| "Andy's Quest" |
| Copyright Francis Blow, 1996. |
| CHAPTER 10 |
| Andy woke to find May and Chrissy cuddled against him. |
| "Good morning, big brother." May said. |
| "Are you ready for Gail?" Chrissy asked. |
| "What for? You mean to wake her up?" Andy yawned. |
| "Let's go." May told him. Chrissy opened Gail's door. The floor was strewn with stockings, shoes and the rest of Gail's clothes. |
| The twins got in on either side of Gail, then Andy climbed in next to May. It was much too crowded with the four of them, especially when Gail rolled over and knocked Chrissy onto the floor. Chrissy took the bed clothes with her as she fell. |
| "What are you doing?" Gail protested, still half asleep. |
| "Time to get up!" May announced, and immediately started tickling Gail around the ribs. |
| "Don't! Stop it!" Gail screamed. "Andy, help!" |
| "Charge!" Andy called, and began tickling May. Chrissy joined in, and soon no one knew who was tickling whom. Rod came to the door, and looked in at where the four of them were tangled on the floor in sheets, arms and legs. He stared at them. They stared back at Rod, waiting for him to speak. |
| "I see you're awake." Rod sighed, shaking his head. "How about getting ready for mass?" |
| "Yes, Dad." They chorused, and then were laughing. Andy thought it was the best way to start a day. |
| Gail went to Andy after he had changed out of his good clothes. Breakfast was over, and everyone was getting ready for the rest of Sunday. She asked him if he wanted to make a start on a new game. |
| "Any time, Gail. How was your date?" |
| "It was okay. Tony's a bit of an octopus, though." |
| "An octopus?" Andy was curious. |
| "His arms were all over me . I had to keep pushing him away. It was a bit of a drag, really. I hope you'll treat girls better than that when you start dating." She warned him. |
| "No way! I'm not dating anyone!" Andy declared. "All that smoochy stuff's revolting." |
| "I guess it is now, but just you wait a year or two." Gail promised, her eyes twinkling. |
| "Not me. I'm never going to get a girlfriend. What a pain that would be!" |
| "Yeah? What about me and the twins? Aren't we girls and your friends?" |
| "Not any more. You're my sisters!" |
| "Shut up and get the board." She laughed at him. "Let's see you try that sneaky pawn attack again. I've had time to think about it. You were just lucky to catch me off guard." |
| "Isn't that part of the game?" |
| "Uh... Just get the pieces out, okay?" |
| Andy played a normal, straight strategy game, as did Gail. They were so involved that Carol had to order them out of the bedroom to have lunch. |
| "I don't know what we're going to do with you two and your obsession with that game." Carol sounded exasperated, though she wore a crooked smile. "I suppose it's better than wandering the streets." |
| "It was by wandering the streets that Andy found the chess set." Gail replied. |
| "And wandering brought me here." Andy added, following them to the kitchen. |
| "Would you want to go back to the streets?" Carol challenged him, her expression stern, though her eyes twinkled. |
| "Not on your life! It's really bad out there!" |
| "I rest my case. Now eat up." |
| The twins would not let Andy or Gail return to the game. They insisted that the rest of the day be spent at the park. Their father told them that he would pick them up when it was time to take Andy back to the home. Andy and the girls agreed, and walked to the park instead of riding. With the sun shining, it was a warm afternoon. They had a great time on the swings and slippery dip and the other things in the park. Other kids played there, too, and a game of touch football started when one of the boys brought a ball. Andy thought that nearly everything was going perfectly. |
| Rod and Carol turned up in the station wagon, so Andy and his new sisters got in, to take Andy to the home for what they hoped was the last time. Andy showed his family the room where he slept and studied, then took them to the office, where the girls could meet Mr. Ribson, and so Rod and Carol could see about fostering Andy. The grown-ups spent half an hour together, while Andy introduced the girls to his friends in the TV room. |
| Snake, Andy's enemy from his first day in the home, was there watching TV, and he made rude comments about Gail. Snake did shut up, though, when Andy stood in front of Snake's chair. |
| "Stand up, Worm. You're a gutless wonder! You say you're sorry, or I'll knock your head off!" |
| "You and who's army, dwarf?" Snake got to his feet and showed he had a small pocket knife. |
| Snake was starting to show off by opening the shiny blade, when Andy brought his fist straight up under Snake's chin. The teeth in Snake's open mouth slammed together with a loud snap. |
| As the taller boy reached for his aching chin, the knife was still in his hand. Andy watched in horror as the blade pricked the side of Snake's neck. Too late, Andy pulled the knife away from Snake, who yelled with pain and shock. |
| In the confusion, Snake ran out of the room, holding his neck and crying that his throat was cut. A couple of Snake's friends ran after him, while most of the rest kept on with what they were doing. |
| Gail and the twins were too stunned to do or say anything, till Andy apologised for what had happened. He was busy explaining why he and Snake disliked each other, when Mr. Ribson came into the room. |
| "Andy, what have you been doing with that knife?" |
| "I took it away from Snake, when he cut himself, sir." |
| "Do you expect me to believe he stabbed himself?" |
| "Yes, sir. Ask anyone. He swore at Gail." |
| "I want to see you in my office in five minutes. The girls' parents are waiting for them outside." |
| Andy showed the girls out to the car, where Rod and Carol were talking worriedly. |
| "Andy! What happened in there?" Carol demanded. "Did you stab that boy?" |
| "No! He pulled the knife on me, then cut himself after I hit him. Ask Gail!" |
| "Honest, Mum!" Gail spoke up. "Andy's telling the truth." |
| The twins agreed loudly with their sister, and everyone was talking at once. |
| "That's enough!" Rod ordered. "Quieten down. Andy, this incident looks bad. I don't know what's going to happen, but it couldn't have occurred at a worse time." |
| "What do you mean, Daddy?" Chrissy asked. |
| "Mr. Ribson said we'd have to leave, and that he couldn't consider our application for fostering Andy until an investigation clears up what happened." |
| Andy could not believe his ears. Not be fostered! Lose his only family? No! |
| There were unhappy faces as everyone kissed Andy good bye. Chrissy, most of all, hugged Andy's neck and sobbed against him, wishing she could stay with him or take his place. Andy patted her back, until Carol gently led Chrissy away. |
| "I'll write a letter," Gail promised, "and tell them exactly what happened! How dare he! I'm furious!" |
| Minutes later, Andy stood alone, staring at the back of the departing station wagon. Through the back window, the girls waved good bye. |
| Upstairs, Mr. Ribson waited for Andy to return. |
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