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Barry demonstrated the rowing machine and asked for volunteers。 Nobody stepped forward。
‘Krystal Weedon；’ said Barry； pointing at her。 ‘I’ve seen you dangling off the monkey bars down the park； that’s proper upper body strength you’ve got there。 e here and give it a go。’
Krystal was only too happy to step into the spotlight； she swaggered up to the machine and sat down on it。 Even with Tessa glowering beside them； Nikki and Leanne had howled with laughter and the rest of the class joined in。
Barry showed Krystal what to do。 The silent supply teacher had watched in professional alarm as Barry positioned her hands on the wooden handle。
She heaved on the handle； making a stupid face at Nikki and Leanne； and everyone laughed again。
‘Look at that；’ Barry had said； beaming。 ‘She’s a natural。’
Had Krystal really been a natural？ Tessa did not know anything about rowing； she could not tell。
‘Straighten your back；’ Barry told Krystal； ‘or you’ll injure it。 That’s it。 Pull … pull … look at that technique … have you done this before？’
Then Krystal really had straightened her back； and she really had done it properly。 She stopped looking at Nikki and Leanne。 She hit a rhythm。
‘Excellent；’ said Barry。 ‘Look at that … excellent。 That’s how you do it！ Atta girl。 And again。 And again。 And—’
‘It ’urts！’ shouted Krystal。
‘I know it does。 That’s how you end up with arms like Jennifer Aniston； doing that；’ said Barry。
There had been a little ripple of laughter； but this time they laughed with him。 What was it that Barry had had？ He was always so present； so natural； so entirely without self…consciousness。 Teenagers； Tessa knew； were riven with the fear of ridicule。 Those who were without it； and God knew there were few enough of them in the adult world； had natural authority among the young； they ought to be forced to teach。
‘And rest！’ Barry said； and Krystal slumped； red in the face and rubbing her arms。
‘You’ll have to give up the fags； Krystal；’ said Barry； and he got a big laugh this time。 ‘OK； who else wants a try？’
When Krystal rejoined her watching classmates； she was no longer laughing。 She watched each new rower jealously； her eyes darting constantly to Barry’s bearded face to see what he thought of them。 When Carmen Lewis messed it up pletely； Barry said； ‘Show ’em； Krystal；’ and her face lit up as she returned to the machine。
But at the end of the exhibition； when Barry asked those who were interested in trying out for the team to raise their hands； Krystal kept her arms folded。 Tessa watched her shake her head； sneering； as Nikki muttered to her。 Barry carefully noted down the names of the interested girls； then looked up。
‘And you； Krystal Weedon；’ he said； pointing at her。 ‘You’re ing too。 Don’t you shake your head at me。 I’ll be very annoyed if I don’t see you。 That’s natural talent you’ve got there。 I don’t like seeing natural talent wasted。 Krys – tal；’ he said loudly； inscribing her name； ‘Wee – don。’
Had Krystal thought about her natural talent as she showered at the end of the lesson？ Had she carried the thought of her new aptitude around with her that day； like an unexpected Valentine？ Tessa did not know； but to the amazement of all； except perhaps Barry； Krystal had turned up at try…outs。）
Colin was nodding vigorously as Kay took him through relapse rates at Bellchapel。
‘Parminder should see this；’ he said。 ‘I’ll make sure she gets a copy。 Yes； yes； very useful indeed。’
Feeling slightly sick； Tessa took a fourth biscuit。
X
Parminder worked late on Monday evenings； and as Vikram was usually at the hospital； the three Jawanda children laid the table and cooked for themselves。 Sometimes they squabbled； occasionally they had a laugh； but today； each was absorbed in their own particular thoughts； and the job was pleted with unusual efficiency in near silence。
Sukhvinder had not told her brother or her sister that she had tried to truant； or about Krystal Weedon’s threat to beat her up。 The habit of secrecy was very strong in her these days。 She was actively frightened of imparting confidences； because she feared that they might betray the world of oddness that lived inside her； the world that Fats Wall seemed able to perate with such terrifying ease。 All the same； she knew that the events of the day could not be kept quiet indefinitely。 Tessa had told her that she intended to telephone Parminder。
‘I’m going to have to call your mum； Sukhvinder； it’s what we always do； but I’m going to explain to her why you did it。’
Sukhvinder had felt almost warm towards Tessa； even though she was Fats Wall’s mother。 Frightened though she was of her mother’s reaction； a tiny little glow of hope had kindled inside her at the thought of Tessa interceding for her。 Would the realization of Sukhvinder’s desperation lead； at last； to some crack in her mother’s implacable disapproval； her disappointment； her endless stone…faced criticism？
When the front door opened at last； she heard her mother speaking Punjabi。
‘Oh； not the bloody farm again；’ groaned Jaswant； who had cocked an ear to the door。
The Jawandas owned a patch of ancestral land in the Punjab； which Parminder； the oldest； had inherited from their father in the absence of sons。 The farm occupied a place in the family consciousness that Jaswant and Sukhvinder had sometimes discussed。 To their slightly amused astonishment； a few of their older relatives seemed to live in the expectation that the whole family would move back there one day。 Parminder’s father had sent money back to the farm all his life。 It was tenanted and worked by second cousins； who seemed surly and embittered。 The farm caused regular arguments among her mother’s family。
‘Nani’s gone off on one again；’ interpreted Jaswant； as Parminder’s muffled voice perated the door。
Parminder had taught her first…born some Punjabi； and Jaz had picked up a lot more from their cousins。 Sukhvinder’s dyslexia had been too severe to enable her to learn two languages and the attempt had been abandoned。
‘… Harpreet still wants to sell off that bit for the road …’
Sukhvinder heard Parminder kicking off her shoes。 She wished that her mother had not been bothered about the farm tonight of all nights； it never put her into a good mood； and when Parminder pushed open the kitchen door and she saw her mother’s tight mask…like face； her courage failed her pletely。
Parminder acknowledged Jaswant and Rajpal with a slight wave of her hand； but she pointed at Sukhvinder and then towards a kitchen chair； indicating that she was to sit down and wait for the call to end。
Jaswant and Rajpal drifted back upstairs。 Sukhvinder waited beneath the wall of photographs； in which her relative inadequacy was displayed for the world to see； pinned to her chair by her mother’s silent mand。 On and on went the call； until at long last Parminder said goodbye and cut the connection。
When she turned to look at her daughter Sukhvinder knew； instantly； before a word was spoken； that she had been wrong to hope。
‘So；’ said Parminder。 ‘I had a call from Tessa while I was at work。 I expect you know what it was about。’
Sukhvinder nodded。 Her mouth seemed to be full of cotton wool。
Parminder’s rage crashed over her like a tidal wave； dragging Sukhvinder with it； so that she was unable to find her feet or right herself。
‘Why？ Why？ Is this copying the London girl； again – are you trying to impress her？ Jaz and Raj never behave like this； never – why do you？ What’s wrong with you？ Are you proud of being lazy and sloppy？ Do you think it’s cool to act like a delinquent？ How do you think I felt when Tessa told me？ Called at work – I’ve never been so ashamed – I’m disgusted by you； do you hear me？ Do we not give you enough？ Do we not help you enough？ What is wrong with you； Sukhvinder？’
In desperation； Sukhvinder tried to break through her mother’s tirade； and mentioned the name Krystal Weedon—
‘Krystal Weedon！’ shouted Parminder。 ‘That stupid girl！ Why are you paying attention to anything she says？ Did you tell her I tried to keep her damn great…grandmother alive？ Did