The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1446 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

We got back to the house quite late. Simon was physically well, a little dehydrated and mentally, he seemed to cope with being abducted very well. He’d never felt they were going to harm him, which I found odd as they were carrying guns and had shot someone–and the guy whose brains had stained my jacket–was, I thought, capable of pretty well anything nasty to achieve his ends.

We were all debriefed and Jim somehow managed to evade being asked how he owned a hand gun when they were illegal in private ownership. He also contrived to hide it, so they didn’t get to confiscate it. The one I’d had was taken and I was quite happy for it to go. After all, it wasn’t mine, although its previous owner had no further use for it.

Inspector Singh led the questioning but avoided giving me any answers about who these people were–the bad guys. To me they’d all appeared to be Anglo Saxon sorts, but that didn’t mean they were locals.

The safe had been recovered, but they’d managed to open it and take some of the contents–so the case was still very much live. Simon told me on the way home that they’d taken the memory stick, which wasn’t recovered from any of the bodies, so either they’d passed it on to an accomplice or it was loose in the yard somewhere. The police were out in force looking for it, so I heard. Good to hear my taxes are being well spent.

We snuggled down in bed together and I drifted off to sleep in his arms, waking myself up with a start when I dreamt the bloke with the gun was there. I woke up sweating and feeling quite sick–having to go to the loo to regurgitate my supper.

I got up from the loo, turned and seeing a pair of male legs, screamed my head off. It was Simon of course–in his underpants and tee shirt–looking very sleepy until I screamed. Of course, I felt extremely stupid and asked him why he hadn’t spoken instead of just creeping up behind me. He told me he had spoken but I was too busy barffing to hear him.

Danny came rushing in moments later, and Tom hobbled along–one slipper on, one in his hand. Stella and Jenny either slept though it or stayed where they were. I told Danny I’d had a bad dream about the police thing that day, and he accepted it and went back to bed. Tom went off to make himself a nightcap–to help him sleep–natch. Simon asked if I’d like a drink–I asked for tea, then realised he’d meant a brandy, which I didn’t want.

We ended up down in the kitchen drinking tea at two in the morning, and sharing our feelings about the experiences we’d had. “It’s a good job that copper shot that bloke.”

“Which bloke?”

“The guy in the car with you, with the cannon.”

“Oh him?” I knew exactly which one he’d meant before he added his exaggeration.

“Why?” I asked and prepared myself for a very macho answer.

“If you’d driven that car, they could have done you for theft of police property and you might be in custody now.”

“Would you come and visit me?” I asked coyly.

“That would depend.”

“On what?”

“I’d have to find someone to look after the kids first, wouldn’t I?”

“That’s really sweet of you, to care for the children.” I felt really loving towards him.

“Well, I wouldn’t be able to go out on the town unless we had a babysitter, would I?”

“Especially with two broken legs, darling,” I smiled back at him and he roared with laughter.

“C’mon, let’s go back to bed, it’s getting cold.” He picked up the mugs and dumped them in the sink then put his arm round me.

“You wouldn’t go out on the town would you–I mean if I was in custody?”

“You wouldn’t break my legs would you?” he shot back.

“That man really scared me.” I said snuggling up to him when we’d got back to bed.

“Nah, you’d always come out on top.”

How d’you work that out?”

“You’re a woman, you always get one over on us men.”

“Not always.”

“When did I last come out on top?” he asked and I honestly couldn’t remember.

“If you’re quick, you could come on top now,” I said as seductively as I could, bearing in mind I felt as turned on as a torch without a battery. He didn’t refuse the offer and okay, I enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to. I sighed that I’d have to change the sheets again in the morning but fell asleep quite quickly.

We woke up being invaded by four aliens who left little room in the bed for us, so I got up and went to shower. Trish followed me in. “You have blood on your leg,” she said pointing to a mark near the top of my leg. “Are you having a period?”

“No, that’s–um–from–c’mon let’s shower.” I decided I wasn’t going to tell them things they didn’t need to know. However, a bit later on I overheard Trish talking to Livvie, ‘They had sex last night...’ I walked away blushing as they giggled.

Simon was out talking to Tom in the garden, where they were both admiring Danny’s efforts to keep it both tidy and productive. Danny was weeding, but by the blushes he was showing he was well aware of the conversation and being the subject of it. When he saw me coming out to the garden, Danny picked out a lettuce, wrenched off the root and shook away the soil. “Here we are, Mum,” he said handing me the plant.

“Oh thanks, Dan, you’ve got this patch really looking neat and tidy.”

“I only do what Gramps tells me to do.”

“I ne’er tell’t ye tae pull a lettuce,” teased Tom.

“Leave the poor boy alone, he knew I needed one for lunch.”

“Aye whit’s fa’ lunch, I’m fair starvin’?”

“Lettuce,” I smirked and Danny sniggered–he knows how much Tom hates salad.”

“Aye, weel, I’m awa’ oot fa ma piece.”

“Suit yersel’, hen,” I replied and Simon laughed out loud..

Despite his threats, Tom actually stayed for lunch, which was jacket potato with salad and either tuna or cheese. During the meal, I asked Simon if there was any news about the missing memory stick and he said he hadn’t heard any.

“You need a memory stick, I’ve got a spare one, Mummy,” offered Trish.

“No, darling, this is a special one which was lost yesterday–the police were looking for it when we left them. I wondered if they’d found it.”

“Oh,” she said and looked a bit flat until I thanked her for her offer, and Simon did so as well. She perked up immediately her dad took notice of her. Typical isn’t it, I spend hours doing things for her or with her, and he looks her way once and she nearly falls over in her rush to get his attention. Typical little girl, no wonder men still rule the roost if women will continue that behaviour when they’re adults–jumping through hoops to get attention–drives me nuts.

“Cathy, did you manage to get the marks off my seats afterwards?” Simon asked me.

I blushed, “Um–not yet, darling, haven’t had a moment, I’ll go and check them as soon as we finish lunch.” That was the blood and guts I had on my clothing–him and his precious seats.

“Don’t forget now, will you?”

“Of course I won’t, darling.”

When I checked a little while later there weren’t any marks, it was all dried into my jacket, which was probably ruined but I could hardly complain could I–the marksman had saved my life. I was just locking his car when the police car drove into the drive and Inspector Singh got out of it. Just what I needed.