Beartown (Beartown, #1)

by Fredrik Backman

“It’s hard for a mother to admit certain things, Benjamin. I noticed that you didn’t meet us at the police station. I noticed that you didn’t come round to the house. That you didn’t go to the meeting this evening. I…” She very quickly puts her forefinger and thumb to her eyes, swallows hard, whispers. “Ever since you and Kevin were small, every time the two of you caused any trouble, the teachers and other parents always said it was you who started it, and blamed the fact that ‘you have no male role model.’ And I’ve never known what to say to that. Because I’ve never heard anything more stupid in my life.” Benjamin glances at her in surprise. She opens her eyes, reaches out her hand, and touches his cheek softly with it. “That hockey team… that bloody hockey team… I know you all love each other. How loyal you all are. Sometimes I don’t know if that’s a blessing or a curse. I remember when you made catapults when you were nine years old, and Kevin broke the neighbor’s window—do you remember? You got the blame. Because when all the other boys ran away, you stayed where you were, because you realized that someone had to take the blame, and that it would be worse for Kevin if he got the blame than it would be for you.” Benji wipes his eyes. She’s still holding her hand against his cheek. She pats him and smiles. “You may not be an angel, Benjamin, I know that much. But, dear God, you haven’t lacked a role model. All your best qualities come from the fact that you’ve been rais...