Free This Could Be Rock 'N' Roll by Tim Roux Page B

home.”
    What do people say when their brains are disconnected by volatile hormones?
    “How are you doing?” Cathy, obviously.
    “All right.”
    Get up, then.
    “I’ve felt better.”
    Stay there after all.
    “Yeah, it’s hard, isn’t it?”
    It was?
    “Is Jake looking after you?”
    “Yeah, thanks. He is being champion.”
    “Drink lots of water.”
    Yeah, that will certainly get you off the couch sooner or later. Or you could just send Harry round.
    “How’s the telesales?” Jade asks.
    “Boring, but I’ve got to do something.”
    “And Josh and Sam?”
    “Yeah, they’re good.”
    I am getting terrifying visions of Jade holding our child in her arms and of a steady trickle of people filling up our sitting room having witless conversations like this one while I pour cups of tea.
    “What cravings are you having?”
    “Chocolate and tomatoes.”
    “Oh yeah? I had those too. Any carrots. I couldn’t eat enough carrots until the doctor told me that I was endangering Josh’s liver.”
    “Peanuts.”
    “Oh, you want to watch those. You may give him or her an allergy.”
    “Do you think so?”
    “I’d certainly be careful. What do you think, Jake?”
    I think I’m going on a world tour anywhere they’ll have me. You know how on the continent there are all these rubbish bands that go platinum. Maybe there is a place for me.
    “Jake is very good with children,” Cathy adds, “but no man ever understands what it is like to be pregnant.”
    “I know what it is like to give birth, it is like …….”
    “Thank you, Jake. I doubt that Jade needs to contemplate that at this point.”
    Just when I thought I could inject some fun and humour into the conversation.
    “Have you got any names worked out yet?”
    “No. I’m superstitious, like. We’ll wait for it to appear first.”
    “You won’t get any help from Jake. He just wants to use names that he can weave into lyrics to celebrate the birth. He’ll rule out anything which is hard to rhyme or scan.”
    “Well my dad’s family always call their first boy John, so we may have to go for that.”
    “I think that even Jake can find a rhyme for John, can’t you dear?” What’s this - Cathy teasing me, almost flirting with me, in front of Jade?
    “Yeah, I suspect he could,” says Jade ignoring any undertones.
    “Jade? Do you mind if I borrow Jake for a private chat for a few minutes? I have to discuss the children with him.”
    “No problems. Take him as long as you bring him back.”
    “Thanks, Jade.”
    Cathy leads me outside the house and takes me for an avenue walk.
    “So what’s this in aid of?” I ask.
    “I just wanted to be with you - alone.”
    “Why?”
    “Is there a why?”
    “There has been up until now, yes.”
    “I miss you.”
    “I miss you too.”
    “You do?”
    “Of course I do, but the world has moved on. Jade is pregnant, you are with Harry and the kids are gradually moving away from me.”
    “They adore you.”
    “Yeah, but they aren’t with me every day and they are starting to forget me.”
    “Jake, you are getting paranoid.”
    “I don’t think so.”
    Cathy takes my hand rather publicly. “So what are we going to do about it?”
    “Dunno.”
    “Would you ever consider us getting back together again?”
    “Is it so bad between you and Harry?”
    “That has nothing to do with it.”
    “It has something to do with it, I would guess.”
    “This is between you and me.”
    “And Jade.”
    “I think I was married to you first.”
    “And you kicked me out first too.”
    “Only because you misbehaved.”
    “Except that I didn’t.”
    “You admitted that you did.”
    “I told you that I didn’t. I was covering up for someone and they dropped me in it, but you wouldn’t listen.”
    “Well, it’s not so important now, Jake. Water under the bridge.”
    “Yeah, but the water has gone a long way out to sea by now. I have a responsibility towards Jade.”
    “You have responsibilities towards me