This post was written by Rachel, who entered our Parents’ Writing Competition 2020.
I watch as my two year old presses her nose up against the window, fingers splayed across the glass. The clouds drift lazily across the bright blue sky. “Can we go out Mummy?” she asks.
My gaze shifts down to a baby half dressed amongst a chaos of toys strewn across the floor. I sigh and continue the task of getting her dressed.
She runs over to me, tugging at my top. “Mummy, Mummy I want to go out, I want to go out now!!”
“Can you not see I’m busy” I huff, trying to get a tangle of arms and legs into the right holes and getting more agitated by the minute.
I glance up and see her looking deflated. “Oh, I’m so sorry sweetie, come here” giving her a big squeeze.
“I know it’s hard for you to understand right now.”
“Is it because people have a cough?” She says.
“That’s right” I reply. “We need to stay safe.” I look at her disappointed face and my heart breaks.
Trying to appear upbeat I ask her “If you could go anywhere, where would you go?”
“To the seaside!” She shouts excitedly jumping up and down.
“Ooh yes that would be lovely….” I gaze off into the distance thinking about my favourite beach in Lyme Regis. Of fond memories eating fish and chips on the cob, huddled together, wrapped up in warm layers to keep out the brisk sea breeze. Listening to the tinkling of the boats as we take a slow stroll and stopping for a while to hunt for fossils. Yes, breathing in that salty sea air would do us all the world of good.
I look back at my daughter. “What would you like to do if we went to the seaside?” I ask.
“Build big sandcastles and paddle in the sea!” she replies with a giggle.
“We could pack the biggest picnic with lots of yummy treats” I say.
“And cheese sandwiches, they are my favourite.”
“Of course. And how about buying an ice cream or two?!” I add.
“A chocolate one for me!” Licking her lips.
She pauses and looks down at the baby. “Can baby sister come too?”
“It would be baby sisters first day trip out, the four of us as a family” I smile.
“Can we go now?” She begs.
“Not right now. Not today, not tomorrow but very soon I promise.”
“For now, we’ll head out into the garden, and we’ll fetch out your sandpit.
We need to practise building those great big sandcastles!”