Hi.
It's Kade Kendal here.
I'm a young American App Designer, married, living and working in Central London.
Of course, I'm aware many of you know of me, from our back-story: The Surgeon and The Twins. But that's exactly what those narratives are now, 'back' story.
Our story from now on is all about leaving the past behind and moving forwards. Which is why we've agreed to open it up.
By that, I mean Tan and I are going to share the writing of this blog/book; it will be a team effort, with alternate chapters from both of us. We think it's important that you get a sense of living and working in this awesome city from two perspectives: his and hers.
I'll give you an example of how a situation can be perceived in two different ways. When Tan met me after my first day at work, it was off the scale. London working people get blasted after their working week.
That night there was a girl, Chloe, who was checking both Tan and I out. Tan assumed she was giving her the once over, in the comparative sense, because she was into me. And initially I thought the same, until the evening continued and the truth cruised over me: I believe Chloe was checking us both out in the same way.
But Tan still doesn't see that, she firmly believes Chloe's into me, and doesn't buy my bisexual theory. See, so it will be good to get both our takes on people and situations in the upcoming blog/book.
Right, back to business. You will notice one thing missing from my chapters; a stylistic inclusion of Tan's writing that became characters in their own right: The Dots.
Tan uses them as a device to indicate a lapse in time, and they work. But I kinda want to stamp my own style on my chapters. And besides, I have my own dots: six perfectly round, tiny little birthmarks dotted around my body. They freaked me out as a kid, but then mom told me to see them like Harry Potter's lightening scar, a sign that I was different and special. That worked. Now I embrace my dots, they're part of what makes me, me.
I agree with my sister Kelly, who says, "The parts of yourself you don't like, are the parts that make you Bomb-Dot-Com."
Kelly and Troy are going from strength to strength. Although I will admit to a little (friendly) rivalry between Troy and I, I guess it's just a guy thing.
I also want to share something awesome with you about our life right now. Something so incredible you're going to find it hard to believe.
Are you ready?
Right.
Here goes – right now our life is ORDINARY!
BORING, even (except our, erm, how do I say this respectfully? Let's put it this way, life in our bedroom is far from boring.) I guess those words in parenthesis require a 'winking emoji' but no, they'll be no such thing in our book, we've agreed to ban them.
Tan and I have actually had a whole week wherein nothing ugly happened. I went to work, came home, cooked a meal, and ate it with the others. I nursed baby Belinda, put her to bed, then Tan and I curled up on the sofa and watched a movie together. Then we went to: wink, wink!
The highlight of our day is figuring out what to have for dinner (that's a little white lie, the real highlights are: wink, wink.)
But seriously, relaxing is as Rock & Roll as our lives get right now. And long may it continue.
So, a few words about how Tan and I intend to write this blog/book. Tan is incredibly disciplined; she writes in the evenings, transcribing events while they're still raw and fresh in her mind (the reason there were so many clff-hangers is because we were literally left hanging over cliffs in real time).
I don't have her discipline; my mind jumps all over the place, so I tend to write on the go. Like, right now, I'm in the queue of the grocery store (Supermarket, as they're called here), and I'm scribing this on my cell.
Most of my chapters will be written on: buses, in bathrooms, stores and cafes. That's the way I roll.
We are currently in the midst of London lunchtime, and this queue is long. By the time I get to purchase my sandwich, I'll have to get back to work.
Work? It's good, real good. I get along with everyone, except this douche called Rory. He's just an angry, mixed up guy with a major badatude who doesn't help himself by drinking too much. I steer clear of him.
Chloe's great, and I'm happy that her and Tan have clicked, they get along real good, Tan says she's a real lady.
I've also met Tom, who's currently transitioning into Tula, and I gotta be honest, she looks pretty bad, she's certainly no lady. Shoot, that makes me sound like an ass-hole, doesn't it? It's just that she's doing it all wrong. Her clothes look like they've come from a whoredrobe. She's trying to be sexy but is giving slutty. Sad. I feel bad, because I know she hears the sniggers.
Tan is, as always, awesome. She starts her job next week, which she's super psyched about, if a little nervous, which is understandable. What's really wonderful is watching the relationship between Tan and her brother, Tony develop; it's a beautiful thing. She's a really great big sister and seems to innately know how to manage his autism.
And then of course, there's Tony himself. The most brilliant mathematical and analytical mind I've ever experienced. Add his talents to moms and my father's, little Kelvin, and we have a formidable team looking out for us.
A team that is crucial, as (and it pains me to say this), the threat of a resurgence of Surgeon like activity is ever present as long as her clone, Lucinda, remains at large.
But, there is a highly Secret Service working with our team, who are now aware of this activity, as it's now not just our potential problem, it's the worlds. Scary, hey?
Jeez – what's going on, this queue is barely moving!
Shoot, one of the checkout ladies looks real familiar, she's not Lucinda, but something about her kinda bothers me. Excuse me while I try and get a sneaky picture.
Picture taken, and sent to Tony.
I might have to abandon lunch, this queue is barely moving.
Wait.
There's some kinda issue happening here.
Raised voices are flying around.
My fellow queue-ers (I know, that's not a word, but you get me) are all turned in the direction of the noise.
A crowd has gathered by the entrance/exit.
Laughter mixes with voices, mostly children's voices.
Why has my appetite vanished? I throw my sandwich onto a wrong shelf and walk toward the gathering crowd.
Did I speak too soon?
Is our 'ordinary' over?
Shoot! I catch sight of something that answers those two questions.
I gotta go, and get on this right away. I need my cell to take pictures and send onto Tony.
I'll be back.
Work is over for the day and I'm on the top deck of the bus (Chloe calls them 'peasant wagons').
That lunchtime situation was a real downer.
Some characters from our back-story returned to upset my opening intro.
The imps.
They look different from the imps we're used to. They've been amped up, made to look, to look adorable. It was obvious that this was some kind of toy store promotion as the imps were in the arms of a young man and woman who were wearing sweatshirts with a Toy Store logo printed on them.
The imps were male and female and chillingly, they were super cute. The female one had a Disney Princess face with a pink fluffy panda like body, while the male one had a large eyed, smiley Alien, face, with a soft blue, monkey like body.
I've sent pics of the guy and girl with the imps, to Tony.
A txt from Tony: INNOCENT & CLEARED. They've been employed by a local promotions agency, which scans as legit.
Great, Tony's on it like a car bonnet.
Phew, that's (sort of) good news.
Watching the imps preen and look cute made me want to barf, especially as I saw the effect they were having on the kids:
"I want one, mummy."
"Please get me one, now."
"Where can we buy them from?"
"Are they real?"
I wanted to jump in, grab the imps and run. But we've been told to keep out of any suspicious situations.
I've recorded at the scene dialogue, which I've sent to Tony and co for in-depth analysis. It was mostly captivated children, pleading for an imp.
But while I was trying to discreetly observe the scene, one lady turned to me and said, "It's going to be hell trying to get one of these things, obviously they're going to be this Christmases must have toy."
Staring out the window of the bus, watching this chaotic city pass by, I feel my spirits dropping. This is proof that Lucinda is at work and it's deeply worrying how her campaign (whatever that may be) is targeting and marketing to innocent children.
Just as Tan and I are opening up our story, Lucinda seems to be opening up hers.
I grow cold.
Tan will warm me up and lift my spirits.
When Tan suggested we write together I made a promise not to leave you with cliffhangers, and I guess this isn't one. At least I don't think it is.
Instead, I think it's the start, the start of something sinister.
The Lady: Coming soon.