Nobody’s Son: All Alex ever wanted was a family of his own. Cathy Glass

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СКАЧАТЬ Door!’ Adrian shouted unnecessarily from the foot of the stairs. He knew not to answer the door, even if we were expecting someone. It was part of our ‘safer caring policy’, which all foster carers work to.

      ‘I’ll be down!’ I called. Then to Alex, who was still under the duvet, ‘Can you come down with me?’

      ‘No,’ came the muffled reply. ‘I’m too scared.’

      ‘OK. Stay there for a few minutes while I go down and let them in. I’ll take them into the living room and once they’re settled I’ll come back up for you. How does that sound?’

      ‘I’ll try.’

      ‘Good boy.’

      I came out, leaving his bedroom door open – I knew he’d be listening out for his parents’ voices – and returned downstairs. Adrian was now peering through the security spy hole in the front door. ‘It’s them,’ he said. ‘I recognize them from the photograph in Alex’s album. But they’re not wearing their best clothes.’

      ‘Adrian, don’t tell them that!’

      He grinned cheekily and then stood beside me as I opened the front door. ‘Hello, lovely to see you again,’ I said, welcoming Edward and Rosemary.

      ‘And you, Cathy,’ Edward said. Then to Adrian, ‘Hello, young man.’

      ‘Hello,’ Adrian said politely.

      ‘He’s very different from his photographs,’ Rosemary said as they came in. ‘I wouldn’t have recognized him.’

      ‘Oh no, this isn’t Alex,’ I said. ‘This is Adrian, my son.’

      ‘I’m sorry,’ Rosemary said with an embarrassed laugh. But it broke the ice.

      ‘Come through and have a seat in the living room,’ I said. ‘I’ll fetch Alex down in a minute. He’s in his bedroom.’

      ‘Not still in bed, surely?’ Edward exclaimed jocularly. ‘James and I have been on a five-mile bike ride already.’

      I smiled. ‘No, he’s not in bed, he’s just a bit nervous.’

      ‘Shall I go up and talk to him?’ Rosemary kindly offered.

      ‘I think it would be better if I persuaded him to come down,’ I said. We went into the living room and I introduced Rosemary and Edward to Paula.

      ‘Hello, dear,’ Rosemary said. ‘What are you doing? Playing?’

      She gave a small, shy nod.

      ‘This is Alex’s mummy and daddy,’ I told Paula.

      ‘That’s nice,’ she said cutely.

      ‘What a sweet child,’ Rosemary said.

      ‘Not always,’ Adrian added quietly.

      Edward laughed. ‘That’s girls for you, lad! Give me sons any day.’

      ‘Can I get you a tea or coffee?’ I offered as Edward and Rosemary sat on the sofa.

      ‘Not for me, thank you,’ Rosemary said.

      ‘What about you, Edward? Would you like a drink?’

      ‘No, thank you. I was rather hoping to meet Alex.’

      ‘There’s no rush,’ Rosemary said. ‘He’s bound to be shy to begin with.’ But Edward looked at me expectantly.

      ‘I’ll see if he’s ready to come down,’ I said, and left the room. I appreciated that Edward was probably as nervous as the rest of us and that we all showed it in different ways, but I hoped he would soften his manner a little when he spoke to Alex who, unfamiliar with Edward, might find it a little intimidating.

      I was about to start up the stairs when Alex appeared, coming down, carrying his photograph album under one arm and his toy Simba under the other.

      ‘Well done, good boy,’ I said. I waited for him at the foot of the stairs and as he joined me he slipped his hand into mine. I gave it a reassuring squeeze.

      ‘Can I sit on your lap?’ he whispered.

      ‘Yes, of course.’

      ‘This is Alex,’ I said to Rosemary and Edward as we entered the living room. I went to the armchair and lifted him onto my lap.

      ‘Hello, Alex,’ Edward said. ‘I’m Edward and this is my wife, Rosemary.’ It was far too formal and distant, but I put it down to nerves.

      ‘This is your new mummy and daddy,’ I said to Alex.

      Looking up at them from under a lowered head he managed a small, wary smile.

      ‘I see you’ve got the photograph album I made for you,’ Rosemary said. ‘Do you like it?’

      Alex nodded. ‘He did, very much,’ I said. ‘We’ve all had a look.’ Adrian and Paula were sitting on the floor beside the toy boxes. They’d stopped playing and were now studying Alex’s parents.

      ‘We were very impressed by how smart you looked in your photograph,’ I said, making conversation.

      ‘Thank you,’ Rosemary said, and again smiled at Alex. ‘That’s kind of you. We saw a picture of you in your school uniform and you looked very smart too.’ Her manner was just right and she seemed more at ease than Edward, who clearly didn’t know what to say for the best. ‘And you like school?’

      Alex managed another small nod.

      ‘So, Alex, what hobbies do you like?’ Edward asked.

      Alex shrugged. Put on the spot, his mind had gone blank. I knew that feeling well.

      ‘You like lots of things, don’t you?’ I said, giving him a reassuring hug. ‘You like riding your bike, playing all sorts of games, drawing and painting, reading and watching some television.’

      ‘Chess?’ Edward asked. ‘I’m teaching James to play. Do you play chess?’ Alex shook his head.

      ‘You’ll be able to teach him, won’t you, love?’ Rosemary said to Edward. Then to Alex, ‘Would you like that?’

      Alex nodded.

      So we – the adults – continued making conversation, contrived and stilted, but no more than I’d expected for this first meeting. Alex sat on my lap, clutching his photograph album and Simba, and managing a small nod where appropriate and stealing glances at his parents. Then, after about ten minutes, he slid from my lap, placed the album and Simba on the floor and went over to join Adrian and Paula – a sign he was feeling more comfortable. The toys they were playing with were a mixture of Alex’s, Adrian’s and Paula’s. They were still sharing nicely, although we always separated them into their respective toy boxes when we cleared up at bedtime.

      ‘You’ve got some lovely toys, Alex,’ Rosemary said. ‘Do you have a favourite?’

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