Page 105 of Musical Games
He sighed. He was utterly exhausted.
‘I’d be with Sam and we’d be playing music. It wouldn’t matter where as long as we were together.’
Fiona patted him on the head. ‘There we go. That wasn’t too hard, was it? Now you just need to make it happen.’
* * *
After Esther left,Sam found it more and more difficult to convince herself that life in LA was the culmination of all her fantasies. Living her “best life” was not bringing her any sense of happiness, peace or fulfilment. Every morning her limbs felt a little heavier, her mind muddier, until one morning she couldn’t get off the sofa at all. She could feel her heart thudding faster than normal, hear the high-pitched whine of her nervous system. She was primed for action, but her legs didn’t want to work.
She tapped out a message for Mikey, saying she was too ill to go to the studio, then rang Zoe, who picked up immediately.
‘Oh my god. Is this really you, or some proof-of-life call before I’m asked to pay one meeellion dollars to secure your release?’
Even smiling seemed to hurt.
‘Hey, bestie.’
‘Sam?’
‘Yeah.’
‘You don’t sound right. What’s wrong?’
‘Have you got time for a chat?’
‘Of course. I’m just in the estate office pretending to be interested in how a quarry works beyond blowing shit up, then carrying away what’s left.’
‘Sounds like a Rory job.’
‘Oh, totally. But he got carried away ordering explosives, so I took over. Now please tell me what’s going on.’
Sam didn’t know where to start.
‘How’s Morag?’
‘Morag? Much better now. She’s out of bed and back part-time in the post office.’
‘Huh? Has she been ill?’
‘Oh shit. Sorry. Jamie said not to tell you.’
‘What the fuck happened?’
‘She got drunk one night, tripped up the stairs and broke her ankle.’
‘Oh my god, is she okay?’
‘Yes, she’s awesome. She’s got a boyfriend called Big Jim.’
‘Excuse me?’
Zoe giggled. ‘And she keeps calling him “BJ”.’
‘What the fuck is going on? Are you going to tell me now it never rains up there and you’re pregnant?’
‘Now you’re sounding more like yourself. No, it’s pissing it down right now, and I’m definitely not pregnant although I do put a lot of practice in.’
‘Why didn’t Jamie want me to know?’
