(aka Bike) Part 607 by Angharad |
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“Never mind who I am, who are you, that’s Henry’s bed.”
“Not any more, so piss off before I call the nurse.”
“Charmed, I’m sure–still, I’ll see you in theatre,” I offered him.
“What? Who are you?”
“Just your neighbourhood proctologist.” I rushed off before he could respond. I found the nursing sister and confessed my sins.
“Pity I wasn’t there, we only put him in that room because he was annoying everyone else. Oh the baby unit were looking for you, hang on.” She picked through a pile of papers, “Here, I hope it makes sense.”
It did, it gave the time of the appointment with Karen–tomorrow at ten. Well it was better than nine. I’d have to ask Tom to watch Mima again. I suppose I’d better buy him an Easter egg, one made by Glenfiddich or similar, and bottle shaped.
“By the way, where is my future pa in law?” I asked.
“He discharged himself.”
“You mean he walked out by himself?”
“No some chauffer type came and got him.”
“Okay, thanks.” I left sending Henry a text as I walked.
‘Where R U? Will initi8 search party if not heard in 1 hour.
Luv Cathy.’
I was driving into Tesco when I heard my phone beep. I parked and looked at the text.
‘Took ur advice, do come 4 dinner. H’
‘What do I do with ur laundry? C’ I replied.
‘Bring it when u come 2 dinner H.’
‘Who is going to babysit? C. ’
‘Not my prob. H’
This was followed by a second a moment later, ‘come 2 lunch & bring em with u. Let me know when. H.’
I decided that was enough for now and went and did the shopping. Cor, the price of good booze is not cheap–still bribery never is. I got one or two other things as well and went home.
Tom had taken the girls home and they’d all fallen asleep on the sofa by the time I got there. I didn’t realise eating pizza was such hard work. I hid Tom’s bottle in the kitchen and started to get the dinner ready, not that they’d need too much, so I thought a quiche with a salad would do.
A sleepy looking Trish came out and hugged my bum–I was standing at the sink at the time. It still made me jump. “You were gone such a long time, Mummy.”
“Yes I know, sweetheart, things took longer than I thought. Anyway, I’ve found a nice new doctor to help you, and we’re going tomorrow morning.”
“Oh,” this was said with disappointment, although hardly unexpected. “Do we have to?”
“Trish Watts, of course we have to. I told you before that we need to show people that your being a girl is your idea, not mine.”
“I don’t care what they think,” she threw back with nonchalance.
“But I do, besides if they got the wrong idea, they could try to take you away from me.”
“Don’t let them do that, Mummy.” I could hear her crying and she was rubbing her face in my hip.
I sat her down at the table and discussed it with her. “Look, sweetheart, we’re going to see Dr Nicholson who’s very nice, I had lunch with her today. She’s a friend of Dr Rose.”
“If she saw you, why do I have to go?” I couldn’t fault the logic, and this child wasn’t in school yet–it was frightening in some ways.
“It’s not me who wants to be a girl, I am one, remember?”
“So am I, Mummy.”
“I know, darling, but to make sure it’s your decision and that you still want to stay one, we have to see someone official, usually a doctor of some sort.”
“That other lady frightened me, she was horrid to you as well.”
“Yes, she was darling, but we won’t see her ever again, the hospital won’t let her go there again. She was very naughty and a policeman took her away.”
“Did he bash her with his stick?”
“His truncheon? I doubt it. By then she’d have calmed down.” But it’s a nice thought, one which I didn’t share with Trish. “But, I promise Dr Nicholson will be nicer than that awful woman and we have to go and see her.”
“Okay, Mummy, will you come with me?”
“Of course I will.”
“Thank you.” She hugged me again, grateful for something I saw as my duty and obligation, but on the other hand, I never turn down a hug.
The other sleeping beauty arrived, probably hearing us talking. “Mummmeeeee,” she shrieked and jumped up on my lap. She hugged me like hybrid between a limpet and an octopus. I almost did a count at one point to make sure she hadn’t grown extra arms. When she’d finished crushing me, she looked at Trish. “Why is Twish cwyin’?”
“I’m not,” answered Trish, “I had something in my eye.”
“Are you alwight, now?”
“Yes, Meems, I am.”
“Well how’s my favourite three year old?” I asked holding onto Mima.
“I’m fine, Mummy.” I wondered who she’d heard saying that, probably me.
“Right, come along youse twose, let’s get tea finished. It’s salad and quiche.”
“What’s kees?” asked Trish.
“Quiche, it’s a French form of bacon and egg flan with some cheese and tomato thrown in for good measure. You’ll like it.”
“I don’t think I like it, Mummy.”
“Oh well don’t have any, you can have a Marmite sandwich instead.”
“I wike it, Mummy,” she said hugging my leg.
“You, Mima, like anything–you’re a bigger dustbin than Kiki.”
“Me not a dussbin, me a wittew girw–naughty, Mummy,” so saying she smacked me on the bum.
“Hoy, you can stop that as quick as you like, it isn’t funny.” With that, Meems burst into tears and for no reason whatsoever, at least none known to me, Trish followed suit.
Just then Tom walked in, “Och I should hae known it, yer mither’s hame, an’ yer baith greetin’.”
Comments
Quiche
In my world quiche doesn't need to have bacon as a component. Perhaps the quiches made by SWMBO aren't proper ones?
Of course Glenfiddich isn't cheap; good stuff rarely is. One of the great disappointments of my life is being unable to remember the name of the single malt we bought as a gift for some American friends a few years ago. It was a last minute purchase in Birmingham Airport before our flight from a stall promoting unusual brands. It was delicious.
Tom seems to have acquired a strong Sottish accent and dialect use over more recent episodes that weren't apparent when he first appeared on the scene. I suspect Gabi is to blame ;)
thanks for everything.
Geoff
Whit dae youse mean, Jimmy, I mean, Geoff?
It wus nae ony idea o' mines, laddie. The Lallans wus just a wee whim o' Ang's.
That malt ye cannae bring tae mind, cood it hae bin Glenmorangie, or mebbe Glen Livet (there are two distilleries there. My personal favourite is Laphroig which is distilled on the Isle of Islay (pronounced Isla for thae non-Scots amang us) and it has a gorgeous peaty aroma/taste coming from the peat fuel used in the distilling.
Now I'll quiche you all good night!
Gabi
PS I believe there used to be Whoring Dinosaurs working certain parts of Glasgow many years ago. LOL
Gabi.
Laphroig
Gabi,
I've seen said malt described as "Essence of Bog". Sadly, medication forces me to forego Spiritus Fermenti in any form. ;-( WAH!!
G/R
Peat taste/aroma
Does not come from the distillation process (There is no contact between the still contents and the heat source). Peat flavours are added in two ways - (1) The water used in the Mash may have flowed over peat. (2) The malting of the barley is done using smoke from peat fires. Most distilleries now purchase malted barley from outside suppliers, "to spec", but still using peat fires. (Bowmore, Balvenie and Highland Park still malt their own barley)
My preferred Islay is Bowmore. 25-year-old Bowmore = the drink of the gods. (Occasionally btainable at cask strength from the Scotch Whisky society.)
I've had Laphroaig
Ten year old and quarter cask, they're very different. The first impression of the ten year old is that someone has set fire to an old boat full of fishheads. It's good whisky if you can get it past the nose.
The quarter cask tastes of vanilla and oak and berries and some fine perfume that turns out to be the same old boat but changed into a marvelous aroma of oceans and smoke and barley spirits. The whisky itself is still pretty good.
Odd that.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
I noticed too
I've noticed Tom's increase in speaking scots aswell :)
I have to say though scots is easier to understand spoken than it is when its written ^_^ I'm Scottish and I sometimes have trouble reading it.
Laphroig is good though ... what I remember of drinking it anyway. Had some at a barbeque on the shores of Loch Riddon a couple of years ago.
Dazed and confused
Being your typical clueless American, I gave up trying to understand what Tom says some chapters back. I've been too shy to ask for a translation, but I do wish people in Britian would start talking and writing understandably, like we do here in the Midwest. ;-)
Yuri!
Yuri!
If You Will Notice, Tom's
Accent is there only at home, and seems to me, only when needed. Those girl's are learning to pull the strings, but good. When they get older, their boyfriends or girlfriends had best watch out!
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
no disaster in the hospital but
why did the girls cry at the end? Did Cathy get more angry than I thought she did?
Gosh
I thought you knew girls cry at the drop of a hat. Happy or sad, don't matter. Emotions are best expressed with a little tear, anybody knows that. Gaah, you men! Really, sometimes I worry...
Jo-Anne
LOL (a lot)
But they are little girls - way too early for hormones to hit them.
Love the title !
So is that a Velociraptor in your pocket or are just glad to see me ? :-).
To which the guy would reply "Don't worry I don't bite" *snicker*.
Errr, oh yes we are suppose to comment on the story. I am glad to see Cathy is is going through a relatively calm period where she is (barely) managing to keep that three ring circus of a life of hers going.
BTW, where is Spike ? I thought Cathy would have made a beeline to see her after finding out where she now lived.
Kim
Tom
Believe it or not, this is what Tom was missing. A little loving caring randomness to keep life interesting. That and he eats better.
Bacon will aqllow me to eat anything,EXCEPT liver, ugh.
To Geoff, could it have been Usquesbahr (pardon my spelling) "water of life" , in the flagon, It's the best blended whisky I've ever sipped, better than any single malts I've had !
That was a homey chapter, That line about angering the proctologist is priceless !
I guess Henry now has his walking casts and can join the world (bank) again.
Cefin
Uisgebeatha
is the correct Gaelic spelling, uisge meaning water, beatha life.
Angharad