The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 2139 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

The weekend came and went and I checked out the girl’s uniforms, they had all they needed to start school the following week. Then I had to check out Danny’s. I didn’t make him take off makeup or even his lingerie, I just needed to check the fit of his blazer and trousers and shoes. They were all okay, and I left him rushing off to become his alter ego. Thinking about it, I’d have killed for a chance to have been able to dress at home and be with my parents as me, not as the person they wanted. I felt glad that I was able to do that for him/her and the others, even though I really didn’t understand what was going on inside his head.

I sent a letter to the school saying that Danny had suffered a relapse of his PTSD caused by the attack in France and that he was seeing a doctor and I’d have him back to school as soon as I could. I received an email, thanking me for my letter and offering to email some work for him to do if he was up to it. I downloaded the homework and kept it for use later.

After sorting out the children’s wardrobes, I sorted out what I was going to wear to travel to Scotland and also what I’d wear while we were there. I organised flights for the Thursday and back on Saturday. Paul was going to collect us from the airport and take us back on the Saturday, he’d also arranged for me to have use of a car while we were there if necessary–I doubted it was the Range Rover.

I then looked at what Danni would be wearing and discussed this with her. She of course wanted to wear skirts the whole time in memory of Alice. It was likely to be colder there, so I took her shopping for a couple of things. There was no point in spending lots of money for clothes she might never wear again. We explored Asda and Tesco and found a dress in a dark blue with little flowers on it, which had long sleeves and a polo neck. It was in a jersey material and with a cami or long slip would give a bit of warmth.

In the other store we found a cardigan in dark blue which matched quite closely and a blue corduroy skirt, which I suggested she try with a red long sleeved top. It looked quite good. A pair of knee length black boots went well with both outfits and we also bought some sixty denier tights.

What proved to be the most expensive item was a wool coat in navy blue, but when I showed it to her, she loved it and it fitted quite well. She now looked like a daughter of the laird, and seeing as I’d be well dressed, it seemed incongruous to skimp despite her possibly never wearing the coat again–it would do for one of the others later on.

We looked at leggings but she told me she had some of those already. I bought a pair each for Meems, Trish and Livvie and some tights for Cate and Lizzie. Then we found a dress and a coat for Lizzie, as she would be coming with us. Tom had agreed to take us to the airport at Southampton where we’d fly to Edinburgh, and from there to Perth we’d get a ride in a small aircraft, the sort they use to hop over to the Scillies from Exeter or Land’s End. That was costing more than the flight from Southampton to Edinburgh. At least I didn’t have to worry about being able to afford the trip and we did have our own accommodation up there.

Back at home Danni seemed to spend half the afternoon on the phone to Cindy and Pia who wanted to come as well. I’d already told Danni it was just the two of us and any arguments and it would be just me that went. She got the message.

I hadn’t enacted Stephanie’s advice about stopping her seeing her two friends though I would monitor their contact and see if it had an effect on her behaviour. If there was a measurable difference, then I might have to stop them seeing each other. I didn’t believe that they’d encouraged Danni as much as Steph seemed to think, but on thinking about the effect of a transsexual or two upon a transvestite group, Stephanie might have had a point. Transsexualism is infectious, put one in a group of transvestites and half of them want to take hormones and live full time–until they appreciate the difficulties that can cause. We all want things we see others have even though we’re told not to covet our neighbours arse–I did as a kid, the girl across the road had a wonderful derriere of which I was very jealous.

On the morning we left to go to Scotland, the girls were very upset and wanted to come as well. I’d explained why just the two of us and Lizzie were going days before and they’d accepted it then but they seemed to have changed their minds since. Tom told them he’d take them to the cinema and buy them a pizza afterwards. That seemed to mollify them a little and I wondered if they’d pulled a fast one on us.

We said our goodbyes and Tom drove us to Southampton airport in his Freelander, dropped us off and went back to sort out the three girls. I pushed the carrycot pram into the airport while Danni pulled the cases behind her. Then we got a trolley and her job was much easier.

We hung around for an hour and half before boarding which was about the same time for the flight on Flybe–a bit quicker than the seven or eight hours it would take in the car.

Danni was strangely quiet. She’d been a little concerned that she’d be rumbled at the airport but wasn’t. Perhaps the fact that we had a baby with us made a difference because we were almost waved through boarding, Danni carrying her own little shoulder bag and the baby change bag, while I carried the baby in the carrycot. She had a seat booked in both directions and I strapped the carrycot to the seat once we got on board the aircraft.

As I said Danni was very quiet and I discovered it was because she’d fallen asleep. I let her snooze for the majority of the flight waking her as we approached Edinburgh. Then we had a bit of wait at the airport before our private flight was readied for us to go on to Perth. We arrived at the castle at lunch time and Mrs Cuddy had kindly made us a light lunch of soup and fresh baked rolls.

I fed and changed Lizzie, who’d been wonderful throughout the travelling then relaxed and put my feet up as Callum arrived with his mum and took Danni off for the afternoon. I was reading a book called, ‘Map’ by an author named TS Learner which made me smile though it’s lead in was taking me a while to get into.

When they returned, I was snoozing with the book on my lap and Lizzie in my arms. It took me a moment to work out where I was when they woke me, but after a cuppa and a piece of cake I was asked if I’d read a lesson for the service. I could hardly refuse.