Who Goes Home

Chapter 1 Jacob's Birthday It was Jacob's thirteenth birthday. In many ways it was no different from all his previous birthdays. They didn't hold a disco at the local club and invite dozens of friends from school. Jacob had no friends. He appeared to want no friends. There was his family--his father, his mother, and his two young sisters, Beth and Josie. That was enough. So the birthday party was just a birthday tea, with a quiet sense of special occasion. There were only two guests from the outside world: Uncle Mark, Lydia's only brother, her elder by some ten years, and his daughter, Molly. They had come, as always, to deliver a card and a present. They needed no invitation and they knew they would find the family at home. Mark's wife stayed away and sent her excuses. The white cloth with its deep lace edging was brought out especially for party time. Lydia had baked scones and sausage rolls and made mountains of sandwiches. There were cream cakes from the local bakery and an iced birthday cake with thirteen blue candles. The leftovers, no doubt, would fill many baskets! Greetings had been exchanged and, with the exception of Beth and Josie, everyone was sitting around waiting for the feast to begin. Uncle Mark smiled across at Jacob. "So now you are a teenager," he said. "We'll have to treat you like a grown-up!" "What do you treat a grown-up like, Dad?" said Molly, who was only eleven but slick with it. The question was not asked in all innocence. She was already a dab hand at making fun of her father and the silly things he was apt to do and say. "Will Jacob be able to drink wine and stop out late?" "I don't want to drink wine and stop out late," said Jacob impatiently. "I want to be spoken to as if what I had to say mattered. I want to be accorded . . ."--he blushed--"intellectual equality." Mark laughed. His laugh was kindly enough, but to Jacob his manner was insulting. In appearance Mark resembled his sister, but he was far more robust and extrovert. His complexion was rosier and his fair hair was inclined to curl. "They teach you some big words at that school of yours," he said. "See what I mean?" said Jacob, turning to his father. Steven smiled at Mark mockingly. They were a complete contrast. Steven's dark hair was brushed straight back from his forehead. His eyes were the deepest brown. But it was not just in coloring that they differed: Steven was much brighter than his brother-in-law, and not always kindly with it! "I do see what you mean, my son," he said, as if talking only to Jacob, "but maybe Uncle Mark would rather you opted for a place on the junior rugby team. Scrum half, or something like that?" "Jacob couldn't play rugby," said Molly scornfully before her father could make any retort. "He can't even run as fast as me. And he's useless at catching." "I don't want to play rugby," said Jacob patiently. "My brains are not in my boots." "That's soccer," said Mark, trying to turn the conversation into a joke. "In rugby we mostly run with the ball, not kick it!" It seemed to him that Jacob had the knack of making people feel uncomfortable. He was always such an outsider. Not like his sisters: Beth and Josie were sturdy little Girl Guides, popular with everybody, and full of fun. They were twins, fair like all their mother's family, with light blue eyes and bright, eager smiles. They were eight years old, not particularly clever, but not stupid either. "Where are the twins?" said Molly. "At dancing class," said Lydia as she came in from the kitchen carrying yet another tray of food. "They should be back any minute. Kerry from next door takes them." She set the tray down on theWaugh, Sylvia is the author of 'Who Goes Home ', published 2004 under ISBN 9780385901604 and ISBN 0385901607.