I wrapped my scarf around my face and pulled up the hood on my coat, then sunglasses, I wanted to look inconspicuous. I ran into the shop and bought some sandwiches and a drink, plus some chocolate for me and some bread for my dad to have with his soup. I also bought an aerosol of furniture polish. I paid for my items and walking back to my car spotted the occupants of the Audi getting restive.

Easy As Falling Off A Bike
by Angharad
part 14 dozen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Simon!" I said sharply into the phone.

"What, it's one o'clock?"

"Were you asleep?" I asked almost biting my tongue.

"Yes, yes I was, why?" He yawned sleepily.

"Well I am not and I have just sent that that snake in the grass, packing." I had just turned my temper up to simmer.

"What are you on about?" but he sounded more awake now, by the time I was finished he'd be on higher alert than the military in Afghanistan.

"Your bosom buddy, Desmond, that's what!" Part of me wanted to cry but not before I'd vented my wrath.

"Oh fuck!" was said quietly but distinctly, at least to my hyped up senses.

"Your little friend will be sending you a case of Scotch. I hope you enjoy it. I'll be sending you a certain piece of jewellery, just thought I'd warn you in case it gets lost in the post, or out in my garden because that's what I FEEL LIKE DOING WITH IT, YOU BASTARD!"

"Cathy I can can explain," he tried to say.

"DON'T YOU TALK TO ME YOU, YOU BASTARD.... what did you say?" I suspect I might have impaired his hearing as I ranted in a semi screech. God, I sounded like my mother, on the one or two occasions she'd let rip at my dad. I blushed.

"What!" I snapped down the phone, not having heard it because I was lost in my own thoughts about my mother.

"I had nothing to do with it."

"You could have warned me you knew him, you, you PIG!"

"He said he was going to see you to help avoid the press, he also said he would flirt mercilessly with you."

"He did the arrogant arsehole."

"I wondered if he was just trying to wind me up, about you I mean. I told him he was wasting his time, that could have been a mistake, he saw it as a challenge."

"You should have told me." I was calming down a little, but still angry or maybe just hurt. I couldn't decide, my emotions were all over the place.

"I didn't really have much chance. I sent you the email but it was in between meetings, it's been hell the last few days."

"All you had to say was you knew Des,"

"I know, I know, or at least I do now."

"What would you have done if I had gone to bed with him?"

"Been very surprised and disappointed."

"Now you know how I feel, goodnight darling." I put the phone down and unplugged it. I made a cuppa and went to bed.

I suppose I was living on adrenalin, because I was awake some four hours later and taking the wheels off my bike. I was still dark when I packed the car, with all the clothes I had with me including my cycling kit.

Then I made some soup. I would have to buy bread, but that couldn't be helped. I cleaned up everything and did a machine load of washing, then tumbled it dry.

I checked every hour, there were still no strange cars near the house. That almost disappointed me. I suppose I was spoiling for a fight and the enemy hadn't arrived. I hated to think what free radicals were swishing about inside me, set off by the stress and the adrenalin.

I packed the remaining stuff in the car, including the food for the hospital. Ten minutes later I was on my way. As I pulled out of our road, I spotted a car pull out from the kerb and follow me. The adrenalin rushed again.

I let it follow me, making a mental note of the make and model and the number if it got close enough. It was likely to be faster than mine, being an Audi A4. There were two people in it.

I deliberately went the long way to Tesco, anyone who then went into the car park behind me was likely to be following me, not making a three mile detour - unless they really were Bristolians, who have to be some of the worst drivers around.

I indicated and turned into Tesco, so did the big Audi. Oh shit!

I wrapped my scarf around my face and pulled up the hood on my coat, then sunglasses, I wanted to look inconspicuous. I ran into the shop and bought some sandwiches and a drink, plus some chocolate for me and some bread for my dad to have with his soup. I also bought an aerosol of furniture polish. I paid for my items and walking back to my car spotted the occupants of the Audi getting restive.

There was no doubt that they were tailing me. I got in my car and drove off towards the exit, which is a like a single lane onto the major road. They followed me. Once I saw they were stuck behind me with another car behind them, I got out of my car and advanced towards them as menacingly as I could, waving the claw hammer I still had in the car. I heard the door locks of the Audi click.

I then sprayed their windscreen with enough polish to clean a complete dining suite twice over. I then removed a valve from their front tyre and ignoring the horns hooting behind, got back in my car and drove off in the opposite direction to the hospital. Round one to me.

If they went for criminal damage, I would go for stalking. I also had the number of the car.

About an hour later, I got to the hospital and parked the car where it wouldn't be seen except from within the car park, alongside another A class Mercedes, although a different colour to mine.

I saw my dad and gave the soup to the nurses. I explained why I was there early and couldn't stay, he was clearly sad but he said he understood, or tried to with his limited capacity to speak.

"Affy,"

"Yes Daddy," I said knowing the conversation was coming to an end and I had to go and play with the traffic and the press.

" Avooo unny?" he said to me.

"Have I honey, what for the bread?"

"Noooo, no no. Unny."

"Money?" I asked and he nodded. "You need some money, sure how much do you want, a tenner?"

"No no no, vuuuu unny."

"Do I need money?" I asked and he nodded.

"I'm okay at the minute, but thanks for asking."

"Noo, vuu ake some."

"You want me to take some?"

"Esss," he smiled and nodded.

"Why?"

"Nnn case vuu etaway."

"In case I need to getaway?" I guessed.

"Ess, otle."

"Otle? Oh hotel, yes got you."

"Ess."

"Look Daddy it's awfully kind of you but I'm okay."

"Noo, no, vuu ake unny."

"I don't need...."

"Noo vuu ake," he interrupted me.

"Okay I'll take fifty quid, how's that?"

"Noo," he shook his head, "mmm-or," he nodded.

"More?"

He nodded.

"Okay I'll take more, a hundred."

"Mmm-or, a ousan," he said.

"A thousand Daddy? Crikey, for that I could go abroad for a month."

"Ess, vuu gggo."

I didn't know where to look, my eyes were filling with tears and all I could do was hug him and cry against his shoulder. He put his good arm around me and hugged me.

He was weeping too, "I an't rotec my ddor-or."

"What?" I said sniffing.

"He's upset because he can't protect his daughter," said the nurse who'd obviously come to see what I was doing to her patient.

"I'm a big girl now Daddy, I can take care of myself." I tried to pretend, hoping if I said it enough I might start to believe it.

"Mmmy gob," he said and pointed at himself.

"My job, he thinks it's his job and he's letting you down."

"Thanks Sister, I wouldn't have got that one."

"You okay Mr Watts?" she knelt down and asked him.

"Ess, ell Affy ake unny."

"I have to tell you to take the money, is that right."

"Ess," he nodded, and so did I.

"Okay Daddy, I'll come and see you as soon as I can."

We hugged and, he squeezed me. "I love you Daddy," I said breaking the embrace.

"I uv vuu ooo."

I kissed him and left.

Over the next four hours I made my way slowly to Portsmouth and to Professor Agnew's house. I achieved entry with the key he had left for me. It was a Saturday afternoon and neither he nor the dog were there. It wasn't hard to work out where they were.

I unpacked and went to the room I'd used before. I took the milk and tea bags I'd brought from home and made some tea, I also put away the cornflakes I'd brought. Sitting in the kitchen, I called Simon.

"Where are you? I tried phoning your father's place," he sounded concerned.

"I'm safe, in Portsmouth or near by."

"Keep away from here, they're watching it."

"I expect the same at the uni, although I wouldn't be there anyway on a weekend.

"I feel we need to talk, and I want to apologise for not warning you about Des."

"Okay, where do you suggest?"

He named a pub I knew and I agreed to meet him there, I would take a taxi.

Agnew came home shortly afterwards and made quite a fuss of me, as did his silly dog. Spaniels love people and this one bounced all over me, or tried to.

We had a long chat and we decided that If I kept low for a week, the news-worthiness would probably disappear. It meant that any pretensions I had about doing the documentary, except in a consultant's role, were now zilch. I suppose if that was the price I paid to be me, I would have to pay it, I just hoped there was no tax to pay on it as well.

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