Which Ditch? (aka Bike) Part 634 by Angharad

I drove back home, thinking only of the girls: I needed a cuddle with them and to reassure them that things were okay. Mima would probably believe me without too much difficulty but Trish was another matter.

Glancing in the rear view mirror, I noticed dark rings under my eyes and it wasn’t makeup of any sort, this was tiredness. I hoped I would sleep tonight. I know the hospital were being cagey, which I understood, but I had a feeling that Simon was going to be okay.

Then I suddenly thought, my God, Trish starts school in a few days, and apart from buying her uniform, I haven’t given it a single thought. I felt a hot flush of embarrassment rise up from somewhere near my big toes and rush up to my scalp. I needed to get a grip on things and I was so tired. I yawned, sleep would be wonderful–but not while I’m driving.

I hoped Tom would have taken the bread from the machine, but it wasn’t certain. Oh well, nearly home. I pulled into the drive and felt my shoulder, which was throbbing away to itself. If I had real healing powers, I should be able to stop the pain it was causing me–or was that simple hubris? Was there a goddess of collar bones–Clavicula? If so I asked for her help.

Then I tried to put two hands near the pain. It’s difficult unless you’re a rubber jointed contortionist with very long arms. I’m not, so I couldn’t. I did place my right hand over the area and held the left hand on my chest over my heart. I visualised some sort of blue light emanating from my right hand into the wound and it healing. I also visualised it getting colder, thinking cold might stop the pain.

It didn’t, and I jumped out of my skin when there was a bang on the car door. “Mummy, come on inside, Grampa Tom is getting worried about you.”

“Okay, sweetheart, I’m coming.” I opened the door and got out of my tin box, now I had to interact with the real world again, frightening stuff. I also had to explain why Simon was in hospital. Maybe I could get in the car and drive off quickly before they noticed. Trish had hold of my hand.

“We had a lovely day with Gramps. He took us to a restaurant for lunch and we had …”

“Chicken curry?” I suggested.

“Yes, how did you know that, Mummy, are you septic?”

“I hope not, I think you might mean psychic.”

“What does cyclic mean?”

“Cyclic, means happening in cycles, psychic means…oh I dunno, being aware of things other people aren’t generally aware of.”

“Like what?”

“Mood or almost appearing to read their mind.”

“Sounds scary to me, Mummy. I don’t want anyone to read my mind in case they discover what I’m trying to hide.”

“Which is?”

“My um,” she blushed.

“Oh that, yes, I take your point. I keep forgetting you’re not a girl, I mean a full girl.”

“Am I foow girw?” asked Mima.

“You are nobody’s fool, kiddo.” She looked puzzled and we all began to hug and laugh.

“I’m gwad you home, Mummy.”

“I am, too, honeybunch.” They led me into the house and towards Tom.

“How’re ye?” He held out his arms and moments later I was engulfed in a huge hug. The pain in my shoulder was awful, but for a moment I was safe in the arms of someone who loved me and cared for me, and would do his best to protect me. So despite the pain, it was delicious. Then I became aware of two set of hands hugging my legs. I began to cry–with happiness.

“Whit’s tha matter noo?”

“Nothing, Daddy, I’m just happy. Sorry, I can’t help it.” I sobbed on his shoulder, a release of tension and security–I couldn’t stop the tears. Of course it started Trish off and then like a domino effect, Mima soon followed suit.

Tom sighed and said under his breath, “Lassies–whit’ll I dae?”

After things settled down, we had cheese and fresh bread with salad for our teas. It was enough for me and hopefully for the others too. I had to read the girls their bedtime story–in case I disappeared again. I also told them that Simon had been taken ill, but they were fixing him in hospital.

Trish had asked if they could visit, I was tempted to let them, then decided it might prove counter productive and with the infections that seem to hang about hospitals these days, they’d be better to wait and see him when he got home. They accepted my ruling, but only when I said we’d make a banner to hang across the door for him when he did come home.

I was also going to make a cake tomorrow, the birthday cake that Trish didn’t get. I was tempted to make it tonight, but instead, decided an early night would be more use, and they could both help me tomorrow.

They eventually fell asleep, I don’t know how many times I’ve read them the Princess and the Pea but they never seem to tire of it. Meems argued that she’d wouldn’t be able to detect something as small as a pea under a dozen mattresses. Trish, however, felt it was possible, and that, “Mummy is a lady, which is next to a princess, she’d be able to tell, wouldn’t you, Mummy?”

Just what my life needed–more controversy. I gave an answer that was the height of diplomacy. “I don’t know sweetheart, we don’t have dried peas nor loads of mattresses, so I suppose we’ll never know.”

“So how was Simon?” asked Tom.

“I think he’s on the mend, silly fool took an overdose of paracetamol, nearly wiped out his liver. Fortunately, they gave him the antidote, so I live in hopes.”

“Whit for did he dae it?”

“He thought we’d finished and he didn’t want to live without me.”

“I think there may be three others here, wha’d think like that.”

“Oh, Daddy, I’d never leave you and the girls unless you wanted me to go.”

“Is that a promise?” he asked.

“Cross my heart,” I said and drew a cross on my chest.

“Well, a ladies’ word is guid enough fer me.”

“Even one as unreliable as me?”

“Aye, e’en one like ye.”

“Thank you, Daddy.”

“Yer welcome, lassie, noo I’m awa’ tae ma bed, I suggest ye dae tha same.”

“I think that’s unanimous, Daddy.”

“Guid.”

I called the hospital. Simon was sleeping, but he’d had a small snack to eat and seemed a little better. The nurse told me she’d tell him I rang. Tomorrow we’d make a card from the girls–a get well card. I went to bed feeling a bit better myself and seemed to sleep more easily.

In the middle of the night, I felt a small body climb into bed and cling to me. I rolled over and put my arm around Trish, who snuggled into me. “I’m not going anywhere, you know.”

She put her arm around my waist, “I love you, Mummy, and I want you to be my mummy for ever and ever.”