Tyler's Battle

Chapter 13 - Memories

We are having a bowling trip on Saturday afternoon. Time to have some fun and lift the atmosphere a bit. Announced Mike looking round at all the sullen faces.

Why is bowling always your answer whenever anyone needs cheering up? asked Sasha sarcastically

Well hesitated Mike surprised that his idea had gone down like a lead balloon. It's something fun to take people's minds off other things
Isn't Tyler's Mum's funeral on saturday? enquired Floss inquisitively
Yes it is Floss. May Li will take the rest of you bowling and Tyler, Charlie and I will meet you at the bowling alley afterwards if Tyler feels upto it.
Charlie exploded Jodie. Why Charlie?
Because that is who Tyler has chosen to go with him.
Tyler? Questioned Jodie turning to him. He had been sitting awkwardly through the conversation so far, staring at his shoes, not liking being the focus of the conversation
Tyler she said again trying to prompt a response
He got up and left the room without so much a glance in her direction
Tyler called Mike after him and sighed in exasperation
Jody got up to follow him
Maybe it should be Jody that goes with him, she has met sally before after all offered Charlie
It's Tylers decision replied Mike firmly
Argh exclaimed Jody frustrated and turned to leave the room.
Jody please don't make things harder for Tyler than they already are pleaded Mike as she stormed out of the room

Jody ran upstairs determined to have it out with Tyler once and for all and burst into his room.
Tyler what's going on. I don't understand she asked
He was sitting on the edge of his bed, head in hands.
Just please leave it Jody
No. This whole thing is ridiculous. Why are you acting like this?
I don't know how to explain
Try she pleaded impatiently
Tyler sighed heavily and looked up at Jody
Everytime I look at you I am reminded of the day my mum died. I'm reminded of my decision to spend the day with you at the skate park instead of with my mum. And every time I look at you I think of how happy I was that day with you, how happy I always am with you and yet how alone and desperate my mum must have felt.
Jody sat down next to Tyler, put her arm round him and rested her head on his shoulder. Still digesting what he had just said
That must seem really stupid to you he muttered
No it doesn't. Tyler, I get it, she's your mum, you've grown up seeing her go through tough times and you've probably looked after her as much as she has looked after you. But your a kid, it's not your responsibility to look after your mum and it never has been, even though it may have felt like it when you were younger and it was just the two of you. It's not your fault. You are kind and caring and you deserve to be happy. You shouldn't feel guilty that you are happy and have friends.
You know I have missed you these last few days
I've missed you too replied Jody rest her head on his shoulder
The moment was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door
Come in called Tyler
Sorry to interrupt said Ryan surveying the scene with a grin. Mike told me to tell you a box of stuff has arrived for you
What stuff?
Stuff from your mum's flat I think
Oh right Tyler replied 
Ryan wandered off and Jody and Tyler headed down stairs to the office
Mike was sat staring at his computer screen and didn't even notice them appear at the door
Mike, Ryan said there was some stuff for me
Oh Tyler. Yes there is, the box is in the quiet room. Said Mike taking off his reading glasses
Tyler went through to the quiet room and stood staring at the cardboard box on the floor.
Aren't you going to open it asked Jody eager to take a look at the contents. Tyler knelt down and pulled open the box. He was hit by the smell of his mum's flat, a combination of perfume and laundry powder. The box was half full. There were a few dogeared books that belonged to Tyler, some comics, a few spare clothes he had kept at his mum's. There was a few trinkets including his mum's watch and a necklace, his mum's favourite. There was also an envelope containing a wad of old photos and a couple of recent photos in frames. Jody pulled the old photos out of the envelope and started looking through them. There was some of Tyler as a baby with his mum and some older ones of sally as a young woman and as a child. Some were obviously family photos all the faces looking vaguely similar and others were of sally with friends.
Oh wow Tyler look at this one! Exclaimed Jody stumbling across a picture of Tyler as toddler in nothing but a nappy and a pair of large sunglasses that must have belonged to his mum.
Tyler laughed and suddenly there was another muffled laugh behind him
That's a smasher exclaimed Mike who had been peering over Jody shoulder
Yeah added Jody
Go and take your things upstairs before any of the others get there hands on those photos or they'll end up plastered on the walls for all to see joked mike
Tyler began to tidy everything back into the box and Mike turned to leave the room
Mike said Tyler hesitantly there's one thing I don't understand
What? Queried Mike turning back
What's happened to the rest of mum's stuff?
Well Irene has been clearing out your mum's flat. I guess she may have kept a few things, sold anything that still had any value and the rest will go to charity shops I imagine. Replied Mike matter of factly
Shes got rid of my mums stuff, just sold it or dumped it at a charity shop! Exclaim Tyler his voice rising
Well I wouldn't put it quite like that. The landlord wanted to rent the flat out again and it's not like your cousin can take much back to Australia and you don't have much space here either. Besides funerals are expensive so Irene will have needed to sell off anything she could to help cover the costs.
But I should have been the one to decide what to keep and what get rid of. There my mums things, how would Irene know what things were important to keep? Protested Tyler
It's not that simple Tyler and anyway we didn't want to upset you by making you go to your mum's flat and drag up old memories.
You don't know what's best for me or my mum. You can't decide something like that he shouted angrily
Tyler, we were just trying to... began Mike but he didn't get a chance to finish before Tyler stormed out and slammed the door
Jody put the last few things back in the box and got up to follow Tyler
It's not fair Mike. He's lost his mum and now he's lost most of her belongings and cant even see the flat one last time
Jody, I know how hard it is for Tyler but we have a duty of care, we have to use our judgement to decide what's best for him, and going back to the flat when most of the contents are already boxed up is only going to make things more painful for him. Besides the landlord wanted everything sorted as quickly as possible, the keys are being handed over this morning, so there simply wasn't enough time to arrange a visit, it's out of our hands

Jody scowled and left the room