Finn crashed into me and flung his arms around my legs. I squeezed him back, loving the solidness of him against me. ‘How was school, love?’
‘It was okay. We did Play-Doh and I maded a dinosaur. It was a Stegosaurus and it was really cool. Everyone wanted to play with it.’
‘That sounds great, Finn.’ After his upset this morning, I was relieved to hear he had had a good day.
Elliot came out soon after but he didn’t run towards his mother like Finn had. He ambled along slowly, his head down.
‘Uh-oh,’ Maya muttered. ‘Someone doesn’t look happy. How was school?’ she asked when he reached us.
He remained mute.
‘What’s wrong, sweetheart?’ Maya asked in concern. ‘Did something happen today?’
He pointed his index finger accusingly at Finn. ‘Finn was mean to me in the yard.’
‘Really?’ Maya turned around to look at me and then Finn. ‘What happened?’
‘He wouldn’t play with me at break time.’
‘Is that true, Finn?’ I asked, feeling my heart sink. Maybe Finn wasn’t as innocent as we thought in all of this. Perhaps they were both as bad as each other.
‘That’s ’cause he’s always mean to me. You and Daddy said I don’t have to play with people if they’re not nice.’
I cringed, wanting the ground to swallow me whole. It was true, we had told Finn to avoid people who weren’t kind to him but now it looked like he had excluded Elliot and that was never our intention. ‘Look, let’s talk about this at home.’ I turned to Maya. ‘I’m sorry, I’ll have a word with him. I hope Elliot is okay.’
‘Don’t worry, they’re kids.’ She gave a nonchalant wave of her hand. ‘I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding,’ she said graciously.
‘Thanks,’ I said, keen to get out of there. ‘We’d better go.’
When I got home, I made Finn some pancakes with loads of Nutella and marshmallows. I was trying to coax him into telling me what had happened in the yard earlier and I hoped that if he was distracted by his favourite food, he might open up to me.
‘So what happened in school with Elliot?’ I tried, keeping my tone light as he concentrated on using the chocolate spread to glue the marshmallows onto his pancakes.
‘I said I didn’t want to play with him because he’s always mean. He calls people names and he kicks them or pushes them and he takes their toys off them too. Then the other boys wouldn’t play with him either.’
I knew we were the ones who had told our son not to play with Elliot, but I hoped his behaviour hadn’t swung too far the other way. Although I didn’t want Finn to be a push-around for Elliot, I really hoped Finn wasn’t the ringleader in excluding him.
‘Can’t you all just be nice and play together?’ I asked in exasperation. It seemed as though Elliot had always got his own way and now was struggling socially when it came to sharing or taking turns.
‘But you said I don’t have to play with him if he’s being mean,’ he protested, looking confused.
‘I did…’ I sighed in agreement.
We pottered around the house until bedtime, then I read his story and tucked him up. Jay was working a long shift so Finn would be asleep by the time he got home.
I was sitting there still mulling it all over, wondering whether I should speak with the boys’ teacher to get her thoughts on it, when Jay came home from work.
‘What’s wrong with you?’ he asked, hoisting two bags of groceries onto the table. He had called me on the way home to ask what I wanted for dinner. We had decided on carbonara because it was quick and easy, and Jay had stopped off in the supermarket to buy the ingredients.
‘Elliot came out of school today and was upset. He said that Finn and some other kids wouldn’t play with him. I was standing beside Maya when he said it and it was really awkward.’
‘Well, what does he expect? That’s what happens when you’re nasty to people.’
‘I know we told Finn not to play with Elliot if he’s upsetting him but I’m worried he’ll get in trouble now for excluding him.’
‘Well, if he gets in trouble, they can answer to me,’ he said, unpacking the groceries. ‘I’ve no problem defending my son. Finn is in the right here.’
‘I know.’ I sighed. ‘It’s just all so… complicated.’
