Standing in the rain Janet watches as James waves back at her, his little face shining in the gloom. Dropping her hand back to her side she breathes out a held breath as her baby boy steps into school. The rain taps on her brolly and wind tugs at it as she stands alone, missing him already.
The chatty crowd of parents began to disperse and she puts her hand in her jacket pocket and turns to away to walk down the street, back home. The is a small gaggle of chatting mothers that she squeezes past taking care not to bump into stray pushchairs or toddlers.
It is only a short walk home but her hand feels cold without him holding tight. Janet passes the shops not looking into the windows that announce big sales. Creeping along the dying high-street she turns away from a packed café the sent of fat heavy in the air. Holding her breath she hurries on past and braces herself for the uphill struggle.