Trouble in Nirvana by Elisabeth Rose Read Free Book Online Page B

sense, she was so clearly wrong in every possible way he couldn’t envisage a longterm affair. She wouldn’t be around long enough for starters.
    But a date with her would get right up Kurt’s nose as well. Petty but satisfying. Had to take your fun where you could get it out here.
    ****
    “Is it all right if I paint my room?” Primrose looked from Danny to Nirupam, ignoring Kurt who gobbled down a sandwich like a big hairy animal at the end of the table.
    Danny said, “Yeah. We don’t have any paint, though.”
    “Tom gave me some.” No point responding to the food muffled snort of outrage from her right. She finished her own sandwich in one neat bite. No need to mention she had no idea how to go about painting anything. But how hard could it be? And no way was she letting Kurt, who was sure to be an expert, tell her what to do. Ask him for advice? Perish the thought!
    “If there’s enough we could do the baby’s room, too,” said Nirupam with a rare show of enthusiasm. “I want the baby in the room next to us.ʼ
    “What about Mojo?” Kurt demanded with his mouth full. A piece of lettuce shot out but was trapped by his beard. “That’s his room. He’s got his own paintings on those walls. Very talented kid, Anne said. A genius.”
    And Anne would know. Primrose focussed on picking up crumbs on her fingertip. So would Kurt. She stuck her finger in her mouth to stop the laughter bubbling out but Nirupam’s next remark was in such a helpless, pleading tone the laughter was swamped by a surge of anger at how that bully rode roughshod over her sweet, gentle sister-in-law.
    “Fern said they’d be going up north soon. After the baby’s born.” Nirupam turned an anxious gaze on Danny for support. “Mojo could move to the other room.”
    “If this is your house you can do whatever you want, can’t you?” Primrose offered in as innocent a tone as possible, the fury building like red hot lava deep inside. Danny wouldn’t meet her eye.
    “We make decisions as a community, otherwise the aura goes bad,” said Kurt. “No-one has more rights than anyone else.”
    “Not even the person who owns the land and the house?” Could they see the steam coming out of her ears because her mouth was clamped shut? Aura? How much more toxic could it be?
    “We don’t do things the same way your society does, Rosie,” put in Danny in his mild, feeble way.
    Her society? He’d inherited this land thanks to society and its laws. And thanks to her own generosity he lived here rent free. The commune used electricity from the grid and drove on the roads the council maintained. Self sufficient? Who were they trying to kid? They didn’t even have solar hot water. Tom was more self sufficient next door and he wasn’t even trying. Or at least he wasn’t boasting about it the way these people did. And they had nothing to boast about.
    She grabbed her water glass and downed most of it in an attempt to quell the internal fire. Her hand was very steady, very controlled, when she placed the glass on the table. “Nirupam and I are going to the doctor tomorrow whether you have a communal vote on it or not.”
    Kurt glowered but kept his mouth closed for once. No-one offered to help paint. So much for communal assistance.
    ****
    Primrose sat with Nirupam in the crowded doctor’s waiting room feeling slim and agile. Pregnant lady day. She’d never seen so many in one place, had no idea how envious she would feel surrounded by this display of fecundity. Now here she was with a sister-in-law giving birth in a month and babies everywhere she looked. The mummy hormones were a palpable force in the room. Supporting Nirupam was essential but at the same time a trial on a deeply emotional and primal level, one that wrenched at her core and drove home how far from achieving this desirable state she really was.
    “Nirupam?” White coated, rotund Doctor Singh in gold rimmed spectacles stood in the doorway, scanning the assembled