2019, Portobello, Edinburgh
Janet stood with her arms folded watching the water in the kettle steam and stutter until it reached boiling point and the red light flicked off. She’d emptied the coffee grounds from the small Italian expresso pot, filled it with cold water, but changed her mind. She’d give Dan instant coffee.That would teach him. She kept a jar of Maxwell House for workmen, political party activists, and god botherers. It was three years out of date but no one had dared to complain yet. She heaped two teaspoons of the pale brown powder into a mug, poured in the water, and gave the liquid a vigorous stir. She put the mug on a tray, along with two glasses of water, and carried the drinks through to the living room. The four visitors stopped talking when she entered the room.
‘Here you go,’ Janet said, handing the coffee to Dan. ‘It’s good and strong.’ Dan held the mug up to his face and sniffed. He frowned, and put the coffee down on the low table beside him. ‘Would you like some sugar?’ she asked.
‘No thanks,’ he said, ‘I’m not keen on sweet things.’ Janet nodded and handed the two glasses of water to the couple on the sofa whose names she still didn’t know. ‘About the cloud,’ he continued. ‘Could we see it now?’ Janet’s left eye twitched behind her glasses.
‘OK,’ she said. ‘But just one of you at a time. We mustn’t frighten him.’ Amy, still standing beside the window, beamed at Janet.
‘Of course. You know best. But it’s a cloud, Janet. Not an animal. It won’t even know we’re there.’ Janet looked around at them. Their patronising smiles. Their confident hands folded quietly in their confident laps.
‘Who wants to go first?’ she asked, avoiding Dan’s eyes. Dan stood up. ‘What about you, Amy?’ she asked. She lifted a hand and beckoned to the young woman. ‘Come through, and meet Cyril.’ Amy walked across to the doorway, giving a small thumbs up to the couple on the settee. ‘Sit down and finish your coffee, Dan,’ Janet said. ‘You look like you could do with something warm.’
She watched the two of them exchange glances. The sort of glances only new lovers do well. Dan sat down. Janet put her hand on Amy’s arm and led her out into the hall. As she opened the bathroom door there was a sound of tinkling. ‘Come in and shut the door behind you,’ she said to Amy. And keep your hands to your sides. You mustn’t do anything that might make Cyril feel threatened.’ A burst of ice crystals struck Amy’s face and neck.
‘What the fuck?’ she shouted. ‘What the fuck is that?’
To be continued.
SANDERLINGS 