The Second Life of Nathan Jones. David Atkinson

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СКАЧАТЬ Sorry, that sounds rude.’

      ‘It’s fine. No, K-A-T.’

      ‘Oh, okay. As in short for Katie or something.’

      ‘Yeah, something like that. Look, I really came to see if there’s anything you need?’

      ‘A new body, maybe.’

      I laughed. ‘I can’t help you there. I think your wife stopped by earlier.’

      ‘Did you speak to her?’

      ‘No, I was downstairs at that point helping saw the top off someone’s skull.’

      ‘I probably didn’t need to know that.’

      ‘Sorry, the staff nurse said she couldn’t hang around because of your kids but they’ve called to let her know that you’re awake. She said she’ll come tomorrow.’ I scratched my nose where a black piercing emerged from my left nostril. I noticed Nathan watching me intently. I must admit being overcome with a feeling of disappointment when I’d discovered he had a wife. My taste in men wasn’t getting any better the older I got. ‘It must have been a shock for her.’

      ‘What? That I’d died?’

      ‘Well, yes, that you’d died. And then that you were suddenly alive again.’ I noticed his face darken and a frown appeared, making him look older. ‘What’s wrong?’

      ‘Apart from being broken?’

      I smiled. ‘Yeah, you look upset about something.’

      ‘No, just in a bit of pain, I think.’

      I didn’t believe him but whatever was bothering him wasn’t really any of my business.

      ‘Well, as your wife isn’t able to come and see you, who else can I call?’

      ‘Ghostbusters,’ he said, smiling.

      ‘Seriously – there’s no one? Your mother?’

      ‘She’s been dead for seventeen years.’

      ‘Father?’

      ‘Dead for twenty.’

      ‘Brothers, sisters?’

      ‘I’m an only child.’

      ‘Lonely child, more like. What about friends?’

      Nathan sighed. ‘You could have called my mate Graham, I suppose, but he’s on holiday in Thailand.’

      ‘Have you told your work you’re likely to be off for a while?’

      ‘I mainly work for myself, freelance, so no need.’

      ‘Freelance what?’

      ‘Just freelance. You’re very nosy.’

      ‘Are you lonely?’

      ‘With a wife and three kids? You must be joking.’

      ‘Outside your family circle there doesn’t seem to be very much for you though.’

      ‘I’m a very busy person.’

      ‘That’s what lonely people say.’

      ‘Is it?’

      ‘Yes.’

      We were both silent for a moment and I noticed his eyes closing.

      ‘I should go. You’re obviously very tired and you need to sleep.’

      He nodded. ‘You’ve got to get back to work, I expect?’

      I shook my head. ‘No, I’ve just finished my shift so I’m heading home now.’

      ‘Is your boyfriend waiting?’

      I wondered why he’d asked that and it slightly annoyed me. Maybe he’d been a serial cheater, and, if so, no wonder his wife hadn’t rushed back to the hospital.

      I said rather sharply, ‘I don’t have a boyfriend. Do you think I’d be sitting here if I had anywhere better to be?’ I could tell my question and tone of voice had taken him aback.

      ‘Probably not,’ he said, chastened.

      Perhaps that had been a bit harsh. ‘Sorry, that didn’t come out as I meant it to.’

      ‘No, it’s fine, I appreciate it. I wouldn’t have had any visitors at all today if you weren’t here.’

      ‘I probably won’t come to see you again. I really only popped by to see if you needed to contact anyone else – now that you’ve told me you don’t … well, that’s fine.’

      ‘Thank you for bringing me back to life.’

      I smiled and shook my head. ‘I don’t think I did but it’s a nice idea. Goodbye, Mr Jones.’

      ‘Nathan.’

      ‘Goodbye, Nathan.’

      *

      The next morning Nathan awoke early. Mainly due to the clatter and clashing that went on in hospital wards at that time of day. He’d had a troubled sleep and his dreams had been haunted by the mortuary girl, and then pain when his medication had worn off. A nurse had stopped by to take his blood pressure at some ungodly hour, though, and thankfully administered more pain relief.

      During the morning his wife appeared with their youngest daughter, four-year-old Daisy. Daisy jumped onto the bed and gave him a hug, which felt lovely. They also had Millie, ten going on thirty-five and Chloe, six.

      ‘Where’s the other two?’

      Laura smiled. ‘At school, of course – it’s Tuesday.’

      ‘They could have missed a morning to come and see their dad.’

      ‘They’re confused enough. I spent the last two days trying to stop them crying about you being dead. Now they think I’ve been lying to them about it and Millie especially is hardly speaking to me.’

      ‘Sorry for upsetting your life.’

      Laura’s phoney smile vanished. ‘Don’t start, Nathan. I’ve had a traumatic few days. You’ve no idea how hard it’s been coping with everything. We all thought you were dead.’

      He nodded. ‘I’m not going to apologise for still being alive, Laura. It was the Lazarus Syndrome.’

      ‘What’s that?’

      ‘Something to do with pulman circumnavigation or … anyway, I didn’t do it on purpose to complicate things.’

      Laura blinked and looked away. ‘Yeah, I know. Sorry. How are you feeling?’

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