‘No, Mother.Remember I said someone was going to stay in the flat while I was away at Kit’s?Well, he arrived this afternoon.’
‘And you’re just letting him stay?’
‘Mother, I can hardly throw the man out into the cold.’
‘He’s a stranger, Christopher.I know he was renting the place but it’s different when you are still there.And I imagine you haven’t sorted out your spare room yet, so what, you’re sleeping on the couch?’
It pains him that she knows him so well.
‘It’s just for one night.’
‘We must be looking at very different weather forecasts.’
‘We are in different countries, Mother.’
‘I’m well aware of that.Otto, come here will you?’
In the background, he hears the familiar folding up of a newspaper that always signalled his father was about to do something.‘My boy!’he bellows down the phone.‘I hope you’re all right in this snowstorm!’
‘I’m fine, Dad—’
‘He is not fine,’ snaps Esther.‘Otto, he has a strange man staying with him.’
‘What’s so strange about him, dear?’Otto teases.
Christopher bites down on his lip to stop himself from laughing.
‘Don’t twist my words.You know I meant a stranger.’
‘Has he never spoken to the man?’
‘We’ve spoken and even shared a meal together.’
‘Well now, he doesn’t sound like a stranger to me if they’ve broken bread.’
‘It was spaghetti, but close enough.’
‘Give me that newspaper.I want to whack you with it.You’re supposed to be on my side,’ Esther hisses.
‘I am always on your side,’ Otto says softly.‘But if Christopher is happy to offer hospitality to this gentleman in histime of need, then we should just be pleased that our son is so thoughtful.No?’
There are a few beats where she mulls this over.‘It wouldn’t be very Christian of you to throw him out,’ she relents.
‘True, though I’m not very Christian at the best of times.Nor are you really.’
‘That’s true,’ agrees Otto.‘We haven’t been to a service that wasn’t a wedding or a funeral in years.’
‘It’s anexpression,’ she says, exasperated.Eventually, she concedes.‘It’s very kind of you to let him stay for tonight.’There’s a very slight emphasis onfor tonight, as though she’s reminding him that it would be unconscionable to let Nash stay any longer.
‘I’m glad you’re both safe,’ he says.‘But I really need to get to sleep.It’s been a long day.’
‘Right-oh,’ cries Otto.‘Sleep well.’
‘Goodnight, darling,’ says Esther softly before hanging up.
What a day.What a totally weird day.
Christopher makes the executive decision to ignore all the notifications on WhatsApp until tomorrow.No more talking to anyone tonight.
