Easy As Falling Like Rain.
by: Bonzi (from the Miaowish by Angharad).
part: 277.

I finished preparing the meal and put it on to cook, mostly on autopilot. My mind was grappling with the idea that I'd be acting as taxi for Monica - how would I cope? Badly, if last time was anything to go by. I know Henry said he'd tell her to behave, but that doesn't actually mean he will nor that she will listen to him.

I decided that if she starts anything, I shall object vociferously and determinedly. I wonder if Simon can get tomorrow off? Some determinedness eh? Let's face it I'm a wimp when it comes to making a scene, I have to be provoked and then I go off on one. The problem is, I usually regret it afterwards. Oh boy!

I'd bought braising steak and was cooking it in a red wine sauce in the Aga. Well in a Pyrex casserole dish in the Aga, but I'm sure you all realised that anyway.

Tom came home first, I'd given up playing cook and left the meal to its own devices, I was trying to work on the film schedule, using the colonies that I'd been protecting or had set up. At least that made me think of what I was doing rather than tomorrow.

"That smells good, Cathy, you make an excellent housekeeper/daughter."

"Thanks, Tom, it's pretty well cooked itself. I spoke with Henry, and Monica is coming to see Stella tomorrow, and I have to taxi her about."

"Doesn't she drive herself?" he sounded quite surprised.

"Yes, but too quickly for the road system.”

"What do you mean?"

"She was caught doing twice the legally permitted maximum."

"What a hundred and forty?" he sounded like the scorer in a darts match.

"Yes."

"What was she driving, a Porsche?"

"Yes."

His jaw dropped, he'd been joking, but his guess had made a direct hit. In reality, he wasn’t guessing too wildly, because last year someone driving a 911 had been stopped doing over two hundred miles an hour.

He shook his head, "She's rather silly."

"Exactly," I agreed. Then had a brainwave, "Tom, you don't fancy coming with us tomorrow, do you?"

"Sorry, Cathy, I have a meeting." He looked to be working out, which would be least enjoyable, I think coming with us had the edge on his meeting. Now I'd have to work on Simon.

A few minutes later I received a text from him, "May b L8, gon 2 C Stel. Luv Si. xxx'. That decreased the likelihood of him going again tomorrow. Oh poo!

I checked the spuds and the carrots, they were cooked, so I dished up dinner for Tom and me. It had worked quite well. Tom was looking for seconds, I was looking for my appetite and a miracle. I found neither, and Kiki had most of mine.

"You need to eat, girl."

"I had a big lunch." I was lying, but then again, I was getting very good at it.

We chatted until at nine, Simon arrived and wolfed down his share plus what was left over. "That was really good, Cathy, any leftovers?"

"You mean seconds?"

"No, I mean leftovers, I'd have taken them with me for warming up in the microwave for my lunch."

"Not really, you've eaten it all."

"Damn!" he cursed and looked at me as if I was to blame for not making enough.

"Don't take that stance with me!" I said very firmly.

"Sorry, Cathy, I just feel stressed. Stella isn't very well."

"Maybe she'll be better tomorrow. Why not go tomorrow after a good night's sleep?"

"She won't; the doctors think it could take months."

"Oh poo! It's all my fault."

"How come?"

"If I hadn't called the doctor."

"She needed to be seen."

"I still feel guilty," I said, clearing up the dishes.

"That’s not fair," suddenly voiced Tom. "You couldn't have foreseen what would happen. Especially her picking up the knife. In fact, things could have been much worse."

I shrugged my shoulders. They weren't going to help me revel in guilt. "If I hadn't called the doctor, this wouldn't have happened."

"You can't know that," said Simon.

"I'm not arguing with you two anymore," I said a little more snottily than I intended. "I shall go up to my room." I did, knowing Simon would be up ten minutes later.

An hour later, I'd nodded off and he woke me up! The man is a cretin, okay a loveable one, but still a cretin!

"So you have the delights of my stepmother tomorrow?"

"You woke me up to ask me that?" I said testily.

"I'm sorry, I thought you'd be awake waiting for me," he winked and held up the lube. "See, I have thought a bit more this time."

"You should have spoken to me before, Si, the doctor said no sex until further notice."

"What, but why?"

"Because you split me in two last night."

"Oh no, I didn't did I?"

"I wouldn't say such a thing for the sake of it."

"No, I suppose not."

"So you didn't enjoy it?"

"Shall we say, I have high hopes in the future, I will."

"You didn't then?"

"In a word, no, but that doesn't mean I won't in the future."

"I am sorry Cathy, the way you were moaning, I just thought ..."

"I was squealing in pain, I saw the surgeon earlier, and he said I was all torn up inside."

"Oh hell, I'm sorry, girl."

"It was as much my fault as yours, I knew it would hurt, I've poked it with those plastic things often enough." That was a gross exaggeration, part of the problem, was that I hadn't poked it often enough.

Simon had tears in his eyes, "I don't know what you must think of us. My sister tries to kill you and then I do my best to cripple you. When are you going to be able to ride a bike again, for God's sake?"

"Soon, just as soon as this begins to heal up."

He slipped into the bathroom and five minutes later he was snuggling up against me. I felt the warmth of his body before sliding into oblivion once again.