The Reading List(101)

Rachel looked at her and tapped her hand gently. ‘I’m here,’ she said, as though she had heard every one of Aleisha’s thoughts from the other side of the road.

‘Aleisha,’ Rachel said, when they got in. The house was murmuring with quiet activity; Leilah was back in bed, Jeremy was washing up. ‘That Instagram post you did earlier, you should share it with Aidan’s friends. Let them know about it.’

‘I don’t think I can.’ Aleisha shrugged in response.

‘Let me, yeah?’ Rachel put her hand out and Aleisha handed over her phone, feeling a well of relief. ‘Last chance to get people excited.’

‘It’s too late,’ Aleisha muttered, slumping down on the sofa.

Within moments, though, Rachel pointed to Aleisha’s phone. Her feed was littered with people sharing the Library GetTogether post.

‘See, Aleisha, I told you,’ Rachel said with a grin. Aleisha could just fixate on her phone, flashing in front of her, a new notification every few seconds. ‘People actually care, Leish. They care.’

This was what her brother could do – bring people together, as he had always brought people together in his lifetime. To help them feel a little bit less alone.





Chapter 39


MUKESH


BEEP. ‘HI DAD, IT’S Deepali. We’re leaving soon – I’ll see you at the library, okay! Jaya and Jayesh are coming with me. I’m bringing the punch.’

BEEP. ‘Hi Papa, Priya is so excited about today! I’ll drop her off with you first, as I will then go pick up the pressure cooker from Nilakshimasi’s, for final preparations, okay? Priya has made some extra fairy cakes – so I’ll bring them too, okay?’

BEEP. ‘Hi Papa, need me to bring any extra food or drinks and stuff? I can bring chairs too if that’s useful for you guys. Let me know! Well done – I keep thinking Mum would be so proud of you, you know? She was always banging on about setting up an open morning at the library.’

On the day of the Big Library Get-Together itself, Mukesh was amazed that there wasn’t some kind of fanfare when he woke up. His daughters had packed up all the samosas, spring rolls and vada of all types the previous evening, ready to go.

‘Don’t dip into any of this! Especially the vada, we only have a few, and I made them extra hot so you will regret it!’ Deepali said to her father that night, as he approached the tray laid out on his kitchen table.

‘You expect me to take them and not to eat them?’

‘Yes, precisely that.’

As soon as Deepali had gone, he just had to have one. Lo and behold, Deepali had been right, it had burnt even his lips and he knew that was never a good sign for the rest of the vada’s journey. He chased it down with a glass of milk and several spoonfuls of yoghurt.

He was looking forward to seeing who might come today – new faces, old faces, friendly faces. And he hoped Aleisha’s mum would come today too, but it was unlikely. Leilah was struggling. He couldn’t imagine how he would feel, God forbid, if one of his daughters or grandchildren died. He couldn’t imagine waking up, leaving the bed, the house, ever again. The world would be so much darker without them.

He had ordered a new junior library card and pre-emptively taken out Life of Pi, Beloved and Pride and Prejudice to give to Priya before the event. Now he just had to wait for her to arrive.

Mukesh tried in vain to read while he waited – but in the excitement, he found he couldn’t pick up a new book. Instead, he read the first few pages of The Time Traveler’s Wife once more – and the words instantly transported him to Naina. He remembered the time he’d first read it. How heartbroken he had been. But how different he felt now – how alive. And Naina, she was here, in these words, in this love story. She was here in his heart, with him every step of the way.

When the doorbell rang, pulling him from the story, Mukesh jumped up too quickly, his head feeling light. For the briefest moment, he had a feeling that Naina was at the door.

‘Dada!’ Priya called, stepping into the house. ‘Have you eaten a vada?’

Rohini, a few steps behind her, stormed through to the kitchen, zipping around the room, checking in every corner, every fridge compartment, for any snacks that had been forgotten. ‘Papa, did you?’

‘No!’

‘Yes you did,’ Priya giggled. ‘Deepalimasi said there were twenty-one, and now I count only twenty!’ Priya stood over the tray of vadas, her finger raised accusingly.

Mukesh went pink.

‘Right, let me take that.’ Rohini grabbed the tray. ‘I’m going to Nilakshimasi’s now. Will you two be okay getting to the library on your own? How will you go?’

‘I think we’ll walk,’ Mukesh said firmly. Rohini nodded, formally, and trotted out of the door. A woman on a mission.

‘So, Priya,’ Mukesh said. ‘I’ve got a surprise!’

‘A surprise?’ Priya said, a little cautiously.

‘Yes,’ Mukesh pulled his canvas bag from the banister, and took out a little card and three books. He plonked them all in Priya’s hands.

The library card said Priya Langton, in Aleisha’s chubbiest handwriting.

‘Mine?’ Priya said, looking down at it. ‘For the library that Aleisha works at?’ She looked up at her dada, hopeful.