Bet Your Life by joe mcnally

Author:joe mcnally
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 1point4 Ltd

Sixty-One

It had been so long since Eddie had flown into Lukla in the small Twin Otter that his nerve had weakened, and he tensed with every lurch as gusts battered the small plane.

Mave was waiting, carrying his old black backpack and a suitcase JJ had lent him. It was grey, plastic and heavy. They smiled at each other and Eddie put his arm around her shoulders as her arm settled at his waist. Re-attached, they began walking toward the taxi. They’d always been like this, behaving as though they had seen each other only this morning. No adjustment necessary; endearments limited to ‘I missed you.’

At the flat they did not speak. Mave locked the door behind them and started undressing as she walked to the bedroom. Eddie followed.

An hour later they lay entangled and unmoving, bar the shallow rhythms of breathing. Eddie felt as though some invisible boot had been kicking him for weeks, trying to get him functioning again, and he’d just now clicked into place, reunited with himself and a world that was once more turning peacefully.

It was their habit in bed to bounce conversation off the ceiling. Mave said, ‘How about some yak butter tea?’

He smiled, ‘I’ll pass.’

‘Cold beer?’

‘Best not. I’ll fall asleep and Nancy will yell at me.’

‘Coffee?’

‘Please.’

She rolled neatly over him and got to her feet. She said, ‘Kitchen first. Shower next. Kettle on. Pheromones off.’

He turned to look up into her eyes, ‘You ought to keep at least a spoonful of those pheromones in case I ever get famous. Sell them online.’

‘Male odour?’

He looked puzzled for a second, then smiled at her cleverness. Mave raised a finger, ‘You’ve lost your edge, Malloy.’

‘Then I’ll run it up and down your wit a dozen times.’

‘That’ll shred it altogether.’

He lay smiling at her, ‘You win. Go and hose off the pheromones. I’ll do the coffee.’

Mave heard a sound and stepped lightly to the window, ‘Oops. Best wash a mug for Miss Hartigan. I’ll leave you to let her in.’

Eddie quickly donned the clothes he had travelled in, and opened the door at Nancy’s second knock. She stood framed by the bright afternoon and looked him up and down. ‘Hello, Nancy,’ he said.

‘Welcome back,’ she said.

‘Take a seat. Coffee?’

She paused, ‘Have you washed your hands?’

Eddie blushed and grinned and held them up, ‘Want to check?’

She grimaced and moved to sit at the table, opening her bag as she settled, ‘All right if I smoke?’

‘All right by me. Mave’s in the shower, as you can hear from the gurgling and clunking.’

‘Mave doesn’t mind,’ said Nancy, clicking a steel lighter. Eddie brought coffee as she drew deeply on the cigarette. Eddie said, ‘Does the smoke feel sharper, stronger because of the thin air?’

She exhaled, ‘It feels different. Hadn’t thought about the altitude factor.’

‘It’s just that it smells stronger. Much stronger … makes me want to cough on your behalf.’

She grinned, ‘Ha! I know what you mean! Strange feeling.’

The sounds from the bathroom fell to a steady drip. The door opened and Mave, hair wet, looked out, smiling, ‘Hey, Nancy! I’ll just get dried.

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