‘Yeah,’ cheered Ryan. ‘We’re the . . . What are we called?’
Silence loomed for a moment while everyone put their thinking caps on.
‘The Sunshine Superheroes,’ said Leo, looking mighty chuffed with himself.
Jax turned to him, frowning.
Ryan laughed. ‘I’m not wearing a badge that says that, but if it makes Leo happy, we can have that name.’
‘Yes!’ cheered Leo, once more adopting his pose.
Spencer looked around the table and smiled. He was so happy with his life now, and having a kindness awareness event to organize lifted his spirits just that little bit more, especially as the idea had come from the children, who seemed happy to make plans, even Jax.
Lottie caught his eye and smiled. ‘Remember the pop-up stand we had for the Hub at the Port Berry Craft Fayre? We could have more of those dotted around filled with info on allsorts. The more educated people are about things, the easier it is for them to have compassion.’
He had to agree. ‘Yes, we can have information on mental health as well as physical disabilities, and let’s not forget those with invisible disabilities, like Alice. She has to wear a badge asking for a seat when she’s using public transport, as no one can see how she might be feeling that day from fibromyalgia.’
‘She can’t always stand for too long,’ Lottie told the boys.
‘My mum had a row with a woman on the bus once about those badges,’ said Leo. ‘Another woman told a boy off for not giving up his seat to the lady with a badge, and his mum had a go at her because her son had problems with his hips. That’s why he didn’t get up. Hypomobil-something.’ He shrugged. ‘Anyway, my mum told the woman not to judge people. They might have their own reasons for not giving up their seat. The driver got involved in the end because there was lots of shouting.’
Spencer sighed, louder than he’d intended. ‘It makes me feel as though we should all have badges.’
Lottie blew upwards at her fringe. ‘If people were less judgemental and more kind, we wouldn’t have these problems.’
‘We should ask Debra to have the kindness festival at the centre, then more people will see how helpful being kind is,’ said Ryan. ‘I’m always happy there.’
‘That’s a good point,’ said Spencer, ‘but she’d have to close the quiet areas down for the day, and she won’t want to do that in case they’re needed. No, best we ask Councillor Seabridge for use of Old Market Square and Anchorage Park, once we’ve got Debra on board, that is.’
‘She’ll say yes,’ said Leo. ‘She loves kindness.’
The boys started to mutter among themselves about the festival while Spencer and Lottie shared a smile. He could tell by the way she looked at him that she was proud of him too. It was a good feeling, finally having purpose. What with the Happyto Help Hub and the Sunshine Centre, Spencer felt he’d found somewhere he was needed.
Once Rebecca had taken over as their parent, Lottie no longer needed him to feed and wash her. It was good for his little sister. Two-year-olds needed care, and even though his aunt fussed him, making sure he never had to lift a finger in her home, part of him was at a loose end. It seemed to stay with him as he grew. He spent many years feeling useless, and nobody knew.
Chapter 6
Beth
It was quiet outside. Cold and dark. Beth pulled away from the window, glad to see the back of another day. It was bad enough watching couples walk hand in hand the previous night for Valentine’s Day. She didn’t want to see love. It didn’t belong to her, and now she was slowly losing her mind, the chances of having that sort of love in her life was slim to none. Who’d want her? A broken mess of a woman.
Beth couldn’t get Spencer out of her head. She knew his name now, thanks to an online search of his shop. She felt so intrusive looking, but she had to. A family-run business, and just that line alone in the info section made her scoff. A rush of adrenaline had hit her heart when she saw Lottie’s name, but she soon settled when it became clear Lottie was his sister not wife.
Another search later, and she discovered he lived above the premises. He also had ties with the Happy to Help Hub in Port Berry, and the Sunshine Centre over in Penzance. Seemed he was one of life’s helpers, not just a florist. He was in the mental health care profession for children. There was so much about him she didn’t know. Everything in fact. Her heart pounded each time she set eyes on something about him on the screen. She was sure her finger would slip, hit the wrong key, and somehow let him know someone was online stalking him.
Closing her eyes as she slouched onto the sofa, she took a minute to dissect her life. She was beyond tired, in every way, and couldn’t function properly. Why, oh why couldn’t she just be like other mums? Everyone else seemed to cope.
She sat up, glancing at her son sleeping in a cream Moses basket on the living-room floor.
Poor Archie. You deserve better.
Numbness held off any tears.
Grabbing the phone, she decided it would be for the best if she called her cousin, if only to help clear her head.
‘Hello, Pearl.’
‘You okay, Beth? You’re calling late.’
