Floating Home by 9781528953504

Author:9781528953504
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
Published: 2020-01-31T00:00:00+00:00

“Yes, that’s fine, Danny,” Alex replied. “I’ll have no need for them. After all, they won’t fit me, will they? And at the rate you’re growing, they won’t fit you for very much longer, anyway, will they?” Danny didn’t answer, as he just nodded and grinned his usual trademark smile.

“So, you’ve got everything, now, then?” Alex enquired. “What about your school books? You’ll need them to show your teachers at your new school.”

“Oh, no, I forgot them,” Danny replied. “I’ll go and get them. The textbooks as well?”

“No, not them,” Alex told the lad. “Your new school will have their own, and they’ll almost certainly be different to the ones we’ve been using. Better leave them here.”

“OK, mister,” Danny replied, as he ducked back into Jennifer Jo and returned a few moments later with his exercise books, tucking them into one of the carrier bags.

“Well, that’s it,” he said, as he bent over and picked up all his carrier bags and then stood there for a moment or two, hands full, suddenly unsure of himself once again. “Goodbye, then, mister,” he said awkwardly, staring at the deck and avoiding Alex’s gaze. Then, suddenly, without another word, he stepped off the boat and hesitantly walked away across the grass, towards where his mother and grandmother were waiting for him.

Alex stood and watched as Danny covered perhaps a couple of dozen steps, before he suddenly dropped the carrier bags onto the ground, spun round, and ran back, arms outstretched, to the back of the boat where Alex was standing. Reaching Alex, he flung his arms round him and buried his head in Alex’s chest. Alex embraced the boy and pulled him close, hugging him tight, and they stood there together for some 30 seconds or so, ignoring the curious glances of the passers-by and the pub customers sitting at the tables nearby.

Eventually, they disentangled themselves, and Danny looked up at Alex, with tears in his eyes.

“I’m sorry I’m crying, mister,” he apologised. “I never cried, even once, all the time I was at Grant Hall, but loads of the other kids did. Some of them cried every night. And here I am crying now. I’m really sorry, but I just can’t help it.”

“It’s alright, Danny,” Alex comforted the boy. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. There’s no need to apologise. These are tears of joy, not of sadness. It’s because you’ve found your mother at last. It’s what you’ve been looking forward to, ever since you first came onto Jennifer Jo.”

“Yes, mister, I know,” said Danny, wiping his eyes. “I always knew I’d find her someday. But you never thought I would, did you? You never admitted it, but I could tell.”

Alex was a bit taken aback by what Danny had said. Admittedly, he’d tried to dampen Danny’s hopes on several occasions, and told him that it wouldn’t be easy to find his mother, but the boy had read his mind much better than he’d given him credit for. But he quickly collected his thoughts, and spoke to Danny again.

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