“I blocked it but I can get it back…” He tapped into his phone. “It’s ringing…”
Joe leaned in close to listen.
“What?” Harris snarled.
“You need to know something,” Kaden said.
“Know what?”
Joe heard the edge of pain in Harris’ voice.
“You were clutching your stomach in the hospital.”
“So?”
“It started out as a stomach ache with me too. The doctors that were treating me said I had a rare virus.”
“Have you given me some bloody disease?”
Kaden rolled his eyes. “The doctors thought I might have picked something up at Lixian. They wanted details of everywhere I’d been and what I’d eaten.”
“Oh my God.” Harris groaned. “How bad was the pain?”
“Very bad. Then my throat started to burn.”
“How did they cure it?”
“I know this sounds crazy but it was salt. I was desperate for it and they made me eat sandwiches thickly spread with Marmite. It was that or a hot curry. I wasn’t sure I could eat that.”
“This isn’t a fucking joke. I feel terrible.”
“I’m not joking. I was ill too. I’m doing you a favour but I wonder why I bothered. If you can stomach it, eat a spoonful of Marmite.”
Harris groaned. “I suppose it could be the glutamic acid.”
“Try it. It’s not going to kill you, is it?”
Harris ended the call.
Kaden sighed. “You think that will work?”
“There’s a good chance it will.”
“Assuming Harris doesn’t talk himself out of it being a solution.”
“Might he?”
“Yes.”
On the way back, they stopped to buy a bottle of wine for Alistair. Joe stayed outside the shop with Elsie whom he strokedand tickled. He still found it hard to get his head around the idea of having a living creature as a pet. Kaden had listed all the sorts of animals that were kept in homes and Joe had been astounded. Venomous snakes? Why would anyone want to keep a pet that could kill you?
But he was beginning to understand the pleasure most pets brought. Not just companionship, though they made you feel happy and fulfilled. But they were also something you had to take responsibility for. They provided good lessons in life on how to behave. Kaden wanted a cat. Joe knew that from being inside him.
Alistair seemed pleased with the wine and he showed them the menu for an Afghan restaurant.
“I thought it would be a nice treat.” He smiled at Joe.
And a test.Joe saw beneath the smile. “That would be lovely. I hope they have kabuli pulao.”
