Page 72 of Seven Letters

Sam’s eyes widened. ‘Sorry, Miss Mia, I didn’t mean dead.’

‘Sam, it’s fine. We should move on now, class. Take out your spelling books.’

‘I saw Izzy crying at lunchtime yesterday,’ Niamh said.

‘Yeah, me too,’ Kelly said.

‘Did you go over to see if she was all right?’ Mia asked.

‘Yep, I did,’ Niamh said. ‘She said she was sad because her mummy won’t wake up, but I said, “Izzy, she’ll wake up just like Sleeping Beauty. Maybe your dad just needs to give her true love’s kiss.”’

‘Eww, gross.’ Conor made a vomiting face.

‘You’re so thick, Conor. If a husband kisses his wife, it’s fine. If he kisses someone else’s wife, that’s bad.’

‘My dad kissed someone else at a party and my mum wassuuuuuuuper-cross,’ Alexandra said.

Yikes, thought Mia. Alexandra’s parents wouldn’t want that broadcast around the school.

‘My dad went off with his girlfriend and now they have a baby together and my mum hates the baby and says it’s uglyand stupid. It’s not nice to say a baby is stupid, though, is it?’ Brona said.

‘I think all babies are ugly. My twin sisters are rotten-looking,’ Milo said.

‘That’s a terrible thing to say. God’s listening and we’re making our Communion really soon and it’s a sin to be mean about your family.’ Alexandra wagged her finger at him.

‘No, actually, lying is a sin,’ Milo retorted, ‘so if I said they were cute, I’d be a liar. Jesus said we should tell the truth, so there. My granddad says he hopes they get better-looking or they’ll be living at home for ever. Mum said that was a shocking thing to say, but Granddad thought it was hilarious.’

‘All babies are beautiful because they are made in the image of God,’ Alexandra said firmly.

‘Ah-ha-ha!’ Milo cracked up laughing. ‘That means girls look like boys, which is why they’re so ugly.’

‘No, my mum said God isn’t a man, he’s a woman.’

‘Well, how come in all the pictures he’s a man?’ Conor jumped in.

‘Because people in the old days were thick and thought women weren’t good enough to be God, but now we know women are brilliant. My mum says women arewaaaaaaysmarter than men. She has her own company, so there.’ Grace was triumphant.

Mia was trying not to laugh, but she had to rein in this wide-ranging discussion.

‘Right, class, let’s get started. We have our Communion rehearsal after lunch, so we’d better get some good work done first.’

At lunchtime, Mia sat in her office while the children ran out to play. She saw Izzy on her own by the flowers. She seemed to be talking to herself, or maybe she was singing. The poorlittle dote looked so small and alone. Mia put down her sandwich and went to get her coat, but by the time she’d put it on Riley had appeared.

Mia watched as Riley picked up Izzy and swung her around. Izzy squealed happily. Mia opened the window, so she could hear them.

‘How’s my favourite person?’

‘I’m a bit sad today, Riley.’

‘About your mum?’

Izzy nodded. ‘I just keep thinking about all those tubes and things all over her body. She was making this scary noise when she breathed, like a big clunky sound. Daddy said it was because of the ven– vent …’

‘Ventilator.’

‘Yes, that. It was horrible, and she didn’t wake up even when I sang “Let It Go”, even when I shaked her. She was still asleep.’

Riley crouched down and hugged her little cousin. ‘Hey, I know it’s scary for you and no one wants to see their mum sick like that. Don’t feel you have to be all brave. If you want to cry about it, come to me. I’ll be here every day at lunchtime and we can talk about it. You can cry or shout or even punch me if you feel angry. I won’t mind. Deal?’

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