Wuthering Dormice (aka Bike) Part 711 by Angharad

“But you can’t just spend hours at this kid’s bedside, no matter how sorry you feel for him.”

“Simon, I’m an independently mobile, autonomous unit otherwise known as a woman, I can do whatever I want.”

“What about your own children?”

“My own children aren’t suffering as a consequence.”

“What if I forbid it?”

“What if you what?” I’d heard him perfectly, I just couldn’t believe he’d have the gall to say it, and certainly not again.

“I’m not happy with it.”

“I’m hardly ecstatic, but I have a feeling that I can save this kid.”

“And if you do? What then? You’ll have the rest of the unfortunates of this world beating a path to your door. Do think carefully about this, Cathy.”

“I told the parents that if they breathe a word he’ll die.”

“Cathy, don’t be so stupid, how could you threaten them like that?”

“I’ll send you round to kill him.”

“Do your own dirty work. Besides, if you give healing, isn’t it a gift? You can hardly give conditions or try to take it back.”

“I suppose you’re right. I’ll just tell them that I have given them an enormous gift. If they blab, then they will have treated me very badly and it will guarantee that I never share it again.”

“You said that before.”

“I mean it this time.”

“I get very worried about you, girl.”

“I love it when you’re concerned.” I said sucking up to him. It was pure badness, taking the piss and turning the tables on him–the number of times he’s said to me, ’You’re lovely when you’re angry’, this was payback.

“Why?”

“Because you become all kind and affectionate.”

His whole posture changed, “I can be affectionate any time, you know me.” He sounded like the cat who’d got the cream.

“Yes I do know you, Simon,” I kissed him on the cheek and turned over, “and if you dare to patronise me again, you’ll live to regret it, even if it won’t be for long. Night.”

“Cathy, the great healer and teaser. No wonder women get themselves attacked, winding up men to expect something and then not delivering.” I suspect he muttered to himself for several minutes, I was shattered and had loads to do the next day. Thankfully I slept quite quickly.

He’d gone when I awoke the next morning. I suppose I’d annoyed him twice now. Oh well, he’d get over it. I went to the loo and stuck to the mirror was a note.

’Just in case you think I was off in a huff, I’m not. You’re a cruel c*ck teaser and I ought to smack your arse. Take care of yourself, don’t give all your energy away. Despite all my shortcomings, I still love you. S xxx’

Aww, he does try; time to get the girls up. They were hard work this morning, I don’t know if they were sleepy or what but they took twice as long as they needed to, to do everything. By the time they were dressed and breakfasted, I was seething. It seemed as if they were intent on making me late.

Tom took the two older girls with him, they were going to clean out some of the dormouse cages under the supervision of the technicians. Usually this meant they’d just get in the way, but as the university was free of students in the general sense, there was time to allow them to get in the way, and who knows, maybe one of them will be the next big thing in biology.

Sitting at the bedside, I heard from the parents that Charlie had opened his eyes for a few moments, smiled at them, then lapsed back into his sleep. They left me to sit with him, and I started my healing.

When they found me, I was apparently collapsed over him, still holding on to his hand. Sam Rose sent me home by taxi and told me to rest. I was shattered and went to bed. Meems came up for a cuddle with me but I don’t remember much until I was wakened by Stella at lunchtime.

“Cathy, wakey wakey, Tom has suggested we meet him for lunch, usual place.”

“What time is it?”

“Nearly mid day, oh Sam Rose phoned, he said the boy had come round and was talking to his parents. He is amazed and very grateful for your help, but he told me to tell you, that you are not to return until you feel fit again. What happened?”

“I don’t know, I got the energy flowing then suddenly, I seemed to bonk, you know like they do in bike racing, just ran out of energy and next thing I know, Sam is waking me up.”

“Did you sleep?”

“I don’t know, if I did, it didn’t do me any good, I felt so tired.”

“Perhaps he just sucked too much energy out of you? Very sick people do that to nursing staff, like vampires sucking out their life force.”

“Actually, that was what it felt like. Damn, I need to go and get the car from the hospital.”

“Sam got one of the porters to bring it back for you. It’s outside.”

“I must thank him. He’s such a nice man.”

“Yeah I know, but his niceness nearly did for you.”

“What do you mean?”

“If he hadn’t found you, I reckon that boy would have sucked all your life force.”

“Don’t be ridiculous, Stella. It’s a child, how could a child be stronger than a full grown woman?”

“Where did he have the cancer?”

“I didn’t ask, I didn’t want to know, but I have a feeling it was a brain tumour.”

“A healthy brain consumes loads of energy, so a sick one–the sky’s the limit.”

“So how come when I’m thinking lots, I don’t lose weight?”

"I suspect it’s because you only think you’re thinking, in real life, you’re not.”

“I’ll have to think about it.” She left me more to get dressed than to think about things. I hoped the boy, Charlie, was now on the mend, but I doubted it. I got myself dressed casually and then checked Meems while Stella dressed Puddin’.

Tom met us at the restaurant. I had a tuna jacket with salad and the girls had the children’s menu–fish fingers and chips and peas. It looked horrible, but they seemed to enjoy it.

“Why can’t we have peas like this, Mummy?” Trish was pointing at peas which were such a bright emerald green, it hurt to look at them.

“I prefer fresh vegetables, Trish, those are processed or frozen, and dyed to hell and back."

“I don’t care, I like them.”

“So do I, Mummy,” said Livvie, so Meems was bound to agree. She did.

“Okay, I’ll get you a tin of peas for tomorrow, you can have them with your cornflakes.”

“Ugh! I don’t want them for breakfast,” Trish scorned me.

“You said you wanted them, what’s wrong with having them for breakfast?”

“You don’t eat them for breakfast.”

“Why not?”

“You just don’t. Would you eat them for breakfast, Mummy?”

“I wouldn’t eat them for lunch or supper either.”

“They are nice, but not for brekkies.”

“That’s my best offer.” I was bluffing but they hadn’t worked that out yet.

“Okay, I won’t bother then.”

“You can have peas when they’re fresh and you can help me shell them.”

“Okay, Mummy.” Dissention over.

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