Easy As Falling Off A Bike pt 1936
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(aka Bike) Part 1936 by Angharad Copyright © 2013 Angharad
All Rights Reserved. |
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“Julie’s in love,” I said to Simon who was sitting in bed reading some financial journal or other.
“Yes dear,” he said back to me.
“She’s going to call the baby Alice if it’s a girl and Roger if it’s a boy.”
“Is she?” he said. He clearly wasn’t listening.
“Her boyfriend is an astronaut.”
“I’m sure,” he replied.
“He’s going to Mars next week–just for a couple of years–might have to stay there.”
“Good lord,” he suddenly exclaimed.
“What?”
“Teddy Fraser has retired.”
“Who’s he?”
“Chairman of Van Stallin hedge fund.”
“Is that important?”
“I’ll say.”
“Would you say it was more important than your children?”
“That would depend upon the criteria being used.”
“I was trying to tell you about Julie.”
“That’s she was pregnant and married to an astronaut from Mars.”
“Listen to yourself.”
“Oh, okay you were lying.”
“You weren’t listening.”
“Okay, I am now–what about Julie?”
“She’s got herself a boyfriend.”
“Is that good?”
“She’s eighteen so it isn’t up to us.”
“Oh yeah.”
“He works in a bar across the road from the salon.”
“Not much of a catch then?”
“I don’t know, for all I know he’s waiting for a job confirmation from NASA.”
“He isn’t is he?”
“I don’t know, I doubt it.”
“Well at least he’s got a job.”
“He smokes.”
“Perhaps she’ll make him stop.”
“I have no idea, but I hope she’s strong enough not to try it herself.”
“At her age, she’ll have already tried it and not liked it.”
“She might get seduced into it by peer pressure.”
“Yeah, except you know that won’t happen.”
“I hope not.”
“Cathy, she’s not stupid.”
“I know but girls do stupid things at the behest of boys.”
“So what stupid things have you done at the behest of boys? Apart from marrying me, that is–thought I’d get it in first.”
“Very good, Si.”
He smiled his response.
“Except that wasn’t something I did at the behest of a boy; I married you because I wanted to.”
He looked surprised. “But I asked you to.”
“But I agreed to it.”
“Yeah, but doesn’t behest mean, at my request or invititaion?”
“Yes, but it was my decision–I could have said no.”
“But you wouldn’t have got such a generous offer anywhere else, would you?”
“Probably not–but I’d have got lots of bike rides with Kevin.”
“Oh that’s right throw that bumpkin in my face, why don’t you?”
“I’m only joking, Si.”
“Yeah, well it isn’t too funny from where I’m sitting.”
“You’re jealous, Simon Cameron.”
“Yeah, what of it?”
I smirked. “I’m glad I married you.”
“So ’m I.” We kissed.
“I had an email from Jacquie earlier.”
“How’s her course?”
“She’s staying in Salisbury.”
“Yeah, for a few weeks.”
“I think it might be longer.”
“Oh–why?”
“This is pure intuition, but I think she’s in love as well.”
“It is coming up to St Valentine’s Day. What’s his name or don’t you know?”
“I have a feeling it might be, her name, but I don’t know for sure.”
“Some gossip you are.” He picked up his journal again then laid it down. “She has a girl friend–you mean she’s gay?”
“I think she could be.”
“Oh well, whatever floats her boat.”
“I think she’s staying with this girl, so she might not come back.”
“Is she going to be missed?”
“Of course, but her help round the house was less than perfect compared to Ingrid.”
“I take it she’s still with David?”
“Of course.”
“So that’s all right then?”
“I suppose so–they seem very happy together and Hannah seems content, too.”
“Don’t see her over with our girls too much, do we?”
“She comes over now and again, but they don’t seem to get on that well which surprises me.”
“Oh well, let’s get some sleep, Six Nations starts tomorrow.”
“Oh, does it?” I knew any sort of help I needed would be less than forthcoming. “Who’s playing who?”
“England and Scotland and Wales and Ireland.”
“Oh, who’s going to win?”
“Seeing as England beat the All Blacks before Christmas, I suspect we’re going to take a beating.”
“There’s a surprise.”
He gave me a scowl.
“What about the other two?”
“Wales have home advantage but Ireland are in better form, so I suspect they’ll just sneak it.”
“I see the England ladies lost to Sri Lanka last week.”
“At rugby?” he squeaked.
“No, cricket.”
“Oh that, yeah–bit of a surprise–might do ’em good, put them on their mettle.”
“Si?”
“Yes, Babes?”
“If decided that things were getting too much for me...”
“What d’you mean?”
“I feel so tired all the time and I have no time to do what I want any more.”
“That’s what happens when you have a family.”
“If I was to give up my job at the university?”
“That would be up to you but if you wanted to stay as ecological adviser to the bank, it would be harder without some academic standing.”
“I’ve got a PhD, what more do they want?”
“Someone who’s working in an academic institute or university.”
“Oh well, the money was nice while it lasted.”
“What about your films or is Brian bloody Cox going to film harvest mice?”
“Quite honestly, I couldn’t give a toss.”
“What about the breeding programme and the dormouse research?”
“It doesn’t need me–someone else could do it.”
“Cathy, are you all right?”
“No,” I sniffed, “I just feel so tired all the time and I miss Billie so much.” He put his arm round me and I wept uncontrollably.
“Why don’t you take a sabbatical?”
“If I did, I wouldn’t go back.”
“You might miss it after a while?”
“I doubt it–I feel so tired all the time,” I yawned as if to emphasise the point.
“I suppose we could manage on my salary,” he said quietly and I nearly laughed hysterically–he earns a couple of million a year if you remember. “But what are you going to do with yourself with all that time?”
“Sleep,” I answered my eyes closing.
“Yeah but that would only last–oh you’ve gone to sleep,” I felt him in the distance talking to me and lowering me back on to my pillow whereupon I turned over and went off to sleep very quickly.
“I hope you know what you’re doing girl,” I think he said but I might have dreamt it I felt so tired part of me wanted to sleep forever.
