Now You See Me-Gifted 5 Read Online Free PDF Page A

placed a hand on his forehead. Martin flinched, but he didn’t push the hand away. Finally, his mother removed it. ‘No, I don’t think so. But I want you to take it easy today, dear. No running around, all right? You know how sport tires you out. You’re just not suited to it.’
    Good grief, Tracey thought. This woman wasn’t just a little obsessive, she was a nervous wreck.
    Martin picked up the knife that lay next to the cake tin and started to cut a slice of cake. His mother squealed.
    ‘Honey, be careful! That’s a very sharp knife. Here, let me cut the cake for you. There’s milk in the refrigerator.’
    Martin relinquished the knife to his mother, got up and went to the refrigerator. Back at the table, he looked at the unopened carton of milk for a few seconds, and then touched the cap.
    ‘I can’t get this open,’ he whined.
    ‘You didn’t even try!’ Tracey exclaimed, forgetting that no one could hear her.
    ‘I’ll do it for you,’ his mother said.
    She treats him like a baby, Tracey realized. So that’s how he acts. This was confirmed to her when his mother unfolded a napkin and actually tucked it into his neckline, like a bib. And Martin let her.
    While Martin ate, his mother hovered over him and kept up a non-stop stream of chatter. ‘Now, when you’ve finished with your snack, we’ll go to the supermarket. Unless you’re too tired, of course. But we’re almost out of the cookies you like so much. And maybe we can stop at the hair salon – your grandfather keeps telling me your hair is too long.’ She leaned over and brushed a lock off his forehead. ‘Though I think it looks sweet. I remember your first haircut, when you were two. I cried!’
    Tracey was beginning to feel nauseous. This was too, too sickening.
    When he finished his snack, Martin made no move to take his plate and glass off the table. Why should he? His mother automatically took them away and began washing them at the sink. Without even thanking her, Martin got up and went into the living room. Tracey followed him.
    He plunked himself down on the sofa, picked up a remote control from the coffee table, and pointed it towards the TV. Tracey was surprised to see that he surfed the channels all by himself, and didn’t demand that his mother do it for him.
    He let the screen rest on what looked like a rerun of an old series. After a few minutes of watching it with him, Tracey recognized it – ‘The Incredible Hulk’. That figured. Martin would appreciate the story of an ordinary man who could turn into a violent superhero.
    The front door opened, and a man came in. Martin’s eyes didn’t leave the screen, but Tracey looked at the newcomer with interest. He seemed pretty old, with hair that was almost completely white and a lot of lines on his face. But he looked like he was in good shape, and when he spoke, his voice was strong.
    ‘Can’t you even say “hello” to your grandfather, boy?’
    Martin’s lips formed the shape of ‘Hi’ but Tracey couldn’t hear anything. Mrs Cooper came into the room.
    ‘Hi, Dad. Martin, are you ready to go to the supermarket? Oh dear, you do look tired. Maybe you should stay at home. Dad, could you watch Martin while I do some shopping?’
    ‘Good grief, Linda,’ the man said. ‘He’s almost fourteen years old! He doesn’t need babysitting.’
    The woman gazed at her son fondly. ‘He’ll always be my baby. Well, I’m off – back in an hour or so.’
    Once she’d left, the man took the remote control and switched the TV off.
    ‘Hey, I was watching that,’ Martin protested.
    ‘It’s too nice outside to be watching television,’ his grandfather replied. ‘Let’s go kick a ball around in the back yard.’
    ‘I don’t want to go outside,’ Martin said.
    ‘C’mon, it’s good for you.’
    ‘I’m tired,’ Martin whined.
    ‘Don’t give me that nonsense,’ the man barked. ‘You’re too young to be tired.’
    ‘But Mom said—’
    ‘I don’t care what your