The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1079 by Angharad Copyright © 2010 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

“What would you like to do with Daisy?” I asked Paul.

“I don’t know, I hadn’t really given it much thought, I’m afraid.”

“She can stay here, assuming she wants to, until you have organised yourself and Maria. There’s no hurry to take her back for the moment, unless either you or she feel a need.”

“I can’t believe someone would walk into my life and save my daughter and my wife, then do it again with a different daughter.”

“Oh well, sorry if I’m becoming predictable.”

“Predictable? You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever met you are so generous that I feel overwhelmed.”

“I’m sorry, if you’d rather take Daisy and go.”

“I’m the one who’s sorry. Forgive me, I sound ungrateful for all the help you’ve given us–it isn’t true. The truth is I feel embarrassed because I shall never be able to pay back the things you have given us...”

I put my finger to my lips to indicate he should be quiet.

“You owe me nothing, I was simply being a good neighbour and there is nothing to forgive. Now, go and see Daisy and talk it over with her and see what suits you both best. Either way, I won’t be offended.”

He went off to speak with his daughter and I cleared up the remains of the dishes and started the machine. I saw them go out to the garden, possibly for some privacy and Trish came in to see me.

“Is Daisy going to stay with us, Mummy?”

“I don’t know, sweetheart. If she does, it’s only until she can go home with her parents.”

“Yes I know that, Mummy. If she does, she can sleep with us.”

I wasn’t sure that was such a good idea, given Trish’s little anomaly, and as for them all in the bath or shower together–that was a definite no-no. I quickly explained this to Trish, who understood very quickly what I meant.

If Daisy did stay, then I might need to reorganise the sleeping arrangements for the period. I tried to think what I should do.

Billie came in and asked if we would ride tomorrow, I told her that I wasn’t sure, as it would depend upon whether or not Daisy stayed with us. If she didn’t, then we’d do so again as soon as we could.

Just then Danny came in and asked to borrow Stella’s bike and I mentioned Billie wanted to ride, so he went off to find her. Trish thought she was missing something and asked where Billie and Danny were going. I told her and she wanted to go as well. I asked her to wait until I could take her myself. She shrugged, ‘Okay’ and went back to whatever she was doing before.

I was making bread–actually, I wasn’t, I was filling the machine to make some more as we were down to less than half a loaf. I looked in the freezer, we had some shop bought bread, which could mean I did something on toast, like eggs or sardines for lunch. Before then I needed to know if Paul and Daisy were staying for lunch. However, I didn’t like to interrupt them.

I began to poke about in the freezer, I was sure some of this stuff had been in here since the last ice age, ten thousand years ago. However, I didn’t find any bag or tub labelled Woolly Mammoth in Tom’s inimitable hand. I did uncover some ice cream which was probably stored during the Devonian period, when the country was a hot desert. This cold dessert had shrivelled to a creamy yellow goo which would probably stick down ceramic floor tiles. I chucked it in the bin before it began marching across the floor and ate the dog.

Paul and Daisy walked back in while I was reaching in to the bottom of the old chest freezer, as opposed to the standing fridge-freezer. Daisy came rushing in shouting, “Auntie Cathy,” just in time to see me lose my footing and fall headlong into the wretched appliance and the lid shut on top of me.

It was dark, I was wedged upside down with ice particles from the lid going down the back of my tee-shirt, my face was also dangerously close to some unknown fish component that was probably as old as I was.

The lid lifted and Paul peered inside. “Are you okay?”

“I think I’ll finish the rest of my yoga practice somewhere warmer, if you don’t mind.”

He laughed and helped me out, grabbing the back of my jeans and yanking. I thanked him and wiped my hair with a towel.

“You do lead an exciting life, Lady Catherine,” he said.

“I know, I’m trying to cut down on the adrenalin but it seems to follow me round. How about some tea?”

He nodded and I went and made some. I waited for him to broach the subject and made small talk, which bores me silly.

“If your offer still stands, could you have Daisy for a few days until we get the baby and Maria home. Then I’ll take over.”

“Of course. Is there anything Maria needs, toiletries, nightdresses and so on?”

“No, I’ll go home and get all those and some more stuff for Daisy and I’ll take her in to see her mum, then bring her back here later, if that’s okay with you?”

“Of course. Will you both need to eat–later I mean?”

“I hadn’t even thought of food to be honest.”

“I’ll do some dinner for six o’clock.”

“That would be brilliant. Look, I hope you don’t mind, but we’re thinking of calling our daughter, Catherine.”

I blushed, “Not after someone I know is it?”

“She’s a bit of a saint in her own way.”

“Nah, I wouldn’t know her then.”

“You don’t mind do you?”

“I’d feel honoured.”

Now he blushed, “It was Maria’s idea; she said without your help, neither of them would be here.”

“An exaggeration, I’m sure.” Cor, it was getting warm in here.

He went off with his daughter and I thought of my girls' relationship with Simon. Part of me felt a little jealous–a father daughter relationship is something special. He took Maria’s car, which had been in the drive since she’d arrived in it with Daisy.

I spent the rest of the time with Julie and Stella, moving beds and things to different rooms. I agreed in the end that Daisy could sleep in the same room as the three younger girls and impressed upon them about Trish’s and Billie’s secret. So while Daisy was here there’d be no mass baths or showers, and I wouldn’t be showering with them either. There were grumbles but I explained that her parents might do things differently, and while there were no rights and wrongs in how people dealt with nudity within the family, families were different, and we’d play safe. I think they understood–Mima was always the one who concerned me. She had a very perplexed look upon her face.

“Woss wong wiv Biwwie’s wiwwie? She awways had one? So has Twish.”

Oh boy, some days I think I’ll do something simple like peace envoy in the Middle East or Afghanistan.