Broken City

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

The gesture is instinctive; I know where my locket is.

“I left it in the bathroom. Would you mind getting it for me?” I go to the wardrobe and take out my shoes. I’m pulling them on as Nella comes back into the room.

“You know I thought you slept in this,” she laughs, running the platinum chain through her fingers. I laugh with her but the truth is that I do sleep in it.

The necklace is very beautiful, it’s thick chain hangs to my waist with a large oval locket, delicately etched with an engraving inside. Uncle Jep thinks it’s Middle Eastern but he couldn’t translate. Tom gave it to me when I was fourteen after he had been out; I remember the night so clearly. Tom had come home tired and soaked to the bone.

I had rarely taken it off since but wearing it in the bath was a no go. It tended to fill with water and then leak over your clothes once you changed, hence it’s relegation to the bathroom shelf. I slip it over my head and feel its familiar weight settle around my neck.

“Ready?” I ask.

Nella laughs and places her hands on her hips.

“If you remember, Deeta, I’ve been waiting for you for the best part of half an hour.”

Even as we enter the stairwell we can hear the faint hum of distant revelry. The night before the guard goes out there is always a party. Everyone attends and it generally goes on until the about two o’clock.

I don’t think I’ve ever stayed later than half past ten, that’s when I take the children down to bed. Professor Jepsjon usually comes with me but Tom stays until the bitter end. Nella tells me that he spends most of the time talking to Ralph, I’m not sure but I think she vaguely resents it.

As we push into the dance hall the first thing I see is Keya and Jamie. I can hardly help it as they are the only two people on the dance floor, the rest of the party is enthusiastically clapping to the beat of the music. They are performing an energetic rock and roll routine, which I have to admit is very good. Keya is obviously enjoying herself—probably because her long legs have been on almost constant display.

As they finish to the last strains of the song, Nella and I clap along with the others, and couples again surge on to the floor this time to rumba. Looking around I see Tarri, Carris, Dec and Roydon playing tag. Uncle Jep is playing cards and I see Jan among the throng on the dance floor with one of the Trayman boys.

“I could do with a drink, Deet.”

We make our way to the refreshment area and as we pour our drinks I see Tom. He’s leaning against the wall laughing at something Ralph has just said to him, and I catch his eye and wave.

“Come on, Nella, Tom’s just over there.”

As we make our way towards them Jamie springs up before us. Surprisingly he seems to have managed to escape from Keya and as he suddenly appears I feel Nella take a sharp grip on my arm and drag me in front of her and between them both.

“Hi girls, having fun?”

I stammer a few disjointed words all the while wondering in a strange mix of horror and amusement what on earth he thinks he’s doing.

“I hope I get a dance with you both later,” he continues.

I revise my earlier opinion of him and decide he must be at least three cans short of a six pack.

“You might if you have a gun on you,” growls Nella.

Jamie looks faintly puzzled.

“I don’t quite—we aren’t allowed to bring guns in here.”