one of lucas's red socks lay on the stairs . i picked it up and smoothed it absently . it was a very little sock with the suggestion of a hole in the toe .soon i would have to think about supper and endless more meals . then there was the twins's christmas party . on the list i had written " sausages , pizzas , red je;;y in the shape of a cat , and pirate hats ," and i knew that for days afterward , i would be picking up bits of sausage and crisps that had been trodden into the floors and carpets .
the front door opened and the boys did their windmill act - arms outstretched and flailing - toward me ." here 's mumy ." lucas's cry rang with chocolate biscuites . felix had green paint splodges on his cheek . laden with stuff , eve bought up the rear .
felix tugged at my hand ." yo uare my real mummy , aren't you ?"
"of course i am ."
he looked important ." lucas says eve is our real mummy ."
"lucas ..." i glanced at eve , who shook her head .
lucas seemed shiftly ."millie says her nany is her real mummy ...."
millie was a recently acquired friend . the only child of divorced parents , her life was spent shutttling between two tightliiped adults . she had the bewilderment - and the malice - of a child at sea . the boys needed reassurance , and i thought rapidly and inventively ." why don't we invite millie to tea , and she can see who the real mummy is ?"
nathan arrived home , pale and shivering , and i ordered him to bed . later , i took him up a tray with scrambled eggs laced with smoked salmon and cranbery juice ." you've been overdoing the parties ." i pummeled his pillows , patted the duvet straight and checked over the bedroom , which was in apple-pie order .
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