The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1037 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

“Looks a bit juvenile to me,” said Stephanie, glancing at the note.

“She has a history of suicide and parasuicides.”

“How can she have a history of suicide–it’s something you only do once.”

“Stephanie, she very nearly died, which was what she intended. I interrupted it by chance and she nearly didn’t make it.”

“And some less convincing ones?”

“No they’ve been mainly for real, I’ve stopped it twice.”

“Where’s the baby?” asked Simon.

“She’s gone too,” I felt sick with worry.

“Okay, search the house from top to bottom–I’ll go and look outside.” Simon didn’t so much spring into action as lurch. He got his foot caught between the table leg and his chair and nearly fell over.

I rushed up the stairs–I knew she wasn’t in the guest room, but I checked anyway. Then looked in the girl’s room and Tom’s–he was in bed reading. When I explained, he jumped out of bed and started to dress.

I looked in her room again, even opening the wardrobe in case this was a wind up–she wasn’t there.

I checked all the other rooms–she wasn’t in the house, as far as I could tell. Me and my stupid big mouth, why couldn’t I have just ignored her like I usually do? It was doubly stupid to have acted up in front of Stephanie of all people–now she’ll know what a nutter I am.

“Her car’s still there,” said Simon coming back inside.

“So she’s on foot?” I deduced.

“Well who’s a regular Sherlock bloody Holmes?” Simon could be quite cruel when the mood took him.

“Don’t be like that,” I pouted.

“Well, duh, like she levitated and flew off like Superman–did you check to see if her cape and red wellies were still here?”

“Si, don’t be silly–this could be serious–there’s a baby involved.”

“I know there’s a friggin’ baby involved, if it was just looking for that stupid cow, I’d have left her to come to her senses and come crawling back after a night on the back doorstep–but a baby is different: not that she’s fit to care for one.”

“She’s quite a good mother,” I protested.

“Yeah, sure she is, only good mothers use their babies as blackmail collateral.”

By this time Tom had dressed and come down to help. “Weel, any news?”

“No, Daddy, she’s still missing, with Puddin’.”

“Hae ye called thae polis?”

“Not yet.”

“If she’s no foond in an hoor, we call them–richt?”

“Aye,” I sighed lapsing into Lallans myself.

“Cathy, you and Stephanie stay here in case she comes back, we’ll go and search the outbuildings and orchards.”

“I wonder if she took her mobile?” I suddenly thought.

“Yeah call her up and bollock her some more and then if she tops herself we can go to bed.”

“Simon, stop acting so spitefully. You don’t mean it,” I chided him and he waved his arms about protesting at his sister’s stupidity.

“I don’t think she’s being stupid,” Stephanie said quietly, “After all she has you all running round like headless chickens, because she knows you will. It’s juvenile, but clever juvenile.”

“So what should we do?” I asked.

“Have you her mobile number?”

I knew it by heart and gave it to Stephanie who dialled it–“It’s ringing.”

There was a response.

“I’m glad you picked it up, Stella, this is Stephanie–yes I’m still here, I’m staying the night. Okay, before you do hang up–Puddin’ is safe and well? Oh good. Please don’t do anything that would put her at risk, will you. Yes I know you wouldn’t, but my responsibility as a doctor is to make sure you won’t.”

They chatted for a moment or two longer, then Stephanie said in a matter of fact way, “Look why don’t you come back and we can discuss it–I promise to chair it and yes, Cathy and Simon will refrain from sniping at you–or I’ll exclude them.”

“Please come back, Stella,” I shouted at the phone, now with tears streaming down my face. “It’s all my fault.”

Stephanie waved at me to shut up, “Okay then, we’ll see you in five or ten minutes.”

I ran upstairs and dug my night vision glasses out and hiding behind the curtain in my bedroom, scanned the driveway to get a clue as to where she was. She snuck out of my bike shed–probably the only place Simon didn’t check, because it’s usually locked.

I probably wouldn’t have checked it too carefully either, because she never goes in there. I dashed downstairs, the key was missing from its usual place on the key rack. I’ll bet she hangs on to it in case she wants to disappear again. I’ve a good mind to add a staple and hasp lock and keep all the keys.

But that attitude isn’t going to solve anything was it? I needed to be conciliatory and work towards safety for Puddin’; so I’d bite my tongue and keep my thoughts to myself.

She came in five minutes later. The dining table was cleared and Stephanie sat at a place in the middle of the far side, she made us sit around the table with the neutral Tom nearest to where Stella would sit.

Stella entered the dining room and placed Puddin’ on the sofa, she was fast asleep and hopefully would remain so until this was resolved. If necessary, I could run from the table and intercept her with the baby to stop her running off again. I sincerely hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, because she’d never forgive me.

For the next hour, Stephanie drew up comments from all of us as to what we thought the problem was and how to solve it. Next she drew up a list of the most important items and got me to type them up and print off a copy for everyone. I did as I was asked, knowing full well I was responding to stereotype again–but for the sake of getting to bed before it got any later.

She then went through the five main topics and made sure we were all agreed they were the most important ones. We did.

“Right, now this becomes a contract and I want you to sign every copy–that’s right, each other’s copy too. I’m well aware this isn’t a legally binding document, but it does give you a framework to use to understand each other, and because you signed each copy, none of you can claim it was a trick or anything.

“Might I suggest we all now adjourn to our beds?”

As Stella picked up her baby, I spoke to her, “Look, I’m sorry for what I said, but I was very tired.”

“So that makes it alright then, does it?” she snapped back at me.

“No, but I wanted to apologise, if you don’t wish to accept it, that’s up to you.” I turned to walk out of the room and she gripped my arm.

“Look, I think we’re all a bit fraught, how about we start again–as the sisters we are?”

“I’d like that,” I said and hugged her.

In return she handed me Puddin’ to have a little cuddle and the little angel stayed asleep.

I thanked Stephanie, who told me she’d stick it on the bill, I smirked and pointed at Simon, she smiled back at me and nodded.