Will Geof Ever Be A Doctor?
Chapter 17
Jack shivering with fear, made no effort to answer the door. The knock came again, sharper more insistent, but he did not move. He could hear footsteps and as he tried to lock the back door the handle turned and a voice said, "I know you're in there." The man's voice was deep but did not sound angry. He left the door and went back to his chair, panic subsiding.
The door swung open and a helmeted head looked round it as it opened wide enough to see into the kitchen. Jack started to jump up but seemed to have no strength in his legs and fell back again on to the seat. He let out a shout as Jim in his uniform appeared in the doorway.
"What have you come for?" he blustered. His voice did not sound the same to him in his own ears.
"I want to talk to you, if you want to be friendly to your son. Why go about it by getting yourself into trouble?"
Jack looked at him. "Nobody believes me," he said, a whimper in his voice.
"I do," Jim replied, "you want him to be a doctor, don't you?"
"Yes, yes, I do," lied Jack.
Jim felt he was not speaking the truth but wanted to be sure before he could help Grace, and his mother who had really been afraid of the way Geof's father had shouted at her.
"I came to say that Geof will come to our house if I invite him. You could tell him there that you really want him to be the doctor he wants to be."
Jack seeing a loophole that he could use jumped up and said, "You would really do that?"
"Well when there is nothing to fear there would be no harm done." Jim could be as devious as Jack and repeated his words.
Jack took Jim's hand and pumped it up and down relentlessly, thinking at the same time, 'What a fool this man is, giving me the chance I want.'
Jim smiled, he could see now what his mother had felt from this man, although he could not see the dark bottle green of malicious intent that was in the atmosphere around them; he could feel it but he had to be really sure that this cowardly father was really as brutal as the ladies had said.
Jack thinking he was going to get his own way wanted to know when it would be possible for him to come and see his son. Rubbing his hands in anticipation, he could not see what Jim could feel; that made him very careful as to what he was going to do, he must plan it carefully and include Geof's mother so that she too could see the truth of this man who was her husband.
Prevaricating, he said, "Next week."
Jack was not happy with that but dare not show what he was feeling and nodded his head. He did not know that while they had been talking in another house all the ladies were together and the same subject was being discussed.
The lovely pink of peace was around them and each one felt at ease with what Jim was doing. Truth was needed and to prove it there had to be the same kind of action. They were laughing together when Geof brought in a tray. "Coffee and biscuits all around," he said. "What are you hatching up? I bet it's about me."
They all laughed as they saw his face, he was going to enjoy this plan, it must be as good as when Jim caught his father.
Alice, his mother felt the need to say, "It would not be helpful to you if your father interfered with your studies, so we are planning to find out the real truth and Jim is going to help us, he is with your father at this moment."
"I see," said Geof, "a real problem this is, even I believed him when he said he would help.
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