It was pouring rain. It was freezing cold. And it was dark.

I never used to be afraid to be out after dark, walking confidently in all sorts of places. But with Adam with me I get very nervous about fast cars and slippery pavements.

And Adam is very stubborn. I can’t imagine where he gets it from. The words ‘It’s raining, put your hood up.’ before we leave nursery gets me a very firm ‘No hood!’ And then we get outside and the rain hits his head and he says ‘Mummy, hood up, please!’ If only he’d listen to begin with…

Anyway, we headed to the bus stop, in the rain, and the cold and the dark. And he hates walking right by me, but always in front or behind me, especially on the narrow pavement on the road that runs by nursery. I, of course, prefer in front and try to arrange us that way, but it doesn’t always work. Then we get to the wider pavement and the busier street and I make him walk beside me away from traffic, not moving until he’s where I want him.

And it was dark and cold and raining. And we get to the bus stop and wait. And wait. And wait. And I start to get a bit nervous with the cars flying by about 3 feet in front of us and know Adam is feeling a bit scared as well as he insists on holding my hand the whole time, which he never does. And we wait, in the dark and the cold and the rain and the cars flying by 3 feet away, spraying us with water nearly every time.

And we wait some more, me peering up the street constantly looking for the lights of the bus and then finally they appear. Warm and welcoming and dry.

And my big boy and I get on the bus and go to the back, where Adam likes to sit because the seats are higher and he can see out, and we settle in for our journey home, finally dry and warm and lighted.

And then we get to our stop and it’s still cold and still raining and even darker. And I put his hood up again and we go as fast as we can up our little hill. Our front light is being temperamental and it decided last night to not be on when we got home so I am relieved that I had left the inside light on. And the key goes in the lock and the light welcomes us in.

And we’re warm and dry and lighted.

And no longer scared.