A name appeared. ‘Nadia’. She didn’t know any Nadias in her original life.
She had no idea if seeing the name would have inspired this version of her with happy anticipation or sinking dread.
There was only one way to find out. ‘Hello?’ ‘Sweetheart,’ came a voice she didn’t recognise.
A voice that was close but not entirely warm. She had an accent. Maybe Russian.
‘I hope you are okay.’ ‘Hi Nadia. Thanks. I’m fine. I’m just here in the hotel. Getting ready for a conference.’
She tried to sound jolly. ‘Oh yeah, the conference. Fifteen thousand pounds for a talk. Sounds good.’
It sounded ridiculous. But she also wondered how Nadia – whoever Nadia was – knew this.
‘Oh yeah.’ ‘Joe told us.’ ‘Joe?’ ‘Yeah. Well, listen, I need to talk to you at some point about your father’s birthday.’
‘What?’ ‘I know he’d love it if you could come up and see us.’ Her whole body went cold and weak, as if she had seen a ghost.
She remembered her father’s funeral, hugging her brother as they cried on each other’s shoulders.
‘My dad?’ My dad. My dead dad. ‘He’s just come in from the garden. Do you want a word with him?’
This was so remarkable, so world-shattering, it was totally out of synch with her tone of voice.
전체재생
다음페이지
문장검색