Chapter 4During Sunday lunch, Kenneth did his best to enjoy his mother’s excellent cooking. He was certainly hungry after his usual fare of sandwiches or heating tinned food on the hotplate in his room, but his father scowling over the table at him took the edge off his appetite.
His mum kept up a flow of light chatter during the meal, aided by everyone’s preoccupation with eating. Kenneth did his best to help ease the atmosphere, gently teasing his little sister. He was glad to be with his family, but his dad’s increasingly thunderous expression boded ill.
At least he waited until after the treacle sponge to have a go at Kenneth. He glared at his recalcitrant son, and said with grim satisfaction, “So you’ve come home with your tail between your legs then? Failed at coping even six weeks
