Wanted

Chapter 33

Without giving a reply, John fetched the plate of food and brought it over to his seat at the table. But as usual Jeremiah wouldn't let him sit down right away and instead reminded him to wash his hands before eating, when he closed the book he had been reading and joined him.

After a while of Jeremiah just silently watching the boy eat, waiting for an opportune moment to say something or maybe hoping the boy would volunteer an explanation himself, Jeremiah couldn't hold back any longer and challenged him.

"We were starting to get worried about you when you weren't home for supper. We called you, did you not hear us?" he asked in a slightly challenging tone, "We were going to look for you if you had stayed out any longer."

Not sure, how bad this was going to be, John kept his head down and kept eating while keeping a close eye on Jeremiah's hands resting on the book on the table between them.

"This is the part where you say, 'I am sorry Jeremiah, it won't happen again. I didn't mean to worry you. I'll be home for supper next time," Jeremiah prompted calmly but with determination.

John briefly glanced up at Jeremiah and mumbled a barely audible "I'm sorry Jeremiah" before he lowered his head again, feeling guilty and hoping this was all that was required for him to be back in Jeremiah's good books. The silence in the room made him look up at Jeremiah again, and then around to the others whose patient eyes were all waiting for more.

"I am sorry Jeremiah. I didn't mean to worry you. I forgot the time. I'll be home earlier in future," John finally mumbled.

"By supper," Jeremiah elaborated, and John nodded, mumbling a "Yes sir," as well, after which he went back to quietly eating his food.

He had a sense that their conversation wasn't quite over. Least of all because of the looming pot of boiling water over the fire place, but also because he himself had questions about the plans the adults had made and the things that had remained unsaid in the afternoon but he didn't dare to go there. He didn't  know how or where to start, so he just kept eating and every so often glanced up at the man sitting opposite him who had gone back to contently reading his book.

"Your turn," they suddenly heard Enkoodabooaoo interrupt the silence in the room, who got up out of the tub, wrapping a thin colourful blanket around him, as he stepped out of it.

John scrunched his nose and narrowed his eyes at him. This was exactly what he had feared. He looked cautiously at the adults in the room that either did not notice or did not seem to be bothered by his reluctance. They all had taken a bath but him. He wondered how much he was allowed to protest against it, and if he got away with maybe refusing it altogether. The last time Jeremiah insisted on him taking a bath it was down by the creek. Jeremiah had threatened to throw him into the water with all his clothes still on, if he didn't get in voluntarily, and Matunaagd had made good on Jeremiah's threat before John even had a chance to consider his options. He got wet that day but didn't really wash himself.

Numees got up and walked toward the tub, carrying an empty bucket which she then used to take some of the warm soapy water out of the bath and dumping it outside.

"No way," he suddenly heard Jeremiah say, who had gotten up from his seat taking John's empty plate and putting it into the basin on the counter. "It's far too late for the child. He needs to go to bed. We have an early start and long day ahead of us, getting organised to go down to Walls' tomorrow. The child needs his sleep," he said without even looking at John, and getting started on washing the plate in front of him.

John was a little peeved with Jeremiah's reasoning but happy enough, since it meant he didn't have to take a bath, until Jeremiah added nonchalantly, "The day after tomorrow is Saturday, bath day in the Walls household, I am sure Sally won't mind putting one more into her tub."