Page 9 (1/2)

Another bloody wasted day

Today started slowly I got out of bed late (which really annoyed Lizzie - she had to get up and see to the kids for once) and I made a conscious effort to do as little as possible I&039;m back at work to but it&039;s i to do or so at me for weeks to fix the bolt on the bathroo I wanted to do but I reached the point where I couldn&039;t stand her cole tied without any proble deal for her?

I worked on the door as Lizzie cooked dinner What should have been a tenover an hour and a half I had the kids running roundin the way, then I didn&039;t have the right size bolt, then I bought one that was too big I lost my temper and almost kicked the door in but I finally fixed it Hope Lizzie&039;s satisfied She&039;ll have to find so else to co Harry&039;s house and the weekend&039;s alenuinely don&039;t e probleh for his little girl and although he never says it as blatantly as that it&039;s i he says toit off but when the day has been as frustrating as today and MondayI could well do without

We pull up outside his narrow terraced house and the kids start to get wound up and excited They enjoy their time with Grandpa Truth is they tolerate their time with Harry They put up with it because they know they&039;ll get sweets or soo ho today,&039; Liz says as ait for hi to the kids but I realise she&039;s looking at ue with your dad,&039; I tell her &039;He argues with me There&039;s a difference you know&039;

&039;I&039;m not interested,&039; she says as the latch clicks open &039;Just be nice&039;

The door opens inwards Harry opens his ar hi deeper inside to trash his house

&039;Hello, love,&039; he says to Lizzie as she hugs him

&039;You okay, Dad?&039;

&039;Fine,&039; he s forward to seeing you lot all day&039;

Lizzie follows the children into the house I go inside, wipe my feet and shut the door behindhim I don&039;t mean to sound abrupt but I unintentionally do

&039;Daniel,&039; he replies, equally abruptly He turns and walks towards the kitchen &039;I&039;ll put the kettle on&039;

I step over the children (who are already sprawled out across the living room floor) and head for my usual spot - the arrab the Sunday newspapers off the coffee table as I pass Burying h these long and o by before Harry reappears with a tray of drinks Vile, milky tea for Liz and me and equally weak, over-diluted fruit juice for the children I take my tea from him

&039;Thanks,&039; I say quietly He doesn&039;t acknowledge me He hardly even looks at me

I sit down in the corner of the room and start to read I&039;m not interested in the politics or the finance or the travel or the style and fashion sections I head straight for the cartoons That&039;s about the level I can cope with today

We&039;ve been here for almost an hour and I&039;ve hardly said a word Lizzie&039;s been dozing on the sofa on the other side of the roo on the floor with the kids There&039;s no disputing the fact that they get on well together He&039;s laughing and joking with the it Makes me feel like a bad parent if I&039; with the children like he does Maybe it&039;s because he can walk away from them and we can&039;t They drain &039;s an effort when you have kids

&039;Grandpa justatof an as disappear and reappear She squeals again as he &039;ically&039; finds the coin tucked behind her ear It doesn&039;t take much to impress a four year old

&039;Your Uncle Keith&039;s gone into hospital again,&039; Harry says, turning around to speak to Lizzie who stirs and sits up

&039;How&039;s Annie coping?&039; she asks, covering her hand with herto Harry&039;s answer I&039;ve never met Liz&039;s Uncle Keith or Auntie Annie and I don&039;t suppose I ever will I feel like I know theh, the number of times I&039;ve had to sit here and listen to endless trivial stories about their empty lives on the other side of the country This happensabout fa and I just switch off They&039;ll talk constantly now until we go home about people I&039;ve never heard of and places I&039;ve never been

&039;Mind if I put the football on?&039; I ask, noticing the ti myself awake Both Harry and Lizzie look up, surprised that I&039;ve spoken

&039;Carry on,&039; gru theso more important Truth is he likes football as much as I do I switch on the TV and the roo deaf The volume&039;s ale channels when I stop

&039;Bloody hell,&039; I say under my breath

&039;What&039;s the matter?&039; asks Liz

&039;Have you seen this?&039;