Echoes in the Woods by Georgina Scott (ebook reader 8 inch .TXT) 📗

the half-ploughed field, talking about the day’s events, with his arm around one shoulder. “I’m glad he is leaving. I do love him; after all, he is my brother, but I just don’t like him. I’ve tried to like him, get on with him in fact, include him when we play. It’s hard, it’s just so bloody hard,” said Matthew.

His dad looked down at him and it dawned on him that his fourteen year old was growing up and way too quickly for his liking.

They picked themselves up, dusted off and headed back to the house. Teasing and wrestling with each other as they went and not realising that in the distance looking through a window was an eleven-year-old boy watching them. Emotions ran full throttle through Jake’s body, envious, jealousy, hatred, longing and wishing for that same contact, but he knew deep down it will never be; it will never happen.

Chapter 2

It was 10:30 am by the time Mac and Mary arrived at the house. Jake was sitting on the porch steps, looking sullen. Henry and Mark ran out of the house and hugged their grandparents and started to tell them bad jokes. Matthew stepped out of the front door and sat next to Jake. “You okay, creep?” said Matthew, giving him a slight elbow. Jake just nodded and shrugged his shoulders. “Just think of all the places you’re going to see. Wish I was going with you,” said Matthew. Mary approached and kissed both boys, then headed into the house with Mark and Henry.

Mac sat next to Jake and winked at Matthew. Jake got all sullen and became very tearful. “What are my ears hearing? Crying? Is that tears I am seeing!” said Mac as he picked Jake up and placed him on his lap. Jake started to giggle as Gramp’s beard started to tickle him; with one hand, Gramps tickled him then lifted him and blew raspberries on his tummy. Matthew was startled as he heard his little brother’s laugh, as it was not something he had heard often, and then they all laughed together.

They heard raised voices from the house. “Go and play with all your brothers. I will send out the other two,” said Mac to Matthew, then got to his feet and went into the house, rubbing his hands on top of Jake’s head as he went.

Henry and Mark came running out with their wooded swords, shouting, “I’m gonna be Skywalker.”

“No, I am,” and so on, until Matthew interrupted, “I will be Solo and Jake will be R2D2. Henry, you’re Wookie and Mark, you are C3PO.” For the first time in a long time, all four boys played as they should.

John and Faith sat at the kitchen table with her parents, drinking coffee with a mid-morning snack. “So, you think Jake will be better off with us, do you? Let me finish, Faith,” said Mac raising his hand in mid-sentence. “Yes, you’re right. Yes, he will be better with us, because let’s face it, you both have done a bad job in raising, caring and loving him. This has not been a stable home for him and I still haven’t finished Faith,” said Mac thumping his fist on the table.

With a raised voice, “Now we love you daughter, but the treatment of Jake is abominable. You have allowed your husband to abuse a child in ways I dare not think about,” said Mary.

“But Mum, Dad,” said Faith looking bewildered at her parents, only to be shaken to the core by their coldness towards her. “Don’t you Mum, Dad us! I have never, in all my days, wanted to raise a hand to you or any child no matter how angry or frustrated I was. So, you tell me how this has happened? You both agreed to raise Jake, to love, protect, so what the hell has happened?” said Mac waiting for an answer.

Both Faith and John exchanged looks, “It’s me. I can’t accept him Mac. Every time I look, hear or see him, all I see is Steve’s face. I want him gone, one way or the other; if you don’t take him, he will be put into the care system,” said John adamantly.

“And this is what you want, Faith?” said Mary

“No. I want him here with us, with his family,” said Faith, with John glaring at her.

“Faith, this is not what we agreed,” said John.

“I know, but I can’t let him go. He is my baby boy,” breaking down in tears.

“Faith, this needs to happen, he needs to go,” said John glaring at her with looks that could kill.

“John, please don’t do this,” said Faith, pleading.

“What the bloody hell is going on here?” said Mac, with a raised voice.

“Faith, Faith,” said John sternly.

Faith tried to compose herself. “I’m okay, it’s just a bit too much,” wiping tears from her cheeks.

“So John, to appease your damaged ego, you want to get rid of Jake. Do you really think removing him will solve your problems?” said Mac.

“No, but something has to give Mac, and I hate the little bastard. I can’t stand the sight of him.”

“Jesus Christ. So you decide to take your anger and revenge out on an innocent eleven-year-old boy, who was the product of what happened, but not the cause! Damn it, John! You brought that man into this house! You, you instigated all this!” said Mac pointing a finger and then thumping his fist on the table. Then he continued to say, “Well, boo-fucking-ho,” getting up from the table, then walked outside and played with the boys for a while to calm down.

“I have never seen your father like this before, Faith,” said Mary then reached out her hand and placed Faith’s hand in hers. “Are you sure you want to do this because you have to be sure,” Faith looked at John, then hesitantly nodded.

After a breather and a stretch of the old legs, and some more tea, the four of them carried on talking. Faith and John tried the best