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‘You were just a kid.’ Jon pursed his lips, but his tone was quieter now, more measured.
‘We were good together, Jon.’ This felt like an admission. Jamie realised that he’d never really voiced it before. He’d been so determined that he wanted to be a doctor that he hadn’t allowed himself to even think it.
‘So why did you break up the partnership? You could have been famous. It sounds like a nice life to me.’ Anna allowed herself a smile.
Jamie shrugged. ?
??I just felt... I suppose that music was something I did. A doctor is what I am.’
‘And you explained that to Jon? After everything he’d done to help you?’
Jamie felt himself redden. ‘No, I don’t think I did. I’m sorry.’
Anna turned her gaze onto Jon. Jamie felt a prickle of sympathy for his brother because he’d just been subjected to that look and he hadn’t been able to resist it.
‘Music is what I am. I wanted it to be what you were too, but...’ Jon shrugged. ‘I guess that’s life. We don’t always get to choose.’
‘It sounds as if you resented the way that what each of you wanted led you in different directions.’ Anna spoke gently.
Jon let out a grim laugh. ‘He wasn’t so much fun. I got the band together and we sang “Everywhere”... It was his song, but half the time he was too wrapped up in his books to even notice.’
‘I noticed. I was really proud of you. I thought it all went to your head a bit, though.’
‘A bit? Trust me, when you’re nineteen years old, and you’re standing in front of thousands of people all shouting your name, it goes to your head. It loses its charm a bit after a while, though. Everyone seems to want a piece of you.’
Jon had never spoken of this before. Or maybe Jamie had just never listened. ‘I should have been there for you more over the years.’
‘You had your own gig. Your studies and then that charity of yours... I hear it does a lot of good things.’
There was one more thing that Jamie had to do. He got slowly to his feet, flashing a glance at Anna, and she nodded him on.
‘You helped me overcome my dyslexia, and gave me the confidence to chase my dreams, Jon. The charity’s just a way of passing that down.’ Jamie held his hand out to his brother. It was no longer a struggle, he really meant it this time.
The handshake turned into a hug. He heard Caroline’s squeal of delight, and she rushed over and kissed both of them. When Jamie turned, looking for Anna, she’d flopped back onto the sofa, as if the effort of this had been too much for her. But she was smiling.
‘I’ve brought you both something.’ Caroline delivered baby Joshua into Jon’s arms and hurried out into the hallway. When she reappeared, she was holding the battered box that contained memories that had seemed lost for ever a moment ago.
‘You brought the games!’ Jon smiled suddenly.
‘It’s been a long time since we all played.’ Caroline started to unload the board games onto the table. ‘I thought we might give it a go. If you’d like to.’
‘It sounds like a great idea. I’ll make some tea, and fetch the kids in from the garden, shall I?’ Jamie volunteered.
There was one thing more that he needed to do before any of that. His gaze found Anna’s and she rose, following him into the kitchen.
‘Hey. Thank you.’ Taking her hand seemed acceptable, and when he did she smiled up at him.
‘Are you good with this? Really?’
She’d seen through the pretence and had known that his initial reconciliation with Jon was what Jamie knew he must do, rather than something he felt in his heart. This, more recent, one went a lot deeper.
‘I’m good. I mean it this time.’ Jamie heaved a sigh. ‘All that you said, about taking responsibility for our own actions, telling each other how we felt... I knew that. It’s what I tell the families I work with...’
‘It’s easy to say. Harder to put into practice when you have all the emotion to deal with as well.’
‘Are you letting me off lightly? That’s not like you.’
She rolled her eyes. ‘No. You still don’t get any free passes from me. There’s a lot of work to do still.’
