Tom Branson was 18 years old and in his second and final year of sixth form. Year 13. He was a quiet boy and at school he didn't have many friends or any really. He kept himself to himself just like he had since a young age, to protect himself, to stop himself from getting hurt. It was the easiest way to deal with pain and even in just his 18 years Tom had suffered more heartache and pain than most people would face in a life time.
"My family mean everything to me. I have three brother's and two sisters. In order of age from oldest to youngest there's Katherine, me, Meara, Niall, Kieran and Eammon. My Dad was an abusive alcoholic and my mother was too blinded by love to see his faults. They left when I was 9 leaving Katherine and I to care for the family, we knew that we couldn't go to social services in fear of being split up. Being split up was not an option." Tom took a deep, shaky breath, his cheeks tear stained and his eyes red and puffy, "I got a part-time job and tried to look after my family as best I could. When Katherine was old enough, she left and went to university and we never heard from her again. She wanted to make a better life for herself and that meant cutting off all ties to her old life, i.e. us. I was left to care for the family and so I picked up a second job, I am earning enough to pay the mortgage, the bills and to pay for food but that's about it because I'm only an amateur and pay isn't great. Not only do I have two jobs to deal with, but I also have to balance in my a level work, something which isn't easy with the amount of time I spend off school because of my work. I am so far behind and there are so many things I don't understand. If I'm not working I'm looking after the kids and with so little money to feed them I often go hungry. By the time I actually manage to get to sleep I will only have about 5 hours until I need to get up again. I sleep on the sofa because there aren't enough bedrooms for me to have one. Sometimes life is hell on earth but I do it for those kids because they are my family." He breathed out like a weight had been lifted off is shoulders. It was so good to finally get it all out.
The person he was talking to couldn't believe what he was saying. They were astounded at how strong he was. How he could do the job that most parents would find difficult. The pain that he was going through, he had been through and the struggle he made everyday. Suddenly it was all noticeable. The bags under his eyes, how tense his body was, the faint scars on his arms. The pain. The weight of so much pressure and so many worries on his shoulders. The weight of looking after and caring for a family. How different their life was. How insignificant their problems were in comparison to his. They wished they could take the pain away, they really did.
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