Page 131 of The Bad Mother's Diary

Stupidly, Santa asked Althea if she’d planned her Christmas dinner yet.

Althea shouted at him about ‘assumed gender stereotypes’ and ‘teaching my son that a woman’s place is in the fucking kitchen’.

Santa cowered against his cotton-wool throne.

One of the kids said, ‘Mummy, if Santa goes to prison, will we still get presents?’

Wednesday December 9th

Went through the bin bag of stuff from the old apartment today. The one Nick packed up for me.

I really should have gone through it ages ago, but there have been so many more important things to do – like stopping Daisy sticking her fingers in plug sockets.

Silly Nick. He put the odds and sods coffee tin in there, which has his emergency credit card in it.

I spent a long time staring at the credit card, wondering if I should take it on a big spending spree.

But no. I will be mature. The courts will (eventually) order him to give me money. And Sadie is getting fat now, so I don’t need to take revenge.

Thursday December 10th

Marathon in two days’ time.

I should be thinking about running and timings and carbs. Plus the weather – there are rumours it might snow. (Is there such a thing as running gloves? Must google it.)

But all I can think about is Alex.

Maybe I’ll see him at the marathon? Maybe he’ll call and want to meet at the starting line? Maybe, maybe, maybe.

I check Facebook probably fifty times a day, but he hasn’t messaged.

Althea thinks I’m having rebound syndrome and don’t really fancy Alex at all.

She could be right I suppose.

Laura called off her studying to come running with me tonight.

I dragged myself eighteen horrible, awful miles. By mile ten, Laura was so sick of me moaning that she banned me from talking at all.

It was different with Alex. Maybe I was too embarrassed to moan. Or maybe it was just so exciting being with him. I don’t know. But the miles used to fly by.

I have no idea how I’m going to do those twenty-six miles.

Wait – twenty-sevenmiles.

Friday December 11th

Christmas Marathon TOMORROW!!

Why am I so nervous? It’s not like I’m running in the Olympics or anything. But I really am shitting myself.

Mainly because I might see Alex.

Had my last supper – a huge plate of spaghetti bolognaise. Apparently you’re supposed to load up on the carbs before a marathon.

Since I was loading, I had sticky toffee pudding too.

And a large packet of peanut M&Ms.

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