Read Online Three Button Trick and Other Stories by Nicola Barker - Free Book Online Page A

‘That’s not the point.’
    â€˜So I do know them?’
    â€˜I didn’t say you knew them.’
    â€˜Are they younger than me?’
    Sydney squirmed. ‘I just thought …’
    â€˜Why are you telling me this?’
    Sydney picked up her briefcase. ‘Not for any reason, really.’ She frowned and then asked out loud. ‘Why am I telling you? I don’t know.’ She stood up. ‘That three button thing you do’, she said finally, ‘I just wanted to tell you that it’s a real cheap trick.’
    Half a bottle of Jim Beam later, it finally clicked. The only thing that made sense. Carrie was having an affair with Sydney. And Sydney was terrified of what exactly his response might be. She was intimidated by him. She was threatened. Naturally. And she’d really wanted to tell him too, to throw it in his face, debilitate him. Only then … only then she just didn’t have the nerve. That was it! Had to be. Carrie and Sydney. Sydney and Carrie. Wow.
    â€˜You won’t believe this, Sydney. Something so odd happened …’ They were pulling on their leotards and tying up their laces.
    â€˜Try me.’
    â€˜Jack rang. He left a message on the machine. He wants to drop by. On Wednesday.’
    Sydney pulled the bow stiff on her lace. She straightened up.
    â€˜But Wednesday!’ she exclaimed. ‘Isn’t that ballet night?’
    Carrie looked uneasy, momentarily, like she didn’t know quite what Sydney was getting at. ‘Uh, yes …’
    â€˜So you won’t be needing your tickets?’
    â€˜I suppose not, unless …’
    â€˜So I could have them both, maybe?’
    â€˜You?’
    â€˜Yeah. I quite got a taste for it the other night. How about it, huh?’
    Heinz started when he saw her. He wondered whether Carrie had come with her but had popped to the Ladies for some reason, or to the bar. He squeezed his way over to his seat.
    â€˜Hello there.’
    Sydney looked up. ‘Oh, hi. How are you?’
    â€˜Not too bad. Not too bad at all.’
    He sat down, adjusted his position, pulled at his little bow tie which constricted him, reached into his jacket pocket and pulled from its depths a Cadbury’s Chocolate Orange. He unwrapped the foil and offered the orange to Sydney.
    â€˜Dark chocolate,’ he said.
    Sydney tried to pull off a slice but it wouldn’t come loose. Heinz intervened, knocked at the chocolate orange with the centre of his palm and then offered it to her again.
    â€˜Thanks,’ Sydney said, smiling, showing him what fine, straight teeth she had and just how sweet and obliging she could be.
    Jack had brought flowers. Lilies. Her favourites.
    â€˜Look, Carrie, I met up with Sydney the other day.’
    Carrie was putting the flowers in water, but preparing each stem first by slicing an inch off the bottom at a sharp angle. That way, she knew, the flower could drink so much more.
    â€˜Sydney?’
    â€˜Yeah.’
    â€˜She didn’t mention it.’
    â€˜No?’
    Jack was actually relieved. He’d been worried in case Sydney might have blotted his copybook with Carrie by suggesting things about him, by exaggerating or maligning. Sydney could bitch with the best when she felt the urge. She was dangerous.
    â€˜Let me tell you something,’ Jack said, leaning his back up against one of the kitchen cupboards.
    â€˜What?’ Carrie was wide eyed and restless. What had Sydney said? Had she been indiscreet? Had she mentioned Heinz?
    â€˜I know what’s been going on,’ Jack said, ‘and I’m here to tell you that I don’t care. I’ve given it some thought …’
    â€˜What do you know?’
    â€˜About you and Sydney.’
    â€˜What about us?’
    He put out both his hands. ‘Just tell me,’ he said, ‘that it’s over. Because my suitcase,’ he couldn’t hide his smile, ‘my suitcase,