Page 95 of When We Were Young

‘Hi.’

‘I miss you.’

‘I miss you, too.’

‘Are you lonely?’ he purred.

‘Yes.’

‘I’mlonely.’

He started singing ‘Are You Lonesome Tonight’ and, even though he was drunk and he messed up the words, it was beautiful.

‘Talk to me,’ he said.

She lay on her back. A streetlight cast the shadow of a tree across the ceiling, leaves trembling in the breeze. ‘What do you want me to say?’

‘Talk to me about your work. Describe it to me.’

‘Okay… So, today I worked on a wooden piece. I’m pleased with how it’s turning out. I’ve collected driftwoodand twigs and they all fit together. They tell me where they should go, and I fasten them with wire. It’s getting big now. I never know when to stop. I have these twisty curly twigs. I’m not sure what sort of tree or bush they’re from, but they’re lovely––’

‘Like you.’

‘Ha, like atwig?’

‘You know what I mean… carry on.’

‘I painted the tips of the twigs gold, and they catch the light. Maybe I’ll wire in some gems. I’m not sure. I’ll try it tomorrow, maybe green ones…’

When she paused, she heard gentle snoring down the line. She curled up on her side with the phone to her ear and gathered in the t-shirt he’d left behind. It didn’t smell of him anymore. It hadn’t since day two. She lay there for a while, listening to his breathing. Ed had been on at him about the phone bills, so she counted ten more of his breaths, then hung up.

‘You’ve got a message on the answer machine,’ said Scott, when she got in from college later that day.

‘Okay, thanks.’ She dropped her keys on the table in the hall and pressed the play button.

‘Hi Emily, it’s Will,’ his formal, other-people-are-going-to-hear-this voice. ‘I need to talk to you, so if you can stay near the phone later, I’ll try to call you before the show… or after. I’m not sure what time it is there, but anyway… Speak later.’

‘Sounds ominous,’ said Scott.

She chewed her lip. ‘Yeah.’

They were supposed to be going for a drink with Miranda, but Emily had to stay in and wait for Will’s call. Scott said he’d stay in too and they watchedThe Godfatheron video inhis room in the absence of a proper living room. Scott’s friend Ryan had the living room as his bedroom, but he was hardly ever there. They needed his share of the rent, so it meant watching TV in Scott’s room, but he didn’t mind.

The horse’s head scene had just finished when the phone rang.

‘Don’t pause it.’ She jumped up from his bed and dashed out to the hall.

‘Hello?’

‘Milly, it’s me.’ She could hear the frown in his voice.

‘Hi.’ She took the phone into her room and shut the door. ‘Is everything all right?’

‘Not really… They want us to stay on in New York to record the album.’

Her heart sank. She didn’t know what to say. If she tried to look on the bright side, he’d be hurt, and if she didn’t, she’d bring them both down.

‘I get it now,’ he said.