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'It was boring, Mum It was all stuff we've done already'

'That's the idea of tests, Tim—to find out what you've learned If Miss Tyson, or Mr Deverenko,' she added for good measure, 'didn't ask you to play the practice piece you've learned, hoould you feel?'

'That's different That's never boring'

'Not even scales?'

Tim's mouth firmed stubbornly

'I take it you didn't do too well in the test'

'I didn't finish it I got to thinking…' He tailed off as he watched his mother's face cloud over with hurt He sed hard 'I'm sorry, Mu division and tables and things'

'You should have done the test first, then done your 'thinking',' said Clare firh She had already warned Tim's schoolteacher that he found the norh Tiroup, he still found the work too easy, when he was sufficiently stimulated to tackle it!

'Never mind' She leaned forward to kiss his smooth forehead, sprinkled with the freckles that adorned her own 'I'll have a ith Mrs Campbell'

'About book week, too? Why do all my reports have to be on those silly fiction books?'

'Because it'll do you good to read soe' This was soress with 'Fiction is rather like music, Tim…one person's special vision of the world to be shared with others They're all very ritten stories on the young adult level I think you ht find that you enjoy the pianist who had to face the fact he ain after a car accident She wanted Tim to realise that there were sometimes other obstacles than lack of talent or application that could get in the way of a burning desire to dedicate one's life to so She feared for that fierce deterainst him

'OK, Muift 'I love you, Mum'

This was ritual, too 'I love you, too, Tim Sweet dreams' She clicked off his bedside-lamp and went to the door

'Mum?'

'Mmm?'