Last Days With the Dead Read Online Free Page B

neck.
    ‘Oh, yes, now I think of it, your face does ring a bell ,’ she replied, her hand leaving Danny’s to cup the side of Leon’s face behind her.
    ‘And how are you, Danny-boy?’ Leon said, reaching forward to ruffle Danny’s sandy blond hair . ‘You taking good care of my lady?’
    At the sound of Leon’s voice, Danny surprisingly turned his head to look back at the young mixed-race man who had spoken. For a split second, there was some kind of recognition behind his eyes, but as Danny’s gaze flitted across Leon’s face, it was lost again.
    ‘What was that about?’ Leon whispered to Jen .
    ‘Who knows,’ she replied, puzzled as much as Leon by Danny’s brief trip back to reality , ‘it could be something as simple as the tone of your voice. You know, reminding him of his father or something.’
    ‘Or perhaps you just like me, don’t you Danny-boy, eh ,’ Leon continued, reaching forward again to pat the small boy on the head, ‘you and me are best buds, aren’t we?’
    But this time Danny gave no reaction to Leon’s touch, the boy was lost again.
    ‘Anyway, what are you doing back so early?’ Jen asked, turning her head to look back at Leon. ‘I thought you weren’t due back until tomorrow, and where’s Cam? Nothing’s happened to him I hope. ’
    ‘I was just about to ask the same ,’ said Liz, walking over to the couple, Saleana resting peacefully on her shoulder.
    ‘Patrick and Imran are coming up in a minute, I’ll go through it all then,’ he replied, siting back on his ankles , ‘and Cam’s gone for a wash. I just wanted something to eat first.’
    ‘Pity you didn’t take his example ,’ Jen said with a smile.
    ‘What?’ Leon said, lifting his arm to smell the armpit of his T-shirt . ‘That’s the smell of a man that is.’
    ‘Yeah, a man that hasn’t washed in two days ,’ Jen continued, wrinkling her nose.
    ‘But everything’s o kay?’ Liz interrupted.
    ‘For the moment, yes ,’ Leon replied, as he pushed himself back up. ‘Look, let me get some food, and then Cam and I will tell you what happened.’
    Trusting that if it was something that posed an immediate danger to the safety of Lanherne , he would have said so right away, Liz nodded back at him, all the while, her hand moved slowly in a circular motion over Saleana’s back. After watching the young man disappear through the side door that led to the kitchen, Liz turned back to Jen.
    ‘It suits you, you know ,’ she said, nodding towards Danny, ‘being a mum, you’re a natural.’
    ‘Oh, I don’t know about that,’ Jen replied, looking from Liz back to Danny , ‘I never really thought I’d get to experience that side of life, well, not until I came here. I spent the last four years travelling with my brother, so just trying to stay alive was hard enough...’
    Jen’s voice trailed off , as sad memories of the brother’s pointless death rose to the surface of her mind, bringing tears to her eyes.
    ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to…’ Liz said, reaching to touch Jen’s shoulder .
    ‘No, no , it’s alright,’ she replied, shaking herself free of the memories. ‘Anyway, as I was saying, being a mum was never on the cards before, but who knows, this place seems different, perhaps, one day…’
    ‘Wh at do you mean ‘perhaps one day’?’ Liz said, nodding towards the silent child nestled between Jen’s legs. ‘You’ve moved Danny into your room, you wash, feed and care for him, if that’s not being a parent what is?’
    ‘I suppose so ,’ she replied, looking thoughtfully back down at Danny.
    ‘And with you and Leon,’ Liz continued, waggling her eyebrows suggestively at Jen , ‘it won’t be long until you have one of your own too.’
    ‘God , and twins run in my family!’ said Jen looking at Liz in mock horror.
    ‘Ouch ,’ Liz laughed, ‘well, look on the bright side; at least we’ve got Avery.’
    ‘I’ve got Avery ,’ said Phil, following Leon back into the Refectory,