Not Thomas

Tomos lives with his mother, and sometimes her boyfriend. He longs to return to another place, a place he thinks of as home, and the people who lived with him there. And for Cwtch, who he had to leave behind, too. He is five years old and at school, which he loves. Every day he walks there and back with the kind lady from over the road and her daughter. Miss teaches him about all sorts of things, and she listens to him. Sometimes he has no lunch, and when Miss notices, she offers him her extra sandwiches, which are lush. He knows that there are some things he cannot talk about – except to Cwtch – and then, just before Christmas, the difficult things come to a head. There are men outside who want to come in, and his mum has said not to answer the door. From behind his chair, Tomos waits, trying to make himself small and quiet. He doesn’t think it’s Santa Claus this time.