The force feeding went on but the family began to notice Jamie was not fighting as much. His struggles had become rather perfunctory

"Aren't you tired of this broth?" Joe asked.

"Yes. Yes, I am tired of it!"

"Well, you know what you can do about it, don't you?" He found he was addressing the top of Jamie's head. "Jamie, know what we're having tonight?" There was a pause. "Chicken pie, roast spuds. Then trifle with custard and cream...'course, you wouldn't be able to have a huge amount, you're still weak. But you could have a little." Joe sniffed at the bowl. "No insult to Hop Sing and you'll not have to tell him, but it'd be one heck of a lot better than this."

Jamie looked up, tears streaming down his face.

"Tell you what, I'll put a little on a plate and put it in front of you. If you throw it across the room I'll know you're not ready for it and we'll go back to the broth."

It was almost a week after his fall and the family knew they no longer had to supervise him the entire time. Jamie seemed exhausted and broken. At dinner time Joe put the plate in front of him as he had promised. The boy stared at the food, his face pale. Joe took a small piece of pie, burning his fingers, and popped it into his mouth.

"Hmm, really is good, you know."

"You're treating me like a child."

"Well, the way you've been going on..." Joe smacked his lips. "You haven't really given us much choice."

"I suppose you think I'm childish?"

"Do you care what I think?"

"Not really."

"Well, I'll leave you to it. Like I said, if I come back in and find it on the floor or uneaten, we'll have to go back to the beginning. Broth soup again, forced between clenched teeth."

He left him with the threat hanging over his head, but when he came back he found the dish licked clean. Jamie lay with his back to him. Smiling with victory Joe took the plate away.