A VERY happy wedding...

[jwhouk]

As to the recent turn of events, I submit this guest comic from Between Failures.

EDIT: Also - I am endeavoring to catch up on some "formatting" and "editing" of the first part of this epic tale of The Centurion And The Sphinx. And even though I may not tell the entire tale of Mr. Cavin Foxglove, I may end up telling a story of how I meet his sister - and her mentor.

[Sgt. Howard]

Justin and Shelly went out to late breakfast that morning- there was a creperia not three blocks south of where they live. They then stopped at Tina's for morning Latte- Tina, of course was her fully energenic self (having had a margional amount of ETOH at the party), and from there went for a quiet walk around Lake Calhoun.
"You know, Jin and Alan are planning their wedding on Isle U-296," commented Shelly, "... I assume we are invited,"
"That means I will finally get to see this getaway you girls hide at all Winter," Justin replied.
"Not 'all Winter'... just enough to get over 'snow fever'... you haven't been there?"
"When have I been there? You take off with Bud or Brandy or Jin or Monica or May... then complain about our cold feet when you climb into bed, every last one of you... except Monica, I suppose- I doubt she even touches Jet's toes in bed..."
"What exactly are you saying?" Shelly asked, somewhat surprised.
"Jet is very tall and Monica is very short... no matter where you put her lips..."
"OK!OK! ENOUGH! YAAAAAH! I already had a 'gay crisis' in my life..."
"Heather? I heard about her..."
"We're still good friends- she's got this lady she sees... and I am happy for her,"
They walked further in silence... then Justin spoke up,
"Do you suppose that we'll ever meet that fellow that Kathy was strutting with? Or maybe that's just a flash in the pan...?"
"Buck Alexander? Maybe... he's a centaur, you know... and that can be a problem,"
"How so?"
"Well... they retain full size of their genitalia when they reduce to human... very few women can deal with that... I doubt Katherine will be very interested once she understands what's going on,"
Justin thought about this for a while-
"Hell...all she could do is LOOK at it..."

"Buck... I gotta call a halt,"
"But Kathy," he protested.
"... No, really... I am worn out... " Katherine whispered with a very raspy voice, "... you are phenomenal... but reality check here... my girls are coming home in less than a half hour. I am a shambles... you brute ... and I AM raising daughters... we've known each other... a little over... what... 24 hours... and you have been the last six teaching me things about my body I never knew. Dammit, Buck- yesterday I was a virgin!"
"As was I- and we both knew this,"
"I'll grant you, I wanted you like... like... dammit! I have NOTHING to compare it to... I have probably orgasmed more today than many women do in a year... or a lifetime... I don't know... and I am not blaming you, Buck... but I am TELLING you, you have RUINED me! I'm.... I'm not sure what to do about you now... that is, I'm not too sure if I CAN keep you... I know this much... no other man will ever match up to you... but honestly, I just don't..."
He held up his hand- she quieted down- "First off, that was MY first as well. You keep forgetting that. Secondly... I AM a centaur... I can go 24/7 for about three or four weeks... and... being my first time, I got carried away- for that I am sorry, I should have respected your limits. Thirdly... in your enthusiasm to please me, you have bruised your tonsils... try not to speak for a few days. Finally, I have been enamored of you for some time. If I have to haul in my libido to keep you, that is what I will do,"
They looked at each other for a bit, until Kathy asked, "Keep... me?"
"If you will have me,"
"Are you talking... marriage?"
"We.. haven't known each other long enough to make that decision... but I will not rule it out anytime soon,"
She was stunned- "... here I thought I would loose you because I couldn't keep up with you,"
"NOT. THAT. EASY.... got that?"
She approached him and they (gently) kissed.
"By the way... since we are... 'keeping'... each other- what is your full name?"
He laughed... "Yea, I suppose you ought to know... especially after... well... I am Theodore Mathias Malachi Hezekiah Alexander the fourth- but I am called 'Buck'. My Dad was called 'Rock'. My Grandfather was called "Crowbar" and my GREATgrandfather was called 'Stud',"
"Alexander? As in, Alexander's Harvesters?"
With a smug grin, he replied, "The very same..."

"OK! Everybody dried off? We've got 'Sali, Me Bud and... and ... where is Pickle? (giggle) Where is the potted plant? (giggle) Where is... THERE she is!!!" Kevin hollered as he grabbed Castela (who was trying to hide behind him). They headed to the parking lot at the Sacramento 'Raging Waters', turned towards the open field near the freeway... and vanished.
They turned up at the Library, went to the exit for home and exited into the alleyway, found Kevin's car and drove home. No parking fees, no California traffic... they easily could have WALKED the five block's from Katherine's apartment, but decided the car was a better choice.
Kathy opened the door as they arrived- she had her hair up in a towel and was wearing a faded housecoat. The whole party stepped inside, whereupon Castela asked her Mother, "Mama- what's that smell? I- I smelled that before... I- I did, when Atsali screamed an- an woke us all up, remember?"
The smell was strong enough that all noticed it... six hours of sex leaves a mark... Kevin (and Kathy) alone knew what it was.
"It's nothing to worry about," croaked Kathy as she blushed.
All heads turned towards her- "MAMA!! Castela was now VERY concerned, "MAMA! WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR VOICE?"
"Nothing, my dear- I'm just a little hoarse, is all,"... then she started giggling madly, blushing furiously and registering pain. All three girls thought she might be going mad... Kevin suspected otherwise.
"Katherine, shall we hang onto these two just a bit longer? Or do you need to see an emergent clinic?"
"I need something, yes," she whispered.
Kevin went to her kitchen sink and ran hot water- Atsali followed.
"Kevin... what's wrong with Momma?" she sounded scared.
"Nothing terminal- but certainly uncomfortable- where's the salt?"
"Right here," she showed him.
"Good- get your Mother in here while I mix this," he said as he poured salt into a glass of hot water.
Bud and Atsali helped Kathy into the kitchen- she was in pain- Kevin handed her the glass.
"Gargle with this," he said.
She did. Her face looked better, less strained.
"Do it again," He told her.
Vast improvement this time. "Let me look," She opened her mouth.
Two battered, bruised tonsils was what he saw.
"Those might have to come out- and soon," Kevin observed.
"OMG!! Mom's got tonsillitis!!!" squeaked Atsali,"Is it contagious?"
"Noooo not THIS strain of it..."

Kathy blushed again...

[Sgt. Howard]

This keeps up, Atsali and Castela are going to have their own little brother/sister in nine months...

Do we know whether Katherine is duodeciploid?

Well... given that she is the 'distillation' of six babies, it is entirely possible... but my biology is severely limited insofar as knowing what results from such a condition

[GlytchMeister]

I always thought she was a "chimera" in the biological sense: her body is composed of a mixture of cells from the six original unborn triplets(quadruplets?)

Then again, there's alway's "A Wizard Did It."

[Dave]

I always thought she was a "chimera" in the biological sense: her body is composed of a mixture of cells from the six original unborn triplets(quadruplets?)

That does seem likeliest. If true, Buck is probably in the best position (cough) to notice whether Kath has visible signs of Blaschko's lines.

It would also mean that if Kath were to bear a child, it might be genetically unrelated to Lily... the odds are higher that the ovum would have come from one of the unborn quads other than Lily's. Not that I think either of them would give a damn about that! Family is much more than simple biology.

[GlytchMeister]

I always thought she was a "chimera" in the biological sense: her body is composed of a mixture of cells from the six original unborn triplets(quadruplets?)

That does seem likeliest. If true, Buck is probably in the best position (cough) to notice whether Kath has visible signs of Blaschko's lines.

It would also mean that if Kath were to bear a child, it might be genetically unrelated to Lily... the odds are higher that the ovum would have come from one of the unborn quads other than Lily's. Not that I think either of them would give a damn about that! Family is much more than simple biology.

The only other biologically viable option is some sort of six-way genetic splicing. But if that were the case, Kath would just look like a normal human woman. She wouldn't have those eyes.
The chimera solution wouldn't ordinarily result in mutated eyes either, but it seems more likely to me.

[Sgt. Howard]

I always thought she was a "chimera" in the biological sense: her body is composed of a mixture of cells from the six original unborn triplets(quadruplets?)

That does seem likeliest. If true, Buck is probably in the best position (cough) to notice whether Kath has visible signs of Blaschko's lines.

It would also mean that if Kath were to bear a child, it might be genetically unrelated to Lily... the odds are higher that the ovum would have come from one of the unborn quads other than Lily's. Not that I think either of them would give a damn about that! Family is much more than simple biology.

The only other biologically viable option is some sort of six-way genetic splicing. But if that were the case, Kath would just look like a normal human woman. She wouldn't have those eyes.
The chimera solution wouldn't ordinarily result in mutated eyes either, but it seems more likely to me.

So... if you put the lime in the coconut, she still can't drink it all up?

[Dave]

The only other biologically viable option is some sort of six-way genetic splicing. But if that were the case, Kath would just look like a normal human woman. She wouldn't have those eyes.

♬ Your eyes make a circle
I see you when I go in there
Your eyes, your eyes, your eyes, your eyes... ♬

If Kath has a theme song, that one ought to be on her short list.

So... if you put the lime in the coconut, she still can't drink it all up?

From what you've written, it sounds as if she does need to call the doctor in the morning!

[GlytchMeister]

So... if you put the lime in the coconut, she still can't drink it all up?

...
Huh?
I've heard that song, and now it's stuck in my head (thanks), but I have no idea how limes, coconuts, or Jamaican accents have anything to do with Katherine.
Ahm confioozed, mon.

In other news, happy 60th (apparently) birthday Dave. According to the little birthdays thing at the bottom of the index page.

[Dave]

In other news, happy 60th (apparently) birthday Dave. According to the little birthdays thing at the bottom of the index page.

Thanks! Yes, it's another page turned in the Book of Life.

If I understand correctly (based on my wife's experience for the last few years, and my own for the last few months) this is the chapter entitled "One new membership come-on from the AARP, every month, from now until eternity, verily it shall be, Amen!"

(grumble)

[Sgt. Howard]

So... if you put the lime in the coconut, she still can't drink it all up?

...
Huh?
I've heard that song, and now it's stuck in my head (thanks), but I have no idea how limes, coconuts, or Jamaican accents have anything to do with Katherine.
Ahm confioozed, mon.

I have inflicted that song on a number of people for a number of reasons only because it is totally rediculouse- and if you use the right inflection, it sounds TOTALLY smutty...

[Sgt. Howard]

In other news, happy 60th (apparently) birthday Dave. According to the little birthdays thing at the bottom of the index page.

Thanks! Yes, it's another page turned in the Book of Life.

If I understand correctly (based on my wife's experience for the last few years, and my own for the last few months) this is the chapter entitled "One new membership come-on from the AARP, every month, from now until eternity, verily it shall be, Amen!"

(grumble)

YES!!! Welcome to the 'Old Phart's Four-H club'- Hernias, Hemmorhoids, Hiccups and Heartburn.

[Sgt. Howard]

"... what's more, Joseph Houk has Library privileges... you will NOT interfere with his entering or exiting the Library. Is that clear?"
"Who is Joe Houk?" Nudge asked, trying to look innocent.
Phix pressed a spot on the directory, used her code and pulled up a selection of imagery clearly showing Nudge doing exactly what Phix was talking about to a short, heavy-set, balding fellow- several instances were shown in rapid order.
"Oh...THAT Joe Houk," she responded.
Once she had been stabilized, she was given a severe lecture about firearms in the library, general safety precautions and abuse of alcohol. The rubbish about Joe Houk, who she considered a 'playtoy', was the final straw. Phix went back to her quarters to regain her strength.
Amazingly enough, Phix had left the directory open- under her code.
It showed NAMES... and one was Joe Houk.
Nudge noted the position and closed the directory.

At Abbott Northwestern ED, Kathy was being seen by an M.D. who in turn was consulting an E.N.T. specialist. Both men were quite surprised to see the condition Kathy presented.
"They both have to come out, and I say the sooner the better," Dr. Paulus told her.
"I concur," stated Dr. Lithgow, "But I am surprised to see this in a woman in her thirties... I will ask again, this was a ...consensual... situation?"
"Yes, Doctor," Kathy whispered, "It was my first time, you see... I really didn't know much of what I was doing,"
"Well... this might put your ... activities on hold for a spell... but you will find it MUCH easier once those tonsils are gone. We have a room open and a crew available, we can do this in forty minutes time... when was the last time you had something to eat?"
"An hour ago,"
"And what did you eat?"
Katherine blushed.
"Never mind,"

Buck was back home, tucking his pants and shirt with his other 'human duds' in his stall before going out to the main field. He transformed into a magnificent buckskin (hence his name) and went for a loud gallop across the field... loud, because he could not stop whinnying, so great was his joy. He had spent most of yesterday morning working up the courage to approach Katherine, THE Kathrine, Katherine Gilchrist, the one who solved the mystery of Mesa Verde and Mapimi, who rid Brandy of the Nu-Gui... who was shot at, caught in several cave-ins, escaped a massive dynamite blast, faced an evil element that she had NO training for... who then came back and adopted two paranormal orphans...
And then to find out... at heart, she is every bit as self-conciouse as himself, every bit as socially afraid (Yesterday was pure brass as far as Buck was concerned) and just as much a geek, nerd, dork... whatever term you used, it was appropriate.
"HEY!!! LOUDMOUTH!!! SOME TWO-LEGGER WANTS YOU ON THE PHONE!!!" Bellowed his younger brother Rowdy from the near end of the field. Buck galloped over and grabbed the old-style cellphone-
"Buck here," he said with a big smile.
The smile slid off his face in stages.
"Where is she?.... and how long has she been there?.... who got her there?.... I am on my way," and he disconnected the phone.
"Rowdy, I'm headed back into town- there's someone hurt, and I'm responsible- tell Mom I've got it covered,"
"Aw CRAP!!! Who'd you trounce THIS TIME?!?"
"No! It's not like that! I've got a... uh... well... I got a girlfriend and..."
"YOU? NO WAY!!"
"Bro, just tell Mom what I told you, OK? BUT DON'T MENTION THE GIRL!!!"

[louisxiv]

Justin and Shelly went out to late breakfast that morning- there was a creperia not three blocks south of where they live.

So... They crept in to the crêperie, had a quick crêpe and crept out again?

[Sgt. Howard]

Justin and Shelly went out to late breakfast that morning- there was a creperia not three blocks south of where they live.

So... They crept in to the crêperie, had a quick crêpe and crept out again?

YOU sir are a CARD that must be DEALT with...

... Miss Annie is complaining of a severe headache... and threatening me with disembowelment...

[Sgt. Howard]

Neil was somewhat flabberghasted by the circumstances- here he was, a newlywed groom... and his pregnant bride had to recover from giving blood. Not quite what he was expecting. He decided to amble over to Tina's for a coffee... so he kissed his sleeping wife... wife... after two millenia, he can call Phix his 'wife'... he paused to reflect on that.

Perhaps he would settle to order coffee and watch his wife sleep... or read a book in the same room... this is a library, right? There ought to be a decent book avaliable...
... and if not, who cares?

Kevin dialed another number- this time, to Alan.
"Alan? .... yes....we've got Katherine at the hospital... tosilectomy... well, not really.... I'm... not going into the diagnosis- don't worry about it, OK? ... I think so, you and Jin both... right, see you here... OH!... Abbott Northwestern, where they put Neil back together again... OH YEAH! They started construction on the new wing last week apparently, calling it the "G.F.Howard Memorial," ... YEAH, they told them he died, and they bought it.... right, see you then,"
He dialed another number...

Justin's smartphone did a chirpy version of "Bad boys"- he activated it.
"Hello?- Kevin... HUH?.... O...K.... where? ....right... tonsiles? They still remove those things?... I see... well, we'll be over there quickly enough,"
He turned to Shelly- "Kathy's in the Hospital for a tonsilectomy- seems everybody is congregating there... can you fly us to our place?"
"Not in this crowd- I am NOT sacrificing this outfit! And I am NOT stripping to the buff to save it! We can walk fast,"

Neil had just fallen asleep in his chair when his phone started whilstling a most obnoxious tune. He started, fumbled the thing out of his shrt pocket and connected- Phix stirred at the sound.
"MmmmYallow?" he mumbled..."NO!.... Oh.... I see... where, did you say?.... tonsilectomy? At her age?... I'm not sure if she's up to travel... heh, I wish.. no, she donated blood, and ... don't sweat it, everybody's fine... yeah, I'll be there... cool," he hung up.
"Did I hear you say 'tonsilectomy'?" Phix asked in a sleepy voice.
"Yes- Kathy's getting them yanked on an emergency basis,"
She thought about that for a bit- "... at her age? That's unusual for your species, isn't it?"
"That's what I have been led to believe- and 'emergent' at that... not sure what is going on, but I seem to recall that pulling them out of an adult is far more dangerouse than doing the same on a child- you up to travel?"
"No... and Neil, I would rather you not go," she asked.
Neil looked at her, confused- "... any particular reason?"
"I... I'm not sure... but I would rather you not go,"
"Hmmm... you have never made such a request before... very well, I am not going,"

[jwhouk]

Tonsillectomies are dangerous?

I had no idea why I suddenly heard those words, as I was perusing a book about Eddie Livingstone.

Hmph, I thought. Had mine out at 31; don't see the big deal...

[Dave]

Tonsillectomies are dangerous?

I had no idea why I suddenly heard those words, as I was perusing a book about Eddie Livingstone.

Hmph, I thought. Had mine out at 31; don't see the big deal...

Researchers analyzing a database of insurance claims found that one in five adults who had tonsillectomy surgeries also had serious complications within two weeks of the operation. One in 10 went to an emergency room as a result. Pain, bleeding, and dehydration seem to be the most common problems reported.

For children, about 8% end up being seen for complications within a couple of weeks of the operation, with about a third of those being admitted to the hospital.

[Sgt. Howard]

"Ya... th' pharmacy is right next to surgical waiting. There's no guard. You two come in with me an' we get the good stuff AND th' cash from th' register. Keep yer hoodies up an' yer pieces hid 'till we get to th' pharmacy... I'll call th' shots when I pull this,"
He held up a Ruger Security Six in .44 Magnum. The other two punks nodded in agreement. They got out of the car and started walking to the entrance to Mercy Medical, fully believing this would be an easy job.

Buck was the last of those invited to show up... as such, he had to ask questions to find surgical waiting. He saw the crowd that he recognized as Katherine's circle of friends, just beyond a trio of kids wearing hooded sweatshirts with the hoods up... odd, for this time of year. He was about to hail Kevin, who had called him on Katherine's request, when one of the hooded kids pulled out a revolver and started bellowing threats and orders. Buck walked up to the kid from behind- the kid leveled the gun at his face.

What happened next could be followed by the human eye, but just barely.

Buck grabbed the gun by the top strap, wrapping his fingers and thumb around the cylinder... thus locking it up. The punk tried to shoot, but the weapon had been rendered harmless by Buck's action. Then Buck pulled the gun away from the punk, causing the gun-holding arm to go straight. With his left hand, Buck smashed into the punk's elbow- it bent the wrong way with a sickening crunch. He released the gun into Buck's hand. Buck slipped two fingers into the triggerguard, wound up and delivered an uppercut to the jaw using the triggerguard of the inverted pistol as brass knuckles- the force of the blow picked up the punk and travelled him a remarkable distance. He hit the ground with a LeFort level 2 fracture to the jaw and left side of his face, a shamble of fragments that were once molars, a lacerated tongue and a loss of consciousness that would last four days. One of the other punks started to pull his weapon, a 9mm Glock. Buck reversed the revolver and had it pointed at this punks face before he could clear the hoodie with the gun... he dropped the Glock and put his hands up.
The third punk had shifted off to Buck's left. when Buck told the other punk to walk back from the Glock, he shot Buck in the Back with a S&W Model 'J' in 38 Smith. The bullet stuck Buck's left 7th rib, just at it's base near the spine, and fractured it.

Buck turned on that punk with red eyes and dropped the revolver. He dropped himself forward... the punk thought he was going down, but he instead he was coiling himself for the launch.

He flew at the punk like a torpedo- the collision was every bit as explosive. Three blows into the encounter, the punk was dead... but that didn't register with Buck... he continued to beat the idiot with no intention of slowing down.
The one remaining punk tried to reach down to pick up his Glock, only to find Justin's foot on it... and Justin's off-duty pistol tickling the back of his head.

"Are you REALLY that stupid?" Justin asked.

"Uh... is somebody going to stop him?" asked Bud.
"Allow me," volunteered Shelly.... she sauntered up behind the trip-hammering Buck and coo'ed, "Buck... I think he's not fighting back anymore- that's enough,"
Buck stopped in mid-swing... looked at what he had done and trembled.. slowly... and with great difficulty, he got up off the dead body... and mind you, by this time there was NO doubt in anyone's mind that the boy was dead... he was shaking... and bleeding... but his eyes were slowly going back to deep brown. He wincingly staggered to the receptionist and announced, " My name is Buck Alexander... I would like to be seen here if you could fit me in... it seems I've been shot,"
And with that, he collapsed.

[jwhouk]

I read the paragraph on the open page of the book that had suddenly materialized open on the shelf beside me.

"Oh."

I thought for a moment.

Well, I did end up going back into the emergency room when the sutures didn't hold, a week later…


(NOTE: Congrats, Dave, you just contributed to the story. )