Chapter 2

A few days later

Christian and Syed sit eating their breakfast; Christian is talking about something funny that happened in the Vic, and Syed is pretending to listen. "We've slipped back into our old routine as if the past few months had never happened," he thinks despondently.

"I said, I've been thinking; Syed, are you listening to me?" Christian says impatiently.

"Yea, what about?" he automatically replies.

"We need to get in touch with Amira about seeing Yasmin; maybe we could suggest having her for a couple of weeks at a time, so that it would be worthwhile bringing her down to London."

"Amira's split up with Jake; she's moving back to London," Syed responds.

"Really, but that's brilliant," Christian cries. "Of course it's a shame for Amira but … When did she tell you? And why didn't you tell me?" he adds, the tone of the last question slightly accusing.

"She phoned yesterday. She's suddenly decided she's bored and wants to come home; Birmingham is very different from Paris, apparently."

"Okay, well, we'll just have to make sure she only dates London guys from now on," Christian says happily. "And, I was thinking it might be a good idea to have another look at adopting; it would be nice ..."

"Christian, right now we can't even afford Yasmin," Syed reminds him.

"… for Yasmin to have a little brother or sister," Christian continues, warming to his theme. "I mentioned it to Rox, and she said that no one's lived at 43a since we left. She also offered to loan us the deposit, so that we can move back in there straight away. Rox thinks we now have an even better chance of being considered for adoption, because we've proven ourselves well able to look after a child. Yasmin could even vouch for us," he eagerly suggests.

"Meet around corner from AB at 12. Urgent. Your family," the text from Danny instructs.

"Am I boring you?" Christian asks tetchily.

"What?" Syed asks distractedly.

"Who is the text from?"

"Tam; he needs me to come in at 12 instead of 3 today."

"So, what do you think?"

"About what?"

"The adoption."

"I don't know; maybe we're taking on too much."

"Nonsense; after I've finished my shift, I'll check with the landlord to find out how soon we can move into the flat," Christian decides, getting up and taking his dish and glass to the sink.

"Okay," Syed capitulates with a sigh.

"You could at least sound slightly enthusiastic about it?"

"I am," Syed lies, "it's just that I can't believe we're back to where we were a year ago."

"Yea, and whose fault is that? It wasn't me who f**ked up," Christian bitterly reminds him. "Where are you going?"

Syed can't summon the effort to think up an excuse; so he doesn't, he simply walks out.

"Sy, come back; I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up again; I know it's all in the past, that we've moved on," Christian calls after him, but it's too late.

###

12 noon

"What do you want?" Syed growls, as soon as he comes face to face with Danny.

"How are things? What've you been up to?" he casually responds. "How's married life treating you?"

"None of your business; tell me why you asked me to come here, and what it has to do with my family."

"Saw you with Christian yesterday; you looked miserable."

"If you're planning to start hassling me again, you can forget it," Syed firmly sets him straight. He starts to turn to walk away.

"Did your parents tell you that whilst you were away they got a loan to re-open the Argee Bhajee; that they put their home up as collateral," Danny stops him in his tracks.

"And? What's your point?" Syed affects a bored tone, attempting to give the impression that this is not news to him. He is overcome with a feeling of dread, as he waits for the answer.

"And I now own the loan, and can call it due in at any time."

"How is that possible?"

"The government is giving cheap credit to banks at the moment, charging them low interest rates; to encourage the banks to lend to small businesses. All I had to do was get a colleague to phone your dad with a 'special offer' loan at a really cheap rate of interest, an 'opportunity too good to miss'; the usual bullsh*t people spout over the phone when they are trying to sell stuff. And once the loan agreement had been signed, he passed all the paperwork over to me."

"So, what are you saying?"

"If I don't get the £500 you owe me by tomorrow evening, I'm going to make your family homeless."

"But it's you who owes my family money," Syed responds, bewildered. "You could go to jail for fraud," he tries to repeat his father's threat of a few months earlier.

"I've got all my files in order now; your family couldn't prove anything," Danny easily waives the threat away. "So, like I said, £500 tomorrow evening."

"I don't have that kind of money," Syed pleads, but Danny is already walking away.

###

Later that day

"Hi Phil," Syed greets, with a big friendly smile, as he walks into the Garage.

"What do you want?" he returns, with no smile.

"I think there's a way you and I could help each other out, actually."

"And I think you're nothing more than a flashy chancer going nowhere; now p*ss off before I give you a smack in the mouth, just because it's been a few weeks since I've hit anyone.

Syed shrugs his shoulders to let Phil think he doesn't really care either way, and walks out of the garage with his head held high. He spots Michael further up the street, but hasn't the stomach for another verbal slap in the face. Sometimes, he wishes people were a bit nicer; and other times he wishes he'd gotten an office job when he left Uni, and settled for a steady wage; so that he wouldn't have to deal with the Phil's, Michael's and Danny's of this world.

#

"Don't suppose you've got a spare £500 lying around, bro," he half-heartedly asks Tamwar that evening as they set the tables for dinner.

"I'm supposed to be the funny one in this family," Tamwar responds. "And, to be honest, it's still a little too soon for you to be making jokes like that."

"Yea, sorry," Syed murmurs embarrassed.

"Ian looking for a deposit to let you stay in the bedsit?"

"Yea, but Christian will sweet talk him; it'll be fine."

"I've only got about £200 left in my bank account after I've paid everything," Tamwar admits; "but if you're really stuck …"

"No, Tam, don't even think about it," Syed quickly refuses the offer; overcome with a rush of guilt at his brother's generosity even after everything that's happened. "I really don't deserve you," he adds wretchedly after a few minutes.

"No, Syed, it's me who really doesn't deserve you," Tamwar teases.

"Did mum and dad happen to mention where they got the money to re-open this place?"

"A relative of mum's, I think?" Tamwar replies. "Not sure who it could be, though; I didn't think we were on particularly good terms with anyone on her side of the family. I give her the money to cover the loan repayments in cash at the end of each month, but I'm not exactly sure what she does with it."

"Right," Syed says uneasily. He knows there isn't any 'relative'; that they told Tamwar this story to stop him worrying. He remembers his mum mentioning in a phone call, a month or two ago, that they were worried about him sinking into depression; this was obviously a way of giving him a purpose. They risked everything to help Tamwar; and he, Syed, was to blame; he put them in this position. He knew he couldn't let them down again …