The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2185 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

It was after six that our two business women returned, they looked tired. “Busy?” I asked.

“We haven’t stopped all day, I can’t believe it, but we’ve been on the go all day long, we didn’t even stop for lunch, did we Pheebs?”

Phoebe who appeared too tired to answer remained seated and shook her head.

“Are you better, Mummy?” asked Julie remembering that a few hours earlier she’d been saving my life.

“Much better thanks to you and Trish.”

“You’ve done it for us often enough.”

“Well, thank you anyway, sweetheart.” I gave her a huge hug and she pretended she’d fallen asleep with her head on my shoulder.

“What’s for dinner?”

“I was going to order a pizza, David is indisposed after the tree hit his car.”

“What crying in his beer?” asked Julie.

“He was actually hit by the tree.”

“Did he hit it back?”

“I don’t know but we have a shed full of wood for the winter, once it’s dried out.”

“I love a log fire, can we have one at Christmas?”

“Oh yes, that would be fun,” agreed Phoebe.

“It’s not me you ask it’s Gramps, after all he owns the place.”

“Whit am I guilty of noo?”

“Nothing, Daddy, d’you want pizza or shall I order a curry for you?”

“Pizza will dae, I’m daein’ a study tae see hoo lang someone can live on eatin’ cardboard alone.”

“I’m not having any,” I explained, not that it was any secret that I thought pizza was cardboard with melted cheese on top.

“Gramps, can we have a log fire at Christmas?”

“Whit fa’ are ye askin’ me, yer mither runs things here aboot.”

“She said it’s your house.”

“Nah, it’s owned by this awfu’ harridan.”

“What’s a harridan?” asked Phoebe seemingly alert now.

“A bad tempered old woman,” I said before Tom could try to implicate me any further.

“Like you and Auntie Stella?” asked Julie I hoped with tongue firmly in cheek.

“No just me, I’ve obviously learned it from my boss.”

Tom cackled at my response.

“What, Daddy?” asked Julie acting innocent.

Tom cackled again, any more and he’ll be recruited as one of the witches in Macbeth.

“Can we have a Halloween party, Mummy?” asked Julie.

“I don’t know, I think you could do with a bit of an early night not party half of it.”

“It’s not ’til Thursday.”

“Why don’t you see if there’s anything on at the hotel?”

“C’mon, Pheebs, let’s hit the internet.”

“What?”

“Follow me, little sister, and you might learn something...”

Sometimes Julie was too funny for words. How she felt so confident these days I had no idea especially as she’d been such a nervous creature before. I called the pizza shop and ordered four large ones. I also called the chip shop and asked for three fish and chip dinners with a pot of curry sauce, some mushy peas and some mushrooms in batter.

The food arrived as Simon brought David back from car hunting. “Sorry to hear about your new car,” I called as he walked off to his house.

“His new car is almost brand new.”

“Well alright, the old one, then.”

“That my dear wife, is beyond any help, it’s an ex-motor car.”

I didn’t give him a chance to regale us with Monty Python scripts which he knew by heart and which can seem interminable especially the Spanish Inquisition and the Parrot sketch. This would have been the parrot one. You know, ‘This parrot wouldn’t vroom if you put thirty thousand volts through him, he’s not pining, he’s passed on.’

Calling the hungry to eat, I dished up the food. “What chips and pizza?” said Simon licking his lips. “Forget it,” I said and dumped my fish and chips in his lap and instead went to check on Lizzie with Cate following me like a puppy, I suspect she’s frightened I might go away and not come back. I have more homing power than a turbo boomerang or racing pigeon, it’s my navigational powers which go so awry.

Actually, that isn’t quite true, I get disorientated in large urban areas, in the countryside I can usually find my way round by where the sun is, moss on the north side of trees and so on. I don’t get lost in woodlands just towns and cities.

I sat and fed Lizzie with Cate watching and begrudging every mouthful. When Lizzie had finished I expressed a little into Cate’s cup which she carries round like a swagman would. She drank it and laughed, then gave me a lovely cuddle which lasted until the doorbell rang.

I let someone else answer it, “Cathy, someone to see you.”

I put Lizzie down and holding Cate’s hand wandered down to see who was knocking on our door at night. It was Siá¢n and we hugged. “Good to see you,” I said hugging her again.

“Good to see you, too.”

“Have you eaten?”

“I couldn’t impose...”

“Nonsense, it won’t be anything special just scrambled egg on toast.”

“Please.”

The others reading my body language left us to the kitchen and Siá¢n sat at the table while I made us toast and then scrambled half a dozen eggs in the microwave. A few minutes later we were eating and then washing down the food with cups of tea.

I waited to be told why she was visiting, I doubted her practice came as far out of Salisbury as Portsmouth, so she had to have a reason for coming. It didn’t so I eventually asked. “What brings you this far south?”

She blushed and avoided eye contact. “I–um–Kirsty and I had a big fight an’ she threw me out.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, what can I do to help?”

“Let me spend the night here.”

“Okay, the spare room is free but shouldn’t you be going back and talking things over with her?” Marriage guidance I leave to Relate.

“She doesn’t know I’m here.” Siá¢n still avoided eye contact and was blushing.

“Shouldn’t you call her and say you’re alright?”

“I will in the morning.”

“Up to you, why not text her to say you’re safe, she won’t know where you are.”

“In the morning.”

“Where does she think you are?”

“A friend’s or a hotel, I don’t really care. I need some time to think.”

“Fine, stay as long as you like–what about work?”

“I’ve taken a few days leave.”

“Okay. I’ll show you your room.” She followed me up the stairs with Cate holding on to her hand and gabbling about in a language only she understands.

Siá¢n helped me make the bed and I offered her a nightdress which she accepted. She smiled and said, “It seems the boot is on the other foot.”

I looked back at her without recognising her meaning.

“If I recall, girl, it used to be me who loaned you clothes in the past.”

“What goes about comes about.” I said and left her to freshen up. I told her that if she washed her bra and wrung it in the towel then placed it in our airing room, it would be dry by morning. She nodded and I left with Cate now gabbling to me and getting cross that my understanding of Double Dutch was meagre. Siá¢n came down again and we chatted and drank tea until I nearly fell of the chair I was so tired. I left her to take herself to bed although when I went up the stairs she was talking to Stella. I really didn’t care, I quickly cleaned my teeth and almost fell into bed. Minutes later I was asleep.