Masters & Lovers Box Set Three

Twenty-Six Years Ago

The phone rings and he picks it up… “Hello?” … then jolts as he hears the voice.

“Davey? Is that you?”

“Shelley? Yes, it’s me.” He pauses, looks over his shoulder then around the doorway into the lounge. “Shelley, Stephen’s not here right now, but I’ll have to talk quietly. How are you? Why are you calling? After all this time, why are you calling now?”

“Davey…” Her voice trembles. “I was wondering if… Would it be possible for me to come home?”

“Home?” He holds the receiver as though accusing it of lying. “You want to come home? Shelley, has something happened? Are you alright?”

“Yes, something’s happened, and… no, I’m not alright. Do you think I could come? Would that be... possible?”

“Permanently you mean? To leave the City?”

Clumping sounds in the background; Stephen coming down the stairs. “Who is it?”

“Ah… no-one.”

Stephen looks at him askance. “No-one? What’s that supposed to mean?”

David takes a breath. “It’s Shelley.”

“Shelley?” Stephen looks upstairs. “And what does she want?”

covers the receiver with a hand. “She wants to

she took off the way she

“Steph…”

Stephen snatches it from his brother’s hand. “Shelley. You’re not coming back here. Don’t ring again. You’re not welcome.” He starts to slam the receiver down, but David grabs it before it clicks

mind, I’d like

sister of mine. And she’s

scared. Something has happened and… Oh, God, please

what I can do Shelley, but I can’t make any promises. Can you tell me

You know how she was earning a

sake, Steve,

begins at home and

*****

The Present - James

knock on the door: Foreman’s

A grunt; “Door’s open.”

as he stoops over site schematics spread flat, pinned at the corners with ashtrays, a spanner and a

jerks his chin to

“Thanks, yes.”

of shouting outdoor instructions up gantries and scaffolding, and across acres. He pours from the kettle and passes me the cup. I eye the chipped and

God for boiling