| Mandm |
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| Part 15.050 ‑ From school to club |
This story is a complete work of fiction. Whilst some research effort has been made, nothing should be taken as factual, in particular anything to do with medical, legal, technical, political, social, educational or religious issues. Any opinions expressed are those of the characters, not necessarily the author's.
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Months go by, as schoolgirls get their A‑level exam results, many leave. The younger ones take their GCSE exams, some leave, some stay to get A‑levels. The four girls all take their A‑levels one year after getting their GCSE results, their tutors find they do this easily.
On the twins' eighteenth birthday, the morning was spent with general partying by the girls. There were no presents, the twins had said they didn't want anything ‑ they were never interested in possessions of any sort, the only exceptions were the necklaces that they'd received from Kitty and Chloe's Australian friends.
Lunch was a buffet, culminating in a cake in the shape of the number eighteen, set with eighteen candles. Perhaps typically, much of the cake was spread over everyone as far more was thrown around than was eaten.
Lunch over, Kitty and Chloe told the twins they'd arranged something for the twins that afternoon in the twins house, so the four said their goodbyes to the others girls, who lined the way to the stairs to make the twins run a gauntlet of happy birthday wishes and kisses.
Downstairs, the four put on their cycling kit and rode to the twins' house. Inside, they took off their cycling clothes, Kitty and Chloe sat the twins in the living room. Kitty made them all some tea; while she was in the kitchen she made a brief phone call. As they started sipping their tea, Midge asked "Why have you brought us here?" Molly: "We know we said we wanted the evening here, but it's only half past two." Chloe replied "We have a treat for you."
A few minutes later the doorbell rang, Kitty went to answer it, she led Maurice and Conner into the living room. Chloe: "One" Kitty: "each." Without any further prompting, Midge grabbed Conner's hand dragged him up to the parents' bedroom, Molly took Maurice to the spare room. Kitty and Chloe just sat quietly drinking their tea, both smiling.
Some time later, the two boys left, each getting thankyou kisses from all four girls. Kitty then announced "Next treat, Audrey's doing us an early evening meal for six o'clock, a quick shower and we'll go round." Chloe added "They know you want to be back here by eight." Kitty added "She's probably set the table properly" ‑ she didn't want any surprises that could lead to the twins being upset.
Half an hour later they were at Daniel and Audrey's, where they were ushered into the sitting room. All four got hugs from Audrey, she said "Many happy returns." Audrey disappeared into the kitchen, Daniel chatted to them about nothing in particular. Soon, Audrey gave them a five minute warning, the four raced to the door, crashed into the doorframe, Molly and Chloe were yanked up off the floor by Kitty and Midge, they raced up the stairs, Audrey and Daniel just laughing at them.
As they were eating their roast beef main course, Audrey said to them "We have no idea what you might like for a birthday present." Daniel continued "Since Kitty and Chloe will be eighteen very soon, as birthday presents, we've arranged for all of you to have driving lessons at the local driving school. Hope you like the idea."
All four girls got up, two went to Audrey, hugged her, two went to Daniel, did the same. After a short while, they swapped over, Kitty said "Thank you so much, that will be really useful." All four girls sat down again, all with smiles on their faces. Daniel said "I'll email the details to one of you …" three fingers pointed at Kitty "… but basically you arrange your lessons with them, we will pay for them."
Pudding was a choice of pavlova or apple and blackberry pie. As they so often did, they all had a helping of pavlova, followed by a slice of the pie, Molly insisting on slopping a generous helping of cream over each.
Having eaten their fill, with due thanks to Audrey and after helping carry the remains of the puddings and the dirty plates into the kitchen, the girls and Audrey went into the sitting room. Daniel stayed in the kitchen to make coffee, which he brought through for them all.
When Daniel asked the twins what they were doing later, they just shook their heads. Chloe said "They won't tell anyone." Kitty added "Not even us." The twins just momentarily smiled.
A little later, the four girls arrived back at their house. The twins gave each of Kitty and Chloe a hug and a kiss. Releasing them, Molly said "We will ask you to leave now." Midge added "But please come back in the morning." In unison: "We may need you."
This had Kitty and Chloe crying as they put on their cycle gear, the tears were still flowing as they reached the building.
They cried even more when they returned early in the morning to find the twins in the kitchen kneeling on the floor. Their torsos, bottoms, thighs and arms were covered in bloody weals, blood was still coming from some of them. Because their wounds were all round, fronts, sides as well as backs, they couldn't lie down.
Kitty immediately asked "Do you need the toilet?" Both twins nodded, Midge said "Not just …" Molly: "… wee" (not that they knew which twin was which). Chloe got the plastic bowl from the sink, "Squat over this." Between them they helped Midge to firstly stand, then to position herself over the bowl. Kitty found some toilet paper, wiped Midge's bottom, she got a flannel and a mixing bowl with some warm water and washed Midge's bottom. They repeated the exercise for Molly.
With the twins more comfortable inside, Kitty and Chloe proceeded to wash all the wounds on the two, then apply some antiseptic, even the twins shuddering with the stinging. That finished, Midge said "Kitty, sitting room, computer, stop recording." When Kitty did go in, she couldn't help screaming when she saw the floor, a plastic sheet with a bloody urine mess on it. But she did as she'd been asked, stopped the computer from recording from its camera.
She returned to the kitchen to hear Chloe ask "Are you not healing yourselves as you usually do?" Kitty added "We wouldn't expect you to still be bleeding." The twins replied "It's not there …" "… at the moment."
Kitty: "In which case we need some proper medical help." Midge: "Find Emma." Molly: "Nurse at the hospital." "She knows us." "Ask for her help." Kitty, to Chloe, "Do what you can for them, make them some breakfast, I think you'll have to feed them, help them drink. I'll go to the hospital."
The three could hear Kitty crying as she left the kitchen.
Forty minutes later, the front doorbell sounded. Chloe answered it to two young women, one dressed in a nurse's uniform, the other in a white coat. The nurse spoke, "I'm Emma, this is Doc, where are they?" Chloe led them into the kitchen, where Doc immediately took charge, Emma helping her. Chloe was stood to one side, getting warm water, clean cloths or whatever Doc or Emma wanted, all the while Chloe was gently crying.
A few minutes later, Kitty came in. She asked Doc "How bad?" Doc replied "Believe it or not, no serious damage, though one of their nipples was struck right across, I can't say that will heal properly. Biggest risk is infection. Must be excruciating, though." Doc asked the twin she was working on, "Who did this to you? It's a police matter." "My sister. And I did it to her. No police." "Why?" asked Doc. Midge and Molly, in unison, just said "Wanted to."
An hour later, the twins were in bed. Doc and Emma said they would come back in a few hours, the dressings would need changing. In the meantime, sleep was called for. Doc phoned for a taxi, it arrived within a few minutes, they left.
Kitty and Chloe cleared up the mess in the kitchen, including the bowl that had been used as a toilet. In the sitting room they folded the plastic sheet in on itself to prevent anything running off it onto the carpet, they took it outside into the garden and hosed it off, leaving it outside to dry. They didn't know what to do with the whip they'd found on the plastic sheet, in the end they put it outside the back door and hosed it off as well.
At last Kitty and Chloe took their cycle kit off, they put everything that needed washing into the washing machine. Then, upstairs, they lay on the bed either side of the twins, who were asleep, holding hands.
They were woken by the doorbell, Kitty rapidly slipped on a dress and went to answer it. Emma and Doc were back, three hours had gone by since they'd left. Kitty took them up to the bedroom, where Chloe was still lying on the bed. Kitty just said "We were all sleeping." Doc said "We'll have to wake them, must change the dressings. "Already awake" came from one or other (or possibly both) of the twins. They were lying on their sides facing each other. Chloe wanted to help them sit up, but Midge said "Let us move ourselves, much safer." Chloe got off the bed, she put on a dress.
Emma asked for a bowl of warm water, Kitty got a large mixing bowl from the kitchen. Between them, Doc and Emma removed the dressings, and, with frequent changes of water in the bowl, cleaned both twins' wounds, some of which they had to stand for. More antiseptic (with some shuddering from Midge and Molly with the stinging, but not a sound), then the wounds were redressed.
Downstairs, Kitty asked if Doc and Emma would like some coffee, they made six mugs, Kitty took two upstairs to the twins. "Can you manage these all right?" Midge replied "Put them one either side, we'll be all right." "Except I made the coffee" from Kitty. "Don't" "make" "us" "laugh."
Over the next few days, Doc and Emma came in every few hours, after the fourth day it was down to twice a day. The twins were both healing as well as could be hoped, there was never any sign of infection.
After a week, the twins wanted to go back to the building. There was no way they could put on their cycling clothes, but even Molly was prepared to arrange her dress so it kept her covered. In any case, they couldn't cycle very quickly, so the wind wouldn't blowing their dresses back.
Kitty phoned Emma to tell her they were in the building, the two came to check up on the twins after their ride. It was on this visit that Doc said she'd been asked to leave the hospital, Emma had resigned as well. Apparently patients had complained about the two behaving inappropriately with each other. Midge immediately offered them the small dormitory to use, which they accepted, though said they wouldn't be happy unless they were on their own somewhere. Kitty suggested they could renovate one of the derelict cottages, but it would have to wait for suitable funding.
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All four girls each got four very good A-level exam results. Midge and Molly went to one of the prestigious universities to read for the degrees they wanted, paid for from their parents' estate.
Chloe had no independent funding, but she still wanted a degree. Kitty had her uncle's inheritance, but Chloe absolutely refused to let Kitty fund her. Kitty wouldn't leave Chloe behind, so Kitty and Chloe both did online degrees. Kitty and Chloe sometimes stayed at the twins' house, sometimes in the building, where many of the girls rescued from the convent were still living.
As might be expected, Midge and Molly met with many other students. They would have relationships, they would be with a couple of boys for a term or two, always they made sure the boys understood these relationships would never lead anywhere, they were just for fun at the time.
Of course, at every opportunity Midge and Molly came home, always the greetings were prolonged and intense.
Over several of these homecomings, Midge and Molly would talk with Kitty and Chloe about using the building, how their idea for a club might work, how they would get members, ideas for numbers, privacy, organisation including security, what they would need to charge members.
When they'd got a fairly good idea of what they thought they could do, they started discussions with the girls who were living in the building. All of them still there had been sterilised while at school, all were very sexually active, at least amongst themselves. All were excited by the idea of a club.
The four would often visit Daniel and Audrey, usually Samuel and Natalie would be there as well. The twins were quite open about the relations they had with boys at university, as were Kitty and Chloe who continued to occasionally see Maurice and Conner. While the adults may not really approve of the girls' behaviour, they understood it was how they were.
On one of their visits, while they were drinking coffee in the sitting room after the meal Audrey had cooked for them, Audrey said "Come on, you've been very quiet since you arrived, there's clearly something on your minds. Out with it."
Kitty started. "Look, you know we love you." Chloe next "And we really don't want to hurt you." Midge: "We know what we want to do with the building." Molly blurted out "Adult club." Gasps from Audrey and Natalie, Samuel was open mouthed. With his professional training, Daniel managed to keep a blank expression, other than perhaps a momentary frown.
Kitty broke the silence that had ensued, "Club isn't really the right word for it." Chloe: "Maybe theatre." Kitty "But the present planning permission is for a club."
Daniel managed to speak. "Tell us."
Midge and Molly alternated, "You know our" "desires are" "high. You know" "that all" "of us have" "been with boys." "Molly and" "Midge know" "two boys at university, one" "of them took" "us to his" "home. Parents saw us kissing, said" "would pay to see" "it. Told other boy's" "parents. All four watched" "us playing, then got us" "round without boys. Had" "fun. Paid us. Said" "they knew more who would" "like it. So a market." "Building would" "turn into" "suitable place. Other" "girls still there want" "to join in." "Play with" "each other" "and with" "members." "Finance startup" "from estate and" "Kitty inheritance."
After a long silence, Kitty said "We need help and advice both legally and financially." Chloe added "We can do this, but don't want help from anyone but you." Midge: "Need your support." Molly: "Want blessing." Kitty: "We know approval is asking too much."
Audrey was in tears, Natalie was on the verge. Samuel was frowning. After another silence, Daniel said "I suppose this isn't a complete surprise, you've hinted you had an idea about how you might use the building. I think I speak for all us, no, we don't approve. But I also know you will go ahead with or without approval or help from us. Audrey, can you feed them tomorrow evening?" Audrey managed a nod. "I'm going to ask you to leave us now, we will talk it over. Come back tomorrow, we'll eat and discuss it after that."
The four got up, Kitty immediately went to Audrey, hugged her, whispered in her ear "It's normally you comforting me. Please don't be upset, it'll be all right." Audrey gave her a kiss, as she and Natalie did to all four of the girls, Daniel and Samuel just hugged them.
The next evening, the meal was eaten in near silence, though all four girls did thank Audrey. When they were sat drinking their coffee, Daniel started by saying "You are right that we can't approve, what you propose goes against our mores. We also know that you are fixed on doing this unless you can see a good reason not to."
He paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. "The fact that you ask for our help in itself tells us that you are not going into this without due consideration, you are not being stupid about starting a venture, which, as far as I am aware, is unique, has no precedent.
"Without going into details of what you will be doing, do you have any sort of business plan? How much it will cost to start? What it will cost to run? How you will find members as I think you called them? How much you need to charge, and will members be prepared to pay?"
Midge just said "Kitty." Kitty started, "Easy one first. Altering the building isn't all that expensive, much is adaptation from what is already there, most of it fits what we want very well, mostly adding to what's already on the ground floor. And some extra electricals including upgrading the security camera system and provision for more associated data storage. We've sketched out what we want, Benny has given us a ballpark figure. We do need some more furniture, we've priced that as far as we can."
She continued "Running costs are really based on what we already know about the building, there are additional costs to do with cleaning and so on, and we expect clothing to be an on‑going expense, but these are relatively minor. A more significant running cost is that we would want to treat the girls as employees, so salaries, necessary government contributions, pension plans, insurance. We need advice on this. Finding members is the twins' province, how much we need to charge is something else we want advice on."
Chloe muttered "Accountant." Kitty: "Yes, thank you, Chloe. Another ongoing expense would be paying, hopefully, Samuel to do the accounts for the business and for all the employees' incomes."
Midge took it up. "Getting members we don't think will be too hard. As we told you, we have already met some people who we believe would jump at what we want to offer. They are quite rich, they can easily afford the sort of figure we have in mind. They have a lot of contacts, we're pretty sure that there will be plenty, and from the talks we've had, repeats are very likely. But we don't want to charge more than we have to, we want to keep our potential customer base as wide as we can. We are thinking of only having married couples as members, we think this is best."
Natalie spoke, "May I ask a question?" Daniel and Midge both said "Of course" in unison, which managed to bring smiles to everyone. "Aren't there some dangers? I'm thinking of a member getting out of control, also, from what I gather of what you intend to do, isn't there a health risk?"
Kitty: "Part of the camera system upgrade will enable all members to be watched at all times. If anything untoward is seen, the watchers will sound an alarm and the member will have several of our staff restraining him. We think it would almost certainly a 'him'. We don't want Midge and Molly doing the restraining, too dangerous." Midge added "We are contemplating having a security man on the premises, nothing decided yet."
Chloe, again muttering, "Questionnaire." Midge: "Oh, yes, thank you Chloe. We are thinking of asking potential members to fill in a questionnaire from which we should probably be able to spot those unsuitable as members. This would also include some sort of legally binding assurances as to behaviour, again, advice needed."
Kitty: "Natalie's question about health." Midge: "Yes. Firstly the questionnaire would enquire about the member's likelihood of having picked up anything nasty, probably worded in some way to suggest we're enquiring about how, er, their suitability to be a member. Then when they arrive, Molly or I will feel them before there's any chance of passing anything on."
Natalie asked "What do you mean, 'feel them'?" Daniel said "One of several inexplicable talents that the twins have is that they can usually tell if something's wrong with someone just by touching them." Seeing Natalie's frown, Daniel added "I don't believe it either, but I've seen it several times." "No, impossible." from Natalie.
Midge got up, went to Natalie. "Give me your hand." Natalie held it out, Midge placed hers one above, one below Natalie's. After a few seconds, Midge said "I think you've got a burn, probably on your other arm. Maybe three days ago. Other than that, and possibly a bit of a headache, you are very healthy." Natalie opened her mouth, closed it. "I burnt it on the oven. You must have seen it." Samuel shook his head, "It's been covered yesterday and today. Have you got a headache?" Natalie answered "Just a slight one, it's all this worrying."
Kitty went to Natalie, hugged her. "We don't want you to worry, nothing bad is going to happen. That's why we're here, to find out how best to do this."
After a few seconds of silence, Daniel said "I don't think we have much option." He looked at Samuel, who nodded. Daniel continued "We are going to do this properly. Firstly, Samuel and I are going to charge you our normal rates. You are all twenty‑one in a few months time. Twins, you will take over your trust. Now, Kitty, your inheritance. How liquid is it?" Kitty answered "Not much if I understand what Samual has done with it, Samuel?"
Samuel asked Kitty "You don't mind everyone knowing?" "No, not at all." "There's currently nothing liquid, it's all invested for income, which apart from what Kitty is using, I reinvest. Depending on how urgent things are, it would be best to sell it off gradually, to do a lot at once will reduce its value."
Daniel continued "You are starting a business, this will be done in a business‑like manner. Put down your thoughts on paper, your best estimates for costs and expenditures, and anything you want our input on. Then you can arrange for Samuel and me to meet with you, we will go through everything and start to form our opinions, financially and legally. However much we dislike what you are doing, we love you too much not to do our professional best for you."
A few days later, the four went to Daniel's office. They were greeted by Audrey, who hugged each of them. She went to her desk, rang through to Daniel, after a brief word with him, she said to the girls "You can go straight in, Samuel's there already."
Both men stood up as the four girls went into Daniel's office, both gave each of the girls a hug. As the girls sat in four chairs facing the desk, the two men retook their seats, Samuel sitting beside Daniel's desk and facing the girls.
Daniel started. "We need signatures to retain both of us and agree to our fees. Who's going to sign?" The four girls looked unsure, until Kitty said "I'll sign, it'll be my money available first." Daniel handed her two copies of each of two agreements, Kitty read through the top one of each then signed all of them. She passed one pair to Daniel, one to Samuel, each of them signed both copies and handed one back to Kitty.
He continued, "We've been through your various documents. I'll let Samuel talk about the financial items, I'll start off with the legal. You gave me a set of requirements for your membership agreement for me to put into a formal legal document, this I have done. I haven't considered whether your requirements are correct, I hope you understand that. Maybe if you can read it though, make sure I've interpreted it correctly?" He handed out four pieces of paper, one to each girl.
After a minute, Midge said "You've put 'removed from the premises'. Molly asked "Can't we have 'thrown out'?" Daniel couldn't help grinning at Molly, "No. No court would consider that to be legally enforceable. You might get away with 'physically' in front of 'removed', but that would be the absolute limit. Tell you what, let's say 'evicted' instead of 'removed'. That should allow the interpretation you want, though you might get accused of common assault if it came to it."
They talked over a few more sections, none needed altering, then it was Samuel's turn. He started by saying "I'm very impressed by what you've come up with, it puts many a business plan I've seen to shame. In all honesty, I've no real criticism of any of it, you've clearly thought through the whole thing carefully. You've highlighted areas of uncertainty, suggesting a range of figures. All in all, an excellent document. Did you do this between you, or …" He stopped, as three fingers pointed to Kitty. "Well, Kitty, I know you haven't got the appropriate qualifications, but I reckon you could easily get a job as an accountant, I'd take you on tomorrow."
Kitty smiled, "No, thank you, it would drive me completely crazy, I'd much rather do something I enjoyed." Samuel asked "Who does you household accounting?" Kitty said "Molly. She likes to chea…" Daniel almost shouted "NO!" Then "Remember your fighting time here is added to your bill."
They talked over some of the figures Kitty had come up with, Samuel gave some guidance where Kitty was unsure. "But", he added, "although the figure for the minimum you can charge your customers, sorry, members, looks well thought out, I would advise adding, say, twenty percent for contingencies. In any business there are always unexpected expenditures, also your money‑back promise for rejection due to health could easily mean a significant reduction in income."
He continued, "As for doing your accounts, I would be happy to do that, even if I'm not happy with your business. It's financially straightforward, and of course I can do your employee accounts, either as individual clients or under a business umbrella, your call."
Midge asked "The big question, whether or not you like it, do you think it's viable as a business?" Samuel replied "Provided you are right about finding members, totally viable, no question at all."
Kitty: "Samuel, could you start to free up enough of my money to cover our starting requirements and Daniel and your likely fees for the next few months, please? That's for all of us of course." Midge: "Daniel, in the same vein, could you do whatever is necessary to start us up as a business, please? And tell us whatever we need to do to take on our girls as employees? I suppose we ourselves will be employees."
Both Samuel and Daniel nodded. Samuel said "All right. Kitty, I'll let you know as funds become available. You need to set up a business account ready for the money, I suggest you go to the bank with all of you that you want as authorised signatories, take some identification with you. Daniel will need to confirm the company name you want first, though."
Daniel: "There's a fair amount of detail, but it's essentially straight forward, it'll take a couple of weeks or so. Anything else?" Four shakes of heads. "Right. I suggest separate meetings between you and Samuel or me unless it's something that involves us [both. Meeting adjourned."
All six stood up, once again the four girls hugged the two men. As the girls turned to leave the office, Daniel said "In spite of what you are doing, I really want you to succeed." Samuel muttered "Me, too." In the outer office, Audrey got hugged and kissed by each of the four. "You're going ahead with it?" she asked. Midge replied "Yes, it's something we all really want to do, and you know we are sorry you don't like it." "I don't" she said, "But I wish you well. Now, go, before I start crying."
A week later, Samuel rang Kitty to say that a significant amount of money was available, he was putting it in a holding account until their business bank account was set up.
After another two weeks, Daniel had them into his office to sign the necessary paperwork to set up the business, the name was formally 'The Midge and Molly Private Club'. Daniel had asked whether Kitty and Chloe were happy that it was just the twins' names being used, both were. Amongst themselves they would call it 'The M and M club', written as 'mandm'. A week later their business bank account was set up, Samuel transferred Kitty's money to it, and would do so whilst they needed more and he sold her investments to fund it, he would extract any he thought would be needed for tax.
Two days later they asked Bart, the architect who'd drawn up the modifications for housing the schoolgirls, if he would work for them to draw up what they wanted for the building. They met up with him in his office, explained what they wanted, although without telling him exactly what their club was for. It took quite a few iterations, maybe it would have been easier if they had told them what they would be doing, but they didn't want any risk of the club's purpose to get to anyone who might object to it.
On one of the twins' homecomings, walking home from the railway station, they saw a man on the other side of the road being attacked by four youths, one of them wielding a knife. They ran across the road to intervene, the man was already on the ground bleeding profusely.
Molly immediately pushed herself between the attacker and the man. He went for her with the knife, in a blur it was pushed through the attacker's other arm. Another of the youths went to punch Molly, Midge tripped him, Molly pushed his head hard onto her rising knee, he was knocked unconscious. The other attackers, very sensibly, decided to back off, dragging their two fallen friends with them.
Midge ripped the back out of Molly's dress to use to try to staunch the man's bleeding, meanwhile yelling for someone to phone for an ambulance. Molly was standing, watching the youths move off, making sure they didn't return and try anything.
A few minutes later an ambulance came, the man was tended to on the ground then put in the ambulance. The twins climbed into the ambulance as well, ignoring the protestations of the ambulance crew.
In the hospital, the twins stayed with the man, whose name they found out was Pete. Throughout his treatment they simply refused to leave him. Many of the staff there knew the twins, others were a little frightened of them when they saw scars on the twins' backs, these were from their recent birthday celebrations; for whatever reason their scars were taking a lot longer to disappear than they usually did.
When Midge got the opportunity, she phoned Kitty to tell them what was happening, that they would be staying in the hospital for a while. When Kitty asked why they were so attentive of him, Midge just said "He needs us." They arranged for Kitty to bring in their phone chargers, when Kitty asked about clothes, Midge said "No thank you, we don't need them." Shortly after, Kitty and Chloe cycled to the hospital, they met Midge near the hospital entrance. Kitty and Chloe were surprised to see Midge wearing a nurse's uniform, "Less explaining to do" from Midge.
After they'd had a three‑way hug ‑ "Give Molly a hug from us" ‑ and with a promise from Midge to ring every day, Kitty and Chloe left.
A few days after their birthday 'celebration', the twins were out on their own. Kitty got a phone call from Midge, who explained that they were helping someone at the hospital, they would be staying there for a while, could she bring them their phone chargers? Kitty asked why they were staying, Midge simply replied "He needs us."
Kitty also asked if they wanted clean dresses, Midge said they didn't need them, she'd explain more when they came to the hospital.
Shortly after, Kitty and Chloe cycled to the hospital, they met Midge near the hospital entrance. Kitty and Chloe were surprised to see Midge wearing a nurse's uniform, "Less explaining to do" from Midge.
After they'd had a three‑way hug ‑ "Give Molly a hug from us" ‑ and with a promise from Midge to ring every day, Kitty and Chloe left the hospital.
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Pete found before building work starts (Benny can't yet fit them in? Plans not finished? Money not yet sufficient? External work only so far?). Twins pay for mods for Pete by going to university boys' parents and their friends.
Immediately they had sufficient funds, they got on to Benny to start the modifications needed. Molly laid down some rules to the girls staying at the building, mostly that they should keep away from the workmen whenever possible, certainly not have any relations with them, however tempting. "Maybe when the work is finished, but then only with unattached men."
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One evening, they were in the building, some of the schoolgirls had prepared the meal. Very unusually, Chloe wasn't with Kitty or the twins. As they were going to the table, Kitty asked "Where's Chloe?" Neither of the twins had seen her for a while. Molly shouted out "Does anyone know where Chloe is?" Silence for a few seconds, then one of the schoolgirls said "I did see her going outside, but that must have been an hour ago." Molly called out "Anyone seen her since?" No response.
Kitty asked "Do you think she's at Roy and Jane's, forgot the time?" Midge immediately got on the phone, after a short conversation, she ended the call, "She was there a little while ago, she seemed upset, but wouldn't tell them what was wrong. Left them about half an hour ago.
Midge and Molly immediately raced for the stairs, a few minutes later they returned, "Nowhere in the building. Kitty asked "Basement?" "Checked. Not that she would ever go in there."
Kitty said "There must be something very wrong, it's just not like her." Midge said "Right. Search parties." Molly called out "Volunteers to search for Chloe." All the girls gathered round. Midge organised them, "Right. Four search parties." They very soon had themselves sorted into groups.
"Each party take a whistle. Spread out, but keep within sight of each other. If one of you spots her, tell your whistle girl. She will blow three loud blows, then the number of blows for your group number."
She assigned numbers to each of the groups and told them what area of the grounds to search. "We three will stay close to the building, if we hear a whistle we will go to the group area, please make sure you position girls so we can find you. If you hear another group's whistle, come back here, go inside. Any questions? … Go."
When all the schoolgirls had left the floor, Kitty and the twins made their way downstairs. By the time they'd got outside, Kitty was crying. Midge put her arm round Kitty, "We'll find her." Kitty, between sobs, said "She might be like she was in Australia, in her dark place, it was horrible." Molly gave Kitty a kiss, "Nothing here to trigger that. Stop your crying, we might not hear the whistle." Which did manage to bring something of a smile to Kitty's face.
They waited an interminably long ten minutes or so when they heard three blasts on a whistle followed by a further four. Midge said "West." Midge and Molly were immediately racing off, Kitty doing her best to follow, but no one could keep up with the twins going at full pelt. When Kitty reached the first schoolgirl, she pointed, just said "Boathouse." Kitty ran to it.
The search party were standing outside, one said to Kitty "They're in there." Kitty went inside to find Midge and Molly sitting on the floor, one either side of Chloe. She was sat, arms hugging her knees to her chest. Chloe was wailing, crying, sobbing. Kitty asked "What is it?" Midge shook her head, "Can't get her to say." Kitty said "Let me try, perhaps on my own?" The twins both nodded, they went outside, where they had to persuade the other girls to go back to the building.
A few minutes later, Kitty and Chloe came out, Kitty with one arm round Chloe holding her tightly. Midge looked questioningly at Kitty, who said "Let's just get her back."
Kitty held her arm round Chloe all the while back to the building, Midge and Molly following, they saw Kitty occasionally whispering in Chloe's ear. When they reached the building, Kitty led Chloe to the small dormitory, she asked the twins to give her a few minutes with Chloe. A while later, Kitty came out, she said "She's terribly upset because she's not been able to contribute any money to help here. Maybe you can convince her we don't mind? We love her just the same?" Midge and Molly exchanged a quick look at each other, Midge said to Kitty "Our turn to be alone with her. Why don't you go and thank everyone for their help in finding her?"
Another ten minutes, Midge and Molly led Chloe onto the top floor, one either side of her. Chloe seemed to have recovered, in moments there was a whole crowd round them. Molly shouted "Space." The crowd backed off a bit. Chloe said to them all "Thank you everyone, I'm really sorry to have put you all to such a lot of trouble."
Midge said to Kitty "She's still upset because she can't help us financially." Kitty immediately said "Oh, god, no. Chloe, if you had money, would you be contributing?" "Yes, of course." "We can ask no more of you. Apart from the money, your contributions to all of this are at least as valuable as ours."
Editing here 3
Careful: building work starting, must have twenty‑first eighteenth before Pete found before work finished. Order currently confused.
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Introduction