‘Do you like your school, Stanley?’

‘Some bits.’

Because that was true. There were some bits he really liked. Like when he had to make a Second World War air-raid shelter in history class, out of papier mâché and poster paint, or when he got to do reading and making up stories. Learning new words was his favourite. But there were other bits he didn’t like, and he didn’t want to talk about those because they could make him feel upset.

Luckily the lady with the curly hair didn’t ask him about the bits he didn’t like. Instead she asked if they’d like her to show them around the school, but it wasn’t really a question. Stanley noticed adults did that a lot. Ask questions that weren’t really questions. Anyway, he didn’t mind this time, as she was really nice and she showed them lots of things – like the big, bright assembly hall with walls filled with lots of artwork, and the box they kept in the corner of all the classrooms, for if you were ever feeling sad or angry or cross.

She called it a ‘calm box’ and let Stanley play with it. It was really fun. He made a list in his head of all the things inside: playdough, bendy pipe cleaners, a beanbag, a massage ball, and soft material like his comforter, which he still kept hidden under his pillow at home. His dad must have liked the box too, as he was smiling when Stanley was playing with it. Liv had left Harry in the van because dogs weren’t allowed into the school, and she kept asking lots of questions. He kept hearing her talking about ‘support’ and ‘adequate training’ and ‘keeping him in the mainstream’. Stanley didn’t know what all those words meant, but he hoped Harry was OK.

When they drove home, his dad asked if he’d like to go to that school. Stanley didn’t know if he would; he didn’t like new things. But his dad said that Harry had been new, and now he liked Harry a lot. Which was a very good point, and one Stanley hadn’t thought of before. So he said he would think about it and looked out of the window. This time he counted . . . Red cars: eight. Blue cars: eighteen. White cars: four.

Which made blue the winner, with a total of twenty-eight cars. Stanley was pleased about that, as blue was his favourite colour.

A Big Birthday

On a Saturday morning, two weeks after my day trip to Whitby, I catch the train to London to celebrate Naomi’s big birthday. This time I’m going to be away for the weekend. Well, technically it’s only one night, but still. A whole weekend in the city! Back to where I used to call home for more than twenty years. It feels both strange and exciting, and a whole other bunch of complicated emotions that I don’t want to think about right now, so I’ve packed them along with my underwear and toiletries.