Read Online Breaking Light by Karin Altenberg - Free Book Online

his voice seemed to be closing the subject.
    This sounded logical enough and the boys dared to glance sidelong at each other. After all, they did not yet know what it takes to build a shed. But then Gabriel remembered: ‘But what was in the envelope?’
    â€˜What envelope?’ This time he sounded less casual.
    â€˜The envelope Mr Bradley gave you!’
    â€˜He did not give me an envelope – you’re imagining things.’
    Gabriel stared in disbelief. ‘But I saw it. He did. He
did
!’ He was close to tears; everyone seemed to be against him today.
    â€˜It’s true! I saw it too.’ Michael was just as agitated.
    Gabriel took a step closer to his friend and was rewarded with the sand smell of his skin.
    Uncle Gerry looked at them in a strange way. ‘Ah, bugger it,’ he swore and kicked at one of the poles. ‘All this secrecy – it’s ridiculous – idiotic!’
    The boys were silent and wide-eyed as the man put an arm over each of their shoulders and led them back into the house. He poured himself a drink from the Bell’s bottle and took a sip before clearing his throat. ‘Mr Bradley has very generously decided to fund an operation.’ There: it was said.
    â€˜An operation? Are you sick, Uncle?’ Gabriel was suddenly scared.
    â€˜No, Gabe, I’m fine …’ He took another sip. ‘Listen, my lad; ever since you were a little boy, your mother and I have been wanting … hoping … to mend your face. But it has not been easy; there was the war … We both lost a lot in the war and it has taken a while for us to get back on our feet. Your mother has been working very hard but there’s never enough to put aside … and I … I have been rather useless lately. Not particularly reliable.’ He laughed coarsely and drained his glass.
    Michael took Gabriel’s hand in his and the warmth of their palms protected them.
    The man would not look at them as he poured another drink. ‘Anyway, that’s of no consequence now that Mr Bradley hascome back.’ He seemed to snarl the name, but Gabriel only noticed the last bit.
    â€˜Come back? Has he been here before?’
    But Uncle Gerry ignored this question and continued: ‘The long and the short of it is that Mr Bradley has offered to pay for your operation. He came here to discuss the details … You will be taken to the hospital in Exeter at the end of the summer – and your face will be as good as new by Christmas.’
    â€˜But why would my dad organise the operation? He has never even met Gabe.’
    â€˜Your father is a rich man, Michael – and that explains a lot. He can afford that which we fail to offer.’
    But Gabriel, on his part, was not surprised. Hadn’t he always known that he was not in charge of his own life? That things relating to him could be passed around in brown envelopes? That he was the wrong one that needed mending? Even Michael’s dad knew it. And so Gabriel gravely accepted this telling of an operation, which he understood was offered as a form of kindness. And yet, at this hour of sunset, when the obscure light that fell through the window of the cottage was further dulled by the rose that climbed outside, Gabriel realised that there was another mystery to his life. Because, although his intuition told him that he was quite alone in the adult world, he knew that in a parallel existence, where he was expected to have a purpose, there
were
things that could be relied upon – insubstantial things, perhaps, but still reliable: the song of the river and the rustle of the trees, for instance, and the smoke of blossom through the hawthorn, the broken shadow of the standing stone and the watching eye of the red kite. And there was that other part which would make him whole. There was Michael.
    *
    Mr Askew found himself in Rowden’s, lost amongst bird feeders,