Page 17 of Playing By Ear

Still, “Birdhouse in Your Soul” had never sounded so sinister.

He joined her on the sofa, as there was nowhere else to sit. Belinda’s nose wrinkled as she drew her flawless nails over the aggressively beige cushion beside her. “I’ll never get over the fact you’ve got a kitchen couch, two words that should never go together. It still smells of wet dog, by the way.”

He didn’t test her claim, as it was probably a trap for her to say Ha, made you sniff! It’s what he would’ve done, especially in a tense moment like this.

Jamie munched the shortbread shamrock and tapped his feet to the song, wondering how many of its eighteen key changes would pass before she told him what was wrong.

Belinda smoothed her sleek blond hair back from her face. “Still,” she said, nearly shouting over the music, “this flat is miles better than the last one.” She gestured to his kitchen, with its fake-wooden worktop and bright-yellow tile splashback. “Everything’s not falling to bits, for starters.”

“And you cannae whack the location,” he said. “Kelvinhall station’s just one street…” He trailed off. With the big light on and her hair pulled back, he could see her steel-blue eyes were bloodshot and filling with tears. Jamie could count on one hand—one finger, in fact—how many times he’d seen her cry.

“Bel, what is it? What’s happened with Dad?”

She shoved the heel of her hand over one cheek, as though offended by her own tears. “Jimmy, it’s time for you to come home.”

The shortbread crumbled in his hand. It was what he’d dreaded, what he’d tried to shove out of his mind ever since yesterday’s texts. Only one scenario would make it safe to end his decade-long exile. “Is he⁠—”

“He’s alive.” She pulled in a breath the size of the sky. “For now.”

Perry 11:08 AM

Just wanted to reach out and say hope everything’s ok with your family

Also I had a lovely time last night

Perry 11:30 AM

Would like to see you again when things calm down on your end

We can just hang out

Perry 11:31 AM

Or whatever

Perry 12:15 PM

Anyway I’ve got a game Tuesday night at the Woodside Football Complex at 8

You mentioned wanting to see a blind football match

Perry 12:21 PM

This is Perry by the way

Jamie 12:22 PM

Can’t

Perry 12:23 PM

Totally understand

Perry 12:27 PM

Is there anything I can do?

I mean I don’t know anything about your family situation but if you want to talk