Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 147

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Cathy starts to appreciate what happened and how much she is indebted to Tom Agnew, Professor of Zoology extraordinaire. She agrees to pay back some of the debt.

Easy As Falling Off A Bike.
by: Angharad
part: 147.

The details of my attack were hazy to me, and it was only what the professor was able to tell me later that brought home to me how close I'd been to serious injury or even death. Had she found my genitals and hacked them off, I could have died from blood loss or infection.

Had Professor Agnew not responded so promptly, she could have slashed or stabbed my drugged body or face. His calling me, because he was bogged down with paperwork, saved my life. Sadly, his paperwork had to wait.

I woke up in hospital, sleeping off the effects of the drug, which is one of the benzodiazepines and designed for treating insomnia on a short term basis. I slept for a full twenty four hours, awaking to find Simon snoring in the chair alongside me.

"Where am I?" I asked completely confused by my surroundings.

"Um, what, where, erm?" said Simon, looking completely stunned.

"What am I doing in hospital?" I plucked at the hospital gown I wore.

"You don't remember?" said Simon.

"Don't remember what?"

"See I knew you wouldn't."

"Wouldn't what?"

"Remember." He grinned at me, but my mood was not influenced by it at all.

"For God's sake Simon, stop messing about and tell me what happened."

"I can't, I wasn't there. All I know is Mary apparently tried to kill you and the Professor tried to stop her and got stabbed."

"Oh no!" I shrieked, he isn't dead is he?" I felt tears running down my face.

"No, it was in the shoulder, he's in hospital, but he should be okay."

"Mary, why would she want to harm me?"

"I dunno babe, maybe she was jealous you were marrying me, I do have this affect upon women," he grinned.

"I thought your last three girlfriends took holy orders and went into a monastery."

"Monastery, don't you mean nunnery or convent?"

"No a monastery, they'd have more fun fulfilling the orders from the monks there."

"I'll bet!" He laughed, "Have I told you you're crazy?"

"Yes but agreeing to marry you has confirmed the diagnosis, it's in the DSM IV."

"What is?"

"It goes something like, 'All young women agreeing to marry a member of the peerage, want their head examined and should be sectioned immediately, as they are likely to be barking mad'."

"Absolutely, but I love you, crazy as you are." He stood up and kissed me.

"How's the knee?" I asked seeing him walking more or less normally.

"Oh it's painful," he said limping.

"You big baby," I accused.

"Ha, hark who's talking. I actually get shot and you call me names. You only nearly get stabbed and you're in bloody hospital."

"I got poisoned."

"Drugged." He corrected me.

"Poisoned, you should have seen the colour of the coffee she gave me, it was like something they dredge from the dockyard."

"So you do remember it?" he asked.

"Oh God, Spike! She didn't harm my dormice did she?"

"I don't know, I wasn't called until after it was all over."

"Where is she now?" I asked feeling a little apprehensive even though Simon was with me.

"In the mortuary."

"What?" I felt the colour drain from me, as I fell back on the bed in a faint.

I came around with a nurse patting my hand and calling my name. "What happened?"

"You fainted because I told you Mary Miller was dead."

"I didn't kill her did I?" I felt my heart rate rocket.

"As far as I know she was shot by a police marksman as she tried to kill old Agnew."

"Oh my God, how awful." I felt sick and only just managed to get the receiver in place in time. Simon turned a pale green and abruptly decamped.

I was eventually checked over by a doctor who discharged me. Once I had my clothes on, I asked Simon if we could go and see Professor Agnew. He made some enquiries and, the sister on our ward called his ward. They said I could go and see him.

Simon forgot about his limp until he saw me watching his gait, then he began to limp badly. I slapped him on the arm and he laughed and walked normally again, claiming that the pain in his arm overrode that in his leg, enabling him to walk normally. I shook my head, I was sure the whole family were mad as hatters.

Once we got to the ward, we were shown to his bed. He was asleep and looked awful, there was a blood drip attached to his arm. I pointed at the drip, "It should be Cabernet Sauvignon," I said.

"A good choice, please ask them to order it immediately," said a voice from the bed.

"Sorry Prof, did I wake you up?"

"Oh what a thought that would be?"

"What?" I asked blythely.

"Waking up to you each morning. I feel better already." He looked over at me and smiled, I blushed like a tomato.

" 'Oy watch it," growled Simon, "She's mine."

"Children please," I said, "no fighting. I am nobody's. I am a human being not some sort of possession. I am, full stop, there is no owner's name after it."

"Just ignore the feminist diatribe, I'll beat her later," said Simon.

"Good thinking, since we stopped that they've outgrown their station," agreed the professor.

"I refuse to be involved in this puerile conversation," I said pouting. Simon sniggered and the professor smirked.

"Right, how are you boss?" I asked.

"I've felt better."

"Would a kiss help?"

"Oh I'm sure it would do immeasurable good," he winked at me.

"Thank you for saving my life," I said before pecking him on the cheek.

"That's okay."

"I'm sorry you got hurt because of me, and I'm sorry that Mary was killed."

"Yes so am I. If she'd really wanted to kill me, she could have you know. This was just to pay me back for all the pain I caused her."

"Rest now," I instructed, "You can tell me about it another day, when you feel better." I squeezed his right hand, the wound being to his left shoulder.

I kissed him again, Simon shook his hand gently and muttered, "Thanks". When I looked at him oddly he said, once we were outside the ward, "I thanked him for saving the life of my future wife," he put his arm around me.

"That was nice of you."

"Well I'll send him a case of his favourite tipple when he gets home, should help kill the pain."

I had the next day off and cooked Simon and Stella the roast dinner they'd missed the day before. It went down very well. We were just basking in a post prandial glow, when the phone rang.

Stella answered it and called me, "It's your university."

I shuddered hoping nothing had happened to Prof Agnew. "Hello, Cathy Watts speaking."

"Hello Cathy, it's Dr Andrews."

"The prof is okay, isn't he?"

"As far as I know, oh I see. Yes he's okay, however the department isn't. Both the stalwarts who run it are missing, if you take my drift."

"Yes, I understand, how I can I help?"

"Well, until Tom returns, can you take over managing the survey project? You know as much as anyone else does, except the Prof. The other admin stuff, we are sorting. I've got a temp coming in tomorrow to help you with the typing, letters and so on."

"I don't know?" I felt somewhat overwhelmed at the prospect.

"Can you have a look tomorrow morning and let me know as soon as you do know? This is a priority for the Faculty, we can't lose the funding now, it's critical we keep it running until Tom comes back."

"Okay, I'll do it, I'll do it for Prof Agnew."

"Good lass, I knew you would, give me a report on it sometime mid week okay?"

"Erm, yes okay, I'll do my best."

"Thanks Cathy, oh by the way, we'll come to some sort of agreement on remuneration."

"That'll be alright, I owe him big time anyway."

"If I understand, one of the reasons this happened was lack of recognition of the lady who perished. I won't allow that to happen again, so we pay you, I'm sure it'll pay for some cycling gear, not that you're going to have much time for riding a bike for the forseeable future."

"No I suppose not," I agreed whistfully.

"What did they want?" asked Simon.

"They want me to run the project until Prof Agnew comes back."

"Whose bright idea was that?"

"The Dean."

"Want me to ring him up and say you can't?" said Simon looking cross.

"No! Sorry, no thanks, I need to do this for the prof."

"It's too much."

"I'll have some clerical help, I'm only going to do the minimum to hold it together."

"Yeah, famous last words, I said something like that in a previous job and cut my hours from fifty a week to sixty five."

"Simon, I know maths is not my strong point, but that was an increase not a cut."

"I know, but that is what I said, and what happened after it."

"Well it isn't going to happen to me."

"Bloody right it isn't!"

I gave him a Paddington hard stare, but he ignored it.

"You are staying here."

"Simon, I make my own decisions, I'm a big girl now."

"Are you? Well I'm a bigger than you and I say you stay. Please?"

"Okay, I will for a few nights, but if I need to go back to my room, I decide not you, agreed?"

"Hmm dunno."

"Okay, I shall go back tonight."

"No, agreed."

"You are my fiance Simon, not my owner, I thought we'd sorted this already. This ring," I waved my hand, "means I am not available for marriage to someone else. It doesn't make me a chattel, and if you say 'pity' or something similar, you get the jewellery back too."

"I wasn't going to say anything. I'm a great believer in the libido, I mean liberation of women."

"One of these days Simon Cameron...."

"One of these days, what, Catherine Watts?"

"You'll live longer not knowing," I said trying to sound mysterious except I didn't think it had worked.

"Oh, like that is it?" He grabbed me and pulled to his knee and holding me with his bad arm, tickled me with the other. I hate him!

Angharad.Angharad.Angharad.Angharad.Angharad.Angharad.Angharad.

Don't forget comments, they make the author come to life, or should that be story? Nah it doesn't matter.

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Comments

The Soap Continues!

Well, I see we've neither declared victory and decamped, nor started plotting the big all-dancing, all-singing musical comedy ending. Instead, the soap opera slips into a new chapter and a new phase. Ding dong, the witch is dead! Long live the zoology department! If this was a tv series, this episode would be the start of a new season.

One can hardly wait for the predictably unpredictable developments!

Oh, wait. I know there was only a very passing hint at dormice in this episode, and not enough to justify me posting an entirely gratuitous picture, but when has that ever stopped me?

Entirely gratuitous picture of dormouse:

No, this isn't Spike, either, but it sure is a cute little devil, isn't it?

Soap!

Angharad's picture

I'll bet you thought I was all washed up, I'm not, nor in a spin, just wrung out.

Love the piccy, Gratuitous dormouse eh? Must be a different species to the Common one.

Hugs,

Angharad

Angharad

Good Oh - the story continues

Pippa, any chance you could offer a short course in image insertion for the terminally inept? With the management's permission, of course. I've had a quick look at the page source but html is one language (of many) I know nothing about and I haven't written any software for over 10 years - and that was for a PIC rather than a PC :0)

thanks Angharad :)

Geoff

Sorry to bud in

but I simply couldn't resist.

You can insert pictures with <img src='http://[website_with_picture]/[picture_name] /> Like this one:

<img src='http://www.booswigte.com/images/kittywave2.jpg' alt='Excuse me...' />

Excuse me...

hth :)

Couldn't resist this purrfect opportunity to show another fun lolcat picture.

Thanks for another fun episode of EAFOAB

Jo-Anne

Embedded Pictures

Two comments:

1) How did you show the code to embed without it actually executing? I know the code, but when I tried to show it in a message, all that happened is that it showed an image where I was trying to show code. I resorted to the lame work-around of using the wrong brackets.

2) Just a quick note to the uninitiated in the ways of the internet: It's not a good idea to embed a picture by remotely referencing it from another site. This should probably be a hard and fast rule, although I've cheated on this myself. It's okay to hotlink to an entire html page, as usually no one minds that, it's the nature of the internet. But linking to a photo file alone can be considered bandwidth theft, and site owners can see who is linking to it, lock it out, and send nasty messages. The ethically superior, although apparently sneakier, approach is to actually copy the picture to the same site with the page that you're going to embed it on. Either way, you're borrowing someone else's picture, but at least the second way, you're not taking any of their bandwidth, and bandwidth is what costs site owners money.

The dormouse pix I harvested off the 'net were copied into my personal file directory here on TopShelf. In some cases, I took the opportunity to reduce their size, increase their storage compression, and/or color-correct the photo before I did. Once the files are in your personal directory, you can reference them without worrying about whether the other site is up or whether you're hurting another site. If an image is explicitly copyrighted, you should neither copy it nor directly reference it on your page. You can, however, reference the entire page it's on.

When you're right

you're right.

The code has been explained huh. So to the second comment:

Essentially you're right. It's considered “bad practice” and you shouldn't embed pictures like that.

Unless the site where you found these doesn't mind you hotlinking them. Like the pictures I found on icanhascheezburger.com a popular lolcats picture showcase site. Like I found this one
lolcats and funny pictures
Where they explicitly say themselves: Put this pic on your blog or myspace! and provide an input box for you to copy the url from.

Of course the purpose of this is to get more traffic to their site, but still. No one's holding a gun to visitors' heads for them to click on the picture

Then for the pictures I've embedded earlier, I linked them from another site. www.booswigte.com. Um, well, I know the owners, they didn't mind. For pictures to embed combined with upping them to a personal directory. . . I didn't know I had that! Here on BC. Do I? Or do you have to be a author first?

The actual picture I submitted here, doesn't reflect my opinion to your comment, or you Pippa, it was just a bit of fun.

Jo-Anne

So, Do You Have To Be An Author?

I can't answer that question. But, perhaps you can. Click on "my account". You should have a couple of tabs. I'm pretty sure everyone gets the "Track" tab. If you have a "Personal Files" tab, then the answer is that you don't have to be an author. Otherwise, go write something!

LOL,

Pippa
~~~~~

Nope.. No dice

I ain't got no "Personal Files" tab.. Or I'm too blonde to find it, but I don't think so. Guess I have to become an author... Oh man!

Jo-Anne

*What to write? Ghee... how about? Naah. Gawd, this is going to take time. If ever...*

Re: The Soap Continues

Actually, Pippa, if this were a TV series, the season would have ended on the cliffhanger of the previous chapter. The last chapter would have been the beginning of the ensuing season, with this chapter the second episode of the new season! ;-)

Jenny

Cute

Am I allowed to say that dormouses are cute? Seriously (why?) I just love this story and I am most impressed with the way that contrary Mary got done away with. Please do continue with this, it is one of the highlights of my day.

Susie

Yes I do know that the plural of dormouse isn't dormouses - it was a wind-up.

Plurals

Of course, Susan. Everybody knows that the plural of dormouse is dormeece. Were my tomcat still around, he'd have said more than one is called snacks.

Thanks for another riveting chapter, sis. I much prefer rivets, much more stylish than nails. Even if it is easier to get your nails done than your rivets. ;)

KJT

"Being a girl is wonderful and to torture someone into that would be like the exact opposite of what it's like. I don’t know how anyone could act that way."

College Girl - poetheather


"Life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.”
George Carlin

Was so happy to take a look

Was so happy to take a look at your story in the listings and find out that you have continued it. Cathy is finally coming into her own as a woman, a caring person and a biologist/scientist. She just does not get it that others have always seen her that way. Very female, very personable,caring, and an excellent biologist/scientist.
Simon, in many ways, acts very much like my brothers, and like most men I know. Make tactless comments about or to their girl and/or Women friends, sisters or main Girlfriend or other females they might know and then don't understand why the comments just might be hurtful as they believe they did it in jest.
I love Cathy's comments about being chattle, I applaude her for them and standing up for them. No brand on us, She is exactly right, the Ring signifys our acceptance of One Man and not that we become his property.
Janice Lynn

Hurrah!

I knew you could do it!

Thanks for not stopping, I mean, there were just too many loose ends that needed tying up and now look, the whole story's expanded again - brilliant!

Excellent episode Angharad and thank you.

NB

Most of the cast

Most of the cast is busy recovering from hospital visits in this chapter. All in all things are pretty quiet :)
Considering Angharad managed to put almost half a dozen of her leading characters in the hospital so far (not counting Stella who only works there), I'm not going to volunteer to be a character in one of her stories.

Hugs,

Kimby

Hugs,

Kimby

That was an idea I never Thought of

A monastery, though we did not have one near by had the equivalent 2 seminaries and of course there were 2 other naval bases(besides the one my Hubby was stationed at) and an army base near by. Nothing worse than a drunk Nympho insomniac, that had been home alone for 5 months trying to be the perfect wife and stay celibate. Yes at that time I would have had a grand time at a monastery. Well almost to 150yes still an insomniatic Nymph but I am in better control I read and enjoy cry and shudder all the way through each chapter and it is such a great story thank you. It is a bit strange I look back at those days over 20 years ago and smile even though it was a low point for me. your words have for some reason taken me back in time to them but it is Joyful memories for I have grown from that time and you have helped me understand it better than ever. Thank you

Goddess Bless you

Love Desiree

Goddess Bless you

Love Desiree

comments

Your shameless begging for comments finally got to me. I LOVE THIS SERIES! I love your writing, the plots, the humor ( I laughed so hard a couple chapters back I couldn't stop but at least I didn't wet myself). The conflicts you set up can be so hilarious and yet so touching. At times I cried so hard i couldn't read any further.
So get over the negative comments at the bottom of the pages and feel the glow of accomplishment. You are good, believe me. You have a special gift for story telling and I love it.

easterbunny2.jpg Larissajo

Payment

OK, I said three sentences before. One by one the issues are tying up. So far I am enjoying the ride, and I get to know it goes much further. You have ruined my sleep, as I try to catch up. Wait, that was 4, er 5. Opps

Wild ride

I'm working my way through the story slowly. I wonder if I'll ever catch up? But I have to say it's been a wild ride so far.

I have been wondering for a while about all that swooning. It doesn't seem quite natural. I'm sure that will be answered eventually.

Bad Dream Sequence

I'm bad, How could I have doubted you ? Maybe all those nice normal chapters, Should have paid more attention to the Cliff Notes version at the top She is now in charge. Why do I think Agnew has been heading in this direction?? Hey, no Stella ? Mr Christian is looking for her.
Good one,

Cefin