The hire car was not safe to drive and we didn’t want to get a taxi all the way back to Perigeaux to collect another one from the AVIS office. We called Mum and she sent ENO to pick us up. Eno is Mum’s companion. He is Danish, he likes to drink red wine, smoke B&H and talk very loudly, and very rudely. His Gold car pulled up and Eno got out of the car, walked into the house and told us to get in. We followed him like lost little ducklings. We had to fit 3 suitcases, a double pram, the twins, and us three into his car. As we drove out of Kate’s hamlet, with the double pram sticking out of the boot, a suitcase in the back seat in between me and Carolyn, a twin on our knees and Jolyon in the front, I wondered if this was a good idea. Eno had clearly been drinking. The journey was long and bumpy; we were driving through the dog end of France with its winding roads and empty villages. Eno was driving too fast. The radio was playing Brown Girl in the Ring, and I really wanted to get out and walk. Every half hour Eno would announce the exact amount of Kilometres we had to go before arriving at Mum’s house. 2 hours later we arrived, shaken, car sick, but alive. Mum opened the door and we could smell the mince and garlic bubbling in the pan. Jolyon poured himself a drink whilst we all went up to bed. It had been a long day and we were shattered. As I fell into a deep sleep, I could hear Jolyon, Mum and Eno drinking and laughing in the kitchen. It was a good sound. I was delightfully comfortable in our big French bed and just as sleep came my way Vivien started crying, followed by Ruby. And then Eno’s voice got louder and louder from below and my Mother started speaking with a lisp (this happens after a few bottles). And just as I thought it couldn’t get any louder, I heard Jolyon bang the toilet door shut and hum Jerusalem as he sat on his throne for 26 minutes.
Please God let us all sleep! Only tomorrow and then we go home.
myfamilyandothermillers 