| The young woman sat on a park bench and watched her son feeding the ducks with his Grandmother. Thank God for parents. Where would she be now without her mother? Sitting in a dingy flat staring at her Tesco uniform dreading the next day. But Jaden wouldn�t have let that happen would he? �Of course not precious.� The voice behind her made her jump. He always had liked his big entrances. �Stupid man!� she said as he sat next to her on the bench. �Where have you been for the last five years?� �Michelle darling, he�s not my son.� She looked at him angrily, but then followed his gaze. She remembered the beautiful white owl from a number of places, one being a film she used to love as a child, another being sitting on her friend�s violin case seven years ago. It was watching her son with what resembled curiosity, if a bird can express curiosity. The boy didn�t notice and nor did it�s Grandmother, but Michelle watched it closely, trying to guess what it would do next. �What is he thinking?� Michelle asked. �He�s considering whether or not it�s his.� Jaden was enjoying this a lot. Well he hadn�t been looking after a kid for the last six years. �Well who�s does he think he is?� She turned back to where Jaden had once been. Finding only an empty bench she turned back, to discover the reason; her mother and son walking back towards her, hand in hand. Then the boy let go of his Grandmothers hand and ran to his mother with open arms. Michelle caught him and lifted him up, and regretted it. �Phew, you�re getting heavy,� she said, putting him down. �Yes, he�s getting to be a big boy now, aren�t you Dominic?� said the boys Grandmother. �Mummy, Grandma said we could go to the caf� for some cake!� �Dom, it�s half five and it�s a Sunday, you are going to school tomorrow, and you haven�t had dinner yet. We have to go home.� �O! Please Mummy.� �No. Sorry Mum. But you understand don�t you?� Michelle looked at her mother apologetically. �Of course darling, I�ve raised two children of my own you know.� �Mummy, I hate school,� said Dom sulkily. �O, darling, we all hated school, but believe me it�s a lot more fun than work.� Dominic pulled his sulky face, and Michelle laughed at his pathetic efforts to sway her. �Thanks for today, Mum it�s been great.� She looked at her mother. �Say thank you to Grandma Dominic.� �Thank you Grandma,� he said dutifully. �You�re very welcome,� the older lady answered. �Now, are you going to give me a hug before you go?� Dominic ran at her and grabbed her round the waist, and Michelle giggled at his everlasting energy. She checked behind the two in search of the owl, but it appeared to have gone. She looked back at Dominic and smiled. �Come on, Dom. We need to go.� Dom kissed his Grandmother, as did his mother, and the two left hand in hand, being watched by the old woman, and the owl who was now perched behind where Michelle had stood. �Mummy, how long �till Christmas?� �Dom, its July!� �So when�s Christmas?� �December.� �How long�s that?� �Ages.� Dom thought about this. He thought a lot for a child of 6. �How long till I can stop going to school?� Michelle looked at him sadly. �You really don�t like it do you?� �It�s real bad.� �Really bad!� �It�s really bad. The kids are nasty.� �They�re nasty to you?� �Yeah. They all laugh at me all the time.� �Oh! Why?� �Because I haven�t got a Daddy.� Michelle was silent. She didn�t know how to answer that. She swallowed. �Mummy, why haven�t I got a Daddy?� Michelle considered this. Why hadn�t Jaden stayed with her, and why hadn�t Jareth acted sooner? It didn�t really matter though. She was happy. She wanted more, but she was happy. She missed the music, though she still had her violin and her small electric keyboard. It wasn�t like it used to be with the orchestras and duets with Pascal and the excitement of concerts. She�d given it all up for Dom, but in some ways that was OK. She loved him very much, and they were doing all right, in their two bedroomed maisonette, not far from her parents. They helped out. She didn�t need Jareth or Jaden. �You haven�t got a Daddy, because you don�t need one,� she said. �You have me, and Grandma and Granddad, and Uncle Peter when he�s home from university. Why do you need a Daddy?� �John Samson�s got four Grandparents, Three uncles, Two aunts and a Mummy and Daddy.� �Well John Samson doesn�t have me as a Mummy!� Dom looked up at her and grinned. Then he said �Mummy, that�s a barn owl.� Michelle turned to where he was pointing in surprise, and looked towards where he was pointing, and sure enough there sat the beautiful white barn owl. �Mrs Baker said that barn owls only come out at night,� said Dom. He let go of his mother�s hand and started to walk towards the bird, which didn�t move. Michelle was suddenly very scared. �Dominic!� she said sharply. �Come back here!� The owl seemed to be looking at her. Dom turned around surprised. �Now!� she said. She grabbed his hand and marched off, dragging the confused child with her. He wondered why an owl had scared his mother so much. They got home a few minutes later, and Dominic ran to the keyboard, turned it on, and started playing a nursery rhyme. Michelle smiled and cooked the dinner |