Nick slept very little in the days after their meeting and his constant fatigue made him impatient and ratty with Sally. He found himself sniping at everything she said or did, from her innocuous requests to pick up more kale from the little Waitrose on the way home to what new box set they should begin on Netflix.
Something in Nick’s heart had deviated from the path it had been following, and it was making him nauseous. Or maybe at that moment it was the cigarette that made him want to vomit, he couldn’t be sure.
As Rhian headed back inside the building, he took one long, last drag right down to the filter and stubbed the cigarette out on the metal step. He sniffed his fingers and turned his nose up at the smell. Stinking clothesand skin – he hadn’t missed these bi-products of being a slave to nicotine.
His mobile rang and he looked at the screen – the number was withheld but he answered it anyway.
‘Hello, Nick Wallsworth speaking,’ he began.
There was a pause that Nick assumed meant an automated message was about to begin, inviting him to talk to someone about claiming a PPI refund, and he prepared to hang up, until he heard a voice that he recognised immediately.
‘Hi,’ Alex said.
Nick’s heart went from zero to sixty in a second. He felt part terrified, part thrilled.
‘It was you, wasn’t it?’ Alex continued. ‘Who came to see me.’
‘Yes,’ Nick whispered, his mouth suddenly dry. Neither spoke for a moment before Alex broke the silence.
‘Why didn’t you tell me who you were?’
‘In case you thought I was mad. And because I don’t believe in the whole Match Your DNA thing.’
‘Neither do I. Well, I didn’t until …’
‘… until I was leaving …’
‘… and you felt something too, didn’t you? It wasn’t my imagination, was it?’
‘No, mate, it wasn’t.’ Nick felt his body shiver even though he wasn’t cold. ‘I’m sorry I lied about my name. How did you find me?’
‘I got the Match Your DNA email and I knew my Match was a guy. Then as you were leaving I just knew it was you. I paid to access your details and guessed you’d used a different name.’
‘Sorry.’
‘It’s OK, I probably would have done the same myself.’
There was another break in the conversation as both men fell silent. Nick steadied the hand he used to clasp the phone to his ear to stop it from trembling.
‘This is awkward, isn’t it?’ said Alex.
‘You’re not kidding.’
‘It’s bullshit though, right? The test results, bullshit.’
‘Yeah, of course. Total bullshit.’
‘How has it happened?’
‘Some glitch or ghost in the machine or something.’
‘That sounds about right.’
‘Do you think we should get together and talk about it? You know, over a couple of beers some time, if you think that’s a good idea?’
‘How about now?’ Nick caught himself saying.
‘OK, say in half an hour in the Bacchus Bar in the arcade?’
