Homework – "Don't think about a cow", Matt Brinkley said

'Don't think about a cow', Matt Brinkley said to Seb, who was looking up at him,
'think about something smaller, like a chicken, or a pig, it will be easier to do with your limited resources'.

Seb, 9, cursed his mother and sighed inwardly. Trust his mum to not pack enough materials for his school farmyard project. It was always him who was missing something vital.

Meanwhile, Sophie Wren, Seb's mother, suddenly wondered why her laptop bag was full of cereal boxes and newspaper. 'Bugger', she muttered under her breath. 'He's going to kill me'.

'What was that, Mel'? Marcie, her PA said. 'Oh nothing, just ruining Seb's life again'. Sophie replied. Marcie looked sympathetic. 'Tea?'

She sent Seb a text to apologise, 'sorry hun, bag swap crisis, hope it didn't affect your work, love you, mum. Xxx'. Whilst she was sending it, she reflected on Seb's life, and what she had put him through in his short 9 years. Admittedly, not all her fault, but she hadn't made his life easy.

It had started with the hospital. All those long hours sitting by his bed had taken its toll on her marriage. Marc had stopped dropping by so much, stopped being at home so much as well for that matter. She hadn't had time to deal with it then. Being by Seb's bedside was the most important thing. Watching him sleep, watching him breathe, and praying that he would live, and thrive.

At one point, it got to a stage where they hadn't spoken for a whole week. The next time they spoke was when Marc had told her he wanted to separate. He hadn't signed up for illness and misery. He had signed up for a perfect family, causing no trouble, and a wife who looked after him. She took this stoically. She had no energy to fight, and no will to.

Day, after day she sat in that hospital. Seb was barely awake, and she couldn't concentrate on anything. The only people she saw in those long hours was the paediatrician, Lucy Mainsbridge. She popped in every day. As time went on, she took to sitting with them. Sometimes talking, sometimes not. It was Lucy, who put her hand in Mel's when Seb started rallying and the prognosis looked better. She was also the one who rang to see if she was ok when they finally went home, who kissed her during the picnic on Seb's first outdoor outing in a long time.

Marc had caused some problems when he found out. It wasn't that he wanted to be with her and Seb, he just didn't want his son to be around 'such people', as he put it. The court battle had been long and bloody. She had tried to keep Seb out of it, but she was worried that the scars would take longer to heal than those of his surgery.

The phone jolted her out of her reverie, 'Its Lucy', Marcia said through the ear piece. 'Thanks put her through'. She picked up the phone and waited for Lucy to speak.
'Hi, how's your day going, hun, I'm finishing up early so I'll pick up tea on the way home'.
'I screwed up, Seb went to school with only half of his project materials. I am such a bad mum.'
'Don't be ridiculous, he loves you, and her knows how much you do to look after him'.

Feeling reassured, Mel hung up. As she did her phone beeped, it was Seb. 'Hey ma, don't worry, borrowed off Henry, made 2 chickens. One for you and one for Lucy, love you. Xx'

Mel's smile lit up her face. Maybe she wasn't such a screw-up after all. She swivelled in her chair, caught some dangling wires and nearly toppled over. She laughed heartily and got on with finishing up her day so she could go home to her family.