The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1576 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

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“So who are you going to manipulate next–me?” Simon glared at me.

“I do that all the time.”

“You what?”

“Don’t be so hysterical, Simon, it’s what women do–we do it from the moment you’re born to the moment you die.”

“What, to men, you mean?”

“Baby boys to the elderly.”

He sat down and scowled at me. “Why?”

“Because much of the time it’s the only way to get you to do as we want. You have muscle, we have sex and guile–it sort of evens things out.”

“Okay, I know about womanly wiles, it’s part of the mythology of masculinity–you’re saying it isn’t a myth?”

“Am I?”

“So surely Caroline should be part immune to it?”

“Some women manipulate other women as well as men, it’s harder, but possible.”

“So Caroline is harder to do than I am?”

“Sadly not, least not for Jenny.”

“And you–you play her all ways don’t you?”

“She doesn’t fancy me, I’m her employer.”

“Doesn’t she hell?”

I blushed. “No, it’s Julie she fancied, but Tash put an end to that.”

“She idolises both of you, with good reason–you’re both cracking bits of crumpet, and one of you is my wife and the other my daughter–makes me a very proud man.”

“That’s why you are easier to wrap round my finger than a piece of thread, and the girls do it all the time.”

“Only because I let them.”

“Of course, big strong, tough Daddy, chooses to let them have or do things, not because they run rings round you.”

“Yeah, that’s about it.”

“I see, I wrote something on a piece of paper in this envelope. I believe it’s something you’ll do against your better judgement because you can’t say no to your daughters, or me.”

“What is it?”

“Nothing illegal or immoral.”

“Well that’s something, I suppose.”

“Please may I have a biscuit?” Trish appeared in the kitchen.

“No, come back later, Mummy and I are talking.” Trish looked at Simon with huge eyes and mouth wide open.

“But I’d like a biscuit now, I might not be hungry later.” Trish wasn’t used to being told no to reasonable requests.

“And I said no, and when I say no, I mean it, so clear off.”

Trish looked at me in astonishment, “Come back a bit later and you can take one, alright, sweetheart.”

“A chocolate one?”

“If you like.”

“Okay,” she shrugged and walked back out muttering, “Crabby old git.”

“I heard that,” Simon called after her. I snorted.

“As the kids seem rather quiet, I thought, perhaps you could come and give me a back rub.”

Now Simon looked at me in astonishment. “Yeah, okay.”

I looked at my watch, “We don’t have long.”

“Right, let’s get on with it then.”

“Ah, there you are, Daddy,” Julie came into the kitchen.

“Look, I’m busy, Jules, can it wait?”

“Um–not really.”

I held out my hand to him and he stepped towards me. “It’ll have to.”

“You know you said you’d take Tash to the station?”

“Yeah, I will, when’s her train?”

“In half an hour.”

“What? You’re joking?”

“I’m not.”

“Can’t you take in her your car or your mother’s?”

“But, Daddy, you said you’d take her in your XK. You promised.”

“Look I’m busy.”

“But you promised.”

“Can we wait half an hour?” Simon looked at me.

“Sorry, I have an appointment later.”

“You do?”

“Yes, I have to take Mima to the dentist–remember?”

“Oh bugger, can’t you cancel it?”

“No and my back is quite tense.” I licked my lips.

“But I gave my word, Babes–I have to take her.”

“You don’t.”

“I promised.”

“You promised she could go to the station in the XK, you didn’t say you’d drive it.”

“Isn’t that hair splitting?”

“No, she could still go in it.”

“How?”

“Let Julie drive it.”

“Oh yeah,” Julie punched the air.

“What?”

“It’s insured, I checked recently.” I licked my lips and moved my shoulders up and down.

“I dunno, what if she crashes it?”

“She’ll drive very carefully, and it is insured.”

“Oh, I’ll take really good care of it, Daddy.”

“If you so much as get it dirty, I’ll postpone your operation–d’you hear me?”

“Such a drama queen, Daddy, I’m only going to the station.”

He glared at her and put the key on the table, she snatched it up and ran out of the room squealing with delight.

“This had better be worth it,” he said to me.

“Oh it will be–that I guarantee.”

“I’m going soft in the head.”

“As long as it isn’t somewhere else,” I smirked and pulled him up the stairs.

We had an hour of passion before I had to shower and dress and take Mima to the dentist. It was only a check-up but I like to maintain these things when I can, and she’s still a bit nervous about being poked about, even though the dental surgeon is a very attractive Polish woman who makes her laugh.

We got back and Simon was washing his car and scowling at me. “I was had, wasn’t I?”

“In what way?” I sent Mima into the house to change into her playing clothes.

“I saw what you wrote on the sheet of paper.”

“Oh,” I blushed and smiled at the same time.

“Proves you were right though doesn’t it?”

“It was a pretty crude effort, but if you were aware of the more subtle ones–well, you wouldn’t believe me.”

“I can’t believe you did it–I can’t believe I did it.”

“You did enjoy your little self though didn’t you?”

“That’s beside the point, you warned me it was coming then led me by the balls right into it.”

I looked as innocent as I could and smiled at him.

“Men have strength and muscle,” I said putting my arm round his waist and holding myself against him.

“Yeah, and brains in their dicks.”

“Not having one, I couldn’t possibly comment, could I?”

“What am I going to do with you?” he said shaking his head.

“Rub my back for me?”

“What again?”

“No at bed time.”

“Okay, you’re on.”

“If I was I’d be more surprised than you, darling.” I kissed him and chewed his lip.

“You are some woman, d’you know that?”

“Uh huh,” I kissed him again, “Tea?” I said and slipped away and into the house.

Julie was sitting in the kitchen painting her nails, “That was amazing, Mummy, you said he’d let me take her, but I didn’t believe you for one minute–that car is absolutely brilliant.”

“And you’ll watch the children tomorrow.”

“Yeah, like we agreed–you’re not gonna be, like, all day, are you?”

“No, I’ll be back some time in the afternoon.”

“Yeah, that’s like, fine. I hope the little squirt enjoys it after the effort you’ve gone to.”

“Oh he will, he thinks David Beckham is the bee’s knees.”

“Yeah and about as much bloody use on a football field, if Daddy’s right.”

“It’s not your father I’m taking to meet him, is it, and Danny thinks he’s wonderful.”

“Yeah but Foyle’s, helluva long way to go to get a book, innit?”

“If it makes someone’s dream happen, it’s worth every minute of it.”

“I mean, he’s too thick to write his biography, isn’t he?”

“I don’t care if Mickey Mouse wrote it for him, so long as he signs it and shakes hands with Danny.”

“Cor, true love,” she said and strode off blowing on her nails.