Unwanted child - стр. 34
– Wretched boy! What are you all looking at? Get those damn balls down at once! Now! – The mother became hysterical, jumping up from her seat and dropping her own daughter on the floor, forgetting that she had been sitting on her feet. The girl fell and hit herself, screaming at the top of her voice in pain. The teacher rushed to the child to check her condition and help her. But the mother pushed the teacher away with force and hatred that she could hardly stay on her feet. The mother's face changed. In an instant she turned from a fury and a witch into an angel, covering the fallen child with her wide snow-white wings. Mrs Weinstein began to comfort the girl and help her up.
– My favourite child! I'm sorry. Mummy was a little overexcited… Where's the bobo? Mummy will blow and everything will heal!’ she babbled fearfully looking at her daughter and worrying that nothing would happen to her little creature.
– It's all right, Mummy. – Theodore slowly approached Patricia and took a tissue from his pocket, handing it to the girl. Theodore slowly approached Patricia and took a napkin out of his pocket and handed it to the girl. Patricia smiled in response to the gesture and taking the napkin from the boy's hands, continued to use it to wipe away the tears running down her face. The headmistress rose from her seat and leaning on the table with both hands calmly said: ‘There he is! The act of a true gentleman of our time. Well done Theodore. That's the way to behave with young ladies. Mrs Donova, please take Theodore back to the corridor so that his father won't lose him. Otherwise, he might leave without him, like he did six months ago…’
The teacher nodded and together with Ted they left the office, closing the door behind them.
– What do you mean? Left without him? – Patricia's mother looked at the headmistress with a puzzled look in her eyes.
– You see, not everyone in this world, unfortunately, is as lucky to have parents as your children are lucky to have you. This boy, from birth, has been deprived of a full life with his family. His mother is dead, his father is taking her death hard, Ted has no grandparents. No one cares about him except you and me. And if we turn our backs on him and take our anger and our rage out on the boy, what will his life become? What will he become? Today's situation… it's such a small thing. And you've made such a big deal out of it. It's not worth it. Believe me. The joy Mrs Donova gave him today was like a glimmer of light in his grey family life. Considering that it was the first birthday in five years of his life that Theodore had ever been congratulated by anyone. – said the headmistress, encouraging parents and their children to sympathise and understand.