The Weekly Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3379 by Angharad Copyright© 2023 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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So it seems that no matter how fireproof we are, we try to make it more so, at least I think that was what the dream was all about. May be it was a little focused because Sarah was coming back today after recovering from her op, the op, so I was perhaps thinking about that in the back of my mind.

I went and collected her from Peter's house after I got the girls from school, they all wanted to come, so had the minibus thing, it would just about hold us all, as long as I let two of them sit on my lap.

"I'd have thought an aristocrat would have something more special," opined Peter's wife.

"I have but this lot wanted to come to collect her, that we'd have been home in a short while didn't occur to them."

"Well, they are children," she replied.

"No we're not, I'm in university," said an outraged Danni with Trish nodding and almost adding me too, then she remembered she was supposed to be a child prodigy and shut up.

"I stand corrected," she said.

"Anyway thanks for having her for a month, I hope she didn't give you any trouble."

"We are relatives," she said with mild indignation as I'm not one except in law, I'm actually her adopted mother, And we only got that application in, in time.

"I know, but she is my responsibility, even though she's old enough to look after herself."

"No I'm not," Sarah protested, " I need to be pampered and spoiled to help me recover."

"Sorry, kiddo, with me you are just one of many, who have all suffered in one way or another, but we have packed an extra cushion for you." At this, the rest laughed.

"But you don't know who I am," protested Sarah, and then saw, they would tolerate her being tender but as several of them had been through it themselves they just ignored her as far as I could see.

Sarah sat up front in the people carrier thingy and I said quietly to her, "It's good to have to back kiddo."

"Thanks, I've missed David's cooking and the rest of you." I knew what she meant, David's cooking is rather special and I'd miss it too. We got home and they made a huge fuss of her, letting her have the softest chair. After dinner, a David special, she said, "You were right, Mummy, I can't wear jeans, though I tried umpteen times to do so."

"Experience ie the only advantage I have over you lot, these days," I smiled.

"And a chair at a university and a few million, and husband who is worth pots of money, and all of us. What would you do without us?"

"I don't know,kiddo, I suppose I might just enjoy myself spending Simon's loose change."

"Huh," she huffed and went off with Danni to see what she'd missed. I had emailed her assignments, so she wasn't behind at all but she is conscientious, so I was pleased to see her diligence.

We had lost our temporary residents, Francesca and her Mum had pretty well secured an acquittal and had been allowed to set up home together. Now Danni had Sarah back in the house she'd have someone to talk to of her own age so the absence of Francesca was not as traumatic as it could have been. I was really quite glad that episode had finished, or I thought it had. I could have been wrong.

It was about three weeks after Sarah had been home and I was taking her, Danni, and Trish to Uni when my phone rang. As you can't use phones without a hands-free, and I hadn't connected it this morning, I asked Danni who was riding shotgun, to answer it for me. She did, and I watched an increasing alarm on her face, "Someone has had a go at Dawn and she was in hospital."

"Who's Dawn?" asked Sarah.

"Francesca's mother, a lovely lady," I said before Danni could say anything.

"Oh, dear," added Sarah, "I hope you didn't ask them to go because of me?"

"No, not all, they were ready to go out into the big wide world and see what happens. I hope the police have got them, the perpetrators, I mean."

"She says not, it was a drive-by shooting, apparently."

"But that's not British," gasped Sarah.

"Quite," I added, "This isn't Belfast or New York." I wondered what the world was coming to.

"Thugs today are like that, no honour or decency, getting it done is all that matters, they don't care if anyone else was hurt." Danni sounded quite bitter.

"Well, we knew that Georgie boy was quite a ruthless figure, so we can't expect much more than from his associates. Do we know how she is?" I asked.

"She's in hospital, was all Fran knew."

"I've got her number I shall ring her from my office. Be aware, don't take unnecessary risks, and always tell me or one of the others where you've gone. This is survival stuff, so don't do anything stupid, and that includes you, Danni. Adults die just as easily as children when shot, so no paramours for the moment."

We arrived at the university and I rushed off to my office and after asking one of the minions to make a cuppa, I sat down and dialled Francesca. I owed the girl, she saved my daughter's life. I'd never forget that. She was engaged and I asked Diane or Mandy to keep trying it and when she answered, to pass it through to me.

"they did as I asked, but it was nearly two hours later that she answered, "Sorry, Mum was in theatre, she's quite ill but expected to pull through."

"You're not staying on your own, I'll come and collect you and your stuff at lunchtime."

"I'll still be at the hospital, I'm not leaving until I know she's safe."

"Okay, but you are going to stay with us again, I insist."

"It's very kind but I'd rather be on my own."

"Sorry kiddo, but you are coming here, you can do your solipsistic thing when the danger has passed. I'm coming after lunch, be prepared to come here."

"I..., I... don't know," she stammered down the phone.

"I do, I'm taking charge, you are coming here, give Dawn my love. Be ready."

Why do people think they know better? She is the most effective healing aid her mother has. If she gets hurt or killed, she won't be much use. Fortunately, we still have a spare room. I rang David and told him what I knew happened and he said he'd make a bed up, he was fond of Francesca. I also rang Daddy as it is still nominally his house, or to me it is, and he agreed we couldn't leave the girl on her own. I didn't know under what threat she was as her mother had twice been the target, but the company would be good for her.

And so it came to pass, that Danni and I made our way to the hospital, which was full of the plod waiting to speak to Dawn when she was well enough, even though doctors told them to come back tomorrow, some knew better and stayed in the waiting area. I managed to get one of the consultants to tell Francesca to come away with me, on the understanding that they had our number and would call if anything changed and we would bring her to see her mum, day or night. She reluctantly acceded to come with us and she and Danni filled the boot of the Jag with her things. David had the people carrier and took the girls to school, he doesn't mind driving it, I don't like it, too bulky and unresponsive compared to my Jag.

I booked the rest of the day as working from home and apart from flap around Francesca I did answer some emails. I also have a super PA who takes responsibility for things as she knows me well enough to make the same decision as she thinks I would. If it goes wrong, ultimately I am to blame, so I take the rap, but I trust her implicitly. Mandy is fitting in well, too. She idolises Diane, and so do I but I'd never tell her but I do tell her when does a job well and I also thank her. I rarely order anyone to do anything, as they respond better to being asked, so I request them to do things for me, so far it has worked well but you have to remember to thank them because they have just saved you having to do something. We are a team and I am trying to promulgate that concept to my whole department, it's only some of the academic staff who are too thick to see it.

Francesca rang the hospital for the tenth time that hour and I told her to go and lie down, she was safe here so she could relax. "How can I relax? My mother is on life support."

"No, she isn't and your calling every two minutes just frustrates the nursing staff."

"That's what they're there for."

"They are there to look after patients, they can't do that while answering the phone to you, they have told you that if anything changes they will call you. They are usually pretty good and do so in my experience."

"Oh, yeah, and what if they're all on strike."

"The strike is over and besides, it's an emergency unit so they are honour bound not to strike."

"Oh, I'm going for a lie-down," she groaned.

"Please don't use your mobile phone, the landline is perfectly okay and if anything happens I'll take you in myself. Promise."

But it could, couldn't it?"

"Yes, it could so could a meteor strike, they have slightly longer odds, but it could happen."

"Now I know you are playing silly buggers, I'm going for a lie-down."

"Damn, I'm getting too obvious," I said to myself out loud and I heard her laughter echo down the stairs. Sometimes we have to pretend to be silly to let people get the point. Francesca had just done so.

I told Julie and Phoebe what had happened, they admitted they'd heard of some trouble in town, so now they could gossip with their clients only I asked them to keep identities private, which I knew they respect. I wondered about Francesca's mental health but it would be high-handed to organise something without her agreement.

David went to get the schoolgirls, while I collected our university crew, adding the extra cushion for Sarah, whose tail end was still tender. I couldn't think why. Of course, there was a great sharing of information once everyone got home and while they all chatted, I retired with a cuppa and sent a text to Simon. He phoned me for a few minutes afterward and expressed his concern for our safety, you should have left Francesca in her home and stayed out of it, was his advice. There was no point in saying that I'm as involved as anyone due to the beating Danni took, if anyone, even the De'il himself, tries to hurt one of my children, I will do my best to destroy them so they can't do it again. I am an implacable enemy as some have found out to their cost.

I can't let go, the girl saved my daughter and I have nearly got her off the manslaughter charge, her mother, who is very brave, helped as well, so I will do all I can to protect them. I picked up my phone and called Jim, he promised to help as soon as I stopped to draw breath. He then went on about how women talk too much and I considered my wrist well and truly slapped. He would call by tomorrow, meanwhile, he would gather what the police and intelligence people thought about it. He rang off and I said I'd see him tomorrow.

Unlike Simon, Tom thought the girl should stay with us until we had some resolution and hopefully Dawn got better. Jim would have better ideas of them disappearing in the future with no traceable tail. I'd try and talk about it with him tomorrow.