The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2204 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

In bed Simon rolled over to face me, “Why did Danni run off like that?”

“Your guess is as good as mine.”

“I have no idea.”

“That makes two of us. I suppose it was to meet up with Cindy and Pia knowing that if she’d told me, I might have said no.”

“Should we stop her seeing them if they’re having a bad influence?”

“I wish I knew what was going on with her.”

“What d’you mean?”

“It’s hard to quantify, but it’s almost as if she’s playing the part because she gets acceptance from Cindy and Pia.”

“She gets acceptance from us too.”

“Yes, but we’re family and we have a track record of accepting gender deviants.”

“Are you a deviant?” he asked with a sparkle in his voice.

“Not anymore.”

“Damn, I thought we’d do something kinky for a change.”

“You can wear one of my nighties if you want?”

“On second thoughts...”

I smirked, I knew that would shut him up.

“Does our resident mental health professional have any idea what Danni’s up to?”

“Not yet.”

“How long is it going to take?”

“As long as it takes.”

“But if he’s not really a girl, I’d like my son back.”

“You’re not the only one, you know.”

“Yeah, but I can hardly be a role model for the girls can I?”

“That’s where you’re absolutely wrong.”

“Am I?”

“Yes. Girls need good models of men as well as women.”

“So you can say to them, this is what happens if you don’t eat all your greens.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Well you seem to have a relatively low opinion of men in general.”

“Do I? It wasn’t meant to be like that. I have a great respect for men who act with dignity and compassion, who are honest and loyal to people as well as causes.”

“D’you actually know any like that?”

“Several. I can name them if you like.”

“Oh, you know them personally?”

“I do indeed. There’s Daddy, and my pa in law and my husband, and David our cook.”

“Oh so I squeeze in then?”

“No, but if I’d started with you, you wouldn’t have heard any of the other names, would you?”

“Possibly–okay, I wouldn’t have.”

“Simon, you are one of the nicest men I know as well as being the most handsome and all us girls love you to bits.”

“Would you care to put your words into actions, they are traditionally said to speak louder than words.”

He doesn’t give up does he? Oh well...

Lizzie either slept all night or I didn’t hear her. I was so tired after Simon’s bedroom gymnastics that I simply zonked and didn’t wake until the alarm went off and Radio 4 came into the bedroom.

I suddenly realised that I was naked and all icky down below, not only that but a certain odour pervaded the room and the sooner I stripped the bed, the better. I showered and called the girls to get up. They showered and I combed their hair after they’d dried themselves. While they showered, I quickly stripped the bed and stuffed it in the washing machine. Why I felt guilty, I had no idea. I wondered if all married women felt the same, a worry that no one in the family knew we had sex last night? Especially the children.

“Good night was it, Mummy?” asked a teasing minx we usually call Julie.

“It was a good sleep I had, yes, thank you.”

“I meant the bit before you slept, you know, making the bed springs boing.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean,” I said blushing–why? I’m only twenty nine, I should still be bonking like a bunny.

“I think you do, Mummy,” she gave me a positively evil smile.

“What’s it to you, anyway?”

“Oh nothing, just glad to know you’re not just an old married couple these days.”

“Did they have sex again?” asked a yawning Trish, “I wondered what woke me up.”

“But we were as quiet as mice,” I protested.

“Told ya they would,” said Julie high fiving Trish. “Oh who’s big boy, Mummy?”

I stood up and walked briskly out of the room.

“You’ve done it now,” chided Trish.

I felt a mixture of emotions, anger, guilt, even humour. I wanted to laugh but was probably closer to crying. It was no one else’s business but Simon’s and mine. I walked around for a few minutes to regain my composure. I told myself I was a healthy young woman in a loving relationship and thus had every right to make love to my husband as often as we wanted. So sod them, I have nothing to be ashamed of. I walked back into the kitchen.

Julie had gone to work, Trish was upstairs getting her books together and Livvie and Danni were having breakfast with Cate and Puddin’. I wasn’t sure where Meems was, possibly helping Jacquie who was feeding Lizzie in the conservatory–with a bottle of my milk. I know, it’s one of those little ironies.

Nothing more was said about my nocturnal exercises and for an hour or two I was almost bursting with the energy I’d built up to deal with it. Sometimes I think they play me like a violin.

Danni went off with her tutor and Phoebe drove off on the scooter to college. I took the girls to school and came back to find Stella holding the phone out to me, “Timed that just right.”

“Who is it?” I hissed at her.

“The college.”

“What college?”

Stella just rolled her eyes and handed me the cordless phone. “Hello?”

“Hello, is that Lady Cameron?”

“Yes, who is that?”

“Sorry, it’s Val Myers, the principal of Portsmouth College.”

“How can I help you, Mrs Myers?”

“I have a daughter who goes to St Claire’s.”

“Yes, and?”

“I saw you speak for prize giving–you were brilliant.”

“Thank you, but I’m sure you didn’t just call me to make me feel better?”

“Uh no, I need to ask a favour.”

“It wouldn’t involve prize giving by any chance?”

“I knew you’d agree, thank you so much.”

“Mrs Myers, I haven’t agreed to anything yet. I need dates and times before I agree to anything.”

“It’s April, the Friday before Good Friday, at two thirty in the afternoon.”

“At the moment that looks clear.”

“Brilliant. I know you’re a university professor but could you do something like you did for the school, for us and then present the prizes afterwards.”

“What half an hour of out-takes and then the prizes?”

“That would be so kind of you.”

“This is the same college that Phoebe attends?”

“Phoebe Allen? Yes it is.”

“Okay.”

“She lives with you, I believe.”

“Yes, since her mother died she’s come to live with us.”

“I hear such wonderful things about you, Lady Cameron.”

“Well you know what they say, don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see.”

“Oh very good. I’m really looking forward to prize giving next year, thank you so much.”

“Damn,” I said replacing the phone.

“Problems?” asked Stella who seemed to have forgotten our spat the night before.

“I’ve just agreed to award the prizes at the college.”

“That’s what she was on about, I thought she said you’d won a prize.”

“Yeah, the booby prize.”