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She smiled at the question. ‘I did my best. How was your day at summer camp? Did you meet anyone nice?’
Because it was the summer holidays she’d been forced to find Archie somewhere to go during the week, and fortunately she’d found a wonderful children’s ‘camp’ run by a team of teachers from the local primary school. Gi
ven that Archie would be attending the same school from September, it had seemed like an ideal solution.
‘I did magic.’
‘What sort of magic?’ Unable to resist touching him, she smoothed his hair gently, thinking that in the dark like this, snuggled in pyjamas covered in boats, he still seemed like her baby. But she knew he was growing up very fast and she was making the most of every single moment. ‘How did you get to be six? Tell me that. Last time I looked you were still a baby.’
‘Magic.’ Archie looked at her, his eyes huge. ‘Did you know that I can make myself invisible whenever I want to?’
‘Really?’ Kat looked impressed. ‘Wow, I bet that’s really useful.’
He nodded. ‘I did it today in camp. Twice.’
She lifted a hand to free her hair and it tumbled in waves over her shoulders. There was a frown in her eyes as she listened to him. ‘Are you having problems making friends, sweetheart?’ She’d worried like mad about uprooting him but Archie was such a friendly child she’d assured herself that he’d soon settle in. ‘Who did you eat lunch with?’
‘A boy called Thomas.’ Archie sighed. ‘He turned me into a chatterbox.’
Knowing that her son never stopped talking, Kat hid the smile. ‘How did he do that?’
‘Well, he kept talking to me so I had to talk back instead of listening to the captain.’
Kat smiled. The summer camp was run along the lines of a ship with a ‘captain’ and ‘mates’. They were obviously very creative.
‘And did the “captain” tell you off?’
Archie shook her head. ‘Not once I explained I’m not normally a chatterbox. Anyway…’ he stifled a yawn ‘…camp is different to school. No one tells you off. It’s cool.’
Relieved that he was obviously enjoying himself, Kat felt herself relax. At least that was one less thing to worry about. ‘And what did you do?’
‘They taught us knots. The bunny runs round the tree and goes back down his hole. Or something like that.’ Archie wriggled further under the covers. ‘I had chicken nuggets for lunch. With curly chips.’
‘Delicious.’ Kat thought of her own day. Lunch had been nothing more than a hopeful thought and a few chocolates from a box a patient had left for the staff. Her stomach was growling in protest. She tucked the lightweight duvet round her son and stood up. ‘You need to get some sleep now. I’ll see you in the morning.’
‘Can we go to the beach?’
‘Not tomorrow because I’m working and you’re in camp. But on Saturday…’ she smiled and bent to kiss him ‘…we’ll spend the whole day there. And you’ll love it.’
‘Sandcastles?’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Big ones?’
‘Definitely.’
‘And a picnic?’
Kat flicked on the nightlight. ‘And a picnic. Now, go to sleep or you’ll be far too tired to be any fun.’
‘Mum?’ His voice stopped her in the doorway.
‘What?’
‘Can we go sailing? Please? In a real boat? I’ve learned the knots in camp.’
Kat scanned the room, her eyes taking in the curtains covered in boats, the blue duvet covered in boats and the various plastic boats that littered the bedroom. Ever since he’d been able to express an opinion, Archie’s preference had been for boats.
