CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The next day at school, Daniel tried to pretend that everything was fine, but he wasn't a good enough actor to fool his teacher, who noted his quietness in class. Sam, too, could tell that Daniel's mood was low. She figured that it was because of the appointment with the psychologist and tried to cheer him up as best as she could.
"I'm going to be taking the special tests today," she said. "I bet I'll do really good. Then I'll be able to go into the fourth grade with you."
Kenny, who was sitting across from them, looked at Daniel. "You're going into the fourth grade?"
"Yeah. After Christmas vacation."
Sadness filled the dark-haired boy's face. He stared down at his meal. "That means you won't be in the same class as me anymore."
Surprised by the reaction, Daniel stared at the boy. It had never occurred to him that Kenny or any of the other kids in his class would be unhappy about him leaving.
"No, but we can still have lunch together," he said, "and I can still help you with your reading like I promised to."
Kenny looked at him. "You can?"
"Sure. It's not like I'm changing to another school."
Kenny's head ducked shyly. "Then . . . then we're still going to be friends?" His eyes flickered upward to look at Daniel.
Daniel nodded. "We're still going to be friends."
A small smile graced the smaller boy's lips. "I'm glad."
Daniel looked at Sam to see how she was reacting. He was still a little worried about her getting jealous. But she didn't look jealous at all. In fact, she was smiling.
"I'll still be your friend, too, Kenny," she said, which made the boy blush and smile even more shyly.
For some reason, Daniel felt better the rest of the day at school. Maybe it was because it had felt good putting that smile on Kenny's face. The boy so seldom smiled. The only time he seemed happy was when he talked about music. He had a violin, which his mother had started teaching him how to play, and he was now trying to teach himself. But he did it in secret because his father thought that music was a waste of time. Daniel had asked if Kenny would play for him someday, but the boy hadn't agreed to yet.
Unlike Daniel, the remainder of Sam's day at school was not so pleasant. Despite her confident declaration, she was worried about the tests. She had no idea what would be in them and was afraid that they would have a lot of history stuff. She really, really wanted to do well so that the school would say she could go into the fourth grade with Daniel. She didn't know what she was going to do if she didn't pass.
Jacob had arranged to get off duty early so that he could be there with his wife and daughter when the tests were given. Sam was waiting for him and Laura outside the principal's office. He could tell that she was nervous.
"Hey. What are you nervous about?" he asked, giving her a one-armed hug. "You're a genius. Remember?" He tweaked her nose. "You'll ace those tests."
They were called into the office a couple of minutes later. Unlike when Daniel took the tests, there would be someone in the room with Sam, and they would be asking questions that required a verbal answer.
Before Sam went in the room, she got a hug from her parents and lots of words of encouragement. Once the door shut, hiding their daughter from view, Laura and Jacob returned to the bench outside the office.
After Sam's test was completed, they took her to a restaurant for some pie while they waited for the tests to be scored.
When they returned to the school, Jacob and Laura told Sam to wait for them on the bench. She wasn't happy about it, but didn't voice her objections.
In the principal's office, Sam's parents got the results of the tests. It was no surprise to them that their daughter's scores in math and science were extremely high. She'd done well in the areas of reading and writing, too, history and some other areas of social studies being the only things with which she'd had real trouble. It was also now official that their daughter was, indeed, a genius. The I.Q. test had proved it.
"So, what does this mean?" Laura asked Mister Parker.
"It means that, in the areas of math and science, Sam could easily go into the sixth grade and continue getting A's, but English and spelling might be a bit tough for her in that grade, and history would probably be too challenging. With some extra help in history, fifth grade would be the better choice."
"We don't want her in fifth grade," Jacob said. "We want her in fourth grade."
"Well, based on these tests, your daughter should already be in fourth grade, so I see nothing against moving her up this coming semester."
Jacob and Laura relaxed. Sam was going to be delighted.
"That's great news," Jacob said. "There is one thing, though. We want Sam to be in the same class as Daniel Jackson."
The principal shook his head. "I don't know if that will be possible. We like to have the number of students in a particular grade divided evenly between the two classes. Mrs. Mason is already going to be gaining one student when Daniel comes into her class."
"I'm sorry, but we have to insist on this. It was Sam who requested that she be bumped up to the fourth grade. The only reason she did was so that she could be in the same class as Daniel. I'm not going to tell my daughter that she can be in the fourth grade but not in the same class as her best friend."
"Is the number of students in the two fourth grade classes exactly the same now?" Laura asked.
Mister Parker consulted some papers. "Mrs. Pembrook presently has one more student than Mrs. Mason."
"Okay, then if you add both Daniel and Sam to Mrs. Mason's class, then it'll be she who has one more student than Mrs. Pembrook," Jacob said. "I don't see a problem there."
Ted Parker nodded. "I guess I can't argue with that. All right. Your daughter will be placed in Mrs. Mason's class along with Daniel Jackson. In one way, that might work out better. Both Samantha and Daniel are going to need to be given some advanced schoolwork. Having them in the same class will mean that can be taken care of by one teacher. And, since the two of them are close friends, I should imagine that they could help each other out a bit in the weaker areas."
Jacob smiled. "Actually, I think they've already got that all planned."
Sam was fidgeting nervously as her parents came out of the office. She popped off the bench and ran up to them.
"Did I make it?"
They smiled brightly.
"Of course you did, kiddo," Jacob replied.
"Yippee!" Sam began dancing about. "I can be in the same class as Daniel, right?"
"Yes, we have it all arranged. You'll both be in Mrs. Mason's class."
"Yay! I can't wait to call Daniel and tell him."
Sam was the first one through the door when they got home and headed straight to the phone. Daniel reacted joyfully to the news. Having Sam there with him would make the fourth grade not so bad.
Quentin was glad to see Daniel looking happier the next day. He asked the boy about it and was told the good news about Sam.
"That's wonderful, Daniel. I bet you're excited about being in the same class as her."
"Yeah, but I still wish that I could stay in your class, Mister Greer."
Quentin smiled and stroked Daniel's hair. "Me too."
"Our teacher is going to be Mrs. Mason. What's she like?"
"Mrs. Mason is a very good teacher and a nice lady. I'm sure that you'll like her."
Daniel didn't think that he'd ever like a teacher as much as he liked Mister Greer, but he really did hope that he'd like Mrs. Mason, too.
Mark's reaction to the news that his sister was being moved up to the fourth grade was not what his parents had hoped it would be. It was the first time that Laura and Jacob had seen their son display any kind of resentment toward his sister and her intelligence.
Jacob had a long, private talk with Mark, making sure the boy understood that, although he might not be quite as smart as his sister, he was still a very smart boy who was loved a great deal by his parents.
"Intelligence is a good thing, Mark," Jacob told him, "but you know what is far more important?" He tapped the boy's chest over his heart. "This thing right in here. If I had to choose between a child with a lot of brains and a child with a good heart, I'd take the heart every time. You have a good heart, Mark, and that's what really matters."
Friday – and his second appointment with Doctor Pine – came far too quickly for Daniel. The second session was even harder than the first, the psychologist asking even more pointed questions, digging deeper into Daniel's feelings about the death of his parents and the problems he was having. The doctor had to call an end to the session when the boy got far too upset to continue. Even so, he believed that they'd made some good progress in helping Daniel cope with what happened. The next session would be on Wednesday, as would every one from then on, the psychologist deciding that it would be easier on Daniel to have just one a week.
Daniel was invited over to the Carters on Saturday. He was quiet and a little withdrawn when he arrived, but Sam and her family weren't going to let him stay that way. They played all kinds of games and other activities, determined to make the boy smile and laugh. They were all happy when they succeeded.
It was late afternoon when something magical happened – or at least it was magical to Daniel. Snow had been threatening for several days, but never quite reached the area, so, when the first flakes began to descend, and Sam spied them out the window, she let out a squeal that startled everyone.
"It's snowing!" she exclaimed, running to the door and flinging it open. Daniel followed her more slowly, eyes fixed upon the gently falling white stuff.
Jacob and Laura smiled as they watched his eyes begin to shine with wonder.
"Come on. Let's get our coats," the captain said.
Everyone went outside and became witness to Daniel's first experience with snow. He stood in the middle of the front yard, face turned to the sky, a look of pure delight on his features as the big flakes powdered his face and body. He began turning a slow circle, arms held out to either side, eyes never leaving the sky. The sight warmed Jacob's and Laura's hearts. Though it would cause all kinds of problems with driving, they hoped that enough snow fell to have some real fun in it.
They got their wish. By the next morning, there was a blanket nearly a foot deep on the ground. Once the roads were cleared by snow plows, Jacob made the drive over to the Underwoods to fetch Daniel for a good old-fashioned snowball fight.
Some would think that a child who'd never been in a snowball fight before wouldn't have very good aim. Anyone thinking that would have been wrong when it came to Daniel. Quite rapidly the boy picked up the fine art of snowball throwing and used it ruthlessly against every member of the Carter family. But then, it's not like they were going easy on him either.
During a break in the battle, as they all warmed up with hot chocolate, Daniel mentioned that it would be cool if Mister and Mrs. Greer were there, too. Jacob called them, and they immediately accepted the invitation.
Quentin walked up to Jacob as the captain scooped up a handful of snow and began forming it into a ball.
"So, how's Daniel enjoying his first snowfall?" the teacher asked.
"He's been having a great time. Oh, and I should warn you that—"
The warning was interrupted by a snowball hitting Quentin on the side of the head. Taken totally by surprise, he spun around to see Daniel grinning like an idiot and Sam laughing herself silly.
"The kid's got a killer arm," Jacob finished saying with a laugh.
Quentin brushed snow out of his collar. "Hmm. Is that so?" He bent down, gathered up a heaping handful of snow and began forming a ball. "Well, as it so happens . . ." with surprising speed, he launched the snowball right at Daniel, hitting the boy in the chest, "I've got a pretty good arm, too."
All-out war was declared soon after that. By the time it ended, even the kids were tired, and everyone was more than ready for the warm fire waiting for them in the fireplace. Sam got the brilliant idea of roasting marshmallows, then Mark expanded it further to the making of s'mores. The warm, gooey treat was like ambrosia to Daniel, who ate way more than he probably should have.
It was a wonderful day, and everyone hated to see it end. Quentin and Kathleen were invited to stay for dinner and graciously accepted, though Kathleen insisted upon helping in the kitchen.
As the two women busied themselves with the food preparation, they chatted about this and that, the topic eventually going to Daniel and Sam and the fact that they'd be classmates.
"The principal told us that Sam's skills with math and science were high enough for the sixth grade," Laura said.
"Isn't that what they said about Daniel's skills in reading, writing and history?"
Laura nodded. "They each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Ironically, it's the subjects that Daniel's strongest in that Sam is weakest in and vice versa. They plan on helping each other out in that way."
Kathleen laughed. "And then they'll both be geniuses in every subject."
Laura smiled. "You're probably right." She studied the wife of Daniel's teacher. "We found out from Sam that Quentin was reprimanded for the personal time he spent with Daniel."
"Yes, and he was pretty steamed about it."
"He's not going to get into trouble about it, is he?"
"No, I don't think so, although if Ted Parker ever says anything about it again, Quentin will probably tell him to go jump in a lake. Did you hear about what happened when Daniel overheard that conversation?"
"No. What?"
Kathleen told Laura about Daniel missing his bus and the panicked minutes spent trying to find him.
"Boy, I'm sure glad no one called us while he was missing," Laura said. "I'd have freaked out."
Kathleen nodded. "Me too. I know that it put a scare into Quentin even though he's not the type to assume the worst. I'm just glad that Daniel was found quickly."
Everyone enjoyed the meal and the conversation. After dinner was done and the dishes cleared, Quentin and Kathleen bid the Carters good night. They'd be dropping Daniel off at his place on the way home.
The boy gave hugs to Jacob and Laura, thanking them for the fun day. The hugs pleased them greatly. It wasn't all that long ago that Daniel wouldn't have demonstrated such shows of affection so openly. He was at last learning how to let himself love and to show his love freely.
"So, did you have a lot of fun?" Diane asked the boy when Quentin dropped him off.
Daniel nodded. "It was great. We had a really big snowball fight. We built forts and everything."
"Wow, that sounds like fun. I wish I could have been there."
"Maybe you can come next time with Susy, Adam and Caleb. I bet they'd have fun, too."
"Yes, perhaps we'll do that." Diane brushed a hand through the boy's hair. "If I'm not mistaken, you still have a wee bit of homework to do. You'd better hurry and go do it. It'll be bedtime soon."
Daniel turned to his teacher. "I'm glad you came and played with us. It was fun."
Quentin grinned. "Indeed it was. Thanks for making the suggestion to call us. It's been years since I was in a good snowball fight."
With a quick goodbye, the boy hurried off to finish his homework.
"Please thank the Carters for having Daniel over," Diane said to Quentin. "He really needs the cheering up. The therapy has been pretty rough on him."
"How is it going?"
"All right, I guess, although, to be honest, it's breaking my heart. That poor little boy was so devastated by his parents' death, and seeing it happen. . . . Well, that made it a hundred times worse."
"Does the doctor think he can help?"
"I haven't asked him. I sure hope he can. It's just not right for a child to be feeling some of those things."
Quentin frowned. "What things?"
"I wish I could tell you, but it wouldn't be proper. Daniel's sessions are supposed to be confidential. I just want him to get better, to be happy."
"We all want that, Mrs. Underwood."
Since Thanksgiving was coming up soon, Quentin's history assignment to his class on Monday was on the pilgrims.
"Now, I want you to actually study that part of your history books," he said. "Trust me when I say that I'll know if you didn't. There are a lot of myths about the pilgrims and that so-called first Thanksgiving dinner, so any papers that rehash all that nonsense won't get a good grade."
Thinking about the pilgrims and what he knew about them, Daniel quickly decided what his report was going to focus on and got to work on it as soon as he got home that day.
Daniel's session on Wednesday with Doctor Pine was a little easier, and he managed to make it all the way to the end without becoming so upset that he couldn't continue. The doctor considered the session to be a great success and told Lucy so.
"Then it is helping?" she asked.
"I believe so. It's still very hard for Daniel to talk about the events surrounding his parents' death, but he is trying. In time, it'll get easier for him."
Thursday marked the beginning of Daniel's attempts to help Kenny with his reading and writing. He'd talked to Sam about it ahead of time, making sure it was okay with her for him to spend the lunch break focused totally on the task. She'd told him it was fine, although, secretly, she was going to miss having lunch with him. But it was really nice of him to be helping Kenny like this, so she didn't mind so much.
To avoid any jeers from other kids, Daniel and Kenny found a private place to eat their lunch and have the lesson. Kenny was terribly embarrassed about his writing skills, and it took a while for him to loosen up enough to write things down in front of Daniel. Daniel made note of the kinds of mistakes that his friend was making and gently corrected the errors, explaining everything as he went along.
"Mister Greer wanted me to stay after class sometimes so that he could help me with my reading and writing, but my dad said no," the dark-haired boy said.
"How come? Doesn't he want you to get better?"
Kenny shrugged. "I asked him why," his head dipped, eyes shifting away, "but he got mad." His gaze darted up, meeting Daniel's for a moment. "This way is better. Then I can learn to read better, and I don't have to stay after class. My dad won't get mad, and he won't—" he broke off abruptly.
"And he won't what?" Daniel asked.
The boy's head was down again. "He just won't get mad. That's all."
The kids turned their history assignments into Quentin Friday morning, and he spent his lunch break grading them. He wasn't the least bit surprised that the topics covered by most of the reports were the voyage to America, the story of the pilgrims and Native Americans, and the legendary first Thanksgiving, which never really happened the way it was always portrayed. In spite of Quentin's warning, it was clear that some of the kids did not read the chapters in their books that they were supposed to and just put down things that they thought were true. In fact, one paper sounded suspiciously like a recounting of a movie about the Mayflower crossing that the teacher had seen years ago.
And then there was Daniel's report. Not a single turkey or Indian was mention in it. Instead, he wrote about why the pilgrims made that dangerous journey across thousands of miles of ocean. It was a poignant account of a people fighting for religious freedom, the fears and dangers they lived with, the mistakes they made, and the sacrifices they had to make. The report didn't pull any punches, didn't romanticize what happened. It told it like it was. That it came from an eight-year-old was both amazing and sad. Children that age shouldn't be so aware of the ugliness that went on in the world. But, as a true student of history, Daniel understood what humanity had recorded in the annals of time, both the good and the bad.
After the lunch break, Quentin handed out the graded papers, noting the various smiles and frowns on the faces of his student. He then went to the front of the class, one report still in his hands.
"On Monday, I told you that you actually needed to read your history books for this report," he said. "I know that some of you didn't, and your grade demonstrates what I think of that. Can someone who did read those chapters tell me why it was important to do so?"
A girl raised her hand, and Quentin called on her.
"Because what's in the movies and on TV about the pilgrims isn't all true," she said. "A lot of things didn't happen like that."
Quentin nodded. "Exactly. It wasn't some great adventure where the pilgrims made friends with the Indians and lived happy and free in their new home in America. The pilgrims came here because they felt that they had no other choice. It wasn't easy for them. They had to leave behind family and friends. Many died on the journey. Many others died after they got here." He looked down at the sheets of paper in his hands. "I'd like to read something to you. It's Daniel's report. Instead of writing about the voyage to America or the adventures after the pilgrims arrived here, he wrote about what happened before, why they chose to leave their homes. I think it's important for you to hear it so that you truly understand who those people were."
Glancing at Daniel and seeing that the boy was blushing in embarrassment, Quentin began to read. Upon finishing it several minutes later, he looked to see the reaction of his class. Some of the kids looked a little upset, others were surprised, still others wore an expression of interest. And then the questions started coming. Quentin answered them all, delighted that the kids were interested enough to ask them.
It wasn't until class was over that the teacher gave Daniel his graded report. The boy looked at the A+ written on it and the positive comments made below.
"I didn't know if you'd like it," he admitted. "I thought about making it sound happier, but they weren't really very happy."
"No, they weren't. It was a hard time for them, and pretty dangerous, too, especially for some of them. I'm glad you wrote it like you did, Daniel. It was honest and forthright."
"Forthright?"
"That means that it was direct and told it like it was. A real historian has to always tell it like it is, no matter how bad the truth may be."
Daniel nodded. "That's what my mom and dad used to say. They said that, if you know something is true, you should say so, even if nobody wants to believe you."
"Those are wise words to live by." Quentin glanced at his watch. "Well, you'd better run along. You wouldn't want to miss your bus again." He suddenly got an idea. "Say, how'd you like to come to my house tomorrow and finally get a chance to dig into that library of mine?"
Daniel's eyes brightened dramatically. "Could I? That would be great!" The smile dimmed. "But won't you get into trouble? Mister Parker said—"
"Don't you worry about Mister Parker, Daniel," Quentin interrupted. "I'm not going to get into trouble. I promise. So, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
The smile was back on Daniel's face. "Okay."
Laura knew that something was wrong the moment she saw the expression on her son's face when he got home from school. There was also the fact that he immediately stomped off to his room without a single word to her.
She gave him fifteen minutes to cool off, then went to talk to him.
"Okay, so what's wrong?" she asked.
"Nothing," Mark grumbled, not looking at her.
"So, you just decided that today would be a good day to be grouchy?"
"The guys laughed at me!" he blurted out.
"What guys?"
"At school. Everyone knows that Sam's going to be only a grade below me, and some of them are saying that she'll probably be in the same grade as me next fall and then go higher than me after that. They asked what it was like to have a baby sister that's a lot smarter than me."
Laura sighed. This was something that neither she nor Jacob had thought about, what impact this might have on Mark's situation at school. Kids could be so cruel sometimes.
"They aren't right, are they?" Mark asked. "Sam won't be in the same grade as me after summer vacation, will she?"
Laura hesitated, not knowing what to say. If they followed the principal's advice, Sam would, indeed, be in sixth grade, the same grade as Mark.
Mark saw the look on her face. "She is, isn't she." He jumped to his feet. "Then I don't want to go to the same school as her anymore!"
"We don't know for sure, Mark. Our plan is for her to go into fifth, but the principal thinks she should be placed in sixth, if she does well this coming semester. But, either way, we can't put you in a different school. Besides, that would mean that you probably wouldn't see a lot of your friends anymore."
"I don't care. That would be better than everyone saying that I'm dumber than my little sister. Why does she have to be so smart? It's not fair!"
Laura gave another sigh. Clearly, Jacob's talk with their son hadn't been enough. But then, was that any surprise considering what was happening?
"I can't tell you why Sam is as smart as she is, Mark. Sometimes, it just works out that way. But she isn't smarter in every subject."
"She isn't?"
"No. You like history, don't you?"
Mark nodded. "Especially American history."
Laura nodded. "You always get A's on your history tests. Well, Sam doesn't do as well in history. In fact, if she is put in sixth grade next fall, she might need some help with it." She paused. "Perhaps you could help her."
Mark frowned. "I don't know if I'd want to."
"Well, you'll have plenty of time to think about it."
Mark chewed his lip, his expression now thoughtful. "Then I'd sort of be her tutor?"
"Well, in a way. Of course, we'd have to ask Sam if that would be all right with her. It might be kind of embarrassing for her to have her brother helping her. I'm sure you'd understand that."
Mark nodded, knowing that it would be really embarrassing if the situation was reversed.
"We all have our strengths and weakness, Mark. There are so many things that you're good at, like sports." Laura smiled. "And you know how Sam is about sports."
"She hates them."
"She doesn't hate them, she just doesn't want to play them."
"She'd rather study. She doesn't do as much fun stuff at school as I do. I like PE, and she doesn't. I like to go out and play ball with my friends, but she doesn't do stuff like that."
Mark went on to list all the other great things he did that Sam didn't, Laura remaining silent throughout it all since this was exactly what she wanted. By the time he was done, Mark had decided that his life was way more fun than Sam's.
"I'd rather have more fun that be smarter," he concluded.
"Having fun is definitely important, but so is an education. That old saying about all work and no play may be true, but all play and no work won't get you anywhere in life. Like with everything, there has to be a balance." Laura studied her son's expression. "So, are you feeling better?"
"I guess."
She gave him a kiss on the head. "Good." She got to her feet. "If you keep getting teased, please feel that you can come to us about it, Mark. That's what parents are for."
Laura went out into the living room only to find another unhappy child sitting on the couch. She sat down beside her daughter.
"What's wrong, honey?" she asked, brushing Sam's hair from her face.
"I heard Mark say that he's getting teased because of me. I didn't know that he'd get teased if I went into the fourth grade."
"I know, sweetheart. None of us thought of that."
Sam's gaze fell to her lap. "He's really mad at me, isn't he."
"No, Sam. He was very upset, but he's not mad at you. So, how much of that did you overhear?"
"I heard him talking about the guys teasing him because I'm smarter, and. . . ."
"And what?"
Sam's chin dipped lower. "And I heard him yell that he doesn't want to be in the same school as me anymore," she whispered, her lips trembling.
Laura pulled her into a hug. "Oh, honey. He was just angry about the teasing. You know how mean kids can be. You've been teased, too."
Sam nodded. "About being smart."
"Yes. So you can understand how he was feeling. But I had a long talk with him, and he's feeling better now."
"He's not going to go to a different school?"
"No, he's not going to a different school."
It was around an hour later that Sam timidly knocked on Mark's door. Upon hearing him say, "Come in," she entered. Mark frowned slightly when he saw that it was her.
"I . . . I heard what you said about being teased," she murmured, not looking at him. "I'm sorry they teased you. Teasing is mean. I get teased a lot, too."
"You do? About what?"
"About being smart and liking studying. I'm not like all the other girls, so a lot of them tease me and say mean things. I . . . I don't have very many friends because I'm different."
Mark stared at his sister in surprise. He'd never realized that it was like that for Sam. He'd thought that she wanted her life at school to be like it was. He'd been so upset about the fact that she was smarter and how it was affecting him, but he hadn't considered how being smarter could negatively affect her.
"They're just jealous," he declared, surprising even himself. Why did he feel like he wanted to make her feel better? "I bet they all wish that they were as smart as you."
Sam lifted her head to look at him. "You think so?"
"Sure." He lifted his head higher, feeling all grown up all at once. "Teasing is stupid," he declared. "They're stupid. You should just ignore them."
Sam gazed at him closely. "Are you going to ignore the guys who are teasing you?"
Mark nodded. "Yeah. They're just dumb."
Sam smiled. "Yeah, they're dumb."
"But we're not."
Sam's head shook. "We're smart."
Mark grinned. "Yeah."
That evening, after the kids were in bed, Laura filled Jacob in on the situation with Mark.
"Damn," he cursed. "I didn't consider that he might get teased about this."
"Me neither."
"Do I need to have another talk with him tomorrow?"
A smile grew on Laura's face. "No, I believe I've taken care of it, at least for now."
"Oh? Care to share?"
His wife recounted the entire conversation. Jacob shook his head in amazement once she was finished.
"Laura, I think you should have been a psychologist. It sounds like you had Mark going from being bitter and resentful to being convinced that he has a way better life than Sam, and all in the space of a few minutes." The captain kissed his wife. "You are a wonder."
"Actually, I really didn't say much, except to point out that Mark is better in history than Sam."
"Yes, and I'd like to say that that was brilliant, especially you putting the idea in his head that Sam could possibly benefit for some tutoring by him. It gave him the ego boost he needed, that feeling of superiority that brothers like to have in regards to their younger sisters."
Laura cocked an eyebrow. "Just brothers, Jacob? In my experience, all boys want to believe that they're better than girls. It's a universal ego thing that often remains firmly in place throughout their lives."
Jacob couldn't deny what she was saying. "Yes, well, those of us who have any real sense realize that we are poor, pathetic creatures compared to the female of the species," he responded teasingly.
Laura leaned forward. "Hmm. I couldn't have said it better myself," she stated before kissing him.
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