Problem Children

Chapter Four

Friday came and went quickly and the two brothers waited by the gate for Hannah. Angus ran out quicker than she did and didn't bother waiting for her. He wanted to get out of that building as soon as he could. Hannah stayed behind to finish up her theme.

Kids poured out of the school but not one of them was that little girl. Malcolm and Angus gripped the chain links and looked through them, but didn't see her. "Where is she, Angus?" Malcolm inquired. "Didn't she come out of class with you?" Angus shrugged.

Malcolm sighed and began climbing the gate. He peered over the top and still didn't see her. Having no success, he jumped down. "Maybe she forgot."

Angus then remembered their walk to the office the day before. How she said she wouldn't show up, and how he was okay with it. He felt guilty. Malcolm would get mad at him and Angus would be back to square one-no friends. Nervous, he pulled his brother's sleeve.

"Uh, Mal?"

"What?"

"I think I know why Hannah isn't coming."

"Why?" So Angus told him everything. His story landed him a smack on his shoulder. "Nice job, Angus! You get a chance to make a friend and look what you did!"

"I didn't know she meant it!" Another smack. "Stop that!"

"Why'd you have to go say that, Ang? You know better!" The two boys started arguing again as Hannah finally emerged from the school. Her theme was done and as a result she had no weekend homework. Neither one noticed her approach.

"Hey! I'm here," she called. They stopped arguing. Malcolm smiled. Angus smiled too, relieved he hadn't sent her away. Then he remembered they weren't supposed to be pals. He wiped his smile away.

"Come on, Angus." Malcolm gave his brother one last smack before they walked with Hannah down the street. "So where are you from, Hannah? You don't sound Australian."

"My mom and I are from America. We've lived here a year, and I was homeschooled."

"Lucky," Angus interrupted. Malcolm shushed him.

"Then my mom found a good job and I was sent to 'real' school."

"We just moved here a few months ago after our father found work. We're from Scotland," Malcolm explained.

"You have any siblings?" Angus asked suddenly.

"No, just me and my mom."

"We have six," Malcolm said.

"Moms?"

"No, siblings. One sister, five brothers." Malcolm pointed at Angus with a grin. "He's the baby."

"I'm not a baby, you are!"

"That's a big family," Hannah marveled ignoring the incoming fight.

"Yep. Our older brother George is in a band, and he's gonna teach us," Malcolm said to impress her.

"Teach you what?" Angus rolled his eyes. Malcolm ignored him.

"Guitar of course. Soon Angus and I will have our own bands, won't we Ang?"

"Sure will. Mine's gonna be better."

"Buzz off, Ang, mine's better!"

"Nuh-uh, Mal, I think George's is the best. Look at our house!" Angus pointed to the crowd of people surrounding the tiny home.

"Holy cow!" Malcolm shouted.

"Who are they?" Hannah asked.

"They must be here to find George." Malcolm led them to the front door. "Come on." Two big men stood in their way.