You Can't Just Have Everything You Want
by Clare Steele
Genre: Drama
Swearwords: None.
Description: An upbeat young boy looks forward to his birthday party. Set against the darker reality of his upbringing.
_____________________________________________________________________
I love my Mammy. I can’t help it. Mrs Mundie says you should love God more than you love anyone else in the world, even your Mammy. I wanted to ask Mrs Mundie if that still counts if God is looking after your Mammy and is going to make her OK. But I didn’t because Mrs Mundie hates me and would make me sit at the front of the class for talking back. My Mammy doesn’t believe in God even though my Nana prays to him every night for her. Tears always come into my Nana’s eyes when she talks about her prayers. Then she says, “Your Mammy’s going to be alright, Dylan. God is looking after her,” and gives me such a hard hug I want her to let go. I can’t let God get angry with me or he might stop looking after my Mammy. But I can’t stop loving my Mammy more than I love God. I hope that doesn’t make God angry.
The last time I stayed at my Nana’s house it was for ages and I didn’t even see my Mammy at all. I thought she wasn’t coming back at all because Nana bought me all new clothes and a school bag. She didn’t even talk about my Mammy or pray for her. Then she bought a Toy Story bed spread and curtains for the spare room. It was the best bed I’ve ever slept in but I just kept lying there crying like a girl every night.
When I asked Nana, “Is my Mammy dead?”, she just took me and crushed me into her boobs.
“No, Dylan, she’s not. But she’s not well. She just needs a wee bit of time to sort herself out.” Her sides started shaking. “God forgive me, I don’t know what I did wrong with that girl.” She let me go. I was glad because I kept thinking about it being her boobs.
There are loads of rules at Nana’s house. Like you’ve got to take your shoes off and not climb on furniture and she makes big plates of food every night that I can’t eat because I get too full right away. Like mince and potatoes and spaghetti bolognaise. Apart from that it’s good. It’s got carpets that go right up to the walls in every room and it’s always really warm. You can wear a T-shirt at nearly any time of day and the lights always work. Anyway, Nana doesn’t make me eat all the food. She says, “Just eat what you can, son.” But she always makes me take one last mouthful because she says I’m skin and bone.
God must have forgiven my Nana because the next week my Mammy came to get me. I heard the gate latch clicking and jumped up to look out the window. She had a huge smile on her face and waved at me as she was coming up the path. I got up onto the window sill and battered on the window and shouted, “Nana, my Mammy’s here, my Mammy’s here.”
“Calm down, Dylan,” she said and went to open the door. I was right behind her, jumping up at my Mammy. She caught me and gave me about a million kisses. She gave my Nana one kiss on the cheek.
Nana held her at arm’s length and said, “Let’s get a good look at you Stella before I let you through this door. You know the rules.” They stared at each other for a long time. Then Nana pulled my Mammy towards her and gave her one of the hard hugs. “In you come, Stella, in you come.”
Nana put out cake and biscuits and tea and Coke. My Mammy had a bit of Battenberg and a cup of tea. I couldn’t sit down and ended up knocking one of my Nana’s ornaments off the mantelpiece. She said, “It’s alright Dylan, it’s only a bit of glass. Don’t worry about it, son,” and she picked all the bits up and put them in newspaper.
“I’m taking him home today,” my Mammy was perched right on the edge of her seat.
Nana screwed the newspaper closed so it made a wee bag. “It’s too soon, Stella. I don’t think you’re ready.”
I couldn’t believe it. We’d been waiting for ages and Nana had asked for God’s forgiveness so my Mammy would come back. I shouted, “I’m going with my Mammy. You can’t stop me.”
“Dylan,” Nana looked right at me.
“He is coming with me. The flat’s sorted now. I’m sorted. I just need Dylan with me now.” My Mammy put down her empty plate. My Mammy can tell Nana what to do, so it was OK.
Nana packed a pink pull along case with all my new clothes. My Mammy was laughing and said she’d take it in case anyone from school saw me with it. Nana waved up the path after us. My Mammy was holding my hand really tight like God was holding hers. I was so excited it felt like loads of popcorn going off inside me and I really couldn’t stop smiling.
I’m getting a Buzz Lightyear and a party for my birthday this year. I’m getting to invite all my friends and my Daddy’s going to come and everything. My Mammy said so. I didn’t have to go to school this week because my Mammy was feeling sick and had to stay in her bed. I got in beside her because I was bored.
“Mammy?”
“What?” she didn’t lift her head. I pulled back the cover to see her face. Her eyes were closed and she snatched the cover back.
“Mammy?”
“What is it?” She was annoyed.
“Can I get Buzz Lightyear and a party for my birthday?”
“Aye, whatever Dylan.”
“And can my Daddy come to my party?”
“Ask anybody you like.” She wasn’t annoyed anymore but sounded sleepy and muffled under the covers.
I went into school the next day so I could tell all my pals. Mrs Mundie gave me into trouble because I was late and didn’t have my bag or pencils or anything with me. I didn’t care this time because I told everyone about my party.
My Mammy was feeling a bit better by the weekend. Her pals Dek and Lenny came round. They went into the kitchen with my Mammy and closed the door. I tried to go in too but someone was holding the door closed. I pushed really hard on the door. I shouted “Mammy, let me in.”
“I’ll be out in a minute, Dylan.” It was my Mammy holding the door shut because her voice sounded really close to my ear. They were ages. When they came out my Mammy was really happy and smiling so I asked about my party again.
“Mammy, we need to go and get invites for my party. It’s next Saturday.”
“We’ve not got any money for invites. We’ll need to make them.“ She went and found a pad of lined paper. She couldn’t find any felt tips but we had different coloured biros. Dek and Lenny helped. We wrote out all my friend’s names, our address, the date and the time. Then Mammy, Lenny and Dek fell asleep so I did the last ones myself. It was difficult because I’m not very good at writing. Mrs Mundie says even some of the babies that are still in the nursery can write their name better than me. Mammy, Lenny and Dek were still sleeping on the couches so I drew balloons on all the invites too. We’d no envelopes so I just folded them in half and put them on the table.
The electricity meter did the big clunk and then the fridge stopped humming. I went into the kitchen and took milk out the fridge. I poured some into a glass and mixed it with some water from the tap. I washed a bowl, put in some rice crispies and poured in the milk and water. I went back into the living room to eat. I didn’t think Mammy would wake up on time to go out to the shop and buy another card to make the meter go back on. I sat in the living room with Mammy, Dek and Lenny till it got dark. I went over to check God was still looking after my Mammy. She was still breathing. I went to bed and kept my clothes on because it would be cold in the night.
Mammy was in her bed when I left for school the next morning. Dek and Lenny were away. I went in and told Mammy I was leaving but she didn’t wake up. Mrs Mundie was angry again because I had no homework done, no uniform, I was late and I said I didn’t even know where my schoolbag was. She said I needed to get my act together and made me sit where she could keep an eye on me. Every time I passed one of my invites out her head went up and she made her eyes all narrow.
Then she said, “What are you passing about, Dylan?”
“Nothing.” She stared at me.
“That in your hand, Dylan. Bring it to me.” I took Jack’s invite to her desk. She opened it and read it. “Does anyone else have one of these? Hands up.” She looked round as hands were tentatively raised. “Bring them to me.” All the boys I gave invites to stood up. She held her hand in the air. “One by one.” Her voice was loud when she said that. “Justin, you first.” Everyone brought my invites to Mrs Mundie. She made them into a neat pile and put them in her drawer.
I put my hand up. “Yes, Dylan.”
“Mrs Mundie, I need my invites back.” Mrs Mundie shook her head and sighed.
“Dylan, I will return your invites to you at the end of the day and then you will take them back home with you.”
“No, Mrs Mundie. I need to give them out.” Mrs Mundie went back to reading a jotter in front of her.
“Mrs Mundie?”
She didn’t look up. “Quiet, Dylan.”
I went up to her desk and opened her drawer. “Get out of my drawer, Dylan.” I needed to get the invites back or I wouldn’t get a party or a Buzz Lightyear and my Daddy wouldn’t come. “Now, Dylan.” I went into the drawer and got my invites. Mrs Mundie took hold of my arm to stop me and I tried to pull away but her fingers were tight round my arm. I punched her arm to try and make her let go. She let go but got my shoulders and walked me to Mrs Mathieson’s room.
I thought about running away when I was sitting outside the head-teacher’s room. But then I wouldn’t get the invites back. Mrs Mathieson opened her door and brought me into the room.
She sat right next to me in a chair. I could feel her breathing on my face. “Why did you hit Mrs Mundie, Dylan?”
“Because she took the invites for my party and wouldn’t give them back.”
“Dylan, you can’t just have everything you want all the time.”
“She shouldn’t have took my invites. I need them so I can get a Buzz Lightyear and a party and my Daddy will come.” Tears came into my eyes and I was really angry.
“There’s no point crying now, Dylan. It’s too late. You’ve already hit Mrs Mundie. I’ll need to phone your mother.” That was OK because my Mammy would get my invites back. Mammy didn’t pick up the phone. So Mrs Mathieson called Nana.
Nana’s house smelled of soap or oranges or something and seemed really bright . She didn’t give me into trouble. She made me a ham sandwich and a glass of milk. The milk was really thick because Nana didn’t like to mix it with water. Nana said, “Dylan, what happened at school?” I told her about the invites I had made with Mammy and Lenny and Dek. And that Mrs Mundie had took the invites and now I wouldn’t get a party or a Buzz Lightyear and my Daddy wouldn’t come. Nana made me finish my sandwich, even though I was too full after the milk, then she took me to the shops. We bought invites that already had pictures of balloons on them. And real balloons too.
I wasn’t allowed into school for the rest of that week but Nana said she would speak to Mrs Mathieson and see if we could hand in the invites. We would have the party at Nana’s house and that would be even better because she would have food in. Maybe even cake.
“But will my Daddy come?”
Nana stared at me for a second. “I will do my very best.”
My birthday was the best day of my whole life. My Mammy came round the night before while I was sleeping and left a present. It was all wrapped up in Toy Story paper and had a big fancy bow on it. It was a Buzz Lightyear. Nana let me sit on the couch and watch Ben 10 in my pyjamas and have toast and chocolate spread for breakfast. Then my Mammy phoned to say happy birthday and I remembered to say thank you for my Buzz Lightyear.
Nana gave me a present that was new clothes for my party. Nana had a big banner on the wall that said ‘Happy 7th Birthday’ and there was hundreds of food out on the table. There was party rings, fairy cakes, sandwiches, crisps and everything. Just about all the boys from my class came. I showed them my Buzz Lightyear and we played games and I blew out the candles on my cake.
Right at the end of the party the best thing in the whole world happened. My Daddy turned up. Some of my friends and their Mammies and dads were even still there to see him. I saw him out the window and ran out the door and up the path. Nana came to see where I had went. Daddy picked me up and swung me round. He carried me up to the front door.
“Put your cigarette out before you come in, it’s a children’s party.” Nana was always annoyed at my Daddy. But I thought he was fun. He was always tickling me and swinging me about and wrestling.
“I’m not coming in, Nancy. I’ve just brought a present for the boy.” He turned and walked back up the path still carrying me.
“The boy’s name is Dylan,” Nana shouted up the path.
Daddy’s pal had opened the doors of a white van that was out on the street and was making a ramp out of planks of wood.
“Right, close your eyes mate.” Daddy put his hand over them just in case I cheated. Then he took them away I couldn’t believe it.
“No way.” A quad bike. Sitting out in the street for all my pals to see. I thought a Buzz Lightyear was good but it was nothing.
Nana came to the end of the path. “OK, bring that into the garden. Dylan’s pals are just leaving. He needs to say goodbye.”
Daddy sat me in the seat and got on behind me. “All yours, pal. You taking me for a spin, mate?”
“His name is Dylan,” Nana said again. Daddy started the bike up and revved the engine. It was as loud as the lawnmowers that cut the grass in parks. It was so loud that everyone in the street would see me with my Daddy and they would all know he was real. I was laughing but I wished Nana wasn’t angry.
When we got back all my pals were gone which was a shame because I wanted to give them a shot on the quad. Nana had started putting everything away. Daddy got back in the van with his friend and drove away. The quad had to stay in the front garden. Daddy said we needed to get it round the back in case the police saw it but it wouldn’t fit through the door. Nana didn’t want mud on the carpets. Nana said it was a monster and it would need to go but I loved it. And my Daddy. That was OK. Mrs Mundie didn’t say anything about God not wanting me to love my Daddy.
I was so happy on my birthday that when I went to bed I kept getting shivers like dead people walking on my grave. My Nana says that. I was so happy that I thought I could stop loving my Mammy so much. Then God won’t be angry. Or maybe if I tried really hard, one day I might not even love my Mammy at all.
Swearwords: None.
Description: An upbeat young boy looks forward to his birthday party. Set against the darker reality of his upbringing.
_____________________________________________________________________
I love my Mammy. I can’t help it. Mrs Mundie says you should love God more than you love anyone else in the world, even your Mammy. I wanted to ask Mrs Mundie if that still counts if God is looking after your Mammy and is going to make her OK. But I didn’t because Mrs Mundie hates me and would make me sit at the front of the class for talking back. My Mammy doesn’t believe in God even though my Nana prays to him every night for her. Tears always come into my Nana’s eyes when she talks about her prayers. Then she says, “Your Mammy’s going to be alright, Dylan. God is looking after her,” and gives me such a hard hug I want her to let go. I can’t let God get angry with me or he might stop looking after my Mammy. But I can’t stop loving my Mammy more than I love God. I hope that doesn’t make God angry.
The last time I stayed at my Nana’s house it was for ages and I didn’t even see my Mammy at all. I thought she wasn’t coming back at all because Nana bought me all new clothes and a school bag. She didn’t even talk about my Mammy or pray for her. Then she bought a Toy Story bed spread and curtains for the spare room. It was the best bed I’ve ever slept in but I just kept lying there crying like a girl every night.
When I asked Nana, “Is my Mammy dead?”, she just took me and crushed me into her boobs.
“No, Dylan, she’s not. But she’s not well. She just needs a wee bit of time to sort herself out.” Her sides started shaking. “God forgive me, I don’t know what I did wrong with that girl.” She let me go. I was glad because I kept thinking about it being her boobs.
There are loads of rules at Nana’s house. Like you’ve got to take your shoes off and not climb on furniture and she makes big plates of food every night that I can’t eat because I get too full right away. Like mince and potatoes and spaghetti bolognaise. Apart from that it’s good. It’s got carpets that go right up to the walls in every room and it’s always really warm. You can wear a T-shirt at nearly any time of day and the lights always work. Anyway, Nana doesn’t make me eat all the food. She says, “Just eat what you can, son.” But she always makes me take one last mouthful because she says I’m skin and bone.
God must have forgiven my Nana because the next week my Mammy came to get me. I heard the gate latch clicking and jumped up to look out the window. She had a huge smile on her face and waved at me as she was coming up the path. I got up onto the window sill and battered on the window and shouted, “Nana, my Mammy’s here, my Mammy’s here.”
“Calm down, Dylan,” she said and went to open the door. I was right behind her, jumping up at my Mammy. She caught me and gave me about a million kisses. She gave my Nana one kiss on the cheek.
Nana held her at arm’s length and said, “Let’s get a good look at you Stella before I let you through this door. You know the rules.” They stared at each other for a long time. Then Nana pulled my Mammy towards her and gave her one of the hard hugs. “In you come, Stella, in you come.”
Nana put out cake and biscuits and tea and Coke. My Mammy had a bit of Battenberg and a cup of tea. I couldn’t sit down and ended up knocking one of my Nana’s ornaments off the mantelpiece. She said, “It’s alright Dylan, it’s only a bit of glass. Don’t worry about it, son,” and she picked all the bits up and put them in newspaper.
“I’m taking him home today,” my Mammy was perched right on the edge of her seat.
Nana screwed the newspaper closed so it made a wee bag. “It’s too soon, Stella. I don’t think you’re ready.”
I couldn’t believe it. We’d been waiting for ages and Nana had asked for God’s forgiveness so my Mammy would come back. I shouted, “I’m going with my Mammy. You can’t stop me.”
“Dylan,” Nana looked right at me.
“He is coming with me. The flat’s sorted now. I’m sorted. I just need Dylan with me now.” My Mammy put down her empty plate. My Mammy can tell Nana what to do, so it was OK.
Nana packed a pink pull along case with all my new clothes. My Mammy was laughing and said she’d take it in case anyone from school saw me with it. Nana waved up the path after us. My Mammy was holding my hand really tight like God was holding hers. I was so excited it felt like loads of popcorn going off inside me and I really couldn’t stop smiling.
I’m getting a Buzz Lightyear and a party for my birthday this year. I’m getting to invite all my friends and my Daddy’s going to come and everything. My Mammy said so. I didn’t have to go to school this week because my Mammy was feeling sick and had to stay in her bed. I got in beside her because I was bored.
“Mammy?”
“What?” she didn’t lift her head. I pulled back the cover to see her face. Her eyes were closed and she snatched the cover back.
“Mammy?”
“What is it?” She was annoyed.
“Can I get Buzz Lightyear and a party for my birthday?”
“Aye, whatever Dylan.”
“And can my Daddy come to my party?”
“Ask anybody you like.” She wasn’t annoyed anymore but sounded sleepy and muffled under the covers.
I went into school the next day so I could tell all my pals. Mrs Mundie gave me into trouble because I was late and didn’t have my bag or pencils or anything with me. I didn’t care this time because I told everyone about my party.
My Mammy was feeling a bit better by the weekend. Her pals Dek and Lenny came round. They went into the kitchen with my Mammy and closed the door. I tried to go in too but someone was holding the door closed. I pushed really hard on the door. I shouted “Mammy, let me in.”
“I’ll be out in a minute, Dylan.” It was my Mammy holding the door shut because her voice sounded really close to my ear. They were ages. When they came out my Mammy was really happy and smiling so I asked about my party again.
“Mammy, we need to go and get invites for my party. It’s next Saturday.”
“We’ve not got any money for invites. We’ll need to make them.“ She went and found a pad of lined paper. She couldn’t find any felt tips but we had different coloured biros. Dek and Lenny helped. We wrote out all my friend’s names, our address, the date and the time. Then Mammy, Lenny and Dek fell asleep so I did the last ones myself. It was difficult because I’m not very good at writing. Mrs Mundie says even some of the babies that are still in the nursery can write their name better than me. Mammy, Lenny and Dek were still sleeping on the couches so I drew balloons on all the invites too. We’d no envelopes so I just folded them in half and put them on the table.
The electricity meter did the big clunk and then the fridge stopped humming. I went into the kitchen and took milk out the fridge. I poured some into a glass and mixed it with some water from the tap. I washed a bowl, put in some rice crispies and poured in the milk and water. I went back into the living room to eat. I didn’t think Mammy would wake up on time to go out to the shop and buy another card to make the meter go back on. I sat in the living room with Mammy, Dek and Lenny till it got dark. I went over to check God was still looking after my Mammy. She was still breathing. I went to bed and kept my clothes on because it would be cold in the night.
Mammy was in her bed when I left for school the next morning. Dek and Lenny were away. I went in and told Mammy I was leaving but she didn’t wake up. Mrs Mundie was angry again because I had no homework done, no uniform, I was late and I said I didn’t even know where my schoolbag was. She said I needed to get my act together and made me sit where she could keep an eye on me. Every time I passed one of my invites out her head went up and she made her eyes all narrow.
Then she said, “What are you passing about, Dylan?”
“Nothing.” She stared at me.
“That in your hand, Dylan. Bring it to me.” I took Jack’s invite to her desk. She opened it and read it. “Does anyone else have one of these? Hands up.” She looked round as hands were tentatively raised. “Bring them to me.” All the boys I gave invites to stood up. She held her hand in the air. “One by one.” Her voice was loud when she said that. “Justin, you first.” Everyone brought my invites to Mrs Mundie. She made them into a neat pile and put them in her drawer.
I put my hand up. “Yes, Dylan.”
“Mrs Mundie, I need my invites back.” Mrs Mundie shook her head and sighed.
“Dylan, I will return your invites to you at the end of the day and then you will take them back home with you.”
“No, Mrs Mundie. I need to give them out.” Mrs Mundie went back to reading a jotter in front of her.
“Mrs Mundie?”
She didn’t look up. “Quiet, Dylan.”
I went up to her desk and opened her drawer. “Get out of my drawer, Dylan.” I needed to get the invites back or I wouldn’t get a party or a Buzz Lightyear and my Daddy wouldn’t come. “Now, Dylan.” I went into the drawer and got my invites. Mrs Mundie took hold of my arm to stop me and I tried to pull away but her fingers were tight round my arm. I punched her arm to try and make her let go. She let go but got my shoulders and walked me to Mrs Mathieson’s room.
I thought about running away when I was sitting outside the head-teacher’s room. But then I wouldn’t get the invites back. Mrs Mathieson opened her door and brought me into the room.
She sat right next to me in a chair. I could feel her breathing on my face. “Why did you hit Mrs Mundie, Dylan?”
“Because she took the invites for my party and wouldn’t give them back.”
“Dylan, you can’t just have everything you want all the time.”
“She shouldn’t have took my invites. I need them so I can get a Buzz Lightyear and a party and my Daddy will come.” Tears came into my eyes and I was really angry.
“There’s no point crying now, Dylan. It’s too late. You’ve already hit Mrs Mundie. I’ll need to phone your mother.” That was OK because my Mammy would get my invites back. Mammy didn’t pick up the phone. So Mrs Mathieson called Nana.
Nana’s house smelled of soap or oranges or something and seemed really bright . She didn’t give me into trouble. She made me a ham sandwich and a glass of milk. The milk was really thick because Nana didn’t like to mix it with water. Nana said, “Dylan, what happened at school?” I told her about the invites I had made with Mammy and Lenny and Dek. And that Mrs Mundie had took the invites and now I wouldn’t get a party or a Buzz Lightyear and my Daddy wouldn’t come. Nana made me finish my sandwich, even though I was too full after the milk, then she took me to the shops. We bought invites that already had pictures of balloons on them. And real balloons too.
I wasn’t allowed into school for the rest of that week but Nana said she would speak to Mrs Mathieson and see if we could hand in the invites. We would have the party at Nana’s house and that would be even better because she would have food in. Maybe even cake.
“But will my Daddy come?”
Nana stared at me for a second. “I will do my very best.”
My birthday was the best day of my whole life. My Mammy came round the night before while I was sleeping and left a present. It was all wrapped up in Toy Story paper and had a big fancy bow on it. It was a Buzz Lightyear. Nana let me sit on the couch and watch Ben 10 in my pyjamas and have toast and chocolate spread for breakfast. Then my Mammy phoned to say happy birthday and I remembered to say thank you for my Buzz Lightyear.
Nana gave me a present that was new clothes for my party. Nana had a big banner on the wall that said ‘Happy 7th Birthday’ and there was hundreds of food out on the table. There was party rings, fairy cakes, sandwiches, crisps and everything. Just about all the boys from my class came. I showed them my Buzz Lightyear and we played games and I blew out the candles on my cake.
Right at the end of the party the best thing in the whole world happened. My Daddy turned up. Some of my friends and their Mammies and dads were even still there to see him. I saw him out the window and ran out the door and up the path. Nana came to see where I had went. Daddy picked me up and swung me round. He carried me up to the front door.
“Put your cigarette out before you come in, it’s a children’s party.” Nana was always annoyed at my Daddy. But I thought he was fun. He was always tickling me and swinging me about and wrestling.
“I’m not coming in, Nancy. I’ve just brought a present for the boy.” He turned and walked back up the path still carrying me.
“The boy’s name is Dylan,” Nana shouted up the path.
Daddy’s pal had opened the doors of a white van that was out on the street and was making a ramp out of planks of wood.
“Right, close your eyes mate.” Daddy put his hand over them just in case I cheated. Then he took them away I couldn’t believe it.
“No way.” A quad bike. Sitting out in the street for all my pals to see. I thought a Buzz Lightyear was good but it was nothing.
Nana came to the end of the path. “OK, bring that into the garden. Dylan’s pals are just leaving. He needs to say goodbye.”
Daddy sat me in the seat and got on behind me. “All yours, pal. You taking me for a spin, mate?”
“His name is Dylan,” Nana said again. Daddy started the bike up and revved the engine. It was as loud as the lawnmowers that cut the grass in parks. It was so loud that everyone in the street would see me with my Daddy and they would all know he was real. I was laughing but I wished Nana wasn’t angry.
When we got back all my pals were gone which was a shame because I wanted to give them a shot on the quad. Nana had started putting everything away. Daddy got back in the van with his friend and drove away. The quad had to stay in the front garden. Daddy said we needed to get it round the back in case the police saw it but it wouldn’t fit through the door. Nana didn’t want mud on the carpets. Nana said it was a monster and it would need to go but I loved it. And my Daddy. That was OK. Mrs Mundie didn’t say anything about God not wanting me to love my Daddy.
I was so happy on my birthday that when I went to bed I kept getting shivers like dead people walking on my grave. My Nana says that. I was so happy that I thought I could stop loving my Mammy so much. Then God won’t be angry. Or maybe if I tried really hard, one day I might not even love my Mammy at all.
About the Author
Clare Steele lives and writes in Glasgow. As a working mother of three, a great deal of Clare’s time is spent criss-crossing the city on buses and the subway, teeth clenched, trying to be on time.
Clare has written, mainly short stories, for many years, but has only recently considered trying to send those stories out into the world.
Clare has written, mainly short stories, for many years, but has only recently considered trying to send those stories out into the world.