Stay Where You Are and Then Leave by John Boyne Page B

letters had arrived, and whenever Alfie caught his mother and Granny Summerfield deep in conversation, they always stopped talking and began discussing the weather or how difficult it was to get fresh apples these days.
    In fact, Alfie came no nearer to understanding where his father might be until that day at King’s Cross when he polished the shoes of the military doctor and his papers got scattered across the concourse.
    EAST SUFFOLK & IPSWICH HOSPITAL
    Summerfield, George.
    DOB: 3/5/1887.
    Serial no.: 14278.
    And that was the moment Alfie knew he had been both right and wrong in the things he believed. His dad wasn’t on a secret mission. But he wasn’t dead either. He wasn’t even in France anymore.
    He was back in England.
    In hospital.

 
    CHAPTER 7
    HELLO, WHO’S YOUR LADY FRIEND?
    Margie was surprised to find Alfie sitting up in bed reading when she opened his bedroom door, but he’d already been awake for almost an hour.
    â€œAre you all right?” she asked, checking his forehead for a temperature. “You’re not coming down with something, are you?”
    â€œI’m fine,” said Alfie. “I just woke up early, that’s all.”
    â€œWell, what’s seldom is wonderful.” She looked around and sniffed the air with a frown. “Why does it always smell of shoe polish in here? It makes no sense when your shoes are always so scruffy. Anyway, your breakfast is downstairs on the table. I’m going to pick up a bit of chicken for our supper this evening. I heard of a butcher on Pentonville Road who might be getting a delivery today. That’s the whisper anyway. He’s the brother of one of the Queen’s Nurses down on Surgical Two, and he’s promised to put a bit aside for us.”
    â€œChicken?” asked Alfie, raising an eyebrow in surprise. “Doesn’t that cost a lot of money?”
    â€œThere was a bit more in my purse this morning than I expected,” said Margie, giving him a quick wink. “Funny how that’s always happening to me. Do you know, I managed to pay almost all our bills and the rent this week? And the good news is that I’m not working tonight, so we can stay in, just the two of us, and eat together.”
    Alfie frowned. On any other day he would have been pleased by this news, but today he wasn’t sure if it was for the best. After all, he didn’t know what time he would be home. He had plans. Serious plans. A secret mission of his own.
    â€œOh,” he said, looking away so Margie would not be able to tell that he was lying, “but I told Granny that I’d go over to her house for supper.”
    â€œShe never mentioned it.”
    â€œMaybe she forgot. Like when she forgot to tell you that she liked that new dress you wore last week.”
    â€œThat wasn’t forgetfulness,” said Margie, rolling her eyes. “She said that I shouldn’t accept charity from Mrs. Gawdley-Smith, but if she was going to throw it out and was happy for me to take it, then why shouldn’t I have it? I can’t go round in rags forever, can I? Anyway, beggars can’t be choosers.”
    â€œWe’re not beggars,” said Alfie.
    â€œThat’s what your granny said. But we’re still perilously close to penury, Alfie. Perilously close to penury.” Margie seemed to love this phrase. “Anyway, can’t you tell her you’ll go another day? It’s not often I’m here in the evening.”
    â€œI’ll ask her,” said Alfie, pulling the sheets back now and getting out of bed. “But if I’m not here when you get home, it means that she got upset and I had to stay.”
    â€œAll right then,” said Margie. “Well, do your best and hopefully I’ll see you later.”
    She left the bedroom and Alfie heard her sweeping the hallway before leaving for work. He felt a bit guilty for making her sad but it was for a good reason,