up at the crack of dawn by the sound of Murphy howling from inside Millie’s tent. Seems he’s no happier about camping than the rest of us.
“I’m
so
sorry, the noise of the rain on the canvas was freaking him out,” Millie says apologetically as we stand around in the caravan, yawning and eating our toast.
Only Amber can have cereal, because there’s just the one bowl. And she wins because she’s pregnant, and luxury muesli was exactly what she was craving.
Convenient, no?
“Never mind,” says Mum, who is still determined that we will enjoy caravanning, even if it kills us. “The morning is the best part of the day. This way we get to make the most of our time here.”
There’s a dismissive grunt from the bed at the far end of the caravan. Dad’s refused to get up and is lying with the duvet over his head.
“Mum, I’m getting pains,” Amber says, grabbing her tummy with a scared look on her face.
“Are you all right?” Mum says in alarm.
“I’m not sure,” Amber says. “It really hurts.”
“We should get her to a hospital,” Mum says.
“Hospital?” Dad says, his voice muffled. “What for? I’m sure she’s fine. She’s had this a lot, and every time they’ve said there’s nothing to worry about. She’s got a few growing pains, that’s all. You had them during your pregnancies, I remember them well. You worried every time then, too, but everything was always fine.”
“But I never carried twins,” Mum says. “Twins are different. Riskier. We need to get her to a doctor so she can be examined.”
“But I’m supposed to be resting on holiday,” Dad protests. “I’m still hoping for this lot to clear off so I can get some more sleep.”
“Why don’t you lie down for a bit and see how you feel in half an hour?” Clare says to Amber. “We’ll turn the table back into the bed for you, and go and eat in the awning.”
For the next thirty minutes, Mum hovers anxiously by Amber, checking her watch constantly.
“How do you feel now?”
“I’ve still got the pains,” Amber says. “I’m scared, Mum.”
“Then we’re going to the hospital. Chris, get dressed.”
“I don’t even know where the hospital is,” Dad says.
“We’ll ask Devon on the way out,” Mum says. “Clare, can we borrow your satnav? No arguments from you,” she says firmly to Dad. “Clare will keep an eye on things. We’ll get crockery and the other bits while we’re out. Once the shops open, that is.”
“And a new cage for Hagrid?” Harry says. “And some food and bedding and a water bottle?”
“So now we’re having to buy a whole new rat start-up kit?” Dad says, as he clambers out of bed. “You’re paying us back, kiddo.”
“We’ll talk about it later,” Mum says, pulling thecurtain across so Dad can get dressed. “Right now, let’s get Amber seen to. Hurry
up
, Chris. Ready? Then let’s go. If we’re a while, sort out some food for lunch, would you, Clare?”
“But how will we know what time you’ll be back?” Clare calls.
“We’ll text you,” Mum calls out of the car window.
“There’s no reception,” we all call after them. I don’t think they hear us.
“I’m going to go read my book,” Clare tells us. “If you could try not to disturb me for the next half hour or so that would be great. It’s got really exciting and I want to find out what happens at the end.”
“Are you going to ring Dad today?” Millie asks. “You haven’t called him yet, have you?”
“Um, no, not yet,” Clare replies. “I’ll speak to him later. Why don’t you guys go and have a wander around? Get some fresh air. Just don’t go too far.”
As she closes the door behind her, Millie, Isabella, Harry and I all stare at each other.
“It’s not even nine yet,” Isabella says. “I’m never up this early. I’m going back to bed.”
It’s late afternoon when Mum, Dad and Amber finally get back and we’ve had the most boring first day imaginable,because
“I’m
so
sorry, the noise of the rain on the canvas was freaking him out,” Millie says apologetically as we stand around in the caravan, yawning and eating our toast.
Only Amber can have cereal, because there’s just the one bowl. And she wins because she’s pregnant, and luxury muesli was exactly what she was craving.
Convenient, no?
“Never mind,” says Mum, who is still determined that we will enjoy caravanning, even if it kills us. “The morning is the best part of the day. This way we get to make the most of our time here.”
There’s a dismissive grunt from the bed at the far end of the caravan. Dad’s refused to get up and is lying with the duvet over his head.
“Mum, I’m getting pains,” Amber says, grabbing her tummy with a scared look on her face.
“Are you all right?” Mum says in alarm.
“I’m not sure,” Amber says. “It really hurts.”
“We should get her to a hospital,” Mum says.
“Hospital?” Dad says, his voice muffled. “What for? I’m sure she’s fine. She’s had this a lot, and every time they’ve said there’s nothing to worry about. She’s got a few growing pains, that’s all. You had them during your pregnancies, I remember them well. You worried every time then, too, but everything was always fine.”
“But I never carried twins,” Mum says. “Twins are different. Riskier. We need to get her to a doctor so she can be examined.”
“But I’m supposed to be resting on holiday,” Dad protests. “I’m still hoping for this lot to clear off so I can get some more sleep.”
“Why don’t you lie down for a bit and see how you feel in half an hour?” Clare says to Amber. “We’ll turn the table back into the bed for you, and go and eat in the awning.”
For the next thirty minutes, Mum hovers anxiously by Amber, checking her watch constantly.
“How do you feel now?”
“I’ve still got the pains,” Amber says. “I’m scared, Mum.”
“Then we’re going to the hospital. Chris, get dressed.”
“I don’t even know where the hospital is,” Dad says.
“We’ll ask Devon on the way out,” Mum says. “Clare, can we borrow your satnav? No arguments from you,” she says firmly to Dad. “Clare will keep an eye on things. We’ll get crockery and the other bits while we’re out. Once the shops open, that is.”
“And a new cage for Hagrid?” Harry says. “And some food and bedding and a water bottle?”
“So now we’re having to buy a whole new rat start-up kit?” Dad says, as he clambers out of bed. “You’re paying us back, kiddo.”
“We’ll talk about it later,” Mum says, pulling thecurtain across so Dad can get dressed. “Right now, let’s get Amber seen to. Hurry
up
, Chris. Ready? Then let’s go. If we’re a while, sort out some food for lunch, would you, Clare?”
“But how will we know what time you’ll be back?” Clare calls.
“We’ll text you,” Mum calls out of the car window.
“There’s no reception,” we all call after them. I don’t think they hear us.
“I’m going to go read my book,” Clare tells us. “If you could try not to disturb me for the next half hour or so that would be great. It’s got really exciting and I want to find out what happens at the end.”
“Are you going to ring Dad today?” Millie asks. “You haven’t called him yet, have you?”
“Um, no, not yet,” Clare replies. “I’ll speak to him later. Why don’t you guys go and have a wander around? Get some fresh air. Just don’t go too far.”
As she closes the door behind her, Millie, Isabella, Harry and I all stare at each other.
“It’s not even nine yet,” Isabella says. “I’m never up this early. I’m going back to bed.”
It’s late afternoon when Mum, Dad and Amber finally get back and we’ve had the most boring first day imaginable,because
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