‘Michael…’
‘She doesn’t need a year off. Okay, so it’s a tough year but this is how you prove yourself to yourself. You get through things. It’s something you wouldn’t understand,’ he said. ‘You’re not thinking straight. What with the protest and everything. Lucy has brought me up to speed. I can’t say I’m not shocked that your mother is involved.Exactly the kind of thing she would do. Rabble-rousing. She’d protest about the closing of a door.’ He paused. ‘So, what stage are you at?’
‘Just thinking about it. Trying to come to a decision. I can’t think of another way we can raise money. The school is falling apart. But it’s impossible to make clear-headed decisions when you have a group of well-meaning and extremely pleasant protestorsoutside.’
‘Welcome to my world,’ he said grimly.
‘And one of them is your mother I don’t want to give in just because they are there. I can’t seem to decide. I don’t feel that anyone is on my side… not even Mary…’ Or Red, I thought. ‘I feel quite alone…’ I never unburdened myself to Michael. I had become used to just living in my own head and it felt good to let it out but when I looked up,Michael was concentrating hard on his phone.
‘I downloaded this app,’ he said. ‘It’s to see how well I sleep. I had eight and a half hours last night… isn’t that good? Going to go for nine tonight. Good solid REM.’
‘That sounds like a great ambition,’ I said. ‘Good luck with it.’ He hadn’t listened to a word I’d said.
‘It’s all about letting the body relax. You know I spend all day rushingabout, everyone wanting a piece of me and then it’s so hard to switch off…hotmilk is the answer…’
‘I am so delighted for you…’
‘Jesus!’ He looked up suddenly. ‘What’s the time?’
‘Nine a.m.’
‘Jayze, Terry’s going to be here in a minute.’
Within moments we heard the sound of the horn of the ministerial car and Michael rushed out of the door, calling goodbye to Rosie upstairs. From the livingroom window, I saw Terry in the front of the car, facing front and, in the back, was Lucy the Marvel. They never stopping politicking.
