Keir Royale

Well, it’s happened.
Young love is blooming and Ben is wearing his “Charlotte Harvey” face.

Charlotte Harvey was a little girl at Ben’s nursery whose hair he fell in love with first, followed by the entire girl. If he talked about her, his face would go all woozy and he’d smile a special gooey smile.

We called it his “Charlotte Harvey” face, which made him blush all the more.

We invited her to his 4th birthday party and among her many memorable utterances she said to one of Ben’s older cousins -

“If ya look at me I’ll kill yer!”

I’m hoping his current beloved is a little more eloquent.

She’s called Sandra and she’s in his class.
He’s liked her for weeks but she was spoken for. And then one day I was home first from work when Ben burst into the house and grabbed his bike without even speaking to me.

“Hello,” I say, “how was piano?”

“Fine. Mum, I’ve got to go. I’ve got my first date. What time do I have to be back?”

Hell, I think, and I hold my breath.
He’s nine years old. Why am I having to deal with this now? What questions do I need to ask? Do I have to delve deeper than “What games did you play?” and “Who did you play with?”
I decide to play dumb.

“With Sandra?”

“Yes, of course, and Ollie. We’re going to play forty-forty.”

I breathe again. A date seems a bit of a misnomer, but he’s so happy with himself he can’t keep his face calm and he can’t believe Sandra is his.

“I never thought someone I loved would love me… except for you and Daddy,” he adds as an afterthought.

“But you’re gorgeous, of course other people will love you.”

“Mums always think that,” he smiles.

So now he is officially part of a pre-teen couple.

I’m not sure what difference it makes to his everyday life, as he and Sandra don’t seem to play together much.
She’s into netball and he’s obsessed with football, which doesn’t bode well for a harmonious future.

But it’s done wonders for his self-esteem, and he’s started brushing his hair without being nagged.
He’ll be volunteering to take a shower next…

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