Mummy makes a sighing sound and turns to look at me. ‘Why wouldn’t you let her play?’

I stick my bottom lip out. Mummy always takes her side. It’s not fair. ‘Didn’t want to. They’re my cars. Not hers.’

Mummy puts her hand on my shoulder. ‘Come on, poppet. You’re so good at playing nicely with your sister usually. Let’s go back out and see if we can come up with a game you can both enjoy.’

I shake my head. ‘Only if she says sorry for spoiling my road first. And she can only have one car.’ Mummy tips her head to one side and makes that face she does when she doesn’t like what I’m saying. ‘Or maybe two, if she promises to play properly,’ I add.

Mummy smiles and nods. ‘OK. Good boy. We’ll talk to her about that too.’

Mummy lightly touches the back of my head as my arms are still full of cars and guides me back outside. My road is even more scuffed up and the dollies are on the grass, but there’s no one there.

Mummy runs to the gate, knocking my shoulder and my cars all fall down. The gate is wide open and one of the sparkly shoes is on the ground. ‘Anna!’ Mummy calls, running one way along the pavement and then the other way. ‘Anna!’ Where are you? Anna!’ she screams.

Mummy starts to cry and so do I. She runs back into the house, grabbing my arm as she passes, pulling me along with her. She lurches towards the phone.

‘Why weren’t you watching her?’ she screams as she picks up the receiver and jabs at the 9 on the phone three times just like we were taught to at school. ‘You should have been watching her!’

33

August 2013

Catford

Jesse has been giving me more dance lessons, and he says I’m a natural. And while I don’t know about that, I love it when we dance. It’s such fun.