Brew Books

Chapter 9

The chest of drawers is jammed, so I have to wiggle the bottom drawer when I'm trying to put away my clothes. It finally opens halfway, but something's caught at the back of the drawer. I reach blindly under the dresser, and find a paperback novel with its front cover torn off from getting stuck in the drawer. I flick through the book, trying to identify it, and a card falls out from between the pages. I assume at first the card is just a bookmark, marking a particular page, because on this page is text underlined and highlighted, the line, "I'm sick to death of this particular self. I want another."

But then I pick up the card again, and see it's a get well soon card. I flip it open.

"Dear Matt, good luck with your surgery today. We're all thinking of you. S."

"Matt, we love you! Wishing you a speedy recovery xoxo Kitty."

"Dear Matt, you got this, bro. Hang in there! Speedy recovery then we'll be back on the pitch in no time! Love Harper."

"We know you'll come out on TOP!!! Love you, you big hunk, love and kisses, WILL X."

"Matt, good luck. We'll be right there for you when you wake up. x Edgar."

"Thinking of you today, hope it all goes well! xx Charlotte."

I tuck the card back into the ripped book, and place the book back in the drawer. I wonder what Matt's surgery was. The words of the others are all so thoughtful and bursting with love. So what has happened since then to make Matt leave?

Will is lying on the sofa in the living room, drinking tea and reading an orange Penguin paperback. I put the kettle on.

'Will, mind if I borrow a tea bag?' I say.

Will takes a while to look up from his book. He places the paperback flat on his chest, over the four names printed on his t-shirt, and looks me over before saying, 'we all share tea. It's in that big jar. The one that says, "Tea".'

'Do you want one?'

'Oh yeah, go on then.'

When I've made my tea I drop down onto the arm of the sofa next to Will's head. He's reading The Beautiful and Damned, but as soon as I sit down he sits up and pats the sofa beside him. I slip down onto the seat, and pass him his tea.

'How's your room?' he asks.

'Getting there.'

Possibly he can sense there's something I want to ask him, because he stays silent and watches me sip at my tea.

'Why did Matt leave?'

Will leans his head back and looks up at the ceiling instead of facing me as he says, 'Kitty doesn't want us to tell you.'

I frown. 'Kitty's never kept anything from me.'

Will raises an eyebrow.

'She hasn't,' I insist. 'Kitty and I are practically sisters. She would never lie to me.'

'Okay,' Will says. 'She said you haven't been as close recently.'

'We haven't,' I admit. 'But we're still like sisters.'

'Well, she told us not to tell you,' Will says.

'Can you tell me anything?' I ask. 'Why'd he leave?'

'He just didn't want to be here anymore,' Will says. 'I don't want to talk about it. Kitty doesn't want me to.'

'Has he left London?'

Will sighs. 'I'm sorry. I just don't think I should say anything.'

'You can at least tell me if he's still in London,' I say.