reunions. Move on, look to the future. Plenty more faces out there.

But  as  he  made  his  decision,  her  mouth  stretched  open  into  a  wide  smile  and  without 

opening her eyes she said:

So, what do you reckon, Dex?‘

About what, Em?‘

Me and you. Is it love, d‘you think?‘ and she gave a low laugh, her lips tightly closed.

Just go to sleep, will you?‘

Stop staring up my nose then.‘ She opened her eyes, blue and green, bright  and shrewd. 

What‘s tomorrow?‘ she mumbled.

Today you mean?‘

Today. This bright new day that awaits us.‘

It‘s a Saturday. Saturday all day. St Swithin‘s Day as a matter of fact.‘

What‘s that then?‘

Tradition. If it rains today it‘ll rain for the next  forty days, or all summer, or something 

like that."

音频:

She frowned. "That doesn‘t make any sense."

Not meant to. It‘s a superstition.‘

Raining where? It‘s always raining somewhere.‘

On St Swithin‘s grave. He‘s buried outside Winchester Cathedral.‘

How come you know all this?‘

I went to school there.‘

Well la-di-da,‘ she mumbled into the pillow.

―If on St Swithin it doth rain/Something dum-di-dum again.‖‘

That‘s a beautiful poem.‘

Well, I‘m paraphrasing.‘

She laughed once again, then raised her head sleepily. "But Dex?"

Em?‘

If it doesn‘t rain today?‘

Uh-huh.‘

What are you doing later?‘ 

Tell her that you’re busy.

Nothing much,‘ he said.

So shall we do something then? Me and you, I mean?‘

Wait ’til she’s asleep then sneak away.

Yeah. Alright,‘ he said. "Let‘s do something."

She  allowed  her  head  to  drop  onto  the  pillow  once  more.  "Brand  new  day,‘  she 

murmured.

Brand new day.‘ 

 

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER TWO

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Back to Life

　　　　　　　　　　　　　SATURDAY 15 JULY 1989

Wolverhampton and Rome

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Girls’ Changing Rooms

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Stoke Park Comprehensive School

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Wolverhampton

                                                                                     15 July 1989