The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2623 by Angharad Copyright© 2015 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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“Reading are playing Arsenal,” announced Danni.

“Is there some special significance to this event?” I asked, we were driving home from school.

“FA cup semi-finals.”

“Is that important?” I wasn’t really listening to her answers.

“Well yes,” she said with both her volume and pitch rising. The others sniggered. “Whoever wins it is in the FA cup final.”

“And you want Reading to win?”

“Well yes, we went there with the England squad if you remember.”

“Oh I remember okay. So if you’d met Arsene Wenger or whatever he’s called, you’d be supporting Arsenal?”

“Maybe, but the Reading people were so nice to us.”

“Fine. Are Chelsea still in it?”

“No but they’re playing Man United in the league. Aston Villa meet Liverpool in the other semi final.”

“Pity we didn’t know earlier, Daddy might have been able to scrounge a couple of tickets.”

“I wish you hadn’t told me that, I was content to watch it on TV now I’ll wish I was there.”

“Sorry.” I was, okay she did get lots of my time and attention when she played for England schoolgirls but since then she hasn’t. Perhaps I’ll take her shopping at the weekend, have to speak to her quietly about it or they’ll all want to come.

The weather had turned unexpectedly warm and I’d liked to have got a ride in, I suppose I could ask Danielle that, she enjoys a good bike ride. That’s what I did. David said we had an hour before dinner—could get in a quick ten miler, better than nothing. I spoke quietly with Danni who didn’t need asking twice, she flew up to her room to change. I did similar and we were out and on the bikes before anyone knew we’d gone, except David.

We managed twelve miles before I decided we should get home, so that was another two miles. I was so unfit that Danni stayed with me and at one point challenged and nearly beat me. I barely managed to stay ahead and was grateful that she was blowing as hard as I was. Football obviously uses different muscles.

Once home, she went off to change and I dealt with a vociferous group of protesters who were complaining that they hadn’t been asked. I told them it was a last minute decision, which meant nothing but they accepted it. I wrote down my mileage which was poor to pathetic but part excused myself by recognising I had several other distractions these days not least Simon and Sammi in hospital.

The girls wanted to do a ride the next day, so I said I’d think about it. Danni was playing soccer on the Sunday for Portsmouth and I promised I’d go to watch. The girls said they’d come too. I was aware that had the recent threat not have been declared over (for the time being), it wouldn’t have been possible, and it would have been quite likely Danni would have been deemed at too great a risk to be allowed to play, despite being their star player. I wasn’t even sure she’d had a chance to train, but she had.

Saturday was a day of catching up on chores in the morning and taking the girls for a ride in the afternoon after getting the washing in which was dry. I know I had two housekeepers who were supposed to do all this, but part of me enjoyed being a wife and a mother again for a few hours. We did about five miles on the bikes before Trish and Meems had had enough. Livvie had only come because the others had but she didn’t complain once—not that I heard at any rate.

I got back to find an email with picture of what was a dormouse. The site was a new one in Hampshire and I was asked to check it out or mark it as real or a hoax—it was amazing how many of those we had. I showed Tom the email and he told me I was the acting head of the survey and it was my call.

Stella wondered if it was a set up to either kill or capture me. The idea hadn’t even entered my consciousness, so I decided to send a couple of experienced students to check it out next week. Tom agreed it was the best idea, I felt that I was betraying my students. He didn’t think so especially if I warned them first. I suggested that would just add to our liabilities if he was wrong, so in the end I did nothing. Inertia, seemed a good way of weight control but ineffectual compared to a proper diet, I suspect other plans were quickly being readjusted to suit the weather.

Sunday arrived with a cool breeze I went down at half past seven to start getting breakfast. I took Lizzie and Cate down with me and gave them some cereal. Before I’d finished Trish and Livvie were down but Meems had gone for a cwtch with her daddy. She’s much more of a daddy’s girl than any of the others.

I had breakfast with the two brainboxes and we were just finishing when Julie and Sammi came down. Sammi was working on some software for the bank and was saying she was half thinking of going back to work the next day. The doctor had suggested another week and I agreed with him, she had been very ill but she'd said she felt better and had work to do. Some of it was defiance of people who were determined to try and stop her, or were until they were called off. I could see myself making a similar decision so I kept quiet.

Danni was pretty well last to appear, even Stella and her two had been, eaten and gone. “You all right, sweetheart?” I asked her almost casually.

“Dunno,” she said in response.

“What would you like for breakfast?”

“Just a cuppa, please, Mum.”

“You need something to eat, especially if you’re going to be rushing round this afternoon.”

“Dunno if I’m going yet.”

“Why ever not?”

“Don’t really feel like it.”

“This is football we’re talking about?”

“Yes,” she sighed, “association rules.”

“And you don’t feel like playing?”

“Not really, I watched yesterday’s match and after hearing Liv sum it up as two lots of fully grown men chasing a piece of leather and being paid outrageous money to do it.”

This wasn’t too far from my own feelings for it but I wasn’t going to air them in front of someone who was wrestling with their conscience. “What will the others say if you don’t turn up?” I was aware she was their best player by far.

“Dunno, but they’ll get over it.”

“Hardly the spirit of teamwork is it?”

“What do I care, if that gang of thugs was still about I could claim I was frightened.”

“But you went training despite that?”

“So? A girls gotta keep fit.”

“Hadn’t you better let them know?”

“Will you phone for me, Mum?”

“No, you can do your own dirty work.”

“Aww, Mum...” she grumbled but I wasn’t going to help her welch on her deal.