The Weekly Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3372 by Angharad Copyright© 2022 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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281 dozen, or a dozen 281, neither improves the flavour very much.

I awoke on Saturday, Simon was lying on his back snoring for England. The noise he was making was a cross between a combine harvester and ram-jet in reverse thrust, if they can do such things. My elbow found his ribs and he turned over away from me. Well, it was quieter but he's always complaining of bruises on his side. I always try to look mystified, which is easy for someone who is in a constant state of confusion. Anyway, he hasn't twigged yet or if he has he keeps quiet about it. I looked at the clock and time read 6.30 am, which meant I had to either get to sleep again double quick or get up. My bladder ached a little and I think it was probably what woke me up in the first place rather than my husband snorting Rule Britannia.

I nipped to the bathroom and reduced my fluid content by about a bladderful. The heating was on and although it was chilly, it wasn't jump-back -into- bed cold so I stripped off my nightdress and knickers and got in the shower. In a short time I was clean and warmed by the water, I dried quickly and dressed. His lordship, correct in his case, was still playing Shostakovich's greatest hits, I thought I recognised Tea for two but I could have been wrong as I hadn't heard it played on a vacuum cleaner before. Dressed in jeans and sweatshirt over my polo shirt, one that proclaimed, 'Sussex University', I headed downstairs to see Daddy making his coffee. "Wit fa are ye up?" he asked me. It's like living with Yoda from 'Starwars'.

"I cudnae sleep," I replied before realising I had in Lallans.

"Guilty conscience?" he asked.

I had to remind him that psychopaths like me don't have one. He simply nodded, finished his coffee and took the dog out. She was pleased to see me and wagged her tail until about three kilos of catfluff hit it in midwag. As Tom opened the backdoor she practically fled through it pursued by mischievous moggie, who came back almost smiling. Their interaction, at times, make me want to laugh, Kiki is five or more times the size but she is terrified of her, something like Simon and me or perhaps like Simon and Trish. He'd make half a dozen of her but she frightens him at times because he's not quite sure how to take her. I suggested by the throat but he ignored me.

I was glad to see she was enjoying university, well not the full experience but she's still too young to integrate with her older colleagues and to do sport with them, but she has a special dispensation to play football for her old school, seeing as she'd still be there if she was a normal child and is the same age as the other girls. Danni is now back on schedule. We had a blip when she was romantically involved with Francesca but after Francesca told her that they had no future and she wanted to enjoy her freedom, ironic as she could be in prison soon, as she had been released from the restriction her father had place on her, she was enjoying much more of life.

Danielle was up first followed by Trish and Livvie, so the table was soon awash with banter between the three girls which I just watched while emptying the dishwasher. Danni, who is pretty quick on her feet holds her own with the brain, because she has more experience of the world, Trish for all her brainpower is still rather gauche.

I had just put the last of the crocks away before they fill it up again when the phone rang. I wasn't expecting any calls and half thought it would be for one of the older kids. It wasn't, the caller just gave me the name of a coffee shop and told me to be there at ten o'clock and to make sure Francesca was with me. I tried to ask questions but the caller terminated the call. I knew where the coffee shop was in Winchester, but even so it seemed like a long drive for a coffee. I went and roused Francesca. She'd been fast asleep and took a few minutes to understand what I was saying. I told her to look tidy and then I went to my own bedroom. Sounds of young children and their merriment greeted me as I opened the door and the littlies were in bed with their dad and he was blowing raspberries on their bellies or tickling them, hence the giggling. It was lovely to see and hear , I was glad that they seemed to love him and he them as it's in play that we can be ourselves.

"Oh, hello love," he addressed me.

"Can't stop have to be somewhere in two hours."

"Oh, where?"

"I'll tell you later, Danni is still about, can you watch the younger ones while I'm out."

"You don't need me to come?"

"That's kind of you, but no, just Francesca and me."

"He's found her then?"

"I don't know, I'll tell you later. I'd better wear something decent," and I disappeared into the bathroom with an armful of clothes. I wore a longish mock tartan skirt and a woolly top over a tee shirt. Slapping on some makeup and doing my hair a bit more tidily, I returned to the wardrobe and pulled on some black boots with a moderate heel. Simon shot into the bathroom and I heard the flush pulled before he got in the shower, I put on a gold necklace and matching bracelet, my gold plated watch and a couple of rings. I went down to breakfast as Daddy came in with his dug which looked like she had rolled in something. She had, he was looking for the dug shampoo. As soon as he'd located it he took her out again and went to fetch the tin bath from the garage. I don't know if she guessed what was going to happen next but I was willing to bet she wouldn't enjoy it, stupid dog.

I had toast and a banana with a cuppa, not that I wanted much at all and I insisted Francesca ate something too. She told me she was too nervous. I told her she couldn't come if she didn't, so a short altercation ensued which she lost as it's my car we were going in.

Danni understood where we were going and tried to calm Francesca down by suggesting we didn't know if her mum would be there, so to be prepared for disappointment. Even I had to admit I didn't know if she been found or whether we off on one of Jim's wild goose chases.

We left in plenty of time to get to Winchester, the capital of King Alfred's Wessex, which became England. He was unusual as a medieval king in being able to read and write, and he was quite well-read for someone in those days. They'd chased him and his supporters all over the marshes and moorland of the southwest, and at one point he hid in Athelney marshes from the Danes who it seemed were just as bad as Putin for keeping their word. It appears that Wessex and Mercia were always fighting each other unless the Vikings turned up and then they fought against the invaders. Alfred apparently was troubled pretty well all his reign by pesky Danes or Vikings and eventually, it was only by building walls around burhs kept them out as they caused the Vikings to stop their rapid raids and have to besiege the burh giving time for the king or his local chieftain to send for reinforcements and combined forces of local shires usually sent the packing.

I parked the car, it's awful in Winchester, and we walked to the coffee shop, neither of us saying very much, I think we both felt too nervous. If she turned up what is Francesca going to say after about 15 or 16 years, to the woman who ran away. How did I feel I would deal with it, someone I've never met but there could be scenes of great pathos or anger, I didn't know which. "If she comes treat her with dignity and respect," I told Francesca.

"I don't know what's going to happen or how I'll feel, let alone her if she comes."

"We'll find out in a couple of minutes," I said looking at my watch.

"Oh, God, I feels so sick."

"Just take deep slow breaths, it'll pass."

She sat with her eyes closed slowly breathing and holding her breath for a few seconds and she calmed down. She reached to hold my hand, "It's you I feel like calling mummy, not some woman I haven't seen for sixteen years."

"I think it might be better if yiu just call me Cathy for the moment."

"Yeah, I know, don't want upset the apple cart."

"Haven't seen one of those for a long time."

"What? They don't exist do they?"

"If you visit the farms around either Kent or Hereford you may well see one, though I think they'll be just farm trailers today."

"Why there, why not Hampshire?"

"It's where they grow apples, Kent for eaters and Hereford for the cider apples."

"Of course, sorry to be so thick, since you woke me I've felt in something of a dream."

"Since I took that phone call, I think I have too."

"Hello, ladies," said James, is this seat taken?"

"Yeah," I said, "the Invisible Man is sitting there."

"Ooh, I should be so lucky," he said camply.

"Well, where is she?"

"Ah, there's the rub."

"Never mind bloody Hamlet, what's going on?"

"She's not far away." He looked just past reception and added," In fact, here she is."

A woman strolled out of the loos, she was slightly shorter than Francesca, who is quite tall. She was in a pair of jeans and top and she looked quite a bit older than me. Her face was lined and grey hairs were visible in otherwise dark brown hair.

"Hello," I said, "You must be Francesca's mum, I'm Cathy, she's staying with me at the moment, this is your daughter, Francesca."

"Mummy," shouted the young woman and they embraced, Jim and I moved to another table to give them some room. The waitress came to take our order and asked about the reunion we had precipitated.

"I'll have an espresso," said James.

"Could I have a pot of tea and a slice of that lemon drizzle cake? They haven't seen each other for nearly twenty years," I indicated the table next to us and the waitress nodded. She went off to make our order. She returned about five minutes later with James' coffee and my tea plus the lemon drizzle. It was alright but I've made better myself, you need lemon curd for it and we don't seem to have it these days. I'll bet if David made it, it would be memorable.

We had practically finished our tea and coffee, well, James took two gulps and his was gone, I had two cups and was nearly ready to go to the loo. Our two guests came to our table and they were holding hand quite tightly. "Sorry for that, we had a lot to say."

"That's okay, do you want to order?" they did so I had another pot of tea so did they with some toasted tea cake and James increased his caffeine levels.

Helen, the mum, had taken some leave of her job when James found her. She hadn't heard of the recent drama and agreed to come and stay at my house for a couple of days. "Oh yeah, if they want chapter and verse of that miserable so-and-so, I can tell them a few tales, I'll say. I knew he was coming for me one day and fled, I'm sorry love, but it flee or die. That bastard had already killed a couple of people so, I couldn't let you know, he'd have found me."

"That's okay, he can't hurt anyone now."

"I can't believe you did for him.

"It was only because he was going to kill Danielle, that's Cathy's daughter, who came to help me get my stuff. He just went for her and wouldn't stop. I shot him, Mum, I killed him and I'm not sorry."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_the_Great