Tommy watched Lucy with envy as she packed her things. Lucy was being adoptedher new mum and dad were sorting the paperwork, and soon shed have a proper family. Shed been telling him all about her days out with themthe zoo, which Tommy had never visited, the puppet theatre where shed seen a real witch, and the jam, apricot with the stones still in.
Tommy was five. For as long as he could remember, hed lived in the childrens home. Kids came and went all the time. When Jack disappeared, Tommy asked Mrs. Wilkins, «Miss, wheres Jack gone?»
«Home, love, to his family,» she replied.
«Whats a family?» Tommy pressed.
«A familys where youre always wanted, always loved,» she said softly.
«Wheres mine, then?» Tommy asked.
Mrs. Wilkins just sighed, gave him a sad look, and didnt answer.
After that, Tommy stopped asking. He understoodfamily was something precious, something he didnt have.
When Lucy vanished for two days and returned in a pretty dress, hair done up, clutching a new doll, Tommy cried. No one had ever picked him. Maybe no one ever would.
Then Mrs. Wilkins walked in, holding a jumper and trousers. «Get changed, Tommyyouve got visitors coming.»
«Me?» Tommy blinked. «Who?»
«They want to meet you.»
Tommy dressed, sat on the bench, and waited. Mrs. Wilkins took his hand and led him to the visiting room. A man and woman sat therethe man tall with a beard, the woman small and pretty. She smelled like flowers, and Tommy thought she looked like a rose with her big eyes and long lashes.
«Hello,» she said. «Im Emily. And you?»
«Tommy,» he mumbled. «Who are you?»
«Wed love to be your friends,» Emily said. «And we need your help.»
«With what?» Tommy glanced at the man.
The man crouched beside him. «Im James. We heard youre brilliant at drawing. Could you sketch us a robot?»
Tommy puffed up. «Yeah. What kind?»
James fetched a bag, pulling out a sketchpad, pencils, and a huge robotstill boxed, gleaming in the sunlight. Tommys breath caught. It was Optimus Prime!
«You know hes the leader, right?» Tommy gasped.
James grinned. «You like him?»
«SO much.»
«Take him, the pencils, and draw us something. But first, lets chatproper friends, yeah?»
They talked for agestoys, his bed, his freezing shoes. Emily held his hand; James ruffled his hair.
When Mrs. Wilkins called him for tea, James shook his hand. «Well be back in a week. Think you can finish the drawing?»
«You promise?» Tommy asked.
«Cross my heart,» Emily said, hugging him so tight his ribs creaked. Her eyes were wet.
«Whyre you crying?» Tommy asked.
«Just dust, sweetheart.»
After tea, Tommy raced to his room where the robot lay. He studied itthe moving limbs, the swiveling headthen started sketching.
Then the older boys barged in.
«Whoa!» Jake snatched the robot, tossing it up.
«Give it back!» Tommy yelled. «Its not even mine!»
Jake laughed. «Everything heres shared, mate.»
They tussledCRACK. The robots leg snapped off. Tommy sobbed, hurling himself at Jake, who threw the broken toy at his face. Blood spurted from Tommys nose.
Mrs. Wilkins cleaned him up. «Tommy, you know the rules. Now its ruined.»
«It wasnt mine! They lent it to me to draw!»
She sighed. «Well, go draw, then.»
Tommy propped the robot against the wall, balancing its leg with a box, and sketched. By bedtime, hed filled a page. The next day, two more. Soon, the whole pad was robots.
«Has it been a week yet?» Tommy asked Mrs. Wilkins. «When are Emily and James coming?»
Her face fell. «Tommy… theyre not coming, love.»
He cried all night, sure it was his faulthed broken the robot.
But the next morning, Mrs. Wilkins beamed. «Get dressed. Visitors.»
Tommy opened the doorEmily and James stood there.
«Hello, darling,» Emily said. «Fancy the zoo?»
Tommy burst into tears. «Wait!» He fetched the sketchpad and broken robot. «Im sorry… Jake and me» He held out the pieces.
James laughed. «Tommy, its yours! A gift!»
Tommy handed him the sketches.
«Perfect!» James said. «Exactly what we needed. And dont worryIll fix him.»
At the zoo, Tommy adored the monkeys, giggling as they swung and munched bananas.
Back at their flat, Emily squeezed his hand. «This is your room.»
Planet wallpaper. A race-car bed. A cupboard of toys.
«Who lives here?» Tommy whispered.
James knelt. «Tommy, we want you to stay. Forever. If youd like.»
«Forever? Like… a family?»
«Yes,» Emily said.
«But why? Im nobody. And I broke the robot.»
Emily cupped his face. «Youre our son.»
Tommy nodded, crying. He loved them. Loved his room. Never wanted to leave.
«Really?» James asked.
«Yeah. Ill be good.»
They laughed, scooping him up, kissing his cheeks.
And Tommyfinally, wonderfullyhad a family. His very own.
