The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2406 by Angharad Copyright© 2014 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

We left Delia completely mouse-struck, but seeing as that was caused by Spike, who is a bit of a dormouse superstar, would that star-struck? Danni had footie training and I needed some exercise of my own, even if that was chasing round after the kids.

It transpired that Meems got involved in helping Jacqui with bathing Lizzie who’d just thrown up her lunch all over herself. Danni took Cate off with her to read to her while miming ‘bike’ at me. I didn’t need to be told twice, I was off to change and then out and on the Scott heading out of Portsmouth and up Portsdown hill, which took about twenty minutes to reach—or the base of it did. The next twenty minutes ranged from feeling hot and bothered as I climbed the mountain pursued by abominable yetis through the blizzards. Fortunately, my legs were working nearly as well as my imagination so I achieved the climb and rode along the top of the ridge before plunging down towards sea level, the wind making my nipples stand out like bell pushes. If Si plays his cards properly later, I might see if we can chime together.

I returned home in just over the hour, about fifteen miles altogether but part of it was more challenging than other bits. A shower and a change of clothing and I was ready to take madam to footie practice.

I sat reading the stuff I’d been sent from both my assistant at the bank and Dan at the woodland centre. I thought I’d be able to cobble something together for the director’s meeting. I really need to take this more seriously, after all it would reflect back on Henry if I screwed up.

I was just getting into composing mode when there was a tap on the window of the Jag and one of the trainers stood there looking a little sheepish. “Uh, Mrs Cameron, there’s been a bit of an accident...” Before he could say anything else I’d closed the file and jumped out of the car, which I locked as my bag was still in it, albeit well hidden in the arm rest between the two front seats.

He led me to a whimpering teenager who was squeaking more loudly as someone tried to apply an icepack somewhere. I offered to take over, and Danni’s tears eased as she looked at me in relief. Her knee was swelling and very painful, with a bruise appearing on the front of it on the patella.

She tearfully explained that she was taken out by the woman she’d replaced as main striker. It explained the bruising if she was kicked on her knee as she claimed. I got to work on it and some ten minutes later I’d reduced the swelling and most of the pain.

“Can we go home now?” she asked wiping the remains of her mascara off her face.

“Not yet, I want you to get back out there and show her you recovered.”

“What if she does it again?”

“I’ll have her charged with assault if I don’t hit her myself.”

“I must admit I feel a bit scared of her.”

“I doubt she’ll try that again but watch her if you jump up for any high crosses.”

She shrugged and returned to the football pitch getting an ovation as she did. I stood and watched and sure enough Danni’s team was awarded a corner, she jumped up to head it and her assailant, Louise Michaels, rose with her. I saw her elbow move towards Danni’s face, so did Danni, whose reactions were very quick she leant back and punched her opponent in the boob. They both landed heavily, Louise jumped up rubbing her chest before she aimed a kick at Danni who been winded on landing. Danni saw it coming and blocked it with her foot.

At this point I was running to stop this assault on my daughter however the trainer was there first having seen the contretemps he pulled Louise away and told her to go and shower, she was suspended. She effectively told him to stick his team where a monkey sticks his nuts. Then as I got there she aimed a last kick at Danni. It was a mistake, Danni grabbed her foot and pulled and twisted, she fell heavily shrieking as she went, then groaning after she hit the ground. She wasn’t hurt, though I suspect her knee would be tender later. If I’d done it, I’d have dislocated her knee, fortunately Danni is either kinder or less strong than her vindictive mother.

As I helped Danni up the head coach arrived. He’d seen enough to sack Louise there and then. She swore at him and then threatened Danni. At this point I intervened. “If you ever come near my daughter, Louise, I’ll sue your arse off the planet, so much so that if there is such a thing as reincarnation, you’ll still be paying off the damages five lifetimes later.”

“Aw does likkle Danni need her mumsie-wumsie to fight her battles then?”

Not the best thing to say to someone who used to be a boy. I barely saw the hand move but Louise went down like a bag of coal. Danni was suspended for a month for retaliation. When she complained the head coach took me to one side. “Tell her she’s lucky, if she hadn’t been our star player, he’d have sacked her as well.”

I pulled Danni away and told her the facts of life. She shrugged her shoulders and got her bag, we left without her showering. “Where did you learn to punch like that?”

“Daddy showed me when I was trying to be a boy, never worked that good before.”

“Well, never worked that well before. It’s an adverb.”

“Nah, it was an uppercut, straight to the jaw.”

“You be careful, young lady, you could have hurt her and very few women could throw a punch like that.”

“Mummy, if I’d wanted her hurt I’d have set you on her. I just wanted to show her she didn’t frighten me anymore.”

“I suspect even she might realise that now.”

“I can always show her again if she didn’t.”

“Be careful, she might have a boyfriend who won’t be quite so easy to thump.”

“Then I will send for you or Dad.”

“You just be careful, some of these people can get quite violent.”

“Yeah, so I see.”

“And what happens if she turns up playing against you.”

“The one with the fewer bruises will be declared the winner.”

“Seriously, girl, she might really hurt you next time.”

“I think I can look after myself, Mummy, after all I have one of the best teachers to show me.”

I felt myself blushing, then gasping as she added, “Auntie Stella’s a real psycho but she’s a good trainer.”