Page 49 of Fool Me Twice
Esme glanced up.She was in crimson today, some sort of knitted dress that looked grand on her.“Oh, hello, you.Mislaid your shadow?”
“Zig?He ain’t me shadow.Hardly see him, most days.”
“Oh, dear.”Esme frowned in concern.
Bugger.“It ain’t like that,” Si protested.
She cocked her head.“But you’d like it to be?”
Si opened his mouth, then closed it again.He’d thought talking to Esme about Zig was a nonstarter cos she didn’t know about their past.But then, wasn’t that what he wanted?Someone who wasn’t biased?
“Simon Greczik, are you trying to put me off by doing goldfish impersonations?”
“No—I’m thinking, all right?Gimme a mo.”
“Take several.”The bell over the door rang and a couple of teenagers stumbled in, laughing.Esme stepped forward.“I’m so sorry.We’re closed now.Do come again tomorrow.”
Somehow, the teenagers ended up outside without complaint.Esme bolted the door behind them and turned the Open sign to Closed.“Now, I’m all yours.”
Si took a deep breath.“I dunno what I want.I mean, I know what Iwant, but I dunno if it’s a good idea.”
“Come through and I’ll make a pot of tea.”
“Long as it’s not that roo-ee-booze stuff.”
“It’s pronounced roy-boss.And it’s good for your heart.”
“Could do with that, I’m not gonna lie.Bring it on, then,” Si said, resigned, and followed her into the tiny kitchen area.He stood there, hands awkwardly shoved into his jeans pockets, while she boiled the kettle and steeped the rooibos tea.Then he accepted the mug she handed him, took a sip, grimaced, and set it down carefully on the draining board.
Esme sipped her own tea with obvious enjoyment.“Now, tell Aunty Esme all about it.”
“Ain’t nothing to tell, really.”
She gave him a steely smile.“Tell me anyway.”
Si drew in a long breath and let it out slowly.“See, me and him?Back in the day, we was more than mates.We was, well, lovers, I guess.And it didn’t end well.But now I’m thinking—and I’m pretty surehe’sthinking it and all—maybe we could get back together.”
“Hmm.And it would be different this time because?”
Si found himself picking his tea up and taking another swallow.It wasn’t any better than the last.“Zig’s changed since then.”
“Has he?Or does he just want you to think he has?”
“No—I mean, I know he has.”Si thought furiously.“Look, there’s stuff I can’t tell you, cos it wouldn’t be right, but the last six years, they ain’t been easy for him.”
“Family troubles?”
“Kind of.See, Zig’s dad...He’s a bit of a bastard, from what I heard.Nowandthen, like.And Zig, well, he decided he didn’t want no part of that no more.But it cost him, getting out.And that’s what I mean about him having changed.Old Zig wouldn’t have stood up against anything his dad said or did.Specially not if it meant him going to j— Uh, forget that bit.”Si winced, guilt rising.
“Forgotten.”Esme’s tone was firm, with a hint of smug.“Now, you said you think he’s changed, and for the better.So, whatisworrying you?”
“I dunno what he wants,” Si blurted out despairingly.“He turned up on me doorstep and it’s brought out all kinds of, well,feelin’s.For me at any rate.I don’t know what it means to him, though.I know he fancies me, and I’m pretty sure he likes me, but...I don’t want to have, like, something casual.I ain’t built like that.”I don’t think I can survive it if we get together again and he leaves me.
Esme patted his arm.“Of course not.So, what did he say when you asked him about it?”
Si stared into his mug.“Uh...”
“Youdidask him?”Esme’s tone was arch, and she didn’t wait for an answer.“I hear words can be quite effective as a means of communication.”
