I am not amused

Friday, July 25 08

Mrs Bennet got stressed in public. She hadn’t intended to, but having worked late into the night to meet a writing deadline, she was feeling tired. The children always seemed to play up to her weaknesses and they were doing so in such style, she knew she was losing the battle. They seemed to take either turns to have an off day or decide to have one together. Yesterday had been the turn of Miss Megan Bennet, who struggling to share her Mummy with her elder two sisters, was doing her best to gain attention of the wrong sort. Today it was Mrs Bennet’s turn. She didn’t find the runaway bottom funny despite her offspring singing back to her the very song line she had sung yesterday in jest.

“The runaway bottom crawled out of the room and it blew….” Really what she needed was to crawl away herself, preferably in a dark room. Her own mother tried to help by taking Miss Megan Bennet to her toddler dance class, and appealing to the elder Miss Bennets to help, managed to get the four remaining Bennets to the supermarket to buy some essentials. It was too busy, she couldn’t remember what she needed, and she’s mistimed it all so the twin Bennets were crying for their lunch. There was no room in the coffee shop to park herself, so the older two Bennets were upset and she was fed up. She hated showing signs of stress in public, but today she just couldn’t help it. Mrs Bennet just wanted to get home – and quickly. As much as she would have liked to have been soothed by Mr Latte, Mrs Bennet knew even he couldn’t help today.

“Mr dear Mr Latte, you wouldn’t know where to start. Best not to see you today, I wouldn’t enjoy your company,” she whispered silently.

Once home, her peace returned, and she found the strength to walk her elder two girls into town to watch a film at the cinema. Normally Mrs Bennet could turn off, but half way through she realised she hadn’t turned her slow cooker on. If had just been for the Bennet family she wouldn’t have worried, but she was cooking for friends. It did of course all work out, the food was edible, the children were quiet, the company good – and the wine fantastic.