The Reading List(23)

‘Mum,’ she said in hushed tones. ‘I think I’m getting the hang of this.’ For one small moment, she thought she saw Leilah stir, saw her eyes open just a bit, and she wondered if she was about to say something to her after all. When she said nothing, Aleisha curled up onto the sofa, tucking herself around her mother, in the way she used to when she was a kid. She held the book in her arms, and allowed her eyes to close.

When Aleisha woke up the next morning, the book was cradled in her hands, its soft, plastic jacket sticking to her slightly clammy skin. She looked around the room, and for a second, she thought she saw a small child sitting in the chair opposite her: scabby knees, shorts, legs a bit dirty from the Alabama dust – Scout. For that first waking moment, she wasn’t in Wembley any longer, she was in Maycomb. She looked to the other end of the sofa, expecting to see Leilah, wondering if Leilah was sharing this moment too. Leilah wasn’t there, and Aleisha was all alone. But, for the first time in a while, the silence in the house wasn’t so cloying; she could breathe.





Chapter 7


MUKESH


BEEP. ‘PAPA, IT’S ROHINI, I have to go into the office today, so I’m going to drop Priya off with you for a few hours. It’s an inset day at school. I’ve done her a packed lunch because she’s being a bit fussy and she’ll have a book, so don’t worry about entertaining her. I’ve booked her in for a hair appointment on Wembley High Road at five, so can you drop her back with me there? Will be good for you to get a walk in today if you can. See you later, Papa. I’ll be round at eleven-ish.’

BEEP. ‘Hi, Papa, Rohini just called me, wanted to check you’d got her message? She texted me to say she’s on her way to yours.’

BEEP. ‘Hi Dad, it’s Deepali. Rohini told me you have signed up for the sponsored walk this year! Brilliant. I am going to come round soon with my fitness DVDs for you. Mummy used to love them. Kept her very healthy. Might be good for you to start looking after yourself too.’

It was ten minutes to eleven, and Mukesh was listening to Rohini’s message for the fourth time, just to check he’d got all the details right. Eleven-ish arrival. Five o’clock hair appointment. No need to feed Priya. Phew. He ignored Vritti’s message, knowing she didn’t need or want a reply; Vritti always played the role of Rohini’s messenger. And he did not like the sound of Deepali’s fitness DVDs one bit. As far as he could remember, Naina only pretended to like them, so Deepali didn’t feel she had wasted her money.

As he scrawled all the specifics on a pad of Post-it notes, left here by Rohini for this precise reason (‘Papa, you never seem to listen to the details of my telephone messages; how about I keep this next to the phone so you can write things down?’), the phone trilled again and his heart began to race. He pulled out more Post-it notes in case Rohini had any more instructions ahead of her impending arrival.

‘Ha – I am nearly ready, I promise. Eleven a.m.,’ Mukesh gabbled, jumping into action.

‘Hello, is that Mr Patel?’ said a male voice.

‘Yes,’ Mukesh responded, cautiously this time. ‘It is Mr Patel. Who is speaking?’

‘Hi Mr Patel, this is Kyle from the Harrow Road Library. We spoke the other day. We have a book on request for you that has just become available.’

‘But, but I haven’t put a request in for anything. I don’t know how to do that.’

‘Are you sure? We have To Kill a Mockingbird on file.’

‘I didn’t order it, I promise. I am so sorry for wasting your time,’ Mukesh rushed through his apology.

‘Oh, that is odd. Maybe it’s a technical error. Would you like me to cancel the request? I have it here for you, but I can put it back on the shelf.’

Mukesh was about to reply, when a thought struck him. He saw his scribbled handwriting on the Post-it note: Priya … no need to entertain or feed. A book was a book, after all … and if the librarian couldn’t recommend one, maybe this technical error was the closest he’d get. He didn’t have any time to waste. Maybe this could entertain Priya after all! It could be the start, to show her that he was trying to understand. ‘I will come and get it today, if that is okay?’

‘Of course, Mr Patel.’

‘Thank you, young man, thank you. How do I collect?’

‘You just need to come to the library with some ID, as I believe you’re yet to collect your new library card – is that right? – and give the person at the desk your request. Simple as that!’

Mukesh wasn’t sure it sounded simple, but he’d have to work it out. He felt a flutter of butterflies in his stomach. ‘Thank you, thank you, young man.’

As he put the phone down, the clock struck eleven and there was a knock on the door. ‘Rohini! Priya!’ Mukesh opened the door, a smile plastered across his face. ‘How lovely you both look!’ Rohini was in her work attire, a linen trouser suit and very trendy spectacles. She nodded towards him, her business face on too.

‘Thanks for doing this so last minute, Papa. I’m sure you two will have lots to catch up on,’ Rohini said, and Priya and Mukesh looked at each other – clearly both thinking, ‘When have we ever had lots to catch up on?’

For a moment, Mukesh felt his heart drop. ‘We’re going to the library today, actually!’