The Teacher

'Let me finish,' Mr Bell says. Millie closes her mouth but her anger is clear. Her cheeks an incandescent pinkish red and her fists are clenched at her sides. Mr Bell draws breath. Disappointment in Millie is brewing, gathering strength and threatening to infiltrate his words, tone and body language. His shoulders are tensed so…

Wheels falling off

Gawd, three weeks until the kidlets can go back to school and I can return to work. The wheels of productivity are loosening; the lights of inspiration flickering. I bob in a sea of disconnectedness with the world of work. But fear not, my fickle ways shall be overcome. I shall rise to the challenge…

Losing Mia

Barry and I were in a small room, just off from triage. It was styled with a sofa, two arm chairs, a small occasional table with a lamp, and cheap art work. Also on the table were brochures: organ donation, funeral homes, cancer foundations, and SIDS. And a vase of plastic flowers. We knew instinctively…

Marigold’s pain

Marigold's tummy swirls and her body temperature oscillates between cold and hot, like she's about to spew. Her brow has perspiration beads collecting at her hairline. She's Googled her symptoms: she could have food poisoning to a bacterial infection to a smattering of more sinister options. She keeps her pain and her Dr Google sleuthing…

A morning in the life of

'Harriet, don't tease your sister!' I yell for the umpteenth time. I wipe my forehead with my gloved hand. I am washing the breakfast dishes. The dishwasher's kaput. Died mid-cycle three weeks ago, so I had to empty it of half-clean crockery and then bucket out the excess water. Since then, my lower back is…