‘Come on Tommy, do it for Mummy.’
Harriet tried to lower him into the water again but still, he just screamed. ‘You really don’t like this water, do you?’ He tried to clamber up her arms. In a way, she did like this part because he pulled right up to her neck and nuzzled in, like he really needed her. She never really got cuddles from him, he wasn’t a cuddly baby, so for him to nuzzle right into her neck felt lovely. It was just a shame it took her subjecting him to anxiety to get it.
‘What about if Mummy sits in the water and you can sit on my lap?’ She began to kneel down but again, he started wailing before he even got near it.
‘Oh, you want to put an end to that before it scars him for life.’
Harriet turned around to follow where the voice had come from and was faced by an older woman who was standing with a young girl – clearly her granddaughter.
‘Sorry?’ Harriet asked, wondering if she was talking to her or not.
‘Your boy. You don’t want him growing up to be a wuss – get him in the water, quick dunk and he’ll soon get over it.’
Harriet felt the mix of anger and shame gurgle up as she listened to this woman who thought she had all the answers.
‘He’s a big enough lad, he can handle it. Look at those chunky legs.’ The grandma laughed but it sort of came out like a cackle.
‘Chunky?’ Harriet looked around her to see if anyone else was hearing this.
‘Yeah, he’s a big lad, isn’t he? How old is he, two?’
‘Just over a year actually.’
‘A year! Cor blimey, no wonder he doesn’t want to go in the water, poor guy is probably self-conscious about his rolls.’ More cackling.
‘I’m sorry, do you think it’s funny to be mocking and ridiculing someone else’s child?’ Harriet glanced over her left shoulder and watched Jayne approach from behind and stand by her side – like her wing woman.
‘I’m not mocking; I’m just saying she needs to be harder on him. She’s too soft, every time he cries she takes him out. My kids would never have got away with it – straight in I was, dunk, and they were fine.’
‘And that’s great,’ Jayne said, diplomatically. ‘But what works for you, might not work for another parent. And what is right for your child may not be right for other children. Do you see what I’m saying?’
The woman pulled a face. ‘Who are you, Mother Teresa or summin’? Children need discipline and they need to know where they stand. And where they stand in the pecking order is below their parents. They should respect and listen to the parents, so if you let him dictate when he goes in the water, then he will lose all respect and you’ll be setting yourself up for a problem later on in life.’
‘So, you’re saying that because I don’t force my son into the water right now, he’s going to be an absolute tearaway when he’s a teenager.’ She looked at Jayne ‘Is this woman for real?’
‘As I said, every person parents differently and we should respect that. And, if you don’t mind me saying, as an older lady I would like to think that you’d want to be supporting and helping other mums and dads rather than making them feel inadequate.’
‘Oh, give over love, I’m helping your friend out by saying this – she’ll thank me next year when she can relax whilst her children play in the pool – he won’t be scared anymore because Mummy grew a pair and got on with it.’
Harriet gasped. ‘Did you actually just say grew a pair? Listen here lady!’ Harriet walked forward to make her point, but she felt a hand on her forearm as Jayne halted her. Which was probably a good thing or grandma may have got more than just a piece of her mind.
‘Let me ask you something,’ Jayne started. ‘Have you got children?’
‘Well, of course I have children,’ the woman replied.
‘And do you remember what it was like when you had your first, those first few weeks, how scary it was? How you didn’t really know what you were doing? How you felt like everyone else knew what they were doing but you didn’t?’
‘I always knew what I was doing – it’s not hard being a parent. You just have to get on with it.’
‘Jayne, I don’t think you’re going to win this one over.’
‘I agree,’ Jayne replied under her breath. And then louder, to the woman: ‘OK, fair enough. That’s your opinion. If you wouldn’t mind though, we’d appreciate it if you kept your opinions to yourself with regards to our parenting as we clearly have different ideas – which is normal.’ She put emphasis on the word normal and glared at the woman who tutted and walked off muttering something about kids these days and disrespect.
‘You OK?’ Jayne asked and Harriet found herself shaking her head.
‘What is wrong with people, why stick your nose in just to be horrible.’
‘In all fairness, I don’t think she thought she was being horrible, I think she’s just one of those women who had children yonks ago when times were different and you didn’t ever moan about anything or talk to anyone, you did just get on with it. But nowadays, people are a lot more receptive to being open. You won’t always win everyone over.’ Jayne rubbed her hand on Harriet’s arm. ‘It’s her problem, not yours. Stay positive yeah?’ Harriet nodded.
‘So what’s happening with this little guy?’ She bent down so she was face to face with Tommy. ‘Are you being a pickle for mummy again?’
He smiled at her. Harriet couldn’t blame him. Jayne had one of these faces that just always seemed to be smiling and happy and fresh. You only had to look at her and you wanted to smile. She probably farted rainbows and burps butterflies too.
‘Do you want to have a try?’ Harriet asked, handing Tommy over but Jayne put her arms up.
‘No, if this is going to work, you need to do it. It will be great bonding for you if he overcomes this anxiety with you. Have you tried just putting his feet in?’
‘Yep. And I tried to sit down and have him on my lap but he won’t even let me sit.’
‘I have an idea. Go back to your sun loungers.’ Harriet did as she was asked and a few moments later Jayne returned with a bucket filled with water. ‘Try letting him put his hands in this – just to get a feel for the water.’
She did that and he was fine, splashing away with it.
‘Now try his feet.’
Harriet moved the bucket and put his toes in the water and he gave out an almighty wail. She pulled the bucket away, her eyes wide in surprise at the sudden eruption. ‘I just don’t get it.’
‘So, his hands are fine, but he doesn’t like his feet wet. What’s he like in the bath?’
‘He likes to have a really shallow bath and he hangs his feet in the air because he won’t sit up in the bath.’
‘Because his feet go in the water?’
‘I guess so, I didn’t even think about it to be honest. He always just lies straight down when I put him in the bath so I wash him like that.’ Harriet gasped as realisation hit her. ‘Maybe if we cover his feet up – with shoes or some of those raft shoe thingy’s, maybe he won’t mind then because his feet will be covered?’
‘I guess it’s worth a try. Do they even sell raft shoes this small?’ Jayne asked.
‘Only one way to find out.’ Harriet shrugged and packed up their stuff. There were at least three shops on the parade that sold water shoes – surely one of them would have something for Tommy.
***
Nancy ate her food slowly, constantly glancing over to Jack to make sure he was OK. They had been at lunch now for nearly an hour and Jack hadn’t asked to leave which was fantastic. Despite Jack’s concerned looks, Nancy had changed places with him at the table so that he was closer to Aiden who was playing on his iPad, in the hopes that Jack might take an interest too.
It also meant that she was now right next to Cameron.
‘Aren’t you going to eat your food Jack?’ She eyed up the pasta bowl she had brought with her from the resort, knowing Jack wouldn’t eat the fish and chips. Jack looked at his pasta and then at Nancy.
‘Can I try yours?’
She frowned, confused. ‘Mine? My fish and chips?’ He nodded, although he didn’t look sure. ‘Of course darling, here.’ She chopped up a tiny piece of fish and put a couple of chips on a napkin sliding it across to him. He just looked at it, not making any movement to pick it up. ‘You don’t have to try it if you don’t want to.’ She wanted to reassure him, to let him know it was alright if he didn’t want to but inside, she really wanted him to. She watched him look over to Aiden who was shovelling the chips in and then back at the napkin. Then Nancy understood. Jack clearly had an interest in Aiden. He’d watched him the other night in the disco hall, he’d asked for him today and he’d taken in the booklet with curiosity. Something about Aiden piqued his inquisitive side and it was having all sorts of positive effects on him. Maybe because he had seen Aiden eating, that was why he wanted to try. He continued to look at the food, not moving. Nancy decided to leave him to his own devices and continue her conversation so he knew he wasn’t being watched.
‘So come on then, what is it that you do for work?’ Cameron asked when she turned back to him.
Nancy took a spoonful from the mushy pea pot in the centre of the table and tapped it onto her plate. ‘Maybe I should give you an array of clues like you did for me.’
‘Go on then, try me. I like a challenge.’
Nancy thought for a moment to try and think of the most obscure clues so that he would never get it. ‘My job involves numbers.’
‘Oh, come on, that could mean anything.’ He laughed.
‘It also involves time management and project management.’
‘Maybe something in HR?’ he asked, sipping from his can of Coke.
‘Nope. Some days I have to liaise with teams of people and plan events and every single day I work with children and food.’
Cameron paused and stared at her. ‘Jeez, it sounds like you have your work cut out for you – sort of a jack-of-all-trades. Do you work long hours?’
‘Very long hours – pretty much all the time. I don’t get sick pay so I have to go into work whether I feel good or not and I don’t get holiday pay either.’ A smile spread across her face as she watched Cameron’s expression delve deeper into confusion.
‘What! That’s ludicrous. And I thought my hours were bad – are you a sort of carer?’ He clearly thought he had guessed it by the raised eyebrow expression he was giving her.
Nancy smiled. ‘Yeah you could say that – I do care for people. Well, one person in particular.’
Cameron looked baffled. ‘How many people are at your work – do you work with a team of people or is it a solo project kind of thing?’
‘I work with just one other person every day and then occasionally I will have meetings with other people.’
Cameron thought for a moment and then exhaled. ‘I give up – I actually give up. You’ve stumped me. It sounds like you are doing absolutely everything for hardly any pay. And, if I’m honest, it sounds like your employer is exploiting you a little bit - maybe you should have a word with them and tell them they can’t expect you not to have any holiday. Unless you’re under a certain number of hours? But you said it was full-time?’ She nodded, a smirk across her face. ‘I just … I don’t know. Air hostess?’
Nancy burst out laughing. ‘I wish! Then I could get to travel to lots of exotic destinations and get all dressed up for work. Most of the time I am in jeans and a T-shirt of some kind.’
‘So you don’t have a uniform?’
‘No, not like yourself.’
‘Still thinking of my uniform, huh?’ he winked playfully at her. ‘Because I tell you, those green scrubs and hair net are a very attractive addition to any man’s wardrobe.’
Nancy laughed and felt her cheeks redden at the flirtatious wink. She changed the subject to save her embarrassment. ‘So come on – what is my job?’
He thought for a moment and then finally said. ‘I give up! What job could possibly be all those hours, with so many skills involved?’
Nancy smiled. ‘I’m a full-time mum.’
Cameron smiled. ‘Very sneaky.’
Nancy held her hands out. ‘What? It’s my job and every aspect of what I said is true.’
‘I don’t doubt that for a second – you’re very clever with this game. Hats off to you.’
‘Well, it’s not strictly true, I do have another job,’ she conceded.
‘Oh, I see – thought you would twist the rules of the game.’ He dramatically tutted and shook his head at her. ‘I’m disappointed in you Nancy, you tried to play me.’
‘Woah, woah, woah, hang on a second Mr.’ She held her hands up in mock shock. ‘All of the skills described in my full time mum role also apply to the job I do occasionally too.’
Cameron dropped his shoulders and frowned. ‘What? You just don’t make any sense!’ She laughed. ‘So you do all of that, and then occasionally you do it all again but for someone else?’ He thought for a minute. ‘Do you have more children?’
This time Nancy burst out laughing and threw her head back. ‘No,’ she chuckled, ‘but this game is hilarious. Just watching your face go from slightly confused to full blown baffled is a picture.’
‘Oh, I’m glad I’m providing the entertainment for you today.’ She saw a cheeky smile sneak over his lips as he picked up his can for more drink – clearly buying himself some time. ‘When you say occasionally, how often do you do this other job?’
‘When I’m needed.’ She shrugged.
‘So they just call you up and say we need you and you go to work?’ He frowned as she nodded. ‘OK, I give up. You are officially far too mysterious for my brain. Clearly I have switched off into holiday mode and my intelligence is taking a well-earned break.’
‘Well-earned? Because you are so super intelligent all the time, you need a rest from it?’ She raised an eyebrow and smiled, feeling more and more comfortable in this flirtatious mode they seem to have adopted today.
‘Exactly.’ He nodded and leaned back into his chair, puffing his chest out in pride. Nancy threw her napkin across the table as she laughed. ‘Hey!’
‘You’re such an idiot,’ she said under her breath, loud enough for him to hear but quiet enough so they boys didn’t.
‘Don’t be a hater just because I’m smart,’ he said, holding his palms out.
‘You’re not that smart, you can’t guess my job.’ She poked her tongue out. She loved this playfulness. It felt liberating to be messing around like this and not spending all her time stressing about absolutely everything. This holiday had been so good for her sanity; she secretly hoped she could sustain this more relaxed nature when they went home. Although when she thought about the school meetings and Pete, she knew that it would probably be harder than she thought.
‘Childminder!’ he suddenly shouted, leaning forward in anticipation. Nancy left it hanging in the air for a moment before shaking her head, just to build up the tension for him. ‘Ah man, I thought I had it then.’
‘You’re not a million miles away, but you’re not right.’
‘OK, just tell me then.’ He waited, eyes on her. She looked back at him, unable to take her gaze away from his gorgeous blue eyes. They had so much behind them, such depth. He had a story to tell, this one, she just knew it. But what that story was, she didn’t know. She just knew that those beautiful eyes were also harbouring sadness, for whatever reason. They drew her in and held her captive. After a minute she coughed to regain her composure and control.
‘I am a relief teaching assistant at a school.’
‘Oh I really was close!’
‘You were … but you still didn’t get it.’ She laughed as he playfully nudged her shoulder with him.
‘Alright smarty pants!’ Cameron took a sip of his drink and then leaned in to whisper to Nancy. ‘And have you noticed anything?’
‘No, what?’
‘Your son.’ He nodded his head towards Jack, and Nancy looked over to him and was momentarily lost for words. Because whilst she and Cameron had been messing around and chatting, and whilst the attention wasn’t on him, Jack had moved his chair a little closer to Aiden and was now leaning slightly towards him, so he could see the screen of his iPad. Aiden was talking him through the game he was playing and Jack was listening. Actually listening.
‘Oh my God,’ she whispered. ‘Cameron, he’s interacting with him.’
‘I know.’
She couldn’t take her eyes off him.
‘If you put this bit here and then tie that bit round, then it means it won’t fall off and the wall will be stronger,’ Aiden was saying, swiping and tapping away at the screen as he spoke.
Nancy turned to face Cameron, her eyes wide with wonder. ‘Your booklet idea worked.’
‘I guess it did. Who’d have thought it, hey?’
‘What made you think of it?’ she asked, not taking her eyes off Jack and Aiden. For so long she had wanted Jack to experience the feeling of interacting with a child of his own age and actually wanting to do it. Instantly, this small gesture made Jack look so much older to Nancy. He seemed really grown up, not her little baby boy anymore. The feeling was both thrilling and constricting in equal measures. She was so happy for him but she worried about him becoming overwhelmed and then not wanting to do it again. She wanted to join in, talk with them both and get involved but she knew that if she did, she risked ruining it all and making a big deal out of it, forcing Jack to recede back into his shell. She needed to let him do this on his own. Her stomach tensed as she watched him in awe.
‘Do you know, I couldn’t tell you? It just came to me. I remember you saying he didn’t like people because they were new and he didn’t know them so I just thought, why not let him get to know us before he meets us. And then Aiden really wanted to draw all the pictures – he’s quite the artist.’ Cameron rolled his eyes.
‘It was a great idea. I really can’t thank you enough.’ Her hands were clasped under the table as she watched and it was only after a moment that she realised how much her nails were digging into her palms. Her whole body felt tense. She tried to relax a little bit.
‘Don’t thank me. Just, maybe, agree to have dinner with me one night before you go home?’
The comment shocked her into turning her head to look at him. She blushed. ‘Dinner?’
‘Yes dinner. You know, the meal that generally comes after lunch and before bedtime.’
She playfully hit his arm. ‘I know what dinner is, you wally!’
‘Wally? I’ll have to watch out in case you try to bite into me.’ A cheeky smile. ‘Although maybe that wouldn’t be such a bad thing,’ he added, quietly.
‘OK, if you’re going to take the piss then I think I’ll decline dinner and save the embarrassment.’ She turned and crossed her arms, pretending to be annoyed.
‘Oh now, come on, I didn’t mean it. Forgive me. Let me take you to dinner, to make up for it?’ He lifted his arm and placed it onto the back of her chair. It was a smooth move and he technically didn’t have his arm around her, just resting on her chair. But it opened up his body language and Nancy was reminded of his tattooed chest as it peeked out from his unbuttoned top.
She tried to change the subject. ‘What’s your tattoo? What does it mean?’
‘Looking at my chest, huh?’ He raised an eyebrow.
‘Well, no … I … it’s poking out.’
He laughed, a shocked expression forming fast. ‘Oh, is it now!’
She blushed crimson at the realisation of what he’d insinuated and covered her face in embarrassment. ‘No! I didn’t mean that and you know it! You’re just trying to embarrass me.’ His chuckling was contagious and she found herself laughing with him. ‘You’re mean; you knew that would embarrass me.’
‘I couldn’t help myself, sorry. Listen, let me take you out to dinner and we can discuss my tattoo – and it’s poking out – then.’ He tried to look innocent – it didn’t work.
‘You do realise this is an all-inclusive resort – so you won’t actually be taking me to dinner as opposed to eating alongside me,’ she said, crossing her arms at her smart comment.
‘Fair enough, would you like to eat alongside me at dinner time – after lunch and before bed – one evening before you leave to go home … ma’am?’
Nancy smiled, she liked his playfulness; it was refreshing. He made her laugh. He made her feel like the old Nancy. The Nancy who could have a laugh and a joke and mess around. Not the serious, stressed Nancy she had become of late. ‘I guess it could be fun.’
‘No, don’t do it like that, it’ll fall down. Look, let me do it.’ Jack took the iPad off Aiden and began swiping and tapping and now it was Aiden’s turn to lean over and watch. ‘Look, like this.’
Nancy put her hand onto Cameron’s forearm. ‘Is my son playing with your son – like actually talking and playing a game, together?’
‘I believe so.’ He replied and placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed gently. ‘He’s doing great.’
She turned and gave him a smile. ‘Thank you, Cameron.’
‘Anytime.’