The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3013 by Angharad Copyright© 2016 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
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It was light but my eyes didn’t want to open, I’d probably managed about two hours sleep, each time I got into bed I’d remember something else and be up and out of it again. Three times I did that, once over something as stupid as making sure I’d packed toothpaste. I’m sure they sell it in the Balearics, so even if I did forget it, it wouldn’t really matter. But when you’re stressed, it does matter and you can’t sleep if something is gnawing away at you.

Then it was too late for all that. I ate my toast with mashed banana on top and had a cuppa with it then I called the others and fed them before David arrived to load the cases in the minibus. We’d borrowed the minibus from the hotel as it was available and allowed a little more room for luggage than the people carrier. Now we were on the road and once again I checked I had everyone’s passport and boarding passes in my rucksack—which was my hand luggage.

Stella hadn’t been able to get the time off and so the only other adult was Stephanie which meant one or other of us had to be on duty all the time, especially as there’s a swimming pool there and water and little ones don’t mix terribly well. In fact, Steph said she wanted to try and teach Emily to swim while we were away. It might certainly be a good idea, as only Danielle, as far as I know, has a life saving certificate in a swimming pool. I can swim, but not that well, though I have helped save someone before, not something I’d want to do again.

Trish, Mima, Livvie and Hannah can all swim quite well Cate can doggie paddle, so should be safe enough in theory, it’s the practice that worries me though. Before long we were disembarking the bus and David snaffled a trolley and we loaded the bags on it, then he drove off and we pulled the trolley along behind us.

The check in took fifteen very boring minutes but finally the cases were safely through and we went off in search of the departure lounge. It’s a real rip off the prices they charge for anything from here on in, two pounds for a bottle of water—what a swizz. In the end despite having Guardian, I bought a Telegraph because they cost one pound fifty pence and offered a free bottle of water with it. I now had two crosswords to do.

Steph went off and bought a drink for everyone while I cuddled Cate and Emily, and by the time she and the others returned, the two little ones were asleep—the early start having caught up with them. It was only six o’clock and we had another ninety minutes to wait.

Naturally, the children wanted to explore the duty free shops, another rip off, I only agreed to let them if Danielle went with them and I told her quietly, not to let them buy anything. She nodded and smirked.

Stephanie sipped her coffee and I, my tea while we had the hand luggage strewn all around us and the two youngsters sleeping on our laps. I was tired but alert enough to put my leg through the straps of each of our bags, which was just as well because someone tried to take one as he picked up his own. My challenge drew an apology and he hopped it quickly. If I hadn’t had a child in my arms, I’d have made more of a fuss. Seeing the situation, Stephanie pulled her two bags closer to her.

“Jeez, they’d take the milk out of your tea,” she remarked.

“Is that why you had coffee?” I fired back and she poked her tongue out at me—very mature.

“Ugh,” I teased, “Have you seen your tongue lately?”

“Why? What’s wrong with it?”

“I’m not a dentist, how would I know?”

“You’re winding me up, aren’t you?”

“Okay, don’t believe me.” I was teasing but I’d never admit it. Since I’ve known Stella and Simon I seem to have become much better at it.

Danielle and the others returned. Stephanie was looking at her tongue in her handbag mirror. “Is there anything wrong, Auntie Steph?” asked Danielle.

“I can’t see anything, can you?” she poked her tongue out for Danni to examine who shook her head. Stephanie then looked across at me and mimed, ‘Bitch’ at me. I gave her an indignant response then we both began laughing. Well it helped to pass the time.

“Keep your bags in contact with you all the time, someone tried to pinch one of ours while you were away.” They all looked horrified and immediately grabbed their bags and held them closely to them. Five minutes later I had to remind them again.

I saw the man try the same con with someone else’s bag and this time he was successful. Danielle saw it too and raced after him grabbing the bag while I directed a security man after her. This time the man was arrested as the rather dopy owner identified the bag as theirs and also admitted much of their money was in it. They gave Danni a fifty euro reward which I suggested should be used for paying for a treat for everyone. To my surprise Danielle agreed, admitting it was me who spotted the crime she only acted upon my instruction but her intervention stopped him pinching it and to his subsequent arrest. He was still protesting his innocence when the actual police arrived and took him away.

I hoped that was all we’d have as far as excitement was concerned—I was too tired to deal with crises, mine or anyone elses’. All I wanted to do was get on the plane, take forty winks once everyone was settled and hope I felt less tired when we landed.

Eventually we did board and take off soon after. Hannah sat with me with Cate between us. She’s never flown before and was excited and scared and on taking off as the plane actually lifts off and then your ears go funny, she nearly squeezed my hand off. Then she relaxed and chuckled to herself in a form of bravado. I remembered the time when the woman nearly threw a wobbly and Trish went and sat next to her and said she was scared would the lady look after her. It was brilliant and she spent the whole time watching out for Trish instead of feeling frightened. That kid can teach me things nearly every day.

The flight was uneventful. Cate again snoozed and this time so did I, when Hannah wasn’t talking, or should I say, babbling like Tennyson’s brook. It was pure nerves but she coped and as we walked away from the aircraft in Mahon airport to get on the bus to the arrival’s terminal, she finally calmed down and hugged me. “Thank you, Mummy,” she said and hugged me again.