Page 13 of The Promise of Tomorrow
‘Nine months isn’t that long, I suppose,’ said Elena. ‘Not when you’ve been with someone most of your life.’
‘But her nightdress is still on the pillow next to his.’
Elena sat up at the breakfast bar and put down her phone and glass. She rubbed her forehead. ‘I should have gone around more often; should have realised how lonely he felt. On reflection, his shirts always look un-ironed, his lawn overgrown, and often, when he opens the door, there is a pile of unopened mail at the side.’
Rory left the pan and went over, squeezed her shoulder. Out of nowhere a lump appeared in her throat. No one ever comforted Elena because she’d learnt so long ago to hide any worries. ‘You aren’t responsible for everyone’s happiness. But maybe I’ll pretend to enjoy myself more when he comes around for the football on Wednesday after work.’
‘When hewhat?’
‘Didn’t I mention it? I found it hard to say no.’
She pictured the unworn nightdress next to Tahoor every night. ‘Let’s have him over to dinner as well, then? Isha once said, out of all the complex recipes she made, he was like an excited schoolboy whenever she dished up fried eggs, baked beans and chips.’
‘I’m in. His wife sounds pretty cool.’
‘Isha would come over for coffee, before she got ill. She grew up in a residential area, in Karachi. Her family lived in the same street as friends who knew Tahoor’s family. As a young boy, he’d visit often and play tag outside with a group of lads. Isha was a bit of a loner and enjoyed kite flying. They were too shy to talk to each other, until their late teens. She showed me photos of the harbour, Mohatta Palace, fantastic parks. They both had siblings there and used to visit once a year.’
‘I did cliff diving in Southern Pakistan, one summer holiday whilst I was at uni. A group of us went backpacking. An incredible holiday. I only spent one day in Karachi, but I loved it.’
‘Is there any country you haven’t visited?’ she asked sceptically. ‘How do you find time for all these holidays?’
‘Contract work is something of an enabler.’
‘So why sign up to Bingley Biscuits permanently?’
‘Maybe it’s time to grow up,’ he said and gave a wry smile.
He’d taken the words from her mouth. Or so she thought.
Don’t say that, Rory. Don’t stop being everything I want to be – brave, daring, living life spontaneously, more afraid of missing out than of things going wrong.
‘Isha wore the same charm bracelet every day,’ said Elena. ‘It had a kite on it. Tahoor bought it for her the day they got married. If the wind ever got up, I’d see them sometimes, in their back garden, flying a kite.’
‘I got invited to a kite fighting session once,’ said Rory. ‘But it didn’t appeal. I love kites because they look so carefree. They’re a bit like guppies splashing amongst ripples of water.’ He gave a sheepish smile. ‘Saw a shoal of those whilst big-wave surfing in South America.’ They sank into silence and he opened the oven door to check on the garlic bread.
‘Sorry I didn’t feel up to making that roast after all, what with… what happened at the pool,’ said Elena brightly, as if she were over it. ‘But you didn’t need to make dinner again. I don’t expect you to “earn your keep”, so to speak. Weren’t you meeting a friend… Izzy, tonight?’
‘Change of plans. She’s come down with that flu bug going around. It’s only pasta and you haven’t tasted it yet.’ He cocked his head. ‘Let’s do the maths of who’s made the most meals since I moved in. We’ve not eaten together every night, for a start, and?—’
‘Let’s not,’ she groaned, and he gave a soft laugh. She liked that sound. ‘And fair point. I’ve kept to myself a lot, working on my pitch to Derek for many evenings, and you often eat out withfriends, like after that axe-throwing event. Still can’t believe I lost that bet about you hitting at least one bullseye at it. It can’t be nearly as hard as your other extreme sports, like skydiving, and you do those easily enough.’
‘Firstly, axe-throwing is not an extreme sport…’
‘Said no sane person ever.’
‘Secondly, what makes you think I’m good at my hobbies?’
‘Er, because you’re still alive?’
He shrugged. ‘No. I always find it hard to hit the exact landing target when skydiving, I fall off my surfboard more than most people, and am never the fastest at mountain biking.’
‘Then why do them?’ she asked.
‘I’m not taking part to win,’ he said and jumped up to check the pasta.
He turned back to Elena, and she raised an eyebrow.
Rory went to talk but then twirled the fork between his fingers. Finally, he spoke. ‘It sounds cheesy, but I’m chasing… a sense of being alive, I guess. Modern life anaesthetises, suffocates… what with us all spending hours in front of screens, typing or scrolling, boxed in a building that’s centrally heated and free from risk, away from strangers, away from the elements. Those two things have been given bad names – “beware that person looking at you”,“watch out for the wind and rain, heat”…but surely we’ve been put on this earth to cross paths with things like those as well?’
