‘What’s all this?’ Lewis appeared, rescuing me from having to explain why I was so drawn to Samir’s story. I didn’t even fully understand it myself. Did I identify with this only child who, from what I’d read, had seemed to be shy and awkward, just as I had been as a teenager? Maybe it was that I felt like no one cared, and my sense of justice made it hard for me to accept that. I didn’t want to explain that my imagination made me feel like I knew this boy, because I knew that wouldmake me sound a little crazy. But Holly’s lack of enthusiasm confirmed something: I really wanted to pursue this.
Jasmine filled Lewis in, and he said, ‘Ah, yes, I remember hearing something about that. It happened just after we left last Hogmanay, didn’t it? What an idiot, going out there without sixteen layers on.’
‘We don’t know what happened,’ I said in response. ‘Maybe someone took him out there.’
‘What, murder?’ He scoffed. ‘Seems much more likely he went for a hike without putting on the right gear.’
‘Are you going to tell us about your wedding plans?’ Holly asked Jasmine, changing the subject. ‘Dad hasn’t even told us where you’re planning to do it.’
‘He hasn’t? Oh, well, I’m sure he’ll fill you in soon.’
Holly’s eyes narrowed.
‘Why are you being evasive?’
‘I’m not. We’re just thinking about it still, that’s all.’
Lewis put his hands on Jasmine’s shoulders. ‘You’re shivering. Dad will kill us if we let you die of hypothermia.’
‘Is he up?’ Jasmine asked.
‘He’s in the gym. He came down, took about a million supplements and then went off, saying he needed to work out.’
‘There’s a gym here?’ I asked.
‘In the basement. I think I went down there once, took one look at the barbells and needed a sit-down.’ Lewis made a fainting gesture.
‘You’ve always been a wimp,’ Miranda said, appearing behind me. ‘Reading poems when the other boys were out doing sport. What’s all this about supplements?’
They were all looking at Jasmine, who said, ‘He’s following this programme. Only eating the calories his body needs, taking a lot of vitamins and collagen and whatnot.’
‘Is this to do with that guy who thinks he’s going to live for ever?’ Lewis asked. ‘I saw a documentary about it. Please don’t tell me he wears a device to track his nocturnal erections.’
Jasmine laughed.
‘Oh my God, he does.’
Jasmine put a finger to her own lips. ‘Don’t tell him I told you.’
‘Nocturnalerections?’ Miranda said, almost spluttering.
Zack appeared. ‘This sounds like an interesting conversation.’
‘Did you know about this ridiculous health regime?’ Miranda demanded. ‘Or is this something you’ve got him into, Jasmine?’
‘Hey, I didn’t make him do it.’
‘I thought he looked thin,’ Miranda went on. ‘One of my friend’s husbands ran off with a much younger woman, took up triathlon in a desperate attempt to get fit and died of a heart attack.’
‘You don’t need to worry about any of that,’ Jasmine said. ‘Charles has the heart of a forty-year-old. Even more so since he went vegan.’
‘He’s gone vegan?’ Holly said. ‘That’s amazing.’
‘That’s why he looks so ill,’ Miranda said.
‘He doesn’t look ill at all.’
‘No, I don’t,’ came a voice from behind us. ‘And I feel fucking great.’
