Page 88 of Musical Games
‘Did I tell you my paper on surgical interventions in epilepsy has been accepted into the International Conference on Neurosurgery and Brain Repair next month?’ said Esther loudly.
Her parents lit up.
‘Darling, that’s wonderful news,’ her mother smiled.
‘About time too, what took them so long?’ grumbled her father.
‘Well, I had to go through peer review, which took longer than expected because the procedures are so ground-breaking.’
Anna raised her hand to high-five her sister. ‘Well done, sis, you so deserve this. Where is it?’
‘Los Angeles.’
‘Smulan, maybe you’ll be there at the same time?’ asked her father. ‘Have you and Jamie finished working on the Scottish film now? Will you be going to Los Angeles?’
Sam shook her head. She seemed to be sinking lower in her chair, getting smaller and smaller with each moment.
‘No, we’re done now. We finished recording the songs today.’
Her mother raised her glass. ‘Well then, this is a double celebration. For Anna’s birthday, and Sam and Jamie finishing their songs for… what was the film again, darling?’
‘Braveheart 2.’
Her mother frowned. ‘But didn’t William Wallace die at the end of… No matter. Congratulations!’
They clinked their glasses and Jamie tried to smile. He’d never seen Sam so subdued. At the first meal she’d shared with his family she’d been throwing her voice and taking the piss in Klingon. What had happened tothatSam?
He turned to her father. ‘Mr Adamson—’
‘Leo. You must call me Leo.’
He swallowed. ‘Leo, what does "Smulan" mean?’
Sam froze and Esther dropped her bread knife.
Leo chuckled. ‘It’s a Swedish pet name I’ve used for her ever since she was a girl.’ He picked a breadcrumb from the tablecloth. ‘It means “little crumb”.’
Sam was staring at the table, trying to lift the corners of her mouth into a smile.
‘Do you like that name?’ he asked her.
Leo laughed and ruffled Sam’s hair again. ‘Of course she does.’
‘Dad,’ said Esther.
‘What?’
‘Maybe a successful thirty-year-old woman doesn’t want to be called a “little crumb”?’ Esther replied.
Leo looked at Sam in surprise. ‘Smu… Samantha?’
Sam smoothed her hair back into place and looked at her father. ‘I don’t like it, Dad. Please, can you call me something else?’
His mouth opened and closed. ‘Of course.’ He paused. ‘Maybe “lille troll”? Or “liten lingon?”’
‘Dad,’ said Esther a little sharply. ‘I don’t think “littletroll” or “littlelingonberry” are appropriate substitutions.’
‘Why not? They’re very sweet names. Perfect for our Smu… Samantha.’
