Now he was a big boy.
Well, a bigger boy.
Not a big boy, because they didn’t cry.
Each night after Dad kissed him and turned his light out, the pain of losing his mother washed over him afresh and Mark’s tears flowed.
“It’s a magic pebble,” Mum had said, “throw it far into the sea and wish.”
Mark closed his eyes, kissed the pebble and whispered, “Come back, Mum.”
He hurled it into the waves.