Just The Way You Are(38)

‘Well, no worse than usual.’ Dolly managed a tiny smile.

‘What about your head, then? Are you feeling sick at all, or dizzy?’

She managed a full smile, then. ‘Not any more.’

‘Vision okay?’

‘No. But that went to pot in 1979. I’d be very grateful if you could find my glasses.’

‘Here.’ Grinning, Jaxx took them from where they’d been dangling off one ear and repositioned them on her nose.

‘Oh, that’s much better. I think I might be ready to get up now.’

Fifteen minutes later and we were all cleaned up, an Out of Order sign had been stuck to the coffee machine, Irene had decided her hand was fine and Dolly had checked out a stack of gruesome detective stories and insisted she could walk herself home.

‘That was very impressive,’ I said to Jaxx, who had resumed his slouch.

‘Nah. Everyone knows you need to stick a burn in water.’

‘Well, yes. But not everyone can react that quickly and clearly. And I’ve never seen anyone handle Irene so well. She accused you of trying to mug Dolly.’

He twitched one shoulder in a vague shrug.

‘Jaxx, have you ever considered a career helping people? Like, a healthcare assistant on a ward, or working in a care home?’

He pulled a face. ‘Why would I wanna do that when I’ve got a genius business to run?’

‘How about a paramedic?’

He sat back, crossing his arms. ‘I ain’t got time for that. Don’t you need all sorts of qualifications?’

Before I could suggest we took some time in the next session finding out, Irene had strutted over, Jaxx’s hoodie now replaced with a zipped-up cagoule.

‘I shall wash your jacket and return it next week.’

‘No need, you only wore it for a few minutes. My mum’ll sort it.’

Irene bristled. ‘Why would a grown man let his mother do his laundry? Do you enjoy being treated like a child?’

Jaxx pulled his head back in surprise. ‘Well, no, but…’

‘And another thing. You are clearly not a total deadbeat, despite trying to appear otherwise. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to start dressing in a way that demands respect. No one – and I mean no one – not even the type of young woman whose opinion you might care about, and believe it or not I was once young enough to know – wants to see your nipples.’

I choked back a burst of laughter. Underneath his hoodie, Jaxx had been wearing one of those basketball jerseys with no sleeves that was, to my unfashionable eyes, at least three sizes too big. The neckline hung below his breastbone instead of anywhere close to his neck, and every time he moved the whole thing gaped, revealing a pale, skinny chest.

Jaxx crossed his arms, pinning the top in place.

‘Don’t blow this,’ Irene snapped, nodding at the workbook in front of him. She then spun on her sensible shoes and clomped away.

Jaxx and I agreed to meet again, same time and place, nipples thoroughly covered up.





12





On Friday afternoon, I had more back-to-back sessions with Yasmin and Trev. Trev arrived five minutes early, nervously shuffling up to where Yasmin was hunched over her book.

‘Afternoon, Ollie. Is it all right if I wait here?’

I took in Trev’s frayed, but immaculately ironed, bright blue shirt and jeans. A flat cap covered his skull tattoo, and it completely changed his look. He’d trimmed his beard, and I caught a whiff of spicy aftershave when he lifted one arm to nervously adjust his cap.

‘No, of course. If that’s all right with you, Yasmin?’ I glanced at her, still engrossed in the book, the end of a pencil pressed against her bottom lip, thick hair tumbling around her soft face.

She nodded, not bothering to glance up. Trev eyed the chair next to her, before deciding to take the one opposite.

Yasmin finished a couple of minutes later, letting out a heavy sigh as she packed up her things. ‘This is hard work, Ollie.’

‘You’re doing great. You’ve made genuinely amazing progress for only three sessions.’

‘It feels amazingly slow when another bill comes through the door. Or somebody smiles at me with terrible teeth and all I can do is tell them to floss more often.’

‘I can imagine. But trust me, we’ll be booking you in for an exam in no time.’

She stood to leave, causing Trev to spring out of his chair, too.

‘Oh, I don’t think you two were properly introduced last week,’ I offered. ‘Yasmin, this is Trev. Trev, Yasmin.’

Yasmin looked at him for the first time, giving a polite nod. ‘Hello.’

‘Hello.’

Trev adjusted his hat again. A droplet of sweat ran down the side of his face. It was far too hot to be wearing a woollen cap and a thick shirt, but I suspected that might not be the reason for the perspiration.

After a lingering silence, where I supposed I should really come up with something to say, but was too intrigued to see what would happen if I kept quiet, Yasmin eventually gave a small cough and lifted her chin to meet Trev’s gaze.

‘You have nice teeth.’

Before he’d had a chance to gather his wits together, she’d floated out the door.

Trev and I were packing up when Chloe returned, Harry, Hudson and Holly proudly placing their returned books on the counter. ‘We read them all!’ Harry announced. ‘That one I read all by myself!’