They nod knowingly at each other across the magazine aisle. It’s the fortnightly shop that has become the new dread in his life.

What magazine does she like? What game did his little boy ask for again? He grabs a pack of paper and pens for the youngest. All the mundane things they ask for to feel at home in his new shell of life. All the things he can provide. Overshadowed by the things he can’t. He wanders the aisles. She likes yoghurt without ‘bits’. The boys aren’t fussed; they spoon it down so fast it barely touches the taste buds. Funny how this isn’t the case when he tries to introduce broccoli. The airplane technique faded away years ago; along with other traditions they all once held. Big family meals which saw her make the meals and him sit the kids down at their little plastic table and chairs, so they could play ‘grownups’. Them with their wide grins at smiley and turkey dinosaur night. Spaghetti? Or peas? The youngest still on mummy’s hip and the girl spelling words out with her food. Nowadays dinner is rushed so he gets them back to their home on time. Long gone are the messy table tops and happy faces.

Friday night supermarkets see mass amounts of ‘those people’ trying to gather their wits in order to remember all their favourite things. Children are so innocent in how they view the world. Forget the red fizz and they’ll remember the whole weekend as a dud but fight for your share in them and you become ‘that guy that they see once in a while’. Adult matters elude them. You know it won’t get better as they grow older, she’ll suddenly remember you exist when she has a big class trip coming up and money’s tight with mum. He wants a new video game every weekend. Family days are virtually non-existent and when they are played out before you, the sadness at them soon setting like the sun envelopes you like darkness.

They nod knowingly at each other across the playground. My mummy and daddy are getting divorced. Mine too. I miss them. Will it get easier, do you think? I don’t know.

Photo by Dave Watson

Please check out his work on https://www.instagram.com/davewatson_uk/ or at https://davewatson1980.picfair.com