Double Helix by Eileen Merriman

Author:Eileen Merriman [Merriman, Eileen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780143775218
Publisher: Penguin Random House New Zealand
Published: 2013-04-08T00:00:00+00:00

And then it was ten pm, or was it eleven? Jake had lost track. All he knew was that they were back in the apartment, having a cup of tea before Jim pissed off to his hotel. He’d obviously decided that would be more comfortable than a night on a stretcher in their lounge, thank God.

Jim draped an arm across the top of the couch. ‘Well, you two have a nice set-up here. Is your mum going to come for a visit, Emily?’

‘Maybe in the next school holidays.’ Emily’s cheeks were flushed. Jake figured he’d be spending the night on the couch — although to be fair, Jake had been trying not to say much for the past hour or so, not since getting baited into a conversation on Māori quotas at medical school.

I don’t know why we need quotas when everyone in New Zealand has the same opportunities, Jim had said.

Tell that to the kids growing up in damp, overcrowded houses with abusive parents, Jake had said.

Can we talk about something else? Emily had pleaded.

‘So anyway,’ Emily said, after a meandering conversation about who-knew-what, because Jake had given up trying to concentrate, ‘it must have been a long day for you.’

‘Yes, I did get up pretty early.’ Jim yawned. ‘I should wander back to my hotel, if I can remember what direction it’s in.’

‘Jake could walk you,’ Emily offered. ‘Couldn’t you, Jake?’

‘Happy to.’ Jake stood up, trying not to trip over his feet, which suddenly seemed too big.

Jim hugged Emily. ‘Take care, hon. Don’t forget to ring me, OK?’

Jake and Jim descended in the lift without a word. Outside, the rain had stopped but the wind was icy. Jake zipped his jacket to his chin.

‘This way,’ he said. They continued in silence until they rounded the corner, and Jim slowed.

‘Jake, look, I —’ Jim gestured Jake into a doorway.

‘Are you all right?’ Jake asked, a low-level nausea beginning to niggle at him. All he wanted was to go home and sleep.

‘I’m not sure.’ Jim thrust his hands into his coat pockets. ‘Look, I’ve been meaning to ask … what your intentions are.’

Jake squinted at him. ‘My intentions?’ With what? Emily? Medicine? Life in general?

‘Obviously you and Emily are pretty serious about each other. And I don’t know if you’ve thought about — well, whether Emily might want to have a family, and whether you might want to —’ Jim’s eyebrows drew together. ‘I know it’s kind of personal, but are you going to get tested?’

Jake gritted his teeth. ‘I have no idea.’ And quite frankly, it’s none of your fucking business. He wondered what Jim would say if he knew about the pregnancy and subsequent miscarriage. So far they’d only told Emily’s mother, and he was happy to keep it that way.

‘It’s only fair on Emily, don’t you think?’

‘It’s between her and me,’ Jake said. ‘Don’t you think?’

Jim lifted his chin. ‘What I think is that you dragged Emily into something she might not have been able to handle.’

‘Dragged

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