A few hours later, Aleisha was curled up on the sofa, trying to disappear. Aidan walked into the living room. He stood, just looking at her for a while, a beer clasped in his hands. ‘Aleisha?’ he said, softly.
‘What?’ She didn’t want to look at him.
He took a deep breath. ‘I really think we should get Mum to speak to someone,’ he said, his voice harbouring a tremor for the second time that evening.
The silence in the room echoed in Aleisha’s ears. Aidan had tiptoed around the subject before, but he’d never said it so clearly. They’d both believed ‘next time, it would be different.’ Now, his words told her that he wasn’t sure it would be.
She could feel his eyes focused on her. Aleisha didn’t reply. She didn’t want to talk right now.
He stood where he was for a while, and then sighed deeply again. He sat down, stared blindly at the TV adverts. Comparing the meerkats. Should have gone to the opticians. Every little is useful.
‘I’m going back to the warehouse for my night shift later,’ Aidan said, eventually.
‘You can’t drink that then,’ she snapped. She could smell the beer through the cap of the can. ‘Look, Aid. Call in sick. Go to bed. It’s been a long day.’
Aidan didn’t say anything at first. Then: ‘One can is fine.’
She looked at him. She could tell from his tone, from the droop in his eyes, he had had more than one already.
‘Who was that guy earlier, in the park? Boyfriend?’ She watched him trying to conjure an expression of interest onto his face.
‘Between the library and being here, I’ve got no time for a boyfriend, do I?’
‘You’re not always here,’ Aidan said.
‘Feel like I am.’
‘Mum said you’ve been reading to her. The books from the library.’
‘I think she likes it.’
‘Just be careful, okay? Nothing triggering.’
‘She likes it. It helps her relax.’
‘She’s probably not even concentrating.’
‘That’s fine. She’s listening. She doesn’t need to concentrate.’
‘Okay, okay. And look, invite that guy round. I want to meet him properly.’
‘I’ve not even met him properly,’ Aleisha said, turning back to the television.
‘Why’d he look so friendly then?’
‘Guess I just invite people to open up,’ Aleisha laughed. Although she hated to admit it, the thought of Zac made her want to throw herself into Pride and Prejudice, to spend time going to dances, to be carefree for a moment, to live life as a normal nineteenth-century teenager, occupied with flirting, boys, marriage. Turning herself to her real life, away from her make-believe, she wondered what it would be like if she actually had time to hang out with Zac, if he could actually become a friend, more than a friend.
She was flicking aimlessly through the channels now. She turned the TV off. ‘Night, Aidan. Go to bed. Don’t go to work, you won’t be doing anyone a favour.’
She walked away as Aidan sat himself back down and took another gulp from his can. She could hear him tapping on his phone, leaving a ghostly glow as the screen illuminated his face. She wished she knew what he was thinking.
In her room, she pulled out her phone and started typing a message out to her cousin Rachel, the only person who might understand. But then Rachel was busy – always busy, studying, working – and as soon as she’d typed her message out, she regretted it. She didn’t need to worry her cousin about all this now. She’d call her another time.
Instead, she pulled out Zac’s business card – she got the sense that sometimes he was as lonely as her. She wanted to talk to someone, someone who might not judge her for feeling lost and alone. She typed his number in, followed by a short message: Hey, it’s Aleisha – the library girl – how are you?
Chapter 22
MUKESH
THE PHONE TRILLED AND trilled, once, then again, then a third time. He was confused, and then a little panicked. It was eight in the morning, usually his daughters called at this time but only once, waiting for it to go to voicemail. They didn’t call again and again. He shuffled out of bed, just in case it was an emergency.
‘Hello?’ his voice was shaky as he answered.
‘Papa? Hi!’ Vritti said, a little too loudly for the morning. She sounded bright, chirpy.
‘Good morning, beta.’
‘Are you still coming by today? For lunch?’
‘Oh, yes.’ Mukesh had completely forgotten. ‘Yes, I am looking forward to it! Are we going to one of your cafés?’