S.O.S by Will James Read Free Book Online Page A

Molly let out a sigh of relief and took her tea from Dev, walking behind him up the stairs.
    She followed him into his room and stopped dead; it couldn’t have been more different from her own. Where hers was untidy, his was neat and pristine; his books were arranged on shelves, stacked high, rather than strewn haphazardly across the floor as her books were. His bed was neatly made, there were no odd clothes or possessions anywhere; everything was in its place. But the thing that surprised her the most was the one wall opposite Dev’s bed. Painted with blackboard paint, every inch of it was covered in calculations, written up there in white chalk, the complexity of which made her head swim. She stared at it in amazement.
    â€œMy maths,” he said. “It’s mostly equations. I’m working on something quite complex.”
    â€œYou’re not kidding,” Molly said, “WOW!” Then, not wanting to seem too impressed added, “You’re such a geek.”
    Dev smiled. He came and stood beside her, looking at the wall and leaned in close. Molly’s heart gave a lurch. He’s going to kiss me, she thought. She closed her eyes.
    â€œIt looks difficult but in the end it was quite simple,” Dev said.
    Molly opened her eyes. He was pointing out a series of figures that tailed across the wall. He hadn’t been about to kiss her, he was just trying to explain an equation. She felt herself blush. She nodded, not really understanding anything he was saying.
    â€œI’ll show you it on the computer,” he said, “that should make it easier to understand.”
    Again she nodded and watched him turn on the PC. “Come and sit here,” he said, pulling up a chair next to him. “I really want you to know this,” he said, suddenly serious, “And I think you should be sitting down when I tell you...”
    *
    Full of
MacFlurry
, Jenny tucked Sophie into bed. It was late and there had been no time for stories tonight.
    â€œOK, lights out right away and straight to sleep,” Jenny said.
    Sophie snuggled down under the duvet and Jenny pulled it up to her chin, leaning down and kissing her daughter.
    â€œNight, night Sophie,” she said, turning off the bedside lamp and leaving the small night light glowing in the corner. “Sleep tight.”
    Jenny waited for a few minutes by the door until she heard Sophie’s breathing regulate and then, sure that her daughter was asleep, she made her way to her own bedroom, thinking that she might get her book to read downstairs. She stopped, just inside the room.
    Her bed had been turned down and an old fawn teddy bear was propped up against the pillows. Tears welled up immediately. Jenny snatched it up and hurried down to Sophie’s room.
    At Sophie’s bed, she stopped and looked down at her daughter. What warped ideas were going on in her mind? Why was she doing this? Jenny hugged the bear into her chest. When had it happened? This morning? No, Jenny had changed her jeans to go out for ice-cream; there was nothing in the room then. When they got back? No, she and Sophie had been together all the time.
    Jenny sat down on the bed and shook Sophie awake. It was mean, she thought, although Sophie probably had no idea just how hurtful it was. She must have put the bear there whilst Jenny was getting the hot water bottle. Sophie woke as Jenny shook her.
    â€œMummy?”
    Jenny nodded.
    â€œWhy have you got Chris’s bear?” she asked.
    â€œYou put it in Mummy’s bed,” Jenny said.
    â€œI-I didn’t,” Sophie responded in a small, confused voice. “It was on my bed.”
    Jenny ignored this. “Please don’t keep putting Chris’s things out,” she said gently. “Please leave them in his room.”
    Sophie’s eye lids fluttered closed, but Jenny knew that she’d understood. She bent forward and kissed her daughter again. How could she be cross?