‘Oh, great,’ Aleisha hissed under her breath.
‘Look, I just want to hear about the book. I’ll just carry these some of the way for you and then leave you alone for ever.’
Aleisha slung the final bag over her shoulder. ‘I’m sorry to disappoint you,’ she said, ‘but I actually haven’t even started reading it. I only know what it says on the back of the book.’
‘That’s all right. What’s your name?’ he asked.
‘Aleisha.’
‘Nice to meet you, Aleisha,’ he said. ‘I’m Zac by the way.’
Aleisha thought to herself, I didn’t ask but said, out loud, ‘Nice to meet you,’ feigning a casual air.
He smiled awkwardly. Was he as nervous as Aleisha? As he struggled with her bags, lagging slightly behind, she couldn’t help but hide a smile under her hand.
‘So,’ he said, catching up with her, trying to hide the fact he was out of breath. ‘You a big reader then?’
She took a moment before replying, thinking of the old man, Mr Patel, thinking of their chats about the books so far. She felt the list burning in her phone case. ‘Not really,’ she said, honestly. ‘It’s a new thing for me. But, yeah, I’m liking it.’
‘The Kite Runner … you think you’re ready for it?’
‘I thought you didn’t know anything about it.’
‘I’ve seen the film. It’s literally the saddest thing ever.’
‘That’s what the woman at the counter said.’
‘Well, we’re right. Sad ending too—’
‘Seriously! Don’t tell me! Why is everyone intent on spoiling it?’ she cut in, her eyes wide, surprised at her reaction. She felt relaxed now – this felt normal for a moment, walking side by side with a stranger, talking about a book.
He laughed. ‘Don’t worry, I’m not gonna spoil it for you. So …’ His eyes stayed locked on her. ‘What do you do when you’re not at the library?’
‘What is this? Married at First Sight or something?’
‘Sorry, I’m kind of intense.’
‘Yeah, you don’t say.’
‘So?’
She shrugged. ‘Why’s it any of your business?’
‘I mean, it’s not … I’m just making conversation.’ He shrugged, hobbling with the bags at his side. ‘What on earth is in these?’ he wheezed.
When they reached the end of her road, she stopped. ‘I’ll take them from here.’ She nodded down the road. ‘I’m just down there.’
‘It’s all right, I can take them all the way, it’s fine.’
‘No,’ Aleisha said sharply, taken aback by her tone. ‘I’ll take them from here.’
He nodded, placed the bags gently on the floor, and stepped back, as though passing over a highly dangerous package.
‘Thanks, Zac,’ she said, breezily.
‘No problem, Aleisha. Hopefully I’ll see you again. Summers always feel a bit lonely for me, so, yeah, this has been nice.’
The boy-man headed off as she picked her bags up and started to shuffle them down the road to her house. She took one last look at him, taking in the shape of him – the guy from the train. She couldn’t quite believe her luck.
As she approached her house, she could see the windows shut, the darkness within, like Manderley, or Boo Radley’s house. But for this moment, it didn’t feel so daunting. She dropped the bags at her door as she fumbled for her keys, and saw The Kite Runner staring up at her from one of the bags, with the boy-man’s final words hanging in her mind. Summers always felt lonely for her too – but this one, this one felt a little less lonely than usual.
Chapter 14
MUKESH
BEEP. ‘PAPA, IT’S ROHINI. Harishfua has been calling me, and he’d like you to go to the mandir with him. No need to return my call, but just give him a ring, okay? I know you haven’t been for ages, and not on your own, but it’ll be good for you. Deepali, Vritti and I have all discussed and think you should go. Okay? Priya told me to tell you she loved the book, Wizard of Earthsea, I think it was called. She sends her love! Bye, Papa. Speak soon.’
BEEP. ‘Hi Dad, it’s Deepali. Rohini said Harishfua has been trying to get in touch? Why don’t you just go to the mandir? It’ll be nice, and a chance for you to eat a proper balanced meal for once. Okay? See you soon.’
Mukesh pulled his book out, settling himself on his seat, when the phone started to trill again. He looked up at it, and down at his book. ‘If they want me, they will leave a message, ne?’ he said to himself.