One Small Word

Her mummy opens the train door and cautiously feels the edge of the step before descending onto the almost empty platform. Then she gives her hand to Frankie and guides her down the steps.

They walk along the platform and up some concrete steps to a busy road. They turn left into a side street, cross over and continue along a pleasant road lined with red-bricked Victorian terraces, all with neatly fenced front gardens. Frankie looks ahead as they walk. The road seems to go on forever. Her mother is very quiet.

After a while, her mother says, “I’m taking you to a really nice hospital where there will be lots of children and toys to play with.”

“Will you stay with me?” Frankie tightens her grip on her mummy’s hand. Her mother looks a bit strange and unsure, which is not how she usually looks.

“When we get there I’ll leave you for just a short while to go and buy you some comics.” Her mother’s voice sounds a bit strange too, and she is looking at the ground.

Frankie loves comics. She can’t read the words yet but she loves to look at the brightly coloured pictures while she listens to the stories. She feels better knowing that Mummy will return to the hospital to read comics to her. They walk in silence until they reach a large open wrought iron gate. They enter and follow a pathway across lush green lawns until they reach three steps up to a giant, brown wooden door with a shiny handle.