While Molly and Danny were sunning themselves on the white
Sardinian sands, the Pepperstock Bay Islands were taking a battering from an
autumn storm, which in the early hours of Wednesday morning brought part of an
oak tree down in Manor Row which ended up going through Deborah Woodward’s
bedroom window.
Fortunately she wasn’t at home at the time as she was on a night
shift, but she got a nasty shock when she got home at 8 o’clock even though
Stuart Cameron had phoned her.
The fire service was in attendance when she got home and she was
greeted by part time firefighters Frazer Richmond, who she knew from the
hospital as he was also a paramedic, and Adrian Robinson.
The damage was much worse than she expected, the huge oak bough
had indeed gone through her bedroom window, but it had taken a big chunk of
wall as it did so, and there was substantial damage to the roof as well.
Frazer and Adrian had secured a tarpaulin over the damage in order
to keep the elements out, but the tree was still in situ as it was still
partially attached to the tree.
“Is it safe to go in?”
“I wouldn’t recommend it until the tree has been removed” Frazer
replied
“Can I at least go in and pack a bag?” she asked
“Yes, but don’t go into that bedroom” Frazer said, and she let
herself in.
Deborah returned about ten minutes later carrying a large suitcase
and a small holdall, she paused briefly to lock the door and then she walked up
the path.
The rest of the crew had stowed their gear on the vehicle and
Frazer and Adrian had been joined by Stuart.
“Have you got everything you need?” Frazer asked
“Yes, I think so” she replied despondently
“Where are you going to stay?” Adrian asked
“The Hotel I suppose” she replied
“Nonsense” Stuart interjected “I’ve made up the bed in the spare
room”
“Are you sure?” she asked
“Absolutely” he replied as he took her suitcase
“Bless you” she said
“And thank you guys as well”
“No problem” Frazer said “The Baker’s will be along in a little
while”
“Who are the Baker’s?” she asked
“The tree surgeons”
It was midmorning when Brother and Sister, Nathan and Vicki Baker
arrived in Manor Row, it was not their first job of the day.
There were five siblings in
the Baker family, but only two of them were tree surgeons, and they lived
together in St Pierre in a large Victorian house, with rooms over 4 floors,
since the substantial loft space had been converted into another bedroom, and
there was also a cellar that was used as the movie/games room.
Their parents had retired to
Spain and left the house to the five children equally, and it was built by one
of their ancestors, and was something of a monstrosity, but it was home.
They soon set to work and
quickly dealt with the problem bough, before dealing with any loose or damaged
branches on the tree itself, and just as they had finished loading the last of
the lumber onto the pickup, Adam Jandrell and Franci Liebenberg arrived to do a
full inspection and make the tarpaulin secure after the tree was gone.
Once they had finished in Manor Row Nathan and Vicki drove back to
Spaniards Creek and unloaded the wood in the yard, where it would be cut and
dried to sell as firewood by local girl Zoey
Bargeman, who began working for the Baker’s within
a week of them moving in.
Apart from working for them, stunningly attractive Zoey spent a
lot of her spare time with Vicki, and they became great friends as they were
both 25 years old and had a lot in common.
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