Read Sand Glass for Free Online Page A

and
left the little plant-fronded sitting room, shying from the bright
natural light.
    ‘Give her a
little time.’ said Marcia. ‘We are about to do something that has
never been done by normal people.’
    ‘Walk on
water?’
    ‘Don’t be
facetious. But yes, if you like, perhaps something similar to
that.’
    ‘What does
Psalm 32 say?’
    ‘It the one
that starts: Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose
sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not
count against him…. And so on. It not one of the longest but has
four or five verses I think.’
    ‘What was Jared
going to be interviewed for?’
    ‘I can’t
say.’
    ‘You can’t or
you won’t?’
    ‘I won’t.’
Marcia’s eyes narrowed, she was giving it all to be strong. I hated
the blundering idiot that I was. Upsetting Janey and Marcia within
the space of five minutes.
    Janey choose
that moment to come back in. she looked like she had been crying,
but since I didn’t want to appear more of an insensitive Oaf, I
opted for pretending I’d not noticed.
    ‘What can I do
to help?’ she asked.
    ‘You can get us
back in.’ said Marcia. ‘Davey?’
    ‘Yes. Good. She
is the boss of the thing. We just need the others on the team as
well. They can get us equipment, supplies, batteries etc.; and
rope.’
    ‘Rope?’ Janey
seemed cheered by the thought.
    ‘Yeah…, always
a good idea in a tight spot.’ I said, ‘Marcia. Anything I’ve
missed?’
    ‘Tags. That’s
what we need from George. Preferably blank ones, so we can dump
them if needed.’
    ‘Ok.’ said
Janey, ‘So shall I get in touch, and accept their gracious
invitation?’
    Marcia and I
looked at each other. ‘It’s dangerous.’ I said;
    ‘It’s difficult
to fool people unless they’re idiots.’ said Marcia.
    ‘Don’t worry,’
I said, ‘I think I have the perfect plan.’
     
*****
     
     
Three
    Alex seemed
quite at ease with all of us crammed into his front room. He
dispensed chocolate biscuits with largesse.
    Jules was next
to me on one squashy settee thing. George, Sam and Kyle were on the
large one. Everyone else was perched or sunk onto an assortment of
chairs and stools. Violette was sliding down onto Jules from the
arm of the chair. He finally tipped her and she relaxed onto his
knee. Her fine blonde hair was flopping over her jumper and on
Jules and sticking like static to his hand. He smoothed his palm
over her hair to stop the flyaway.
    ‘I’m quite
happy to allow anything up to the horizontal Mambo.’ Alex boomed,
‘But you will have to help me get the tea first.’
    ‘Of
course.’
    Violette left
the room, and Janey and Marcia both frowned as all the blokes
seemed transfixed by her lush thighs in the leggings undulating out
of the room beneath her oatmeal giant chunky knit.
    ‘Definitely a
ten.’ said George.
    ‘You work with
her!’ Marcia was clearly disgusted.
    ‘Not anymore.
Anyway professional judgement is easier to accept if wrapped up in
the right parcel.’
    ‘I’m surprised
you didn’t say “baggage”!’ Marcia was crossly trying to make us
behave.
    The other lads
were Joe, James, and Adam. The latter declared that the whole thing
had been a trick, but if there was compensation to be had he was
in. he seemed like he was joking. Janey sat by herself in a little
corner by one of Alex’s plants. She said hardly a word. But
murmured a thanks as the tea came round.
    Alex brought in
another kitchen chair and parked it next to Janey. Violette
promptly sat down in it. She had a whispered conversation that I
couldn't quite overhear. Not that I was exactly trying to. Just a
few stray words escaped. Violette put her arm round Janey's
shoulders in the way that girls do when secrets of an unhappy
nature are being discussed. I noticed Janey's eyes flicker upwards
towards me. She turned away then and Violette handed her a
tissue.
    ‘Come on
Jules!’ said Adam, ‘You really are the darkest horse ever.’
    ‘Well….when I
was