The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2661 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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“Was that Andy Bond I saw leaving?” asked Simon who’d just returned from the paper shop and the three of the girls who’d accompanied him.

“Yes.”

“What did he want? He had a face like a fiddle.”

“Just to tell me they weren’t prosecuting me for attacking the adorable Quentin.”

“I thought you tried to stop him falling?”

“I did, but he and his lawyers said I threw him against the van.”

“Well he’s a liar.”

“We know that, but his lies nearly worked, I nearly got taken to court for assault.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I know, Simon, which was why I had to prove them wrong which I did.”

“Oh the other camera angle—good thinking, Bat girl.”

I rolled my eyes, one day he’d grow up—please. “Andy came to tell me.”

“That was good of him, so why the long faces?”

“I told him I was disappointed that he didn’t believe me.”

“How d’you know he didn’t?”

“He told me he was duty bound to investigate any suspected crime.”

“Well yeah, he’s a copper, it’s what they do.”

“Even after giving a statement and providing the film of his assault on me, or attempt on me.”

“Oh yeah, silly bugger punched a van, didn’t he?”

“Yes, broke three bones in his hand.”

“Serves him right, if I’d seen him try to hit you, there might just have been three bones left unbroken.”

“Simon, I’m trying to eschew violence and teach the girls it’s wrong.”

“Men hitting women is very wrong.”

“Hitting anyone is wrong.”

“What about self defence?”

“Had I done that I’d have been charged with assault.”

“Oh so it’s okay for him to swing at you?”

“So it would seem.”

“Bastard, I’ll have his legs broken.”

“Simon, have you listened to anything I’ve said today?”

“Yeah, I got you a paper and some more milk.”

“Thank you, darling; but please don’t touch Quentin, let’s just see what happens with the police first.”

“Shouldn’t they tell you as you were the aggrieved party?”

“I don’t know, usually they’re here to arrest me.”

“They do seem to do that with monotonous regularity—but nothing has stuck yet, so you must be innocent.”

“Must? I am innocent.”

“Of course you are dear. So why the long face and with PC Plod?”

“I just told you, he felt he had to investigate even when the evidence appeared to support my statement. I felt his duty was stronger than the friendship we appeared to have.”

“I’ve heard it said that being a copper was more than just a job, it was a way of life.”

“It might well be, but I thought he was a friend, I was obviously wrong.”

“I think you might be over reacting, Cathy.”

“What? Don’t say you’re going to betray me as well?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Oh so now I’m being ridiculous?”

He shook his head and the void that appeared to be where my solar plexus normally lives felt like a black hole the size of a galaxy. If Simon couldn’t support me, what was the point of anything?

“I’m not betraying you, nor is anyone else. Andy or his boss were told you’d assaulted this Quentin bloke and he had to investigate. On a superficial level, it seemed that you might have done so but once you solved the business of camera angle, they told you it was a non starter. What’s wrong with that?”

“You weren’t here, you haven’t been assaulted by the police...”

“But they all paid didn’t they, so did the force, all to the benefit of your favourite charities—and you got costs, too. That had to be worth another hundred K.”

“What if it was? They assaulted me and accused me of being a man in a dress.”

“They were wrong and you showed them so, you proved your point, though how they could imagine a body like yours was ever a man baffles me.”

“You’ll never know how hurtful the whole experience was, the one voice of reason was Andy Bond—now he’s turned against me.”

“Babes, just let the fire die down and when things are back to normal perhaps we can sort out what is probably just a misunderstanding.”

“I don’t know if I want to, I’m tired of being disappointed in people.”

“Perhaps you expect too much.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Look, you tend to wear your heart on your sleeve and you apply such high standards to your own behaviour that very few other people can match it, but you seem to expect them to do so and when they don’t you feel let down.”

“Wouldn’t you?” I felt I had a right to feel let down.

“Not as much as you because my standards are lower, you’re a veritable angel treading this path, I’m just a clueless banker, a mere human, albeit quite a wealthy one—so don’t hold up any needles for me or any marauding camels that might be about.”

“What are you on about—there aren’t any camels anywhere near here.”

“I was referring to the camels passing through the eye of a needle and a rich man getting into heaven.”

“Why? It’s all bunkum anyway, it has even been suggested that it was something of an exaggerated metaphor back in biblical times—so what are you on about?” I felt tired and confused because I couldn’t follow his reasoning. A few minutes more and I was going for a lie down, this conversation was irritating me, like everything at the moment.”

“Muum?”

“Yes, Danielle?”

“Fancy a bike ride?”

I looked at my watch, we had at least an hour to lunch. “Will you watch the kids?” I asked Simon.

He sighed but agreed and Danni and I slipped away on two wheels. I needed to vent so I took us up Portsdown hill. I was so angry with everything, I stamped on the pedals and tore up the hill leaving Danielle in my wake. Half way up my strength began to desert me and it was a real struggle to get to the top without falling off. Danielle arrived a couple of minutes later.

“Feel better?” she asked in between panting and coughing.

“Yes thank you.” It was true, I did, mainly because I was too tired to hold any animosity for anyone, even Andy Bond.

“Home then?”

“Give me a couple more minutes.”

“Okay,” she agreed taking a swallow from her water bottle.

“They say it’s going to rain later,” I said after remaining silent for several minutes.

She looked at the sunshine and said, “Is it? Mind you that wind is getting stronger.”

“Okay, let’s head for home—and, Danielle...”

“Yes Mum?”

“Thank you.”

“’s okay,” she gave me a beaming smile.

“Whose idea was it?”

“What?”

“The bike ride.”

“Mine, why?”

“Really?”

“Yea—okay, it was Auntie Stella.”

“Thought it might be. That’s why none of the others showed when we snuck off, isn’t it?”

“It might be,” she said falteringly but it was impossible to see if she was blushing because her face was red like mine after the effort of the hill climb.

“C’mon, kiddo, last one down’s a sissy,” I said and set off at speed back towards the city.