Tyler's Battle

Chapter 39 - Jody's Fear

Tyler had a great time at the park. He ran round the playground with Sebastian and spent ages pushing little Sophie on the swing. Later, whilst Joanne took the kids to buy ice-cream, Tyler and his dad had a chat. Tyler told his dad all about Ashdene ridge and his dad told him stories about his mum, and later about how he had met Joanne and they'd had Sebastian and Sophie.

When Tyler got back to Ashdene ridge he couldn't stop talking about his day at the park. Most of the kids listened eagerly, excited to hear about Tyler's new family. One person was not so happy. Jody's heart sunk as she sat listening to Tyler talking about his family. She'd been so happy for Tyler but now she was filled with dread and jealousy as it occurred to her that Tyler had a family now, he didn't need her anymore and would probably leave the DG.

As Tyler told a funny story about Sophie getting ice-cream all over her face and hands and on Tyler's jacket, Jody left the room. She couldn't listen to him anymore, she suddenly felt so alone. For once when she looked at his smiling face she knew that she wasn't the one making him smile. A few weeks ago she would have given anything to see Tyler smile like that but now instead of being happy for him, she just felt scared and alone. The last time she felt like this was when she was nine years old and was first put into care. She had been so frightened, and felt like she was completely alone in the world. Her mum didn't want her, Kingsley hated her. Strangers tried to comfort her and explain things to her but it didn't help. The more people she came into contact with the more lonely she felt. Isolated in a sea of strange faces and voices. No one knew her or really cared about her, they were just doing their jobs or going about their lives. But Tyler had been different, he had made her smile, he had got to know her, he made her feel a part of the world around her instead of feeling totally isolated and alone. Now for the first time since then she felt like she might truly be losing him and disappearing back into that no-mans land if isolation, fear and loneliness. She had never seen him that happy with his mum, he was always worried about her, he was never totally relaxed and happy with her because he was always wondering when her mood would change, whether she would get depressed again. But this was different, she could genuinely picture Tyler moving in with his dad at some point.