We had left the dining table in the centre but the rest of the furniture had been pushed back to the walls as if in a castle hall. The large chandelier hung heavily from the ceiling. The candle flames were reflected in its prisms and made patterns on the walls.

It has looked like this for as long as I can remember I said. Thinking back I realised how strange it was that a crystal chandelier had found its way into our home. It represented a kind of upperclass style that didn’t fit in with the rest of the house.

The only modern feature was the stereo record player. If a gramophone from the seventies can be called modern.

I looked through some of the records and asked what they would like to listen to. Choose anything I said. Except for everttaube and jameslast.

What’s supposed to be wrong with jameslast märitljungqvist said. She was of the age when jameslast might well bring back 289happy memories. Her hips were already moving to a seventies beat.

By then most people had finished eating and the serving dishes with roast elk gravy and potatoes had been emptied.

Nothing wrong at all I said. It’s just me who can’t stand him. I think of it as lift music.

What’re you on about. There are no lifts in smalånger she said and gulped down half a glass of wine in one go.

True I said. I thought about when bror and I had been in a lift for the first time. It was in the care home where father was recovering. Perhaps telling them how I almost killed my father with a hayfork might be thought a thrilling dinner party anecdote. Obviously I would never fit in anywhere but to show willing I put on a jameslast record.

Everyone ready for pudding bror asked as he collected plates and cutlery. Angelika made an attempt to help but he put his hand on her shoulder and told her not to worry just enjoy.

What a lovely guy your brother is she said as he gingerly made his way to the kitchen with an armful of dirty dishes.

Yes I said. He can be great when he puts his mind to it. He likes cooking.

Angelika leaned closer to me and whispered. Has he got a girlfriend.

No I told her. Not as far as I know anyway.

We didn’t get a chance to talk any more about it. The crash as the kippochina dinner service broke into thousands of irreparable pieces drowned out the voices of sixteen females and jameslast.

I ran to the kitchen. Bror was sitting on the floor surrounded by a mess of broken china and spilt gravy. I slipped on the rug fringes he said. 290

He had a cut on his hand and stared at the blood dripping down on his trousers. He looked pissed. He was.