Daily excerpt from today's writing, chapter 56 of A Stain that Won't Dissolve:
‘You know,’ Sam said. ‘I had the wildest memory tonight, of when we were all really little. We must’ve been like four, or five, in that little creche that Pam’s sister used to run, I think? I was super sick that day, I can’t remember why, and my mom was away for some reason, and I remember your mom coming to pick you up. She realised I was sick, and just gave me the biggest hug. Like, just this huge hug. ‘It must’ve been winter, because she was wearing this big fluffy sweater, and a giant scarf with an M embroidered into it, after her name. Remember how she always did that? But like, my mom gives fierce hugs, but your mom just held me so tightly and told me everything was going to be okay. I asked her if I was coming home with you, until my mom picked me up, and she said no, and I used to think it was because she didn’t want to get sick. But as I got older, I realised...it wasn’t that. I realised there was a reason no one went to your place.’ Alex’s hands were still in the sink, he’d forgotten about them. He stared at Sam, speechless, because he didn’t remember any of this at all. But Sam described it all so well. Alex’s mom loved embroidering the first initial of people’s names into the clothing she made for them, whether they were babies or adults. It might not have been winter, because she often wore full-coverage clothing to hide the bruising. She gave the best hugs in the whole fucking world. ‘I really like the name you chose for your character,’ Sam said, looking down at the floor. ‘That’s all. What a weird way to say that, huh? But I do.’ Alex nodded after a few seconds went by, forcing himself to move. ‘Uh, thanks.’ ‘So you’re playing a princess,’ Sam said, finally looking at him, mercifully saying nothing about Alex’s wet eyes, or how shocked he must have looked. Alex braced himself anyway, unsure of where this was going. He just shrugged. ‘You want to hang out some time?’ Sam said.
