This was wrong. They’d promised they’d keep it safe and not look in it. They’d laughed at me when I made them promise, but they did promise.
‘Boy,’ Mrs Amos said, ‘I am not the least bit surprised at your show of ingratitude. Lord knows I’ve been stung by my own people before. But take a good look at me because I am one person who is totally fed up with you and your ilk. I do not have time to put up with the foolishness of those members of our race who do not want to be uplifted. In the morning I’ll be getting in touch with the Home and, much as a bad penny, you shall be returning to them. I am a woman of my word, though, and you shall not spend one night in my house.’
She looked at her husband. ‘Mr Amos will show you to the shed tonight and you can come back in tomorrow for breakfast before you go. I do hope your conscience plagues you because you have ruined things for many others. I do not know if I shall ever be able to help another child in need. I do know I shall not allow vermin to attack my poor baby in his own house.’
She talked like that and wasn’t even a preacher or a teacher. Shucks, she talked strange like this and she wasn’t even a librarian.
I only halfway listened to what Mrs Amos was saying, I was too busy keeping an eye on my suitcase wondering if they’d stolen anything from it. And thinking about getting even.
When I thought she was done talking I reached my hand out for my suitcase but she told Mr Amos, ‘Oh, no, we shall hold onto his beloved valuables.’ She laughed. ‘This shall be our assurance that nothing comes up missing from the house and that this little animal is still here in the morning. He is far too attached to those treasures to go anywhere without them.’
Mrs Amos was one of those grown-ups who always think of one more thing to say ‘And that is not all. Before you retire to the shed you shall go to Todd and apologise or I shall be forced to give you the strapping of your life.’
I’d been so worried about my suitcase that I didn’t even notice the thick black razor strap hanging from Mrs Amos’s hand.
She didn’t have to worry, I’d apologise. One beating from these Amoses was enough for me.
37
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