The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike) Part 1228 by Angharad Copyright © 2011 Angharad All Rights Reserved.

I’ve no idea how long Trish stayed with me, I suspect it was all night because she was there when I woke up at seven o’clock. Simon wasn’t, he’d slept in her bed–I was to find out later. I’m not sure what I’ve done to deserve such devotion, but it is lovely.

“Hello, Mummy, do you feel better?”

I stretched and nodded.

“Oh good, I’m so glad you’re home–I missed you so much.”

“I missed you too, sweetheart. Where’s Daddy?”

“Dunno, but he let me sleep with you because I asked him.”

“That was very kind of him.”

“He’s a nice daddy, he missed you very much too.”

“I know, and I missed him as well–in fact, I missed all of you so much. It’s so nice to be home.”

“It’s nice to have you home, Mummy. I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. Right let’s see if my legs work a bit better today.”

“I’ll help you, Mummy,” she came running round to my side of the bed. “Watch out, if I fall over, don’t get in the way, you’ll get hurt.”

“You won’t fall, Mummy, I’ll stop you.”

“Trish, if I do fall, don’t try and stop me, just clear out of the way and get Daddy–okay?”

“Um–okay–I guess.”

“That’s how it’s got to be or you have to keep out of my way, full stop.” I kept a serious face on and she reluctantly agreed. I made it to the bathroom and had a shower–she insisted on coming in with me. I happened to notice what was left of her genitalia and it was so small that I feared for her when she went for surgery, there’d be so little skin to use.

One of the reasons, they don’t do it to children–creating a vagina–is because it scars and scar tissue doesn’t grow, so they’d need to keep operating as the child grew. So I agree with that–but I don’t know why they’re so constipated about prescribing female hormones for young males–they take some time to have much effect–unlike androgens on biological females, that is different, and they stunt the growth of the individual, which seems very sad–hence so many new men are vertically challenged.

The shower seemed to energise me and I felt a bit of strength returning to my emaciated body. I dried Trish and then myself; she giggled when I rubbed her with the big, fluffy towel.

I dried her hair and plaited it, it was getting quite long and probably needed Stella to tidy it up, get rid of the split ends and so on. I did it in one long plait down the middle of her back and tied it off with an elastic hair band and then a ribbon. She ran off to dress herself and I went to sort myself out and dry my hair. I did my own hair like Trish’s, a single plait down the centre, then I dressed in jeans and top, pulling on some socks and shoes as well.

When I got downstairs, Tom was making his coffee and gave me a hug, “Ye haed us a’ worriet sick, ye ken. Guid tae hae ye back.”

“It’s good to be back, Daddy.” I kissed him on his cheek.”

“Aye, ‘n’ whit are ye efter?” he grinned and went off with his coffee to his study with my Guardian–nothing changes–he hides from the kids at breakfast. Okay, it is a bit of a zoo, but not that bad.

I made tea and Trish came down followed closely by Mima, who hugged me round my waist. “I seed Daddy cwy, I did.”

“When was this, Meems?”

“When you was’d in hopsitaw.”

“Why was that, d’you think?”

“He fought you was gonna die, I guess.”

“I see, did you think I would? I was quite ill by all accounts.”

“Nah, Twish would save you, she said she would.”

“No I didn’t, I said I’d try and save you.”

“Well somebody saved me, whether it was Trish or the doctors or the love from all of you, it doesn’t really matter so long as something did.”

“That’s what I said,” Trish affirmed and folding her arms she brought them down on her tummy to emphasise the point.

“Yous siwwy, Twish.”

“I’m silly, ha–at least I can speak properly–you sound like a dog with a mousetrap on his tongue.”

“Mummy, she’s teasing me.”

“C’mon both of you behave or I’ll go back to hospital.”

“Don’t do that, Mummy,” yelled Trish, and Mima said much the same only more quietly.

“Well shake hands like good girls and promise me you won’t fight.” They did but it was done with some reluctance–think George Custer and Crazy Horse shaking hands and I think you get the impression.

Julie was down next–the shock of that nearly caused me to collapse–“I was worried about you, Mummy, so when I thought I heard you up and about, I came to see.”

“That’s very kind of you, Julie.” I hugged her and she kissed me on the cheek. Danny came down as we were hugging and waited for his turn to do the same.

“Good to have you home, Mum–mee. Yeah, it’s kewl.”

“Glad it wasn’t mingin’,” I replied.

“What?–Oh yeah, right.” He laughed and hugged me again.

Livvie and Billie came down with wet hair. “Did you shower by yourselves?”

“We did it together, Mummy,” said Livvie, “Billie did the water–it was okay.”

“Be careful, that’s all I ask.”

“I was, Mummy. What’s for breakfast?”

“How about, hugs all round.” I held out my arms and was nearly knocked over by the mob of children round me.

“Is this a special hug or can anyone join in?” boomed Simon’s voice and a moment later Stella and Jenny joined us with the two babies.

“I suppose I’d better feed her in a moment–if I can just finish my tea first.”

“Yeah, I’ve just changed her so she isn’t quite awake yet,” Jenny grinned. As if to prove her wrong, baby Catherine held out her arms to me and said, “Ma-ma.”

“Looks like they’re playing my tune.” I swallowed down my tea and picked up the baby and took her into the dining room. Too much noise–she gets distracted and it takes forever to feed her. Today, she must have been hungry because she sucked me dry in no time–given the possibility that I’m not making as much milk through my hospitalisation.

I carried her back to the kitchen just in time to hear Meems say in a loud voice, “It’s aw-wight, Daddy, I won’t teww anyone I seed you cwyin’.”

Before anyone could react to it, I offered a distraction, “Hey, how about we all go somewhere nice today and celebrate being together again?”

“Can we go to the sales?” asked Julie.

“No–let’s go up the Spinnaker Tower,” called Danny.

“Can we go and see the Victory?” Trish yelled.

“I wanna go for a poo,” said Mima and she left the stage.

“You’ve started something now, you know?” said Simon quietly to me.

“How about the cinema–not too much walking?” I asked and he nodded.

“Okay, children, we’re going to the cinema–have a light lunch and go and I’ll take us to a Pizza House afterwards?” The second part was addressed to me.

“I’d prefer something other than pizza.”

“Okay, a burger?”

“It’ll do I suppose.”

“Right kids, keep yourselves clean, we’ll have an early lunch then go to the cinema and a McDonald’s afterwards, okay. Help your mother clearing things off the table. Julie, take the baby, Trish you and Livvie clear the table, Mima you and Billie get the vacuum cleaner out...

Management in action? I don’t see him doing anything except giving orders–yeah–management inaction.