After dinner at Jesse's house that evening, Mr. Hall drove Adam home.
Adam said good-bye to Mr. Hall and thanked him for the ride and headed
toward the house. He could hear the shouting as soon as he entered the
house. His parents' voices could be hear coming from his dad's den even
though he couldn't make out what they were shouting about.
Hearing Adam come in Martha immediately came into the foyer from the kitchen and took Adam's coat.
"How long have they been arguing?" Adam asked Martha as she hung up his coat.
"For about the last twenty minutes. They went in there following dinner," Martha told him. "Why don't you go upstairs and do your homework," Martha said. Adam knew she was trying to get him away from the arguing.
"Okay," he said even though part of him wanted to go and stand outside the door of the den so he could hear what they were arguing about. More than likely though they were arguing about him. That seemed to be the subject of most of their arguments lately.
Adam headed slowly upstairs but not before he heard his mom shout, "how can you even think about sending him away. He's just a kid."
Adam didn't wait to find out if he would be able to hear his father's reply as he started running up the stairs. Once in his room he shut and locked his door and turned his radio on before sitting down at his desk and starting his homework.
"Hello, Banks residence," Martha Banks said answering the phone the following day.
"Hello, is Angela there?" Casey asked over the phone line.
"Yes she is, hold on a second please," Martha said setting the phone down on the end table and going to find Angela Banks. Martha found her reading in the parlor.
"Ma'am, you have a telephone call," Martha said standing in the doorway of the room.
"Okay, thank-you Martha," Angela said putting a book mark in her book and setting the book down on the table. She went into the living room and picked up the phone. "Hello," she said.
"Angela, this is Casey Conway. Look I realize that this isn't really any of my business, but I was wondering if I could talk to you about Adam? Charlie told me he was upset about maybe being sent to boarding school and.." she got no further as Angela cut her off.
"Actually Casey I could use someone to talk to. Can you come over and we can talk over a cup of tea?"
"Of course. I'll be over in a little bit," Casey said just a little bit surprised. She had actually been expecting to be told to mind her own business.
A little while later Casey was standing on the front porch of the Banks residence ringing the doorbell. The door was quickly answered by Angela.
"Hello, Casey, please come in," Angela said holding the door open for Casey. "Martha is just setting the things out in the parlor now," she said leading the way into the parlor.
After a few minutes of small talk it was Casey who brought up the subject she had really come over to discuss.
"Charlie told me that the school Adam is going to won't allow him to return next year," Casey said.
"Yeah, but its not all Adam's fault. Adam isn't a bad kid," Angela said starting to get defensive but not knowing why.
"I wasn't implying that he was," Casey said quickly. "I enjoy having Adam around the house. He and Charlie have been getting along really well."
"Adam has been having trouble with his former teammates," Angela said and Casey nodded. Charlie had told her about the fights Adam had been getting into at school with the other Hawks. "The school just feels that the easiest way to solve the problem is to not have Adam going to the same school. To tell you the truth, I really don't want Adam going there anymore either. I know this past school year has been hard on him."
"But is sending him away for school next year really the answer. Surely there are other private schools around Minneapolis that he could go to or let him go to public school."
"Its his father's idea to send him away. He feels that Adam has, and please don't take this the wrong way, has fallen into a bad crowd. Adam has always gone along with everything the Phil has wanted him to do. Adam didn't really want to play hockey but he did it because his father wanted him to. He worked hard at being good to please his father. But somewhere along the line Adam fell in love with the game. He loves playing hockey which is why he wanted to play with the Ducks last year when Coach Bombay discovered the district lines put him on that team. Phil didn't want him to and that was the first time that Adam had ever stood up to his father. That change has caused trouble among some of our friends and neighbors as much as it has for Adam at school. Phil needs someone or something to blame everything on. He always has. Unfortunately I think Adam's the one that is paying for it this time."
"So you don't want Adam to go away to school?" Casey asked.
"Of course not. I want to keep him at home as long as possible. In a few years he'll probably go away to high school at Eden Hall like his older brother. Anthony is close but I still don't see him every day. I'm not ready for an empty house yet."
"Have you told your husband how you feel."
"I tried to last night. It ended up in an argument. Phil is still determined to send him away to boarding school next year and I don't know what to do. I was thinking about threatening to leave him."
"Be sure that is what you really want," Casey told her. "Phil might just let you go through with it."
"I'm starting to think that it might not be such a bad thing. He's too hard on the kids. Anthony finally got the nerve to start standing up to him this last year. I don't think Adam will. Adam is different than his brother. Adam just wants to make the people around him happy. If his dad decides to send him away he'll go without protesting but I know he won't be happy. He's always had a hard time making friends. He got lucky with Charlie and the other Ducks because they reached out to him." Angela was quiet for a few moments. "I can't let Phil take that away from him. This is one time that I have to stand up to him. Think Coach Bombay can recommend me to a good lawyer?"
"I'm sure he could," Casey said. "You know this isn't going to be easy."
"I know but I think I need to do it."
"If you need someone to talk to at anytime feel free to call me anytime."
"Thanks," Angela said. "Earlier you mentioned that I could send Adam to public school. Do you really think that would be the right thing to do."
"The Minneapolis schools are very good."
"That isn't what I was referring to," Angela said. "I mean do you think Adam would be okay going there. I mean look at what his so called friends did when he just switched hockey teams. I don't want to send Adam to another school where the kids are going to give him a hard time because of who he is."
Angela didn't say because he was rich but Casey knew that was what she was getting at. She also knew that Angela had a valid point. Kids could be cruel to each other at times. She knew that from growing up.
"Some of the kids might give him a hard time," Casey said, " but Adam would have friends there. Charlie and the others would stand up for him. He wouldn't be facing it alone."
"Maybe you're right. First I've got to convince my husband not to send him away."
Angela and Casey talked for awhile longer and then as she was leaving Casey gave Angela, Gordon Bombay's number. After closing the door behind Casey Angela glanced at the clock on the wall. Adam would be home from school soon. If she wanted to make the call today she would have to do it right now. She went into her husband's den and used the phone in there to call Gordon at Han's Skate Shop.
"Adam, is that you," Angela called as she heard the front door open.
"Yes, mom," Adam called heading for the steps. He had been hoping he could sneak in without his mom realizing it.
"How was school?" Angela asked coming around the corner. As soon as she saw her son her cheerful mood disappeared though. His pants and shirt were both ripped and had dirt and grass stains on them. His hair was a mess and his eye was already turning black and blue. "What happened?"
"Mom, it didn't happen at school. I've been staying out of trouble, honestly. It's just that McGill and the others won't leave me alone. They ambushed me after I got off the bus this afternoon. Do we have to tell Dad. He'll definitely send me away if he knew," Adam said quickly in a pleading tone.
Angela held her arms out to her son and Adam went to her willingly. "No we don't have to tell your Dad," she told her son quietly holding her son close to her. Suddenly she knew she had done the right thing calling a lawyer. It was time she stood up to her husband. She couldn't let him send their youngest son away to a boarding school. It wasn't fair to him.
"Why don't you go get cleaned up," she told him letting him go. She watched as her son hurried up the steps to his room. Angela just wanted to get through the upcoming weekend. She had an appointment with the lawyer that Gordon had recommended to her Monday morning.
She heard a car pull into the driveway and new her husband was home. She put a smile on her face and walked out to greet him like she normally did.
Adam stayed in his room until Martha came up to get him for dinner. He had been putting off facing his dad. His eye was now black and blue and swollen despite the ice he had put on it. He knew his dad would just assume he had gotten into another fight.
His parents were already sitting at the table when Adam walked into the dinning room. He silently walked over to the table and took his seat. However, just as he had expected his dad noticed the black eye right off.
"Have you been fighting at school again, young man?" he dad asked sternly.
Before Adam could answer his father his mother chimed in.
"No, he got hit by the ball in gym class," Angela said lying for her son.
"I think Adam can talk for himself, honey" Phil said gently still looking at his son waiting for him to answer.
"We were playing basketball in gym class and I missed a pass and the ball hit me in the face," Adam said following his mother's lead.
"I meant it about you staying out of trouble for the rest of the school year," Phil reminded him.
"Yes sir," Adam said.
"How was work today?" Angela asked trying to change the subject. Phil Banks started talking about his day at the office and Adam was off the hook. After dinner Adam quickly disappeared up to his room. He just wanted this school year to come to an end and he was glad he only had a week to go.
Hearing Adam come in Martha immediately came into the foyer from the kitchen and took Adam's coat.
"How long have they been arguing?" Adam asked Martha as she hung up his coat.
"For about the last twenty minutes. They went in there following dinner," Martha told him. "Why don't you go upstairs and do your homework," Martha said. Adam knew she was trying to get him away from the arguing.
"Okay," he said even though part of him wanted to go and stand outside the door of the den so he could hear what they were arguing about. More than likely though they were arguing about him. That seemed to be the subject of most of their arguments lately.
Adam headed slowly upstairs but not before he heard his mom shout, "how can you even think about sending him away. He's just a kid."
Adam didn't wait to find out if he would be able to hear his father's reply as he started running up the stairs. Once in his room he shut and locked his door and turned his radio on before sitting down at his desk and starting his homework.
"Hello, Banks residence," Martha Banks said answering the phone the following day.
"Hello, is Angela there?" Casey asked over the phone line.
"Yes she is, hold on a second please," Martha said setting the phone down on the end table and going to find Angela Banks. Martha found her reading in the parlor.
"Ma'am, you have a telephone call," Martha said standing in the doorway of the room.
"Okay, thank-you Martha," Angela said putting a book mark in her book and setting the book down on the table. She went into the living room and picked up the phone. "Hello," she said.
"Angela, this is Casey Conway. Look I realize that this isn't really any of my business, but I was wondering if I could talk to you about Adam? Charlie told me he was upset about maybe being sent to boarding school and.." she got no further as Angela cut her off.
"Actually Casey I could use someone to talk to. Can you come over and we can talk over a cup of tea?"
"Of course. I'll be over in a little bit," Casey said just a little bit surprised. She had actually been expecting to be told to mind her own business.
A little while later Casey was standing on the front porch of the Banks residence ringing the doorbell. The door was quickly answered by Angela.
"Hello, Casey, please come in," Angela said holding the door open for Casey. "Martha is just setting the things out in the parlor now," she said leading the way into the parlor.
After a few minutes of small talk it was Casey who brought up the subject she had really come over to discuss.
"Charlie told me that the school Adam is going to won't allow him to return next year," Casey said.
"Yeah, but its not all Adam's fault. Adam isn't a bad kid," Angela said starting to get defensive but not knowing why.
"I wasn't implying that he was," Casey said quickly. "I enjoy having Adam around the house. He and Charlie have been getting along really well."
"Adam has been having trouble with his former teammates," Angela said and Casey nodded. Charlie had told her about the fights Adam had been getting into at school with the other Hawks. "The school just feels that the easiest way to solve the problem is to not have Adam going to the same school. To tell you the truth, I really don't want Adam going there anymore either. I know this past school year has been hard on him."
"But is sending him away for school next year really the answer. Surely there are other private schools around Minneapolis that he could go to or let him go to public school."
"Its his father's idea to send him away. He feels that Adam has, and please don't take this the wrong way, has fallen into a bad crowd. Adam has always gone along with everything the Phil has wanted him to do. Adam didn't really want to play hockey but he did it because his father wanted him to. He worked hard at being good to please his father. But somewhere along the line Adam fell in love with the game. He loves playing hockey which is why he wanted to play with the Ducks last year when Coach Bombay discovered the district lines put him on that team. Phil didn't want him to and that was the first time that Adam had ever stood up to his father. That change has caused trouble among some of our friends and neighbors as much as it has for Adam at school. Phil needs someone or something to blame everything on. He always has. Unfortunately I think Adam's the one that is paying for it this time."
"So you don't want Adam to go away to school?" Casey asked.
"Of course not. I want to keep him at home as long as possible. In a few years he'll probably go away to high school at Eden Hall like his older brother. Anthony is close but I still don't see him every day. I'm not ready for an empty house yet."
"Have you told your husband how you feel."
"I tried to last night. It ended up in an argument. Phil is still determined to send him away to boarding school next year and I don't know what to do. I was thinking about threatening to leave him."
"Be sure that is what you really want," Casey told her. "Phil might just let you go through with it."
"I'm starting to think that it might not be such a bad thing. He's too hard on the kids. Anthony finally got the nerve to start standing up to him this last year. I don't think Adam will. Adam is different than his brother. Adam just wants to make the people around him happy. If his dad decides to send him away he'll go without protesting but I know he won't be happy. He's always had a hard time making friends. He got lucky with Charlie and the other Ducks because they reached out to him." Angela was quiet for a few moments. "I can't let Phil take that away from him. This is one time that I have to stand up to him. Think Coach Bombay can recommend me to a good lawyer?"
"I'm sure he could," Casey said. "You know this isn't going to be easy."
"I know but I think I need to do it."
"If you need someone to talk to at anytime feel free to call me anytime."
"Thanks," Angela said. "Earlier you mentioned that I could send Adam to public school. Do you really think that would be the right thing to do."
"The Minneapolis schools are very good."
"That isn't what I was referring to," Angela said. "I mean do you think Adam would be okay going there. I mean look at what his so called friends did when he just switched hockey teams. I don't want to send Adam to another school where the kids are going to give him a hard time because of who he is."
Angela didn't say because he was rich but Casey knew that was what she was getting at. She also knew that Angela had a valid point. Kids could be cruel to each other at times. She knew that from growing up.
"Some of the kids might give him a hard time," Casey said, " but Adam would have friends there. Charlie and the others would stand up for him. He wouldn't be facing it alone."
"Maybe you're right. First I've got to convince my husband not to send him away."
Angela and Casey talked for awhile longer and then as she was leaving Casey gave Angela, Gordon Bombay's number. After closing the door behind Casey Angela glanced at the clock on the wall. Adam would be home from school soon. If she wanted to make the call today she would have to do it right now. She went into her husband's den and used the phone in there to call Gordon at Han's Skate Shop.
"Adam, is that you," Angela called as she heard the front door open.
"Yes, mom," Adam called heading for the steps. He had been hoping he could sneak in without his mom realizing it.
"How was school?" Angela asked coming around the corner. As soon as she saw her son her cheerful mood disappeared though. His pants and shirt were both ripped and had dirt and grass stains on them. His hair was a mess and his eye was already turning black and blue. "What happened?"
"Mom, it didn't happen at school. I've been staying out of trouble, honestly. It's just that McGill and the others won't leave me alone. They ambushed me after I got off the bus this afternoon. Do we have to tell Dad. He'll definitely send me away if he knew," Adam said quickly in a pleading tone.
Angela held her arms out to her son and Adam went to her willingly. "No we don't have to tell your Dad," she told her son quietly holding her son close to her. Suddenly she knew she had done the right thing calling a lawyer. It was time she stood up to her husband. She couldn't let him send their youngest son away to a boarding school. It wasn't fair to him.
"Why don't you go get cleaned up," she told him letting him go. She watched as her son hurried up the steps to his room. Angela just wanted to get through the upcoming weekend. She had an appointment with the lawyer that Gordon had recommended to her Monday morning.
She heard a car pull into the driveway and new her husband was home. She put a smile on her face and walked out to greet him like she normally did.
Adam stayed in his room until Martha came up to get him for dinner. He had been putting off facing his dad. His eye was now black and blue and swollen despite the ice he had put on it. He knew his dad would just assume he had gotten into another fight.
His parents were already sitting at the table when Adam walked into the dinning room. He silently walked over to the table and took his seat. However, just as he had expected his dad noticed the black eye right off.
"Have you been fighting at school again, young man?" he dad asked sternly.
Before Adam could answer his father his mother chimed in.
"No, he got hit by the ball in gym class," Angela said lying for her son.
"I think Adam can talk for himself, honey" Phil said gently still looking at his son waiting for him to answer.
"We were playing basketball in gym class and I missed a pass and the ball hit me in the face," Adam said following his mother's lead.
"I meant it about you staying out of trouble for the rest of the school year," Phil reminded him.
"Yes sir," Adam said.
"How was work today?" Angela asked trying to change the subject. Phil Banks started talking about his day at the office and Adam was off the hook. After dinner Adam quickly disappeared up to his room. He just wanted this school year to come to an end and he was glad he only had a week to go.