(aka Bike) Part 596 by Angharad |
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“What do you mean?” I asked feeling a horrible empty sensation in my tummy.
“They’re not here.”
“Why? Where are they? Who gave you permission to move them? This is my project, why wasn’t I informed?” I fired questions at him like a machine gun. “Where is my Spike? She’d better be alright or heads will roll.”
“Calm down, Cathy. As far as I know they’re all fine, and Spike has had another litter. Who’s this young lady?”
“I’m sorry, Neal, this is Trish–my foster daughter; Trish, this is Neal, one of the best technicians on the planet.” They shook hands and Trish blushed. “Now, where are my dormice?”
“The dormice are over with Ratman, we’re keeping an eye on them. We had a problem with a wall subsiding and have had builders in for the last month. They skimmed the plaster yesterday, it’s behind schedule, but it’s nearly finished. We should have them back in a week or two.”
“I think I ought to go and see them, just to check?”
“They’re okay, it’s just a bit cramped over there and no place to take little Trish.”
My anxiety just doubled. “Okay, you stay here with Trish while I pop over and check on them.”
“No, Cathy, really they are perfectly safe.”
“So why can’t I go and see them?”
“It’s just dirty and cramped, we only just managed to get the tanks in there, there’s barely room to pass between the tanks. I’m not lying to you, honestly.”
“I find this astonishing, I’m the permit holder and yet I can’t check on my animals.”
“Um actually, they transferred your permit to Brad.”
“What!” By now I was practically walking on the ceiling.
“Well, we didn’t know when your secondment was going to end. We needed someone in-house. Cathy–oh don’t be like that…”
I’d already grasped Trish’s hand and we were storming out of the building. Tom had some explaining to do, and I was in no mood to take prisoners, no matter how much I loved him–these animals were like my babies.
“You look very cross, Mummy.”
“I am, sweetheart, but not with you. Looks like someone has pulled off a coup in my absence.”
“What’s a queue, Mummy?”
“No, a coup; it’s a word used to describe someone overthrowing the boss and becoming the boss yourself. It usually applies to politics and governments.”
“Is that bad, Mummy?”
“It sure ain’t good, sweetypie.”
We turned into the drive and I parked noisily slamming the doors as we vacated the car. I strode into the house, where Tom had Mima sat on his lap singing her a song.
“I need a word, Tom.”
“In a minute,” he continued singing.
“This is important,” I said trying to maintain my already frayed temper.
“So is this.” He carried on singing and bouncing the child on his lap, she was giggling and laughing. I stormed out to the kitchen and banged pots and pans around.
He eventually strolled into the kitchen just as I was feeling like either breaking down and screaming and crying, or going in and demanding he put down the child and talk with me. “Right, what is so urgent that it takes me away from my granddaughter?”
I nearly swallowed my back teeth. His granddaughter, they are only temporary residents with us, it could be rescinded at any moment. I felt so hurt that I could easily have thrown this in his face to hurt him too, but thankfully, some self-control remained and I explained what had happened at the university.
“Oh is that all?”
“You knew about this?”
“Yes, of course, I’m still the professor of that department.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Why should I?”
“I’m responsible for those animals.”
“Not at the moment, Brad is.”
“You got my licence rescinded without as much as a by your leave?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t believe this. I can’t believe what you did, and you call yourself my father. How could you?”
“Cathy,” he said quietly but I didn’t hear him, I was crying and shouting at him. He tried again, but I was almost hysterical, I was so hurt and angry. One of the few people I trusted implicitly had betrayed me. I wanted out of there and now. I continued shouting at him when–he slapped my face. I was astonished and shocked. “Cathy, please listen to me.”
I felt my glowing cheek, where he’d dared to hit me! I was now even more angry. “Why should I, you betrayed me. Stick your university as far as you can shove it, I’m outta here and I’m taking the girls with me.”
“What about Trish’s school?”
“You’re so good at explaining things, you tell ‘em why she isn’t there.” I went to walk out of the kitchen when he grabbed me and pulled me back. I ripped my arm from his grip and felt like hitting him, instead I let my caustic tongue blast him instead. “I don’t ever want to see you again.” I shrugged my arm free and ran upstairs.
I was torn between the urge to throw myself on the bed and cry and to pack all of my stuff. I started packing. I felt like I was in a frenzy, and tore my clothes from the wardrobe and threw them in the cases.
Simon walked in. “I hope you’re happy now, you’ve upset everyone.”
“Happy, here–ha. I’m leaving.”
“If you do, you go alone.”
“Okay, just me and the kids.”
“No, just you.”
“Those are my kids.”
“They are our kids, and they are staying.”
“On whose authority?”
“Mine.”
“Well that counts for nothing, the court entrusted them to me.”
“You are not taking them in a car in this mood. You’ll have an accident.”
“I am quite capable of driving.”
“Yeah, that’s what drunks say.”
“I’m not drunk.”
“Only in temper.”
“Get out of my way, I want to collect the girls’ clothes.”
“No, you’re not taking them.”
“We’ll see about that,” I pushed him and he resisted. I pushed him harder and he pushed me back. With that, I leapt in the air and kicked him in the chest, he flew backwards through the doorway like a sack of potatoes.
He lay quite still, groaning. “Oh my God, Simon–what have I done?” I gasped and rushed to help him.
“Geez, Cathy, where the hell did you learn that one?” he groaned and passed out. I worried myself to death, he looked okay but he wasn’t conscious. I felt for a pulse and breathing, he was still doing both. I slipped a pillow under his head, there seemed to be no blood or injury. What had I done?
Over the next ten minutes he recovered and I got him up off the floor. He was shaken by the experience, but so was I. I began to see that I might have a bit of an anger management problem, as they say in the States.
Tarzan the dormouse.
Comments
She Got It Right, But Tom
Was totally wrong here! He SHOULD have known better from before. Now, what will happen?
May Your Light Forever Shine
May Your Light Forever Shine
He was shaken by the
Finally!!
Cathy is finding out that allowing one's emotions out does *not* mean that you let them control you. (Don't worry, I'm having to learn the same lesson, but I've spent nearly twice her age repressing them...)
She needs to see her therapist and maybe her pastor friend as soon as possible.
Janice
Finally! A small light at the end of a tunnel
In this case, Cathy is wrong, wrong, wrong, and she is beginning to see the light.
But Tom was wrong in not talking to her about the problems.
And Simon is right, for once.
It’s not given to anyone to have no regrets; only to decide, through the choices we make, which regrets we’ll have,
David Weber – In Fury Born
Holly
It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice.
Holly
Kung-Fu Cathy
When did Cathy learn Kung-Fu, or was it kick boxing? Was it while she was still Charlie? (Charlie Watts makes me think of The Stones! and going all gooey over them. My mom used to like watching Mick Jagger's balls bouncing up and down in his pants!)
Poor Simon. At least it made her realise she was being a mite unreasonable; with Tom too.
NS
Stella taught her,
You may remember a few chapters back that Stella was teaching Cathy some kick-boxing for a work out (of course I could be remember this wrong).
Huggles,
Winnie
Huggles,
Winnie
Looks Like Tom Still Hasn't Learned
Tom knew very well how Cathy feels about the Dormice, but he still was not smart enough to figure he should have told her what was going on. Cathy has realized that her temper has gotten her to cross the line. The stress of everything is too much. I think Tom will think twice about withholding info in the future. I hope Simon is okay.
Would be nice ...
Would love it if the mood swings cathy has are caused by her 'healing' herself when she is blue-lighting puddin and this has given her estrogen producing ovaries. The overabundance of estrogen giving her these bad mood swings.
/dreams ... would be nice :)
I too have wondered this.
Her mood swings have been erratic and I've wondered about that possibility as well. After all, her mom did say she would have children, but I may be remembering that part slightly off...
Huggles,
Winnie
Huggles,
Winnie
This is the second time...
That Tom has done an end-around on Cathy without telling her, what was he thinking? The first time she quit and went of to Bristol, which is where she was probably heading this time. I am also curious as to why Pippa didn't mention the move when Cathy and Trish where visiting her before going to the lab!? Is there some sort of conspiracy going on here? As Tom's secretary, she would be in the know...
Huggles,
Winnie
P.S. I hope they have the Bonzi detection net setup in the new location...
Huggles,
Winnie
Bothered
This one bothered me a bit. She claims to love Tom, she knows he's fragile (perhaps more than she knows), and she does this?
What she did to Tom and Simon is abuse. It can come from the female side, though it is less common. She may realize this, but somehow I suspect she is missing the point. You don't hit, unless your life is at risk.
I took a martial arts class for 14 years. It was great fun, and it also taught women. One of the core lessons drummed into us is control. If you loose your temper you are giving your opponent the advantage. She has started the lessons, maybe she needs to finish them.
Anger is appropriate, but total loss of control is not.
Every day could be the last
I meant to add this in the above post, but I will add it here too.
One by one I have lost family. The one mistake I have not made, and hope never to make, is to not to treat my family like they were going to die tomorrow. The last words to all of them when I hang up the phone is not goodbye, but I love you. This is how it should be. They, or I, could pass tomorrow. I would hate to think it would be like Cathy would have left it, if the worst happened.
Lethal Weapon 596 (Bike)
“ I began to see that I might have a bit of an anger management problem…” Understatement of the year from a near psychotic Cathy!
Experience suggests the maternal instinct might reasonably described as 'lethal' so what fired Cathy's up to this degree? It is easy to forget the shock to the system transition and surgery creates but now she is a threat to those she loves - what next? To fit in will they have to move to Oxford or Midsummer where the is a murder every week?
Rhona McCloud
Only if your name is Charlie Sheen (Estevez)
Wow, bet Simon forgot she was like the muscles from Brussels. I don't blame her for being pissed off. but she's over the top.
Tom. now she can't even see the dormice ??? Are you sure that was the correct thing to do in secret ?
Cefin