The English Boy

Chapter 32

It turned out that Bernie McGregor, our next-door neighbor, Mrs. Montgomery's granddaughter, is on Christmas Break and was going to stay in Yorkshire until New Year. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be a good news or a bad news for me. Bernie seemed nice the very first time I met her, but now, I feel awkward around her. And it seems that every time she's with Callum, she doesn't care about anything or anyone, but him.

I was heading downstairs for breakfast, then I heard Bernie, talking.

Dad was talking to somebody on phone, using another language... and then he saw me, "Oh, one minute-" he said, as he put the phone down.

"Who's that?" I asked.

"Oh, that?" dad said "Just some kind of matter that needs to be settled in Dublin."

"Is that an Irish guy you're talking to?" I asked.

"I am of an Irish descent and spent a couple of years in Ireland, didn't I?" dad said "Bernie's having breakfast with Callum-"

"I knew it," I said.

"I thought you like Bernie?" he said "You won't stop going on about her last summer."

"That was last summer," I said "Now, she doesn't want to talk because Callum's here."

"Well, join them now." dad said, and he kissed my head "I love you."

"Love you too." I said, as I made my way to the Dining Room to have breakfast with Callum and Bernie. But, I decided to eavesdrop first...

"Oxford?" Bernie asked Callum "You're still dreaming to go to Oxford?"

Callum wants to go to Oxford?

"It's something I've decided a long time ago." Callum replied.

"No," Bernie said "It's something YOU and Luke Taylor decided a long time ago. You know? When you guys were still alright with each other?"

Callum didn't turn to her. He just nodded.

"Yeah," Callum said

"Luke's going to Oxford, isn't he?" Bernie asked.

"He has some kind of music scholarship within his reach," Callum said "It is paid for, whether he takes it or not."

"He wouldn't have gotten that scholarship of his if it wasn't for his goody-two-shoes father." Bernie said.

Callum turned to her.

"Bernie, he's my father too," Callum said.

"Your father too?" Bernie asked "He rejected you. Don't tell me you're still clinging on to a dim of hope that he is going to accept you into his family."

"It's not wrong to hope for something-"

"Oh, give up!" Bernie said "I know, it's not wrong. It is fun to wish for things, it is fun to dream!!! But what happens afterwards? You'll just get hurt. Cal, I don't want you to get hurt."

I was about to leave and come back for breakfast later, until...

"What about Joe?" she asked Callum.

"What about Joe?" Callum asked.

Yeah! What about me?!

"Isn't she going back to the Philippines any time soon?" she asked.

Wait! So, she doesn't want me here?!

"Not this time," Callum said "I highly doubt it. Why'd you ask?"

"Nothing," she said "I'm just worried about, you know?"

"Shh!" Callum said "She might hear you."