Lucius lay in my mother's arms, round and milky-white. She nursed him while asking me a few offhand questions about whether I'd been good for Grandpa and Grandma.

Uncle and Aunt Galloway couldn't stop beaming the moment they spotted the gifts my father had brought. They heaped praise on me, saying how well-behaved and hardworking I was, bragging that even though I hadn't started school yet, I could already read dozens of words.

My mother seized on that instantly, her smile bright. "He gets it from me. I was class monitor back in school!"

My father looked pleased too. He bent down and tickled the nursing baby's chin. "Big brother's so smart. Little brother won't be far behind."

They started making plans to bring me back to the city for school.

But I wasn't going back. I said:

"I want to stay here with Grandpa and Grandma."

Grandma was stunned. Despite how much she wanted me to stay, she shook her head. "Go back with your parents. The schools in the city are better, and you start first grade next year. Don't fall behind."

Grandpa chimed in too. "The teachers out here rap your knuckles with a ruler. City teachers hand out candy."

Grandma was strong. She scooped me up and stuffed me right into Dad's car. "You can visit us every break. Don't be stubborn, silly boy!"

The car pulled away. Mom's smile vanished the instant the doors closed.

"Living like a wild animal out there, weren't you? Don't even want to come home anymore? You're not even in school yet and you've already given up on learning. All you do is climb trees and catch crawdads. You're a boy. Can't you try to amount to something?"

I opened my mouth to defend myself, then stopped. There was no point. She'd already made up her mind about who I was.

When I didn't answer, she grew even more pleased with herself. "Nothing to say? Because I'm right, aren't I?"

Dad put on his nice-guy act. "Come on, come on. It's his first day back. Don't upset him."

Mom let out a sharp huff, then turned away and dangled a toy car in front of Lucius. She didn't say another word to me for the rest of the ride.

When we got home, a cake sat on the dining table, shaped like a race car. Around it were little jars and pouches of baby food.

The moment we sat down, Mom announced, "This cake was bought especially to welcome you home. Your little brother doesn't even get one!"