Chapter 282: Family, Part 13

James

“So would I. Bear with me. I may be able to do something about it.” Then, glancing down at the laptop. “I keep pretending to do some work but really I'm just staring at the sea.”

He looks at me longwise. “Something bothering you?”

I stare up to where thin waves of cloud shimmer copper and mauve around the setting sun. The sea below ripples gold and bronze. “You never told me I'd died.”

He gives me a sharp look. “Who…?”

“Richard told me….”

He nods, sucking his teeth. “Ah…”

“Why didn’t you?”

Michael stands, pacing around the terrace. “Mmmm, I wasn't sure you would be any better for the knowledge.” He leans on the balustrade, staring out to the horizon. “Fancy a drink?”

“Why not?”

He vanishes into the house, reappearing a minute or so later with a couple of brandies. As I take mine, I realise that I don’t really want it, but I sip it for good manners’ sake. And we sit in companionable silence, watching the sun go down, huge as it kisses the horizon.