Glover's Mistake by Nick Laird

Author:Nick Laird [Laird, Nick]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

‘I have the whole set now, you know. The last two I bought, with the stars and without the stripes, and with the stripes but without the stars…’ Walter stopped, and turned his flattened nose to Ruth. ‘Did you know that? That I had bought the last two flags in Bonhams ten, maybe twelve years ago?’

She didn’t respond immediately. First, she lifted a glass of water from Larry’s hand and took a sip. Larry acted as if he hadn’t noticed; he didn’t stop talking or glance down. Then she smiled uncomfortably, keeping her gaze focused somewhere near the mobile phone by Walter’s hand. She genuinely seemed to dislike talking about her work. She genuinely seemed, David thought. That was it. Two words. Small song of the paradox of Ruth.

‘I knew, yes. I do follow my pieces out into the world.’

Jess whispered to David, ‘Larry sends her updates.’

At his angle, from just behind, a faint line of hair on Jess’s cheek was catching the light from the aluminium lampshade that hung low over the bar table. Her cheekbones were high, prominent, and intimated the skull beneath. David felt enormous goodwill for her but wasn’t sure why. He thought he might identify with her particular brand of hurt.

She continued, to him alone, ‘She says those early pieces are like college friends: she wants to know where they are and how much they’re making, but she doesn’t want to have to see them.’

As she leant closer in towards him, to lift her handbag from the floor, she added, ‘We met right after college.’

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