Clare Houston - An Unquiet Place

Days slid by, and Hannah had not heard a word from her brother, Joseph. She had rushed back from Goshen and emailed him that same evening. Every day since, she had called him at every number she could find. Voicemail picked up every time she tried his UK number. She had left messages with his secretary at the archaeology department and, as a last resort, she had called her mother at the rented apartment in Cambridge. The conversation had not gone well.

‘I have no idea where Joseph is, Hannah. I’ve been trying to contact him for five days now, with no response. If you children only knew how frustrating it is that you never answer your phones! Why have them, I want to know. And then I hear from Todd that you’ve left Cape Town!’

‘You spoke to Todd?’

‘He’s the only one in this family who seems to care about keeping me in the loop.’

‘Todd is not part of this family, Mum.’

‘For the moment, at any rate. I’m sure you’ll come to your senses eventually.’

‘Me? Todd had an affair, Mum! What should I have done?’

‘All men dally, Hannah. It’s in their genetic code. We can’t let that stop our living successful lives.’

‘I can’t accept that. I want more than that. Don’t tell me Dad—’

‘Of course not! Your father is hardly aware that the world is still turning. He’s only vaguely present in the relationships he already has. It would never occur to him to take up with another woman. But I digress. Hannah, what were you thinking, abandoning your life in Cape Town for some grubby little town in God knows where?’

Hannah’s fingers tightened on the receiver as her mother continued: ‘I can’t believe you would give up on all the work you have put into your thesis. Research is for the long haul – it’s exhausting, but you have to stick to it. Persevere, Hannah.’

‘What for, Mum?’

‘What do you mean, what for? You can’t get anywhere in the academic world without a PhD, you know that.’

‘What if I don’t want to be in that world?’

‘Hannah, stop this indulgence at once. You are thirty years old and without even a foothold in the university. Once you get through this PhD, you’ll take on a lectureship and start publishing, and everything will fall into place. How soon can you get back to Cape Town?’

‘I’m not going back anytime soon, Mum. I’m happy.’

‘Happy? What has that to do with anything?’

Hannah had put the phone down quietly, knowing her mother would be sputtering with rage and also knowing she didn’t have Hannah’s number in Leliehoek.

Now Hannah was in the shop when the doorbell tinkled and Kathryn popped in with two take-away coffees.

‘I needed a break from the shop – I haven’t looked up since half-past four this morning. I hope Maisie can cope. She only started last week.’

Hannah smiled and looked over her shoulder from where she was selecting the more valuable books to photograph and auction online. ‘Things getting busier now that it’s holidays?’

‘Hell, yes. Town is filling up and holidaymakers are gorging.’ Kathryn slouched in one of the chairs at the fireplace, closing her eyes. ‘I can’t keep up. At least tomorrow is a public holiday. But Christmas is coming far too soon.’

Christmas. Hannah hadn’t thought about it much. The idea of Christmas didn’t thrill her. In fact, the last few years had been dismal. Coming back from London and leaving Todd had meant an end to the glamorous parties. All that fake Christmas cheer which just covered up everybody’s selfish agendas. Hobnobbing in that crowd was all about being seen with the right people, wearing the right clothes, and getting some kind of thrill from flirting with other people’s spouses. Then Hannah was left with Christmas at her parents’ house, which wasn’t much better. How do two atheists celebrate Christmas? The tree, the fairy lights, and the stockings had all disappeared when Hannah and Joseph had got older. That nefarious character, Father Christmas, had never been subscribed to, even when the children were little. All in all, Christmas in the Harrison household had been a non-event. For Hannah, it had always been a morning associated with disappointment.

‘What are your plans for Christmas, Hannah?’ said Kathryn.

‘The shop will close, I suppose – I hadn’t really thought further than that.’

‘Can I book you to come for lunch at our house?’

‘You hardly need to book me. I would love to come.’

‘Don’t get your expectations up, though – we have a lot of fun, but it’s not in any way civilised.’

Hannah smiled at her friend. ‘It sounds perfect.’

‘And tomorrow, too, if you want to. You will close the shop for the day, won’t you? Why don’t you come over, hang out at my house for the day.’

‘I’d love to. But let me bring lunch.’

‘Nah. We’ll forage in the fridge. Throw something together.’

Just then, the shop doorbell jingled again and both girls turned to see a tall, rangy man walk in. He was wearing dusty boots and creased cargo pants, his T-shirt printed with the silhouette of a dinosaur riding a bicycle, ET like, across an enormous moon. As he turned his unshaven face, Kathryn took a breath. ‘Oh my goodness,’ she said, goggling.

Hannah dropped her books and flew across the room into a hug which swept her off her feet and swung her around.

‘What are you doing here?’ she said, when he had released her onto her feet, breathless from his squeeze, her face alight with pleasure.

‘I could ask you the same thing,’ he said dryly. He looked over her shoulder to Kathryn, raising one eyebrow. ‘But first, how about an introduction?’

Hannah rolled her eyes. ‘Kathryn, meet my brother, Joseph, who remains the same, regardless of how many years go by.’

Kathryn, for the first time that Hannah had witnessed, remained speechless. A wide grin lifted her brother’s mouth and crinkled his eyes, taking him from gorgeous to devastating; Hannah knew Kathryn would be thinking the same.

‘You didn’t answer my calls,’ said Hannah.

‘I thought I’d answer in person,’ said Joseph casually. He pushed the door to the stoep open to pick up an enormous duffel bag which he heaved back into the shop. ‘May I put this down somewhere?’

Hannah pointed down the passage towards her apartment and, once he had jostled his bag past her, she turned to pull a face at Kathryn. Kathryn had yet to string two words together and now she merely flapped her hands at Hannah, gesturing for her to follow her brother.

Joseph had dumped his duffel in the passage and was looking into each room. Hannah, as a reflex, turned on the kettle.

‘How long can you stay, Joseph?’ she said.

He sank into a chair at the table. ‘I’m taking a few weeks in South Africa, letting some things settle in Cambridge.’

Hannah dropped a rooibos teabag in a mug for him. ‘Still plagued by women?’

He shrugged. ‘She got a bit possessive, a bit neurotic. Better if I’m not around. Hopefully she’ll realise her husband is a nice guy, really. She should turn her attentions to him.’

Hannah shook her head in disbelief. ‘Josey, your rock-like heart. Does the trail of destruction you leave in your wake not bother you at all?’

He grinned at her over the rim of his cup. ‘It’s because I have a rock-like heart that I can walk away unscathed. I can recommend it, actually.’

Hannah ignored him. ‘Where will you stay?’

‘Here.’

She looked up sharply. ‘I only have one bedroom and I’m not giving it up, not even for you.’