This is what you wanted, right?’
‘Yeah, it’s what I wanted. More than anything else in the world. You’re still OK to travel with my mum, aren’t you?’
‘Of course. I love your mother too, you know.’
‘Thanks, Bill,’ Lana’s voice breaks.
‘Don’t thank me. I’m going on an all expenses paid trip to America! Yee…haa…’
‘I don’t know what I’d do without you and Jack.’
‘Talking about Jack, what and when are you going to tell him?’
Lana sighs. ‘Everything, this weekend.’
‘He won’t be happy.’
‘I know, but he’ll understand. I’ve got no choice, Bill.’
‘I know, babe.’
‘Bill, thanks again for agreeing to accompany my mum.
I really don’t know what I’d do without you.’
‘There’s a big, black car parked outside,’ Jane’s mother hollers.
Billie leap-frogs to the end of her bed and, standing on her bed with her palms resting on the windowsill, cranes her neck to look out into the street below. ‘Jesus, Lana, that’s a Bentley with a driver in a peaked cap.’
Lana looks at the clock face. ‘That’ll be my ride. Got to go. Call you later.’
Billie sits on the windowsill, exhales and, through the smoke says, ‘Say hello to banker boy for me, won’t you?’
Lana runs down the stairs and finds Jane standing at the bottom of them. Her round, red face looks quite animated. ‘Is that car here for you?’
‘Looks like it,’ Lana says as she disappears into her own home. She picks up her rucksack, makes sure her ID is in it, kisses her mother and runs out towards the waiting Bentley.
Eight
he driver is standing outside the car by the time she Tgets to it. He touches his cap. ‘Miss Lana Bloom.’
She nods breathlessly.
‘Good morning. Peter Edwards,’ he says, by way of introduction and opens the back door for her. She sinks into the fragrant, immaculately pale interior and he shuts the door after her. Along the building she sees the heads of all her neighbors. The leather under her palm is soft and cool. Peter gets into the front and looks at her in the rearview mirror. He has soft brown eyes that crinkle in the corners. He takes a white envelope from the passenger seat and twists around to hand it to her. ‘Our first stop is the doctor. This is for him.’
‘Thanks,’ Lana says, and takes the letter. It has her doctor’s name written in blue ink. It is unsealed. The glass that separates them closes and the engine hums into life.
She opens the letter and reads it. It is a request for her medical records.
Her mobile lights up. It is Jack.
‘Hey,’ he says. His voice is bright and full of life.
‘Hey,’ she replies matching his brightness.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing. Why?’
‘Come on… I know you better than that. Spit it out, Lana.’#p#分页标题#e#
‘OK, but not on the phone. Are you coming down this weekend to see your mother?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Well, I’ll tell you then.’
‘No, you won’t. I’ll come by my mum’s for dinner.
You can tell me then.’
‘I’ve got a date.’
There is a silence. ‘Really? That’s great. Anyone I know?’
‘You don’t know him, but you might have heard of him.’
‘Well?’
‘Blake Law Barrington.’
‘The Blake Barrington.’
‘Yeah.’
‘You’ve got a date with a Barrington? How? What are you not telling me, Lana?’ He sounds worried.
‘It’s not really a date, but I can’t tell you on the phone.’
‘You’re not doing anything stupid, are you?’ he asks apprehensively.
‘No, Jack. I’m not. I’m doing the only thing I can do.’
‘It’s something to do with your mum, isn’t it?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Oh! Shit, Lana. You didn’t.’
‘I did.’
‘You’re better than this.’
‘Jack, my mum’s dying. She’s stage four. She doesn’t have months to live. The doctors have given her weeks.’
‘Oh, Lana. Can’t we borrow the money?’
Lana’s laugh is bitter. ‘Who can I ask, Jack? Tom?
And if I ask Tom what will I need to do for the money?’
‘What do you need to do for the money now?’
‘What I am doing won’t land me in prison. It’s just sex, Jack.’
Jack goes silent.
‘It won’t be for long.’
‘How long?’
‘It’s for a month.’