Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1429

The Daily Dormouse.
(aka Bike)
Part 1429
by Angharad

Copyright © 2011 Angharad
All Rights Reserved.
  
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The sun streamed through the window of my workshop and I watched particles of dust moving in it–to think we’re breathing these things all the time. Trish, snuggled against me once again, her hands round my waist.

“I like being a girl,” she said.

“What prompted you to say that, missy?”

“I dunno–I like cuddling with you–an’ girls can do it easier than boys.”

“That would seem like a lot of fuss to go through just so you could cuddle your mum.”

“Yeah, but it’s worth it.”

“As long as you think so, that’s okay.”

“Oh I do, Mummy. I’d never want to be a boy ever, ever again.”

“It’s okay, Trish, just calm down–no one is expecting you to become one ever again. Besides you’re female legally as well–so you couldn’t become a boy if you wanted to.”

“Do you ever wish you were a boy again, Mummy?”

“I don’t think so, sweetheart, I can’t say I ever think about it.”

“I’m glad you’re a girl too, Mummy.”

“I expect you are, sweetheart–look, I’ve got things to do.”

“Why did you break the cup?”

“I dropped it on the table, it broke.”

“Jenny said you threw it on the table.”

“I did not, I threw the handle but it was already broken then.”

“Are you going to buy a new one?”

“I’ve got plenty in the cupboard, Granny Monica, gave me a pile yonks ago.”

“Are you going to choose one, a special one for you?”

“Not this time, Trish, I keep breaking them or they get dishwasher damaged. If I use different ones all the time, it should reduce the risk of one cup breaking.”

“Yeah, you could break them all,” she laughed.

“I’ll have to take that risk–anyway, let’s lock this up and you can help me choose a cup for today.”

We shut the garage up and headed back to the kitchen, Stella was feeding Fiona. “Can I watch?” asked Trish who was fascinated.

“If you like and your mother doesn’t mind you associating with dangerous drivers.”

“Stella, don’t involve the children–any issues are between you and I.”

She looked angrily at me, then agreed. I owed her quite a lot–in clothing alone–half my wardrobe originated in hers.

“I owe you quite a lot, Stella, you gave me the push I needed to jump-start me; by myself I was going nowhere fast.”

“Dunno–if you hadn’t saved my life at various times I wouldn’t be here now, would I?”

“I don’t think I can answer that on the grounds that if I hadn’t been there, you may not have been at risk in the first place.”

“I hadn’t thought of that–yeah–it’s all your fault,” she looked at me and laughed, waking the snoozing Fiona who began sucking like a vacuum cleaner.

“So are we quits?” I asked.

“Yeah, quits.” We shook on it which once again woke the baby who began turbo suction once again. “’Ere, Fi, don’t suck my nipples off, there’s a good girl.” I laughed, been there done that got the stretch marks–they don’t mention that do they when they talk about breast feeding?

“Choose a cup, Mummy,” urged Trish.

“I’ll use this one today,” I said picking down a mug with a picture of a black cat on it. “It reminds me of Inky.”

“Can we have a cat, Mummy?”

“I’d be worried about the main road, darling. Cats tend not to have much road sense.”

“A bit like me,” said Stella winking at Trish.

“What’s road sense?”

“It’s knowing when it’s safe to cross a road.”

“I could teach a cat to do that, Mummy–we learned in school, Look left, look right and then left again, looking left and right and listening all the time until you are safely across.”

“You certainly know how to cross the road, but I doubt you could teach a cat–they’re far too independent.”

“I’m sure I could, Mummy.”

“I think I know a bit more about cats, darling, so the answer is no.”

“’Snot fair,” she said and stamped out of the kitchen.

“That was you, twenty or thirty...”

“Can’t be thirty years, I’m only twenty seven now.”

“I was going to say minutes,” said Stella who laughed at her own joke and woke Fiona up who started crying–serve her right.

“Are you going to put the banshee to bed?”

“Yes, why?” she tried to comfort the little one who was playing at inconsolable.

“I need to start doing dinner–may I?” I held out my hands for the squealing baby, who Stella handed over to me while sighing.

Rocking her a little over my shoulder and whispering in her ear she went from screaming to listening in about ten seconds, followed by a massive burp and then a series of aftershocks. Two minutes later I handed her back to Stella who stood transfixed.

“How did you do that?” she asked.

“Do what?”

“Get her to shut up?”

“I had a feeling she might have some trapped wind, but by squealing she’d resist me breaking it for her, so I just whispered to her. Did they teach you about arguing–when people get louder, you get quieter–they have to shut up to hear what you’re saying–works with babies too.”

“So I see.” Stella took her off to sleep for an hour or two. “Once I’ve got her settled, d’you need a hand?”

“Yeah, come and help me do the veg and we can chat.” Stella and I hadn’t talked like we used to for ages–one of the changes which comes with children I suppose. She arrived back about ten minutes later. I gave her the broad beans to shell.

“What’s happening with Gareth?”

“I wondered when you’d get round to asking.”

“When are you going to get round to answering–we are concerned you know?”

“Yeah, I know–okay–the truth is–no idea. He hasn’t phoned, written or texted, emailed used jungle drums or carrier pigeon.” To add emphasis she sighed then gave a great shrug.

“Oh dear, sorry about that–I’d hoped it was going to work out for you this time, Stel.” We stopped and had an impromptu hug.

“All men are bastards,” she said.

“Some are bigger ones than others.”

“Yeah, like dicks.”

Her comparison confused me for a moment then I felt embarrassed.

“Is Simon okay in that department?”

“I’ve got no complaints,” which was very true–he could have loads but not that was aware of.

“Gareth was huge...” she offered then snorted, “...for a fieldmouse.”

“He gave you Fiona,” I tried to defend him a little–he had seen her at her worst and I wasn’t surprised he’d gone.

“Did he? Without blood tests I’m not sure,” she fired back.

“Were you seeing someone else as well then?”

“I had some catching up to do, did a few one night stands.”

“Oh, Stella, you silly goose–you could have picked up anything from HIV to Hep B, especially with your training, you should have known that.”

“I did know that–okay–okay, it was stupid.”

“What were you trying to prove?”

“Nothin’ in particular–why?”

“I just wondered. I love you, Sis, please don’t mess yourself up again–I don’t have the blue light to sort things anymore.”

“Yeah, so you said–must have upset Shekinah quite a lot.”

“There are no gods, Stella, just our need for something bigger than us and a laziness in moral thinking.”

“Not just fear of death then?”

“Perhaps that as well–those beans ready?”

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