The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2626 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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I was more awake going home in the bus than I’d been coming to Hayling Island so my mind was able to consider what Phoebe had been on about and why the shivering while she spoke to me about Lizzie? I had no immediate answers, nothing came to mind, so what wasn’t she telling me? I’d speak to Julie when we got home, if anyone knew, she would.

Phoebe had finished her course at Easter, having done some extra things like electrolysis and laser therapy for hair removal. I was fortunate that I’d never needed such depilation apart from my legs and that was relatively light and fair. I got by with waxing or shaving what was there. Phoebe had offered me electrolysis but I didn’t fancy hot needles in my follicles, so I graciously declined. Danielle had her eyebrows shaped before I got to hear of it so I couldn’t say very much, though it either showed she had little idea of consequences or wasn’t planning on revisiting masculinity anytime soon.

The younger girls had been whispering about someone called Paul and she blushed and threatened them whenever they mentioned the name, so I began to think she must have an admirer. It wasn’t something I had a problem with as she’d begun to look very different from her old self since growing her hair and colouring it, the effects of hormones on her face and body, softening both and changing her demeanour quite a lot. As a boy she’d become defensive about so many things but as a girl, since surgery and her subsequent adaption to it, she’d become much more open and approachable and until her younger sisters teased her about this boy, quite good natured.

When I’d spoken to her about Cindy, she saw her most days in school and they were still friends, but not as close friends. Part of me wondered why—had they just moved on, or did Danielle see herself as more of a girl than her friend? I was never quite sure and I certainly couldn’t ask her. Her enthusiasm for our sewing bee, waned, Danielle’s, that is, Cindy would have continued but her mother changed her job and getting here was more difficult.

At home, we discovered Phoebe had put little Lizzie to bed by the time we arrived back from the hotel. I did the same with Cate soon after and told the others to do any homework as they’d be going in an hour.

Julie was in the utility room doing a load of towels from the salon so I slipped in and shut the door and began helping her to fold them as she took them out of the tumble drier. “Pheebs asked me about adopting Lizzie.”

“Yeah, she said she would.” Julie continued with her laundry.

“Any reason why she’s brought it up now?”

“Look, we’re thinking of expanding and moving to larger premises.”

“Can you afford to?”

“If we don’t we’re going to stagnate. I want another stylist and Phoebe wants to concentrate on the beauty side of things. We’re thinking of moving closer to the town centre.”

“Is that going to cost more rent and rates?”

“Yeah, we’ve been working on a business plan which we think might work.”

“Show it to your dad, he’s the expert.”

“Except he’ll think we’re trying to tap him for some capital.”

“Won’t you be?”

“Yeah, but not at this stage.”

“Want me to look it over?”

“What for—uh, sorry didn’t mean it sound like that.”

“That’s okay, I’m only your dumb mother who knows nothing about finance or business plans other than controlling a budget of a million or two for a university department and a staff of thirty five people.”

“Sorry, Mummy, I didn’t mean it like that, I meant—you’re hardly a commercial concern are you?”

“My department generates between seventy five and one hundred and twenty thousand pounds every year by selling services to other bodies.”

“Like councils?”

“Partly, the government is our biggest client, obviously the bank is a good customer but also commercial organisations from Tesco to small businesses.”

“What did Tesco want with an ecologist?”

“We’ve done surveys before they developed sites make sure there were no protected species present.”

“Ah—makes sense, I suppose. Wouldn’ta thought they cared too much about such things, that’s more Waitrose and M&S innit?”

“Being eco friendly is becoming increasingly important to their customers and for the cost is worth the money. They also have to watch what their more recognised eco friendly competitors are doing and match them.”

“Makes sense I s’pose.”

“So why did Phoebe ask about adoption?”

“I told you,” she said folding the last towel.

“I want the real reason.”

“I think you’d need to ask her.”

“That means you know as well.”

“Sorta.”

“I shall ask her but I’d like some idea first.”

“Why, just ask her.”

“If it was that straightforward she’d have told me when she asked. I know it isn’t to take the heat off her because we’d already agreed I’d take responsibility for Lizzie to let her have some freedom to finish her education and find a good job. I’m pretty sure it isn’t this expansion you’re planning, is it?”

Julie went a lovely shade of puce. “I can’t tell you, Mummy.”

“You can and you will because you know I’ll never betray that confidence.”

“Sod it, you’ll wheedle it out of me anyway. Don’t you dare tell her I told you or she’ll never speak to me again and the business will go tits up.”

“I promise.”

“Okay, some of it is guesswork, but her mother and her auntie died with breast cancer.”

“She’s carrying the gene?”

Julie shrugged. “She went to the doctor a month or so ago and she’s had a couple of half days since then.”

“Why didn’t she tell me?”

“You were too busy and then the stupid Russians appeared again...”

“I’m never too busy to listen to any of you.”

“Aren’t you? You fall asleep at your desk or watching telly, you’re either always in work or busy in your study...”

“Running a department is rather time consuming...”

“Yeah, didn’t realise you did budgets an’ things too; wish my budget was a million.”

“If it was you’d pay a great deal of tax on it.”

“Yeah, s’pose so.”

“Look, can you drop hints that I’m worried about her without saying why, except her suggestion to adopt Lizzie. She was shaking when she spoke with me.”

“Wouldn’t you be frightened if you were contemplating having your tits off?”

“They don’t do that until after removal of ovaries and womb and they don’t do it until the women are finished with having families. A colleague in uni had it done a year or so ago and her daughter is thinking of it.”

“I’ll try and hint to her, but don’t blame me if it doesn’t work.”

“I know I’m only her adoptive mother, but I do care for her—poor kid.”

“I know and we do love you,” she said wrapping me in a monster hug, “when you’re awake.” Then she chuckled and picked up her bag of towels and left the room while I stood there and felt disappointed in myself. I really wasn’t sure how much longer I could cope with running the department and caring for my children.