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    In The Stars Part I, Episode 2: Aquarius
    In The Stars Part I, Episode 2: Aquarius
    In The Stars Part I, Episode 2: Aquarius
    Ebook142 pages2 hours

    In The Stars Part I, Episode 2: Aquarius

    By Debbie McGowan

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    About this ebook

    Dan and Adele’s relationship is under duress as they try to come to terms with their loss;
    Sophie has a life-changing decision to make; Marigold’s release date draws close;
    Kris’s acting career could be heading for the big time—is George brave enough to make the offer?

    * * * * *

    ‘Aquarius’ is the second episode of In The Stars. For those readers unfamiliar with the series, ‘Capricorn’ (episode one) re-introduces the main characters, so you could pick it up from here and perhaps catch up with the previous books later.

    In The Stars explores the day-to-day lives of The Circle—nine friends from high school, now it their late thirties—following them through celebration, loss, illness and life-changing decisions.

    Each episode covers the period of time indicated by the zodiac sign from which it takes its title.

    The full novels of In The Stars Part I: Capricorn–Gemini and In The Stars Part II: Cancer–Sagittarius are also available for purchase (paperback/ebook).

    In The Stars Part I is season four in the Hiding Behind The Couch Series.

    The story follows chronologically from The Harder They Fall (Season Three), Crying in the Rain (Novel) and First Christmas (Novella). It continues in Breaking Waves (Novella) and In The Stars Part II (Season Five).

    * * * * *

    What readers say about the Hiding Behind The Couch Series:

    “The remarkable characterisation in these novels is what makes them for me.”

    “This story reminds me of my favorite movies about friendship and relationships.”

    “Few authors have explored the depths of longtime friends within a group, or ‘circle’ the way Debbie McGowan has!”

    “I have a love-hate relationship with Debbie McGowan’s Hiding Behind the Couch Series. I love to read them, I HATE it when they’re over.”

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBeaten Track Publishing
    Release dateJan 31, 2014
    ISBN9781909192621
    In The Stars Part I, Episode 2: Aquarius
    Author

    Debbie McGowan

    Debbie McGowan is an award-winning author of contemporary fiction that celebrates life, love and relationships in all their diversity. Since the publication in 2004 of her debut novel, Champagne—based on a stage show co-written and co-produced with her husband—she has published many further works—novels, short stories and novellas—including two ongoing series: Hiding Behind The Couch (a literary ‘soap opera’ centring on the lives of nine long-term friends) and Checking Him Out (LGBTQ romance). Debbie has been a finalist in both the Rainbow Awards and the Bisexual Book Awards, and in 2016, she won the Lambda Literary Award (Lammy) for her novel, When Skies Have Fallen: a British historical romance spanning twenty-three years, from the end of WWII to the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967. Through her independent publishing company, Debbie gives voices to other authors whose work would be deemed unprofitable by mainstream publishing houses.

    Read more from Debbie Mc Gowan

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      Book preview

      In The Stars Part I, Episode 2 - Debbie McGowan

      In The Stars Part I, Episode 2: Aquarius

      Hiding Behind The Couch

      Season Four

      by

      Debbie McGowan

      SMASHWORDS EDITION

      * * * * *

      Copyright 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 Debbie McGowan at Smashwords.

      https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/debbiemcgowan

      This book is available in print at most online retailers.

      Cover Design by Debbie McGowan

      Licensed stock images: usage is not indicative

      of the models’ identity, activities or preferences.

      Zodiac Illustrations by Emma Pickering

      http://www.beatentrackpublishing.com

      This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

      * * * * *

      This novel is a work of fiction and the characters and events in it exist only in its pages and in the author’s imagination.

      * * * * *

      Dan and Adele’s relationship is under duress as they try to come to terms with their loss;

      Sophie has a life-changing decision to make; Marigold’s release date draws close;

      Kris’s acting career could be heading for the big time—is George brave enough to make the offer?

      * * * * *

      ‘Aquarius’ is the second episode of In The Stars. For those readers unfamiliar with the series, ‘Capricorn’ (episode one) re-introduces the main characters, so you could pick it up from here and perhaps catch up with the previous books later.

      In The Stars Part I is Season Four in the Hiding Behind The Couch Series. This book is also available as six separate episodes.

      The story follows chronologically from The Harder They Fall (Season Three), Crying in the Rain (Novel) and First Christmas (Novella). It continues in Breaking Waves (Novella) and In The Stars Part II (Season Five).

      For those readers unfamiliar with the series, In The Stars re-introduces the main characters, so you could pick it up from here and perhaps catch up with the previous books later.

      * * * * *

      Acknowledgements

      Thank you to my wonderful proofreaders, Tracy and Andrea, for your persistence in / insistence on finding and then laughing at my dreadful mistakes, not to mention your extraordinary expertise in all matters, but in particular, those of bingo and health care! The Circle thank you, too!

      ***

      ‘Love Hearts’ used with kind permission:

      Swizzels Matlow Ltd.

      www.lovehearts.com

      Excerpts from:

      ‘The Signs’, by Henry Van Dyke

      The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Poems of Henry Van Dyke.

      Hamlet, by William Shakespeare.

      Reproduced under the terms of the

      Project Gutenberg Licence.

      www.gutenberg.org

      ‘Footprints In Your Heart’, by Eleanor Roosevelt;

      also attributed as

      ‘Today is a Gift’, by Laszlo Kotro-Kosztandi.

      Further bibliographic information unavailable.

      * * * * *

      Dedication

      For my friends on the flat roof:

      we steered a wayward ship,

      lost and found God, glimpsed Satan,

      didn’t learn a lot of Latin.

      And for Powelly, rider on the storm.

      Elf people, though, dude. Seriously?

      * * * * *

      Table of Contents

      Acknowledgements

      Dedication

      Correspondence: Saturday 21st–Sunday 22nd January

      Rooms Without Views: Monday 23rd January

      Release: Tuesday 24th January

      Strangers: Thursday 26th January

      Bingo: Saturday 4th February

      Birth Plan: Thursday 9th February

      Bloody Valentine’s: Tuesday 14th February

      The Godfather: Tuesday 14th February

      When Harry Left Sally-Anne: Thursday 16th February

      The Story Continues

      About the Author

      By the Author

      Beaten Track Publishing

      * * * * *

      In the magical universe there are no coincidences and there are no accidents. Nothing happens unless someone wills it to happen.

      William S. Burroughs

      * * * * *

      Aquarius

      Like water spilt upon the ground—alas,

      Our little lives flow swiftly on and pass;

      Yet may they bring rich harvests and green grass!

      Correspondence

      Saturday 21st–Sunday 22nd January

      06:15, Dan [mobile]

      You up bro?

      06:20, Dan [mobile]

      Andy?

      06:31, Dan [mobile]

      Lazy arse. Call when you get this.

      ***

      Andy trudged, scuffing his feet through the gravel, down towards the gates, eyes half shut, each out-breath a miniature cloud suspended before him in the crisp, dark January morning. He checked the weather app on his phone: minus four. And it felt like it. He arrived at the gate and braced himself for touching the icy wrought iron, opening it just enough to squeeze through. He pulled it to a close behind him and turned to watch the road; not a car in sight.

      Awesome, he muttered, trying not to take in too much of the frigid air. He checked his phone again: 06:50. The gym wouldn’t even be open yet. And it was Saturday. What the fuck was he doing? He should’ve told Dan straight. Go back to bed. Stay with Adele. Look after each other.

      Just as he reached into his pocket for his phone—an action that, if completed, would have confirmed only a minute had passed since the last time he did it, but it was too cold for patience—the sound of an approaching vehicle distracted him. Diesel. Big engine. four-by-four. Thank fuck.

      Alright, bro? Dan said. He waited until the door was shut before he slowly pulled away. The roads were slippery enough to require caution, even in a four-wheel-drive that could probably have hammered its way up and down the Himalayan pass between Syabru and Kathmandu, no problem at all. Andy grunted a greeting and plugged in his seat belt.

      Bertie get off OK? Dan asked.

      Yeah. Andy settled back into the seat and closed his eyes.

      Tired?

      What do you think? It’s not even seven yet. I’ve had four hours’ sleep and it’s pitch-bloody-black.

      Dan focused on the road ahead and didn’t say anything else for a few minutes, then, Sorry, bro.

      Andy sighed. No worries. He opened his eyes and gave them a good rub. After that, neither spoke again, until they were inside the gym, warming up on adjacent bikes.

      When we’re done, Andy said, in time with the swishing rhythm of the rotating rubber belt, I’m gonna buy us breakfast. He waited to catch the up-beat. And you’re gonna talk to me.

      Dan silently cycled on. Ten minutes. Warm-up complete. On to the treadmills, set to a nice leisurely jog. Thump, thump, thump, thump.

      Failing that, Andy continued, adjusting in accordance with his new rhythm, you’re gonna talk to Josh.

      What for? I’m fine. Dan’s syncopated protest fell on deaf ears. Andy had inserted his earphones.

      ***

      08:53, Shaunna [mobile]

      Morning hun. How you feeling? x

      08:55, Adele [mobile]

      AM OK THANKS. WHAT YOU UP TO TODAY? X

      08:57, Shaunna [mobile]

      Not much. In work at 12. Kris is out with the dog. Ade’s still in bed. Bored! Might have breakfast and pop round to yours? x

      08:59, Adele [mobile]

      GET BREAKFAST ON YOUR WAY - IN THE MOOD FOR A QUASSON. CANT SPELL IT SORRY. :) X

      09:00, Shaunna [mobile]

      LOL. OK hun. Be about 20 minutes. Get the kettle on! x

      ***

      Your croissants, ma’am, Shaunna said, holding up the bag of pastries as if they were an entry requirement. She stepped into the hallway and followed her friend to the living room and the source of the smell of the freshly brewed tea.

      Hiya, little Shaunna said, handing grown-up Shaunna a very small bear.

      Hiya, grown-up Shaunna replied. Ta. She accepted the tiny teddy. I bought some pain au chocolat—wasn’t sure what Missus here would eat.

      Anything at all. She’s got past that fussy stage, Adele said. Although she’s already had breakfast with Dan—three hours ago.

      Blimey! Has he gone to work?

      Nope. Adele breathed out loudly and set about pouring the tea. Since Alice had been childminding for them, she’d discovered that tea from the pot was her preference, although she didn’t usually bother, but it seemed a good morning for it.

      Oh. Shaunna frowned. Gym?

      Yep. Adele sat down and waited for grown-up Shaunna to dish out the pastries.

      On his own?

      With Andy.

      That’s something, Shaunna said. She took a bite of her croissant and chewed thoughtfully. Isn’t he talking to you?

      Yeah, he’s talking. Sort of. He keeps snapping at me, like it’s my fault, but the doctor told us both. There’s nothing we did that caused it. He’s just being an idiot. I mean. It’s not even like I was that far on.

      He’s obviously taking it badly.

      Or being a selfish prat. Adele tore a large piece from the croissant with her teeth and chomped angrily. Shaunna watched her friend.

      How are you really feeling, hun? she asked.

      Adele shrugged and swallowed hard. I’m fine. My hormones are a bit all over the place, but they said they would be. And I’ve got the worst period pains ever, but I’m coping. I just don’t get it.

      What d’you mean?

      "Well, it’s me, isn’t it? It’s me who’s had a miscarriage. It’s me who should be all cut up about it, not him."

      Shaunna picked up her tea and slowly sipped, planning out her response. Adele didn’t understand how Dan was feeling, because she wasn’t feeling like that herself, which had always been one of her weaknesses—not so much

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