Read Online The Accidental Mother by Rowan Coleman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Rowan Coleman
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Pilchard,” Izzy sobbed. “But she ran away! I wanted to cuddle her up!”
Sophie guessed that Izzy had spotted Artemis on top of the wardrobe and, unable to reach her, had climbed onto the bed with Sophie’s hook-handled umbrella, which had been propped in the corner of the bedroom, and tried to hook the cat down. An event that would have horrified poor old Artemis. Still, it proved that Izzy had at least as much reasoning power as a border collie after all.
Sophie ventured out a hand to pat Izzy’s knee, then quickly withdrew it. “Don’t worry,” she said. “Artemis will be back when she wants to be. Probably best not to cuddle her up next time she comes home. She’s not a big fan of the cuddle as a concept.”
“Okay.” Izzy sniffed. Sophie wasn’t sure whether or not to take that as agreement.
The microwave beeped again. “Tea’s ready!” Sophie said brightly, and both girls did look more cheerful. They must really be hungry, poor kids, Sophie thought.
In preparation, Sophie positioned them both on the sofa and gave each of them a paper towel to prevent spillage. She gave them each a fork and a knife, and looked through her practically medieval five television channels for something they could watch, settling in the end for a talk show, Richard & Judy.
“Oooh, a knife,” Izzy said, inspecting the implement she had been handed as if it were a lethal weapon.
In the kitchen, Sophie tipped out each ready meal onto a separate plate. She thought for a moment and then tipped the seafood pasta onto the Thai green curry plate and mixed it around until it was slightly lighter shade of green. Then she split the mixture in two and slid one half back onto the second plate. That way there’d be no arguments about who was having what, she thought, feeling pleased with herself. Foresight, that was what she had displayed there. Foresight. A key problem-solving skill was to solve the problem before it even occurred.
She took the plates to the living room, where Izzy was endeavoring to cut open the sofa with the blunt serrated edge of her knife.
“Um.” Sophie made especially sure that she did not raise her voice. “Izzy, don’t do that darling, okay?” she asked her, wondering if the exorbitant cost of the sofa would mean anything to Izzy. Probably not.
“Okay!” Izzy said, sawing away regardless.
“Here’s tea now anyway,” Sophie said. She handed the girls a plate each. “Okay, enjoy, I’ve just got to make a couple of quick calls, so I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”
“Okay!” Izzy said, transferring her sawing attentions to the food.
Bella looked at her food suspiciously and poked it with her fork. “Okay,” she said with much less enthusiasm.
Sophie picked up the phone in her bedroom and called Cal first.
“How’s it going?” he asked her, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice.
“Fine, it’s fine actually,” Sophie said, wondering if her voice sounded as high on the other end of the phone line as it did in her head. She made a conscious effort to lower it a half octave. “I’ve given them their tea, then I expect they’ll go to bed after.” she said confidently.
“What, at five o’clock?” Cal did not sound so confident.
“Never mind that,” Sophie said, brushing his doubt aside. “Did the contracts from the bank come through okay?” Cal confirmed that they had. He gave her a rundown of the day’s events and the inside scoop on how Lisa had handled all of her new duties. “Pretty well, actually,” Cal said. “She hasn’t cried for the whole afternoon. Barely even a sniffle. Well, maybe the occasional sob—but mainly I think you being out of the office is good for her. She’s too scared of me to mess me around.”
Sophie ignored the last comment. “Good. Listen, I want you to come round in the morning, okay? Bring my laptop. I didn’t have time to pick it up when we went. Bring all the stuff we talked about today and our schedule for the week. I
Sophie guessed that Izzy had spotted Artemis on top of the wardrobe and, unable to reach her, had climbed onto the bed with Sophie’s hook-handled umbrella, which had been propped in the corner of the bedroom, and tried to hook the cat down. An event that would have horrified poor old Artemis. Still, it proved that Izzy had at least as much reasoning power as a border collie after all.
Sophie ventured out a hand to pat Izzy’s knee, then quickly withdrew it. “Don’t worry,” she said. “Artemis will be back when she wants to be. Probably best not to cuddle her up next time she comes home. She’s not a big fan of the cuddle as a concept.”
“Okay.” Izzy sniffed. Sophie wasn’t sure whether or not to take that as agreement.
The microwave beeped again. “Tea’s ready!” Sophie said brightly, and both girls did look more cheerful. They must really be hungry, poor kids, Sophie thought.
In preparation, Sophie positioned them both on the sofa and gave each of them a paper towel to prevent spillage. She gave them each a fork and a knife, and looked through her practically medieval five television channels for something they could watch, settling in the end for a talk show, Richard & Judy.
“Oooh, a knife,” Izzy said, inspecting the implement she had been handed as if it were a lethal weapon.
In the kitchen, Sophie tipped out each ready meal onto a separate plate. She thought for a moment and then tipped the seafood pasta onto the Thai green curry plate and mixed it around until it was slightly lighter shade of green. Then she split the mixture in two and slid one half back onto the second plate. That way there’d be no arguments about who was having what, she thought, feeling pleased with herself. Foresight, that was what she had displayed there. Foresight. A key problem-solving skill was to solve the problem before it even occurred.
She took the plates to the living room, where Izzy was endeavoring to cut open the sofa with the blunt serrated edge of her knife.
“Um.” Sophie made especially sure that she did not raise her voice. “Izzy, don’t do that darling, okay?” she asked her, wondering if the exorbitant cost of the sofa would mean anything to Izzy. Probably not.
“Okay!” Izzy said, sawing away regardless.
“Here’s tea now anyway,” Sophie said. She handed the girls a plate each. “Okay, enjoy, I’ve just got to make a couple of quick calls, so I’ll be back in a minute, okay?”
“Okay!” Izzy said, transferring her sawing attentions to the food.
Bella looked at her food suspiciously and poked it with her fork. “Okay,” she said with much less enthusiasm.
Sophie picked up the phone in her bedroom and called Cal first.
“How’s it going?” he asked her, unable to keep the amusement out of his voice.
“Fine, it’s fine actually,” Sophie said, wondering if her voice sounded as high on the other end of the phone line as it did in her head. She made a conscious effort to lower it a half octave. “I’ve given them their tea, then I expect they’ll go to bed after.” she said confidently.
“What, at five o’clock?” Cal did not sound so confident.
“Never mind that,” Sophie said, brushing his doubt aside. “Did the contracts from the bank come through okay?” Cal confirmed that they had. He gave her a rundown of the day’s events and the inside scoop on how Lisa had handled all of her new duties. “Pretty well, actually,” Cal said. “She hasn’t cried for the whole afternoon. Barely even a sniffle. Well, maybe the occasional sob—but mainly I think you being out of the office is good for her. She’s too scared of me to mess me around.”
Sophie ignored the last comment. “Good. Listen, I want you to come round in the morning, okay? Bring my laptop. I didn’t have time to pick it up when we went. Bring all the stuff we talked about today and our schedule for the week. I
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