The Grasshopper

Chapter 34

The first time that mom tried to take Henry out of Liv’s hands was at the end of the season when they bought him. Liv was a bit over three years old at the time, so she didn’t remember that. When she grew up her parents told her how she cried, held Henry to her chest and hid beneath the dining room table.

That was the first time her dad allowed her to keep anything from last season in the house and not hand it over to the Inspectorate to be destroyed. Her mom told her that because of Henry the house became a place of tension and fear of a sudden Inspectorate search. Because they would surely find him and arrest dad.

A sigh of relief came when quite unexpectedly a law was passed according to which children could keep one favorite toy from any season, up to the age of five.

That is why on her fifth birthday mom tried to take Henry from her hands for a second time. Liv didn’t remember that either. But her mom and dad later told her that she never cried as much as she did on her fifth birthday. And that is why dad, whose favorite girl was more important than anything, again allowed Henry to remain in the house.

But Liv remembered very well when she herself, when she was in her sophomore year in high school, without holding back the tears, handed Henry to dad. She remembered how dad stood there completely still and was quiet. And mom told him:

“Take it if Liv is giving it to you. You’re not going to sacrifice everything for it, are you? If they find it you’ll never have the opportunity to save other children’s Henrys. Liv is grown up. Take that penguin.”

That was the only time that Liv saw her father cry. He said

“I can’t. Henry is… the beginning. Henry helped me understand. I’ve come this far because of Henry.”