The Minnow by Diana Sweeney

and when I look down at my feet I notice that the carpets are soaked. Water is seeping under the door.
    The woman wakes up and gets out of bed. She is dressed in elegant trousers and a soft wool cardigan. She walks away from me, to a desk on the other side of the room. I stand there, with my back to the window, waiting for someone to notice me.
    The sound of rushing water is deafening.
    â€˜Wake up, buddy.’
    I’m vaguely aware of someone talking. I can hear the crashing roar of the falls, followed by a sudden blast of cold air on my face.
    â€˜C’mon, sleepyhead,’ says Paul. I open my eyes to see him leaning against the door, lighting a cigarette. ‘Jacko and Bill are over at the railing, waiting for us.’
    I can’t see them, but the noise and the mist tell me we’ve parked really close. I unclip my seatbelt and Paul helps me down from the cab.
    â€˜Sorry about before,’ he says, as we walk across the car park. ‘Sometimes I run off at the mouth without thinking. Next time, bloody kick me.’
    â€˜Don’t worry about it,’ I say.
    Paul stops to grind his cigarette under his boot, then picks the butt off the ground and stashes it in his shirt pocket. Nana says it’s an odd man who doesn’t mind polluting his body, but is adamant about saving the environment.
    â€˜Piggyback?’ I ask.
    â€˜Sure,’ he answers and bends down to let me climb aboard.
    Dad built Sarah and me a tree house in the magnolia. When the tree was flowering, the scent was almost overpowering. We had a rope ladder which was tied in three places to stop it swinging. I would have preferred it loose. What was the point of a rope ladder if it was fixed in three places? But Sarah got nervous if it swung around. Dad said that when she got older he’d untie the fastenings.
    I decided that if the tree house had survived the flood, I’d fix it up for the Minnow. I could untie the ladder and teach her to climb like me.
    â€˜Would you come with me to the old place?’ I ask Jonah. Jonah and I are lying side by side on the small hospital bed.
    â€˜You know your house got washed away.’
    â€˜I know. But it’s over a year and I haven’t been back. Not even to check on the tree house.’
    â€˜It’s still there,’ says Jonah. ‘I went with James.’
    â€˜What do you mean, you went with James?’ I can feel myself getting angry and I’m not sure why.
    â€˜Don’t get upset, Tom. I should’ve told you, but I didn’t think you cared about any of it.’
    â€˜Jonah Whiting. Are you insane? Of course I care. You of all people should know that.’
    â€˜I’m sorry,’ he says.
    We’re interrupted by a knock on the door.
    â€˜Lover’s quarrel?’ says a nurse who has appeared in the doorway and is smiling at us approvingly. I have no idea how long she’s been there. ‘Stay put,’ she instructs Jonah as he makes a move to get up, ‘I’m just taking madam’s pulse and temperature. Be out of your hair in two minutes, tops.’
    Jonah and I turn slightly away from each other. I feel really uncomfortable and I know he does too. I wish he’d gotten off the bed while he had the chance. ‘Okay, all done,’ says Miss Efficiency. ‘Lunch will be about ten minutes. You staying?’ she asks, and looks enquiringly at Jonah.
    â€˜Yes,’ I answer, as Jonah seems to have lost the power of speech. ‘Jonah is staying till three.’
    â€˜Good,’ she says, ‘I’ll ask the kitchen to add an extra meal.’ Jonah and I watch as the nurse writes something on the clipboard and hangs it back on the end of the bed. She looks at both of us and smiles as she leaves the room.
    â€˜Did you see that?’ whispers the Minnow. ‘She thinks you’re a couple.’
    â€˜The Minnow’s awake,’ I say to Jonah, taking his hand and resting it on my