The
line died and Leah replaced the phone in its cradle. She stood in the silence
for a few moments, watching as a red ford slowed and steered towards the house.
Gravel crunched and the engine whined unwillingly as the old car inched its way
onto the long driveway.
Leah padded through the living
room into the cool flagstone-floored kitchen. She swung open the creaking
fridge door and peered inside, the cold air a welcome relief on her hot face
warmed by a burning autumn day. Two cans of cola and a block of applewood
cheese were the only items gracing their presence on the Smeg shelves. Sighing,
she grabbed one of the cans and pushed the door shut with her foot.
The front door opened and a
man’s voice called, ‘Hello? Leah, are you in?’
‘Yeah,’ shouted Leah, tapping
the top of the can and pulling the ring.
There was a moments silence
before the voice shouted, ‘could you come here, love?’
Leah wondered through a second door, pushing
the beaded door divider aside, and moved into a narrow hallway. Two black
suitcases stood side by side against the wall, taking up much of the already
limited room. Leah looked from her panting father, whose face glistened with
sweat, to the cases.
‘Did you buy these?’ asked Leah,
gesturing to the cases and taking a sip from the can. ‘Are you going away?
‘What?’ Mr Jacobs glanced down,
rubbing a stitch in his side. ‘Oh no, Lora’s coming to stay with us while the
plumbers deal with the burst pipe. Didn’t you get my message?’
Leah’s grip tightened on the
can. ‘No. Lora’s moving in here?’
‘Yes, whilst the plumbers are
there,’ replied Mr Jacobs, spotting the mornings post on the sideboard and
shifting through it, putting down envelopes that looked as though they might
contain bills. ‘Come and help me with the rest of her things would you?’
‘Why doesn’t she stay with friends
– or family?’ asked Leah, apprehension washing over her.
‘Her
family live up North and her friends – don’t look at me like that.’
Leah
raised her eyebrows. ‘Like what?’
Mr
Jacobs pointed a teasing finger at her. ‘You and Eve give me that expression
when you disapprove of something I’m doing.’
‘Did
I say I disapproved?’ asked Leah defensively. ‘I just don’t understand why she’s
coming here.’
‘Because her flat is unliveable
at the moment, I can’t let her live there. What would you have me do, Leah? Let
her live on the street?’ Mr Jacobs ran a hand through his fair hair and wiped
the glistening sweat from his forehead.
‘She could go to a hotel.’
‘No, she couldn’t.’
‘Why?’
‘What does it matter? This is my
house and she’s staying here as my guest.’
‘I thought it was our house?’
‘It is,’ replied Mr Jacobs,
‘when you pay your rent.’
Leah stormed down the hall
towards the staircase, jumping the first two steps.
‘Leah,
love, I’m sorry. It’ll be all right.’
Leah
swung round, almost losing her balance on the stair. ‘It’s not all right. Penny
left a month ago and now Lora’s staying with us?’ Leah put her free hand on her
hip. ‘You haven’t even told Evelyn about Lora yet.’
Mr
Jacobs pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. ‘You’re still angry
that I broke up with Penny.’
‘I
liked Penny, but I’m not angry you broke up,’ snapped Leah. ‘I want to you be
happy.’
‘Well,
I am,’ he replied, gazing up a Leah. He narrowed his eyes at her. ‘Is it Lora?’
Leah
gave a non-committal grunt and shrugged a shoulder.
Mr
Jacobs dropped his hand, letting it swing beside him like a metronome. ‘I want
you to be happy too, you know, Leah. You can tell me if you don’t like Lora.’
Anxiety
and guilt churned in her stomach, as she gazed down at her father’s prematurely
lined face, snaking through her intestines, pressing against her insides as though
longing to engulf the rest of her body. A voice in her head screamed, and was followed
by the sickening crunch of metal folding upon the bodiless voice as something
heavy collided with it. Her fingers found her new earring and began to turn it.
She shivered slightly.
‘We
need food,’ said Leah, lifting the can and shaking it slightly.
Mr
Jacobs’s eyebrows rose slightly. He hesitated slightly before saying, ‘I’m
staying in this evening; you can take the car to the shops if you like.’ His
voice was soft and even and he continued to gaze up at Leah with a mild
expression of surprise.
‘Fine,’
said Leah, turning and ascending the stairs. ‘I’ll take a shower then I’ll head
out.’
‘Could
you pick up some veg, love? Lora’s a vegan.’
‘Of
course she is,’ muttered Leah, waving a hand behind her head in acknowledgment of
her father’s request.
Leah
opened the first door on the landing and stepped inside, regretting the amount
of force used to close the door as it slammed shut behind her. The room was
spacious and airy. Two double beds, one at either end of the room, occupied the
majority of the space; one was still made, looking cold and uninviting and the
other a mess of duvet, throw and scatter cushions.
Light
poured in from the single bay window, framed by aubergine silk curtains, highlighting
the jumble of shoes, books and paper that had scattered themselves across the cream-coloured
carpet.
A
confused bee lingered at the base of the window, lifting off occasionally, attempting
a fruitless escape and bumping into the glass. Leah heard the crunch of gravel
below the window as her father ambled towards the car to continue unloading
more of Lora’s belongings. Leah grabbed her mobile from her cluttered desk and
punched in a short, hurried text.
She’s
moving in. And she’s a vegan.
Less than a
minute later her mobile vibrated in her hand. Leah opened the message and
glanced down, the corners of her mouth twitching as she read the reply.
Of
course she is. Women who don’t eat cake eat veg.
Your
paranoia is keeping me from sleeping.
Stop
being paranoid! Speak soon, love Leaves. x
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