The Childhood of Jesus Read Online Free

locked office. Similarly for the key to the laundry room.
    â€˜Can you at least direct us to room C-55?’ he asks. ‘C-55 is the room allocated to us.’
    Without a word the young man leads them down a long corridor, past C-49, C-50…C-54. They reach C-55. He tries the door. It is not locked. ‘Your troubles are over,’ he remarks with a smile, and withdraws.
    C-55 is small, windowless, and exceedingly simply furnished: a single bed, a chest of drawers, a washbasin. On the chest of drawers is a tray holding a saucer with two and a half cubes of sugar in it. He gives the sugar to the boy.
    â€˜Do we have to stay here?’ asks the boy.
    â€˜Yes, we have to stay here. It will only be for a short time, while we look for something better.’
    At the far end of the corridor he locates a shower cubicle. There is no soap. He undresses the child, undresses himself. Together they stand under a thin stream of tepid water while he does his best to wash them. Then, while the child waits, he holds their underwear under the same stream (which soon turns cool and then cold) and wrings it out. Defiantly naked, with the child beside him, he pads down the bare corridor back to their room and bolts the door. With their one and only towel he dries the boy. ‘Now get into bed,’ he says.
    â€˜I’m hungry,’ complains the boy.
    â€˜Be patient. We will have a big breakfast in the morning, I promise. Think about that.’ He tucks him into bed, gives him a goodnight kiss.
    But the boy is not sleepy. ‘What are we here for, Simón?’ he asks quietly.
    â€˜I told you: we are here just for a night or two, till we find a better place to stay.’
    â€˜No, I mean, why are we here ?’ His gesture takes in the room, the Centre, the city of Novilla, everything.
    â€˜You are here to find your mother. I am here to help you.’
    â€˜But after we find her, what are we here for?’
    â€˜I don’t know what to say. We are here for the same reason everyone else is. We have been given a chance to live and we have accepted that chance. It is a great thing, to live. It is the greatest thing of all.’
    â€˜But do we have to live here?’
    â€˜Here as opposed to where? There is nowhere else to be but here. Now close your eyes. It is time to sleep.’

CHAPTER 3
    HE WAKES up in a good mood, full of energy. They have a place to stay, he has a job. It is time to set about the chief task: finding the boy’s mother.
    Leaving the boy asleep, he steals out of the room. The main office has just opened. Ana, behind the counter, greets him with a smile. ‘Did you have a good night?’ she asks. ‘Have you settled in?’
    â€˜Thank you, we have settled in. But now I have another favour to ask. You may remember, I asked you about tracking down family members. I need to find David’s mother. The trouble is, I don’t know where to start. Do you keep records of arrivals in Novilla? If not, is there some central registry I can consult?’
    â€˜We keep a record of everyone who passes through the Centre. But records won’t help if you don’t know what you are looking for. David’s mother will have a new name. A new life, a new name. Is she expecting you?’
    â€˜She has never heard of me so she has no reason to expect me. But as soon as the child sees her he will recognize her, I am sure of that.’
    â€˜How long have they been separated?’
    â€˜It is a complicated story, I won’t burden you with it. Let me simply say I promised David I would find his mother. I gave him my word. So may I have a look at your records?’
    â€˜But without a name, how will that help you?’
    â€˜You keep copies of passbooks. The boy will recognize her from a photograph. Or I will. I will know her when I see her.’
    â€˜You have never met her but you will recognize her?’
    â€˜Yes. Separately or together, he and I will