Dear Infidel Read Online Free PDF Page B

pedalling motion.
    The phone rang again.
    ‘A change of plan already, Nikki?’ She spoke lightly and stretched to fill a glass of water.
    ‘Hi, Nazneen.’
    The tumbler slipped from her hand, the glass smacking into her knee as cold water splashed her thighs.
    ‘Nazneen, it’s Martin.’
    Still no response.
    ‘How did you get my number?’ She gazed down at her soaked nightie and bed sheet, the warm pastel blue being devoured by a dark, expanding wetness.
    ‘Remember Stefan? From uni? You bumped into him a while back. We still hang out together.’ Her face soured. Stefan, uni, Martin ... Who the hell did these characters think they were, invading her space? And today of all days. ‘I’m sorry about last time – when we met.’
    She scoffed silently.
    ‘You know my husband could have picked up.’
    ‘So? We’re friends, right? Old friends. It’s OK to have a past, isn’t it?’
    ‘What makes you think you ever came up in conversation? And anyway, why call me? I thought you were only into “new experiences”.’
    She winced as she remembered – the last time they met, post-uni, after having split up.
    ‘Please. I tried to explain. I wrote to you. I don’t know if you ever got my letter.’
    She got off the bed, threw the duvet on the floor and ripped the bed sheet off.
    ‘What do you want, Martin?’
    ‘Just five minutes ... To explain. That day when we met up – it was so disorientating.’
    ‘Why? Because we weren’t a couple anymore?’ Cupping the portable to her ear she stomped over to the linen basket, slamming the sheets in.
    ‘No. Dunno ... Maybe in part. It was just weird, meeting in London. And us both in suits!’ He laughed nervously but found no echo. ‘I’d just wanted to recapture. Remember. I hated this city when I first got here.’
    ‘Really? You could’ve fooled me. I think the phrase you used was “Pleasure Dome”.’
    ‘Jesus, try and understand. This place is so ... anonymous. Back in Bournemouth, at uni – we mattered. In London I became just another monkey in a bloody suit. I was trying to be upbeat, let you know I was doing all right.’
    Silence.
    ‘I should go, Martin. I’ve actually got a lot on today. Speak another time, yeah?’
    ‘You think I could ever forget you, Nazneen?’
    And there was a sincerity in his voice that rattled her. She stayed silent.
    ‘You ... you plague my thoughts.’ He spat the words out like he was trying to exorcise demons. ‘Remember Colorado? I keep thinking of that summer. Remember Red Rocks?’
    She stood frozen at the end of the bed. On the wall above was a framed picture; her and Aadam on their wedding day.
    ‘We went hiking there a few times. It was kind of innocuous, really. You’ve probably long forgotten. But just lately, Christ ... it keeps coming back to me.’
    Red Rocks Park, Colorado. An infinite blue horizon, black as coal by night; red sandstone pillars, lacerating earth and sky. But it wasn’t about the terrain, it wasn’t about him and it wasn’t even about her. It was them – Nazneen and Martin – their summer together.
    ‘I never understood why we broke up,’ he confessed, his voice wrenching. ‘Why you walked away ... from me.’
    She couldn’t take her eyes off that photo. Aadam looked so ... childlike , his joy unrestrained. But Red Rocks – she hadn’t forgotten either. Could never forget.
    ‘I’m happily married, Martin.’
    ‘I’m glad. Never change though. Promise me that. Keep my number, OK?’ He hung up. Nazneen kept the phone clasped to her ear, the monotone signal rattling her skull.

6
    It was mid-morning and Salman stood outside the masjid, mapping out the day ahead: home in thirty minutes, relax with the family for a couple of hours and then leave at one. They could get to Arwa Masi’s a little late – it wasn’t an issue. Be in-control , he ordered himself whilst inhaling greedily. And don’t worry about Pasha. It will be interesting, our reunion today. He looked around with