Read Online Checkmate by Malorie Blackman - Free Book Online Page A

with one hand, when she was about the same length and not an awful lot heavier than a cereal box. And look at her now. I put my hands on her arms. Not to pull her close, but not to push her away either. I kissed the top of her head, breathing in the red rose scent of her baby shampoo.
    'Sonny, you won't go before we get back, will you?'
    Sonny shook his head. 'You still owe me a game of chess.'
    'What's the point? You always win,' said Rose.
    'But not for much longer. You're getting so good, one day soon you'll win and I'll lose,' Sonny promised.
    Rose beamed at the thought. 'You really think?'
    Sonny nodded.
    'Come along, Callie Rose,' said Meggie tersely.
    'See you later.' Rose waved to Sonny and me as she skipped out.
    Sonny and I didn't speak until I'd closed the front door behind Meggie and my daughter.
    'D'you wanna try to finish our Just Ask Me song?' I asked.
    Sonny nodded.
    I led the way upstairs to the back bedroom. But some sixth sense kicked in halfway up the stairs and I spun round – to catch Sonny with his gaze firmly fixed on my backside.
    'You won't find any musical inspiration there,' I said dryly.
    'Oh, I don't know!' Sonny disagreed, his eyes dancing with mischief. 'That sway is poetry in motion!'
    'Sonny, behave!' I said, adding pointedly. 'How's Kasha? That is the latest one, isn't it?'
    'We've split up.'
    'Already?' I asked, aghast then amused.
    Kasha had lasted – how long? Two months, if that.
    'She wasn't the right one.'
    'You say that when you dump all your girlfriends.' I shook my head. 'You wouldn't know the right one from a hole in the ground.'
    'Oh yes, I would,' Sonny said immediately.
    'Then why don't you just go out with the right one and have done with it?' I asked, exasperated.
    Sonny regarded me for the longest moment.
    'Look, I'm sorry. It's none of my business,' I said quickly. 'The last thing I want is to antagonize one of my best friends.'
    'Is that what I am?'
    'Of course.'
    'Is that all I am?' asked Sonny.
    I frowned. 'What else is there?'
    Sonny smiled to himself – a smile with no real amusement in it. 'I could be more – if you'd let me . . .' he said softly.
    'I have no intention of joining the masses, thank you very much,' I told him, wryly.
    'You wouldn't be one of masses.'
    'Oh yeah? What would I be?'
    'The one and only.'
    'Yeah, right!' I scoffed. Now I knew he wasn't serious.
    We carried on up the stairs. I didn't know whether to smile or sigh. Sonny was in one of his silly moods. We'd be lucky if we got one new verse written.
    'Why doesn't Meggie like me?' asked Sonny unexpectedly.
    I stopped abruptly on the landing, my head whipping round to face him. 'I don't think that's particularly true.'
    Meggie just didn't like anyone. It was hard to get to know her, really know her. But then the same could be said about me.
    'I've been working with you for over five years and I don't think Meggie's said more than five sentences to me at any one time. You and I have written songs together, songs that sell, I might add; we both make a decent living and yet she still treats me like I'm sponging off you.'
    'That's just her way,' I replied, wondering why I was making excuses for her. After all, Meggie and I hadn't had much to say to each other for the longest time.
    'You know what I think? She's scared of me,' Sonny said slowly.
    'What on earth are you talking about?'
    'She's afraid of losing you and her granddaughter,' said Sonny. 'She thinks I'm trying to take Callum's place.'
    I stared at Sonny, my lower jaw hanging like a limp piece of wet lettuce.
    'But that's just crap,' I said, inelegantly when at last I found my voice.
    'Which bit? Her thinking it or my doing it?'
    'Sonny, I'm serious,' I said, with impatience.
    'What makes you think I'm not?' asked Sonny.
    If it wasn't for the amused gleam lighting his eyes, I might've been concerned. I caught myself frowning and had to make a conscious effort to relax the muscles around my mouth. Had Sonny's joking got somewhere close to the