Andrew’s Day.

The wasp buzzed loudly outside my window. It hung around the mirror like it was some type of strange looking flower. Cynthia was getting tired in the seat beside me. Where was Mum gone?

We had a great day – I built seventeen sand castles. The biggest one was the twelfth – that’s also my favourite number. I had three big white shells on one side and three black ones on the other. I had little sticks sticking out of it like poles without flags. It was brilliant looking!

But then that big boy with his Dad and their football knocked the white shell side down with their stupid football! I shouldn’t say it ‘cos Dad would kill me if he heard me say it loud – feckers! The boys’ Dad said sorry but I know his brat of a son meant it. He even stuck his tongue out at me as they walked away. I’d never do that! I’d get a slap on the back of me legs!

I made the next five bigger and better just to show that boy that I wouldn’t stop building – my Dad says that us Treacys’ are made of stern stuff. I don’t know exactly what that means, but it sounds serious.

Cynthia grabbed her dolly tight – she was now about to go asleep. It was still hot outside so I tried to open the window just a little to cool us down. The window  was slightly open in the seat in front of me but I was afraid to touch that button just in case the wasp got into the car. And we didn’t want that to happen! I hated them even more than Cynthia!

My window didn’t open ‘cos Mum hadn’t stuck the key in the starter thingy. She was gone what seemed like a long time now. She had promised us ice-cream if we got in the car without any fuss. She seemed a bit angry and tired too so neither of us wanted to annoy Mum – it had been a great day all along.

My day started when Jodie – our dog – who is older than me by the way – came into my bedroom and licked me on the face to wake me up! That was disgusting with the slime all over my face but I love Jodie. He is a great dog and has the shiniest black coat. He gets that from the little bit of oil in his dinner every day, so Mum says. My hair is shiny too, but Mum says that’s from the shampoo we use. I don’t understand adults all the time – not everything they say makes sense.

Anyhow – Cynthia and I had breakfast  in the front room watching TV while Mum and Dad talked in the kitchen. We watched Dora for Cynthia and then Bob the Builder for me. Bob is great – he’s a brilliant builder and has friends that are both cars and trucks too. But as we sang Bob’s song, we heard the shelf in the kitchen fall.

When I ran in to see if everything was alright, Mum was picking up the dishes that had fallen off it. They were all broken except one big plate – the one that holds the turkey at Christmas. Mum said the hinge had come loose and that Dad had gone out to get stuff to fix it. He left quickly in the car to get another hinge. I don’t know what a hinge is either but we must need it to hold the shelf up. 

I got the sweeping brush to help Mum tidy up the broken pieces while Cynthia watched another episode of Dora. Then we put on our clothes to go to Nanna’s. It was getting very hot so I asked Mum if I could wear my new Manchester United shorts and jersey. Dad bought them for me a while ago – was it after Christmas? I can’t remember but they felt nice and cool on and Nanna said I looked great in them. She liked Manchester too.

I liked playing football in them too and sliding on my knees along the grass when I scored a goal. You could slide so much further with them on. I remember doing it once with other shorts on and I hurt my knee. I had to wear two plasters for two days so I swore to Dad that I wouldn’t do it again unless I had the right shorts on me.

Cynthia likes sleeping. She wanted to go back to bed after breakfast but Mum said no. Cynthia is much smaller than me ‘cos she’s only three. I am six in September – I can’t wait for my birthday! I would like a bigger bike ‘cos I like cycling with Thomas – he’s a boy from next door who is in my class at school. He has lots of blond hair and he likes cats and the colour yellow. My favourite colour is green but I like red too. I don’t know what Cynthia’s favourite colour is. Is it pink? Yeah it is ‘cos her bedroom walls are painted that colour! Like duh Andrew!

After Mum dropped us off at Nanna’s house I played on the trampoline. I’m allowed to play alone on it ‘cos we have a net that goes around it and stops you from falling out. The net is really soft too. I got really tired and hungry after six hundred and seven bounces. I’m great at counting. The trampoline makes me laugh too – it’s a weird feeling being up high in the air.

I ate four mini sandwiches and a small piece of chocolate. Cynthia ate two and Nanna ate the same as me. Mum arrived to pick us up and Nanna wasn’t happy. They told us to go into the front room while they talked about Dad. I couldn’t hear what was being said, but I heard Mum crying.  

In the car going to the beach, Mum took some tablets to help with her hay fever. She drove without her seat belt on, as the bing-bing noise of the car kept ringing in the few minutes it took us to get there.

I asked Mum if we could get some jelly and ice-cream after the beach and she agreed. Normally I have to plead with Mum, but she said yes and gently rubbed my face. She looked deep into my eyes and before we got out of the car she asked me if I knew how much she loved me and Cynthia? Like, of course we do Mum.

Anyway, myself and Cynthia now sit here waiting on Mum.

I hear the sound of a fire engine, just like Dad's, and see one fly right by us heading toward the pier. Then I see an ambulance going up the road and then over the sand, in the same direction. There's a lot of people on the pier, pointing toward the water.

Where is Mum gone?