London Harmony: Water Gypsy by Erik Schubach Read Free Book Online Page A

come next. Then the movie comes to an end, leaving only hope, anticipation and... love? This song was about love. She loved someone with all of her heart. I opened my eyes and took a deep breath. Bloody hell, that was intense.
    More than ever I wondered just who this woman was that could paint the world with broad strokes of emotion like Mandy Fay could. I thought about the hope and love in the song and longed for the day I found the heart that matched mine in all the ways this song intoned like she did.
    I caught myself humming the catchy tune as I opened the music book and continued reading. I gleepd in mirth when my mobile buzzed. A single word from Paya, “Grocery.” She knew me too well. I sighed and closed the book.
    I hopped up and checked myself quickly in my little mirror, bundled up, then stepped out into the warming air. The barge looked wet as the snow and ice melted. It was supposed to be around three degrees today, the bitter cold snap was finally ended.
    I grabbed Mrs. T's rubbish and wandered down the plank to the shore, taking in the spectacular view of the Thames over my shoulder. I shook my head in disbelief as I realized I really loved living on the water, I only wish the living conditions weren't so squalid. Hell, running water and a toilet that wasn't a shared chemical toilet that made me want to lose my stomach contents when I used it would be a plus. I grinned, I had only used the sodding thing a handful of times since I became a tenant here. I have myself trained to wait until I can get ashore to Joe's or at work to do my business.
    I found a rubbish bin and stuffed the bag into it. Then I headed for the closest grocery. There was a quaint little Co-op, just down the lane. I didn't want to spend much lolly, and had to stay away from anything that needed to be cooked since I could only use my little hot-plate during generator hours. So it was mostly prepared foods, fruits, veggies, sandwich supplies and to my glee, lunch meats since the winter months were cold as a fridge in my room.
    I was able to get supplies to last a week for just under seventeen quid. I still cringed at that, I had to start getting more frugal if I wanted to get a flat sooner than this time next year, It would be nice to avoid another winter on the barges. No more splurging at the food carts.
    I gave my finger to a taxi that almost flattened me in the zebra crossing on the way back. What a tosser! I arrived home with my meager offerings and stuffed them into the styrofoam cooler. I had learned my first week here not to keep any food on my little shelf or anywhere else in the open. It was quite a fright to wake up to see two rats just a few centimeters away eating my bread. I had screamed like a bloody girl.
    We don't normally have vermin problems, the Captain has poison and traps stuffed into every nook and cranny. Ours are some of the most livable of the floating slums. But sometimes we get mice or rats that come on board at night on the planks, I didn't want to advertise for them. Mrs. T says that is why she has Terminator, I guess he has tallied an impressive body count. I grinned at the idea of the little dog taking on a rat half his size.
    To keep my bestie happy, I ate some buttered bread and an orange then kicked back to read and to practice that bloody impossible lesson Teresa had given me. I could actually sing it at normal volume now that the barge was mainly empty except Mrs. T and I. I found it difficult to control my tone on two fortepiano transitions between octaves without sliding.
    I slowed it down and tried the passage at half tempo. I spent most of the day on it and I could hear some improvement. It was so frustrating. I had thought I was at least a passable singer, but if this is a regular lesson, then I was sub-par. How did I ever think I could ever go beyond singing at raves or karaoke bars? I kicked myself for the negative thoughts. I didn't want to disappoint that marvelously frightening woman.
    I started