Growing pains

Sarah had forgotten how to parent. Would she remember in time?

Acold sweat was beginning to form on the nape of my neck as I looked at the clock on the kitchen wall and realised that he' d be here soon.

I painted a few slices of bread with strawberry jam and cut off all the crusts, just how he liked it, all that was left to do was pour him a glass of milk and greet him with the usual enthusiasm as he walked through the door

there' s a certain etiquette when it comes to being a grandmother, you know!

No sooner had the big hand touched five past, when the door swung open. Aaron and his grandfather always knew how to make a grand entrance.

I don' t care!

I just hate everyone!' were the first and last words he uttered before stomping his five-year-old feet out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

What did you do to the poor boy?' I stared at Percy who looked just as taken aback.

Beats me, Sarah. It really does,' he shrugged his shoulders.

This was just the type of scenario I' d dreaded from the moment Leanne told me she and Damien were off on a second honeymoon to somewhere unpronounceable and warm. I knew she was asking us to look after Aaron for a week, just not in as many words. She took that from her father.

Don' t get me wrong, I love Percy with all my heart, but you' d find more backbone in one of the frogs at the bottom of the garden!

There wasn' t one sleepless night I didn' t have in the week leading up to my grandson' s arrival.

He just came out of the school gates with a face like thunder,' Percy explained. And he didn' t say one word in the car.'

I' m sure it' s nothing. He' ll be down in no time, asking for more milk. I' m sure of it.' I tried to reassure myself, but it wasn' t working.

You could always try calling his mother¼' Percy raised his eyebrows and smiled. Isn' t that what she' s there for?'

I was offended.

I can deal with this by myself! Besides, do you know what time of the day it is over there? And you know what Leanne is like when she doesn' t get enough sleep. She' s worse than Aaron!'

The slamming of a bedroom door upstairs soon made me reconsider picking up the telephone and asking for help but I was a mother of a problematic child once too, surely I could draw on my experience and find my own solution without interfering with my daughter' s romantic getaway to

T here wasnÕ t one sleepless night I didnÕ t have in the week leading up to my grandsonÕ s arrival

paradise?

Maybe I' ll just go up and talk to him,' I suggested, hoping Percy would volunteer to go in my place. He didn' t.

Eleven stairs. I' d never counted them before but it was all I could do to prepare myself for what came next. We' d always been great grandparents, I thought so anyway, spoiling Aaron rotten at every given opportunity, but we were just two old people' (his words, not mine) he' d come to visit occasionally. We never had to parent him and I' d never seen him like this. I couldn' t have Leanne coming home, all bronzed and in love, thinking that we couldn' t take care of our own flesh and blood.

`Aaron darling, are you

OK?' I said to his bedroom door.

I don' t want to talk about it!' came an impish voice from the other side.

I made you bread and jam, your favourite.'

I' m not hungry! Just go away!' he retaliated.

I opened the door and set a foot inside enemy territory.

He was staying in our spare bedroom that we probably hadn' t decorated since the early Nineties and his head was buried in a pillow as if he was trying to block the world out.

Are you sure you don' t want to talk about it?' I enquired, stroking his back.

No. I just want to go home.'

There it was. The sentence every grandparent hopes they' ll never hear.

Did something happen at school?' I started clutching at straws, trying to identify the problem.

He lifted his little blond head from the pillow and looked at me. He hadn' t been crying but his eyes looked sadder than I' d ever seen, like a puppy in a rescue home, waiting for someone to come and save him.

It' s just not fair,' he sighed and pursed his lips into a little frown.

You can tell me all about it,' I whispered as I sat down beside him.

Gran, were you always this big?'

I knew I' d put on a bit of weight since I' d retired but I wasn' t expecting that.

I could feel my cheeks burn as I searched for answers.

It' s just, everyone at school is taller than me. Even the girls,' he continued and suddenly I didn' t feel so self-conscious and stopped sucking my belly in.

Oh, Aaron. You' ve got plenty of time to grow. Your mum' s schoolbag was taller than her until she was 13.'

We both looked at each other and laughed.

Then the frown returned to his face.

Michael says I' m going to be short for the rest of my life.' His eyes widened into two full moons with despair.

Michael' s a liar! Isn' t he the boy who told you his brother was in One Direction?' I jumped to

Aaron' s defence. And didn' t the dog eat his homework last week?'

The dog really did eat his homework! It nearly ate mine the last time I was at his house.'

We both laughed again, I stroked the blond hair that he inherited from his mother and smiled reassuringly.

Do you want to know a secret?' I leant into his ear. I

Eleven stairs. IÕd never counted them before, but it was all I could do to prepare for what came next

know something that makes even the shortest boys grow taller.'

Half a smile appeared on his face.

If you really want to grow into a big strong boy, you' ve got to start eating the crust on your bread.'

His face sank again.

I think I' d rather be this small forever!'

I couldn' t help but laugh. And he laughed too. I gave him the tightest hug my arms would allow. I knew he' d look back on today and laugh.

Now come on! Your grandfather will have those sandwiches of yours eaten if we don' t hurry up!'

Does he eat the crusts?' Does he look like someone who eats them?'

Aaron paused for a second before shaking his head. We both left the spare room and he hurried down the stairs.

As I watched him gallop towards the kitchen I couldn' t help but pat myself on the back I was still a good parent after all these years, even if I couldn' t persuade him to eat the crust.