The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3155 by Angharad Copyright© 2017 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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“Where have you been?” demanded Simon, “we’ve been looking all over for you.”

“I went for a walk, why?”

“You should have told someone.”

“Why should I? I’m a fully grown adult, I don’t need permission to go out.”

“Lizzie doesn’t look very well, and Dunstan phoned, asked to call him back.”

“Why couldn’t you deal with Mr Dunstan?”

“He said he wanted to speak with you, so I told him I’d get you to call him back.”

I went and saw to Lizzie, who was teething and after a dose of calpol, she calmed down and went back to playing with her dollies. I left her in the care of Mima, who was teaching her how to design dresses or something.

I made some teas and snuck off with mine to the study and called John Dunstan. He warned me that the weather over the Easter holiday was going to be mixed and cooler than down here—I began to wonder if I’d made a mistake in opting to go to Scotland. Diane had already left to go to Menorca and I had to get things organised here.

Speaking to the girls, I enquired who wanted to come with me to Scotland. Danielle immediately said yes, so did Hannah, who’s never been there before. Trish shook her head, ‘Not gonna get myself killed,’ she muttered and walked away.

Mima wasn’t that interested and Simon said he wasn’t coming, too bloody cold. It was going to be a degree or two cooler than down here—so much for ancestral home. Much to my astonishment when I thought I was going to have to cancel, Stella said she’d keep an eye on Trish and Livvie and the others. She knew of someone who was looking for work and could help her. I asked who it was and it was Janet, one of the nurses at the unit who’d discovered a major problem with her car and needed two or three hundred in a hurry to pay for it. As I’d met the woman, and she seemed reasonably friendly, I told the remainers what was happening and they had a last chance to come with me. They stood firm, so I’d be travelling to Scotland with just the two girls. I sent them up to list what they wanted to take and to remember we’d be going up by plane so they’d have to travel fairly light—I didn’t fancy driving all the way from the south coast to the middle of Scotland—it would be a very long drive both ways.

I then went on the net to book the flights only to find there weren’t any. Oh there were plenty of flights but none to Perth, the links from Glasgow weren’t operating over the holiday. Oh just bloody wonderful. I now had to make a decision and called the two girls to my room. Hannah was really excited about staying in the castle and Danni was winding her up.

“There are no flights.”

“What?” gasped Hannah, “So we’re not going then?”

“I didn’t say that, what I said was there are no flights, so we either have to drive up or not bother.”

“Let’s drive,” she said.

“It’s a really long drive, and will take all day to get there and another to get back.”

“You okay with that, Mum?” asked Danielle, who is becoming a really thoughtful young woman.

“I’m prepared to do it if you both still want to go.”

“Take my iPad, watch the DVD in the car, I’ll manage—I mean, we’ll stop on the way, won’t we, for toilets and food?”

“Yes, even Daddy couldn’t hold his bladder that long.” They both laughed and said they wanted to go.

I’d take my Jaguar. Now that was sorted I advised them to pack a couple of sweaters or cardigans because it was going to be cooler up in Scotland and to also pack their walking boots and a waterproofs. They all have waterproof anoraks and over trousers. I also told them to pack their backpacks and water bottles. Hannah was now buzzing, “It’s like going on a hexpidishun,” she declared.

Danni went off to charge all the electronics she’d be taking, camera, iPad, iPhone, iPod along with a case full of mascara and other makeup. I went and checked my camera, my binoculars, telescope and phone and looked out some clothes to pack including my own waterproofs, which are all Gortex, plus my Barbour jacket, which I always took everywhere in this country. I’m not much into designer labels, but they do make some good stuff even if it’s expensive—it lasts for years, though it with my matching hat does tend to make me look like one of the horsey-set or the squire’s wife—which up there, I suppose I am.

Simon came up while I was laying stuff on the bed. “You must be bonkers going up there this time of year.”

“I need a break.”

“So go to the hotel for a week, get yourself pampered.”

“The girls want to go to the castle, Hannah’s never seen it before.”

“You won’t get all that in your case on that little plane.”

“It’s not operating over Easter.”

“You’re not driving?”

“Got it in one, husband dear. Now shift over, I need the space.”

“You’re driving? It’s five hundred miles.”

“My Jag could do with a good run.”

“Good run, you’d be quicker doing the 24 hours at Le Mans.”

“Rubbish, I can do it in about eight hours, even with two or three stops.”

“Sooner you than me—oh, Jacquie just phoned, she’ll be home over the holiday and will help with the others.”

“Good, buy her a nice Easter egg.”

“Isn’t she a bit old for chocolate?”

“Not if it’s made by VW.”

“I didn’t know they made chocolate.”

“They don’t.”

“So what are you on about?”

“She needs a new car.”

“Oh, I suppose I could get her a cheap loan.”

“Simon Cameron, you cheapskate—Julie wanted a new car and you got her a Jaguar and all she does is cut your bloody hair. Jacquie is an unrecognised workhorse here and has to make do with a beat up old Focus.”

“All right, I’ll see what I can do—what sort of VW does she want?”

“A Golf or something a bit better to get her back and fore to Bournemouth.”

“I thought she was going to Winchester?”

“She’s been accepted to do forensic anthropology at Bournemouth.”

“Why can’t she do it here at Portsmouth?”

“We don’t do it for starters and besides would you want to attend the same university that your family effectively run?”

“Who’s paying for that—her course, I mean?”

I rolled my eyes. “How much is that going to cost?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yeah, it does.”

“About 30k.”

“Same as a new Golf. Okay, I’ll get one sorted for her.”

I stopped my packing and kissed him, “Thank you, darling.” A moment later he pushed me down on top of my clothes on the bed.

“Mum, which of these should I...oops, uh sorry,” the door closed again and Simon and I collapsed laughing in each others arms.

“Every bloody time...” he sighed and shook his head. Poor Danielle, she’s probably still blushing.