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‘Colin； you know what you’re supposed to do；’ his mother was saying。 She sounded exhausted。 ‘Please； Colin—’
‘We had dinner with them on Saturday night。 The night before he died。 I cooked。 What if—’
‘Colin； you didn’t put anything in the food – for God’s sake； now I’m doing it – I’m not supposed to do this； Colin； you know I’m not supposed to get into it。 This is your OCD talking。’
‘But I might’ve； Tess； I suddenly thought； what if I put something—’
‘Then why are we alive； you； me and Mary？ They did a post…mortem； Colin！’
‘Nobody told us the details。 Mary never told us。 I think that’s why she doesn’t want to talk to me any more。 She suspects。’
‘Colin； for Christ’s sake—’
Tessa’s voice became an urgent whisper； too quiet to hear。 Fats’ mobile vibrated again。 He pulled it out of his pocket。 Krystal’s number。 He answered。
‘Hiya；’ said Krystal； over what sounded like a kid shouting。 ‘D’you wanna meet up？’
‘Dunno；’ yawned Fats。 He had been intending to go to bed。
‘I’m in’ into Pagford on the bus。 We could hook up。’
Last night he had pressed Gaia Bawden into the railings outside the town hall； until she had pulled away from him and thrown up。 Then she had started to berate him again； so he had left her there and walked home。
‘I dunno；’ he said。 He felt so tired； so miserable。
‘Go on；’ she said。
From the study； he heard Colin。 ‘You say that； but would it show up？ What if I—’
‘Colin； we shouldn’t be going into this – you’re not supposed to take these ideas seriously。’
‘How can you say that to me？ How can I not take it seriously？ If I’m responsible—’
‘Yeah； all right；’ said Fats to Krystal。 ‘I’ll meet you in twenty； front of the pub in the Square。’
VII
‘Fuckin’ shurrup； Robbie！ Shurrup！’
Krystal had dragged Robbie to a bus stop several streets away； so that neither Obbo nor Terri could find them。 She was not sure she had enough money for the fare； but she was determined to get to Pagford。 Nana Cath was gone； Mr Fairbrother was gone； but Fats Wall was there； and she needed to make a baby。
‘Why wuz ’e in the room with yeh？’ Krystal shouted at Robbie； who grizzled and did not answer。
There was only a tiny amount of battery power left on Terri’s mobile phone。 Krystal called Fats’ number； but it went to voicemail。
In Church Row； Fats was busy eating toast and listening to his parents having one of their familiar； bizarre conversations in the study across the hall。 It was a wele distraction from his own thoughts。 The mobile in his pocket vibrated but he did not answer it。 There was nobody he wanted to talk to。 It would not be Andrew。 Not after last night。
‘Colin； you know what you’re supposed to do；’ his mother was saying。 She sounded exhausted。 ‘Please； Colin—’
‘We had dinner with them on Saturday night。 The night before he died。 I cooked。 What if—’
‘Colin； you didn’t put anything in the food – for God’s sake； now I’m doing it – I’m not supposed to do this； Colin； you know I’m not supposed to get into it。 This is your OCD talking。’
‘But I might’ve； Tess； I suddenly thought； what if I put something—’
‘Then why are we alive； you； me and Mary？ They did a post…mortem； Colin！’
‘Nobody told us the details。 Mary never told us。 I think that’s why she doesn’t want to talk to me any more。 She suspects。’
‘Colin； for Christ’s sake—’
Tessa’s voice became an urgent whisper； too quiet to hear。 Fats’ mobile vibrated again。 He pulled it out of his pocket。 Krystal’s number。 He answered。
‘Hiya；’ said Krystal； over what sounded like a kid shouting。 ‘D’you wanna meet up？’
‘Dunno；’ yawned Fats。 He had been intending to go to bed。
‘I’m in’ into Pagford on the bus。 We could hook up。’
Last night he had pressed Gaia Bawden into the railings outside the town hall； until she had pulled away from him and thrown up。 Then she had started to berate him again； so he had left her there and walked home。
‘I dunno；’ he said。 He felt so tired； so miserable。
‘Go on；’ she said。
From the study； he heard Colin。 ‘You say that； but would it show up？ What if I—’
‘Colin； we shouldn’t be going into this – you’re not supposed to take these ideas seriously。’
‘How can you say that to me？ How can I not take it seriously？ If I’m responsible—’
‘Yeah； all right；’ said Fats to Krystal。 ‘I’ll meet you in twenty； front of the pub in the Square。’
IX
The journey took Krystal back to her childhood。 She had made this trip daily to St Thomas’s； all on her own； on the bus。 She knew when the abbey would e into sight； and she pointed it out to Robbie。
‘See the big ruin’ castle？’
Robbie was hungry； but slightly distracted by the excitement of being on a bus。 Krystal held his hand tightly。 She had promised him food when they got off at the other end； but she did not know where she would get it。 Perhaps she could borrow money from Fats for a bag of crisps； not to mention the return bus fare。
‘I wen’ ter school ’ere；’ she told Robbie； while he wiped his fingers on the dirty windows； making abstract patterns。 ‘An’ you’ll go to school ’ere too。’
When they rehoused her； because of her pregnancy； they were almost certain to give her another Fields house； nobody wanted to buy them； they were so run down。 But Krystal saw this as a good thing； because in spite of their dilapidation it would put Robbie and the baby in the catchment area for St Thomas’s。 Anyway； Fats’ parents would almost certainly give her enough money for a washing machine once she had their grandchild。 They might even get a television。
The bus rolled down a slope towards Pagford； and Krystal caught a glimpse of the glittering river； briefly visible before the road sank too low。 She had been disappointed； when she joined the rowing team； that they did not train on the Orr； but on the dirty old canal in Yarvil。
‘’Ere we are；’ Krystal told Robbie； as the bus turned slowly into the flower…decked square。
Fats had forgotten that waiting in front of the Black Canon meant standing opposite Mollison and Lowe’s and the Copper Kettle。 There was more than