(aka Bike) Part 597 by Angharad |
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“Oh, Simon, I am so sorry.”
“What hit me?”
“I’m so sorry.” He lay on the bed looking very sorry for himself with me, bending over him in danger of shrinking him with my tears. I gently stroked his forehead.
“Where did you learn to do that?”
“Stella showed me, it’s kickboxing.”
“Geez, I think I’ve met horses with less of a kick than that. Remind me not to annoy you again.”
“I really am sorry, Si. Am I forgiven?”
“If you go and calm down the kids and Tom, I’ll think about it.”
“Okay, let me just wipe my face. Are you going to be alright?”
“Yeah, once I get my ribs out of my lungs, I’ll be fine.”
“Oh my God, I didn’t hit you that hard did I?”
“I hope not, go and sort out the girls.”
“Yes, boss.” I wiped my face and ran downstairs where Tom was sitting with both of the children, they didn’t see me as I approached.
“Why is Mummy so upset?” asked Meems.
“Something to with her dormice,” said Trish, they were both hugging Tom, “Isn’t it Gramps, it’s something to do with her dormice?”
“Yes, girls, it’s mainly my fault, I made some changes and forgot to tell her. Then I was ill and forgot even more.”
“But you betta now?” said Meems.
“Yes, partly because your Mummy has looked after me so well.”
“She’s a good mummy,” said Meems.
“Is she going to leave us, Gramps,” asked Trish with real anxiety in her voice.
“I hope not, darling, if she did we’d all be in trouble, wouldn’t we?”
“Goodness, my mummies always seem to leave me.” Trish began to cry again; “I don’t know why, but they do.”
“Hey, wee gir-rl, I’m no leaving ye, and I doubt yer Ma is either. Hopefully, Simon will talk some sense intae her.”
“Mummeeeeeee,” called Trish and ran towards me, “don’t leave us, pleeeease. I’ll just die.”
“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart, and certainly not without you.”
“Doan go, Mummy,” wailed Meems and she also came rushing towards me.
“I’m not going, Meems, so don’t cry.” I knelt down with the two girls. “I got very upset at the university, and with Gramps because of it. I said some silly things and I’m very sorry if you thought I was going to leave you. Even if I had, I’d have taken you with me.”
“Where would we go?” asked Trish.
“I have another house, Trish.”
“Can we see it?”
“Soon, yes.”
“Oh goody gum drops,” she said bouncing about.
“Doan go, Mummy,” said Trish, “I wanna stay with Gwamps an’ Daddy, too.”
“So do I, precious. Look I need to talk with Gramps, so how about some ice cream. You both need your pinnies on in those clothes, come along.” I led them into the kitchen and after putting a few scoops of ice cream into dishes I put their aprons on them, and left them to eat it. I went back in to speak to Tom.
“Can we talk?” I asked him.
“If we can do so in a civilised manner? Aye.”
“I’m sorry I shouted at you, but I was upset about the dormice.”
“I’m aware of that, and I meant to tell you. It got forgotten in the dramas we’ve had in recent months.”
“Yes, I suppose life has been a bit hectic.”
“A bit, Cathy, what with Stella and the courts, then my heart attack, it’s been non-stop stress.”
“I’m sorry, I seem to have brought you nothing but aggro, maybe I should get out of your life.”
“Dinna’ dare, lassie. Ye may have caused me a wee bit stress but ye’ve also gi’en me a reason tae live. Can ye no’ see that, hen? Wi’oot ye and the bairns, I dinna ha’e a life.”
He was sitting on the sofa and I knelt in front of him and put my arms around his waist. “I love you, Daddy, please forgive me for causing you so much unhappiness.”
“Ye, silly lassie, ye dinna gi’e me unhappiness, ye are my happiness, ye and Simon and the bairns.”
“I tried to be like your own daughter for you, but I’ve failed.”
“Cathy, ye big pudden, my ain dochter would ha’e caused me far mair grief than ye ever could. Ye’ve been a pure miracle for me.” He hugged me tightly, “Wi’oot ye, I’d be deid, aye, stone deid.”
We hugged each other for several minutes each of us weeping over the other. However, our catharsis was short lived. “We’ve finished, Mummy.”
“Okay, darling, just give me a moment will you?”
“Wass a momen, Mummy?” said Mima’s voice.
“Leave her alone a sec,” said Trish and I could imagine her yanking her off into the other room.
“Once the dormice are back, I’ll get your licence back, they’re still your project, after a’.”
“Thanks, Daddy. Tomorrow, I’m going to cook us that leg of lamb with all the trimmings.”
“That’ll be something tae look forward to.”
“I hope so.”
“Whit was the bump upstairs?”
“Um, Simon.”
“Simon? Whit did he do–fall?”
“Um–sort of,” I felt myself getting very hot and blushing.
“Whit d’ye mean, sort of?”
“I–um–kicked him.”
“Ye kicked him! Why?”
“He pushed me, and was stopping me going through a doorway.”
“So ye kicked him? No’ in his crown jewels I hope?”
“No, Daddy, I caught him in the chest.”
“In the chest, michty me, how on earth did ye dae that?”
“A flying kick.”
“Oh my giddy aunt, yer supposed tae be a young lassie, not an all-in wrestler.”
“I know, Daddy, I’m sorry.” I hugged him again.
“It’s nae me ye need to apologise tae, it’s that young man o’yourn.”
“I know, I did say sorry when he came to.”
“Whit? Ye’d better go and see he’s alricht, go on, be off wi' ye.”