Cathy Glass - Daddy’s Little Princess

‘No.’

Beth then asked her father what he’d been doing that day and he said watching television. They chatted for about five minutes more, during which time Derek told her about the hospital routine and Beth asked questions, and then he said he had to go. They blew each other lots of kisses and said I love you before they said goodbye, then Derek asked to speak to me. Beth handed me the telephone and went downstairs to join John, Adrian and Paula.

‘I was wondering when you will next phone,’ Derek said.

‘I’m not sure,’ I said. ‘The social worker just said Saturday and Sunday.’

‘I want Beth to call every evening.’

‘I suppose that’s all right,’ I said, unsure.

‘Good. We have dinner here at six o’clock, so can you telephone me at seven. I’ll be ready and waiting by the telephone then.’

‘Yes, all right, seven o’clock,’ I confirmed, hoping I was doing the right thing.

‘Thank you,’ Derek said. ‘Give Beth my love and tell her I’ll speak to her tomorrow.’

We said goodbye and I went downstairs, where I told Beth what her father had said. She was, of course, delighted she’d be speaking to her father every evening. ‘I miss my daddy,’ she said to us all.

‘Of course you do,’ John said. ‘That’s only natural.’

That evening, when all the children were in bed, and after a pleasant afternoon at the cinema, John and I sat together in the living room, talking.

‘Adrian misses you a lot more than he says,’ I said. ‘I hope you won’t have to work away for much longer.’

‘I hope so too,’ John said with a small shrug. ‘But you know I have to go where the company sends me. I don’t have much choice in the matter.’

‘Perhaps you could telephone a bit more during the week?’ I suggested. ‘Beth will be speaking to her father every evening and it will be nice for Adrian and Paula to speak to you.’

‘I’ll try, but it’s not always possible,’ John said. ‘Sometimes we don’t finish work until very late.’

‘I understand,’ I said. I hoped Adrian and Paula did too.

My thoughts returned to Beth and her father, as they had been doing on and off for most of the afternoon, and I now voiced my concerns to John. I needed his opinion.

‘I know you haven’t seen that much of Beth,’ I said thoughtfully, ‘but from what you have seen, do you get the impression that her relationship with her father is a little too intense? They obviously love each other, but is it too much?’ I didn’t know how else to phrase it.

John looked at me oddly. ‘No. Whatever makes you say that?’

‘Well, Beth talks about her father non-stop, and you’ve seen all those photographs in her room. She isn’t allowed to play with children outside of school, and her teacher said she thought their relationship could be stifling Beth’s social development. Then, this afternoon, when they were on the telephone, their conversation made me feel a bit uncomfortable.’ I stopped, unable to find the exact words I needed to express my instinct.

John was still looking at me. ‘No, I don’t think there is anything wrong in Beth and her father loving each other,’ he said. ‘I’d hope that if I was in hospital Adrian and Paula would talk about me a lot. I think her teacher should concentrate on teaching rather than trying to cause trouble.’

Which surprised me, as John was usually more supportive when I aired my concerns, so I let the matter drop. I didn’t want any ill feeling. John would be leaving again in the morning.

Later I telephoned my parents as I usually did on a Sunday evening if I hadn’t seen them over the weekend. Then John left the living room to re-pack his suitcase ready for an early start the following morning. I put any thoughts of Beth and her father out of my mind. John’s comments had half convinced me there was nothing wrong. It was midnight before we were both in bed and when I woke it was to the sound of the front door closing as John let himself out. I looked at my bedside clock; it was 6.15 a.m. As I turned over I saw John had left a note on the pillow: Hope I didn’t disturb you. I’ll try to telephone the kids more. Have a good week. John x. I was pleased.

I stayed in bed for another quarter of an hour and then showered and dressed before waking the children ready for school. We fell into our weekday routine and Beth was downstairs first for breakfast, having washed and made her bed. Adrian needed a couple of reminders before he appeared, but as always, with a lot of chivvying along, we left the house on time. As we arrived in the school playground, Beth remembered that her class had swimming the following day and she hadn’t packed her swimming costume in her case.

‘Marianne must have it,’ Beth grumbled. ‘She still does our washing sometimes.’

‘Don’t worry,’ I said, thinking that it was nice of Marianne to do their washing. ‘I’ll buy you another costume.’ Although where I’d find one in the middle of winter, I’d no idea.

The klaxon sounded for the start of school and Beth said goodbye and joined her class. Adrian, who’d been playing with his friends, ran over, kissed Paula and me goodbye and then joined his class. Paula and I returned home. I intended to have a coffee before setting off for the shops, but fifteen minutes after arriving home the telephone rang, and when I answered a female voice I didn’t recognize said: ‘Hello. Is that Cathy?’

‘Speaking,’ I said.

‘Hi, my name is Marianne. I’m Derek’s friend.’

‘Hello,’ I said, surprised, and wondering how Marianne had my telephone number.

‘Jessie gave me your number,’ Marianne clarified. ‘I have Beth’s swimming costume and she’ll need it tomorrow. I thought I could drop it off to you in my lunch hour. The offices where I work are not far from you.’

‘Thank you very much indeed,’ I said. ‘That’s great. I was about to go into town and try to buy Beth a new costume.’

‘No need,’ she said. ‘It’s washed and ready. I can be with you at twelve-thirty, if that’s OK?’

‘Perfect,’ I said, grateful. ‘I hope it’s not too much trouble.’

‘Not at all.’

‘Thank you so much.’

‘I just need your house number. I have the name of your road.’

I told Marianne the number of my house and, thanking her again, said goodbye and hung up. What a lovely lady, I thought. How very kind and considerate. I would, of course, invite her in for a coffee if she had the time. I wondered why Beth didn’t like Marianne; she seemed very pleasant to me. With no need to dash into town, I now played with Paula and then, while she had her nap, I tidied the living room and made a sandwich lunch ready for when she woke at twelve.

We had just finished eating when the doorbell rang. ‘That’ll be Marianne,’ I said to Paula as she clambered down from her chair. Always a bit cautious of strangers, she held my hand as we went to answer the door.

‘Hello, Marianne?’ I smiled at the lady.

‘Yes. Nice to meet you.’ She handed me a carrier bag. ‘Beth’s swimming costume and also a doll she’s fond of, and a few of her favourite fairy-tale stories. I wasn’t sure what you had here.’

‘Thank you,’ I said. ‘That’s nice of you. Would you like to come in?’

Marianne glanced at her watch and hesitated but didn’t immediately say no.

‘I could make you a quick coffee?’ I offered.

‘I’m not intruding, am I?’

‘No.’ I smiled. ‘There’s just Paula and me at home. Do come in.’

‘And Beth’s at school?’ Marianne hesitated again. ‘She wouldn’t want to see me.’

‘Yes, she’s at school,’ I confirmed.

Marianne came in and said hello to Paula, who hid in my skirt.