“There’s a lot of air to clear.” He folded his arms, biceps bulging.
I tried not to stare. Those arms had been something else while he was on top of me, inside me. I’d watched them then as they’d held his weight, clutched onto one, dug my nails in.
“Do you want to do it? Clear the air?”
He stared at the table. “I think so. I’m not sure what it’ll do though.”
“Answers?”
His phone rang before he could respond.
“Max,” he said, sounding tense. “How is she?” He put it on speaker.
“Awake and slightly less disorientated. She’s only asked for one gin and tonic so far.”
“Seriously?”
“First thing she asked for when she woke up, you know, like most normal people ask for water. So we give her water and told her it was gin.”
Callum laughed. “She’s okay then?”
“She’s okay. Give us half an hour and then Facetime so she can see you. She’s asked how you are and if any of us have heard from you.”
“Should I fly over?”
Max laughed. “No. You’re back in just over a week. Payton and Seph have just got here so I best go and referee.”
“They’re arguing?”
“Yep. Something to do with a girl Payts was trying to fix Seph up with and him being a dick. Standard stuff. See you in thirty.”
“Cool.”
They both hung up. Callum looked at me with utter relief ironed across his face.
“She’s okay.”
I nodded. “She is. It will all be okay.”
“I know. We’re lucky. I’m lucky to still have them both, I suppose.”
He was thinking of his dad, that even though they didn’t get along, he still had him.
“Shall we go for a walk before you Facetime?”
We meandered through the streets,taking in the buildings and people, saying little. The redness of the city struck me even more as we followed the walls of one of the palaces, looking up to see the stalks in their nests. We passed hammams the locals used, separate entrances for men and women, heard the mixture of languages and saw the mules pulling their carts, my heart fracturing for each one.
“I might come back here though. For a couple of weeks. Work with the charity.” It was the first thing he’d said for nearly twenty minutes and we were on our way back to the riad.
“I was thinking of doing the same. Will you be able to take time away from the zoo?”
“I can probably do it as outreach. They’re keen to take advantage of all the social media stuff as it really promotes them and helps with the education side of what they do. I could negotiate something.”
The riad door was slightly ajar, a conversation in French taking place just inside. It sounded heated. We glanced at each other. It sounded like a lovers’ row.
“Do you mind video calling Marie with me?” he said the words as if he’d been considering them for a while.
“I don’t mind. Any reason why you want me there?”
