LITMIR.BIZ

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all goes well, he thought about six months,’ I said. ‘Which will mean he’ll be home for the summer. You’ll be able to play cricket and football with him in the evenings and at weekends like you used to.’

      Adrian cheered up a little at this thought and managed a small nod.

      ‘OK, love?’ I asked.

      ‘I guess.’

      ‘Now, I can’t really leave Paula any longer, and Beth needs to telephone her father, so can we continue our chat a little later?’

      ‘Yes,’ he said.

      ‘Thank you. And believe me, I do know how much you miss your dad, but it shouldn’t be for much longer.’

      Adrian smiled and I kissed his forehead. ‘You’re not too old for hugs and kisses from your mum, are you?’ I said.

      Adrian laughed, aware of what was to come. He covered his head with his hands as I took him in my arms and began kissing him all over his face, head and neck, as I used to when he was little. He laughed and giggled and made ‘ugh’ noises, and jokingly tried to push me off. ‘Ahh, help!’ he cried. ‘Someone save me!’

      With a final shower of kisses and a big hug, I released him and stood. Still laughing, he wiped the sleeve of his jersey over his face as though wiping off the kisses, as boys of his age often do.

      ‘I’ll be back as soon as I’ve seen to the girls,’ I said, also laughing.

      I went downstairs to Beth and Paula, who were still in the living room, now sitting on the sofa next to each other with Beth – bless her – reading Paula a story. ‘Thank you, love,’ I said to Beth.

      ‘Is it time to telephone my daddy?’ Beth asked, closing the book.

      ‘Yes. Come on.’

      Indeed, it was one minute to seven and I daren’t be late phoning Derek after all the upset I’d caused him. However, Paula wasn’t washed and ready for bed yet, and that would take at least fifteen minutes. It then occurred to me that, as I wasn’t allowed to speak to Derek – just to make the call – and there was no reason why Derek and Beth shouldn’t be left alone, once Derek was on the phone I could leave Beth talking to him while I got Paula ready for bed.

      Beth was already skipping up the stairs in eager anticipation of telephoning her father. Paula and I followed, counting the steps as we went. The three of us went into my bedroom, where Beth propped herself on the bed.

      ‘Is she staying?’ Beth asked me, referring to Paula.

      ‘Just until I’ve got your father on the phone,’ I said.

      I dialled the number of the hospital and asked for Ward 3. When I was put through to the ward, I asked for Derek. The nurse called him and he came to the telephone straight away. ‘Hello,’ he said, sounding slightly subdued.

      Without speaking, I passed the telephone to Beth. ‘Hi, Daddy!’ Beth cried, grinning. ‘How are you?’

      ‘I’m fine now,’ I heard Derek say, perking up.

      ‘Come on, love,’ I said to Paula. ‘Bath and bedtime.’

      Leaving my bedroom door open so that I could hear Beth if she needed me, I took Paula into the bathroom, which was next door, and left that door slightly open too. As Beth spoke to her father, I ran Paula’s bath, dropped in her plastic bath toys and then helped her undress and clamber in. I could hear Beth talking, but not her father’s replies – I was too far away. They’d begun by saying how fantastic it was that they would be seeing each other on Friday, and Beth had asked him what games they could play in the hospital and how long she could stay.

      Paula played with her toys in her bath and Adrian played in his room as I washed Paula. Beth’s words floated in. They’d finished talking about her visit on Friday, and Beth was now telling her father what she was wearing. As usual, she’d changed out of her school uniform and into a dress as soon as we’d arrived home. She’d spent a considerable amount of time trying to decide which dress to wear.

      ‘It’s the lilac dress with little flowers on,’ she said. ‘The one with the lacy petticoat.’

      Beth was then silent as Derek replied. Beth laughed and then said, ‘Yes, I’ve brushed my hair. It’s all shiny, but not as nice as when you do it. Will you brush my hair on Friday?’

      Derek replied and Beth giggled. ‘Of course I’ve got clean knickers on,’ she exclaimed. ‘Daddy, you are funny.’

      Beth fell silent again for some time as Derek spoke, and then Beth cried, ‘Yippee! I’ve wanted my ears pierced for ages. Can we buy those studs with the little diamonds? We both liked those.’

      Clearly Derek had agreed to Beth having her ears pierced. Personally I thought she was too young, although I knew that many girls of her age had their ears pierced, and some boys did too. As Beth’s father, it was Derek’s decision as to whether she was old enough for ear-piercing, and if I thought that the ensuing discussion they had about going to the jewellers and choosing the earrings sounded more like a couple choosing an engagement ring, I pushed the thought from my mind. I’d been wrong; I wasn’t going down that path again.

      I finished bathing Paula and then helped her out of the bath while half listening to Beth. I wrapped Paula in a large, soft bath towel and while she began drying herself I let the water out of the bath and rinsed it out. I then helped Paula to dress in her clean pyjamas. Beth’s voice had grown serious now and sounded quite authoritative. ‘Tell the doctor I can look after you at home,’ she said. ‘You don’t need to stay in hospital. Or shall I tell him when I see him on Friday?’

      Derek said something, which I guessed was probably no, for Beth then said: ‘OK. You tell the doctor. But make sure he knows I can look after you. It’s just you and me, and we’ll be fine. We don’t need help.’

      Paula and I went round the landing to her bedroom where she chose some storybooks for me to read. I lay beside her on the bed and began reading the first picture book while Beth continued on the telephone. Paula’s bedroom was further away from my room than the bathroom was, so I couldn’t hear what Beth was saying. Only when she laughed or exclaimed loudly did I hear her clearly: ‘Oh Daddy! You are funny!’ or similar.

      Two picture books later, Beth suddenly appeared at Paula’s bedroom door. ‘Daddy was tired, so we’ve said goodbye,’ she said, coming in.

      ‘I’m sure he’s very tired with all that talking.’ I smiled. ‘You’ve been on the telephone for quite a while.’

      ‘Can I share Paula’s story like I did last night?’ Beth asked.

      ‘Yes, or I could read you a story of your own later, when I’ve finished reading to Paula?’ I suggested.

      ‘I’d rather listen to Paula’s story,’ Beth said, clambering in beside Paula, who was making room for her. Then, suddenly remembering something, Beth exclaimed: ‘Oh dear! I forgot to tell my daddy I want him to read me bedtime stories when I go home.’

      ‘Never mind,’ I said. ‘You can tell him another time.’

      ‘I’ll tell my daddy when I see him on Friday,’ Beth declared.

      ‘My daddy isn’t coming home on Friday,’ Paula said, looking at me with big sad eyes.

      ‘No, but he will come home the next Friday,’ I said, and kissed her cheek.

      I didn’t want Paula upset by Beth talking about seeing her father, so I quickly returned to the safety of the book: Wise Owl sat in his usual tree at the bottom of the garden. ‘What’s up, Mousey?’ Wise Owl asked, swooping down and landing silently beside him. ‘Your whiskers are drooping and your tail’s gone limp. There’s something bothering you.’

      That evening at bedtime Beth was still very excited at the prospect of seeing her father on Friday – so excited, in fact, that she couldn’t get off to sleep. She was in bed, snuggled

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