Anthony was now at secondary school. Tanya and Rob thought that they had a moody teenager on their hands. Their son's hair was very nearly black now. He had a presence about him which made people look at him wherever they went. Some would shy away from him whilst the majority would gravitate towards the boy, who could be charming when he wanted to.
When they looked at the baby photos Tanya and Rob could barely believe the change that had taken the blond child to the dark brooding youth. They loved their son, but sometimes he was a stranger to them. He could still assume the otherworldly gaze which portrayed a person who knew far too much. This was a boy who could hide his intentions, which could be either good or bad.
Tanya took every opportunity that she could to touch her son. Stroking his hair when he was eating dinner. Cuddling up to him on the sofa of an evening. Each morning, before school, a hug to send him om his way. It was a sign of her love, but it was also something else. The actions were necessary somehow. For both of them.
Anthony would allow these demonstrations of affection. Tanya's efforts would see him heading off to the battleground which was senior school with a dose of goodness to help him stay out of trouble. It was not enough to repress his nature for the whole day, but it was better than nothing. He got through entire days without hurting anyone, sometimes.
The girls at school, once sought out for their calming influence, now represented something else. Anthony was looking at them in a different way and they were looking at him. A classic bad boy with dark, wavy hair, tall and charismatic. Other boys envied him and the girls liked him.
Everything about school was more intense for him. Anthony could inflict more damage on those that displeased him or were just in the wrong place. The punches and pinches that he had previously delivered were nothing to what he could do amongst older boys. So far, the list of achievements included a broken nose, blood had been drawn, and a head butt delivered.
His charm had got him out of most situations, but he was aware that he was being watched. His science teacher Mr O'Brien appeared to be one of those people who could see his true nature. In that class, a different set of rules applied. Don't get into a fight. Don't draw attention. Don't be too cheeky. The odd quip was fine.
Despite keeping a low profile, Mr O'Brien still kept an eye on Anthony. In the playground or outside the gates, Anthony would turn and see the teacher watching him.
At the parent teacher evening everyone was pleased with Anthony and said what a nice boy he was. Everyone except Mr O'Brien. He had a very different conversation with Tanya and Rob. He was happy with the work that Anthony was doing, but he was worried about some aspects of his character. The boy's adoptive parents listened to the science teacher with both interest and alarm.
"I understand that Anthony was adopted. He can be very charming and on the whole, he is well behaved, but he has got into a couple of fights." It was more than a couple but those were the only ones he had seen.
"What were the circumstances? There could be all kinds of reasons that he got involved in fighting." Rob went on the defensive.
"Yes, he could have been teased or bullied. I think some of the boys know that he was adopted. Children can be very cruel." Tanya tried an excuse.
"I haven't heard about anybody bullying him. He is a big strong lad. I don't think that is the problem."
"I'll ask him if anyone is picking on him." Tanya said.
"Do you ever think that he has been affected by what happened to him as a baby?" Mr O'Brien was aware of the story of the box.
"He was too young to remember any of that. We have had him since he was a year old. There is no reason that it should have affected him in any way." Rob said.
"He knows that he was adopted and it has never seemed to bother him. He knows that he was found in a box. He's shown no interest in finding out more about his origins." Tanya added.
"There is no way to find out if there was any history of problems in his family then?" Mr O'Brien asked.
"No." Tanya and Rob said together.
After exchanging glances, Tanya nodded and Rob gave more information.
"We were concerned about him when he was young. He acted up every now and then, but nothing serious. To make sure that there was nothing wrong with him, we sent him to a child psychiatrist. After a couple of appointments, she declared that he was fine."
"Anthony is very, shall we say, persuasive. I'm sure he could convince someone that there was nothing wrong with him. Some people are susceptible to his patter, but I am not. I see a boy who has a bit of a mean streak. If I were you, I would talk to him and maybe find another professional to help him."
Tanya and Rob bristled and twitched in their seats. A moment of reflection saw them accept Mr O'Brien's words and nod meekly.
The silence in the car on their journey home said more than words. Tanya and Rob were each lost in their own thoughts as they considered what they had heard. Their initial surprise at the revelations was seeming less shocking once they thought it through. When they got home it was Rob who started the awkward conversation.
"He has always been alright around you. When he is with me it's like he is just going through the motions. I look at him and I wonder what is going on in his head. I was taken aback when Mr O'Brien spoke about the fights, but on reflection, I can see that in him sometimes."
Tanya nodded reluctantly. "We were warned that he might not be quite right. I think we have been fooling ourselves that Anthony has no problems."
The conversation went around and around. There was something odd about their son, but they could not say what it was. At the moment he needed them, especially Tanya, but they knew that he would leave at some time and it was likely that he would never look back. At least while Anthony was with them, they could keep him safe and try to steer him in the right direction.
Their son was now fourteen and he was getting tall and broad. Rob was not a large man and he felt a bit intimidated by Anthony. It was going to be difficult to discipline the brooding teenager. There was every chance that he might react with his fists. There was an air about him that signalled impending danger. The girls loved it and the boys admired it, albeit from a safe distance.
Every week some girl would come knocking at their door asking if Anthony was at home. They had gone through the embarrassing duty of discussing sex with their son and he had listened attentively to their words. When Rob had indicated that the talk was over Anthony had walked away as if they had been chatting about football. Tanya and her husband exchanged a look which expressed their doubts about how seriously Anthony had taken their words.
All the girls that came looking for Anthony were very sweet. There were no bad girls or mean girls in his harem. He was kind to them and enjoyed their company, so Tanya and Rob were not too worried about his popularity. Since he had left junior school, he had not spent so much time with his friend Ryan. He had a group of boys who were glad to be seen in his company, but they weren't real friends.
Anthony knew that he would become a nomad in the future. Dipping in an out of people's lives taking what he needed. Tanya would be the biggest loss when he left home. Rob, well, maybe he would come to mind occasionally. They had brought him up and catered to his needs, but when the time came, he would not bother with them again.
Mr O'Brien kept up his vigil and Anthony was becoming tired of having to look over his shoulder every time he wanted to vent his anger. The time would come when revenge could be had. It was his fifteenth birthday. Not long now and the marvellous thing, which he was sure was in his future, would arrive and release him from this dull life.