Easy As Falling Off A Cloud.
by Angharad
part 231.

I did not want to get up and turned away from the alarm. In doing so my flailing arm caught Simon on his buttocks - he was lying face down, and there was a squeal of agony, which was far louder than the clock radio.

I sat up with a jolt, "Wassamaatta?"

"You hit me," he whimpered.

"What?" I wasn't aware of much at all.

"You hit me on my sore bum."

"What!" I asked again, thinking it ridiculous that I should hit him.

"You turned over and your arm hit me."

"Aw diddums," I said feeling anything but sympathetic, "has babba got a nappy rash?"

"It's alright for you to laugh," he said disgruntled.

"Laugh! I'm not laughing Simon, I'm ready to burst into tears. I hardly slept a wink all night and you are now accusing me of assaulting you. I will if you like - no, don't tempt me." I leapt out of bed and went to the loo. If I'd stayed there a moment longer I may well have done him some real harm.

I walked back into the bedroom, he was still lying on his front. I was about to go down to calm down with a cuppa and he called to me.

"Cathy, can you help, I can't move."

"Bloody hell!" I said loudly and jumping on the bed pushed him off. He rolled and landed on his bottom.

"Ouch! That was unnecessary..."

I didn't listen, I was out the door and down the stairs. Now I really knew what someone with PMS was like, the way I was feeling I could pull the head off a grizzly bear with one hand behind my back, while eating my cereal with the other.

"Morning Cathy, are we doing a roast today?"

I ignored Tom's question and boiled the kettle.

"Did you hear what I said?"

"My hearing is fine," I snapped back.

"Oh, who stole your lollipop?"

I chose to ignore it and walked out of the kitchen into the dining room. Wisely, Tom decided not to follow me. I was not good company.

Stella wandered in, doubtless sent by Tom. "Hi Sis, how ya doin'?"

"I'm not, I'm going to drink this then I am going for a ride on my bike. You can tell that stupid brother of yours that he is welcome to come with me, but he'd better keep up because I won't be waiting for him."

"Oh, like that is it?"

"Yes it is, why, what's it to you?"

"Are you going to tell me what all this is about or do I have to beat it out of you?"

"Ha, what makes you think you can do that? If I remember correctly I had to save your arse last time."

"You did indeed, for which many thanks and this!"

I didn't see it coming, the slap I mean. It actually knocked me off my chair. Thankfully I had just finished my tea.

I was sprawled on the carpet clutching my face. God it was stinging! "What was that for?"

"You asked for it remember?"

"I didn't."

"Get up!" ordered Stella.

"You're not my mother!" I sneered back at her.

"No I'm your sister, now bloody well get up or I shall hit you again!"

Sullenly I obeyed then sat in the chair from which she had recently deposed me.

"Now are you going to tell me what's up or do we do another round?"

I stared at the table, with tears forming in my eyes, "No."

"No what?"

"No you don't need to hit me again."

"So talk."

"I am tired, I'm not sleeping."

"Why not?"

"Dunno, maybe it's because I'm a bit scared."

"Scared of what?"

"All sorts of things."

"Like what?"

"I don't really know, everything and nothing."

"Like surgery and hospitals?"

"Yes," I nodded as well and the motion dislodged a tear which was quickly followed by another and then a stream of them.

"Are you having second thoughts?"

I shook my head 'no', now sobbing.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

I nodded as emphatic a yes as I could, which only made the tears flow faster.

"Oh Cathy," she put her arm around me and I allowed her to hug me before I completely lost it. Lost was a good word, I felt completely and utterly lost, even in her strong arms I felt as if I was adrift in an ocean of emotion.

I cried my heart out and she held me and stroked my back. "I'm sorry I slapped you, but I had to shock you out of this state you were in, or you were going to hurt yourself."

"I'm sorry I was nasty to you," I sobbed.

"That's okay Sis, I understand. You have a lot of pressure on you at the moment and a very big day approaching. You know that we're all here for you, don't you?"

"I don't know, I pushed Simon off the bed and hurt him, and I snubbed Tom, so why should they be nice to me?"

"Because they love you."

"I don't know if I deserve it."

"Oh you silly girl, of course you do. We all have moods like this from time to time and you have been so strong for so long, dealing with car crashes and the media and then Stevie's untimely death. You have had so much on your plate recently. A mere mortal would have broken down long ago, but even you super heroes have the odd bad day."

I pushed away and looked her in the face, "What?"

"Well you zap about the place like Bat girl on amphetamines, performing miracles or saving lives, mine in particular; healing broken families so they could say goodbye to a dying child. Want me to continue?"

"No, I suppose not," I sniffed, "I didn't do anything."

"That's your estimation. I wasn't going to say anything to you, but I know the Royal Humane Society is putting you forward for an award after you saved that baby from the car fire."

"What for, I only did what anyone else would have done?"

"I don't think so Cathy, it would be nice if we did or even if we could aspire to it, but you are special."

"No I'm not, I'm just plain ordinary Cathy Watts, dormouse watcher."

Stella laughed, "You don't get it, do you?"

"Get what?"

"You have a bigger heart than a blue whale."

"Is that what is causing these lumps on my chest," I said pointing at my breasts.

Stella laughed loudly, "You silly bugger, gi's a hug."

We embraced each other and laughed, then we giggled for several minutes and by that time we were both exhausted.

Eventually we went to get some breakfast, Simon was in the kitchen and stepped back from me. "I'm sorry I was mean to you," I said.

"I should think so, do you realise..."

"Enough Simon," said Stella firmly.

"But she could have...."

"I said enough," I suspect she shot him a withering glance and he stopped as if someone had removed his batteries. He went on making his toast.

Stella sat me at the small table in the kitchen and began to make me some toast, Simon sat opposite me, looking at me strangely.

"Have you been crying?"

I nodded and felt some more tears in my eyes.

"What's that red mark on your face, it looks like a hand prin.... Stella, did you have anything to do with this?"

"Why, do you want one too?"

"Don't be ridiculous, why did you hit Cathy?"

"Cos I felt like it."

"Look here, you can't go around hitting people...."

"Simon, it's okay, I asked for it."

"Here hold these against it," she passed me a bag of frozen peas, which she wrapped in a tea towel.

"Women, if I live to be a hundred, I'll never understand women!" Simon exclaimed and limped out of the kitchen. His movement was so unnatural that we both sniggered.

"I heard that," he called from the hallway. Of course that made us laugh louder. "Don't go in there," we heard him advise Tom, "there's a couple of frenzied females in there."

"Sounds like my kinda place," replied Tom who burst into the kitchen singing, "New York, New York."

"You're all barmy," called Simon, "If I had the strength, I'd call for the men in white coats."

"You'd be the first one they'd take," riposted Stella, "then the poor man's Michael Ball."

I snorted and Tom stopped in mid-song, "I'll have you know my voice was much sought after."

"What by the FBI or the Noise Abatement Society?" quipped Stella.

"You cruel, cruel woman." He looked at her for a moment, "No it neither of those, it was a local farmer his bird scarer had broken down."

I snorted again and somehow managed to have something go down the wrong way because I started to cough and choke alternately, enough for Stella to start whacking me on the back and Tom to get me a glass of water.

I began to wonder if the hospital may actually be safer than this madhouse?

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