CHAPTER ONE
ALEX HOLLIDAY WAS A SERIOUSLY BUSY MAN. He was in the middle of a crucial week for his small business. They made kids’ placemats and coasters and he had a number of important meetings in the next couple of days which would hopefully result in contracts being signed with some big stores. This would change his small business to a medium-sized one overnight. This would mean that Mr Holliday might actually be able to afford the money and time to take the Holliday family on an actual holiday at the end of the summer.
However, if he didn’t get the deals he needed, it would probably mean his small business would turn into a none-at-all business.
It all depended on whether or not this week went well.
It was looking like the brakes had been put on things this Wednesday morning. The home help, Janey, who minded Tom in the school holidays, was off sick with a nasty case of measles.
Alex stood at the breakfast bar in the kitchen, shovelling down some toast with one hand and texting with the other. He washed the toast down with some coffee, almost spilling it down his tie. Muttering under his breath, he put the mobile phone down and forced himself to take a bit more time.
His wife Charlotte came in. ‘I’ve spoken to Kelly Sanders. She says she’s no problem with having Tom around her house all day.’
‘Who’s Kelly Sanders?’
Charlotte rolled her eyes at her husband. ‘Kelly is Jack’s mum – Tom’s friend on Embers Avenue? She says she has a few errands to run, but Tom and Jack will be fine.’
‘Fine?’Alex’s brow furrowed. ‘What if Tom has an accident? What if he falls out of his chair when she’s off shopping or having a coffee with some other mums? Does she know the first thing about looking after someone in a wheelchair?’
Charlotte approached Alex, took his cup off him, and started straightening his tie and the lapels of his jacket. ‘Kelly doesn’t need to know anything about wheelchair-bound boys because our lovely son is eleven years old and can look after himself.’
‘He can’t, Charlie – what if he takes a tumble?’
‘Then he’ll do what he always does: pull himself up and get back in the chair. Jack will help him.’
‘She won’t be watching him all day. What if she lets them out and the chair gets stuck somewhere? What if it malfunctions in the middle of a road?’
‘Alex, he’s had Dodge for two years.’ That was what Tom called this particular wheelchair. ‘When has it ever malfunctioned?’
‘There is always a first time.’
‘Alex, really? Aren’t you worrying about all the wrong things here?’
‘What about a ramp in and out of the house? Does she even have a downstairs toilet?’
She shook her head. ‘You’re unbelievable.’
Then Tom rolled into the kitchen. The motorised action on Dodge was pretty smooth so they didn’t hear him coming. They jumped a little when he spoke. ‘Off to Jack’s then?’
‘Oh hi, Tom,’ said Alex. ‘No, I don’t think so. I’m going to ring round and see if I can get a replacement for Janey so you can stay home.’
‘You’re joking, right? Jack’s mum said it was okay...’
Alex looked squarely at Tom. ‘Well I said it isn’t. You’ll stay home. I’ll get someone.’
Tom grabbed his hair in frustration. ‘Mum! Tell him!’
Charlotte put her hand over Alex’s phone. ‘Look, I’ll take a couple of days off work. Then Janey will be back.’
Alex shook his head. ‘You need to save your holiday time for the end of summer so the three of us can go away when these contracts are up and running. You haven’t enough days left.’
‘Then perhaps we need to postpone the holi-’
‘No!’ interrupted Alex. ‘We are having a holiday this year. We need a holiday this year.’ He let out a big sigh. ‘I need to be on the road in ten minutes. Let me quickly find someone.’ He returned to his phone.
Charlotte indicated with her hand to Tom for him to back up and go into the living room. He did so and she followed him, leaving Alex to his calls. She knew that he wouldn’t let her sort it for him, even though she had more time before she was needed at work. Alex liked to be in control of everything where Tom was concerned.
If it was left to Charlotte she’d wave Alex off to work and then send Tom to Kelly’s house anyway. That would mean an argument later, but he wouldn’t have a leg to stand on once he saw that Tom had been perfectly safe and had had a great time with his friend all day.
Of course, Alex knew that she would do that, which was why he was so adamant about sorting everything out himself.
‘Your dad is doing what he thinks is best,’ Charlotte explained to Tom.
‘But I’m not a baby any more. I’ve lived with a chair for as long as I can remember. I’m not going to be freaked out if you two or Janey aren’t around to help me!’
‘I get that, Tom. It’s just going to take a bit longer for your dad to understand. He worries about you.’
‘Well he should worry about me having no friends, stuck in this house all day during the summer holidays!’
‘I’m sure once he’s sorted someone to come over, we can arrange for Jack to spend the day here too. I don’t think his mum will mind.’
Alex came into the living room, a smile on his face but it looked a little forced. ‘I’ve fixed it.’
‘Who?’ asked Charlotte.
There was a slight pause. ‘Grandma Patty.’
Charlotte put her hand on Tom’s shoulder to indicate that he shouldn’t overreact. ‘You’ve asked your mother over?’
‘It’s good. They never get to spend quality time alone together. They can... bond.’
Tom dragged his fingers down his cheeks, making his eyes look huge. ‘But she’s old!’
‘Don’t be silly, Tom – your Grandma is only sixty,’ said Alex. ‘She’s full of beans!’
‘That’s what worries me,’ said Charlotte. ‘You think your mother is a safer bet than Kelly Sanders?’
Alex shrugged. ‘I don’t know Kelly Sanders.’
‘But you do know your mother. I would have thought that would be all the information you needed.’
Alex waved the comment away as he looked at his watch. ‘It’s sorted now. I can’t stay here and go through it all; I’ve got to beat the traffic getting onto the motorway. I want to be at the office early so I can set up for the meeting.’
Tom held up the A4 notebook that had been resting on his lap. ‘I thought you were going to read my story this morning, Dad.’
‘I haven’t got time, buddy. Ask me later.’
‘That’s what you said last night.’
Alex looked down at his shoes briefly. ‘I’m just rushed off my feet at the moment.’ He couldn’t tell his son the extent of the difficulties he was under. He hadn’t really told Charlotte fully. He still felt bad though about how much he was having to put off spending time with his son. But he couldn’t fit in reading one of Tom’s huge notebook stories.
Then he looked back up as an idea popped into his head. ‘Maybe Grandma Patty will read it! Isn’t it the story you did in the Generations Project? She’ll love that! She said she’ll be here in thirty minutes.’ He reached over and ruffled Tom’s hair, trying to reassure his son with a smile. ‘You’ll have fun catching up.’
‘Yeah right,’ said Tom.
‘Don’t be sarcastic,’ said Charlotte. ‘It’s not nice.’ She leaned over and kissed her husband. ‘I suppose it’ll work out. I’ll get her to ring me, then I’ll text you updates.’
‘Thanks. He’ll be fine with her.’
‘And he would have been fine round at Kelly Sanders’ too, but never mind. Have a good day.’
‘Keep everything crossed for me. See you tonight, Tomohawk!’
‘Bye Dad,’ replied Tom, not too enthusiastically.
Once the front door shut, Tom guided Dodge down the hallway and back into his room. Charlotte watched him go with a pensive smile. Grandma Patty, she thought. Really?
(Copyright: Stephen and Aidan Barnard)