The Daily Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3129 by Angharad Copyright© 2017 Angharad

---

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.

I felt tired on the Friday night and left Simon drooling over some scantily clad teenager in the film he was watching as I went up to bed. I looked in on the children and in ‘the dormitory’, the youngsters were all asleep, when I checked Danielle, she was lying there staring back at me.

“Why aren’t you asleep?” I asked gently.

“I can’t,” she sighed.

“Wait there a few minutes,” I said before dashing off to the bathroom, cleaning my teeth and changing into my pyjamas. “Shift over a bit,” I said squeezing in beside her. My plan was just to cwtch with her until she dropped off, hopefully half an hour or so but my plans went awry as I fell asleep as well.

It was about three o’clock when my bladder woke me up—will I never learn not to drink tea late at night?—possibly not. I went for a wee and then back to my own bed where Simon was doing his world famous impression of a beached whale that’s just swallowed a chainsaw. Climbing into bed, I let him cuddle me, which he does unconsciously, because it helped me warm up again. In minutes I was asleep and stayed that way until Cate and Lizzie invaded our bed just after seven.

As Lizzie wears training pants at night, she sometimes smells less than fresh so I decamped and went downstairs leaving the two little ones to cuddle with their dad. Tom was already up and went off with the dog as the dawn was breaking. For an old chap, he does really well.

I’d enjoyed a second cuppa as he returned and poured himself some coffee—fresh silt variety—and seated himself at the table with me. “Whit are ye daein’ up sae early?”

“The little ones clambered into bed with us and I couldn’t bear the smell. Does that make me a failure as a mother?”

He chuckled. “Cathy if ye’re a failure sae are mair than hef the women o’ this country. Ye’re daein’ jest fine.”

His reassurance was heartening even though it was expected. He rarely says anything negative to me although at times I do suspect I deserve it. He’s just a lovely old man who I’m privileged to call my father, even though he isn’t (biologically, that is).

“Thank you, Daddy,” I said and saw him puff out his chest a little and blush.

“Ye’re welcome.”

Julie burst into the kitchen, “Shit I overslept,” she said and switched on the kettle. Phoebe was down two minutes later.

“Why are you going in early?” I asked.

“Got a few things to do including setting up for a wedding party from midmorning.”

“Morning, Mummy,” offered Phoebe, pecking me on the cheek.

“Morning, my darling,” I said back.

“Oh yeah, sorry. Hi Mummy.”

“Goodness, you’re awake, Julie.”

“Very funny—make us a bit of toast will you, Pheebs?” she asked her sister before dashing back up the stairs.

“What did her last servant die of?” Phoebe asked everyone and no one.

“Go on, make your cereal I’ll do her toast.”

“Thanks, Mummy,” she said and went to the fridge to collect some milk. I pulled several slices of bread from the bag and shoved them in the toaster. If Phoebe didn’t want them, I’d have them with some more tea and a banana.

Phoebe didn’t want the toast so after buttering all of it, half of which Julie took, I mashed up my banana and spread it over the toast. I made three cups of tea and handed them around. Tom excused himself and taking my Guardian went off to his study. I might get a glimpse of it later.

Trish and Hannah were next down, Livvie having apparently gone to cuddle with Simon. Julie and Phoebe left for work and the two younger girls were puzzled by my amused face which became a smirk when she tramped downstairs in high dudgeon.

“Bloody Lizzie stinks like a school bog,” she announced and Trish nearly choked on her cereal.

“Less of the swearing, Missy,” I cautioned her.

“Well she does.”

“Why d’you think I’m down here?”

“Oh, hadn’t thought of that. Has Daddy no sense of smell?”

“I suspect women have a better one.”

“Yeah, p’raps.”

I didn’t know if it were true or not but it satisfied her question.

“What we doin’ today, then?” asked Trish.

“Have you done your homework, all of you?” They claimed they had. I’ll have to check if Danni has because she won’t want to do it tomorrow. The wind was freshening and it looked as if the sunshine was now quite rapidly shifting cloud. It didn’t feel too warm either despite the heating being on until nine o’clock.

“I have some shopping to do besides that I hadn’t thought of anything else.”

“Shoppin’—can I get some more tights for school, those ones have a hole in the knee and the ’lastic’s goin’ in the waistband.”

“What the green ones?”

“Please, Mummy.”

“Are you coming or what?”

“Yeah—oh I can’t, we’re playing soccer, aren’t we Liv?”

“Oh poo, so we are.”

“Where’s that the convent or elsewhere?”

“Nah, our place.”

“Right go and get dressed and I’ll come and watch you. We can go shopping afterwards.” They both dashed upstairs with Hannah running off after them. I hadn’t appreciated she was playing football too and doing well enough to get into the under fifteens with the other two. It now became imperative that I went to watch their football game.

Simon agreed to watch the other children, he’d supervise Mima supervising the rest of them, with the exception of Danielle, who was going down to the salon to help with the wedding party preparations. I went up to wash and dress and called her. In the end she agreed to stay with Simon to help supervise the two little ’uns and their father. A short time later I departed with the Cameron sisters—who they told me very nearly made up a third of the team. I suppose that was very true.

In terms of excitement levels, the England game was far better, but once our team scored, they began to dominate and the second half saw Trish score twice and Livvie netted the ball once. Hannah played well in defence.

Off to the shops and I bought each of them a new pair of school tights, there were three in a pack, so they got one each—a pair not a pack: they have loads at home already.

I also bought some new trainer pants for Lizzie and perhaps she wouldn’t smell quite so much like a newly flushed sewer. I got Cate some new panties, and Danielle got the new bra she wanted. I think everyone but Simon and I got something, even Julie and Phoebe.

When we got home I discovered that the reason Simon had stayed downstairs last night well after I went to bed was because the flat over the salon had become available to buy and Julie and Phoebe wanted Simon’s advice about applying for a mortgage and so on. In some ways I was glad to be up in bed, the thought of them with a mortgage was scary, with them leaving home too, it was doubly scary although I’m sure they were doing well enough to cover their debts.

That was Saturday morning, and we had an afternoon to get through yet.