(aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2101 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad
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The journey wasn’t that long in terms of mileage, a maximum of about forty five miles, but it seemed endless with Phoebe sniffing and sobbing alternately. I wondered how her mother would have coped with this situation–would she have told Neal to pull himself together? Would he have fallen apart had she still been alive?
Why had Gloria killed herself? Had she killed herself? A crepe bandage and a stairwell–ugh–it was too horrid to contemplate: the poor woman. I mean, why would anyone want to kill her? No, it had to be suicide.
I wrestled with the thoughts most of the way home and before I knew it, I was parking the car in the drive and I had no recollection of much of the journey. That was frightening, or was I so practised now that I could drive on autopilot quite safely? I wasn’t sure I wanted an answer to the question, but I knew I’d cycled on familiar routes without always being aware of where I was or what I was doing.
“Here, dry your eyes, sweetheart,” I handed Phoebe a tissue. She dabbed at her eyes and sniffed.
“He’s going to be alright, isn’t he?”
“I expect so, he’s in a good place, so they’ll help him.”
“I hope so, I think I’d want to die if anything happened to him.”
“Phoebe, I don’t for one minute think anything will happen, remember if it did, you’ll be very important in the life of your niece. You’ll be her only close relative.”
“I know, but you were right earlier, I’m too young to be tied up with babies, so would you look after her. You’re so good at it, Mummy.”
“Why don’t you phone the clinic and ask how he is? It would dispel any worries you have.”
“Okay, I’ll help you in with the baby first.”
I ended up hauling the carrycot out of the car and into the house. She brought the bags of stuff we use for changing her and so on. Then she disappeared, I assumed to repair her makeup, as it was a bit of a sight.
I was temporarily incapacitated as a swarm of girls hit me and I had to spend the next several minutes sharing hugs with them or receiving them.
“Where’s Phoebe, she hasn’t had a hug yet?” asked Livvie.
“She’s gone to see how Neal is.”
“I thought that was why you went to Guildford,” suggested the brain.
“It was but Neal and Phoebe got a bit upset.”
“Why?”
I felt like saying, ‘Cause his bloody wife just died,’ but resisted the urge, like I did the one to strangle her for her insensitivity–remembering she wasn’t nine yet. So instead, I explained things to her and wasn’t sure if she got it or not. Livvie did, so perhaps she’ll explain it in modern parlance as standard English obviously didn’t.
“Oh someone phoned about the dormice?”
“Who?” I asked wishing she’d focus two brain cells for once.
“Oh, I don’t know–who was it Liv?”
“I dunno, you took the call.”
“Was that the only call?”
“Yes, Mummy,” they said in harmony. Usually they then go back to bashing each other verbally or otherwise. To be fair, the girls usually go for verbal assaults on each other, Danny is the one who tends to want to hit out when he gets frustrated.
“Where’s Danny?” I asked my welcoming committee.
“Gone to see Peter.”
“Oh,” was my response as I wondered whose idea it had been.
“Peter called him and he went after lunch.”
“Okay.” David brought me in a cup of tea and I almost wanted to kiss him.
“Oh thank you, that’s just what I need, then I must go and change.”
“Oh don’t change, Mummy; we like you just the way you are.” Trish was having one of her funny moments. I don’t know whether she ought to be a scientist or a stand up comedienne.
“What’s for dinner, David?” I called over the swarm who were still buzzing round me.
“If I told you would it taste any better?”
“If I didn’t pay you, would you mind very much?” I replied.
“Sausage and mash–feel any better now?”
“Definitely. Whose idea was that?”
“Guess.”
“Um–Danny.”
“Got it in one.”
“Whose sausages are we using?”
“That shop down by Waitrose, makes his own.”
“Oh, I know–they’re usually quite nice.”
“Duh,” he answered. “Yes,” he called before I asked him anything else.
“For the freezer?”
“Of course.”
For those who aren’t telepathic, I was going to ask if he bought any extra and he did, putting them in the freezer. Sometimes it’s good to have people who know you working with you, providing they don’t anticipate things before you do or the tail could then start wagging the dog.
Talking of canines, one came trotting in to see what was going on only to have a cat jump on her tail and she raced out of the kitchen with the cat in hot pursuit.
“Isn’t it more usual for dogs to chase cats?” asked David.
“Yes, but don’t enlighten them, it’s more fun this way.”
“How long before dinner?”
“What would you like to do?”
“Bathe.”
“I can slow it down for an hour.”
“Brilliant, let me just take up another cuppa with me.”
I sat in the bath and shaved my legs, then moisturised myself all over. I came down fifty minutes after leaving the kitchen and David had the girls laying the table. For a change I was wearing a summer dress.
“You look nice,” observed my chef.
“Thank you, I just got fed up in trousers all the time.”
“Funny, I quite like them,” he said smirking.
“Yeah, well, I’m pursuing my right to wear them if I want to.”
“Feel free, lady, us butch men prefer trousers,” to make his point he pretended to scratch his crotch.
“Oh gross,” I said pulling a face and he chuckled to himself. Glancing out the window I saw Tom arrive. “Grampa’s here,” I announced and three girls went dashing down the drive to greet him. While they were still with him, Simon and Sammi arrived followed by Julie.
“You’re late,” I said to Julie.
“Tell me about it, bloody till wouldn’t balance.”
“Oh, don’t you keep a book?”
“We have a diary, but someone forgot to write some of the prices in it.”
“Oh, did you read the riot act?” She’s now managing the salon and due to take over ownership next month.
“I didn’t see it before they were all gone.”
“The joys of management,” I smiled at her.
“What’s for tea, it smells good?”
“Bangers and mash.”
“Let’s light the blue touch paper then, I’m starving.”
“Trish, phone your brother and ask him how long he’ll be.”
She did and looked up at me, “Ten minutes, he’s on his way back.”
He duly arrived just before we dished up. I gave him a hug and he said quietly, “I asked him if he wanted to come to Scotland, is that all right?”
“Um–I suppose so–what changed your mind?”
“Dunno–but he used to be my best mate...”
“That’s reason enough,” I said and hugged him again.
“And he needs help with his makeup, he’s rubbish at it...”
Comments
Thank you Angharad
The usual delightful story----it will be an interesting trip to Scotland.
Perhaps Trish will bond with Peter as they have something in common,but
Danny's comment was priceless.Can't wait!!
ALISON
It seems that the whole family
likes bangers and mash - mind you, so do I.
“And he needs help with his makeup, he’s rubbish at it...†Blunt or what?
S.
Whereas ...
... like Sophia Loren, I prefer Minestrone. Peter Sellars was for the bangers and mash 'is mother used to make. OK, you have to be a certain age and probably a Briton, so don't worry if you don't understand it :)
Robi
Once I knew...
Once I knew what the heck "bangers and mash" was, I was looking forward to trying it... LOL I keep forgetting to order it. LOL
That said, I may be tempted to make some up myself one day (finding info on the internet's makes the attempt within reason)...
That said, dunno if it'd be on any of our diets...
Annette
Doesn't sound that great to me with all due respect
Between all the butter in the mash potatoes and the sausage it is pretty rich fare.
Now, a good Chinese sausage gives a lot of flavor for the caloric buck and it has flavor that satisfies, leading to smaller portions. That said, I have not had any in a long time, years. Surprisingly they do not have any more fat then a regular hotdog, even with all the veins of obvious fat Chinese sausages are filled with, which can be a bit off putting, but honest. It just goes to show one how well emulsified the fat is in a regular hotdog that it is not noticeable.
I have a full-fat (and I mean fat) hotdog maybe once every three years or so and a slice of pizza maybe twice a year. And please don't get me started about chicken fried steak. My tolerance for greasy foods has really fallen, the older I get.
Oh the joy of age.
Kim
British Cuisine
They may have some rubbish things that they eat in Britain, but my favourites are bangers and mash, fish and chips, and roast beef with Yorkshire pudding. I won't go into the things I don't like but these 3 are my favourites, along with afternoon tea, Britain's indisputable contribution to civilization.
British "Cuisine"?
Somebody's been telling you whoppers! The British don't have cuisine, they have food. Usually high fat content, artery-clogging, heart attack instilling food.
The French have cuisine.
They know they can survive
What a calumny!
British food is okay, remember that until recently, it evolved to feed hungry families on low budgets, so stodgy puddings kept them fed for low costs, it also included lots of fresh seasonal vegetables. Nowadays, you have difficulty buying British food as curries, chillies and Mexican spiced crap dominate the supermarket shelves. People's tastes are changing in the UK, in my opinion, for the worse, however, it's still better than the average US diet if not quite as good as a Mediterranean diet.
Angharad
Automatic Pilot.
Yep, been on automatic pilot lots of times. Early morning shifts, eye's half shut and the same motorway journey every day for a couple of years. I often arrived not remembering large sections of the journey.
Wonder why Danny's so keen to help Pete get the make-up right. Who can tell. maybe his friendship for the boy Pete might be metamorphasising into some other attraction for the 'girl' (Petra?).
Still lovin' it Ang.
Thanks again.
XXX
Bevs.
Phoebe still needs to take time out to bond with her niece
It is very generous of Cathy to take care of her but there is no excuse for Phoebe not to take a more active role in taking care of her close family. It will serve to bond her more with said baby and God forbid Neal offs himself, she will be that much better prepared to step in if necessary.
Kim
Yes, that's scary...
Yes, that's a tad scary... Arriving somewhere - where you intended to go but not recalling driving there... Or at least the details of the trip. (Driving on AutoPilot, is not a good idea, when a human is the "AutoPilot"...)
Otherwise, sounds like an interesting time. A long soak can certainly be relaxing! Danny... Does have mixed feelings. I wonder how things will go, if Peter's along on the trip north... Time may tell.
Thanks,
Annette
Is Julie sure she
wants to run her own place? Lots of headaches and responsibility.
She'll learn soon enough I think
No more coming in late and certainly no late nights. She has no choice to be responsible now and will grow up quickly. She has enough pride I think not to crawl home to daddy due to her wasting the money she got from him to purchase the place so she will be doubly motivated. She will learn and understand Cathy's burden a little bit better too.
Speaking of which, Cathy is taking the whole 'children is what defines being a woman' thing a bit too far. I read articles about women who have made the conscious choice not to have children and feel the social pressure from other married women who feel that it is the 'duty' for her to do so. I will have to deal with that a bit as I am at that age where I should have children and other women just would not understand why I am not married nor have children.
Anyway, Cathy needs to take care of herself more as she is gaining a bit too much weight too; too much rich eating and still to little exercise.
Kim
Everything is falling into
place for the scottish holiday, Simon succeeded in persuading Cathy to go, And it seems now that Peter will be there as well, All good then ? Well yes it should be, But when has anything ever gone according to plan for Cathy and her family? Perhaps this break could be a first, But somehow i doubt it..
Kirri