The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3014 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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“Oh this is beautiful,” declared Stephanie as we entered the villa, “And the pool,” she sighed. I can’t wait to get in that.” I was tempted to push her as she stood at the side of said large puddle of blue coloured water.

“Well the sooner you’re unpacked the quicker you can do that.” I allocated her a room, which Emily would have to share with her. I took the master bedroom and agreed that Danni could share with me, and the others had to make do with the bunks in the third bedroom.

I decided that Danielle could share with me because she was the closest to adulthood of the kids and I would be asking her to supervise the younger element at times, so I would treat her as junior adult, pretty much as I did already.

There are three bathrooms in the villa, the two main bedrooms have en suites and the bunk bedroom has the use of the bathroom opposite it. I dumped my case on the chair in the room and while Danielle wheeled hers in, I went to the kitchen to see what was in the fridge.

The caretaker, Mrs Bridges, an expat who’d lived in Es Grau for twenty years, had done exactly what I’d asked her to do. The fridge was bulging at the seams, there was milk, eggs, two loaves of bread, butter, vegetables and salad material and in the pantry, several tins of tuna, sardines and baked beans as well as pasta. In the freezer was a chicken, some beef mince and some pork; plus the essential supplies of two kilo tubs of ice cream. We could probably survive until tomorrow.

I checked the garage and the car looked fine and had been serviced recently. It was a Peugeot with the extra seats, but even so we’d not all be able to travel in it at the same time. Stephanie came out to see where I was and she must have almost read my mind because she said, “We won’t all get in there will we? How about I hire a car?”

“Will we need to?” I asked, “because I’m happy to walk quite a lot, and we have a few bicycles here as well.”

“I’d love to see the island as I’ve not been here before.”

“You can borrow this one,” I tapped the car, “I’ll probably be at the nature reserve.”

“Where’s that?”

“See the hill the other side of the bay?”

She nodded looking where I pointed.

“That’s part of it, the other side there’s a large freshwater lagoon.”

“Wow, can you walk there from here?”

“That’s the general idea.”

“What about the little ones?”

“That’s the problem, I suppose we could always wrap them in duct tape and hide them in the garage.”

She looked at me in horror before laughing. “You are quite mad, aren’t you?”

“Why d’you think I invited you?”

“Oh no, I’m on holiday—so no shrinking heads.”

“I’m on holiday too, but I shall be counting any birds and other things I see.”

“Yes, but we just agreed a diagnosis, so sane people take a break from their work, workaholics, don’t.”

“Nah, me bird watching and walking is my holiday activity. Did I tell you last time I was here I saw a pine marten?”

“I thought they lived in Scotland and ate squirrels or reindeer.”

“Only pygmy reindeer.”

“Natch,” she agreed then added, “I’m going to change and have a swim, can somebody watch Emmy for me?”

“Ask Danielle, she’s the most sensible of them.” Just then we heard a splash and walking back towards the pool saw the aforementioned offspring swimming across the pool. Moments later, Hannah, Trish and Livvie ran across the patio and jumped into the water, giggling as they went, with Meems walking out of the house holding hands with Cate, Lizzie and Emily. She’d got them all changed into their swimming cozzies and led them to the shallow end of the pool. By this time the other girls were also at the shallow end and they helped the younger ones into the water with lots of squealing and laughter. “Go and change, I’ll keep a watch while you do.”
By the time Stephanie returned some ten minutes later the three young ones were being taught to swim, if she’d been a little longer they’d have mastered racing turns.

“You getting changed?” Stephanie called to me before she jumped into the pool

“Not at the moment, my priority is a nice cup of tea.” I left them playing in the pool while I returned to the kitchen chased out a large fly and filled the kettle before switching it on.

I made a pot of tea and took it out to sit on the patio while I watched the others play in the water, they seemed to be having a whale of a time judging by the noise levels and I just tuned them out while I relaxed and sipped my tea sitting under the large umbrella.

It was probably the shadow falling across me that made me return to full alertness and I almost jumped and spilt my tea. “You were miles away then,” said Stephanie, pouring herself a cup of tea.

“Yeah, nearly nodded off.”

“Really? What were you thinking about that nearly sent you to sleep?”

“Nothing much, just how I’m missing a dormouse survey.”

“Can’t you count some of them here instead?”

“They don’t occur here, just the garden dormouse, Eliomys and that’s a relatively rare sub-species, Eliomys quercinus gymnesicus. It’s quite a pretty animal but they are a bit like the edible dormouse and cause troubles in houses. We had one last time I was here.”

“You know your dormice, don’t you?”

“Bits of, certainly.”

“Bits, you remember the Latin names as well.”

“That’s hardly a sign of genius, is it?”

“It’s more than I can do.”

“Sorry.” I blushed.

“Don’t ever apologise for being good at the things you do.“

“I er—wasn’t,” I blushed even more.

“Chronic self esteem issues, eh?”

I felt red before but now I suspect I resembled a human shaped tomato. “I thought you were on holiday?”

“I am, this might be my hobby—a bit like you looking for dormice.”

“Look, my parents never approved of much I did, whatever I achieved it was either not good enough or just satisfactory.”

“I’ll bet you got a first, didn’t you?”

“Does it matter?”

“I’ll bet it did to you?”

I felt another wave of heat sweep over me and sweat was beginning to run down my back under my bra.

“Doesn’t it to everyone hoping to become involved in research?”

“You really are an academic, aren’t you?”

“I thought I was a human being, female variety,” I said trying to divert the questions.

“You are, Cathy, and very lovely and compassionate one. Let go of the past and allow yourself to embrace the special person you are.”

Just as I was about to swoon with embarrassment, Emily came running to her mother and I finished my tea and went inside to unpack.