by Griff Hosker
As his mum watched with tear filled eyes Anna hugged Wayne silent and afraid to speak. “Listen, now it’s all over, tell me what happened at Larpool?”
“It was just the way I told the head.”
“Which means I never find out.”
He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Miss you wouldn’t believe it.”
Laughing she got back in the car. “See you Wayne. Hopefully when I visit your school with my other cases.”
“See you miss.” He turned to his mum. “Could I leave my chess set out on the coffee table. I don’t want it damaged getting it in and out of the box.”
She looked at the board and the pieces as he laid them out. “I don’t see why not but, “she added, “You get to dust it.”
“Deal.”
They ate their tea in companionable silence. Wayne sat in the seat which afforded the best view of the chess set while his mum could see the television better. After they had cleared the table his mum said, “Any homework?”
“No that’s one advantage of being a librarian; I get to do my homework there in a nice quiet place with everything I need to hand.”
“Good. I am thinking of getting a better television and digital. What do you think?”
Without taking his eyes from the chess board he replied, “Well that’s a good idea as long as we don’t have to send it back when the money runs out.” He turned and looked at his mum meaningfully.
“Look Wayne I am better and this isn’t London. I’ll get myself a job. Anna has given me a few contacts and while you are at school tomorrow I will look for one. I am not going to repeat my mistakes.”
He smiled. “No, just make new ones.”
“Cheeky little, “and then she laughed too. “You’ve changed our Wayne.”
“I know. Do you like the new me or not?”
“Oh yes. “
“Well I like me too and that is a first.”
She busied her self making a cup of tea and when she returned she sat opposite Wayne. “You know before you told Anna that someone told you to listen to the voices in your head. Who was that?”
“I can’t say. It’ll sound daft.”
“It’s just that I was told the same thing.”
Wayne looked up intrigued. “Who by? Your gran?”
“No I never met her she died before I was born.” She sipped her tea. “Why did you say that?” He shrugged. “Come on Wayne we can have no secrets can we? Anna told me that your keeping silent actually helped the bullies.”
“This isn’t about bullying mum.”
“I know but whatever you tell me I won’t think it is silly and I won’t think you are stupid.”
He looked at her, his eyes sad, “But you used to.”
She sudden felt a flush of guilt course through her body. “I wasn’t well. I didn’t know what I was saying half the time.”
“I know. Well if you must know, and I know it sounds unbelievable, but the ghost of great gran came to me when I was at Larpool. The first time was when I was really sad and feeling desperate and the second time, well that was when Johnno fell and she came for me to rescue him. She told me that when you love someone they never die and all you need to do is close your eyes and see them and hear them.” She nodded. “You don’t seem surprised?”
“No Wayne. When I was lying in that bed, just after nana died I was feeling really sorry for myself and felling guilty about never making it up with my mam. And then she came.”
“Who great gran?”
“No. Nan Thomson.”
“Nana?”
“She told me to get better because you needed me. She told me what a difference you had made to her life and she said she wanted me to come home. When I said how sorry I was about the years we could never have she told me I could always see her if I closed my eyes and listened.”
“I’m glad you made up with her.”
“Me too but I regret the fact that she never saw you grow up.”
“I know but the time we had was special and I am sorry you never got to meet your gran. She was special too.”
“It’s good that we are here in this house.”
“I know, we have two guardian angels here.”
He got up and gave his mum a hug. “Well I’m off to bed. I’m tired and I have to walk to school in the morning. No more lifts for me.”
“Good night son sleep tight.”
“…hope the bed bugs don’t bite.”
Perhaps it was their imagination but they both heard a faint laugh rising through the room.
The End
* * *
[1] Shan- Hartlepool slang for: being unfair, not liking something, behaving in an inappropriate manner
[2] Doyle- Hartlepool slang for a fool
[3] Howay- North Eastern, an exclamation
[4] Nashed- to leave somewhere quickly. Hartlepool slang
[5] Knacked- Hartlepool slang for hit