Times of Trouble
Chapter 25
Lucy quickly ripped the envelope open. She´s been waiting for this letter for weeks now. Before she could start reading Simon stormed into her room without knocking. She didn´t mind this time, though.
I read it aloud.
Simon sat on the bed and impatiently watched her unfolding the letter.
Dear Lucy and Simon,
sorry that I didn´t write earlier, but everything has been very busy in the last few weeks. I´m going to school again and they put me in the same grade I would be now if nothing had happened. A few lessons are hard to follow, I have so much to catch up with. But that´s okay, I´m learning like hell very hard and will be on the same level as the others soon.
There are some cool people in my class and I already found friends to hang out with. But the best thing is that my oldest friend, Tom, has moved here with his parents only 3 months ago. He´s living about an hour from my place. As you can imagine I´m eager to get my driver´s licence as soon as possible.
Uncle Mac took me to his grandfather Harry at the weekend and we went fishing. I caught a huuuuge one, but it slipped through my fingers when I tried to pull it in the boat. Maybe I´ll get it next time.
How are things in Glenoak? Are you still grounded for the finger thing, Simon? Tsk tsk, bad boy! :)
And Lucy: Congrats for your new driver´s licence. But what sort of strange guys are you dating? Letting you pick him up AND pay for the cinema? He won´t have many more dates in the near future, I guess.
Thank you for your letters, they helped me much during the whole adoption process. For a while it seemed like I would have to return to the orphanage. Can you imagine that? There is someone who wants to adopt a kid and people say oh, we´re not sure if you´re the right man for the job. They rather wanted me to go back!
In the end Pete found a lawyer who quickly settled the matter and now we´re setting up an extra room on the boat. Living on a house boat is great, in the evening you can sit near the water and breath clean air – well, it´s still city air, but not as dirty as downtown.
I hope you´ll come for a visit in summer, I can´t wait to show you around.
Tell your dad I enjoyed reading the book he gave me and thanks to your mom for the cookies. I´m afraid they didn´t last long
Love,
Jeff
The boy heard someone shouting his name from outside. He stood up, went to the small window and opened it. From the wharf his uncle was waving two ice hockey sticks. Jeff gave him two thumbs up, closed the window and took his jacket from the chair. Then he hesitated, looking back at the desk and the letter.
He dropped the jacket again and took the pen.
P.S.: I still don´t know how to tell uncle Mac that I hate ice hockey!