‘Yes please.’
There was a clatter and footsteps and I waited, staring out at the back garden, the spindly tree that Dawn and I had planted and that we’d hoped we’d get apples from one day. I shivered. Would Emma pick apples from this tree later this year? Would she?—
‘Nick. Everything okay?’
‘Hey, Andy. Yeah.’
‘Right. You know it’s quarter past seven right?’
‘Yep. Yes. Sorry. I wanted to catch you before work.’ I swallowed. ‘Sorry for cancelling on you last night.’
‘It’s fine. I never want to stand in the way of true love.’ I could hear the smile in his voice.
‘Are you free tonight?’
‘Tonight? I guess so. I mean, I’ll check.’
‘Great. Will you let me know?’
‘Yeah sure. But…’ He stopped. ‘Is something wrong, Nicky?’
‘No, honestly, I’m fine. I just need to talk to you about something. Nothing serious,’ I added, in case he thought I was dying.
‘Okay. Well let’s assume we’re meeting at the curry place at the usual time unless you hear from me, okay?’
‘Sure. Thanks.’
When I hung up I stood for a moment, frozen. I hadn’t decided exactly what I wanted to tell Andy yet. All I knew was that I needed to try and explain to him what was going on and hope he didn’t think I was going mad.
Unless I was?
I had no idea how I was going to get through a day of teaching, but I had to try. Perhaps it would be good for me, to have a distraction. But first, I needed to find something out.
I made a coffee and drank it while I packed my bag, then left to walk the fifteen minutes to the school where I worked. It was quiet here this early, and I waved to the cleaner as I passed and headed past my classroom and to the school library. The librarian hadn’t arrived yet so I made my way straight to the science reference section. I ran my finger along the edge of the shelf…The Mysteries of Time,Reality and Time,Simple Physics Explained.
I was a maths teacher and I dealt in numbers and logic. I had no way of explaining what was happening between Emma and I, so I hoped one of these books on this shelf might give me some clues. I pulled out a couple that looked vaguely helpful and took them to a desk and sat down.
Much of it was impenetrable, long sentences with explanations about cosmic strings, theories and black holes that made my head ache. But some of it seemed promising, and I read as much as I could, scribbling notes on a pad as I went, trying to make sense of it all.
I don’t know how long I was there, but when I heard the library door open I looked up and blinked.
‘Mr Flynn?’ The librarian looked confused to see me here. I stood and gave her a vague smile and gathered up the books and stuck them in my bag before she noticed what I was reading. I checked my watch: 8.45a.m.
‘Sorry, I need to dash,’ I said, hurrying. It wasn’t until I got to my classroom that I realised I hadn’t checked the books I’d borrowed out of the library. I’d have to go back later and apologise.
I turned to my class, who were screeching chairs across the floor and chatting to each other, and clapped my hands.
‘Right, let’s get going.’
The day had dragged by, but finally it was time to meet Andy. I arrived early and sat at our usual table, my leg bouncing up and down nervously. When the waiter asked if I wanted a drink I ordered a beer and drank it quickly, hoping to temper my nerves.
‘You look like you haven’t slept for a week,’ Andy said, sliding out the chair opposite me and sitting down.
I rubbed my hand over my face. ‘It’s been a busy day.’
He ordered himself a beer and another one for me, then folded his arms over his chest and sat back.
‘Come on, out with it. Is this something to do with that woman you’ve been meeting?’
