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    quokka
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 

Deception - 39. Dec Chapter 39

The next morning, after a hearty breakfast, I organized to hire a car, so we could go out and do some sightseeing out in the Blue Mountains, the wildlife park and some of the small towns in the region. It the late afternoon, after nearly a full day of sightseeing, Tom had fallen asleep as we made our way down the mountains, and I stopped at a service station to fuel up the car, when I saw a large road coach pull up in the carpark, but it wasn’t a passenger coach, but a converted motor home.

As I finished fuelling the car, I spotted a sign in the side window of the coach, “For sale, 16 metreMotorhome, near new refit, only 25,000km odometer, rear upper queen bed, rear bathroom, kitchen with washing machine and central lounge room, and upper twin single beds above the lowered driver cab. Includes Solar power panels, with power batteries, a super quiet generator, and includes a rollout awning, rollout outdoor BBQ, outdoor lounge setting, new tyres and a 6-metre long trailer”. I went to pay for thefuel, and as I exited to service station, I saw the road coach moving, so I dashed to catch them and get them to stop.

While Tom was still asleep in the car, I went to speak to the owners of the motor home, and I was given a detailed tour of the road coach, which is owned by a family of four. I was impressed with the inside of the road coach, with the beds located high up, allowed for more living space, with a good-sized kitchen / laundry, breakfast bar dining area, and the lounge area has a 3 seater leather couch, plus a large leather recliner chair and foot stool, a 56-inch flat screen television, a games consoles and DVD player, plus there is a large book case, able to hold books and DVD, and a study desk and chair.

After completing the tour, I agreed with the owners to meet again late the following day, to finalize the purchase, and while approaching the city on the way back, Tom eventually woke up, totally unaware of the road coach that I planned to buy. Once returning the hire car, Tom and I spent the evening relaxing, and having a quiet meal at the hotel restaurant. The following morning, I took Tom to the main zoo in Sydney, which took most of the morning to explore, before stopping for some lunch at the zoo café, and back at the city they wandered around the city, and they did a bit of clothes shopping as Tom was starting to grow a lot faster now.

Once all the shopping had been brought back to the hotel, Tom announced that he was going to have a short sleep, as he was tired from all of the walking from the past two days, and while he was doing, I did an online search to see if the circus they had seen two days earlier was anywhere near by, and I learnt that the circus was due to start performances in Newcastle to the north of Sydney in a few days’ time, and the website gave a contact phone number, which I dialed.

“Good afternoon, this is Gres Langton speaking” I said as the phone was answered, ‘Hello Gres, this is Manuel here, we were just talking about you earlier today, what can we do for you” came a response, “I hope it was all good things about me” I said with a smile before I continued, “Well after we left the circus the other day, Tom said he had an awesome afternoon, and that he wished we could runaway to the circus, and later that night I thought about what he said, and realized that it was a possibility.

Yesterday while doing sightseeing up in the blue mountains, I came across a large road coach motor home with a 6-metre trailer, and I will be finalizing the purchase this afternoon, so I guess I am telephoning to see if it was at all possible for us to join you?” I said hoping for a positive reply. “Well we could do with your expertise as a veterinary nurse, but we are very limited with our budget” Manuel said.

“Well I am able to fully fund our transport and living costs, as I am fairly well off” I said cheerfully. “In that case you are welcome to join us, we have just arrived in Newcastle, if you can meet us up here” Manuel stated.

I was pleased that we are able to join the circus, which I hoped will make Tom a lot happier. The next phone call Gres made was to his friend and lawyer – Sam Yeoman, who surprisingly answered his phone, instead of it going to voice mail like usual, “Hello Gres, how are you? Bryce was just telling me you and Tom saw Hugh off at the Sydney airport and that you are now spending a few days looking around” Sam said cheerfully.

I chuckled, “Hard to keep anything a secret from you, is it? Yes, we went to the Blue mountains yesterday and watched a circus show in the afternoon before that, and I wanted to let you know that I have made a decision” I said cautiously. “Oh, and what may that be? Sam asked, waiting for the next surprise from me. “While in the Blue Mountains, I saw a road coach motor home for sale, and following a wish that Tom made before going to bed two nights ago, Tom and I are running away to the circus” I said with a big smile.

There was silence on the phone for some time, before Sam responded, “You are quite adamant about this aren’t you” Sam said still a bit shocked at this news. “Yes, Sam I am, this way we can stay fairly anonymous, and see some of Australia in the process. I want only you to know exactly where we are, and what we are doing, I just ask that you let everyone know that we will be away for some time, and that only you will know where, as I will keep in contact with you.

Can you please arrange for Bryce to become managing director of the three islands, increase his pay accordingly, and get Mrs. A to move all of Tom’s belongings into my bedroom suite, so Bryce can have Tom’s bedroom, so he doesn’t have to share a bathroom. I will change mine and Tom’s mobile numbers today, and I will let you know what they are, but don’t pass it onto anyone else please” I instructed.

“Very well, if that is what you want, I will do that, once I have some free time tomorrow, Good luck and have fun at the circus, and speak to you soon” Sam said and he ended the call. When Tom woke up not long after, I asked him to come and sit in the lounge room, as I had something to say.

“Tom, remember two nights ago, you made a wish?” I said and Tom frowned as he tried to recall what it was that he said, “Yes I think I said that I had an awesome afternoon at the circus, and I wished that we could…” Tom didn’t need to say any more as he saw the huge grin on my face, “You mean we are actually going to do it? Yippee!” Tom said excitedly and I just nodded his head yes, “It’s all arranged, I have spoken to Manuel at the circus, we have agreed to pay our own way with accommodation and living costs, in exchange for the chance to tag along and help where needed.

While you were asleep in the car yesterday, I spotted a large road coach motor home, that was for sale, I have seen inside of it, and it will be perfect, and we are finalizing buying it later today, I have spoken to Sam Yeoman, to let him know our plans, and asked him not to tell anyone where we are, just that we will be away for some time.

Bryce will take over managing the three islands, and we will change our mobile phone numbers today, with just Sam to know our new numbers” I announced, “Ok Dad, that’s fine, I’m joining the circus, woohoo” Tom said happily. Two hours later, we caught a taxi to a private address in the outer western suburbs of Sydney, with a short stop off at an ATM machine to withdraw some cash.

When we arrived at the address, the road coach was parked in the front driveway, and the owners came out of the house as we approached the front gate. “Hello again Gresley, and this must be young Tom, nice to meet you, young man” the lady said with a smile shaking Tom’s hand. “Can Tom have a look inside, while we deal with the business side of things?” I asked, as they walked towards the road coach. The lady smiled as she took a set of keys out of her pocket and approaching the front door, she pulled out the hidden step before unlocking the door and opening it.

Tom cautiously glanced inside, before looking back towards me, I smiled and nodded me head, before Tom stepped up inside. “Wow this is awesome” he said loudly from inside and the owners laughed. About half an hour later, Tom and I were driving off in our new mobile home, back towards the city, so as to collect their belongings from the hotel. Gres found it hard to find suitable parking for such a large bus and trailer, eventually he came across some parking, alongside a large park about two kilometres away from the hotel.

When the bus was all locked up, Gres and Tom found a taxi to take them the rest of the way, and they packed up their belongings and checked out of the hotel, once this was done, with the assistance of Tom’s laptop computer, they located an education supply store and a phone store, so as to collect fresh supplies of education material for Tom’s home schooling, and to change phone numbers on both phones.

Once this had been achieved, they caught a taxi back to where they left the road coach, and while Gres commenced the 2 ½ drive north towards Newcastle, Tom put all his new books away in the bookshelf, and his stationary supplies in the desk. When they arrived in Newcastle it was late afternoon, and using the GPS on his mobile, Gres found the way through the small city of Newcastle.

Gres stopped at a service station to fuel up again, so it’s ready for the next journey, and just a few doors down there is a small supermarket, and they did a big shop to stock up food supplies for at least a week. Once back at the mobile home, Gres and Tom put all the shopping away in the fridge, freezer and pantry, before Gres made a phone call to Manuel, to let him know they had arrived in Newcastle, and Manuel gave Gres directions on how to locate the park, where they are based for the next 3 weeks.

When they arrived at the back of the park, two circus staff where at the corner to show me where to go and where to park to coach, which was at the end of the back row of smaller mobile homes and caravans. The trailer was unhitched and pushed towards another trailer, so it was out of the way, and once this was done, the extendable steps at the front and back doors were pulled out, and the side awning was rolled out and secured, creating a large 2.5 -metre-wide outdoor covered area.

Once this was done Tom and I pulled out the outdoor lounge setting, which is located in the outside storage locker, and set it up under the awning. Just as they were finishing setting up, Manuel made an appearance. “If you guys are nearly finished, would you like to follow me please” he said with a smile, and so Tom and Gres followed him towards the main circus tent.

As we entered the main tent, there was a lot of activity, some of the staff were setting up the audience chairs, others were practicing their acts, ready for the first performance tomorrow. Tom just stood there with his mouth wide open, watching everything that was happening, still amazed that he and his new dad had run away to the circus.

The End

Copyright May 2018 Preston Wigglesworth, All Rights are Reserved
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Stories posted in this category are works of fiction. Names, places, characters, events, and incidents are created by the authors' imaginations or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual persons (living or dead), organizations, companies, events, or locales are entirely coincidental.
Note: While authors are asked to place warnings on their stories for some moderated content, everyone has different thresholds, and it is your responsibility as a reader to avoid stories or stop reading if something bothers you. 
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Loved this story, sad that is has ended, Gres never had a love interest, I thought maybe Sam, or even Hugh, will there be a sequel or follow on, I really hope so.

Edited by Jaydon
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Yes please tell us there will be more. It is such a great story and we all want to know how the circus life turns out od if at some point Gres falls in love with someone. Do they return to the island at some point?

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Nothing has been written yet, but you never know, I may get around to it some day...

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Wow what a story, I was amazed at how it all seemed to fit together so well. Gres was working as a veterinary nurse for a veterinary clinic and a horse ranch, while working at these 2 places the relative he was living with passed away and he inherited the house, car and got money from the insurance as well. It was a nice thing for him to get the insurance money which along with it Gres saved some of his wages and then started training for a great holiday for himself. After he had it all set up he informed both his employer's that he was taking a holiday, Bryce asked him if he would mind taking Ethan along as well since he would be on break from school then. Gres agreed as long as Ethan was willing to put in some extra training which he agreed to straight away. When Gres bought the trip he found out that if they left when they said they would it would've been a long layover before continuing the trip. So with a few more searches he decided that they would take the train instead of flying and that they wouldn't have such a long layover it was better than the flight. Although the train was 2.75 days it would be better for them to see some new country while onboard, during the voyage they would get off and walk around the town they happen to be in at the time this way they would keep up their stamina to be ready for their trek. Along the way Gres and Ethan meet a nice young lady Amanda and her son Tom, Ethan and Tom become instant friends and then all of a sudden Amanda takes ill and has papers drawn up stating that if she became incapacitated that Gres is to get guardianship over Tom. This very thing happens as Amanda is sickened by meningitis and is taken off the train and put in the hospital. Gres and Ethan find out about both the guardianship and that Amanda is in hospital. This is when Gres meets Sam for the 1st time as he just happened to be on the same train, the conductor saw Gres he asked if he was Gres and he replied that he is and then the conductor gave him the news and that he had been given the guardianship of Tom. It appears that Gres and Ethan have another person in their group now and they had to get him outfitted with the proper gear. As it goes the train makes a stop and Gres immediately calls his boss at the vets office and informed her of the circumstances and that he would need to stay around after the trek to be sure that Tom would be able to see his mom, she said she'd already been informed and that she had found him a position with a aquarium in the area. During this time Gres had found out that he was named as a party to his great uncles inheritance and his aunt's and uncles were doing their best to get him to sign papers stating that he wasn't interested in the inheritance, his house had been broken into and the original itinerary for the trek was taken along with other things. Gres found out that his great uncle had been murdered and that he was the suspect. The only thing's that saved him was his train tickets and that showed everywhere that he was during the time, also he had the guardianship papers for Tom. It was a few weeks after the trek that Gres and Tom made the flight to see Amanda only to find her start struggling to breathe and the nurses kind of pushed Tom out so that they could work on her after awhile the Dr asked if he could speak to Gres and then the Dr explained that no matter what they did Amanda passed away, and then Gres had to tell Tom that his mom had died. It took some time to set up for the funeral and then afterwards they went back to where they lived while Amanda was in the hospital. I'm glad that Gres got all of his great uncles estate since the aunt's and uncles were convicted of the murder and the charges of framing Gres for the murder did them all in. After all of the bull cleared away Gres contacted Sam and arranged to buy 3 islands under the name of a corporation that they set up so that no one would know who bought them or what was going to be done on them. This is how he got the house built underground and the eco camping tents set up for people to stay in for 2 days, which turned out to be a brilliant idea for a business which also includes a wildlife refuge. 

 

 

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Absolutely  one of my favorite stories. I truly enjoyed reading this from the very start. Thank you so much quokka for sharing your amazing gift with us.

 

Charlie

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A very lovely story with exhaustive turns. Again an educative story introducing interesting places if you follow the action with Google maps, thank you very much. Some confusing changes of point of views in few paragraphs, but that happens. You have better control of this in later stories.

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