Whittington by Alan Armstrong

Author:Alan Armstrong [Armstrong, Alan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9780307425300
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2005-10-09T07:00:00+00:00

NOBODY WAS HOME when Fran the postman came with the registered letter. It was addressed to Bernie and Marion, “Guardians of Benjamin—, a minor.” Someone had to sign for it. Fran left a slip.

Since Ben and Abby’s father was alive and hadn’t given his consent, Bernie and Marion couldn’t adopt their grandchildren, they could only take care of them. Every few months, a Social Services caseworker came with a checklist and a large file for a home inspection. She had a remote, superior manner that kept Bernie and Marion on edge. Marion was afraid the letter had something to do with their fitness as foster parents.

Marion was a pleasant-looking woman with smile lines. She was not smiling when she showed up at the post office to claim the letter. She was scared. She’d never gotten a registered letter before. From what she’d heard, good news didn’t come in registered letters.

She went in, said hello to the clerk, and asked for her letter. Her hand was shaking when she signed for it.

She went out to her car and cut open the envelope carefully, as if it were something important to save.

The letter said that Ben wasn’t reading up to grade level and there were problems with his temper. Sometimes when asked to read, he’d throw the book down. He was classified as an “At Risk” student—at risk of failing because of his poor reading. He needed to be tested. Depending on what the test showed, he might need to go to a special class.

That night after dinner Bernie called Ben down to the kitchen for a talk. The boy knew something was up; to be called down to the kitchen after dinner meant trouble.

“The school people know about these things,” Marion said. “They figure it will be best for your future.”

She knew she couldn’t do for Ben what she’d done for Abby. His problems were different.

Abby came running when she heard her brother’s long wail. She told Bernie and Marion how the sentaways were teased. She described the reading sessions in the barn, the vocabulary lists, the verses and sayings he’d memorized, how hard Ben was working to catch up.

Ben’s despair frightened his grandparents. It wasn’t a boy’s rage. It wasn’t anger. All feelings he’d built up about his mother’s death, his father’s being off somewhere and not caring, his inability to keep up with his classmates, gave way at once.

Bernie and Marion were afraid that if they didn’t go along with the school’s recommendations, they would be reported to Social Services as unfit guardians. As frightened as they were by the violence of the boy’s reaction, they didn’t want to risk losing him and perhaps his sister too.

Marion didn’t hear the boy crying. On instinct she went to him. He was sobbing into his pillow. She put her hands on his head and patted him.

“It will be all right, honey. Things will work out.”

He turned over and looked at her.

She smoothed his face until he fell asleep.

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