Page 150 of Playing By Ear

“Aye,” Jamie said softly. “That was too much.”

He returned Wendy to her case and the whisky bottle to the cupboard. On his way out of the living room, he switched off the big light, then stopped. The TV was still on, rolling through its screensaver sequence, currently on a school of jellyfish.

Jamie went back, intending to turn it off. Instead he unmuted the television and pressed Play on The Krays DVD.

As he tugged the blanket to cover Martin’s back and shoulders, he noticed a long gold chain around his father’s neck. Hanging from it was the signet ring he’d worn as long as Jamie could remember.

The lost weight—the lost vitality—had shrunk Martin’s fingers.

Of course. How easy it had been this morning for Jamie to support his dad’s weight compared to that day at Loch Achrey. Was that trip only two weeks ago? If Martin kept decreasing at this rate…

Jamie backed away from his father’s now-fragile form. Then he took Wendy upstairs to keep practicing, so that he wouldn’t fall asleep with that bleak and honest song in his head.

Chapter 28

Jamie 10:58 AM

Dr says radiation therapy’s not on the cards anymore

Perry

Oh no! Why not?

Jamie

Probably harm him more than help. Zap his white blood cells and he’d get an infection that would kill him faster than the cancer

Perry

I’m so sorry. Are you sleeping enough?

Jamie

Had Warren Zevon’s I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead stuck in my head all day. But my mind goes ‘I’ll sleep when HE’S dead’

How horrible am I?

Perry

You’re the opposite of horrible

Jamie

He’s letting everyone know about the cancer. Holding court Sunday so ppl can come and kiss his arse

I mean pay their respects

Perry

Is that safe?

Jamie

Sure

Relatively

Perry