He Called Me Son (The Blountmere Street Series Book 1) Read Free

favourite thing in the room.   A great-aunt had given it to her.   This aunt had been married to a Colonel or some high up bloke in the British Army, and she had lived in India.   I didn’t know where India was, and Lori had showed it to me on a map.   She said that India was hot and the box was made of sandalwood, which I thought must be a lot different from the tree at the top of Blountmere Street.   When you opened the box it smelt like the spice on top of penny buns.
    ‘If you ever want a gadget, I’m the one to ask,’ Lori often said.   ‘I’ve got everything in my India box.   I could live on a desert island and not want for anything, if I had it with me.’
    When we were little, Lori had let Angela and me play with some of the things inside it - a spinning top and a doll in a bit of material called a sari.   Once Angela stuffed the doll down her knickers and took it home, but Mum found it and gave it back to Lori.   Angela cried all night.
    On top of the India box was Lori’s handbag: the old grey one she always carried.   Sometimes, she even tucked it under her arm when she was hanging out her washing. The straps had worn out hundreds of   years ago, and she often said she must get a new bag, but she never did.   Inside it, I could see a whole lot of rubbishy stuff like Lori’s powder puff she patted her nose with when she got flummoxed and one or two sweet papers.   In the middle of it all, I saw her old green purse and it was bulging, really bulging.   There was probably more money in it than Angela and I would see in ten years.   Enough for a half crown not to be noticed.   Then I could pay Old Boy Barker outright for the fags and comics.   It was the answer to my problem.   Lori had so much she wouldn’t miss it, and I wouldn’t risk Old Boy Barker catching me nicking.   I fumbled for the purse, undid the clasp, grabbed a half crown, and stuffed it into my pocket.  
    Lori came into the kitchen with two cups of tea and told me to sit down, but I couldn’t keep still.   A fiery feeling burnt my throat.   ‘I think I’d better pop back to Mum,’ I said, getting up and leaving the tea untasted.  
    ‘That’s very thoughtful of you, Tony,’ Lori called after me as I tore out her front door and down her path on my way back to our flat.
    ‘Give my love to your Mum,’ I heard as I opened our door, but I didn’t answer.   I had to get away.   I didn’t want to think about what I’d done.
     
    The next day on the way to school, I told the Gang I had left my exercise book at home and I would catch them up.   When I could see them well down the road, I put on a confident smile and skipped into Old Boy Barker’s.   I chose the comics and took them to the counter.   Old Boy Barker stared at me, his red bladder of a nose practically throbbing when I asked for twenty Players.
    ‘And you say these cigarettes are for your Gran?’
    ‘My Gran smokes like … um … hell .’   I choked over the word.   ‘My Gran smokes a lot.’
    ‘What about the comics?’
    ‘They’re a special treat.’
    ‘I didn’t know you had a Gran.’
    I thought quickly.   ‘Dad’s mum.   Step mum.   She lives in ... India, but she’s on holiday at the moment.   She’s got a box full of knick-knacks and that.’
    I passed the half crown over the counter and Old Boy Barker gave me the Players.   Then he rolled The Dandy and The Beano and put a rubber band around them, before handing them to me.   He still looked suspicious and I made my smile bigger.   It was a pity I wouldn’t be able to have the penny drink of Tizer I had been looking forward to, but although I tried, I couldn’t control the trembling in my belly or keep the fire from my throat.
     
    Smoking!   All that sucking and blowing.    It was a waste of money.
    Except for Herbie, we all threw up, lumpy sick, bright with carrots from our school dinner.
    Afterwards, I made straight for our flat.   Along the Dibbles’ side of