The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2673 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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It seemed that Hannah had slept better with the others than on her own. Given that these girls are heading towards their teens I’m astonished that they want to share a room, but it seems they do. Once Livvie and Mima start periods I suspect it’ll be a bit different and they’ll want their own spaces then. Until that day, if they wish to share a room, they can.

That day and the next couple were very similar. School, then work, home and either chores or more work and for the girls, revision and tutoring Hannah. On the Friday after school, I got Daddy to collect the others while Hannah and I went off to Southampton to see Ingrid. She was making slow but steady progress and was awake when we got there. I’d deliberately taken her in school uniform so her mother could see that she was being educated.

After the initial fuss that they made of each other, Ingrid noticed the school uniform. “What’s with the blazer and tie, Han?”

“I’ve been goin’ to school with Auntie Cathy’s girls.”

“I see, s’pose that means in a week or two your old mum won’t be good enough for ya.”

“No, but it’s a good school and Trish an’ Livvie are coaching me...”

“What to be posh like them?”

“They’re not posh, Mum, an’ I learned loads from them about English an Hist’ry an’ science.”

“What’s wrong with your old school?”

“It was rubbish compared to this one.”

“Yeah, well it costs god knows many thousands a year.”

“It doesn’t, does it Auntie Cathy?”

“You’ve got a temporary scholarship.”

“Yeah well, once it runs out don’t expect me to pay for you.”

“I’ll get a job—it’s a good school, Mum an’ I wanna stay there.”

“The scholarship could be extended providing they feel you’re trying to do your best.”

“I’ll do my best, Auntie Cathy, the exams will prove that.”

“Exams—you won’t pass none of them, you never do.”

“Well I’m gonna try, so there.” I was surprised that she didn’t stick her tongue out for good measure, but she didn’t. I asked her to wait outside for a moment and reluctantly, she did.

“Ingrid, she’s quite a bright kid and deserves a chance. I’m a trustee of the scholarship fund so I know it will sponsor her and I also know she’ll do her best.”

“What if her best ain’t good enough? She ain’t no Trish, you know with brains the size of footballs.”

“Her best will be good enough, we can get her tutoring from specialist teachers if she’s deficient in any subject.”

“Who’s gonna pay for that, I’m only a bloody bar maid, who don’t get much. Not enough for bloody tutors.”

“If necessary, I’ll pay for them.”

“What so she can work in a shop or a pub like her no good mother?”

“I thought the idea was to help prevent her needing to do such by ensuring her education was up to scratch. With a good education under your belt, the world is your oyster.”

“This is my daughter we’re talkin’ about not your over privileged lot.”

“Damaged your brain in the beating, did they?”

“What?”

“I remember an Ingrid who was doing courses to get a job in tourism.”

“Yeah well the bottom fell out of that market.”

“I hadn’t noticed it, but if you say so I won’t argue, but I can organise a long term bursary which would help her optimise her potential.”

“We don’t need no charity, just cause you got it don’t mean you gotta flaunt it.”

“I’m not offering charity, I’m offering a chance for a reasonably able student to earn the chance to go to a private school where the facilities and the teaching record is better so she can optimise her potential, except her mother is too stupid to see that—a very definite example of there are none so blind as those who will not see.”

A nurse poked her head round the door of the room, “If you can’t play nicely, I shall have to send your friend home;” then she shut the door. I nearly fell over laughing and even Ingrid chortled though I suspect her cracked ribs didn’t enjoy it.

I called Hannah back into the room. “Are you enjoying going to the girl’s school?” I asked her, telling her to answer as honestly as she could without fear or favour.

“Yes, it’s better ’an the other one.”

“Would you like to stay attending there even when your mum is out of hospital?”

“Yes, Auntie Cathy.”

“Will you give her the chance to stay there for a year or two and see what happens to her results?”

“Gonna take her away from me are you? They say you seduce them away with the promise of better lives.”

“You asked me to take care of her, I’m just doing that as best I can.”

“What buyin’ her posh uniforms and messin’ with her head?”

“The uniform is actually an old one of Trish’s but it was hardly worn and it fitted Hannah, perfectly. So far, I’ve spent nothing for schooling at all.”

“You think you’re so bloody clever, don’t you?”

“It isn’t my place to criticise other people’s lives but at least I don’t drink to excess and invite strange men to my house in front of my children.”

“Oh that’s right, condemn me without knowing the facts.”

“I know prostitution when I see it.”

“Isn’t it what you do? Sleepin’ with that rich dick of a husband of yours so he can keep you and all your strange children out of the grips of social services. Is it true that you turn boys into girls—won’t need to do that with my Hannah, will you? She’s already a girl.”

Hannah and I left before the nurse returned. Hannah was in tears. “I can’t believe she was so nasty to you.”

“I suspect she’s in lots of pain, kiddo. It tends to make you a bit irritable.”

“No she isn’t, she just doesn’t want see me do better ’an she done. I wanna do well and make something of my life, can I stay with you, Auntie Cathy?”

“For now you can; when your mother comes out of hospital, we’ll have to see.”

“I hope she never comes out.”

“Try and see her point of view. She’s in pain, possibly frightened in case the two blokes find her, she’s also regretting her lack of education.”

“Yeah, that sounds more like it, she don’t want me to do better ’an her.”

I shrugged then placed my hand on her shoulder. “Prove to her that you’re worth the scholarship and the chance to go to university.”

“Yeah, I will.” We stopped and she hugged me. “Will Trish an’ Livvie still help me?”

“I’m sure they will, they seem to like doing it—helping others.”

“Was my mum right, do you turn boys into girls?”

“If she was right, would it bother you?”

“Not as much as one who turned girls into boys.”

“Well said.”

“Did you turn ’em into girls?”

“I can honestly say I haven’t turned any of my children into girls, but I do confess to helping those who expressed a desire to do so.”

“Oh.”

“You don’t have to stay with me, I can call that nice social worker and have her find you somewhere else.”

“Please don’t, Auntie Cathy—I wanna stay with you forever.”

“Goodness, that could be quite a long time—like over three weeks,” I said exaggerating everything and she roared with laughter.