Page 29 of A Wish For Jo
A statement, not a question, which hit the nail firmly on the head. Harvey leant over the curry, hoping that the steam masked the dampness threatening to blur his vision. But something else threatened his equilibrium: the realisation that this woman — this attractive, kind-hearted woman — had the power to change his life. If he was brave enough to let her.
'Lindsey was my soulmate. A cliché, perhaps, but when I met her it was as if all the jumbled pieces of me fitted together. She loved the best parts, buffed up the worst ones, and every day spent with her felt like a gift. I still can't believe that she's gone. Although sometimes, I—'
'Talk to her?' Jo reached between the plates and took Harvey's hand. He wrapped his fingers around hers, marvelling at their delicacy in contrast to his meaty paws. 'I understand, Harvey. Even after many years, I still have conversations with my mum and dad. Not out loud, but inside my head. It brings me comfort to share things with them and imagine what they might say.'
'Do you think we both need professional help?' Harvey barked out a laugh, aware of the heat from Jo's hand warming his skin.
'No, but I think we need to be honest with each other if we're going anywhere with this.' She paused, an emotion Harvey couldn't read clouding her face. 'I don't believe in ghosts, but there are things in this world that can't be explained. Harvey, I like you. I really do. I believe you're a good person, even if you try to hide it.'
'I don't try to hide it,' said Harvey. 'My natural charm chooses to live behind a wall of self-indulgent misery.'
Jo took her hand away. It felt like winter's grasp pushing aside the residual heat of autumn. He fought the urge to seize it back again.
'We can talkandeat. Come on: you women are famed for multi-tasking. Lindsey always juggled so many things and rarely dropped a ball. I, sadly, find it hard to match my socks. And don't get me started on passwords.'
Jo scooped up a helping of curry with a torn-up piece of naan bread and groaned as she ate. For the briefest of moments, Harvey imagined he'd caused the groan. He often made people groan, but not necessarily in a good way. 'This is delicious,’ said Jo. ‘Come on, eat up.'
Harvey joined Jo in demolishing the curry and chatting between mouthfuls.
'Have you ever considered bereavement counselling?' asked Jo. 'I know someone whose partner died and they found it really helpful to talk to someone neutral.'
Harvey shook his head. 'No disrespect to people who go in for that kind of thing, but the idea of lying on a couch and laying my soul bare to a total stranger fills me with horror. Thanks, but no thanks.'
Jo gave an exasperated sigh. 'I don't think that's how it works, Harvey. But different strokes for different folks, as they say.'
Harvey's thoughts again leapt to a place out of whack with the current situation: him and Jo snuggled up, his hand stroking the nape of her neck.
You naughty wee devil!Lindsey, scolding him with the teasing tone she'd always used when he did something wrong. But was this wrong? Was it time to dip a tentative toe in the dating pool and see what happened?
'You've got that faraway look in your eyes again,' said Jo. 'We don't have to talk about Lindsey, and I promise I won't try and psychoanalyse you. How about we just enjoy each other's company and the sunshine?'
Harvey nodded. 'Sounds good to me. Are you up for a dessert?'
Before Jo could answer, Aaliyah reappeared and plonked herself on the bench next to Harvey. 'Budge up, there's a darling. Ooh, am I playing gooseberry?' She poked him in the ribs, her unfeasibly long nail making him wince.
'Aaliyah, don't you have better things to do? Like toy with that poor lad, although you know how I feel about that.'
Harvey watched the exchange with curiosity. Jo had said that Aaliyah was the daughter of a friend. Was she adopting the role of surrogate mother, and being over-protective of her young ward?
'Jamie's working, so I thought I'd hang with you guys for a bit. Did I hear mention of dessert?'
As Harvey accepted that two had now become three, a shriek behind them signalled the arrival of another.
'Jo! How lovely to see you! And your friend — Harvey, isn't it?'
Harvey shuffled further along the bench, quite sure he'd end up on the ground in a moment.There were three in the bed, and the little one said, move over…
'Hi, Jinnie, Sam. You've both met Harvey, I believe: he lives in Brae Cottage now. We're just—'
'You!' Aaliyah cried, a coiled snake ready to attack. 'It isyou. The key to everything, the conduit to all that has happened. I feel it — I know it. I wish I understood it, but—'
Jo and Jinnie wore the same startled expression. Sam, however, looked as if he'd experienced his first alien encounter. Harvey wanted to run. To keep running, until he reached the humble shack he called home and make sense of it all.
'Shall we call it a night?' Jo slapped down some cash, hoisted her handbag over her shoulder, and manhandled Aaliyah off the bench.
'Jo, I need to pay my share.' His words fell on deaf ears. Everyone had left before he was off the starting blocks. Not quite the evening he'd envisaged…
CHAPTER31
