The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2850 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 left a little early on Friday and collected the girls; Danni was itching to get home. Once there she dashed upstairs and came almost hurtling down with a case and her sports bag.

“Did you do a list?”

“Yes, Mummy.”

“Let me see.” She sighed and ran back up to her bedroom to get it. I scanned it and couldn’t see knickers or football boots on it. “You packed clean panties?”

“Uh—can’t remember.” We unlocked the case, she hadn’t. I reminded her to bring another tee shirt as well as another bra and her football boots. “Oops,” she said blushing. I’m convinced one day I’ll take her to school and find she left her head in bed.

While David made us a sandwich each and a snack for her to take with her—she is a growing girl—we went through her case and sports bag. She’d forgotten her toilet bag with antiperspirant and cleanser, not to mention toothbrush and paste. By the time we’d finished David had done our snacks and we ate them with a cup of tea, then she loaded the bags into the boot while i ran upstairs and changed into jeans and top with my fleece jacket. I wondered if the planets were still in any sort of alignment as the sky seemed to be clearing since the morning rain.

The drive up was uneventful except for traffic congestion but then it was the rush hour. Trish was going to come with us until Livvie challenged her to wii tennis. During the drive Danni said she thought it was unlikely she’d get into the squad because she hadn’t played very often so didn’t consider herself fully fit or match fit. But it was good to be recalled to the squad.

“Are you happier being a girl now?”

“Sometimes,” she said checking her eye makeup in the vanity mirror of the car.

“Like now?”

“Oh yeah, I doubt I’d have got into the boys’ squad, too small.”

“You never know, you’re pretty good...”

“Against other girls—look, Mummy, I’m trying to adapt to what is, not what mighta been. I’m grateful that I have you and the others as my family and that I’m such a modest but hot fox.” At this point I choked and nearly drove into a bus as we entered Reading. She was turning into a very lovely looking young woman and a talented footballer.

I asked her some while ago would she have liked to have got a men’s England cap and she looked me in the eye and said, “I wasn’t good enough.”

“But you are to get a women’s one.”

“Not as much competition so I have a better chance an’ a England cap is a England cap.” I hoped that was really the case and that she was as philosophical as she sounded. I dropped her off and after a cuddle and kiss, gave her twenty pounds in case she needed to buy emergency supplies of mascara.

“Thanks, Mummy—you’re the best.”

I blushed and asked if she’d forgotten anything. She said no. “What happens if you need to phone us?”

“I’ll use my mobile,” she sighed and was about to walk away.

“Are you sure?”

“Course I’m sure.”

“Absolutely?”

“Yes,” to prove her point she opened her handbag and searched around, the search getting more frantic by the second. “But it’s gotta be here.” I knew it wasn’t as I'd just seen it on the car seat where it had fallen from her pocket. “I can’t find it...” she declared almost in tears.

“Could it have fallen from your bag or pocket?”

“Oh no, it’s obviously in the drive, ring Trish get her to go an’ look for it before Julie gets home.”

I glanced at my watch, “Julie and phoebe are already home.”

“Get Trish to go out an’ look for it.”

“Could it have fallen out in the car?”

“No, just ring Trish will you?”

“Why don’t you just look?”

She sighed rolled her eyes and then squealed with joy. “You knew it was there didn’t you?” I shrugged. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“Danielle, you’re a big girl now you have to take some responsibility for your actions and your property.”

She blushed, “Oh okay, sorry,” she said blushing, “An’ thanks for bringing me.” We hugged and kissed again and she strolled off with her bag over her shoulder pulling her case behind. She paused at the entrance, turned and waved before going in. I had to sniff back a tear—I loved her to bits but she was a teenager and they just don’t listen.

The drive home was quicker despite the darkness and I couldn’t see any planets unless I counted the moon which was just about full so its light just about hid everything else near it.

I’d watched an interview between George Monbiot and St Attenborough, the latter saying he was interested in space but in the things on this planet and he regretted the way man was reducing biodiversity year on year. I think on that one I had to agree with him and I’ve said before, that, as far as the natural world is concerned, humans are like a disease which is spreading everywhere and destroying everything.

I listened to Radio 4 on the way home and to ‘Any Questions’ which came this week from Pembroke Dock—it was a long time since I’d been there. It passed an hour.

When I arrived home Simon was there. “What are you doing home?” I asked delighted to see him.

“Well it’s like this, George Osborne said he wasn’t worried about the global collapse of stocks and shares; so I thought, sod it, if he isn’t why should I worry? So here I am.”

“I’m really glad, darling, that you’re home, though I suspect the chancellor is two levels beneath moron.”

He laughed. “Yeah, if he was twice as bright he wouldn’t make a halfwit.” I threw myself at him and he caught me and hugged me. “I’ve missed you, babes, let’s go to bed.”

Then we both looked down at something tapping our thighs, “Mummy, Mummy, Mummeeee,” squealed Lizzie and I’m sure damaged my hearing.

“Make me a cuppa will you and I’ll put her to bed—come on, sweetheart, let’s get you a drink of milk.” These days that meant from a bottle in the fridge the contents of which came from a cow not me. My boobs had shrunk a little but my nipples were still huge—well compared to what they were once like and have been sucked and chewed by Puddin’, Cate and Lizzie.

Lizzie wandered around sucking her bottle and even offered some to the dog before I spotted her and shouted—at the dog, that is who came meekly up to me and I gave her a biscuit. If the truth be told, she’s probably more obedient than any of the children and all of the adults.