two years. To getting her A levels and then going off to college. But now… how will she ever be able to face everybody? How will she ever be able to come back to school ever again?
Five
Thursday
TIA
‘You okay, Tia? I heard you talking in your sleep last night.’ Ed pulls a T-shirt over his head, while I sit up and try to focus properly.
‘Mmm, yeah.’ I’m so wrung-out I can’t even form a coherent sentence. Flashes of dreams come to me – Rosie crying in the dark, Mr Jeffries shouting at me… and a dead man floating on the lake. I shudder and try to shake away the disturbing images. Last night was one of the worst night’s sleep I’ve had for years.
‘Tee?’
‘Still half asleep.’ I stretch noisily and smile up at my husband as he leans down for a kiss, a hank of blonde hair falling across one eye. ‘I had such weird dreams. And it was so hot and sticky. I need a shower.’
‘Sorry you had a crap night. Looks like it’s going to be another scorcher today. Pity me at work later. I’m hoping everyone orders salads. The thought of firing up the ovens…’ Ed’s a chef at the Scott Arms, a popular local four-star hotel. He works long hours, but he loves what he does. And when he’s home, he’s the best, most attentive husband and father I could wish for.
Our bedroom door opens and Rosie shuffles in, wearing a blue-and-white stripy nightdress and holding Shorty, her cuddly giraffe.
‘Morning Rosie Posie.’ Ed picks her up and blows a raspberry on her cheek, but instead of giggling, she frowns and pushes him away. ‘What’s up, pickle?’
She puts a hand on her stomach. ‘I’ve got a sore tummy.’
He puts her back down. ‘Maybe you’re just hungry. Want some cereal? Or I could make blueberry pancakes if you like?’
Rosie shakes her head as Leo charges into the room wearing just his pants and dives onto the bed, yelling and making explosion noises.
‘Shh, Leo, your sister’s not feeling well.’
‘Call the ambulance, nee naw, nee naw!’
Ed catches my eye, picks up our noisy son and pretends to fly him out of the room like an aeroplane. ‘Come on, terror, let’s leave your mum and sister in peace for a few minutes.’
As Leo’s boisterous cries grow fainter, I pat the edge of the bed for Rosie to come and sit next to me. Her curls frame her sad little face as she gently kicks the bedframe with the back of her bare feet and worries Shorty’s ear.
‘Shall we go and have some of those pancakes?’ I ask.
Rosie shakes her head, wearing the same closed-down expression as yesterday.
My chest tightens. ‘What’s wrong, baby?’
‘Bad tummy.’
‘Do you think maybe it’s a nervous tummy?’
She shakes her head. ‘I better stay in bed today.’
‘Shall I tell you what I think?’ I take her hand and give it a squeeze. ‘I think your tummy is feeling a bit wobbly after yesterday. Those silly boys made up stories and it made you feel a bit strange. Is that what’s happened?’
Rosie scowls.
‘And the best thing for a nervous tummy is to take a deep breath and be brave. I’ll come into school with you and talk to your teacher, okay?’
‘I want to stay here with you and Daddy. It’s not a nervous tummy, it’s a bad tummy.’
My heart breaks a little. There’s nothing I’d like more than for us all to stay home today, but that won’t do Rosie any favours. She has to face those little troublemakers and let them see she’s not intimidated. Easier said than done when you’re a five-year-old child.
And now she’s started crying. I need to think of a distraction.
‘Hey, tell you what, why don’t we invite Maisie and Sasha for tea after school today?’
I see her consider my suggestion, her scowl melting a little.
‘They could help us make the sailboat cakes.’
‘Can we go to the park too?’
‘Yes. But we better get dressed quickly, or we’ll be late, and I won’t get the chance to ask their mummies if they can come.’
‘Okay.’ She hops off the bed and runs out of the bedroom.
I take a breath. Thank goodness for that. Now I just have to give myself a talking to and stop stressing about what those boys said. It’s probably nothing sinister; just kids messing about.
The next hour goes by smoothly – well, as smoothly as it can when you’re trying to wrangle two young children into their clothes and get them to eat a