After lunch, the doorbell rang and I met Dr Stephanie Cauldwell, who turned out to be a woman of about twenty eight with buxom figure and long dark hair, which she wore down. She was dressed in a denim jacket and jeans with a white blouse underneath.

We shook hands, Mima was having a post-prandial nap so we were able to talk without fear of someone repeating things she didn’t oughta. I explained the whole position as I saw it.

“So Sam Rose believes that separating her from you would compromise her recovery from the accident?”

“Sam Rose, who’s she?”

“He, Dr Samuel Rose, your paediatrician.”

“Sorry, I’m not with it. How about a cuppa before the Kraken awakes? It might wake me up, too.”

She accepted the offer and we went out to the kitchen, I showed her Mima fast asleep on the sofa in the dining room, and she smiled, “I can see why you fell in love with her.”

“She grows on you, like a rash,” I joked. We sat drinking our tea when the first stirrings were manifested.

“Mumm-mee, Mima need wee-wee.”

“They’re playing my tune,” I said and skipped off to deal with the source of the noise. Back from the cloakroom, I introduced Mima to Dr Cauldwell. “Mima, this lady has come to see how you are enjoying staying with me.”

“Hello, Mima, how are you?” Dr Cauldwell offered her hand to the tot, who promptly disappeared behind my legs and peered out around them. “Peep–oh,” said the shrink.

“Mummy, mummy, wady scarwy Mima.”

“Oops, off to a good start,” said Stephanie. “Okay, let’s just sit and chat and I’ll do some indirect assessment.”

We sat on the sofa recently vacated by the sleeping child, it was still warm in places. “How long has she been calling you, mummy?”

“From almost the day she arrived.”

“Didn’t you find that odd?”

“Very and I did try to correct her, but she insisted, now it doesn’t worry me if that’s what she wants to call me, that’s her affair, I don’t mind.”

“Hum, could be wish fulfilment or anxiety…”

“Stephanie, she’s three years old.”

“I’m aware of that, she’s also old enough to try to manipulate things, including people. You’d be surprised how soon they start doing that.”

“Not really, she twists me round her little finger and as for Tom, he’s pure putty.”

“Who’s Tom?”

“Prof Agnew, this is his house, he’s my boss when I’m at the university but we sort of adopted each other. He needed a daughter and I wanted a father.”

“Oh well, nothing wrong with fair exchange.”

Mima grew in confidence a little and did come and watch the strange lady talking to me. She also came to sit with me and hug my leg.

“Would you like to come out in the garden with me and Kiki?” asked Stephanie.

“No, Mima stay wiv Mummy.”

“Mummy can come, too.”

Mima was more agreeable to that until we went as far as the back door, then she clung on to me again and wouldn’t shift.

“Humm, certainly a degree of anxiety behaviour. Does she sleep n her own room?”

“Last night she was in my bed when I went up.”

“Be careful with that or you’ll be stuck with it for some time.”

“I was hoping it would get too warm for her, but it didn’t.”

“You have a partner?”

“Yes, Simon, he’s away much of the week, he works for a bank and they’re dealing with this credit business.”

“How secure is his job?”

“What Simon’s? His family own it, so quite secure I think.”

“Wow, you live with a banker, what does he think about the kid?”

“He loves her. I can’t have children, so he’s making hay while the sun shines.”

“Are you, too?”

“Oh I’m enjoying myself, yes and dreading that they could still take her away.”

“Mima’s mousie,” said the toddler presenting her favourite soft toy to Stephanie.

“What is it?” she asked.

“A mutant dormouse, I made it for her.”

You sewed this?”

“Yes, it wasn’t that difficult, once I’d made a pattern.”

“You did the pattern, too?” There was a hint of incredulity in her voice.

“I had to, they don’t make them for dormice.”

“You are so clever.”

“Is that a professional opinion, can I have it in writing? Simon won’t believe it otherwise.”

“That was a woman to woman opinion, I can’t sew for peanuts and I know my niece would just love one of those.”

“I’ll see if we have any material left over.”

“I’ll pay you for it.”

“I have see if we have enough furry material, it has to be the right colour.”

“You’ve seen a dormouse?”

“Yeah, loads of them, I breed them at the uni.”

“You breed them, wow.”

“Stephanie, what about Mima?”

“Oh yeah, she’s classic insecurity complex, frightened she’s going to lose this mummy, too. I’ll support your case to keep her as a foster kid. I also think you’re storing up a few things for yourself, including allowing to her to call you Mummy, and letting her sleep in your bed.”

“But she’s anxious, I’m trying to comfort her.”

“I know, but how much is real and how much is play acting to control you?”

“What? You make her sound like some sort of monster?”

“She is, she’s only interested in her own situation, most children are the same, it helps them survive. Self centeredness is very much a sign of immaturity.”

“See, Jemima, you’re immature,” I said loudly to her.

“Mima ture,” she said back and laughed. We both laughed with her.

“She is so adorable, the little monster, but you have bonded very well together and I think any separation now would have unfortunate effects upon Mima.”

We had another expert on board.