Will Geof Ever Be A Doctor?

Chapter 18


Jim laughed to himself, 'What would mother say?' he wondered, 'she will not be very pleased, being watchful of the happiness we both enjoyed.' He thought the ladies needed the help and if there was some disturbance he would see it did not last long.

To give himself something to do, he cleaned his shoes for the second time and was just admiring the brilliant shine when his mother came in. She felt very happy, having been with her friend and said with a laugh, "Have you been doing that all the time I have been away? You were cleaning them when I went." She would have gone on but looking at his face she stopped. "What is it, is there anything wrong?"

Jim talked quickly of what he had done, finishing with the words, "I wanted to help."

"And you will, Mrs Upton is all for the idea, we must know the truth and let Geof be free of this harassment. I will invite him and his aunt to lunch at the weekend and Alice with the twins and invite Jack. We will all be on the watch, but must let him get Geof on his own somewhere where we can see and hear what is said and done, a tape recorder wouldn't be amiss, he could hear himself."

"What a great treasure you are mum! I think I would enlist you on my job."

His mother was well pleased. "What a compliment," she said as she bent and kissed his cheek.

"We can say it is because we missed Geof's 17th birthday."

Jim thought it over. "Good," he said, "they could wonder. You give the invitations, but tell their auntie why, that is necessary when we are inviting Geof's father."

"Do you think Jack will be wiser after the last trick we played on him?"

Jim had shut his eyes to think and somehow felt himself swimming in clear water. For a moment or two he tried to re-enact the lovely feeling he had had.

When he opened them his mother was bending over him and round her head he saw a silver colour and put his arms around her neck and kissed her. "I know it will work," as he spoke of his experience, "I don't know what it means but I know it is all quite perfect." Had he known he would have been more pleased, for it told him to trust himself, 'have faith and you would keep afloat'. The silver showed his mother's feeling of anticipation that all would be well, trust would make it so.

Mrs Fuller was highly delighted as she penned the invitations. "What a party this is going to be, I hope Jack will feel better by what could happen; enjoying the meal perhaps he will be able to get rid of the past, not make more mistakes." At these words the colour leaving her would change her tolerance, building up a lovely rosy red, so lovely to think and feel. The answers to her invitation came back quickly, all were looking forward to the party given for Geof, whom everyone loved and wished to see him follow the way he wanted.

Saturday came and all were early, Jack appeared to be in very good spirits and all had been set up to find the truth of his real feelings. He himself was feeling that at last he would get his son back, he would make him fear what would happen. He could not help smiling to himself; how long that will last we shall soon see.

© Gladys Franklin, January 2000




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