I had been enjoying the
hot Sunday afternoon, lazing in the sun. They were having a birthday party next
door and Cheneice was over there and Jim was away on business for another week.
It wasn’t often I get to sit and do nothing but today was a perfect day to do
just that.
So far I had worked half
way down a very weak jug of PIMS and I was had almost finished the Jackie
Collins that had been sat on my bedside table for the last few months.
I had heard a few screams
from over the fence but that was kids being kids. Besides Marjory was watching
them all and she was far more capable than I ever would be. I think she had a
couple of the other mums helping her and as long as that lush, Emma Marchbanks,
wasn’t there they would all be sober.
‘Mummy, mummy.’ I heard a
voice that changed in pitch as it called out. Knowing it was my Cheniece but
praying it wasn’t, I closed my eyes.
‘Mummy, look at me.’ I
slowly opened my eyes to see my daughter’s head appear over the top of the
fence and then vanish behind it again. Seconds later she appeared again.
‘Cheniece, what are you
doing?’ I called as I slowly rose from my sun lounger.
‘Daniel has a trampoline.
He got it for his birthday.’ She called back, still appear above the fence
every few seconds.
‘And where is everyone
else?’ I asked, now standing on tiptoe to see over the fence and realising my
daughter was alone.
‘They are playing pass
the parcel but I lost in the first round, so I came out to play.’
‘Cheniece, those things
can be dangerous. You need to have someone to watch you.’
‘Well you can watch me
now, can’t you?’
At that point Marjory
appeared and saw me staring over the fence. ‘Way to keep an eye on the kids
Marjory. Should you not have a net around this thing?’
‘We ordered one,’ Marjory
rushed down the garden steps to stand close to the trampoline and my still
jumping daughter, ‘but it didn’t turn up in time and I couldn’t not let them
use in today. Could I?’
‘Well keep an eye on her
will you.’
‘Of course.’ Marjory turn
to Cheniece. ‘Time to come in now, we are about to start the birthday tea.’
‘Fantastic,’ shouted
Cheniece as she seemed to jump higher in the air one last time and land on the
ground, not the trampoline.
I looked at Marjory and
before either of us could move Cheniece had run off back inside the house.
The relaxation of my
afternoon spoilt, I went into the house and decided to tidy round ready for
Cheniece’s return.
Before I knew it the
clock in the lounge chimed six o’ clock and I grabbed my keys and headed next
door. I was four steps out of the front door before I realised that I had
forgotten to put any shoes on. All afternoon lounging around the garden,
followed by a few hours mooching around the house I had not bothered to put
anything on my feet. I looked down, looked at the house and then looked at next
door. It was a smooth concrete path right up until Marjory’s driveway which was
made up of old fashioned cobbled stones. ‘Sod it,’ I thought, and continued
towards next door and collecting my daughter.
A couple of sharp stones
made me reconsider my rash decision but I was nearer Marjory’s than home by
then so there was no point turning back.
I walked onto Marjory’s
driveway and felt the cobbles under my feet. I walked four steps before I
stopped dead in my tracks. I could hear the noise of an engine turning over and
suddenly I was twelve again.
It was a day the same as
any other and I had been out all day playing with my friends on our bikes,
swimming in the canal. All things health and safety don’t let kids do these
days. I had got home at six and was surprised Mum hadn’t been standing out on
the front looking for me. My trainers were hanging round my neck tied together
with their laces and I dumped my bike at the street end of the drive and
started walking towards the house. As I walked up the drive I could hear an
engine running but couldn’t see any cars in the street. I couldn’t work out
where it was coming from.
I got to the front door
and pushed the same as always. But the door didn’t move. I jangled the handle
but nothing. I pushed the bell and still nothing. Where could Mum be? She was
always here and she would never have gone out without me.
I walked passed the front
of the garage towards the back gate and as I did the noise of the car engine
got louder. I looked out into the street and there was still no sign of the car
I could hear. I got to the back gate and pushed the latch down. The gate opened
easily and I headed into the back garden. As I walked down the back passage I
looked at the back door to the garage and realised the noise was coming from in
there. I pushed the door and it swung open.
The smell was something I
hadn’t ever smelt before and the garage was engulfed in a dark cloud. The
engine noise was louder than anything I had ever heard. Why was the car engine
running? What was the hose pipe doing? I slowly walked to the car and tried to
open the door. Through the smoke and the haze, I could make out someone was sitting
in the driver’s seat. I started coughing as I pulled at the car door. It was
locked. I pulled and pulled and pulled. I don’t know what I expected to happen.
I was coughing harder now and breathing seemed to be something I had to think
about.
I suddenly realised I
needed help and I tried to run towards the door. It was like running through
treacle. The door to the garage was open and I could see the sun streaming
through, but it didn’t seem to be getting and closer. My breath was getting
heavier and I was coughing too much to take deep breaths.
As I collapsed on the
floor, the light from the door clouded. As if a cloud had tracked across the
sun at that precise moment. There were voices but no noise I could make sense
of.
‘Mummy, Mummy,’ Cheniece
was clinging to my neck and I was lying on the floor.
‘Are you okay?’ Marjory
ran from the front door and bent down to be level with me. ‘What happened?’
‘Nothing I must have just
had too much sun I guess,’ I said smiling at Marjory and kissing my daughter on
the top of her head as I slowly picked myself up.
That night as I was
tucking Cheneice into bed she lifted her little hand and stroked my cheek. ‘I
love you mummy.’
‘I love you too my
sweetheart.’ I smiled and lifting her hand kissed it carefully.
‘Daniel’s party was great
and he had two grandma’s there. Why have I only got one Grandma?’
I looked at my daughter
carefully. She was so insightful sometimes. ‘Shall we have a story before you
go to sleep?’
‘Yes please. George and
Dragon?’
‘Of course.’