice said from behind Marius, and Combeferre steered an exhausted-looking and evenly more dishevelled than usual Grantaire into the room. “I just picked Grantaire up from a Grand Jury proceeding.”

“I’m sorry,” Grantaire said, his eyes never leaving Enjolras’s. “They had a subpoena, and Combeferre told me that if I lied on the stand, he’d have Bahorel kick my ass.”

Enjolras shook his head slowly. “If you had lied, I wouldn’t need Bahorel to kick your ass,” he told him, a low growl in is voice. “I’m not worth that.” Grantaire snorted but didn’t contradict him and Enjolras looked back at Marius. “So that’s it,” he said tiredly. “Any one of us being compelled to testify would spell the end of Les Amis, and we all knew that going into this.” He straightened, squaring his shoulders. “When do I turn myself in?”

But Marius was looking between Grantaire and Enjolras, something calculating in his expression. “You have 72 hours,” he said slowly. “But there’s a lot that we can do in 72 hours.”

For the first time since arriving, Grantaire looked away from Enjolras, turning to arch an eyebrow at Marius. “What do you have in mind?”

-----

“This is outrageous!” Javert burst as they were ushered into the judge’s chambers and Judge Madeleine sighed, settling himself down at his desk. “Spousal privilege — assuming these two are even legally married — only covers privileged communication after the marriage, and Mr. Grantaire and Mr. Enjolras sure as hell were not married when the incident—”

“Alleged incident,” Marius interjected smoothly.

“When the incident in question,” Javert ground out, throwing Marius a nasty look, “took place.”

Madeleine steepled his fingers and gave Marius and Enjolras both a measured look. “Is this true?” he asked.

Marius shook his head. “No,” he said. “My client was married to Mr. Grantaire at the time of the incident. In fact, they’ve been married for six years.”

“Seven,” Enjolras interjected, before hastily adding, “Sorry, Your Honor, but I wouldn’t hear the end of it if I got the anniversary wrong.”

Madeleine chuckled and Marius smiled slightly. “Sorry, yes, seven years,” he said. “I have their marriage certificate right here, signed, dated and notarized by a licensed justice of the peace.”

“But not filed with the state!” Javert snapped, as Marius handed the marriage license over to Valjean, who looked at it with interest. “Or else it would have come out during discovery, and therefore the validity—”

“My client was married in 2012,” Marius said, “before United States v. Windsor or Obergefell v. Hodges. With whom would you have liked them to file their marriage certificate, when their marriage was not, at the time, legally recognized?” Javert scowled but didn’t reply and Marius continued, “Things have changed so rapidly since then that Mr. Grantaire and my client simply forgot to file the documentation until recently.”

Javert let out what sounded suspiciously like a snarl. “Then why didn’t Mr. Grantaire bring this up during his Grand Jury testimony?”

“That was my fault,” Enjolras said, apologetically, and everyone turned to look at him. “We’ve been — well, we were fighting at the time, for lack of a better term. And so he took it out on me by testifying at the Grand Jury. But he didn’t realize— he never thought this would happen.” Enjolras lifted his chin, something defiant in his expression. “We love each other. And he would never testify against me.”

Javert glared at Enjolras before switching his glare to Madeleine. “You can’t seriously be buying this!” he protested.

“I have no reason not to,” Madeleine said lightly, passing the marriage certificate back to Marius, who looked like he was trying very hard not to grin. “The state is welcome to continue its case against Mr. Enjolras, but you’ll be doing it without Mr. Grantaire’s testimony.”

Javert looked positively furious, and Enjolras let out a breath it felt like he’d been holding for weeks.

-----

A few hours later, Enjolras walked down the stairs in front of the courthouse, grinning at Marius and Grantaire waiting for him. “Wish I had been there to see Javert’s face when he dropped all charges,” Grantaire said a little mournfully as Enjolras reached them.

“It was a beautiful sight,” Enjolras assured him. “Where’s everyone else?”

Marius rolled his eyes. “You’re supposed to be keeping a low profile, remember?” he said, with somewhat fond exasperation. “Now you two get out of here. I’m going to swing back by Madeleine’s office and thank him—”

“He wants to go make eyes at Madeleine’s secretary,” Grantaire told Enjolras. “That’s all he’s been able to talk about while we were waiting for you. While you were busy almost going to jail, he was busy ooh-ing and aah-ing over some poor girl.”

“I was not!” Marius protested, beet red, and Enjolras just shook his head.

“Go,” he ordered. “I need a word with my husband anyway.”

They both watched Marius head back up to the courthouse before Grantaire turned to Enjolras, his smile softening. “Husband,” he said mildly. “I’m still not used to hearing that.”

“And I’m still not ok with this.”

Grantaire cocked his head slightly. “Being married to me? I don’t blame you.”

“No, lying,” Enjolras said, glaring at him. “I told you—”

Grantaire rolled his eyes. “That you’re not worth it, yeah, I remember.” He gave Enjolras a pointed look. “Thing is, I didn’t lie. I said not one word of falsehood in that courtroom, on the record, or anywhere else.”

Enjolras ground his teeth together. “A lie of omission is still a lie.”

The corners of Grantaire’s mouth twitched. “Barely.”

Enjolras rolled his eyes. “Still—”

“You are worth it,” Grantaire interrupted, something soft in his expression. “Forging a marriage license, lying under oath — you are more than worth it.” He paused. “You’re the only one that’s worth it. To me, at least.”

Enjolras opened his mouth to respond but couldn’t quite seem to find any words to say, so he settled for ducking his head and swallowing, hard. After a moment, he cleared his throat. “So, uh, how long do you think we need to stay married?”

“That depends,” Grantaire said lightly. “When does the statute of limitations run out?”

“Not sure that there is a statute of limitations for terrorism.”

Grantaire shrugged. “Ah well,” he said cheerfully. “Thankfully I didn’t have any better offers.”

Enjolras rolled his eyes again, but it was with an almost begrudging smile. “You sure you can handle being married to me for that long?”

“For the rest of my life?” Grantaire asked, with a breathy laugh. “I somehow think I’ll manage.” He arched an eyebrow at Enjolras. “The question is, can you?”

Enjolras met his eyes squarely. “Have you ever known me to back down from a challenge?” he asked.

Grantaire’s grin widened and he slowly shook his head. “C’mon,” he said. “Let’s go tell everyone the good news.” He turned away then paused, glancing back at Enjolras before holding out his hand, a small smirk crossing his face. “Do you permit it?”

Instead of answering, Enjolras took Grantaire’s hand and laced their fingers together, giving Grantaire a smile that was entirely too soft to be the ‘challenge accepted’ grin he intended. “Let’s go.”

[turnaboutnerd]

Full Disclosure

Pairings: Cykesquill, Wrightworth, Klapollo (mentioned/implied)

Summary: Phoenix and Miles receive some surprising (and perhaps concerning) news from Athena and Simon. Set sometime after Spirit of Justice, but there are minimal spoilers.

Word Count: 2,960

A/N: If I have the opportunity to write married!Wrightworth being dads to their subordinates, then by God, I’m going to do it.

Athena’s been nervous around him for days now. Phoenix might not have the ability to read others’ emotions like she does, but he can tell that much. In fact, when he asked two days earlier if she was okay, she, apparently taking a page out of Apollo’s book, loudly replied “I’m fine!”—and a single red Psyche-Lock appeared.

He was surprised, but he didn’t push it then. Back when Apollo still regularly worked for the Agency, and they were quite literally an office full of human lie detectors, it had been an unofficial, unspoken rule that they weren’t allowed press each other over every single little white lie and secret they kept. Even in a company as tight-knit as theirs, they’re entitled to their privacy.

But Athena’s jumpiness, Phoenix thinks, is reaching a worrisome pitch. Even Trucy has noticed her odd behavior, though she hasn’t said anything. So Phoenix resolved last night to bring it up again before the end of today, and when Trucy announces she’s going to the corner store a block away to pick up a snack, he knows he has the perfect opportunity.

But Athena beats him to the punch.

“Boss!” Athena says a little too loudly, appearing in his office doorway the moment Trucy leaves. “Uh… there’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”

(What a coincidence. There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about, too.)

“Sure, Athena,” he says. “Do you want to sit down?”

She sort of nods and sits in the chair opposite his desk quickly—too quickly. She’s incredibly nervous, more nervous than she’s been these past several days. It touches a nerve in Phoenix, making him feel a little anxious too. His magatama is in his desk, but he can see the faint outline of her red Psyche-Lock hovering near her face.

“I, um.” She stops and takes a breath. The Psyche-Lock quivers; whatever she’s been hiding, Phoenix knows he’s about to learn it. “I—I don’t really know how to start this, so I guess I’ll just come out and say it: I’m pregnant.”

The lock shatters. Phoenix doesn’t know what he was expecting, but he wasn’t expecting that. The confession briefly knocks him breathless, and it takes him a moment to process that, yes, she really did just say that.

(Calm down! Don’t freak out on her. She obviously had a really hard time telling you this, so just—God, say something! You’re just staring now!)

“A-And I’m going to keep it,” she belatedly adds, and it’s enough to shock Phoenix back into speaking.

“Okay,” he says, and he’s surprised by how even his voice is. “May I ask who the father is?”

Phoenix realizes she’s shivering, and his heart aches. She’s terrified—of him, or of her situation, he isn’t sure.

“It’s—Simon,” she manages.

(Prosecutor Blackquill?! They’re—?)

“Does he know?” It takes every ounce of self-control within him, but his voice is still calm.

“Yes. Um.” She shifts slightly in her seat and takes in a cleansing breath. “He’s supportive and everything. He wants to be involved.”

“Okay,” Phoenix repeats. “Well—okay. I’m glad to hear that.” He pauses, collecting his thoughts. “The Agency’ll support you through any decisions you want to make here. You can continue to defend clients for as long as it’s safe for you and the baby, and of course I’ll give you time off work when you need it and—” He realizes he might be getting ahead of himself here. “I mean, if you still want to work here.”

She sniffles, and Phoenix’s heart jumps into his throat.

(Did I say something wrong?!)

“Y-Yeah, I still want to work here.” She covers her face with her hands to hide her tears. “Sorry, I’m not crying because I’m upset. I’m actually really relieved! I was so scared to tell you…”

(Oh! … Oh…)

“Aw, kiddo…” Phoenix starts. He leaves his desk, circles around it, and pulls up an extra chair close to Athena, wrapping a comforting arm around her. “You know you can always talk to me.”

“Yeah,” she sniffles again. She uncovers her face, revealing a small, tear-stained smile. “I guess I was worried over nothing. I think the pregnancy hormones are already getting to me.”

Phoenix tightens his hold.

“We’re gonna get through this, okay?” he says. She nods and wipes her face with her hands. He briefly lets go just to reach for the tissue box on his desk; he keeps it there for his more distressed clients, and occasionally his distressed daughter and distressed junior partners—although, it’s usually Apollo who does the tear-shedding in his office, even if he’s in another country at the moment.

Athena gratefully accepts the tissues.

“Okay,” she says, and she sounds like she really believes him. Phoenix is relieved; somehow, he thinks, he managed to say the right things.

“Does anyone else know?” he asks.

“No. Well—” She hesitates. “Simon said he was going to tell the Chief Prosecutor today. And I was thinking of calling Polly later, too.”

“You don’t have to tell everyone all at once.”

“I know, but I think he’d want to know, and I also just kind of want to talk to him about it.”

He grins at her.

“He’ll probably rush back to the States tonight just to check on you,” he halfway jokes, because he knows there actually is a real possibility that Apollo will hop on the next flight to LA after hearing this kind of news.

Athena laughs.

“Probably.” She grins back.

“Hey everyone!” Athena and Phoenix jolt a little, hearing the unmistakable cheerful pitch of Trucy’s voice, and the sound of a door opening and closing. “I’m back, and I brought Skittles!” She walks into Phoenix’s office, and then her breath catches. “Thena, are you okay?!”

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine now,” Athena says a little shakily, though she’s smiling as she rises to her feet.

Trucy looks doubtful. “Do you… want some Skittles?” she asks, holding out her bag.

Athena laughs again. “No, that’s okay.” She pauses, thinks. “I am hungry though.”

“Well, let’s go get some lunch!” Phoenix says, standing too. But his mind stutters, and he looks thoughtfully at Athena. “Er… maybe not at Eldoon’s though. Maybe something less salty? A little healthier? There’s a sandwich shop not too far from here.”

Trucy gapes at him. “No Eldoon’s? Something healthy? What happened while I was gone?!”

“Don’t worry, I’ll explain on the way,” Athena says, smiling weakly at her.

Trucy hums and pops a Skittle into her mouth. “Well, okay,” she says. “Not that I’m opposed to eating better. It’s just a little unexpected.”

They grab their coats—it’s late November, and it’s getting chilly—and Phoenix shuts off all the lights as they head out the door, carefully and comfortingly placing his hand on the small of Athena’s back as he guides her through.

...

Miles is in the middle of paperwork when there’s a knock on his door. He’s so engrossed in his work that he ignores it at first, but it comes again, and he sighs. The least favorable downside of being Chief Prosecutor is that when he has a visitor, he cannot simply turn them away because he’s working—people need to see him all the time now, and usually with good reason. But if it’s Winston here to complain again about some inane social crime Gavin has committed (Klavier may be charming and generally well-liked around the office, but the Paynes have begrudged his presence for years), then Miles swears he’ll—

“Edgeworth-dono?”

(Oh. It’s Blackquill. That’s much more preferable company.)

“Prosecutor Blackquill. Come in.”

He does, and immediately, Miles can sense tension in Simon’s demeanor. His expression is tight, and his shoulders are drawn taut. Simon’s always been a serious man, but now, there’s something almost—anxious, perhaps?—in the way he’s carrying himself. Miles knows he’s not the best at reading others’ body language, but still, he can tell something’s off.

“I need to disclose a conflict of interest that has recently arisen,” Simon says without preamble.

(Straight to the point, as usual.)

“All right,” Miles nods. He pulls out a blank notepad and clicks his pen once. He’s gotten into the habit of taking notes whenever he meets with others. He’s not a forgetful man, but he carries so many diverse conversations throughout the day that things tend to fall through the cracks if he doesn’t keep a log of it. “Why don’t you sit?”

He does.

“I believe it would no longer be appropriate for me to prosecute cases in which Athena Cykes is the lead defense attorney,” Simon continues bluntly.

Miles hums, holding his pen to the page but not yet writing.

(That’s odd. Blackquill and Ms. Cykes have always had a long and personal history, and neither he nor I have raised concerns about his impartiality in a trial for it. What’s changed?)

“Might I ask why?”

Simon inhales slowly, and there is a barely perceptible tremor in his breath. Miles is honestly surprised he catches it at all, and he draws his eyebrows together, starting to feel a little worried.

“She is with child,” he says. He falters as he clarifies, “My—child.”

The pen doesn’t move. In fact, Miles lets it drop from his hand. He isn’t going to forget this.

“I—I see,” he says. He pauses, takes in a slow, careful breath, and continues, “I’ll ensure you’re not assigned to any cases wherein Ms. Cykes is involved.”

“Thank you.” Simon quickly rises and turns to go. An unfamiliar emotion bubbles up in Miles’s throat, and he feels compelled to speak.

“Simon.”

He stops. Miles never calls him by his first name. He never calls anyone by their first name. He hardly even calls his own husband by his first name, but saying “Blackquill” now seems too impersonal, too cold, and—

(I’m not good at this.)

Miles removes his glasses and retrieves a microfiber cloth neatly tucked within his front breast pocket. He cleans the lenses, then sets them aside. It’s a nervous habit he has, something he does when he needs to buy himself time to speak. Simon is watching him warily from over his shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Miles eventually manages.

Some of the tension in Simon’s shoulders visibly relaxes.

“Yes. I—” Simon faces him again. “This may be premature, but I would like to request some time off in April next year. She’ll be due around that time.”

“Of course,” Miles readily agrees. “But it is early now, so we’ll puzzle out the details closer to her delivery.”

Simon breathes something like a sigh. “Thank you again, Edgeworth-dono.”

Miles nods to him, and Simon is able to peacefully depart this time. Once he is gone, Miles picks up his pen a second time, writes the words “Cykes-Blackquill baby due: April” at the top of the blank page, circles it twice, and drops the pen again.

...

Phoenix impressed himself keeping it together as well as he did when Athena told him she was pregnant that afternoon. But after Trucy’s gone to bed, and he and Miles are winding down together in the privacy of their own room that evening, he starts to fall apart.

“She’s so young, Miles,” he says as he paces back and forth between the door and the entrance to the master bathroom. Miles is sitting on the bed, a book in front of him, though he’s most certainly not reading—no, his eyes are looking over the pages, watching his husband drive a ridge into the carpet, but he hasn’t stopped him yet. Phoenix needs to move when he’s thinking.

“20 years old, is it?” Miles asks.

“Barely 20 years old,” Phoenix emphasizes. “She’s a baby herself.”

“Blackquill is older. I believe he’ll be 30 in a month,” he tries reassuringly.

“Yeah, that doesn’t change that she’s 20 though.” Phoenix stops pacing and gathers a fistful of his own hair. “She can’t even legally drink yet!”

“Well. That doesn’t make much of a difference. She shouldn’t be drinking until after April anyway.”

“You’re missing the point.”

“I understand the point.”

Phoenix pinches the bridge of his nose, sighing. He starts to pace again. “I need to make sure the Agency starts picking up a steady stream of paying clients. We can’t keep doing stuff pro bono. She needs a consistent paycheck if she’s going to be raising a child.”

“I don’t think finances are going to be a concern,” Miles says. “Blackquill is involved, and he’s well-off. I know. I sign his paychecks. This is not a case of a single mother who’s going to struggle finding the means for her family’s next meal. And even if it was, you would never let her go without. You would have her over every night for dinner with Trucy and myself. You practically already do.” He pauses. “Although, you really should stop taking so many cases pro bono regardless.”

“Yeah, yeah…” He’s still pacing. Miles has finally had enough.

“Wright.” Phoenix stops, looks at him. Miles sets aside his book on the nightstand. “Come here.”

Phoenix briefly hesitates, but then he climbs into bed and lets Miles gather him into his arms.

“She’s going to be fine. It’s going to be hard, but she will be fine. They both will be,” Miles assures him. “Despite his appearances, Blackquill is an honorable man. He’ll be loyal to her and to their child.”

“I know,” Phoenix quietly agrees. He sighs and rests his face against the crook of Miles’s neck. “I didn’t even know they were together.”

“Neither did I.” He hesitates before adding, “They’ve always been close, but I have the sense their romance might be quite new.”

“Me too. I didn’t ask Athena about it today ‘cause I didn’t want to push, but…” Phoenix closes his eyes. “That’s why I was really conscious about not freaking out in front of her today. If I’m a wreck, then I can’t imagine how she—both of them—must feel, just starting to date and then suddenly winding up pregnant. It’s scary, you know?”

“Terrifying,” Miles agrees. “But, well… I knew someone who was too young, too much of a mess, to be a parent, and they turned out fine. They were single, unemployed, struggling to get by, and now—they’re happily married, nursing a successful career, their daughter having already been accepted to several universities across the U.S. in the first semester of her senior year.”

“Really?” Phoenix lifts his head. “Who—?” Miles stares, and the meaning clicks in Phoenix’s brain. “Aw, geez, Edgeworth.”

Miles smirks and presses his lips against his husband’s temple.

“It’s going to be okay, Phoenix.”

...

Mr. Wright was, well, right. The moment she called Polly and told him, he lost his mind and immediately started looking up flights to Los Angeles.

“Come on, come on! Ugh, stupid, slow Khura’inese Internet!” he curses over the phone.

“I-It’s okay, Polly,” she assures him with a touch of amusement. “You don’t need to come out right now. I’m going to see you next month at Christmas anyway.”

“No, I have to be there,” Apollo insists. “I just need to—agh, get this stupid dinosaur dial-up computer to bring up flight information!” She hears a mumbled string of expletives, and though Athena was serious when she said he didn’t need to see her right then, that they’d be together again at Christmas… she’s touched he’s so concerned and wants to be there for her. Even if she knows this is really more for him and his reassurance than her own.

Eventually, Apollo’s voice becomes clear again. “Look, I’ll call you later, okay? Just as soon as I get my flight information figured out.”

“Okay,” Athena agrees. “I’m only gonna be up for maybe another hour though, all right?”

“All right. Take care of yourself, okay?”

“I will. Thank you, Polly. I mean it.”

After hanging up, she leaves the privacy of her bedroom and heads back toward the kitchen, where Simon sits at the counter, a cup of tea in front of him. He looks up upon her arrival.

“Feeling better?” he asks.

“Yeah.” She pulls up a chair next to him. “I think we’re gonna see Apollo here real soon.”

“I’m sure Gavin-dono will be very happy to hear that Justice-dono is making an early trip back to the States.”

Athena smirks knowingly.

“I’m sure he will be,” she says. But then she sighs and drops her head sideways against Simon’s chest. Her hands rise below the counter to feel her stomach. It’s flat now, but it’s weird to think that soon it won’t be, and already that there’s a baby growing inside her—her and Simon’s baby.

Simon threads his hand through her hair, pulls her closer, kisses her forehead. “I love you,” he says gravely. “You do know that, right?”

It’s not the first time he’s said he’s loved her—she heard it from him as a child, platonically, and later, in private, after he was a freed man, again platonically. But this is the first time she’s heard it from him as her lover, as the father of her child.

“I do,” she says. “I love you too.”

His hand drops to her waist, then moves to cover hers—the ones that are placed carefully over her own stomach.

“We’re going to be fine,” he says, and she knows that we includes more than just herself and him.

“I know,” she says. And how could they not be? They have each other, and Mr. Wright and Edgeworth have turned out more supportive than either could have hoped for, and Trucy’s already asked to be the baby’s aunt, and Klavier’s already promised free guitar lessons for “the little fräulein, ja?”, and Apollo’s probably already on a red-eye flight back to Los Angeles.

Yes. They’re going to be fine.

[blueboxesandtrafficcones]

The Nuptial Necessity - Chapter 1

A 12xRose Human AU

Despite an unglamorous job description, Rose loves the work she does with The Thistle Foundation, a charity founded by her best friend’s great-uncle.  It doesn’t hurt that her boss, her friend’s father, is easy on the eyes.  With a great job, wonderful friends and a loving family, life couldn’t be better – except for having someone to share it with.

All of that is threatened, though, when the great-uncle dies – and sets a strange condition for his nephew to inherit, jeopardizing the Foundation and Rose’s future, sparking a chain of events that might just get her everything she dreamed of and more.

Chapters will be posted on Saturdays and Tuesdays.  Many thanks to my beta, @stupidsatsuma

Rated: Explicit, for eventual smut

@doctorroseprompts

AO3  |  Masterlist

---

Thursday

Strictly speaking, shouting- even of a profane nature- coming from her boss’s office was not particularly unusual or noteworthy.  Malcolm Tucker was a passionate individual, who had no issue with speaking his mind and a talent for doing so creatively.

She was long since immune to his acid tongue, never blinking no matter the volume or count of profanity – it helped that he was wise enough to never turn on her, the woman who ruled his life and calendar.  She’d come a long way since she first started fresh out of uni, an absolutely terrified twenty-two-year-old who had been talked into accepting a temporary job as her best friend’s father’s assistant until she figured out what she wanted.

That had been eight years ago.

“Rose!”

Sighing, she slipped her feet back into her pumps and stood, smoothing her dress before grabbing her tablet and stylus.  Rapping perfunctorily on his office door before pushing it open, she entered to find him standing at the window with his hands on his hips, staring out at the London skyline.  Taking a moment to appreciate the spectacular view herself, she drew closer.

When he didn’t move, seemingly paralyzed, she coughed discreetly, finally sparking him back to life.

Shoulders slumping Malcolm turned to her, a familiar expression of frustration that eased slightly at the sight of her, tired eyes brightening.  “Yes?”

Rose raised an eyebrow, curious now at what had him so rattled he’d forgotten he’d called for her in the time it took her to enter.  “You shouted?”

“Right.”  He ran fingers through his hair, and she idly noted that he’d need a haircut soon.  The salt and pepper curls were growing wild and fearsome, much as the rest of him, and while the look personally suited him, it did not befit the Executive Director of a non-profit.  “Sorry. Erm- can you get my attorney on the phone?”

“Dave or Alex?”  She blinked innocently at him, his answer telling about whatever the problem was, praying it would be Dave.  The recent level of profanity suggested it would not be, though, his answer confirming her fear.

“Alex.”

Shit.  What now?  Alexander McHenry specialized in family law, and had been Malcolm’s lawyer since his divorce from Clara’s mum more than twenty-five years earlier.  Missy, the once Mrs. Tucker, showed up often enough to cause trouble that after all this time, the lawyer was still on speed dial.  “Two minutes.”

“Thanks.”  He moved towards his desk chair as Rose headed for the door, stopping her just before she exited.  “Hang on- tell him it’s not about Missy.  This is an inheritance matter.  Me inheriting, I mean, not Clara’s trust or anything.”

“Okay.”  She waited a beat, before offering, “If you want to give me more detail-”

Malcolm’s lips twitched into what, for him, was a smile.  “No, I don’t think so.  Not yet. I need to talk to him first.”

With a sharp nod she left, pulling the door mostly shut behind her before sinking into her desk chair, taking a moment to stare at a framed picture sat next to her desk phone.  It was from a few Christmases before, and showed her, Clara, and Malcolm smiling and laughing in front of the office holiday tree during the annual holiday party.  It was her favorite non-family picture, due in part to the genuine happiness radiating off of her in it.

Dialing the number from memory, she waited for Alex’s assistant to answer the phone.  “Lisa?  Rose. Yeah, does he have a few minutes? Malcolm has an inheritance question- no, nothing with her this time, thankfully, at least at the moment.  Yeah, I’ll hold.”

-

Eight years earlier

“So, what are you going to do now?” Clara asked, passing the champagne bottle over.  Now officially graduated, it would be their last time lying on the roof of their rented flat and watching the world pass.

“Fuck if I know.”  Rose took a generous swig, staring up at the dark sky.  Small lights twinkled overhead, a few airplanes mixing with the multitude of stars, and she tried to lose herself in the peaceful, black abyss as she had so many times before.  “My dad said I can come work for him, if I don’t find anything better.”

Clara hummed, taking back the bottle and sipping at it.  “I’m going to travel until classes for my masters start up.  You could come with me?”

Rose made a face only the night sky could see.  “Thanks, but no.  I need some time without you.”  She nudged her friend, turning her head to wink, and they both burst into giggles.  “I just can’t believe it’s over.  Uni is supposed to be 'the best years of our lives’.  I don’t really feel that way though; do you?”

“Nope.”  The raven-haired girl shrugged, sighing.  “We had fun though, didn’t we?”

“Absolutely.”

They sat in silence, passing the bottle back and forth, Clara draining the last drops before venturing, “You know, my Dad’s assistant Jo is retiring – he needs someone to take over.  What about you?”

“I don’t know if my future lies in being a PA though; no offense, but that’s not what I went to Cambridge for.”

“No, you went for French and Art History.  Have you changed your mind about that job at the Louvre?”

“No.”

“Then what good is it doing you?  Working for my dad’s gotta be at least a little less embarrassing than working for your own.  C’mon, it’ll be a temp thing, just until you find something better.  Give it a try?  For me?”

Rose groaned, easing herself upright, careful of both the alcohol in her system and the sloped roof they lay on.  “Fine.”

“Yay!”  Clara bolted upright, and they watched with wide eyes as the empty champagne bottle rolled right off the roof onto the pavement below, the shattering loud in the otherwise silent night.  “Oops.  Brilliant, so, first thing Monday, like eight- I know, I know, you and mornings- you’ll be great.”

It took Rose’s soused brain a few seconds longer than usual to understand her friend’s meaning.  “Hang on, did you already agree to this for me?”

“Yep!  Don’t worry, it’ll be fun!  And it’s only temporary, you’ll see.”

-

“Rose?”

She yelped, startled out of the memory, and looked up to find Malcolm standing beside her desk, watching her with a concerned expression.  “Hi!”

“All right?”

Rose nodded, tucking hair behind her ears and giving him a bright smile.  “Just thinking.  What’s up?” Biting her lip, she glanced him over and saw his backpack, a sure sign he was leaving for the day.  “Heading out?”

“Can’t get anything by you,” he joked, winking.  “I’m going to Alex’s office to go over a few things, then dinner with Clara tonight.  Do I have the restaurant address?”

“Graham does,” she said, referencing his personal driver, “and I’ll text you half an hour before just to be safe.”

“You’re welcome to join us,” Malcolm offered, just as he had every day since the dinner had been arranged a week earlier.  “Come hear about her travels.  She wants you to come too, you know.”  His open expression made it clear both Tuckers would welcome her presence, not that she doubted his sincerity.  In fact, his eyes bordered on pleading, which only served to amuse her.

Rose smiled, shaking her head fondly.  “Thanks, but no.  I’m seeing her Saturday for a girl’s night, I’ll hear all about it then.  Tonight, I am going home, ordering takeaway, and vegging.  It’s been such a week with the upcoming gala, I need a break.”  All of which was technically true, but not the real reason; Missy had a tendency to crash these types of dinners, and Rose went out of her way to avoid the woman whenever possible.  She’d heard enough stories from Malcolm and Clara over the years to give a clear picture of the woman behind the sweet and charming mask Rose saw.  Never mind she’d always had a gut instinct about her.  Sparring with Missy tonight?  No thank you.

Her boss narrowed his eyes, but accepted that.  “Fine, suit yourself. The samples should arrive this afternoon, right?  Bring them by on your way home.  Or stop by later tonight for ice cream sundaes; I bought all the favorites.”

Rose laughed.  “You mean I ordered all the ‘favorites’.  You didn’t do shit.”

“The fuck I didn’t!” he protested.  “I gave you a list!  And my credit card.”

“You’re going to be late.  Get lost,” she ordered, pointing towards the lift.  “I have a lot of work to do, and can’t until you’re gone.  Now shoo.”

“Yes ma’am,” Malcolm mocked, saluting as he backed away.  “As you wish. Have a good night.”

Shaking her head, Rose watched him go until he turned the corner and vanished out of sight, his whistling echoing back to her from the lift bank.

“Blimey, these Tuckers tucker me out!”

And, chortling to herself at the lame pun, she picked up the phone to order her lunch, kicking off her heels in favor of flats.

When the boss is away, the mice will play.

-

Malcolm paced Alex’s office, running his hands over his face and through his hair as he tried to think.  Why would he do this?  What was the point?  “Is this even legal?”

“I’m afraid so,” his old friend said sympathetically, calm and unruffled behind his own desk.  His view out the window wasn’t quite as nice as Malcolm’s, but decent nonetheless, Hyde Park in the distance.  “If you don’t meet the requirements within thirty days of today, then you forfeit the estate and it goes to the Government.  Those are the terms of the will.”

“It’s ludicrous,” he argued, settling his hands on his hips and glaring at the lawyer.  “That money should go directly to the foundation!  I don’t even want it!”

It hadn’t been a secret that his uncle was dying; eighty-five and riddled with cancer, it had only been a matter of time. Malcolm and Clara visited him when they could; even Rose had, on occasion, once they’d been forced to move him to a home, a live-in nurse no longer sufficient.  Apparently, she made quite the impression.  As his only heir, and the administrator of the charity Wallace had set up fifty years earlier, The Thistle Foundation, Malcolm had reasonably expected to be the beneficiary of the estate.  What he hadn’t expected were the strings.  What’re you trying to pull, old man?

“What do I do?”

“Talk to her?” Alex suggested unhelpfully.  “What could it hurt?”

Malcolm threw him a nasty look, before resuming his pacing.  “I can’t do that.  Could I- No.  Shit.”  For a moment, just a moment, he tried to picture that conversation.  Every scenario ended with her either laughing, quitting, or slapping him and then quitting.  “Rose- I can’t lose her,” he confessed, a bit more honestly than he intended.  “I mean- she’s a brilliant assistant.  I don’t have the time or patience to train a new one.”

“All your funding comes from the estate, doesn’t it?” Alex asked quietly, and the horrifying implications of that were enough to make Malcolm sink into a chair.

“Yeah.”  If the estate goes to the government, so does all the money.  The Foundation would dry up in six months, maybe less.  Only thirty percent of our funding comes from outside sources, and Vitex and the Tylers are half of that alone.  “I don’t have a choice, do I?”

“You always have a choice,” the other man shrugged, “but practically speaking, no, you don’t.  Not if you don’t want to have to go job hunting, or worse, woo new investors.”

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“What’s the timing on this?”

“You have thirty days from today to sign on the dotted line, and need to give notice two weeks before that.  So you need to decide if you’re going to… meet the terms, then you have to do that no later than then days from tomorrow, just to be safe.”

Malcolm hung his head in his hands, wondering if he dared broach the subject with Clara first.  Maybe she can tell Rose?  “And how long-”

“Five years.”

“For fuck’s sake, Alex!”

His friend snorted, coming around the desk to pat his shoulder comfortably.  “I didn’t write the will, you know.  Look, take a few days, think it over, then we can talk again.  All right?”

“Yeah.”  Checking his watch, he realized if he didn’t leave then, he would be late for dinner.  “I’ve got plans with my daughter, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you soon.”

Trudging out of the office and down to his waiting car, Malcolm lost himself in his thoughts.

What am I going to do?

[fortheheavenssake]

💟💟 PG MM Anon(II) 💟💟 Interpretation Collection -10

64. July 15

MM ANON …… Now a “married”abomination ………… girlfriends!! …………… HMTQ,will she , won’t she…………… Kate’s amazing ascension ……………… the feeding machine ………… a future Queen in all but name. …………… “ Yes!! A homogeneous bubble” …………… a sterile palace ………black Colorado ……… sir Tom?? …………… a hush hush holiday. …………… awoke to a scathing review.

Entertainment purposes

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈Thank you MM Anon🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜💜

July 15/2020. RIDDLE #64

💜💜💜💜JD wanted to test DNA bm on sheet to determine their origin and complained ‘my wife left a whooper poo on my bed’ before telling AH he wanted a divorce on conference call with assistant. I had to add this because I was only joking about this the other day in the riddle that they would do DNA and here they are, so obviously he saved the BM is that not special eh? Most people save dried rose petals , cards , concert tickets , pictures of their relationship , but not with these kids, they save bm wowza! Wowza!🥺🥺🥺🥺🤢🤢🤢🤢🤢💜💜💜💜💜💜

I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to finally see some content involving our royal family it’s been quite fun where I’ve just been spewing the daily news back at you kids so this is great!!!

Now a “married”abomination

GM is secretly married but refuses to name her mystery spouse, US prosecutors revealed. Can you believe this garbage? What on earth would be the point of her being secretly married? There must have been some legal benefit to it. I know in some of the United States you do not have to testify against your spouse. I don’t know if that’s going to come into play here but who would marry her?? MONEY DUH?! Or blackmail!? Oh my stars and garters! The shocking news came during her plea of not guilty via video link to charges related to his sex trafficking ring on Tuesday. The marriage was disclosed by US Attorney Alison Moe at the detention hearing. She did not say who she believed the spouse was or give any indication as to how long they had been married. The only other mention of her being married is when Moe said her client had toured a home with a man, both giving their last names as Marshall - his first name Scott. Last summer she was at in Manchester-by-the-Sea, living at a $2 million home owned by her tech CEO lover Scott Borgerson. She is accused of grooming girls as young as 14 for JE to abuse between 1994 and 1997, a period when she was his girlfriend. She pleaded not guilty via video link but was denied bail at the hearing in New York!! Thank goodness she was denied bail!!

………… girlfriends!! ……………

I don’t know if this romantic picture of the ‘ young lovely couple’ taking a stroll will show up but I’ll try and submit it separately. Well this girl plays for both teams wow she’s an all-around user abuser narcissist oh that’s sickening!! Not her being bisexual, I’m talking about her narcissistic and picking on all targets!

AH indulged in some retail therapy after spending another day giving evidence against her estranged husband in court. Yeah I think this is what most people do after a traumatic day in court after day after day after day in court they walk around the street with their lover shopping looking for the for the photo opportunity my Lord in heaven she is an evil woman oh sick! The actress and her partner BB strolled hand-in-hand through London accompanied by her sister Whitney and personal assistant. Today, the group are back in court as it gets set to hear from JD’s ex-fiancée WR.

HMTQ,will she , won’t she……………

💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜She will never add the cake ever.🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂She’ll never advocate inertial never abdicate she will advocate but she won’t abdicate. I decided to leave that sentence in there because it just is so true she’ll never add the cake she’ll never advocate inertial she will never advocate she will never make a cake it’s almost like Dr. Seuss yes I am Sam I am oh. That was just to give you a feel of how it is for me to use the audio software it hears things the way I pronounce them and it’s not always correct but I just wanted to share that with you because it’s kind of funny and good night shows we all need to laugh. What I want to show you just how difficult it is to do a riddle it may look easy as you’re reading through it and it’s all Lottie doll funny and whatever but it’s a lot of work.💜💜💜💜💜💜💜OK all seriousness now this yammering on and on and on about will her Majesty abdicate or won’t she she will never abdicate, FULL STOP NEVER!!! I have no doubt that there are plans in place to make things workable. They will have to be creative but yes, maybe the days of the walkabouts are over , in the public contact , but look at all the positives that come out of a zoom meeting with like yesterday? I think she’s got a lot to contribute yet and to count her out now would be a fools errand!

Kate’s amazing ascension ……………… the feeding machine ………… a future Queen in all but name. ……………

For the millionth time I’m going to say are Catherine has come into her own since about 2015 and especially since Madam has arrived on the scene! She’s so multi talented she’s raising three children she’s she’s a patron of Wimbledon, of the photography right now , she’s working on the Tiny Happy People initiative, Heads Together and she’s working on that so Hold Still Covid19, the photographic campaign!! That is only a tiny bit that I know that she’s working on. Her confidence level is through the roof and that’s so evident in any of her public speaking before COVID-19 and any of the zoom zoom meetings her just she’s just so so excellent I just cannot say enough how great she is! she is an excellent partner for William in every way and she conducts herself above reproach all times. She is well groomed for her future role when their time comes to be king and queen like it if they could not be a better individual suited to be Williams partner! I harken back to last year‘s Christmas special with Mary Berry, how sweet that was and yes there were the note negative Nellys criticizing this and that or the moment when she chose to change her seating position on the fireplace was the time when he wanted to put his arm around her shoulder and all the sugars screamed divorce thing they’re divorcing they’re divorcing people went nuts.

I know this is a right answer but this is the third time in a row this week that I have said this. Catherine was interviewed by the BBC earlier this week and she talked about what hollow legs, well, she didn’t use the phrase hollow legs, that’s my phrase , she said what eating machines her children are and she feels like she’s just a feeding machine there to continuously feed these growing children how wonderful is that! They’re healthy they’re happy they’re well adjusted they’re well taken care of their loved their emotional status is attended to and they’ve got good healthy food that’s so awesome!

“ Yes!! A homogeneous bubble” …………… a sterile palace ………

Here’s what I have been thinking might be the plan. They have been working been working on is yesterday the clue is Ken.palace bubble and I think they’re working on having the palace be bubbles so Kensington Palace will be the bubble for the Cambridge family.Somehow, can they make Buckingham palace, with this construction going, on I don’t know if that’s feasible, but somehow they’re going to make a palace bubble for her Majesty where she can continue to do her work out of. They have had another team actively working on that and they have been I have no doubt! That will entail sterilizing the whole place , ongoing thorough cleaning , it will entail staff being quarantined for several weeks before they go in, the whole shebang!! But you know! HMTQ is not abdicating they’re going to have to make this work. I have full confidence in that! I look forward to hearing all the details that we will be privy to naturally we will not be privy to everything, but I’m looking forward to this and I’m glad to see it in the clues! I’m glad to see once again that we’re talking about our beloved royal family which is why were all here in the first place!!! So thank you for that MM Anon!!! We can all read the daily mail on our own time , I mean no disrespect, but that makes a real easy to do but this is why we are here , praying and fighting for!!!

black Colorado ………

A report has found, yuck , who has this job? Wowza! Squirrels are testing positive for the bubonic plague in Colorado amid fears Black Death will jump to humans. Are you kidding me?? I do know rats and mice can carry it and do carry it. I also know they can and they do carry the Hanta virus too, so we shouldn’t think these things are gone just because you know they’re not in the front page of the news. A squirrel in Colorado has tested positive for the bubonic plague thought to be the first case of plague in Jefferson County 18 miles southwest of Denver. There was yet another case was previously found in Broomfield county northwest of the city. Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, and can be contracted by humans and pets, mainly through flea bites. The Bubonic plague is known as the ‘Black Death’ that killed millions in 14th century. An outbreak, remember that film ??was also confirmed in Inner Mongolia region of China last weekend.

Boy it seems all roads lead to China!

sir Tom?? ……………

Captain Sir Tom Moore is to receive his knighthood from the Queen in his own personal ceremony. The story of Captain Tom is no doubt the best story to come out of COVID-19 hands-down! The event to honour the 100-year-old, who raised more than £32m for NHS charities, will take place at Windsor Castle on Friday.

In May, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, nominated him for Knighthood! Captain Sir Tom said he “could never have imagined this would happen” and that it would be “the most special of days”.

Royal investitures were put on hold during the coronavirus pandemic with those scheduled to take place at Buckingham Palace and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh in June and July postponed.

However, HMTQ, the Queen, who has been staying at Windsor Castle during the lockdown, will carry out the official engagement in person.

People have been asked not to go to Windsor and there will be no viewpoint available to watch the ceremony. How I wish this would be televised this would be something to see! And for him to receive it in person from her Majesty oh my heart is just so overflowing right now it’s just so amazing!

a hush hush holiday. ……………

There have been a few hints in the riddles over the last couple of weeks about a family holiday and the Cambridge family needs a holiday, they usually take one. I have a strong suspicion they’ll take their little private plane and be out and home before we even know about it or where they’ve been. They are likely to take along her parents and Pippa and her family and James and his fiancée have a whole family time of it. I also have a feeling they might be taking Harry along because I don’t think, that at this point in the game , I said this before, but I just truly do not think they would be going anywhere unless the eyes are dotted and the tees are crossed on that divorce/annulment and all the settlements and so it could very well be that Harry will accompany them but not be wonderful!!

awoke to a scathing review.

Can you imagine how angry the head bosses of the tube must be when they found out this morning oh my goodness! cleaning staff removed Banksys ‘art’ unaware of graffiti being “art” by BANKSY worth as much as £7.5 million😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮😮! Are you serious are you really serious? Thinking It was graffiti and needed to be cleaned and needing removed, he did his job and cleaned and removed it. Now the bigwigs are pleading with Banksy to redo it again oh my oh that’s a double positive for me not redo it again to do it again. How can you do art again I mean to copy then I don’t know I don’t know how graffiti is art anyways but that’s a whole other thing! I feel soooooo sorry for that staff person, l am sure his boss gave him a very hard talking to, l hope he keeps his job. I describe the piece in yesterday’s riddle if you want to go back and read that you can also see pictures of it online very easily found.

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

——————

65. July 16

💜RIDDLE#65 Technically this is history, LIVING HISTORY!!💜

💜💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻PG HONOUR TO DO THIS , MM ANON INTERPRETATION 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜

MM ANON …… HMTQ ……… The engagement …… The courtship …… The wedding …… The commonwealth tour……THE CORONATION …… The dalliances of Philip ……Her stoicism……… The children …… The 50/60/70/80/90…………PC/… W&K…… OUR MAGNIFICENT MONARCHY ……… The future legacy. ……… GBHMTQAOGC 🇬🇧

Entertainment purposes

💜💜💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😊😊😊😊😊😊Thank you MM Anon. It will be a great honour to tell the great story.😊😊😊😊😊😊🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜💜of notes I have never seen the Crown television program I don’t have Netflix just so you know.

RIDDLE#65 Technically this is history, LIVING HISTORY!!

July 15/2020 FIVE HOURS PLUS, I DID THIS WITH LOVE AND REVERENCE TO HMTQ.💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻PG🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜💜

👑 HMTQ ………

The history begins long before her Majesty or even before she was expected to become the Reigning Monarch and to be known as her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth ll. 🍼 Elizabeth was born at 02:40 on 21 April 1926, during the reign of her paternal grandfather,King George V. Her father, the Duke of York, was the second son of the King. Her mother, the Duchess of York was the youngest daughter of 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish aristocrat the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne. I think it is essential here to note that the ‘York’ title. Prince Andrew is the current Duke of York and one cannot help but feel the pain, for HMTQ. I will not say anymore about that but we know our royal family has been attacked and that is just added pain inflicted for her Majesty which I had not put together until now. She was delivered by Caesarean section surgery, at her maternal grandfather’s house in Mayfair(London). The exact address being 17 Bruton Street, in Mayfair. She was baptized by the Anglican Archbishop of York, as her father was the Duke of York. The Archbishop was Cosmo Gordon Lang. It took place in the private chapel of Buckingham Palace on the 29th of May, 1926. She was given the name Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. The Elizabeth was after her mother, the name Alexandra was named after George V’s mother who had passed six months prior and the name Mary was after her paternal grandmother. She has the sweet nickname “Lilibet" by her close family,based on what she called herself. She was cherished by her grandfather George V, and during his serious illness in 1929 her regular visits were credited in the popular press and by later biographers with raising his spirits and aiding his health.

Princess Margaret 🍼 was born in 1930, and was her only sibling. As was custom at that time, the two princesses were educated at home under the supervision of their mother and Governess Marion Crawford. Varieties of their studies were concentrated on history, language, literature, and music. A major breach of trust occurred when the Governess went public, yes even then they had this sort of trust breaking. She published a ‘tell all’ as it would be called today. The book all about the girls was entitled The Little Princesses published in 1950. This resulted in a great deal of upset. I wonder if they had NDA’s back then? In the book while describing Princess Elizabeth mentions her love of horses, dogs, her organization, being a very responsible young woman and that fits very well with how we know her Majesty to be now doesn’t it? Sir Winston Churchill commented, when she was two years old that she was “a character and she has an air of authority and reflectiveness astonishing in an infant.“

During her grandfather’s reign, Elizabeth was third in the line of succession to the throne behind her uncle Edward and her father. Although her birth generated public interest, she was not expected to become queen, as Edward was still young and likely to marry and have children of his own, who would precede Elizabeth in the line of succession. When her grandfather died in 1936 and her uncle succeeded as Edward VIII, she became second in line to the throne, after her father. Later that year, The whole Wallace Simpson fiasco occurred which resulted in Edward eventually abdicating the throne and her father becoming King. Thusly, she became the heir apparent!

If you have not seen the movie the king speech I think it’s essential that you do. He struggled valiantly with a speech impediment and stuttering and a marked lack of confidence and bless the Queen mum, she found someone to help him to get over this and to work through it. What came out of that was the horrendous abuse that he had suffered at the hands of his governesses who were meant to protect him but who were very abusive. You must see that movie.

If her parents had had a later son, he would have been heir apparent. and above her in the line of succession, which was determined by male primogeniture.

Elizabeth received private tuition in constitutional history from Vice Provost from Eton College. She learned French from a succession of French governesses. A Girl Guide she was too!! A company, entitled the 1st Buckingham Palace Company was formed! specifically so she could socialise with girls her own age.

This was not a child and young woman that was idle, laying around with fancy clothes and hair and that sort of thing oh no no no no she was she was into everything and learning and constantly constantly learning.

During the second world war they were encouraged to have the princesses evacuated can to Canada to avoid the air raids that were occurring regularly in London. However the queen mother absolutely refused that just like she refused to leave her husband and refused to leave the city she felt it was important that they remain there to be there for their people. as the queen mother famously said “The children won’t go without me. I won’t leave without the King. And the King will never leave.” The princesses Stayed at Balmoral Castle in Scotland until the Christmas in the year of 1939 when they moved to Sandringham House in Norfolk. From February to May 1940, they lived at Royal Lodge, Windsor, until moving to Windsor Castle where they lived for most of the next five years.At Windsor, the princesses, Per English tradition, staged pantos at Christmas in aid of the Queen’s Wool Fund, which bought yarn to knit into military garments. In 1940, the 14-year-old Elizabeth made her first radio broadcast during the BBC children’s hour addressing other children who had been evacuated from the cities.She stated: “We are trying to do all we can to help our gallant sailors, soldiers, and airmen, and we are trying, too, to bear our share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well.” I know I’ve heard that a number of times and I can still hear her young voice saying those words.

In 1943, Elizabeth undertook her first solo public appearance on a visit to the Grenadier guards, of which she had been appointed colonel the previous year. As she approached her 18th birthday, parliament changed the law so she could act as one of five Counsellors of the State in the event of her father’s incapacity or absence abroad, such as his visit to Italy in July 1944.In February 1945, she was appointed as an honorary second subaltern in Auxiliary Territorial Service. with the number of 230873. She trained as a driver and mechanic and was given the rank of honorary junior commander (female equivalent of Captain at the time) five months later. We all love seeing the pictures of her in uniform and her working on the jeep engine, just amazing ! totally amazing young woman! I think it was just a mere foreshadowing of what the future held for her.

May 8, 1945 was VE day and the royal family along with the Prime Minister Winston Churchill on the balcony of Buckingham palace as the maybe millions of citizens were in the streets just celebrating the end of the war. Both Elizabeth and Margaret snuck out into the crowds and were anonymously celebrating amongst all the citizens and she later said they had asked their parents but they were still terrified of being recognized amongst the crowd. Before they knew it, they were swept along with a bunch of people cheering and dancing and going down the street in joy, just pure joy marvellous that she had that opportunity , the both of them did just marvellous!

The engagement 💍

She met prince Philip in 1934 and then again in 1937. He was known then as Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark. There actually is a family connection between the two of them, they are second cousins once removed, through a king in Denmark and also third cousins through ,who else, her Majesty Queen Victoria! They met again at the Royal Navy college in Dartmouth in July 20, 1939. Princess Elizabeth was only 13 years old at the time but she said she had fallen in love with Philip and they began to exchange letters. During the course of writing these letters Philip declared his love for her. Prince Philip was born June 10, 1921. So if I do the math correctly he was 18 and she was 13 when she fell in love with him. Oh my oh young love. She was 21 when their engagement was officially announced on 9 July 1947.

Nothing is ever simple in this life and their engagement was certainly not without a controversy. Philip had no financial standing, Was foreign born the British subject with served in the Navy, and had sisters who had married German noblemen with Nazi links. There was a lot of chatter amongst the aristocracy probably the most regular folks to have about that he wasn’t good enough for her and he was just kind of love a suave kind of guy. Well no one’s gonna argue that he wasn’t an absolutely handsome man and put that together with a navy uniform and a 13-year-old girls hormones boom you got love right there! No joke! Even back then the British papers were ruthless and I think he was dragged through whatever else everyone else has been dragged through since, Diana, and Catherine Sophie etc. Later biographies reported Elizabeth’s mother had reservations about the union initially, and teased Philip as “The Hun”. In later life, however, the Queen Mother told a biographer that Philip was “an English gentleman”. Before the marriage, Philip renounced his Greek and Danish titles, officially converted to the Anglican and adopted the style Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten, He took The surname of his mothers British family.Just before the wedding, he was created Duke of Edinburgh and granted the style His Royal Highness.

The courtship 🖊 📝 🚢

A diary made reference to the future marriage of Elizabeth and Philip was made as early as 1941, “He is to be our Prince Consort, and that is why he is serving in our Navy.” The couple became secretly engaged in 1946, when Philip asked King George VI for his daughter’s hand in marriage. The King granted his request providing any formal engagement was delayed until Elizabeth’s 21st birthday the following April. Their engagement was officially announced on 9 July 1947.Philip proposed to Elizabeth with a 3-carat round diamond ring consisting of “a centre stone flanked by 10 smaller pave diamonds.” The diamonds were taken from a tiara that belonged to Philip’s mother, Princess Alice of Battenberg and were also used to create a quatrefoil bracelet for Elizabeth. According to Philip Eade, the author of Young Prince Philip: His Turbulent Early life, the young man wrote: “To have been spared in the war and seen victory, to have been given the chance to rest and to re-adjust myself, to have fallen in love completely and unreservedly, makes all one’s personal and even the world’s troubles seem small” Prince Philip designed the square-cut diamond engagement ring with jewellers Philip Antrobus Ltd.The ring is a platinum ring set with eleven diamonds, a 3 carat round solitaire and five smaller stones set on each shoulder. Even though Prince Philip was born a Greek prince, his family were not extremely wealthy. His then-girlfriend was heir to the British throne, so using these diamonds may have been a way to save money as well as a sentimental gesture. According to current money, the ring is likely to be worth around £207,082.

The wedding 👰🏽 🤵 🥂

Oh what a glorious day! The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten took place on November 20, 1947 at Westminster Abbey in London. Prince Philip had been made the Duke of Edinburgh, the Earl of Merioneth and Baron Greenwich on the morning of the wedding.

Princess Elizabeth had eight bridesmaids women who were very close to her princesses ladies and I remember reading somewhere they were all giddy and ready to go and they were all giggling and she looked around as she said OK girls are you ready let’s go. So I’m not sure if that’s true or not but I think it might. The bridesmaids wore wreaths “in their hair of miniature white sheaves, Lilies and London Pride, modelled in white satin and silver lame”, while the pages wore Royal Stewart tartan kilts.

The best man was the Marquess of Milford Haven, the groom’s maternal first cousin.

For her wedding dress, Elizabeth still required to ration couponsto buy the material for her dress, designed by Norman Hartnell.The dress was “a duchesse satin bridal gown with motifs of star lilies and orange blossoms.“ Elizabeth’s wedding shoes were made out of satin and were trimmed with silver and seed pearl. She ( like Catherine) did her own makeup for the wedding. Her wedding bouquet was prepared by the florist M. H. Longman, and consisted of "white orchids with a sprig of myrtle”. The myrtle was taken from “the bush grown from the original myrtle in Queen Victoria’s wedding bouquet.

On the morning of her wedding, as Princess Elizabeth was dressing at Buckingham Palace before leaving for Westminster Abbey, her tiara snapped DISASTER! The court jeweller, who was standing by in case of emergency, was rushed to his work room by a police escort. The Queen mum reassured her daughter that it would be fixed in time, and it was.Elizabeth’s father gave her A pair of pearl necklaces which had Belongs to Queen Anne and Queen Caroline,as a wedding present. On her wedding day, Elizabeth realised that she had left her pearls at St James’s palace.Her private secretary was asked to go and retrieve them. He was able to get the pearls to the princess in time for her portrait in the Music Room of Buckingham Palace.

The royal parties were brought in large carriage processions, the first with the Queen and Princess Margaret and later a procession with Queen Mary. Philip left Kensington Palacewith his best man, the Marquess of Milford Haven. Princess Elizabeth arrived at the Abbey with her father, the King, in the Irish State Coach.

The ceremony was officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Geoffrey Fisher, and the Archbishop of York, Cyril Garbett. The ceremony was recorded and broadcast by BBC Radio to 200 million people around the world. Like her mother’s, Princess Elizabeth’s wedding band was made of Welsh gold. The ring was made from a nugget of Welsh gold from the Clogau St David’s mine, near Dolgellau;( 💜💜💜💜lhave a gold ring made by Clogau, Celtic design l absolutely love it, it’s gorgeous💜💜💜💜💜💜)this nugget had been given to the then Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Queen mum, and used to make her wedding ring and subsequently the wedding rings of both of her daughters. The same nugget was later used to create the wedding rings of Princess Anne and Lady Diana Spencer.

William Neil McKie, music 🎼 🎶 the Australian 🇦🇺organist and Master of the Choristers at the abbey, was the director of music for the wedding, a role he again filled at Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953.McKie also wrote a motet for the occasion, "We wait for thy loving kindness, O God”. Psalm 67, “God be merciful unto us and bless us”, was sung to a setting by Sir Edward Cuthbert Bairstow. The anthem was “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” by Samuel Sebastian Wesley; the hymns were “Praise, my soul, the king of heaven”, and “The Lord’s my Shepherd” to the 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scottish tune “Crimond” attributed to Jessie Seymour Irvine, which was largely unknown in the Church of England at the time. A descant to “Crimond” had been taught to Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret by a lady-in-waiting, Lady Margaret Egerton; the music for the descant could not be found two days before the wedding, so the princesses and Lady Margaret sang it to Sir William McKie, who wrote it down in 🖊📝 shorthand.The service started with a specially composed fanfare and finished with Felix Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March”. The abbey choir was joined by the choirs of the Chapel Royal and St George’s Chapel, Windsor.

After the ceremony, Elizabeth and Philip then proceeded to Buckingham palace where the couple waved to the crowds from the balcony.Their wedding breakfast was held in the Ball-Supper Room of the Palace. The menu included Filet de Sole Mountbatten, Perdreau en Casserole, and Bombe Glacee Princess Elizabeth.Music was played by the string band of the The Grenadier Guards.

The official wedding cake 🎂 was baked by London bakery McVitie&Price. A fruitcakemade of four tiers, it stood nine feet high,and weighed about 500 lbs. It was made with 80 oranges, 660 eggs, and over three gallons of Navy Rum. As World War II had ended a mere two years earlier and certain things were still subject to rationing, some of the ingredients used to make the cake were shipped to Britain from around the world; this led to the cake being given the nickname “The 10,000 Mile Cake.Decorations included the coats of arms of both the bride’s and the groom’s families, as well as the bride and groom’s individual monograms, and sugar-iced figures depicting regimental and naval badges, as well as the couple’s favorite activities.The couple cut the cake with the Duke of Edinburgh’s Mountbatten sword, which had been a wedding gift from his father-in-law, the King.

The couple received over 2,500 wedding presents 🎁 from around the world and around 10,000 telegrams of congratulations.The gifts were put on public display at Saint James‘s palace made available for public viewing.The day after the wedding the wedding bouquet was returned to Westminster Abbey and placed on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, a tradition that began with the Queen mum.The flowers in the bouquet were supplied by the Worshipful Company of Gardeners and were arranged by florist MH Longman.

The commonwealth tour 🚢

Queen Elizabeth II’s reign commenced with her longest ever tour of Commonwealth nations.

Between November 1953 and May 1954, the Royal Family visited 13 countries in the West Indies, Australasia, Asia, and Africa, covering more than 40,000 miles by land, air and sea.

Commonwealth Tours: 1953-1954

On this tour the Queen visited…

Bermuda: 24-25 November

Jamaica: 25-27 November

Fiji: 17-19 December

Tonga: 19-20 December

New Zealand: 23 December-30 January

Australia: 3 February-1 April

Cocos Islands: 5 April

Ceylon: 10-21 April

Aden: 27 April

Uganda: 28-30 April

Malta: 3-7 May

Gibraltar: 10 May

On britishpathe.com there are endless videos one can watch of the various places they visited on this extensive tour.

They have been so many visits to so many parts of the Commonwealth. I remember the last time HMTQ and Prince Philip were in my area and they were opening a bridge and it was summertime and it was 35°C I think and it was probably 40-42C with the humidex.He was in his suit and tie and she was in her hat and her gloves and her day dress with the coat over and they stood there for a good hour. Well they had to walk across the, they drove across part of the bridge and then they got out and walked the rest of the way. But then they had to stand and listen to different politicians pontificate about this beautiful bridge. Then she had to say her little speech and like I could I just kept waiting for one of them to fade they neither of them or even sweating it and then she pulled a little drawstring and then the curtain opened so you can see the plaque of the bridge and name of the bridge or whatever I forget, the day it doesn’t matter what the name of the bridge was but the whole thing it was like well over an hour and then they got walked back to the vehicle and got in and then they went and they drove to a park that was nearby and they are thank God they had seats for them under some shade but then they proceeded to have to listen to I don’t know how many musicians and performers in and they are they and like I tell you I did not I am just I just couldn’t believe it I just could not believe it and everybody was sitting on picnic blankets and stuff and drinking cold water water and sweating and dressed in tank tops and shorts and sandals and like just sweating away and they are the two of them were looking just right as rain as if it was just a regular day it was just astounding to me absolutely astounding!

Kids I realize this is one big run-on sentence and I’m not doing any of the same paragraphs but I’m I’m not doing this for a book or for an editor I am doing this to do honour to her majesty so love me or leave me I’m doing my best here OK.

The Coronation 👑

During 1951, George VI’s health declined, and Elizabeth frequently stood in for him at public events. When she toured Canada and visited President Harry S. Truman in Washington, D.C., in October 1951, her private secretary, Martin Charteris, carried a draft accession declaration in case the King died while she was on tour. In early 1952, Elizabeth and Philip set out for a tour of Australia and New Zealand by way of Kenya. On 6 February 1952, they had just returned to their Kenyan home, Sagana Lodge, after a night spent at Treetops Hotel, when word arrived of the death of the King and consequently Elizabeth’s immediate accession to the throne. Philip broke the news to the new queen. Martin Charteris asked her to choose a regnal name; she chose to remain Elizabeth, "of course”. She was proclaimed queen throughout her realms and the royal party hastily returned to the United Kingdom. She and the Duke of Edinburgh moved into Buckingham Palace.

With Elizabeth’s accession, it seemed probable the royal house would bear the Duke of Edinburgh’s name, in line with the custom of a wife taking her husband’s surname on marriage. The Duke’s uncle, Lord Mountbatten, advocated the name House of Mountbatten. Philip suggested House of Edinburgh, after his ducal title.The British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, and Elizabeth’s grandmother, Queen Mary, favoured the retention of the House of Windsor, and so on 9 April 1952 Elizabeth issued a declaration that Windsor would continue to be the name of the royal house. The Duke complained, “I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his own children."In 1960, after the death of Queen Mary in 1953 and the resignation of Churchill in 1955, the surname Mountbatten-Windsorwas adopted for Philip and Elizabeth’s male-line descendants who do not carry royal titles.

Amid preparations for the coronation, Princess Margaret told her sister she wished to marry Peter Townsend, a divorcé‚ 16 years Margaret’s senior, with two sons from his previous marriage. The Queen asked them to wait for a year; in the words of Charteris, "the Queen was naturally sympathetic towards the Princess, but I think she thought—she hoped—given time, the affair would peter out."Senior politicians were against the match and the Church of England did not permit remarriage after divorce. If Margaret had contracted a civil marriage, she would have been expected to renounce her right of succession. Eventually, she decided to abandon her plans with Townsend.In 1960, she married Antony Armstrong-Jones, who was created Earl of Snowdon the following year. They divorced in 1978; she did not remarry.

Despite the death of Queen Mary on 24 March, the coronation on 2 June 1953 went ahead as planned, as Mary had asked before she died. The ceremony in Westminster Abbey, with the exception of the anointing and communion, was televised for the first time. Elizabeth’s coronation gown was embroidered on her instructions with the floral emblems of Commonwealth countries:English Tudor rose; Scots thistle; Welsh leek; Irish shamrock; Australian wattle; Canadian maple leaf; New Zealand silver fern; South African protea; lotus flowers for India and Ceylon; and Pakistan’s wheat, cotton, and jute.

The coronation of Elizabeth II took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey, London.She acceded to the throne at the age of 25 upon the death of her father, George VI, on 6 February 1952, being proclaimed queen by her privy and executive councils shortly afterwards. The coronation was held more than one year later because of the tradition of allowing an appropriate length of time to pass after a monarch dies before holding such festivals. It also gave the planning committees adequate time to make preparations for the ceremony. During the service, Elizabeth took an oath, was anointed with holy oil, invested with robes and regalia, and crowned Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Pakistan, and Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).

Celebrations took place across the Commonwealth realms and a commemorative medal was issued. It was the first British coronation to be fully televised; television cameras had not been allowed inside the abbey during her father’s coronation in 1937. Elizabeth’s was the fourth and last British coronation of the 20th century. It was estimated to have cost £1.57 million (c. £43,427,400 in 2019).

The dalliances of Philip ……😳😤🤭🤫🤔🤭🤭🤭🤭

There is extensive information online about this and it’s very easy to find. I have thought long and hard about this I love Her Majesty, The Queen. The last thing I would ever want to do is cause her an ounce of pain. She has been through enough! Therefore MM Anon, respectfully, I am not going to share any information under this clue. I hope you can understand I have a moral code. That moral code is calling me right now and I I just, I cannot, l will not do this clue.

Her stoicism……… 🤔🙏🏻

Queen Elizabeth has been a steady, stoic leader for some 63 years, making her the longest-reigning monarch in British history. There must have been vulnerabilities , a young bride, children, the loss of her beloved father, which all were warranted considering she ascended the throne at 25, as she was already navigating two new roles as wife and mother. And while, in this ominous stage of life, HMTQ struggled to strike a power balance with the far elder, far more experienced prime minister Winston Churchill, she similarly, according to the series, clashed with her husband. Philip quickly found himself forfeiting his naval career to support his wife—an uncomfortably advanced spousal dynamic, especially for a headstrong officer in the 1950s.

If having to walk several paces behind his bride was not emasculating enough, HMTQ also rejected his request to give their children his surname on advice from Churchill. “I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children,” Philip said, according to a biography of Elizabeth by Sally Bedell Smith, I’m nothing but a bloody amoeba.”HMTQ did her best to give Philip responsibilities—making him the chairman of her coronation committee, for instance. But at every turn, Philip is regularly reminded of his unique limitations. However he was integral in absolutely insisting that the entire coronation be televised. At that time that was absolutely groundbreaking. We take it for granted now that royal weddings and events are televised but at that time nothing like that has ever happened before. And we have Prince Philip to thank for that because he fought for that literally. She also convinced governing bodies to let Philip learn to fly, but only after he agreed to take some risk-minimizing measures.

She has dealt with I believe 12 Prime Ministers, second world war, various terrorists issues, the Falkland Islands war, A man breaking into her bedroom at night, A man attempting to kidnap her daughter, family issues, the divorce of three of her children and the most difficult in terms of the public is when Diana was killed. They were up at Balmoral with the boys when this accident happened and they felt that was the best thing is to keep the boys away, from far from the madding crowd so to speak, but the public drumbeat louder and louder and louder and Prime Minister at the time Tony Blair insisted that she makes some sort of statement or something because the people were very upset. Well now we know what ended up happening they came outside to see first of all their flowers at Balmoral and they went out to look at them with the boys. Then they came back to London and they all, her Majesty, Prince Philip and the boys went out to look at the flowers and in front of the palace Buckingham palace. Do you remember all the flowers in front of Kensington Palace?? It was unbelievable. And the ultimate stoicism is her when she nodded as Diana’s coffin rode by her, that was unprecedented for a reigning monarch bow their head to anybody. We’ve seen subsequently so many things. I think the last four years with Madam in the picture I know she talked about the annus horribilis with the divorce is years ago, but there’s nothing like what’s been happening like the attack on the monarchy in the last four years! Keep calm and carry-on, she’s done that every single day! One would never know she was under any stress, she always looks beautiful , she’s well put together! One never would know that she had a sleepless night. I , just my whole life,she has been there , as a symbol, a profile in courage , strength , family , safety, country, duty, honour, valour, love, compassion, welcoming. I could go on and on and on she is she is someone to be admired above and beyond she is I believe should be the most admired woman on the planet.

The children …… 🍼 🍼 🍼🍼

HMTQ and Prince Philip were blessed with four children. What the Queen was like as a mum to their children.The Queen treated Prince Charles and Prince Edward very differently.HMTQ became a mother more than 70 years ago, when she welcomed her first son Prince Charles in 1948. Prince Charles🍼🍼🍼🍼🍼🍼

Charles, Prince of Wales, was born Charles Philip Arthur George on November 14, 1948. Charles was born in Buckingham Palace. According to biographer Sally Bedell Smith, while Elizabeth was "delighted” by her first baby, she was often absent when Charles was an infant, instead traveling to be with Prince Philip in Malta where he’d been posted for Royal Navy duty. Smith claims “Prince Philip scarcely knew his son for the first two years of the boy’s life, though on his return from overseas duty he did take the time to teach Charles to shoot and fish, and to swim in the Buckingham Palace pool."Prince Charles was four years old at the time of his mother’s 1953 coronation, and her royal commitments, including a six month Commonwealth tour, took her and Philip around the globe while Charles and his sister stayed at home with their caretakers. Historian Robert Lacy, who has served as an advisor for the Queen “had been brought up in that style herself, after all, with her parents leaving her at home and entrusting her entire schooling to a governess and home tutors.” Prince Charles is the longest-serving heir apparent to the English throne in British history. When asked by a journalist when he first realized he was meant to be king one day, Charles said, “I think it’s something that dawns on you with the most ghastly inexorable sense. I didn’t wake up in my pram and say: ‘Yippie, I…’ But I think it just dawns on you slowly that people are interested in one, and slowly you get the idea that you have a certain duty and responsibility."🍼🍼🍼🍼🍼🍼Princess Anne, Elizabeth’s only daughter Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise was born on August 15, 1950, at London royal residence Clarence House where Elizabeth and Philip lived until 1953. She currently holds the title of Anne, Princess Royal, and at the time of her birth she was second in line for the throne after Charles. Since then, subsequent royal births have moved Anne to fourteenth in the line of succession.

Anne was a tot when her mother and father began leaving her and Charles at home for royal obligations, often for extended amounts of time. But she’s publicly dismissed any narrative that paints Queen Elizabeth as emotionally distant.

"We as children may have not been too demanding in the sense that we understand what the limitations were in time and the responsibilities placed on her as monarch in the things she had to do and the travels she had to make,” Anne told the BBC in 2002. “But I don’t believe any of us for a second thought she didn’t care for us in exactly the same way as any other mother did."Like every British royal, Princess Anne’s public image is largely formed by how the U.K. media infers her every move. In Anne’s case, certain members of the press gave her the (very harsh) nickname Her Royal Rudeness, though accounts of her supposedly rude behavior suggest a possibly sexist discomfort with her forthright manner. She explained her longtime dislike for the custom of royal walkabouts. "I mean it gets easier but, can you imagine? I mean how many people enjoy walking into a room full of people that you’ve never met before?” she said. “And then try a street. I don’t think many youngsters would actually volunteer to do that.”

Anne’s reputation as a gutsy, no-nonsense lady was bolstered by her reaction to a failed kidnapping attempt against the princess in 1974. At his demand for a hefty ransom, she reportedly responded, “Not bloody likely."Princess Anne, like her brother Charles, has been married twice. She married Captain Mark Phillips in 1973, with whom she shares children Peter Phillips and Zara Tindall. Shortly after their 1992 divorce, she remarried to Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, her current husband.

🍼🍼🍼🍼🍼Prince Andrew.Elizabeth didn’t have another child for an entire decade after welcoming Princess Anne (being the Queen of England is a pretty time-consuming gig). Her Majesty gave birth to Andrew Albert Christian Edward—or as we know him, Prince Andrew, Duke of York—at Buckingham Palace on February 19, 1960. He is currently eighth in line to the throne and the first baby born to a reigning British sovereign in 103 years was cause for a lot of excitement. While custom and circumstance kept the Queen away from her first two kids in their early years, the queen took upwards of 18 months to "produce and enjoy” Andrew and Edward, biographer Lacy claimed. Home-schooled until age 8, after prep school he went on to Gordonstoun, the same Scotland boarding school his father and older brother both attended. Prince Andrew married Sarah “Fergie” Ferguson in 1986, had daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, and divorced in 1996. However, Fergie reportedly still lives with Prince Andrew in the Royal Lodge in Berkshire, England, and she’s called them "the happiest divorced couple in the world.“Prince Andrew has more recently been at the center of another tabloid scandal: He’s accused of taking part in the sex trafficking ring of late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein—allegations both the prince and the Palace deny. The Prince’s denials, which he attempted to elaborate upon in a high-profile interview on BBC’s Newsnight, were followed by a November 20 announcement that the Duke of York will "step back from public duties for the foreseeable future.”

🍼🍼🍼🍼🍼🍼Prince Edward, the Queen’s youngest child!Prince Edward Antony Richard Louis’s birth was a major break from tradition: He was the first of Elizabeth’s children to be born with Prince Philip in the delivery room. As the Independent notes, royal biographer Ingrid Seward wrote that “The Duke of Edinburgh was actually holding his wife’s hand as their youngest was born on March 10, 1964."The Queen, by then aged 37, had asked him to be there,” Seward claims in her book My Husband and I: The Inside Story Of 70 Years Of Royal Marriage. “She’d been keenly reading women’s magazines that stressed the importance of involving fathers in childbirth and had become fascinated by the idea. In 1968, when Edward was four, the royal family allowed a production crew into their home in an attempt to give viewers a look at how (supposedly) normal they actually were. The documentary—and the public’s mixed reaction. Edward has stayed out of the spotlight (and tabloid headlines) more than his brothers have, and the baby of the royal family is rumored to be the Queen and Prince Philip’s favorite child. He married Sophie Rhys-Jones in 1999 and the couple have two children, Lady Louise Windsor and James Viscount Severn.

While he previously worked in television, his production company, Ardent, was dissolved in 2012, he’s currently a full-time royal. As Prince Philip retired from public service in 2019, Prince Edward is reportedly taking over many of his responsibilities.

The 50/60/70/80/90………… 🕰 ⏰ 🕰 ⏰ 🕰

By the time of her accession in 1952, her role as head of multiple independent states was already established.In 1953, the Queen and her husband embarked on a seven-month round-the-world tour, visiting 13 countries and covering more than 40,000 miles by land, sea and air.She became the first reigning monarch of Australia and New Zealand to visit those nations.

In 1956, the British and French prime ministers, Sir Anthony Eden and Guy Mollet, discussed the possibility of France joining the Commonwealth. The proposal was never accepted and the following year France signed the Treaty of Rome, which established the European Economic Community, the precursor to the European Union. In November 1956, Britain and France invaded Egypt in an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to capture the Suez Canal. Lord Mountbatten claimed the Queen was opposed to the invasion, though Eden denied it. Eden resigned two months later.

Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II and Commonwealth leaders met at the 1960 Commonwealth Conference.

The absence of a formal mechanism within the Conservative Party for choosing a leader meant that, following Eden’s resignation, it fell to the Queen to decide whom to commission to form a government. Eden recommended she consult Lord Salisbury, the Lord President of the Council. Lord Salisbury and Lord Kilmuir, the Lord Chancellor, consulted the British Cabinet, Churchill, and the Chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, resulting in the Queen appointing their recommended candidate: Harold Macmillan.

The Suez crisis and the choice of Eden’s successor led, in 1957, to the first major personal criticism of the Queen.

In 1957 she made a state visit to the United States, where she addressed the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of the Commonwealth. On the same tour, she opened the 23rd Canadian Parliament, becoming the first monarch of Canada to open a parliamentary session.Two years later, solely in her capacity as Queen of Canada, she revisited the United States and toured Canada.In 1961 she toured Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Iran.On a visit to Ghana the same year, she dismissed fears for her safety, even though her host, President Kwame Nkrumah, who had replaced her as head of state, was a target for assassins.Harold Macmillan wrote, "The Queen has been absolutely determined all through … She is impatient of the attitude towards her to treat her as … a film star … She has indeed ’the heart and stomach of a man‘ … She loves her duty and means to be a Queen."Before her tour through parts of Quebec in 1964, the press reported extremists within the Quebec separatist movement were plotting Elizabeth’s assassination.No attempt was made, but a riot did break out while she was in Montreal; the Queen’s "calmness and courage in the face of the violence” was noted.

Elizabeth’s pregnancies with Princes Andrew and Edward, in 1959 and 1963, mark the only times she has not performed the State Opening of the British parliament during her reign.In addition to performing traditional ceremonies, she also instituted new practices. Her first royal walkabout, meeting ordinary members of the public, took place during a tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1970.

In Queensland, Australia, 1970

The 1960s and 1970s saw an acceleration in the decolonisation of Africa and the Caribbean. Over 20 countries gained independence from Britain as part of a planned transition to self-government. In 1965, however, the Rhodesian Prime Minister, Ian Smith, in opposition to moves towards majority rule, unilaterally declared independence while expressing “loyalty and devotion” to Elizabeth. Although the Queen formally dismissed him, and the international community applied sanctions against Rhodesia, his regime survived for over a decade.As Britain’s ties to its former empire weakened, the British government sought entry to the European Community, a goal it achieved in 1973.

During the 1981 Trooping the Colour ceremony, six weeks before the wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer, six shots were fired at the Queen from close range as she rode down The Mall, London, on her horse, Burmese. Police later discovered the shots were blanks. The 17-year-old assailant, Marcus Sarjeant, was sentenced to five years in prison and released after three.The Queen’s composure and skill in controlling her mount were widely praised.

Months later, in October, the Queen was the subject of another attack while on a visit to Dunedin, New Zealand. New Zealand Security Intelligence Service documents, declassified in 2018, revealed that 17-year-old Christopher John Lewis fired a shot with a .22 rifle from the fifth floor of a building overlooking the parade, but missed.Lewis was arrested, but never charged with attempted murder or treason, and sentenced to three years in jail for unlawful possession and discharge of a firearm. Two years into his sentence, he attempted to escape a psychiatric hospital in order to assassinate Charles, who was visiting the country with Dianaand their son Prince William.

From April to September 1982, the Queen was anxious but proud of her son, Prince Andrew, who was serving with British forces during the Falklands War.On 9 July, she awoke in her bedroom at Buckingham Palace to find an intruder, Michael Fagan, in the room with her. In a serious lapse of security, assistance only arrived after two calls to the Palace police switchboard.After hosting US President Ronald Reagan at Windsor Castle in 1982 and visiting his California ranch in 1983, the Queen was angered when his administration ordered the invasion of Grenada, one of her Caribbean realms, without informing her.

Elizabeth riding Burmese at the 1986 Trooping the Colour ceremony. Intense media interest in the opinions and private lives of the royal family during the 1980s led to a series of sensational stories in the press, not all of which were entirely true.As Kelvin MacKenzie, editor of The Sun, told his staff: “Give me a Sunday for Monday splash on the Royals. Don’t worry if it’s not true—so long as there’s not too much of a fuss about it afterwards."Newspaper editor Donald Trelford wrote in The Observer of 21 September 1986: "The royal soap opera has now reached such a pitch of public interest that the boundary between fact and fiction has been lost sight of … it is not just that some papers don’t check their facts or accept denials: they don’t care if the stories are true or not.” It was reported, most notably in The Sunday Times of 20 July 1986, that the Queen was worried that Margaret Thatcher's economic policies fostered social divisions and was alarmed by high unemployment, a series of riots, the violence of a miners’ strike, and Thatcher’s refusal to apply sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The sources of the rumours included royal aide Michael Shea and Commonwealth Secretary-General Shridath Ramphal, but Shea claimed his remarks were taken out of context and embellished by speculation.Thatcher reputedly said the Queen would vote for the Social Democratic Party—Thatcher’s political opponents.Thatcher’s biographer, John Campbell, claimed “the report was a piece of journalistic mischief-making”.Belying reports of acrimony between them, Thatcher later conveyed her personal admiration for the Queen,and the Queen gave two honours in her personal gift—membership in the Order of Merit and the Order of the Garter—to Thatcher after her replacement as prime minister by John Major. Brian Mulroney Canadian prime minister between 1984 and 1993, said Elizabeth was a “behind the scenes force” in ending apartheid.

By the end of the 1980s, the Queen had become the target of satire.The involvement of younger members of the royal family in the charity game show It’s a Royal Knockout in 1987 was ridiculed.In Canada, Elizabeth publicly supported politically divisive constitutional amendments, prompting criticism from opponents of the proposed changes, including Pierre Trudeau.The same year, the elected Fijian government was deposed in a military coup. As monarch of Fiji, Elizabeth supported the attempts of Governor-GeneralRatu Sir Penaia Ganilau to assert executive power and negotiate a settlement. Coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka deposed Ganilau and declared Fiji a republic.

In 1991, in the wake of coalition victory in the Gulf War, the Queen became the first British monarch to address a joint meeting of the United States Congress.

Philip and Elizabeth in Germany, October 1992

In a speech on 24 November 1992, to mark the 40th anniversary of her accession, Elizabeth called 1992 her annus horribilis (horrible year).Republican feeling in Britain had risen because of press estimates of the Queen’s private wealth—which were contradicted by the Palace—and reports of affairs and strained marriages among her extended family.In March, her second son, Prince Andrew, and his wife, Sarah, separated; in April, her daughter, Princess Anne, divorced Captain Mark Phillips;during a state visit to Germany in October, angry demonstrators in Dresden threw eggs at her;and, in November, a large fire broke out at Windsor Castle, one of her official residences. The monarchy came under increased criticism and public scrutiny.In an unusually personal speech, the Queen said that any institution must expect criticism, but suggested it be done with “a touch of humour, gentleness and understanding”.Two days later, Prime Minister John Major announced reforms to the royal finances planned since the previous year, including the Queen paying income tax from 1993 onwards, and a reduction in the civil list.In December, Prince Charles and his wife, Diana, formally separated.The year ended with a lawsuit, as the Queen sued The Sun newspaper for breach of copyright when it published the text of her annual Christmas message two days before it was broadcast. The newspaper was forced to pay her legal fees and donated £200,000 to charity. In the years to follow, public revelations on the state of Charles and Diana’s marriage continued.Even though support for republicanism in Britain seemed higher than at any time in living memory, republicanism was still a minority viewpoint, and the Queen herself had high approval ratings.Criticism was focused on the institution of the monarchy itself and the Queen’s wider family rather than her own behaviour and actionsIn consultation with her husband and the Prime Minister, John Major, as well as the Archbishop of Canterbury, George Carey, and her private secretary, Robert Fellowes, she wrote to Charles and Diana at the end of December 1995, saying a divorce was desirable.

In August 1997, a year after the divorce, Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris. The Queen was on holiday with her extended family at Balmoral. Diana’s two sons by Charles—Princes William and Harry—wanted to attend church and so the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh took them that morning.Afterwards, for five days the Queen and the Duke shielded their grandsons from the intense press interest by keeping them at Balmoral where they could grieve in private,but the royal family’s seclusion and the failure to fly a flag at half-mast over Buckingham Palace caused public dismay.Pressured by the hostile reaction, the Queen agreed to return to London and do a live television broadcast on 5 September, the day before Diana’s funeral.In the broadcast, she expressed admiration for Diana and her feelings “as a grandmother” for the two princes.As a result, much of the public hostility evaporated.

In November 1997, the Queen and her husband held a reception at Banqueting House to mark their golden wedding anniversary.She made a speech and praised Philip for his role as a consort, referring to him as “my strength and stay”.

PC/…

Prince Charles he is the prince of Wales and the heir to the throne. He was married to Lady Diana Spencer.They had two sons we all know is William Arthur Philip Louis and Henry Charles Albert David otherwise Harry! He married Lady Diana Spencer on July 31, 1981 and they had a very rocky marriage and the long and short it ended very messy and finally HMTQ had to step in and tell them to divorce. It ended in divorce and we all know what happened with dear Diana and the subsequent effects on the boys and the family. Charles eventually did marry the love of his life in a civil ceremony HMTQ did not attend that because they’re they’re both divorced. They are now the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall. Camilla has done a lot of work very quietly and slowly to build a rapport with the people. I think she’s done a really good job of it and them together are very sweet, just a very sweet couple. When Charles ascends the Throne it’s well-known that his goal is to shorten or cut the budget. I guess to streamline things. He is very forward thinking that way. I think his agendas will be very much as they have been, very focussed on sustainability and environmental issues, that sort of thing. He she was environmentally aware before anybody. I remember when I was a kid, the press and others, they were laughing and made fun of him for talking to his plants and being out in the garden, all these kind of things and how awful look at that you know that we shouldn’t be doing that.I’ll look at it’s a thing to do sustainability and farm to table and he was way ahead of the curve on that one. That’s also way ahead of the curve in terms of architecture in his opinions on that he’s been criticized for but he did did become quite vocal about how with with the classic buildings that are centuries old and in these new modern buildings being built right next to it it just doesn’t fit somehow.

I don’t know for certain and I have never read it anywhere but I do believe he has some sort of auto immune disease because his face is so red so often and his hands are so red and they look so swollen and it in it just looks like it must be so painful. I don’t know what he has but I sure hope they’re giving him some I’m sure they’re giving him something for comfort and all that but I don’t know lupus I don’t know but he certainly has certainly his hands look so sore I just feel every time I see those swollen red hands I just saw my heart goes out.

W&K…… 💜💜🍼🍼🍼💜💜

Prince William was born June 21, 1982. Loved to see him squirming in the blanket as they walked out of the Lindo Wing, Charles all proud and Diana’s face flushed, dressed in the green and white polkadot dress with the bright red flat shoes oh my that was exciting how we waited for that little baby my goodness that was that was a great day!

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, KG, KT, PC, ADC (William Arthur Philip Louis;[fn 1] born 21 June 1982) is a member of the British royal family. He is the elder son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales. Since birth, he has been second in the line of succession to the British throne.

William was educated at four schools in the United Kingdom and studied for a degree at the University of St Andrews. During a gap year, he spent time in Chile, Belize, and Africa. In December 2006, he completed 44 weeks of training as an officer cadet and was commissioned in the Blues and Royals regiment. In April 2008, William completed pilot training at Royal Air Force College Cranwell, then underwent helicopter flight training and became a full-time pilot with the RAF Search and Rescue Force in early 2009. His service with the British Armed Forces ended in September 2013.He then trained for a civil pilot’s licence and spent over two years working as a pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance.

The greatest tragedy of William life with losing his mother Diana in a car accident when he was young and the greatest thing to happen to William ever was Catherine Middleton coming into his life! She was patient and the media or routes to her that you called her all sorts of names but she was patient. She loved him and he was not ready to commit and she waited and he was worth the wait and look look at the results now! A power couple that truly fit to get the name power couple and three beautiful amazing children.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, GCVO (born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton; 9 January 1982), popularly known as Kate Middleton,but prefers to be called by her proper name , and has NOT been Middleton since her marriage to William!Catherine is a member of the British royal family. Her husband, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, is expected to become king of the United Kingdom and 15 other Commonwealth realms, making Catherine a likely future queen consort.

She grew up in the village of Chapel Row, part of Bucklebury near Newbury, in the Englishcounty of Berkshire.She studied art history in Scotland at the University of St Andrews, where she met William in 2001. Their engagement was announced in November 2010. They married on 29 April 2011 at Westminster Abbey. The couple’s children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis of Cambridge, are third, fourth, and fifth in the line of succession to the British throne, respectively.

The Duchess of Cambridge’s charity works focus mainly on issues surrounding young children, addiction, and art. To encourage people to open up about their mental health issues, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry (now the Duke of Sussex) initiated the mental health awareness campaign “Heads Together” in April 2016.The media have called Catherine’s impact on British and American fashion the “Kate Middleton effect”.In 2012 and 2013, Time magazine selected her as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

In 2011, Prince William was made Duke of Cambridge and marriedCatherine Middleton. The couple have three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.

OUR MAGNIFICENT MONARCHY ……… 👑💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

Couple years ago I think it was ITV did add a series Victoria based on Queen Victoria’s life and that really brought things out again made people interested and watching that. I have read a bunch of books about Queen Victoria she lived a fascinating life. She was open to anything any culture any she was so wise at such a young age and an ash as her rain progressed and different things happen so she was open to things and yet close to some other things. She had her Beautiful relationship with Prince Alberts. He was instrumental in so much of modernizing the UK the train rail the Parliament buildings and on and on the Royal Victoria and Albert Hall and on and on and on. Her brain was legendary! She wrote a journal she wrote and wrote and wrote and wrote and as she aged her daughter I can’t recall her name just now but she destroyed some of it and we wrote it in her own handwriting because she thought her mother wouldn’t want people to read certain things. Even with her having done that, there are still just tomes and tomes of writings in Queen Victoria’s hand and it’s all available, I forget the website, but they put it all online. The national treasure Dr. Lucy Wursley has done awesome documentaries on the monarchy, just she’s outstanding! She is a national actually has an international treasure a commonwealth treasure!

Architecture music gardening scripture design it’s just an endless traditions recipes different dialects it’s just on and on and on and on that exists within the monarchy.

I love the traditions, Trooping the Colour, opening of parliament, the banging on the door the door slamming on the balcony with the fly past.I love the royal wedding. I love when they go to church at Christmas and then they walk out and I just love all of that stuff.I love seeing her Majesty every Sunday in the car looking to see what pin she’s wearing. I love brooches. I have, from Buckingham palace, to the official copy of the Mapleleaf brooch! My sister got that for me one year when she was in London and she went to Buckingham palace specifically to get me that brooch because I collect brooches so I proudly on that.and I am all I have a book that was published in 1987 again the author part part of my brain is not working 100% right now but I got it for my birthday from my sister and it’s a vintage book from 1987 and it’s the Queen’s jewelleryCollection which I absolutely love and I also have Angela Kelly’s new book which my sister got me for Christmas so. You wouldn’t even want to know how much royalty stuff I have collected and I inherited them from my mother and I wouldn’t get rid of any of it I still have the newspapers from July 31, 1981 that we had to city newspapers at that time and so I have Charles and Diana’s wedding on on both of those and that was from my mom my mom say that so after my mom passed away no one else wanted that and of course I went out I took it faster than the end the year of the queens Jubilee Canada posted a whole Book of stamps special stamps and my sister got that for me and they were released each book of stamps and then at the very end then they release the book that way you can put your stamp in so I have that. And I ordered from the royal mail one last year when they did the Queen Victoria stamps I think it was 100 years since her death I think that’s what it was but it oh that’s awesome and I have a big board in my spare room where I keep all the stamps I have William and Catherine their engagement I have William and Catherine their wedding and I have her majesty and that you believe that these are all Canada post and I have that one from the royal mail I just wanna have postcards in there at all I just have so much stop and I love it all!

The future legacy. ……… 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😊😊😊😊😊🔮

How bright is the future of our monarchy! Despite outside influences, attacks , invading, riots in the street, whatever put all that aside put all that aside right now. We have a Queen who continues to reign. It does not matter if it is in Windsor Castle or Balmoral or Buckingham palace, she is cogent!! and she is in charge!! make no mistake about that!!!! Put all that abdication garbage aside!! She will not ever abdicate her duties ever! She saw what was done to her father when, someone didn’t take their duties seriously, she would never ever do that! Besides, she is just a woman of a high moral code and public service she will never abdicate! So we have her continuing reigning at this time. When the time comes we have prince Charles and by his side a woman he loves very much, which which the public has come to accept and quite admire. I think he will do well. He will downsize the numbers on the balcony, there will not be full of 13 generations he will definitely downsize.He is definitely very intelligent and very educated with regard to climate change with regards to farming gardening all the things that are essential in food production. He has such a gentle manner about him and I think he is elegant. They are such an elegant couple. And wow coming up William and Catherine we have nothing to fear what a powerhouse those two are amazing loving, intelligent, well balanced, centred, strong ,motivated, loving, the endless energy, endless ideas, things could not bode better for the future and it’s all down to Her Majesty! She has set the tone and they have learned from her in conversation and observation and experience and I just think the monarchy could not be in any better hands. And then we have George Charlotte and Louis I mean they’re being raised to be such healthy, wise, mentally balanced, physically active, community awareness, they’re being raised by two of the best so there’s we can’t lose!! We can’t lose, it is all amazing I think I see the future is so bright! And soon we will have our Harry back and all of this other stuff will be put away and dealt with and then we can have our Harry and he can he can start start fresh and rebuild! Harry, l believe in you, I pray for you, I love you dearly since you were just a baby and there’s many many many many many more like me that are supporting you all the way and we know that you are doing the right thing you’re doing the things that you have to do to deal with the situation and we all know that and we’re out we’ve all gotten back and whenever time comes for you to come back to us you will find open arms and lots of love!!

GBHMTQAOGC 🇬🇧🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿💜💜💜💜💜💜💜

I say GSTQAOBC mine means, a God save the Queen and our beloved Commonwealth. Her Majesty is the head of the church of England a woman of faith a woman of moral code. My mother was a woman of faith very strong faith and she loved her Majesty. I think we need to be very protective of our faith because it is under attack right now it has been for a number of years but it’s become much more overt and I think we all need to speak out and supported and those of us who love and support the monarchy we need to continue to raise our voice and continue to work on our blogs to show. There are people who have faith who love the monarchy who love the queen who want it to continue! And the more of us there are the better. Nothing to use this audio software I don’t do upper case anymore because I speak and it types as I speak so but I am up till now if you kids know I have always done upper case so those of us who are commonwealth members we know how valuable it is. The Commonwealth games in our own little Olympics sort of thing. It’s just we feel part of your community and connection and I mean I’ve had royalty every day of my life! HMTQ was it at at the front in school there’s a picture of her every at the end of every school day we sang God save the Queen , she’s on our money , our lawyers are the crown prosecutors a court of Queens bench everything here where I live it is there’s some part of the monarchy involves and I love it and I wanted to continue. And I want to conclude this by saying how very much I love and admire you your Majesty I just I do that’s a sincere serious as I can be.

THIS WAS DONE WITH 119% LOVE. FIVE HOURS!!

💜💜💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😊😊😊😊😊PG😊😊😊😊😊😊🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

—————-

66. July 17

I wish you could all hear that heard me read the riddle as I typed it because I did it in her voice and then his voice as I was doing it and it was actually pretty funny!🥂🥂🥂🥂PG😊😊😊😊

MM ANON …… Bea-discreet …………… “ give them a wave Philip, its a wedding “…………… “ I’m looking forward to congratulating the happy couple and sharing a few jokes “ ………… “ No Philip”…………… “ don’t be silly, I won’t say anything ……… “ NO PHILIP!! “ …………” what’s this Philip” ……… “ just a few notes” …………… “ you can’t say this!! ……… “ OK… bloody hell , it’s a joke” …………… “ if you said this , Italy would declare war!!” ……… “ bloody hell !!”

Thank you. What a wonderful surprise this wedding has been.😊❤️❤️❤️❤️

Entertainment Purposes

JULY 17/2020. RIDDLE #66

🥂🥂🥂🥂THANK YOU MM ANON🥂🥂🥂🥂

🥂🥂🥂🥂CONGRATULATIONS🥂🥂🥂🥂TO PRINCESS BEATRICE AND EDO

Bea-discreet ……………

Oh ahead of them and I asked that we deleted it again. I must say a hearty big congratulations to the happy couple! How wonderful that they were able to pull this off discreetly and it sure explains a big smile prince and your head on a picture of him that I saw in the paper the other day. He look like the cat that ate the canary and now we know why big big big special day wonderful! Congratulations to the two of them they’ve been patient through more than I think any young couple has publicly and now they’re finally together as a married couple and if they can get through this they can get through anything!! Congratulations🥂🥂🥂🥂 The other thing that tells me is Harry is safe and Harry probably was at the wedding!!!

“ give them a wave Philip, its a wedding “…………… “ I’m looking forward to congratulating the happy couple and sharing a few jokes “ ………… “ No Philip”…………… “ don’t be silly, I won’t say anything ……… “ NO PHILIP!! “ …………” what’s this Philip” ……… “ just a few notes” …………… “ you can’t say this!! ……… “ OK… bloody hell , it’s a joke” …………… “ if you said this , Italy would declare war!!” ……… “ bloody hell !!”

This paragraph it’s funny it’s a salute to her majesty and prince Philip but much less formal than the extensive tome I did yesterday. Her Majesty is encouraging prince Philip to get the married couple a wave! He replies to her I am looking forward to congratulating the happy couple sharing a few jokes wink wink nod why nod nod😄😄😁😁😁😁😁!! Her Majesty knowing full well what kind of jokes he likes she just says in capital letters no Philip! he’s ruffling with some thing and then she notices a paper in his hand and so what’s this and he’s kind of trying to avoid her seeing it and I was just just some notes just some notes all just some notes. She gets a hold of it and she was aghast you can’t say this Italy will declare war! I wish you could hear my intonation my voice because I’m doing it as if it’s her and it’s him it’s actually quite funny to me at almost 4 in the morning! OK you says OK it’s just a bloody joke can’t you not hear him say that oh! Oh my and then of course he hast to get one more one more of his favourite words in there before the end of this beautiful paragraph!

💜💜💜💜😁😁😁😊😊😊MM ANON🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧😊😊😊😊💜💜💜💜

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

——————

67. July 20

MM ANON ………… honeymoon Italia…… “hello my old China “…………… more engagements ………… Balmoral cottages ………… secret snaps ( eyes only) ………………”once upon a time “…………T. R. Ah. …………… the green eyed trasher ………… close the beaches …………… a coach full …………… Bea-frugal ……… unknown posie.

🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜Thank you MM Anon💜💜💜💜💜😊😊😊😊🌈🌈🌈🌈

July 20/2020. RIDDLE#67

honeymoon Italia……

Despite a world, okay not the entire world due to COVID-19, they have several options, all romantic, but l do believe our happy couple is honeymooning in Italy! Totally makes sense as were Edo is from, it is where they got engaged and I’m sure he knows all the most romantic spots to take her to. i’m also sure he knows some out-of-the-way places where they will not be bothered by any paparazzi. Villa Mapelli Mozzi, in the north of Italy, is the groom’s family estate. be another convenient destination which is less than an hour away from Milan. The 13-bedroom residence is surrounded by parkland, where tall trees are housed in an English garden. There is also an outdoor swimming pool and stable house. This would be the most private option I think for them.

They got engaged on the Amalfi coast in Italy that might be another option that would be more public that would mean staying in the hotel where they stayed when they got engaged which would be quite romantic. The Sirenuse Hotel is nestled within the pastel-coloured houses that make up Positano village, the hotel is perched on a mountain boasting breathtaking views over the bay. Oh doesn’t it all just sounds divinely romantic? Love sweet love!🥰🥰🥰

“hello my old China “

In the UK there is so much slang, different manners of speech and local colloquiums. In Cockney, rhyming slang, when referring to a friend/ mate they would say China plate. I have no idea why, they just do.

This is very sarcastic because then the UK has just refuse Huawei the access to 5G network in the UK. And now that’s added to Canada and America that have also refused them and in fact as I said a number of times we have incarcerated currently the head of wild with a daughter she’s also high up in the company. All repairs in case people don’t know she was in Canada I think for business and she was so picked up on a warrant which is an American warrant but because Canada and the United States have a reciprocal relationship like that the Canadian law enforcement arrested her took her into custody based on that American war inch. She applied for bail which the judge denied. She very much assumed that she would just be released an allowed to leave to go back to China. So all that issue is money right money and also Huawei has been widely speculated for hacking and stealing intellectual property and technology by many countries.Of course they strongly deny this. The other huge huge huge massive issue is Hong Kong. They was the agreement in which China took possession of Hong Kong was it was based on the original agreement between them and the UK. That agreement included a clause called one country two governments which allowed Hong Kong to remain free or capital enterprise. However that has not happened and a slippery slope has occurred with many arrests and riots and this resulted in China removing the entire The entire constitution, outlawing free-speech and invading and instituting martial law.

Mike Pompeo the United States secretary of state is in London today meeting with Boris Johnson the Prime Minister. I’m sure they have many mutual issues to discuss the top of the list likely is China. I do believe on that list also might include some issues regarded to our Madam situation.

The family of Harry Dunn, the young chap who was killed on the on his motorbike by the wife of a US a spy driving on the wrong side of the road. She and her family fled the country and there is an outstanding warrants for her in the U.K. The United States is not inclined to extra extradite her to the UK. His family is pleading with Boris Johnson to make that a priority on the meeting today with Mike Pompeo. I think there are huge world issues to discuss and how do I put this , I’m not sure that they will get to that I’m not sure that that extradition will ever happen.

more engagements …………

With all the wedding talk still in the air, I think peoples first thoughts would go to thinking who else is engaged? who else is engaged! However I do not think that is what this clue is about.

I have noticed of late and I saw it again today on the daily mail that the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall are doing yet another engagements. I truly think Camilla has truly come into her own as well in her role. And people have grown to be really quite fond of her and deservedly so. Today they were in Cornwall seeing a new bridge called the Tintagel bridge. Everything in the UK has cute names. I’d like to know where they all come from.🤔😊.Today it was a start of their annual visit or tour of Devon and Cornwall where they will have three days visit. They both appeared chipper while meeting paramedics and unveiling a new air ambulance named in her honour.

The naming ceremony for the new £7.5million chopper for Cornwall Air Ambulance Trust was briefly interrupted by an alarm sounding alerting paramedics to an emergency call-out, with the Duchess saying she was keeping her ‘fingers crossed’ for the injured patient. Can you imagine having a helicopter air ambulance named after you how awesome would that be wow!

Balmoral cottages …………

Her Majesty, the Queen and Prince Philip will be going up to Balmoral next week I think, shortly anyways. Family will be visiting and I don’t know which family because Buckingham Palace has said in response to that question, family time and vacation is private and they will not give out that information. Nonetheless whoever goes to visit will not be allowed to stay in Balmoral proper because of COVID-19. However the estate does have many cottages and places on the state itself where they can stay which I think they will be very comfortable in. They will be able to visit outside, ride horses, fish picnic etc do all the things that they usually do but most of it will be outside. Which actually is not going to be all that different than their usual time up there with the exception they probably will not be the Ghillies ball. It is just too bad but this is better than nothing and they will greatly enjoy the time together. I just could not believe how excellent her Majesty and Prince Philip looked at the wedding in those photos in the photo I saw oh my goodness! His shoes were shined within an inch of their life EXCELLENT JOB SYDNEY!!!

secret snaps ( eyes only) ………………

The first thing I want to say is the press keeps going on and on about why are there no pictures of Prince Andrew at the wedding. Why on earth would they give the press pictures of him? All they would do was rip them apart in words and criticize even more than they already have.I doubt that they are ever going to see the light of day. Those photos will be for families eyes only family and close friends. There will be no way that pictures of him will be made public!Nor should they!

The other possibility is some that there are some intelligence photos that have been taken, that prove a myriad of things. It may be regarding prove oh what China has been up to, Russia been up to. It might be regarding the Covid. It might be regarding intelligence stealing it regarding a hacking regarding oh some of the websites that have been brought down recently.

When I see it in brackets 😮😮😮😮😮(eyes only)🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔, that makes me think immediately of five eyes, of the five eyes of intelligence.Those being 🇬🇧 UK, the 🇺🇸 the United States, Canada 🇨🇦, Australia 🇦🇺, and New Zealand🇳🇿.We all know that there is an international investigation into JE behaviours and business. GM is now in custody. I never knew she was an American citizen they always talk about her as a British socialite I thought she was British. But I was reading and apparently in 2002 she moved to the United States and became a naturalized citizen. So that’s why she wasn’t in whatever country because they have it extradition treaty with America and that’s probably why she was hiding in America. Maybe you kids all knew that she was an American, but I didn’t. I thought she still had her British citizenship. They are big names big big big big big names at play here, that I don’t know. Frankly I don’t know any of them but I do know this is investigation has been going on for years. We all know this is the reason for the attack on our royal family which was planned years ago, even down to the point where there wasn’t supposed to be a wedding but there was. It has been planned that these riots occur to regarding racial tension to disrupt the United States and the UK from within. They can’t attack them and destroy the outside so they burrowed in and they’re going to try and destroy it from within. We have seen it happening in real time, right before our eyes. Could you ever have imagined even two years ago that the world would be in the state that it is now? And when I say the world, l mean the free countries like America and the UK. Lack of respect, rioting, fires, violence, anarchy, statues being pulled down, revisionist history I don’t know what this new generation is called post millennial whatever but a sense of entitlement beyond beyond the pale oh my I can’t even think of anymore words right now.We cannot let them we just cannot let that happen!

“once upon a time “…………

Beatrice and Edo have known each other since they were children. Their parents have been acquainted and travelled in the same circles for forever. So this is not a sudden, meet me in the bar, move in together and get married kind of thing. It truly is the stuff of romance stories! Once upon a time a handsome Italian Count meets a beautiful English princess. True love blossoms real true love blossoms. And as most stories go they have tremendous odds stacked against the. As this young couple did. It was between the press issues and COVID-19 they had everything going against them. The press was hounding about the wedding. And they managed to pull off the most beautiful private wedding and the best absolutely important thing was that her Majesty and Prince Philip were there which was what Beatrice desperately wanted and wanted so badly! I truly think this will be a story that ends happily ever after!! I’m still swooning and it is days now since the wedding.! 👰🏽🤵 🥂

T. R. Ah. ……………

Tiara! The absolutely gorgeous Fringe a Tiara worn by her Majesty on her wedding day, worn by the Queen mum on her wedding day and worn by Queen Mary on her wedding day. Now it was worn by Princess Beatrice, living history!! The ah is me and many others sighing aaaaahhhhhhhh☺️☺️☺️☺️ at the sight of beautiful fairytale Princess in gown and that tiara🥰🥰🥰🥰!

the green eyed trasher …………

Well Madam wanted that emerald Tiara in the worst way and she ended up having to wear a fake $30 tiara from the dollar store sorry not sorry! HMTQ wore it to the state dinner! That was so great, that is so great. I could only imagine the trash is the right word she is trashy in her behaviours. I cannot imagine rather, I would love rather to been a fly on the wall when she found out about this wedding and saw the pictures, seeing that gown and tiara. Oh my oh I can only imagine. Her life is imploding. I don’t even know what her mental state would be now but now with this whole thing about the investigation of the charities and Harry putting out that statement and in none of it! in none of it! Nowhere was her name mentioned? So a notice has been filed to investigate where the money went. They are of looking into where the moneys gone too. And she’s in a world of trouble. I had not realized until reading today, that she had delayed filing taxes this year. When I read that today, that is the first I have heard that anyone has mentioned a fact about her taxes. Evidently somewhere somebody must have learned that she had filed for an extension to delay filing taxes this year. I guess people were given that opportunity especially due to COVID-19. So she is only delaying the inevitable really she really is but that’s OK we just sit back and watch. We have our royal family back and now we can just sit back and watch her reality show. She wanted to be in the public eye, well she’s going to be more in the public eye than she ever ever thought she could be. Once all everything comes out publicly and I don’t even know if everything will but oh yeah wow l would not want to be her! I am only talking about the stuff with the royal family the money in the marching in the all the carrying on and the full pregnancy and everything like that. I am not talking about anything that happened in the last year‘s or prior to 2016 if there’s a whole decade or more stuff that there’s lots of rumours about online. Friends, SoHo, connections, behaviours,yachting, hobbies,. I think she can pretty much write off any money that she thought she of making from that book by Scooby Doo and that Durand lady. It has been marked down on Amazon so yeah I don’t think that book is going to be selling that well.

close the beaches ……………

I could not believe how crowded the beaches were in the UK on the weekend the pictures that I saw were unbelievable! Until the rains came in the temperature got called in and everything everybody ran off home. No social or physical distancing was evident at all, nor possible with that many people!

I could not believe how crowded the beaches were in the UK on the weekend the pictures that I saw were unbelievable! Until the rains came in the temperature got called in and everything everybody ran off home. No social or physical distancing was evident at all, nor possible with that many people!

“Sunbathers fled to safety today when an inferno erupted inside a Bournemouth beach hut and ripped across the heath-covered cliff above the sands. The was started by a gas stove being used inside one of the wooden huts along the busy promenade just 400 yards from the four-star Highcliff Marriott Hotel. A man rushed out of the timber cabin shouting for people to get back as there was a gas canister inside that could explode. Beachgoers abandoned their possessions and fled as the hut became engulfed in flames and a loud ‘popping’ sound was heard from within. The flames spread to two adjacent huts and onto the grassy cliff face behind. Due to the gorse being tinder-dry and a strong southerly breeze fanning the flames, a huge 100ft long strip of the sloping cliff was set alight. Eight fire crews raced to scene at 3.50pm and put out the fire in the beach huts and set about tackling the fire on the cliffs. “DM

a coach full ……………

Her Majesty the Queen has her own train. And they’re gonna be heading up to Balmoral Castle and Aberdeenshire Scotland’s. Are usually spend 12 weeks there a nice long summer holiday. I am not certain how long they will be staying this time. But they will create a Balmoral bubble. They’ve heard about bubble here bubbles there bubbles at Windsor Castle bubbles at Belmorrow bubbles in the airplane bubble you know you know what a bubble by now. So obviously they are going to need some stuff to go with them. I was reading yesterday the list of stuff that is going with them and I was mad they looking for that now I know I found it in the daily mail so this is all who’s going with them. They include Vice-Admiral Tony Johnstone-Burt, master of the household; Sir Edward Young, the Queen’s private secretary, and Paul Whybrew and William Henderson, her pages.

Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, her equerry; Terry Pendry, her head groom; Angela Kelly, the Queen’s personal assistant and her senior dresser; Jackie Newbold, Kelly’s PA; and three assistant dressers will also join. Just as an aside I think that her equerry wasn’t that the man that Madam made that snooty face at in the one picture I could be wrong.

Well with all of the clothes and personal items for the royal couple plus for all the staff and all the incidentals this is going to be one full train coach I am sure wow! physical distancing still applying. I am sure although they have all been like quarantined however l am sure they will still physical distance.

I hope they have a wonderful vacation filled with good Scottish air. Time to just relax and be away from everything! Have a wonderful time with family and make up for all the stress of the last four years.

Bea-frugal ………

Princess Beatrice is being lauded for not having an over the top , multi million dollar wedding in this age of where the world is at now. Unlike some Madam who wasn’t even wanting to be a family member.There was a nasty headline and I am not going to repeat it. I think it was in Sunday’s paper about her parents, which was so needless because actually the article was quite lovely. But a small private wedding only the most important people there! Oh that Norman Hartnell vintage dress and the Fringe Tiara 👑 that has so much history and meaning to it. It also happens to be my very favourite Tiara! 😁So she’s being commended for being frugal and their batting that word around. I think she wanted just a private wedding anyways there has been so much going on in the press. They just wanted to have a private wedding away from all the nonsense and I’m so glad she got it! I’m so glad nobody got wind of this. I mean many people had to know and they all kept it secret marvellous! And like I said yesterday in my post, I feel like we have a royal family back I feel like things are right the way they have always been out everything that happened that day it just felt so good!!

unknown posie.

As per tradition starting with her Majesty the Queen mum, Princess Beatrice’s wedding bouquet was laid on the tomb of the unknown warrior at Westminster Abbey. There’s a nice video the showing it. The bouquet was brought straight to Westminster Abbey after the nuptials and placed on the tomb by Reverend Anthony Ball, Canon of Westminster. He was showing a young boy and I’m not sure what the purpose was that he was a guest or what but he included the young boy in the actual laying of the flowers on the tomb it was quite moving.

GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

——————-

68. July 22

MM ANON ………7 into 99…………The “wishing well”……… “ I can hear a canary singing “ …………… “ good news MM ANON, it’s not c***er🙏🏻………… By-polar …………… “ what , not the nurses” …………Biker Justice …………… Cor,i bin apologising …………… “ I wish her hell”……………… LA to stay away ……………… kiss and MAKE UP ………………Colonel Cam. ………… scouse rouse.

July 22/2030. RIDDLE #68

💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈THANK YOU MM ANON🌈🌈🌈🌈🌈🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜FANTASTIC NEWS🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

7 into 99…………

What a magnificent day! Our dear prince George turns seven and aren’t the photos gorgeous!! Oh it’s such a wonderful age I hope he’s had a wonderful birthday! Keeping them laughing as he goes! Sprightly Prince Philip, 99, proves retirement hasn’t dulled his legendary wit as he cracks joke about Army bugler’s weight during rare public engagement at Windsor Castle to hand over historic military title to Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall! If that doesn’t show you how highly she is regarded nothing well it’s marvelous! The Duke of Edinburgh transferred role as Colonel-in-Chief of The Rifles to the Duchess of Cornwall today.Prince Philip, who retired in 2017, was nearly 100 miles apart from Camilla, as they both carried out ceremonies. Prince Philip, 99, was at Windsor Castle in Berkshire, while the duchess was at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire. The Duke was pictured with Queen to mark his 99th birthday last month - and at Beatrice’s wedding last.

The “wishing well”

A small ornamental garden wishing well, with coins to wish for

A wishing well is a term from European folksy to describe wells where it was thought that any spoken wish would be granted. The idea that a wish would be granted came from the notion that water housed had been placed there as a gift from the God. This practice is thought to have arisen because water is a source of life and was often a scarce commodity. We still have Wishing wells today. We also use fountains where you walk past it and you throw a coin over your shoulder for good luck and you make a wish, or just like when you see a falling star make a wish as quick as you can or blow out all your birthday candles and make your wish and your wish will come true! So who is throwing money into the well for a wish? We know that Madam’s PR is getting more and more bizarre as the days go on it could be her. It might be GM singing a song telling them what they want to know I’m trying to wheel and deal. She’s got a husband on the outside and 15 bank accounts. If she says she has 15 bank account then she’s probably got 50. And I’m sure she’s probably got a number of fake passports as well. If she ever gets bail she’ll be gone. So I think she’s hoping to have her wish is granted by complying and giving information as much as she can that’s what I think this means. I could be wrong I’ve been wrong before and I will be wrong again.

21 Jul2020

“I wish her well,” @realDonaldTrump says of Jeffrey Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell. There is a ton of talk on this online wondering if he was actually meaning to say H***instead of well. Who knows I don’t know but there’s chatter about it anyways.

“ I can hear a canary singing “ ……………

Years ago when they were mining for coal and in the north of England and places, have you ever seen the movie 🎥 a green was my valley 🎥that’s an excellent movie! Anyhow I’m sure your fruit heard the phrase a canary in the coal mine? Used to be they kept the canary in the coal mine and as long as he was the bird was chirping and happy they knew that there was enough oxygen for the men to keep working but once the canary died they had to rush and get out of there pronto! So who is hearing the canary thinking on it’s a “”? The UK, perhaps more than any other country in the world, was built on coal.The first successful steam engine was invented to pump water out of British coal mines. Coal powered the railroads and ships that built the British empire. It helped the country survive two world wars, and at its height between those wars, coal mines employed 1.2 million people. So this winter, when the UK announced its plan to stop burning coal for electricity by 2025, the shift was seismic.The announcement signaled the dethroning of King Coal in a country where it had reigned for more than a century, and where just six years prior it provided more than 40 percent of the nation’s energy. How did this happen in the UK at a time when leaders in the US were moving in the opposite direction by promising to end the “war on coal”?The answer lies not in technological innovation, but in a profound cultural shift that began decades ago in coal field communities across the UK.

Having blathering on and on and on about this I do believe we are talking about GM here. She is in custody in New York as you all know and there are rumours upon rumours of how she’s being watched now she’s being moved around how she’s being looked after her etc. There’s also rumours that she’s got videotapes, she’s got a diary a little black book all those details. And also there are rumours that she is looking to make a deal. She is afraid for her life and rightly so in jail or out of jail makes no matter she is she is she is rightly afraid for her life given the people she’s been in contact with any information she possesses. So she’s looking to make a deal and when someone startsTalking to law-enforcement and spilling their guts and sharing information about other people on the rocket they’re running that often is referred to as a canary singing so sounds like she may be singing her little heart out. She can sing and sing and sing as long as she wants to what’s done is done. And the people that are involved have long memories and I wouldn’t want to be here her for all the money in the world! Ghislaine Maxwell paid $25K to fake news purveyor Jacob Wohl to ‘smear Epstein victims and to get prosecutor Geoffrey Berman fired in attempt to stall sex trafficking investigation against her’. Ghislaine Maxwell hired Jacob Wohl to smear alleged victims of Jeffrey Epstein and her, a former friend told the DM in an exclusive interview.As part of a $25k deal, Wohl and his lobbyist colleague Jack Burkman also allegedly pushed to get former New York US Attorney Geoffrey Berman fired.Wohl and Burkman are far-right lobbyists who have become a laughing stock in DC after several failed attempts to smear top political figures. Maryland paralegal Kristin Spealman claims she was initially contacted by the duo to use her in a smear campaign against Nancy Pelosi and Ted Cruz. Spealman told DailyMail.com they bragged to her they had been hired in early June for $25,000 to dig up dirt on Maxwell’s alleged sex trafficking victims. Federal documents filed this month show a company linked to Maxwell had hired Wohl and Burkman to lobby on ‘issues relating to US DOJ, Senate Judiciary, House Judiciary.Berman’s removal was intended to stall or stop the criminal investigation into Maxwell, Spealman said. Berman was ultimately pushed out by Barr in June, but two weeks later Maxwell was charged as part of Epstein’s sex trafficking ring.

“ good news 💐💐💐💐💐MM ANON💐💐💐💐💐,it’s not c***er🙏🏻…………

💜💜💜💜💜💜THIS IS MARVELLOUS NEWS, JUST A GIFT FROM GOD💜💜💜💜💜!!💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻PG🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻💜💜💜💜💜. 💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐💐

By-polar ……………

I think this could have two meetings possibly the first one being actual bipolar disorder the Axis l psychiatric diagnosis.. Kanye West has been all over the place in the last week or a bit more giving speeches and just saying if you run for president and then changing his mind and you will see what you have all seen the media.. He’s being made a laughing stock! He is being laughed at and joked about when it is so obvious obvious to me, because I’ve worked in mental health, but I think it would be obvious to anyone, that he is not well and needs to be formed or that’s what we call it formed if he doesn’t agree to go into hospital for treatment. This is so sad to watch somebody just implode like this it is it’s just it’s heartbreaking!

The other option might be actually true bipolar from the northpole and the south pole. We’ve seen COVID-19 spread from China across if you can on this track it like a weather storm and if you look at the cases now from South America the United States is almost all covered in red it is truly affecting the whole world! With flu season coming up in the fall and the symptoms being similar it’s going to be very difficult.. I am already stocking up on toilet paper and like non-perishables I don’t want to be caught up in another lockdown situation where we can’t get the things that we need. So they’re working hard on a vaccine and that can come sooner the better. But I highly recommend everybody over 50 or if you had chronic medical conditions to get the flu vaccine this year. I’ve taken the flu vaccine every year since I was 18 when I started nursing school. I’ve had lots of head cold and sinus infections but I’ve never actually really had the exact flu. That’s just my encouragement to you. I’ve been lucky the last five or seven however many years more than that that the public health nurse comes right into my home to do my flu vaccine. And when I had my appointment with the doctor via phone last week he said that would happen again this year so I was very relieved to hear that.

“ what , not the nurses” …………

Consistently when statistics are collated nursing remains in the top five most high risk , violence encountered on the job. The field that I worked in, Psychiatry, was especially so! Also nurses working in long-term patients with Alzheimer’s geriatric patients. Every shift I worked, hardly a shift went by for me, or my co-workers, that I or someone, didn’t get sworn at, called every name under the book, spit at, stuff thrown at including bodily products, punched and I’ve had a couple serious assaults. I won’t go into that, but some it’s a very dangerous profession and it’s not one for the faint of heart that’s for sure. in addition to double shifts, mandated overtime, staff shortages, critically ill patients, life and death, arrogant doctors. But it’s a calling, l did in service of my faith.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Tv news viewers and those who witnessed are left horrified after NHS nurse is bitten and punched while trying to treat a patient under arrest in 24 Hours in A&E. Getting better and is the worst. I knew a nurse that worked in long-term care and she was bitten on the thumb and she ended up losing whole function her arm she developed an infection and went all the way up her arm and she wasn’t able to work she was so so so so sick for so long and yeah it’s no joke! Staff nurse Graeme, from UK, was bitten and punched by a patient under arrest. The team tried to restrain patient while continuing to give him the care he needed.This Appeared on last night’s episode of Channel 4’s 24 Hours in A&E. I hope that nurse is OK physically and she’s being looked after mentally with debriefing and the support from her management team that’s critically important.

Biker Justice ……………

Poor lad Harry Dunn. He las killed last year by the wife of an American spy, driving the wrong side of the road. She and her family immediately fled the U.K. returning home to America. His family has been very actively seeking justice. There is an active warrant for her arrest valid in the U.K. Until now the U.S. has refused to extradite her back to the U.K. The mother of the teenage motorcyclist who was killed in a collision with a US diplomat’s wife accused Dominic Raab of being a “lost child in an adult’s world” as he greeted the US secretary of state on Tuesday.Charlotte Charles was at the gates of Downing Street to watch the arrival of Mike Pompeo, the U.S Secretary of State. said that “words are not enough anymore”.A Downing Street spokeswoman said the prime minister emphasised the need for justice for a Harry Dunn and his surviving family! “He said there was a strong feeling among the people of the UK that justice must be delivered,” she said. Charles, who was accompanied by her partner, Bruce, and lawyer, Radd Seiger, said that she had come “to show Mr Pompeo and Mr Raab and Mr (Boris) Johnson that I’m not just going to stick on my TV and watch them at home.This far , Justice remains elusive. When they went to America, the driver was waiting to meet with them but they refused unless she returned to the U.K. Well as we know, she has failed to do that. Her conscience must be eating her up, she has young children. Sad from all sides, tragic!🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻Parts from the DM.

Cor,i bin apologising ……………

Typical British and Oz slang Cor, for Christ. Jeremy Corbin, former as of April 2020, Keir Starmer is the leader now.Labour Party Leader is furious. Jeremy Corbyn facing legal action by Labour anti-Semitism whistleblowers and journalist after he attacked Keir Starmer’s ‘disappointing’ apology and £500,000 libel payout to them over Panorama investigation into the party under his leadership.Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party made formal apology to whistleblowers today at the High Court in London. The move came as part of a settlement that seeks ot make a clean break with policy under Jeremy Corbyn.Whistleblowers sued party for defamation over its response to a BBC Panorama investigation last year. DM

“ I wish her hell”………………

21 Jul2020 “I wish her well,” ‪@realDonaldTrump‬ says of Jeffrey Epstein’s associate Ghislaine Maxwell. I’ll put this here as well because I think their part and parcel of the same the Wishingwell and I wish her that that word that’s there. So President Trump was tweeting with regards to GM and he tweeted in the previous crew there it said wishing the ““Wishingwell“ and so here it is more the chatter online about what he really should have said or wanted to say maybe. It’s odd it’s on my copy can you resubmit it again OK

LA to stay away ………………

Poor poor Rachel, my hearts bleeds for you NOT!! ‘Cooped up’ Meghan wants to leave (her ? Since when is it hers?.??). The $18M sprawling mega-mansion, that belongs to Tyler Perry NOT HER!! , to celebrate her August birthday - and will make guests get tested for Covid-19 beforehand. I still don’t believe she was there not for one single solitary seconds! If she was there she would be posting pictures of her sitting on the marble counters and on the huge bet there would be pictures from here to Hells half Acre of her all over that place! Her PR is saying her and Prince Harry are feeling cooped up. Well he is not with her. so I don’t think she knows if he’s cooped up!🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂. I believe that she is cooped up because she is probably in a one bedroom bachelor apartment of some sort certainly not an $18 million mansion! The 38-year-old’s birthday is around the corner on August 4. Oh please don’t tell me I share my birthday month with that SEAHAG!😳😳😳😳😳😳. The friend, now which friend might this be interesting?explained madam thinks a change of scenery. Madam thinks it would be nice in Montecito, outside of Santa Barbara, where friend OW lives!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂😂! Now SHES using her PR screaming to OW for help. Madam would require anyone who attends her soiree to get a fast-tracked Covid-19 test, but stressed the guest list would only be her closest friends.Soiree? She doesn’t even know that word she’s never heard of it before soirée how very 1940s love you Madam. The mysterious friend chimed in again ‘Meghan said it will be low-key. She said she doesn’t want to come across as being careless and irresponsible. After all we’ve seen and heard she doesn’t want to come across as careless and irresponsible oh my goodness!😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

kiss and MAKE UP ………………. Puh-leeze🥱🥱🥱🥴🥴🥴🤢🤢🤢.In court in the Daily saga of JD and AH we have learned from her truthful, sane, reliable, honest, sincere testimony, we learned this. Last year sometime, l don’t know the date, ow l do, December 16/2015, she appeared on a show called James Corden Late Late Show. I have never heard of him or the show. Anyways, she alleges, she had to cover her face with makeup because JD tried to smother her with a pillow. Wow she must have sharp pillows eh? It was almost like this court case was planned an ordained to be occurring at this time because the behaviours so much similar to Madam just a eerie! how come she wears so much make up every other day then? How does she account for that? Have you get scratched like that an injured with a pillow like my pillows or soft pillowcases or soft???

Colonel Cam. ………… The Duke and Duchess of a Cambridge on Tuesday released two new photos of their eldest child Prince George for of his seventh birthday on Wednesday, including one of him wearing a camouflage print T-shirt, or camp as the kids here call it. His choice of clothes is remarkably similar to those worn by his father In his childhood. As a young boy, William loved to dress up in army uniforms with his younger brother Harry. He was also pictured playing in the garden of Highgrove 1986, aged four, wearing the parachute regiment uniform, including a maroon beret. The Prince of Wales was appointed Colonel-in-Chief of the Parachute Regiment in 1977 and completed the regiment’s course the following year, where he had to take two parachute jumps in one day. Our George is really growing up isn’t he?💜💜💜💜🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻😊😊😊💜💜💜💜Too fast, George slow down please.😊

scouse rouse.

Anyone from Liverpool knows that’s a local slang word for somebody real scouse! Scouse or scousers users formally known as Liverpool English or Merseyside English) is an accent and dialect of English originating in the northwest county of Merseyside. The Scouse accent is highly distinctive and has little in common with those of the neighbouring regions.Wiki

Scousers had a massive street party! Thousands of Liverpool fans feel the streets as a premier league trophy was lifted for the first time.! Social distancing was ignored and please demands to go home or ignored so they and they were also setting off fireworks in smoke farms. Another words doing whatever the other group of fans does when their team wins the championship!DM. GSTQAOBC 🇨🇦🇬🇧🇦🇺🇳🇿

[lastsonlost]

It never should have happened but at least this is good news.

Now how about we fired that judg....?

Nearly two years after the death of his 21-month-old son, Jonathan Vanderhagen remained angry. The toddler, Killian, died of hydrocephalus just three days after his father filed for full custody from the boy’s mother in 2017, and Vanderhagen saw Facebook as an outlet for not just his grief but as a way to honor his son’s spirit in photos of the boy laughing and playing with musical instruments.

It was also a way to lash out at the family court judge, Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Rachel Rancilio, who oversaw the custody case in Michigan through which Vanderhagen hoped to win sole custody of his son after alleging the boy’s mother was not taking him to important doctor appointments.

“My Son’s case 100% contradicts everything you claim to represent,” he wrote in one post on July 8, accompanied by photos of Rancilio hugging her father at a ceremony to join the Michigan governor’s task force on child abuse. “So wait Rachel you claim to be an advocate for ‘child abuse & neglect’ … very interesting … does my son Killian not fall into that category, does he not matter ?!?!”

In several posts from early July, he shared some of the judge’s personal social media posts and suggested that Rancilio needed to be removed from her seat on the bench.

The harsh words left the judge upset. What Vanderhagen viewed as free speech, Rancilio deemed a threat. The 35-year-old Chesterfield Township, Mich., man was arrested for his Facebook posts in July, and spent almost two months in jail awaiting a verdict.

On Thursday, Vanderhagen was acquitted on the misdemeanor charge of malicious use of a telecommunication device, concluding the case that has gripped the Detroit area for months and rekindled debates about what content represents a legitimate threat on social media.

“I am thankful the jury could see the truth,” Vanderhagen told reporters outside the courthouse.

In September 2017, Killian died of complications related to hydrocephalus, a health condition he was born with, the Macomb Daily reported. The father alleged that Killian’s mother wasn’t taking him to doctor’s appointments, but police did not press criminal charges in the boy’s death. He had been fighting for sole custody, but the boy was living with his mother when he died.

On social media, the bearded and tattooed dad frequently writes about his son. He shares photos with his black hair slicked back, laughing with his son or kissing the top of the smiling baby’s head. He posts items and memes featuring Charlie Brown and Snoopy, “Peanuts” characters that were special to his son.

The same online space where Vanderhagen shared memories of better days was also where the father blamed the court for not moving more swiftly in his custody case.

“I wont stop till changes are made, people are held accountable, careers are ended, & these kids get the justice they deserve,” he wrote in one of his Facebook posts.

After being made aware of Vanderhagen’s Facebook posts, Rancilio called the Macomb County Sheriff’s Office, which assigned an officer to investigate the content. After watching two videos and reviewing posts in which Vanderhagen accused Rancilio of being corrupt and elitist, the officer concluded the judge wasn’t at risk.

“At no time does he threaten harm or violence,” the officer’s police report says. “At this time, it does not appear there is any threat to Judge Rancilio.”

Despite that conclusion, the sheriff’s office increased patrols near the judge’s house. Vanderhagen was arraigned and his bond was set at a $10,000 on July 11, according to court records.

Vanderhagen, who paid $1,000 to get out of jail, then promptly returned to his keyboard. He posted several new complaints about how his son had been treated by the court.

A week later, he appeared in court again and a judge determined he had violated the terms of his bond. Among the posts the prosecutor used to paint Vanderhagen as menacing was a photo of himself holding a shovel with Rancilio’s initials photoshopped on the handle in neat, cursive lettering.

“Dada back to digging,” he wrote. “You best believe im gonna dig up all the skeletons in this court’s closet.”

When she saw that post, Rancilio testified in court, she feared for her life. A single mother of two children, the judge told the court she hired a security guard, installed a new home alarm system and didn’t let her kids play outside alone. Prosecutors argued the bereaved father had crossed a line by collecting information and screen shots from her personal social media accounts — moving from criticism to online stalking.

“I thought he was going to kill me and bury me after he was done,” she said on the witness stand Tuesday, according to the Detroit Free Press. “I was scared. I was afraid something bad was going to happen to myself or my children.”

The prosecution argued in court that both the volume and content of Vanderhagen’s posts, especially the ones that included photos of her family members, inspired real fear. Assistant Macomb Prosecuting Attorney Elizabeth Rittinger said the threats did not need to be direct to frighten the judge.

“It is undisputed that Rachel Rancilio felt threatened,” Rittinger told the Macomb Daily.

It’s not unusual for judges to receive threats on social media and pursue charges against the posters. But those threats are typically more specific and violent than Vanderhagen’s Facebook diatribes.

Two men threatened to beat an Ohio judge in 2018 who presided over juvenile cases. Earlier this year, an Illinois man who had been scolded by a judge for disrupting court posted her photo and address with the caption “she is going to get it.” But whether threats — even explicit ones — made on social media are “true threats” is a thorny issue that has risen all the way to the Supreme Court, which set a very high bar for defining a threat in its 2015 opinion for Elonis v. United States. To be a threat, the court ruled in an 8-to-1 decision, the poster has to intend to scare someone.

When Vanderhagen was arrested a second time on July 24 for violating a no-contact order by writing more posts on Facebook, his attorney argued the father didn’t mean for Rancilio to feel afraid.

“There’s no threats,” argued attorney Nicholas Somberg at a bail hearing after his client was arrested again and held on a $500,000 bond, the Macomb Daily reported. “There’s no reaching out to Judge Rancilio. There’s been no contact. There’s no inadvertent messages. All the messages after the no contact (order) are all very innocuous. There’s things going on behind the scenes, so what?”

A Michigan jury agreed. The jurors deliberated for 26 minutes on Thursday before Vanderhagen was acquitted and released.

"I think that Jonathan should continue speaking the truth, I think he should continue researching our elected public officials and telling people what happened to him and warning other people about the court system,” Somberg said after the verdict.

Rancilio did not immediately return a request for comment late Thursday night.

Vanderhagen told the court he had been digging up information about the court to warn people about his bad experiences. He added that he did not mean to threaten or harass the judge.

“It’s not to terrorize her,” he said, according to the Detroit Free Press, “it’s to warn people.”

@specifictag