A to Z of You and Me by James Hannah Read Free Book Online Page A

into shape.
    I can see you now, pulling on your coat, gathering up your keys, pointing at your desk, saying, “It’s all there in that bundle of papers. Three courses you could apply for. The deadline’s in July, so you’ve got time.”
    I don’t know why I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Too soon, too soon. July was an age away. And how is anyone supposed to get enthusiastic about scratching their résumé together? A few aimless, basic qualifications. Who would ever want me?
    â€œJust have a look through them,” you said. “You totally know your stuff. Come on, one small change is all it takes. If you fill in this one piece of paper now, you’ll thank yourself as you cherry-pick the best jobs and sip champagne through the summer.”
    It was a good fantasy.
    Kelvin and I crest the top of a low rise, follow a gentle curve and roll down the other side, and arrive alongside a bench. Kelvin heaves the chair into a stable position and settles on the seat beside me. We exchange a brief look, a brief smile, before gazing at the garden, letting the silence set in with the sun. Kelvin takes off his glasses and begins to clean them with his T-shirt.
    â€œI’m sorry I haven’t been in to see you before now,” he says, lifting and huff-huffing the left lens. “I thought you might want to get your bearings for the first few days. How was the move from your apartment?”
    â€œIt’s all wrapped up. There’s people here who’re going to get it all cleared out when the time comes.”
    â€œI could do that for you. You only had to ask.”
    â€œNo, no, it’s all fine. St. Leonard’s gets the proceeds, and that’s what I want. I think they’ve done enough for the family to get a few quid out of me.”
    â€œWas your dad here then?”
    â€œYeah, yeah. At the end.”
    He replaces his glasses, using his middle finger to push their bridge precisely up to the bridge of his nose.
    â€œCancer, you know—they all end up here. I’m lucky they’d have me, kidney patient. But the place was going, so—you know.”
    Kelvin sits silent a moment, and I’m sure I detect a choked air from him. I don’t want to look, in case…in case I have to do anything.
    â€œWell,” he says with a great sniff and a sigh, “whatever you need me to do, just let me know. If there’s anything not taken care of. Getting your effects in order, like.”
    I smile at him.
    We sit and watch as a maroon work van crawls along the driveway at the required five miles an hour. NRG Electrical painted on the side in yellow. I can hear the pneumatics in its suspension as it creeps over the too-high speed bumps. They are here about the security light, no doubt. I could talk about that with Kelvin, steer clear of tricky subjects. I could tell him about that. But I feel too heavy on the inside.
    â€œI…I saw Laura yesterday,” says Kelvin, his voice a little husky.
    â€œOh yeah?” I say, naturally.
    â€œYeah. She’s thinking of you. She asked me to send you her love. She’s really concerned, obviously. Concerned that you’re all right.”
    â€œAll right.”
    â€œShe told me she’d been wondering about coming over to make sure you’re settled in. But, you know, she doesn’t want to upset you.”
    The van disappears off behind the wall.
    I can sense Kelvin fortifying himself.
    â€œOK, I’m just going to say this. I know it’s not something you want to talk about, but it needs talking about, right?”
    â€œGo on.” I know what’s coming.
    â€œWell, how long is it since she’s been in touch? Five years?”
    â€œSeven.”
    â€œSeven years. And it’s pretty obvious why that is, I reckon.”
    â€œIs it?”
    â€œOh, come on, mate.”
    â€œI want to know. Why does she think she hasn’t been in touch?”
    â€œWell, I