Page 94 of Diving In
My phone buzzes and I pull it towards me. I can see myself reflected in the screen. Lopsided ponytail, and bags under my eyes that no amount of concealer can hide. Tom’s calling. I put him on speaker, propping the phone against my mug.
“Wow,” he says by way of hello. “Didn’t expect you to pick up. Thought you’d be married to a resus mannequin by now.”
“Rude.” I uncap my pen again. “I’m cheating on the mannequin with a textbook.”
“Did you find the Tupperware?”
“I did. The food was delicious, thank you. I’m going to re-name you Captain Tupperware on my phone.”
“I might try a new recipe next week,” he says enthusiastically and I wince. Tom’s a dreadful cook. This one pasta he makes is good, but the rest… However, given my brother is kindly delivering me food, I’m in no position to comment.
“Sounds great.”
“Liar,” he laughs. “Anyway, I didn’t expect you to pick up. You should go to bed.”
“I’m fine,” I lie, circling a dosage in the textbook I’m suddenly not sure about. “Physiology revision is melting my brain.”
“Then park the brain, and go to sleep,” he says, teacher voice switched on. “Revision is a wall you build brick by brick, not all at once.”
I snort. “Who knew teachers could be poetic?”
“I’m quoting myself from Year 11. It worked on you then.”
“Only because you bribed me with Jelly Babies.”
“I’ll bribe you again,” he says. “I’ll drop more food round tomorrow, with Jelly Babies. But only if you go to bed soon.”
“Bossy.”
“Genetic. Also—are you still going to Manchester this weekend?”
“No.” I press the heel of my hand between my eyes. “And Theo isn’t free the weekend after. Anyway I’m going to do another twenty-five minutes now and then head to bed.”
“Ten.”
“Twenty.”
“Fifteen,” he bargains, amusement warm through the speaker, “and I’ll throw in Haribo alongside the Jelly Babies.”
I can’t help smiling. “Deal.”
“Night, sis.”
“Night.”
I tap the call away and turn over the next card. Fifteen minutes. I set the timer and try to make some more room in my brain. I feel like something isn’t right with me. I’ve always worked hard, but it’s never felt this all-consuming. This exhausting. But it’s just a busy time in the hospital, I just need to push through and everything will be better.
I yawn and flip onto the next flashcard.
Chapter 41
Twenty-four years old
Sam
The pool lights come on before the sun rises. Coach Campbell, who’s been training me during my post-grad degree, stands at the whiteboard, twirling a dry-erase marker like he’s about to conduct an orchestra.
“Warm up on your own,” Coach calls. “Then we’re into IM work. Fletcher, you’re with Austin, lane three. Hit the turns.”
