‘Uh, yeah, sure.’ He sounds dazed.
‘Cool. I’ll see you then.’
Hansa and Nani take ages to get organised. Nani has to find the right dubatta, then my aunt starts searching for her car keys. I watch the clock and dither around, making a mess of being helpful. Twice I hand things to Hansa she’s already picked up and put down again.
‘Are you feeling all right?’ she says to me, casting a critical eye over my face. ‘You look flushed. Are you sure you’re not coming down with something?’
‘I’m –’ I start, then I see Nani, her eyebrows raised. ‘Uh, well, actually, I do feel a little off. Maybe I’ll just have a lie down while you’re all out.’
‘That’s a good idea,’ my aunt says. She pats my arm. ‘You should look after yourself, Amita. You spend so much time looking after other people.’
There’s no reply I can make to that, because I can hardly point out I’m about to make looking after somebody my full-time occupation. Also, if I reply it will mean more conversation, which will mean moretime, and oh my god, they’re taking forever to leave. It’s nearly twenty past twelve. Shrieking at them and herding them to the door is starting to seem like a viable option.
Finally, Hansa and Nani exit for the car. I wait until I hear the engine turn over and the car back out, then I rush through to my room. I change into a fuschia-coloured tank and an orange buttoned shirt. My cut-offs are still okay. I’ve just dashed to the bathroom to unravel my hair from its plait when there’s a knock at the door.
Calm, calm…I don’t run to the door. I take a breath, reach for the door handle, and then Harris is there, and I –
Basically throw myself at him. Which is fine, because he hugs me back with equal enthusiasm. There’s a lot of gasping, and I breathe into his neck, lean my cheek against his. I can’t get over the fact I can touch him now. I squeeze the tops of his shoulders, needing to feel the solidity of him.
Harris clutches my nape and kisses me. His lips are firm, warm, and I get a sudden unravelling rush in all my muscles. My pulse beats in my fingertips. Before things go completely nuclear, we both ease back to inhale.
‘Wow, okay, it’s nice to see you, too,’ Harris says, with a goofy grin.
‘It’s partly relief,’ I say, ‘but it’s also just…’
‘I know.’ He runs his fingers down my arm until he’s holding my hand, our foreheads pressed together. ‘It’s been hell on my concentration, I’ve gotta tell you.’
He’s wearing jeans and a white T-shirt with his hoodie unzipped. He looks tired. His T-shirt is wrinkled but clean, I notice.
I push the door closed, pull him out of the entry way. ‘Explain all the stuff that’s happened. But do it quickly.’
He keeps hold of my hand. ‘The batch is going out the day after tomorrow. Some of it goes to Melbourne, like I said. Ando and Snowie will shift the bulk of it – Barry’s wording up a few new recruits.’
I nod for him to go on.
‘After we met with Leon, we were told to wait at the club. Then, about eleven, we got the news there was gonna be a chat with one of the other crews. It all went down out in a shed east of the main drag. Our boys, their boys, everyone lining up on opposite sides. Weapons and phones surrendered into a bag until the chat was over.’
The thought makes me shiver. ‘My god, that sounds freaky.’
‘It was very very weird,’ Harris says. ‘I felt like I was in a movie. I dunno what I was doing there, to be honest, I don’t think I look that threatening. Anyway, Leon and Maz talked in the middle of the room for a bit. A few of the words got heated and everyone started squaring up. Then the bosses stepped off and settled us all down, and that was it. Leon’s not too happy, but some agreement was reached. Apparently there’s nothing solid to say Maz’s crew did the job in Tulane Road, and they’ve proved that to a certain level of satisfaction.’
‘What was it that tipped Leon off in the first place?’
‘I got no idea. Anyway, we all tramped back to the club and had a drink, cos we needed it, and by the time I got back to Amblin Court it was nearly three in the morning. I didn’t think I should call you at three in the morning –’
‘Justcall menext time, okay? I don’t give a crap what time it is.’
‘Noted. And that’s the end of the story, apart from the fact that I slept until nine and I’m still a bit hungover from last night. Oh, and Reggie’s looking better.’
‘I’m glad to hear Reggie’s looking better,’ I say, but my eyes are focused on his lips. I trace his bottom lip with my thumb.
Harris swallows involuntarily when I touch him. ‘God, it’s nice to see you,’ he repeats in a whisper.
The moment is broken when I hear the unmistakeable sound of a key in the front door lock. Before I can do any more than push Harris and myself a respectable distance apart, Nani comes tottering back into the house.
‘Oh, Amita, I forgot my –’ she starts, but her eyes widen when she sees Harris. ‘Ah! You have a visitor!’
‘Um, yes,’ I say, waving a hand at Harris completely unnecessarily. ‘Harris has dropped by. For a quick visit. To…return the clothes he borrowed.’ My brain is working really hard right this second.
