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Robert Hugill

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  1. Robert Hugill
    Didn't think of that one!
  2. Robert Hugill
    After a busy and largely productive day, followed by a scratch meal where I was using up all the bits and pieces in the fridge, I was relaxing on my sofa, listening to the radio and pretending to read, when Vince stuck his head around the door. Ostensibly he was just letting me know he was home and that he had eaten at the office. But he seemed keen to talk, so I asked him in. And though it was Monday, we had a glass of wine. “Yesterday was fun, though I’m still surprised that you were up f
  3. Robert Hugill
    The trip is only for Russ, an eventful Christmas visiting his brother. Plenty of video chats with B&G, however!
  4. Robert Hugill
    Thanks. In fact, this arc of the story only has a few more chapters to run (it ends on the run up to Christmas). But there is more as we follow Russ to Ireland. Stay tuned!
  5. Robert Hugill
    “Sauna?” Brian cocked his head and raised an eyebrow. Gordon huffed, “I thought that’s why we were here?” “Think of it as a reward. That was a good session.” The two were at the gym, where they had managed a good workout on the machines ending with a session on the mats which, Gordon swore, was going to help them stay supple as they got older. Brian was less worried about the getting older jibe than the fact that the exercises threatened to make them look ridiculous. Except none o
  6. Robert Hugill
    I don't think I saw that much of Larry Grayson, but he was a very definite presence on TV
  7. Robert Hugill
    Thanks!
  8. Robert Hugill
    After all the excitement of the previous day, I decided to keep a low profile on Sunday. I assembled coffee and breakfast and took it into the garden. I had plenty of reading to do and quickly became absorbed. I had skittishly thought of being naked, but to be like that in the garden seemed going a bit far without informing Vince, it was a shared house after all. Wise choice. For when Vince appeared late morning, he was fully dressed. And when Peter eventually did appear, he too was in t-shirt a
  9. Robert Hugill
    “Paintball”, Denise stopped chopping carrots and turned to Brian. “That’s the one where you run about pretending to be soldiers, firing pretend guns with paint in them.” “That’s it.” Brian reflected that his Mother’s description, though accurate, managed to make the activity sound remarkably pointless. He suspected that Toby and his friends would have an entirely different view. “Can’t see the attraction, myself. Why’s Toby doing it, he’s not keen is he?” Brian shrugged, “Says he
  10. Robert Hugill
    Late Friday morning, I thought I’d better get my visit to Simon over with. Sandra was on duty and told me how much Matt had enjoyed our visit to the Fish Shack and Sunday lunch, and for me to please convey her thanks to Vince. It was so lovely that Matt was making new friends in Coningham. She said for me to go into Simon’s office. This was tiny and had probably once been acceptable, only now every inch of spare space seemed taken up with boxes. Simon gave an embarrassed smile. “Sorry
  11. Robert Hugill
    “What?” Noah looked at Toby curiously, the boy was eyeing him oddly. They were in what was set to be their new regular haunt. A café near the bus station. It wasn’t like the fancy places in town where Toby’s Dad preferred to get coffee, but for the two boys it worked. They had avoided Wentworth Park since seeing Jasper there, and besides the weather had been rubbish. Toby’s Dad had sorted things out with Noah’s parents, so the two could at least hang out at the flat. Toby had been using the
  12. Robert Hugill
    Matt had contacted Sacha, his photographer friend. The man was at least interested in collaborating. More than that, he seemed to have practical ideas about who might publish a book that combined large-scale landscape and nature photos with my poetic texts. He was going to put together a portfolio, so I needed to go through my poems, published and unpublished, to see what might or might not work with the selected images. Simon emailed to say that he was expecting samples of the cards back f
  13. Robert Hugill
    Fireworks, yes
  14. Robert Hugill
    Thanks. I never wanted Deirdre to be a complete witch, but she has to be unsympathetic.
  15. Robert Hugill
    With no word by the Sunday at the beginning of half-term, Brian messaged Deidre to ask if Toby would see her in the coming week. Rather than a brush off or a simple instruction where and when she’d meet Toby, there came a request for her to meet Brian, alone. On Monday morning. With great misgivings, at half-ten on Monday, Brian found himself back at the same café in Huntsford where he’d met Deirdre what seemed like an age ago. As it was half-term, Toby was with Denise and Brian would colle
  16. Robert Hugill
    Don't worry, she'll be causing chaos!
  17. Robert Hugill
    The sound of a car arriving on the gravel drive interrupted Freddie and my counting of cutlery and crockery. Freddie looked at me and grinned. “O shit!” We were still in mufti – t-shirt and shorts – doing an essential but forgotten task of finding out if we had enough cutlery and crockery for the guests. The answer was ‘yes’, but it was mix ‘n match. Freddie had informed me that his dad and Peter were upstairs having a shower. The way the boy lifted one eyebrow, I could see that ‘having a s
  18. Robert Hugill
    They were having a quiet Saturday morning to close a busy week, when Brian’s phone went. His heart sank, it was Deirdre. >You know about this Bri. Is it your lot behind it? Deirdre’s voice was sharp, angry and on edge. What the hell. “Back up a bit, Deirdre. What’s happened?” >You fuckin’ know. It’s Jasper. “Jasper. What?” She gave an exaggerated sigh. >Don’t do this to me, Bri. “Look. For fuck’s sake, stop pissing about. I’ve no idea what you’re
  19. Robert Hugill
    They will get there, promise!
  20. Robert Hugill
    Correct, though I have the location of Parborough and Huntsford the wrong way round compared to Peterborough and Huntingdon
  21. Robert Hugill
    West Seaward is an invention! Very loosely based on West Mersea!
  22. Robert Hugill
    “You ever heard of New World Simplicity?” Matt shook his head. “No, what is it? Sounds like one of them trendy bands!” “Some weird back-to-basics cult. They teach sensible things like recycling, reduce waste, care for the environment.” “Sounds OK …” “But also sexual continence. Children need guiding till they are adult at 18.” “So?” “Freddie’s friend Arvid is not allowed to have intimate relations with him until Arvid is 18 and can choose for himself.” “Just w
  23. Robert Hugill
    The week after the wedding was all a bit of a letdown. Nice, but nothing special after previous excitement. Work was busy, Toby was busy at school. It was life as they knew it and wanted it to be. Normal, ordinary and full of family. It got too cold for Toby and Noah to be lurking outside after school so Brian managed to arrange with Val and Marina that Noah would come over to the flat. The two boys would be on their own for an hour or so. He reckoned Toby was getting older and needed to be
  24. Robert Hugill
    And thanks to everyone who has been reading (and commenting!)
  25. Robert Hugill
    Many thanks to all our readers - place no. 5 in the Top 10 Most Read General Fiction 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 in the last month! (with Brian & Gordon at no. 10). Fantabulosa!
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