A Voice in the Distance Read Free Page B

is still asleep. I sit cross-legged on the floor,
the chopping board on my knees, and look hard at her,
willing her to wake. As I watch her sleeping, I feel
suddenly frightened – frightened that all this could be
taken away. She blinks at me and smiles.
    'Morning, you.' She rolls onto her side and stretches.
'What time is it?'
    'Twelve.'
    She sits up, rubbing her eyes sleepily. 'What are you
doing down there?'
    'I brought you breakfast.' I carry the chopping board
over to the bed.
    She kneels up and kisses me as I hand her a mug of
coffee. 'Has anyone ever told you you're an angel?'
    'Well, it is the weekend.'
    She smiles down at the chopping board. 'You made
fruit salad!' She tucks in while I sip my coffee. She tries
to feed me cherries. I decline. I can never eat till the
caffeine has kicked in.
    'Ah, Sunday,' Jennah says between sips of coffee. 'My
favourite day of the week.'
    I give a wry smile. 'I take it you've blanked out
yesterday then?'
    She gives me a look. 'Oh God, is the mess awful?'
    I pretend to consider the question for a moment.
'Depends how you define awful .'
    We get up soon after and attack the living room.
Jennah is something of a neatness freak. I am not. But I
try. When the last ashtray is emptied and the final rubbish
bag carried downstairs, I get stuck into the mountain of
washing-up and Jennah does the vacuuming. An hour
later and we collapse together into a hot bath.
    It is late afternoon before I get down to any serious
practice. Jennah has an essay to do for her Psychology
of Performance module so I use the keyboard and headphones.
I am halfway through my third hour when my
brother comes by to take me out to supper. Jennah
won't come because her essay is overdue.
    'So how are things?' Rami asks as our food arrives.
We are in a pizzeria, sitting at a small table next to the
window overlooking the street. 'Have lectures started up
again yet?'
    'Yeah, we've got a shitty timetable this year,' I reply.
'We don't even have Fridays off any more.'
    'My heart bleeds,' Rami says. 'And I bet the ten
o'clock lectures are a real shock to the system after the
three months' holiday.'
    I take a gulp of Coke and shoot my brother a look.
'Finals are only eight months away. I don't remember
you being so glib when you were cramming for your
medical exams.'
    'Oh right, and I suppose a sound knowledge of the
human anatomy and embryological development is the
same as listening to a piece of music and saying how it
makes you feel—'
    I take a swipe at Rami's head. 'Fuck off.'
    Rami grins. 'Sorry I couldn't make it yesterday. There
just wasn't anyone to cover my shift.'
    Rami and his wife Sophie are doctors at the same
hospital and often work at weekends.
    'Sounds like you all had a cool time. Did you really
not see it coming?'
    I shake my head. 'Jennah seemed a bit on edge in the
morning but I thought she was just having an essay crisis.'
    'How are things going with you two?'
    'Fine,' I reply guardedly. I tend to be reluctant to
discuss the subject of my love-life with my older brother,
who, being twelve years my senior and happily married
with a baby daughter, feels it his duty to dole out barrels
of unwanted advice.
    'I know it's only been a couple of months, but do you
think it's working out, the two of you living together?'
    'Yes.' I nod vigorously, unable to hide my enthusiasm.
Rami starts to smile.
    'What?' I demand, my cheeks hot.
    'You have that look.'
    'What look?'
    Rami is grinning. 'The loved-up look. And now
you're going red.'
    'Fuck off!' I say again loudly. The waitress turns in
surprise.
    I press my fists to my cheeks and lower my voice. 'So
how's work?'
    'Uh-uh. You're not getting off that lightly,' Rami
protests. 'How are you finding it, living with a woman?
Bet you're having to shower on a slightly more regular
basis!'
    I kick him under the table but laugh despite myself.
    Rami picks up his glass. 'Well, cheers. Happy
birthday.'
    I smile. 'I think it's going to be a good year.'
    Harry is seated at the