The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1693 by Angharad Copyright © 2012 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

“Is she still hairdressing?” asked Neal as he sipped his tea, I was still chewing my sandwich.

“Yes, she’s been doing a course for the past year, so she should be nearly finished. I think she’d like to do some more beauty therapy stuff as well and possibly have her own business.”

“How old is she now?”

“Eighteen, they seem to grow up so quickly.”

“So she’s been with you, how long?”

“Two years. She was sixteen when she came to stay with me.”

“Didn’t you pick her up at a rubbish dump or something?”

“She had been assaulted and left lying on a pile of rubbish—she could have quite easily died of hypothermia.”

“Did they ever catch her attacker?”

“Not at the time, she told us who it was but he managed to escape justice until recently.”

“Oh what new evidence come to light?”

“Not quite, he died while perpetrating another crime.”

“Oh, but he didn’t get done for attacking Julie?”

“No he was shot by a police marksman while attacking someone else.”

“Oh well, poetic justice then?”

“Something like that, can we change the subject?”

“Sure, did I tell you that Glo is pregnant?”

“No, oh how wonderful, do give her my best, won’t you?”

“Yeah, course.” He paused, “Look, Cathy, we’re getting married in a couple of week’s time, wondered if you could come, with Simon of course, and Tom—I’ll ask him separately of course.”

“You don’t need any bridesmaids, do you?”

“It’s a registry office do, hadn’t really thought of it.”

“I have a series of three from rent-a-mob who could be available at short notice.” Well, I know my three like dressing up.

“I’ll get Glo to give you a ring, if that’s okay?”

“Surely. I won’t be offended if she doesn’t want to do it with my girls.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

“How is her pregnancy going?”

“Okay, as far as we know.”

“When’s she due?”

“December, some time, early part of the month, I think.”

“Ooh, could be a birthday present for me, then?”

“Of course, you’re December, aren’t you?”

“Yes, the third.” Well duh.

“I’m hopeless at birthdays, girls are better, you always remembered, didn’t you?”

I looked at him, “I think even most boys remember their own birthday,” I said teasing him.

“I didn’t mean that, I meant girls are better at remembering other people’s birthdays and anniversaries.” He was actually blushing.

“Yeah, we write it down on the calendar or keep a birthday book—I do both on the precept that I might look at one or other in time. I also have various cards in my brief case.”

“What? You carry a spare birthday card round with you?”

“More or less, yes—don’t you?”

“Don’t be daft, I’m a bloke, we don’t do things like that.” He shook his head, astonished that I’d even suggested it. I only did to wind him up.

“So it’s Saturday week then?”

“Yeah, the twelfth of May at eleven at the registry office.”

“Honeymoon?”

“Nah, we’re havin’ a new kitchen instead.”

“Might be a good idea, you can always go next year with your baby, can’t you?”

“Doubt it, with Glo taking redundancy, we won’t have her income to pay for it.”

“I suspect we could find you a cottage up in Scotland somewhere if you’d like, I’d have to speak with my pa-in-law.”

“Nah, it’s okay, I’ll be decorating the nursery anyway.”

“Or you could borrow my parent’s house in Bristol if you wanted.”

“Thanks, Cathy, but we’ll be fine—honestly.”

“Right, well I’ll await Gloria’s call then?”

“Yeah, I’ll remind her to phone when I get home.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow.” With that I picked up my brief case and went down to my office, did an hour’s work planning the next set of three lectures. I’ll be explaining how we measure things as well as count them—there is a difference. Then it’s on to ecosytems, with loads of slides and when we do woodland, Spike will have an airing—it’s quite peculiar but they always remember my lecture on woodland.

I skipped lunch making do with a cup of soup—one of these instant ones you make in your cup. They need stirring regularly to make sure they’ve mixed properly or they have like polyfilla in the bottom of your mug. The big danger being that if you have the spoon in your cup while you’re actually drinking the assorted chemicals they’re made from, the spoon is likely to hit you in the eye or go up your nose. I’ve seen both happen so I take the spoon out as soon as I’ve stirred it.

Fortified by whatever they put in the soup packet, I dashed off to the supermarket to do a weekly shop before collecting the girls from school. A hundred and fifty quid later, or should that be lighter? I emerged from the store with a boot full of shopping—that is boot as in the boot of a car, or trunk as they call it across the puddle. Dunno why, they don’t look anything like an elephant.

It was after dinner that Gloria called. I congratulated her on her upcoming wedding and the baby on the way. “I asked Neal to let me tell you about that, you know, in case you were a little hurt by it. I expect he just came out with it.”

“Sort of, but really, I’m over that now—I have my share of children and even though I didn’t give birth to any of them, I don’t think I could have done any better.”

“Neal said about you offering the youngsters as bridesmaids?”

“Yeah, but only if you want them, if you don’t that’s okay too.”

“I’d love ‘em Cathy, but I think the wedding is going to be too small to merit them, thanks anyway, but we’d love you and Simon to come if you would?”

“Of course. Now what you like for a present?”

“I hadn’t even thought of anything—I mean we’ve lived together for so long, we’ve got most things—but thanks anyway, Cathy.”

“How about if I give you a cheque and you can use it towards the costs of the nursery or outfitting the baby?”

“No, honestly, we’re okay.”

“If you’re sure?”

“Oh yeah, positive.”

“Okay, if you change your mind, let me know—the offer is there, okay?”

“Thanks, Cathy, you’re a real treasure.”

“That’s why people keep trying to bury me?”

Gloria laughed at the other end and we both rang off. She thought I was joking, I wasn’t.