The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 982 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

Julie had recovered enough for us to have a light lunch and go shopping for something for Livvie. She bought her a new doll and change of clothing. Sometimes I forget the two girls are only six and like to play with dolls sometimes–although the real doll girl is Meems, who plays with them most days. Having said that, she is increasingly interested in books and I encourage all of them to read to one another and help each other with big or new words. We have the Oxford Children’s Dictionary in the lounge and they make quite good use of it, as do the boys.

While I did the supermarket shopping, Julie snoozed in the car, her therapy this morning had exhausted her and she looked and acted very tired. She barely woke when I got back in the car and dozed until I got the girls. The shop had gift-wrapped the present, so she was able to give it to Livvie when they came back to the car.

Back at home, they all helped me carry the shopping in, Livvie carrying the shop bought cake I’d bought for her–I know, I’m a failure as a mother, but I haven’t had time to do anything lately.

I vaguely looked around the yard when we got back and decided that I couldn’t see what Maureen had been doing today–it doesn’t always show. Stella greeted Livvie and gave her the bangle and I started to sort things out for tea.

“Oh, by the way, Maureen didn’t come today.”

“Did she phone?”

“Not as far as I know, I haven’t been far and there were no messages on the ansafone.”

I felt worried, “I hope she’s all right, she usually lets me know if there’s something wrong.”

I speed dialled her number on my mobile–it’s perhaps crazy, but although we’re not short of money, to call from a landline to a mobile costs much more than calling from my mobile. Okay, so I’m a penny pincher, whenever I see penny, I pinch her–but that’s another story.

The phone rang for ages, the voicemail was turned off. Something was very unusual here and I felt very concerned for Maureen. I decided I’d try again later. Livvie got to choose the menu for tonight–she wanted egg and chips, then jelly and ice cream. I suppose once a year won’t hurt her.

I dashed off to get a pile of chips from our local fish and chip shop, I got a piece of fish for Tom and some curry sauce. I got the same for Simon and popped them in the oven when I got back. All these lovely things in the fridge and she wants egg and chips–oh well, that’s kids for you.

Once the meal was over, I brought in the cake with candles attached and ready lighted. What Livvie didn’t know was that they were the joke candles, which relight themselves after you blow them out. We all sang Happy Birthday, and she blew out the candles, we all shouted hooray, and of course the candles lit up again. There was lots of laughter and Livvie blew them out again, and they lit again.

She stood by the cake looking very confused by the seemingly inextinguishable candles, laughing but blushing. The boys thought it was hilarious but they couldn’t blow them out either.

In the end, I explained they were trick candles and after Livvie told me off, we all laughed again, and I cut the cake for her and we all had a slice. At his point Simon and Tom came in almost together. They laughed while Livvie told them about the candles and I got their meals from the kitchen.

Simon gave Livvie a jewellery making set, plus some vouchers for CDs or DVDs from one of the leading stores. I felt disappointed, until he went out to the car and came back with a large box and it was a CD/Minidisc/radio music centre, which she loved. He promised he’d set it up in their bedroom after dinner. All the girls were excited at this they’d been jealous of the boy’s one since Christmas and now they had their own, or Livvie did, but she agreed to share it with the others.

After the two men had eaten and Tom took over entertaining the children, Julie went up to bed and when I asked her how she was, she told me she was fine, just tired. She asked about Maureen and I was reminded to try calling again.

I told Simon that Maureen hadn’t arrived for work and he was more upbeat. “Maybe she drank too much last night, or has one of those tummy bugs or had a friend turn up at short notice. She’ll be here tomorrow, I expect. You worry too much.”

I tried her mobile again–same result, no voicemail and no answer. My tummy felt very strange and I knew it wasn’t the egg and chips.

Livvie played with her presents and Simon fixed up the music centre for the girls helped by bossy boots Trish. The boys were finishing their homework and Julie was fast asleep. I told Stella about her therapy session.

“So have we got another miracle worker?” she asked.

“Sort of, I sent it to her and she saw it working both on her and for her. If she treats it with respect, she might well become a good healer.”

“Are there bad ones then?” she smirked.

“I meant, a capable one–the same sort of potential as Trish, who seems to have forgotten about her abilities.” I heaved a sigh of relief at this, the novelty had passed and Trish didn’t do much, so it was waiting dormant in her for her to be mature enough to cope with its full measure. I expected something similar to happen with Julie.

“So how come it came to you so late, and why doesn’t it seem to happen to us bio females?”

“I don’t know–I know very little about it, except one day it seemed to happen and went from there.”

“When I was ill, it wasn’t there was it?”

“Not the first time, anymore than it was able to save my mum or dad.”

“Maybe it was their time–as they say.”

“Whatever that means.”

“Did you speak with Maureen?”

“No, she’s not answering her phone.”

“Perhaps she’s got a boyfriend staying?” Stella teased.

“I don’t think she’s interested in boys.”

“Oh, perhaps I’d better not flirt with her next time then.”

“Is that why she isn’t here? You embarrassed her to death?”

“Oh very funny. I’m going to put my baby to bed–shouldn’t some of yours do similar?”

I glanced at the clock, it was half past eight. The girls grumbled but agreed to go to bed and I played a CD of Winnie the Pooh stories. I went up to check a while later and they were all asleep, so I switched off the player and rounded up the boys.

They each read to me, a chapter of Biggles and then after tucking them in and a kiss on the cheek they went off to sleep as well. Julie was still asleep when I checked and as far as I know she was okay.

It looked as if I was going to be able to have a quiet night in with my husband for a change. Stella was watching the telly and Tom was in his study, probably ‘havin’ a wee dram’ so Simon and I sat and talked across the dining room table, holding hands and rubbing feet up each other’s leg. It felt old fashioned and romantic. We avoided talk of money and banks, politics and anything else, just gazed into each other’s eyes and felt warm and soppy. What was going to happen was as inevitable as night follows day, as he began to make hints about going to bed early.

Of course, I hadn’t counted on the universe having different plans in the form of my mobile ringing.

“Ignore it, they’ll can call again tomorrow,” exhorted my husband his mind firmly fixed on his nooky.

“I can’t, it could be Maureen.”

“So you can bollock her tomorrow.”

“I’m not going to bo–tell her off, I’m too worried.”

“Maybe she got plastered, she used to drink didn’t she?”

“There’s an easy way to find out,” I picked up my cell phone and answered it, I didn’t recognise the number. “Hello?”

“Is that Cathy?” asked a strange voice, I couldn’t make out if it was male or female.

“Who is that?” I asked back.

“I’m Becky, a friend of Maureen’s.”

“Is she alright?”

“I’m afraid she isn’t.”

“Oh no, what’s happened?”

“She’s in hospital, in intensive care, a group of yobbos got her last night and beat her really badly.”

“Which hospital?”

“Southampton.”

“Southampton? What’s wrong with Portsmouth?”

“She’s in the neurological unit–they kicked her head pretty bad.”

“I’m on my way.”

“What can you do?”

“I don’t know until get there, thanks for letting me know.”