Page 118 of Playing By Ear

“He cried every day and night,” she said. “I never saw him so human, before or since. I overheard the uncles wondering whether he would come back to the firm or just fade away. Maybe move to Skye where his ancestors were from.” She gave a soft snort. “I was raging, because I thought they said he might go live in the sky, like go to heaven.”

“Oh, Bel.”

“I ran to him in tears, started punching his stomach, ordering him not to leave us for the clouds.”

“What did he say?”

“Once he worked out what I was blethering about, he informed me Skye was an island, and that people go there all the time and come back alive. To prove it, he took you and me and Ritchie there for a week that summer. I didn’t know the world could hold such beauty. When I saw the Fairy Pools, I thought my eyes would fall out of my head.” Her brief smile faded. “That was the best week of my life until Lucy was born.”

“I wish I could remember that time.”

“You’re better off not remembering.” She crammed the toy dove into Jamie’s hand and folded his fingers over it. “Never show this to Dad.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not that big a fan of openness and honesty.” He shoved the dove back into his pocket. “Talking of toys, it was never me who buried your Barbie. Ritchie did it and framed me, just for a lark.”

“I know, the absolute prick.” She pulled out her cigarette packet, then seemed to change her mind about having another. “Ritchie really was awful that last year. I know you worshiped him, but sometimes, towards the end, he frightened me.”

Jamie jolted. “Did he ever hurt you? Threaten you?”

“Not explicitly. He just took on this, like, aura of menace, as odd as that sounds.” She stared at the garden’s far fence. “He had it hard, losing both parents so young. It was probably a miracle he was decent for so long.” She slanted a glance at Jamie. “Decent for a gangster, of course.”

Jamie tugged his jacket tighter against the chill wind. Belinda’s reflection was tapping into his own ugly memories of their cousin’s last weeks, memories Jamie had conveniently tucked away—absence making the heart grow fonder and such. Like Ritchie’s curled lip, his glares of disgust, his mockery of Jamie’s sadness over a dead starling in the garden.

“It was like living with a time bomb,” she said, “one where you can’t see the clock.”

“Aye,” Jamie whispered, wishing he could go back to forgetting.

“Anyway, about Dad.” Belinda picked up her spent cigarette end and tucked it inside the packet’s plastic wrapping. “All I need from you is to keep him calm and sane. Do whatever he needs, as long as it’s legal.”

He nodded reluctantly. “Calm. Sane. Legal. Got it.”

It was a taller order than he ever would have guessed, one that required him to stop busking during the most lucrative season.

Which meant finding another way to pay the rent.

Chapter 22

Jamie 12:01 PM

Eyasses r hatching!

Perry

Oh my god

The one still wet from the egg looks like a Christmas turkey

Jamie

The other 1 looks like a piece of cotton wool

Tiny tiny floofs

I want 2 snuggle them

Perry 2:05 PM

First feeding!