Read Keep Me (Beggar's Choice #3) for Free Online Page B

a disagreement with someone without having to ask
them to face me. Sometimes it seems to make everything I do so artificial. I’m
drawn back by Bram stroking my hair more forcibly until I look at him.
    “I’m sorry,” he says clearly. “I didn’t think.”
    “No, I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have to think of it.”
    “ Why ?” It’s the utter incredulity in his face which
stumps me.
    “Why, what?”
    “Why shouldn’t I have to think of it?”
    “Well you’re in your own home and you’re having to make
allowances because of me.”
    “Not because of you. For you.”
    “What?”
    “That’s what mates do babe. We do things for each other. You
can’t hear properly sweets. It’s a fact so we just deal with it. No use getting
embarrassed about it with me.” He suddenly looks a bit hurt. “I can’t believe
that you actually thought that I’d be put out by it.”
    “I’m sorry,” I say instantly, grabbing his hand to stop its
absent minded caressing of my hair. I’m amazed by his casualness over the whole
thing and it’s almost like that breath of cool air that you get when you leave
a hot house. It refreshes me and bolsters me in some strange way, and watching
him I think that he knows it because he relaxes.
    “So, no turning my back on you. Anything else we should know?”
He gestures between himself and Matt as if they’re a team and I smile slightly
and then brace myself.
    “Noisy backgrounds make it difficult to pinpoint one voice,
it just all blurs into one noise.” They nod encouragingly. “I sometimes can’t
locate where a sound will come from and I can’t hear when someone mumbles, but
equally don’t shout at me.”
    “Why? Does it hurt your ears?” Bram asks anxiously.
    “No, no,” I soothe and I see Matt staring at him again. “It
just makes it incomprehensible, plus it’s bloody rude.”
    He snorts. “Okay.”
    I’m gathering strength now. “Don’t talk down to me. I’m deaf
not stupid. Sometimes I’ll mispronounce new words. Don’t laugh at me.”
    “Who the fuck …?” Bram begins but I shake my head and he
subsides to Matt’s not hidden amusement.
    “I can’t lip read properly when a man has a beard. I sing
out of tune and when I’m tired my hearing gets worse because my concentration
lapses and then I get headaches. However, my hearing in my other ear is very
good and probably better than one of yours, and I can hear my own voice so my
tone hasn’t suffered.”
    I falter to a stop and Bram looks thoughtful. “Beards eh?
I’d never have thought of that.” He shakes off whatever thought he’s had like a
dog shaking off water and then smirks. “Out of tune singing is nothing new
anyway, you should hear Matt.”
    “Fuck off!” Matt says but he’s interrupted by a phone
ringing. Bram saunters over to it.
    “Hi. Yes that’s brilliant mate. Five minutes okay?” He hangs
up and walks over holding out my jacket.
    “What?” I ask letting him help me into it and pull my hair
out of the collar for me.
    “That’s your driver. He’s waiting downstairs at the front.”
    “My what?”
    “Your driver.” He shrugs as if he’s not just dropped a
bombshell.
    I sigh. “Bram what have you done?” I ask as I rub my
forehead.
    Matt laughs. “That expression there. You should get used to
that because you’ll wear it all the time living with this one.”
    “Hey!” Bram says indignantly.
    “What? It’s the truth. I think that scientists have
officially named that cluster of wrinkles as The Bram O’Connell Area.”
    Bram sticks one finger up at him and then turns back holding
his hand up. “This isn’t negotiable babe. Henry’s going to drop you off at
university and pick you up when you’re done.” He thrusts a piece of paper that
Matt passes to him into my hand. “That’s his number. Ring him when you’re
ready. No, no,” he puts his hand up again. “No argument. It’s happening.”
    “Bram you can’t. It’s too much.”
    “No, too much would