I went into the bedroom and not wishing to disturb the sleeping pair, I grabbed my nightdress and changed in the bathroom, cleaned my teeth and headed for bed. I checked Mima, and my stomach flipped, her bed was empty. Where could she be?

I switched on my bedside light: there she was, tucked into Simon’s side with her arm lying across his tummy. I wondered if he knew she was there. I wasn’t entirely happy. Kids who sleep with their parents don’t sleep as well as those who have their own beds, and they tend to stop the adults sleeping too.

I eased her back into her own bed and tucked her in, she seemed to go off to sleep again. My heart was still having palpitations from the empty bed so I took some time to relax enough to sleep. During my interlude, I did think about several things, including what would happen to my career if we got Mima. It did not look good; on the other hand, I didn’t feel that badly about it either. If I did end up as foster mother to Mima, it came with compensations–I just couldn’t think of any, except the fuss she made of Simon. Damn, I was getting jealous again. How can I be jealous of a three year old?

I would need to get her registered with a doctor, would she need to be de-flead and wormed? Well we do it with the dormice. I have to take her to the hospital on Monday to see Dr Rose, oh gosh, Simon has to go too. I wonder if I can kill two birds with one stone? I must get him to check her ears, because I do wonder if she has a hearing problem.

What if it’s earwax? I know they have pump things to clear it, do they like, connect a high pressure pump to one ear and blow it straight through to the other? Would your brain get in the way? Eardrums would. So these pump thingies must do something else. I’ll look on the net when I have time.

It is two in the morning and I’m still awake, I’ve been worrying about the court again, what if she is taken away? I couldn’t bear it, and I know Simon would be mortified, he’s got really fond of her. Even Tom would be upset. He’d have to feed the ducks on his own.

What about the film? The dormouse one is nearly finished, at least it doesn’t need me to do anything except authorise it. Do we do the harvest mouse one? I need to speak to Alan and Erin about it. What if I win custody? Will I have time to make films, or do we put Mima on the payroll as a bird scarer?

Simon was walking out the door, he was holding hands with Mima. “It’s no good, Cathy, it would never have worked, so I’m going to marry Mima instead, at least she’s a real girl.

“See, you’re just a liability–emotionally unstable. Come on, Jemima, just get me to the church on time.” She looked at me with contempt in her eyes, threw back her head and walked past my weeping figure.

“Hey, Babes, what’s the matter?” I felt Simon touch my face, which was wet with tears.

“Oh, Simon, you’re not going to leave me?”

“Me? No, why?”

“I just had a horrible dream.”

“Well it’s okay now, so stop crying and go make some tea, I’m as dry as blotting paper.” He hugged me as best he could without moving his knee, and I slipped out of bed and went to make tea.

I’d forgotten the detail of the dream, only that he was going to leave me. I couldn’t remember why, which was possibly just as well–it was pretty stupid. I returned with two mugs of tea. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and sipped it. He wanted another painkiller, I checked what was in them, and it said no more than eight in a day. He’d already had four. I denied him them and gave him some aspirin instead.

“Did you know Mima was in bed with you when I came up?”

“What when you came up to bed?”

“Yes.”

“No I didn’t, I think I remember reading her a story and not a lot else.”

“I came up and changed her and put her in her own bed, then went down with Tom and Stella. Then I come up to bed, and guess who’s been sleeping in my bed?”

“I can’t help it, I have this effect on women, it’s my animal magnetism, my charisma, my…”

“Bank balance?” I suggested.

“Erm, could be.”

“So how come I’m attracted to you? I’m not into money.”

“My animal magnetism?”

“Well I am a biologist, so it could be.”

“You make me sound like a specimen.”

“Yes you are, Homo Feloffabikus,” I smirked as I said this.

“Homo? I’m not a bloody homo.”

“As in Homo sapiens,” I reassured him.

“Oh, that’s different. I always thought I’d be Homo layaboutus, or H. stinkinrich.”

“So what would I be?” I asked foolishly.

“Simonus wifus,” he said and then leant over and kissed me.

“What about Stella?”

“Theresalwaysone cameronus,” he chuckled and I had to hush him.

“And Tom?”

“Lets see, I know, Smartarsus Oldgitus.”

“I wouldn’t let him hear you call him that, if I were you, he’ll bash your other knee.” I finished my tea and yawned, Simon leant over and kissed me again, this time with more intent.

Half an hour ago I’d have enjoyed it, now I was exhausted. He touched my breast and I moved his hand away. “Not now, darling, I’m very tired.”

“Bugger,” he muttered.

“You know I don’t do that,” I sighed.

“You know what I mean,” he said and I smiled at him. Of course I did, but I wasn’t going to tell him. Instead I lay on my back and reached out a hand to somewhere near his underpants. He immediately tensed. I grabbed his pride and joy which grew under my touch, his breathing grew heavier. I smiled and continued moving my hand….

I slipped into sleep aware he’d struggled out of bed towards the bathroom. I didn’t hear any crashes, so I continued drifting off to my badly needed sleep.

Morning came too quickly, I felt a little body insert itself between us, and it went quiet again. I don’t know what time it was, but I eventually woke some time after nine. I was alone in the bed, so how the others had got down I had no idea.

I went and showered and washed my hair to wake myself up. I had dark rings under my eyes, a sure sign I wasn’t sleeping properly or long enough. I had to do something about it or I’d be ill.

I dressed hurriedly and went downstairs, my hair wrapped in a towel. Simon was sitting at the table with Mima, her highchair alongside him, eating the breakfast he passed to her. It was a scene of domestic bliss. She was still in her pyjamas, but I’d forgive him that, at least he was trying.

“Oh hi, Babes, we thought you’d like to sleep on a bit, so Mima carried me down on a piggy-back.”

“Sure it wasn’t a fireman’s lift?”

“Nah, she’d have banged my leg on every step.”

“Where’s Stella?” I asked.

“She went with Tom to check on the dormice.”

“Oh hell, it was my turn to do it today, I forgot all about it.”

“I said you were still sleeping and they went off together to do it, I don’t think they mind too much.”

“I’d better make them something nice for lunch.”

“I think they said they’d have lunch out.”

“Oh, just the three of us then?”

“Looks like.”

“I must make some more bread and do some food shopping. Do you want to have Mima, or shall I take her with me?”

“What you going to do Mima, stay with me, or go shopping with Mummy?”

“Stay wiv Daddy.”

“Animal magnetism,” he said shrugging his shoulders.