Chapter 15
Like men, children weren’t my area of expertise, but I knew I couldn’t simply leave the little boy sat there. I couldn’t just ignore him. I had to do something.
With Frank still asleep on the rug, I put my cup down on the windowsill and headed out of the room. Grabbing my coat off the bottom of the banister, I threw it on and buttoning it up tight, let myself out of the house. I paused at the kerbside to look first one way and then the other and with no approaching vehicle or individual in sight, I made my way across the street. “Excuse me,” I asked the little boy, making sure to keep my voice gentle. “Is everything okay?”
The boy looked up at me. “I’m waiting for my mum.” As he glanced around, tears threatened in his eyes, but I could see he was doing his best not to cry. “She’ll be here soon.”
“I’m sure she will,” I replied. At least I hoped she would. Despite trying to take charge of the situation, not only didn’t I have a clue how to handle children, it was way too cold for either of us to be outside.
Shivering, the boy wrapped his arms around his knees.
“Can I get you something to drink?” I asked. “Some milk? Or a hot chocolate, maybe?”
He shook his head.
“It’s very cold out here. It would help warm you up.”
Again, the boy declined. “I’m fine, thank you.”
Despite his tender age, he reminded me of myself. I was the same, even as an adult, when it came to people I didn’t know. Polite yet lacking in engagement. I offered him a friendly smile, aware that I should probably introduce myself. “I’m Antonia, by the way. I’m staying at Number 3 just over the road there.”
The little boy looked at me once more, this time scrutinising my features. “Mum says I’m not allowed to talk to strangers.”
I felt my heart melt. “And quite right your mum is too,” I replied. I was relieved to hear he’d listened to his mother’s advice. Firstly, because he was keeping himself safe and that no matter the inducement, he wouldn’t be trotting off with persons unknown, never to be seen again. And secondly, it meant I didn’t have to pretend I knew anything about computer games, comic books, dinosaurs, or whatever the latest craze happened to be. “It’s all right,” I said, taking a seat on the kerb with him. “We don’t have to talk. We can just sit.”
As the two of us waited for his mother to arrive, I sneaked a glimpse at the little boy. He pushed his fringe out of his eyes and looked so vulnerable and innocent. I knew all the emotions that were running around his head. Feeling scared that something had happened to his mum. Feeling worried about what that might mean. Feeling anxious in case no one else came to find him. Having been in the little boy’s situation numerous times when I was a child, I’d experienced the exact same desperation. Except my worries played out in an emptying schoolyard, not at a bus stop.
I dreaded to think about the consequences if I hadn’t been at the window to spot him getting off the bus. While I appreciated we were in a village where everyone knew everyone, it only took the wrong person to be passing through and puff! the little boy could have vanished. People of all ages disappeared all the time. I only had to turn on the news back home and some horrific event was being reported. Refusing to think about any morewhat ifs, I looked around at the stone cottages and surrounding green fields and soaking up the calmness around me, took comfort in what Jules had said about Little Leatherington being a safe haven.
A car speeding towards us broke the quiet. It screeched as the driver hit its brakes, bringing the vehicle to a sudden halt.
“Mummy!” the little boy said. His eyes lit up and he jumped to his feet.
I stood up too, while the woman grappled with her seat belt and hastily clambered out of her car.
“Seb,” she said, racing towards her son. “I’m so sorry I’m late.” She pulled him to her and kissed the top of his head.
I felt a lump in my throat as I watched the little boy wrap his arms around his mum’s waist, before squeezing his eyes shut and hugging her tight.
“I got stuck in traffic and…”
The little boy loosened his grip. “I was fine, Mummy,” he said, looking up at her. “This lady looked after me.” He gestured in my direction. “I didn’t talk to her though. Because she’s a stranger. And I said no when she asked me if I wanted a drink.”
His mum smiled down at him, before turning to me. “Thank you,” she said. “I really am grateful. Coming out of work I couldn’t believe how busy the roads were…”
“Christmas shoppers, no doubt,” I replied.
“As much as I love this time of year, there are definitely downsides.” She took a deep breath as if to gather herself. “I’m Lizzie, by the way.”
“And I’m Seb,” the little boy said. He looked at me all serious and as if trying to appear older than his years, and held out his hand for me to shake.
“Antonia,” I replied, accepting his gesture, even if I had already told him my name.
“I would have called someone, but…” Lizzie shrugged her shoulders, as if resigned. “Well, it’s just the two of us.”
“I was happy to help,” I said.
“I honestly can’t thank you enough.”
I waved her gratitude away. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.”
The woman hugged her son again and leaving them to it, I turned to leave, glad to be getting out of the cold.
