Despite the Angels - By Madeline A Stringer Page 0,42

love?”

Clare was climbing down. “Listen” she said again and ran inside. David sat on, on the step that had been in the sun, wondering what he was meant to hear. There was traffic in the distance and a group of children were shouting and laughing in a nearby garden. A plane crossed the sky almost overhead, but he could barely hear it. Inside, he could hear Clare explaining something intently to Caroline, who as usual ignored her and carried on humming. It was all very normal and peaceful in its way, but nothing that was going to solve his confusion.

“Oh, God, what’ll I do?”

“Clare’s right, just listen,” said Jotin. “You’re still hopeless at hearing, I do wonder if we’re ever going to be able to get through to you all. I’m not God, as you could see if you knew how to look, but I’m in charge of answering you. But you really must start listening. I’m run off my feet here trying to get your attention, sometimes.”

“All I can think of, is carry on. The girls need me. They need a proper mother too, one who would put them first. But how can I arrange that?”

“Carry on is good. Lucy’s still too young. The girls do need you. And listen to me carefully for a minute – Kathleen will not harm them. You can forget that. She may not be terribly good for them, but she won’t harm them. And listen to me in future. Actually…... listen to Clare, too! I’ll have a word with the guide who looks after her. She can filter some messages through. LISTEN TO CLARE.”

David smiled. He could still hear Clare trying to boss her sister. David always thought that Clare was the younger twin, but Kathleen said that as she always took on the lead role that she must be the older. Such a pity they weren’t sure, so silly. Clare could probably settle that argument, he thought, she seems to have an answer for everything she doesn’t have a question for. ‘Listen’ indeed! Little Miss Smarty Pants, people would call her, or ‘precocious’ if they were feeling polite. That’s all it is. High I.Q. probably. Hope it is, would be great if she does well in school. In the distance he could hear the front door opening and then a crash as it was slammed. David tensed and froze and heard, as he expected, two little voices shouting ‘Mummy, Mummy,’ as the twins launched themselves at Kathleen; and heard, also as expected, though he could not stop hoping it would be different, her tired voice saying ‘not now, girls, Mummy needs to relax.’ Then there were footsteps on the stairs, as Kathleen went up to the bedroom. And another door slammed.

“Mummy’s tired, Daddy,” said Clare. “Maybe she needs a cuddle.”

David smiled and pulled Clare onto his knee again.

“Give me a cuddle first, lovekin. Then my cuddle meter will be full and there’ll be some over for Mummy.” Clare planted a wet kiss on his ear.

“Do you want Caro cuddle too? Caro! Caro!” Caroline ran in from the other room and seeing Clare on David’s lap, started to climb up too. David scooped her up and hugged the two girls fiercely, his face between their heads, feeling curls on one side and silky smoothness on the other.

“Hello, love, how was your day? Did you get what you wanted?” David sat down on the side of the bed, where Kathleen was lying with a damp cloth across her eyes.

“Of course not,” her voice was just above a whisper. “When do I ever? You’d think it was difficult. This lousy city has nothing.” David picked up her hand and squeezed it gently.

“What were you looking for?”

“A last-minute holiday. Nothing. All sold out, not just the cheap ones. I went to every agent. You’d think they’d have something left for September. Not a fecking thing. I can’t bear it.”

“But we already had our holiday, Kathleen. You know that. We agreed before we went that that was it for this year. We’re spent up, if you want the kids to go to the Montessori this term.”

“You agreed. I never agreed. You just said it and I was supposed to go along with you. You know I can’t survive without getting out of this place every now and then. And foreign travel is good for children. Broadens the mind.”

“Maybe. Routine is good for them too. And you have ‘got out’– we’re only back four weeks. It was a