Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Skin and Bones
Paid publication
Book #3	Enemies of Dorley Hall
Chapter	5
Free publication
Date posted	Apr 13, 2023
Word count	30,351
Points of view	Maria, Christine, Trevor, Aaron, Steph, Aunt Ashley, Melissa, Shahida, Nadine, Pippa, Frankie, Edy, Abby, neutral point-of-view
AO3 Scribble Hub
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Chapter 31: Skin and Bones is the fifth chapter of the third book of the series, Enemies of Dorley Hall, and thirty-first chapter overall.

The title refers to Aaron’s doubts about his identity, speaking with Steph in the conservatory.

The chapter contains a flashback scene to Christmas Eve 2004, and the remaining thirty scenes all take place on Tuesday, 24 December 2019.

Plot

On Christmas Eve 2004, Maria sits at the head table and discusses the new plans for Dorley

Fifteen years later to the day in 2019, Beatrice gets Christine and Indira to welcome Teri and Ashley

Trevor is also having a shitty Christmas

Aaron is introduced by Steph to Shahida and Melissa

Steph bites back at Beatrice’s manhandling of Aaron, who consents to the programme

Christine is joined at her table by Steph, Aaron, Paige, and briefly Indira

Diners take their places at Aaron’s table, Beatrice gives a speech and dinner is served

Christine and Abby exchange text messages, considerably to Christine’s dissatisfaction

A conversation at high table mainly between Ash and Jane

Melissa eventually manages to trigger Aaron’s verbosity mode

Steph notices Christine’s unhappy texts with Abby

Shahida reveals yet another meeting is planned

Aaron washes his hands with company

Maria offers a toast before dessert

Melissa is invited to reconnect with her year group

Some unnamed sponsors ponder the second-years’ mayhem

Ashley and Bea discuss terrifying the first-years

Charlie is found by Nadine to be wearing boxer shorts under her pant suit

Two late-arriving students describe Aaron as a hot butch chick behind his back

Aaron is a little out of sorts and Maria comes over to check on him

Pippa asks Tabby what it’s like to have a boyfriend who’s not a girl; Tabby and denial beards

Aaron asks Christine where to run and hide

Frankie tries to get Trevor join their conspiracy

Aaron finds the conservatory and the second-year Faye

Melissa announces plans to returns to Almsworth

Edy drops in on Adam

Steph and Aaron (not wanting Steph to call him by name) have a ‘deep and meaningful’, with Steph asking if he want to be a girl

Abby reflects on catching up with her blood family versus her found family

Steph and Aaron return to the couches by the fireplace

Frankie and Trevor continue to conspire

Aaron gives a farewell speech to his name

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