He led the others into the room, approached the circle of tables and stopped. His companions stood quietly behind him. John looked around the room qui...kly and realized that their were no other boys, yet every table, and the extra chairs as well, were filled with girls. In the far corner he saw his coach, the principal, and another person that he did not recognize standing against the wall, trying to remain inconspicuous.He cleared his throat and began, "I want to apologize to you, Kari, and the. Whatever happened, you'll always be Mom. You did a terrible thing, but so did I. You know that I had a hand in what happened to you with those soldiers. Sorry about that. Please forgive me for putting you in that tight spot, to begin with. It was supposed to be a test, Mom, and then Shannon was gonna be mine, no matter what, because she is mine at heart. I love her ... and I still love you. I forgive you," Matt said, even crying a little."I forgive you, too. It was a test, but I failed it. I. ."Hoyt had already moved around the desk, was by her, his hand on her shoulder. "Alyssa, I'm sorry", he insisted. "Sit down, please. I was completely out of order. It won't happen again"Reluctantly, Col returned to her chair and Franklin, after a pause, returned to his. "No more cracks", she warned, bottling her anger. "I mean it, Hoyt."Franklin put his hand on his heart. "No more cracks", he assured. "I'm here to help, Alyssa. Truly."Col cast her eyes down, mortified at the disclosure she was. Ten minutes later they pulled into the school car park. Hurrying in they saw their friends by the door. Waving their friends held the door for them as they came running across the tarmac playground. ‘Dan, Julian, Susan,’ Peter Watkins shook their hands and kissed Susan. ‘Boys, Susan,’ Lesley Watkins kissed all three, then hurried them in, they quickly found their seats. Seconds later the lights lowered and the Pantomime began. After the show they all went back to the Watkins’s for tea and.