Page 30 of Never Tear Us Apart
‘Ta-dah!’ Christina yanks me out from behind the door and into the parlour. The card game is over, and the men are sitting back in their chairs. Warby is smoking, and Danny seems to be writing or drawing in a notebook. Mac has flopped back in his chair, arms hanging loosely at his sides, head tipped back as he gently snores.
Alex stands just outside the room, his arms crossed.
‘I say!’ Warby gets up as we enter the room, as does Danny. ‘Yes, scrubs up all right, doesn’t she?’
I don’t know where to look as Christina insists on twirling me.
‘Well, Champ, what do you think?’ Christina demands his opinion.
‘I think Stiches here is just about as pretty as a girl can be,’ Danny says, with a polite bow. ‘But I thought that before all the gussying up.’
A flush of heat rushes up my neck and into my cheeks.
‘Well, sit down, won’t you?’ Christina directs me. ‘I don’t have much to offer you, but I have some iced water you can partake of while we wait for the prof. Alex, will you join?’
‘None for me, love. I’ve had about as much excitement as I can stand for one day,’ Alex says. ‘Besides, I’m on night watch. Goodbye, dears!’
Danny and Warby bid him a cheerful goodbye as he takes the stairs two at a time.
‘Warby, help me with carrying the tray, will you?’ Christina beckons her boyfriend rather pointedly. Is she deliberately trying to leave me more or less alone with Danny and the sleeping Mac?
‘I’m not sure I’m fit for carrying anything,’ Warby says, but nevertheless, he gets up to follow Christina.
‘You OK, Stitches?’ Danny asks once they have departed. ‘It can be quite the whirlwind round here.’
‘I’m good,’ I say. ‘Everyone’s very kind. This whole thing is very strange, but at the same time, it is starting to feel sort of normal.’
‘Normal, huh?’ Danny smiles slightly. ‘I am pretty sure I have forgotten what normal feels like.’
There’s a sadness to him, so gossamer-fine that it’s nearly impossible to see. It’s there, though, adding a faint sheen to every smile and confident, sardonic remark.
‘Are Warby and Mac your best friends?’ I ask.
‘Warby’s a legend round these parts. Flies over territory that others don’t dare to cross. Couldn’t do what we do without him, that’s for certain – but I’m not sure he’s anyone’s friend. Not even his own. And Mac.’ He glances at the boy. ‘Malta is a hell of a place to end up after twelve weeks of training. I’m trying to keep him alive as long as I can. That’s about all I can do.’
Somewhere, a clock ticks, and I can hear the muted sounds of a radio.
‘Were you glad?’ I ask him on impulse. ‘To be grounded?’
Danny frowns deeply, and I think for a moment that I’ve offended him.
‘Not glad.’ He shakes his head. ‘A man doesn’t want to think that he’s not there to back up his buddies. But truth is: I’m no use to them dead either. Got to at least start a flight with a chance of making it back, right? And I’m kinda glad Mac isn’t up there. Some of those young kids aren’t going to make it back today, and that might have been different if I’d been up there with them; at least he’s safe for now. But it’s a relief to know you’re more than likely still going to be alive in the morning, if you know what I mean?’
‘I think I do,’ I say.
‘Well, time for me to get the kid on his feet and get him back to our digs.’ Danny stands up just as there’s a knock at the door. ‘And that sounds like the prof has come to pick you up. Nice to see you again, Stitches.’
‘Nice to see you, too,’ I say.
We hesitate, as if not sure how to end this encounter.
Christina ends it for us, flinging open the door. ‘Prof, wait until you see what we’ve done!’ she calls. ‘It’s a miracle!’
Warby drops a tray of glasses, sending them clattering down the stairs. ‘Bugger!’
Chapter Twenty-Two
‘Better,’ Sal tells me once we have said goodbye to Christina. ‘You look presentable.’
