‘Shut up!’ I shout. ‘Both of you, shut up! Shouldn’t you be at work or something?’ I storm out of the kitchen into the hall. I hate what I did to Granddad, and seeing him upset. If Mum and Dad find out they’ll go mad. I swing round the banister and run up the stairs. Dad’s feet thud behind me.

‘Leave him, Mark,’ shouts Mum. ‘I’ll talk to him after he’s calmed down.’

I run across the landing to my bedroom. I wish I’d not listened to Jake. I wish I’d never gone into Granddad’s bedroom and looked in the box. Why did I look in the box? I slam my bedroom door behind me. I’ve shut Mum and Dad out, but I can’t shut Granddad’s hurt look out of my head.

*

It must be ten minutes later that the front door clicks open. I walk over to my bedroom window. Dad’s striding across the square towards Granddad’s house. He didn’t get an answer out of me, so he’s going to ask him. Granddad’s curtains are closed like they always are. I hope that he’s gone to bed early, that he won’t be able to hear Dad knocking on his door. That way Dad won’t be able to talk to him until tomorrow and by then everyone might have calmed down. Maybe I could do something really good at school, try to concentrate and come top in a maths test, or read a really long passage out loud in English. But I have more chance of scoring the winning goal for Bristol Rovers at Wembley than doing any of that.

Dad pushes Granddad’s gate open and walks up the garden path.

I pick up my binoculars and watch Dad knock on Granddad’s front door.

Please don’t answer.

Please let the TV be up too loud.

Dad steps back onto the grass and looks up at Granddad’s bedroom window.

Yes, he’s in bed. We can all go to bed. And when we wake up in the morning this day will be a dream, have never happened.

Granddad’s sitting room curtains twitch.

It’s the wind.

It’s Samson trying to catch a fly.

The curtains close. Dad steps onto the garden path as the front door slowly opens. I try to focus in on Granddad’s face, but he’s standing too far back from the door. Dad steps inside and they start talking.

My phone buzzes on the table. I glance across. Jake’s name flashes up on my screen.

Why’s your dad gone over there?

I look across to Jake’s house. All the windows are lit up except for the one in his room.

I pick up my binoculars and see him looking through his right back at me. I message him.

Jake, don’t you ever just watch TV?