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Back The Satsuma Complex Save as PDF
Chapters (36)
  1. Cover
  2. Title Page
  3. Dedication
  4. PART ONE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. PART TWO
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. POSTSCRIPT
  35. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  36. More from the Author

‘Is that right, Gary? Just a friend. How kind of you,’ said Grace with a sliver of sarcasm. ‘I wanted to grab you because I’ve had some good news. I got a letter from the NHS saying I could go in for my hip operation on Monday if I am able to do so at such short notice. Do you think I should do it? I have to phone them immediately if I want to take up the offer.’

‘Yes, of course you should,’ I replied. ‘There’s nothing stopping you, is there?’

‘Well, I was just a bit worried about Lassoo, I have to stay in overnight. Would you be able to look after him?’

I looked down at Lassoo who was being made a fuss of by Emily. He gave me a look as if to say, ‘Okay by me if this lady is staying.’ I told Grace that would be fine and that I would pop in to see her when I got back from Brighton later this evening.

‘Oh, Brighton, is it?’ remarked Grace. ‘That’s where people used to go to fall in love. Be careful.’

21

We drove down to Brighton in my six-year-old tan Renault Clio. We took turns to choose tracks to play on the sound system as we motored around the M25 and down the M23 to the south coast. I chose the likes of the Kings of Leon, Steely Dan, Eminem and Hot Chip. She chose the likes of Drake, Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift. We gelled, however, over an old boy band track called ‘Keep on Movin’ ’ by the band Five. I had always been slightly embarrassed that I liked it, but took a chance. I could always pass it off as irony if it didn’t land. I got lucky. She loved it too. We played it over and over again and sang our hearts out along with the track.

So get on up when you’re down

Baby, take a good look around

I know it’s not much but it’s okay

We’ll keep on movin’ on anyway.

I felt like a teenager after his first bottle of cider and wanted the journey to last forever. I hadn’t felt like this in a long, long time.

When we arrived in Brighton, Emily took me on a tour through her town. She was in her element; her whole body came alive and relaxed as she rushed me from street to street recalling places and people from the past. She would hold my hand to speed me through the tour, and occasionally link her arm with mine and rest her head on my shoulder.