A second chance..........

The whole school knew that Simon Tyson had returned.

Snatched at 6, and returned at 14, they simply did not know how to treat him.
Besides which, his behaviour was off putting to say the least.

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His cousin Bobby, who had once been his best friend just looked grim when ‘the crowd’ asked him if Simon would ever be the same again again. He couldn’t connect with this boy either who lay curled up on his bed staring at the wall.

Bobby’s dad was equally concerned………….for both the boys. They talked about Simon and just looked gloomy and exasperated by the snail pace progress (if it could be called that) that seemed to be taking place.
At least now he was sitting at his desk in his room and once he had managed to come downstairs.

Emma, Bobby’s almost girlfriend, it made his face go red when his younger sister made such crude allegations, came to the study door.
'Bobby, Mr Tyson, I have a plan!' she announced confidently.
After a 10 minute fierce discussion with much arm waving and hand signals Bobby’s dad nodded…….his grim face relaxed just a fraction.

He visited his sister in law and nephew early the next Friday evening.

‘He’s having a bad day and he’s gone up to his room after only fetching his school work dropped in by his teacher,’ she reported sadly. She rubbed her fringe so it stood up straight above her miserable face. ‘I just don’t know how to help him.’

With that the front doorbell chimed cheerfully into the hollow atmosphere and she turned to open the door.

There stood Bobby and Emma….smiling.

Emma carried a huge cardboard box with the smell of hot pizza oozing from the gaps.

Bobby called up the stairs, ‘Hey Si! Got a minute?’

Simon’s mother looked agitated and almost hopeful………

After an awkward two minutes a shadow appeared on the top step.

‘Look what we brought you,’ called out Emma in her natural friendly outgoing manner, ‘come and check this one out!’

Simon made a move down the stairs and the adults shrank into the kitchen . A 'suggestion' made by Emma when they planned the 'invasion'.
‘Isn’t it the yummiest smell on earth?’ said Emma introducing herself to Simon with her goofiest most beautiful smile lighting up her face. ‘Hi there, I’m Em…………extra bacon bits….’
‘and Buffalo wings as a topping,’ added Barry. ‘we’ve brought it to share and maybe watch a movie with you?’ he said indicating the family room.’

Simon pushed back his hoodie and stepped into the light. He looked into his cousin’s eyes and Barry punched him lightly on his shoulder. ‘I’m starving, can we eat already?’

The 3 teens jostled through the door of the family room. Simon opened the box on a low coffee table and hands crowded in tearing the triangles of pizza apart. Strings of melted mozzarella sagged as they laughed and took bites of the most delicious cheesy dough.

Once again ass per strict ‘suggestions’ from Emma, Mr Tyson left through the front door taking his sister in law out for their supper. She just had time to snatch her jacket from a peg.

There was the decisive click of the lock as they left and Simon picked up the remote and began to scroll………..’I’ve been out of it for so long, you two will have to tell me what to watch.’

He laughed out loud as Bobby and Emma began a friendly argument as to what was best.

That laugh was utter music in the adult’s ears as they pulled up the collars of their jackets and made their way to the coffee shop down the block.

No doubt about it, 'Simon was back!'

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