Free Torn Away by James Heneghan Page A

hard. “It was the principal, Mr. Taylor. You’ve been suspended for a week. You’ve sent a boy to hospital. And they say you’re doing no classwork.” She turned her eyes to the ceiling. “I said a prayer to the Holy Virgin that the boy will be all right.”
    â€œIt was only a broken nose,” said Ana.
    Kate sucked in her breath. “
Only
a broken nose!”
    â€œNow, Juno,” said Matthew, “there’s no need . . . “
    â€œYou needn’t Juno me, Matthew Doyle,” said Kate angrily, jumping up from thewing chair and throwing a sweater around her shoulders. She sat down again, her face flushed with anger.
    Declan was surprised at Ana speaking up for him: she had been cool to him ever since the fight.
    â€œYou were fighting?” said Matthew to Declan.
    Ana spoke up again. “Everyone thinks the boy deserved it. He really did. He’s a big bully, three years older than Declan and a ton heavier. Everyone says he’s been giving Declan a bad time ever since he started school.” Ana flashed Declan a tilted, apologetic smile. “So it wasn’t Declan’s fault.”
    Kate said quickly, “Bully or not, there was no need to break the boy’s nose!”
    â€œNobody feels sorry for him,” said Ana. “He had . . . “
    Kate said, “Please go to your room, Ana, or go outside. Take Thomas with you. Matthew and I would like to speak to Declan alone for a minute.”
    Ana pulled a face, but got up and went to fetch her jacket.
    When Ana and Thomas had gone outside, Kate turned to Declan, and said sharply,“You made a deal that you’d go to school! You’ve been there barely five minutes, and already you’re to miss a week! What kind of a bargain is that?” She sat upright in her chair, arms folded, jaw clenched. To Declan, she looked more formidable than the school principal.
    â€œI can’t help it if . . .“
    â€œDon’t give me that ‘I can’t help it’ excuse! You were rude and disrespectful to Mr. Taylor. Isn’t that right?”
    Declan was silent for a moment. He looked at Matthew, but saw no help there. He said to Kate, “He made me lose my temper.”
    â€œMr. Taylor made you lose nothing,” said Kate impatiently. “The fault was your own, Declan!”
    The room was full of shadows. But Declan could see the anger and concern in Kate’s clear blue eyes, and it was if he were looking into his mother’s eyes, and he couldn’t understand why he felt like crying.
    Kate waited until her anger subsided, then she spoke slowly and firmly. “You will go back to the school tomorrow, Declan, and you will go straight to Mr. Taylor’s office, and youwill apologize to that man for your rudeness. Then you will ask him if you may be allowed to accept the punishment he first gave you, before you were so disrespectful.”
    â€œIt was to pick up trash around the outside of the school!” Declan was indignant. “I’m no trash collector! They would all see me and laugh!” He appealed to his uncle with open hands and staring eyes.
    Matthew said nothing.
    â€œYou made a bargain,” said Kate. “If you must pick up trash so you can keep that bargain, then pick up trash you must.”
    Declan appealed silently again to his uncle.
    â€œKate is right,” said Matthew.
    Declan stood. “All right,” he said to Kate. “I’ll do it. But what if Mr. Taylor won’t change his mind? I’ll have to stay off the week.”
    Kate’s face softened. “Mr. Taylor is a fair-minded man. If you control your temper, Declan, and you are open and honest with him, then I see no reason why he’d let you miss school.”
    Thomas came clumping in from the outdoors, and threw himself into Declan’s chair
    Matthew insisted on examining Declan’s head to make sure there was no serious injury from the fight.