Page 105 of Playing the Game

“I will not call your mother,” Adam said. “You have to run out of steam at some point.”

It didn’t seem as if that were likely. Thankfully he reached the gates of Goran and Paloma’s house. He furiously pressed the intercom.

Once the gates swung open, Adam drove up to the main house to find an astonished Goran on his doorstep. His jaw dropped even farther when Adam produced Olive from the backseat.

“I thought you were taking the piss. What the fuck?”

“Get in the house. What do I do? Is it clean cream clean or fucking cream clean cream clean? I think I’m losing my mind.”

“Do I have to slap you?” Goran asked. “Get a hold of yourself. Jesus.”

Adam handed Olive over to Goran.

“Hey there, little lady,” Goran said. “Who are you?”

“She’s mine and she won’t stop crying.”

“Where’s Jen?”

Adam shook his head. “She needed some space. The media thing tipped her over the edge. What is wrong with her? I changed her nappy. Well I think I did.”

Goran looked as stressed as Adam. “How should I know?”

“You have a child, remember?”

“Have you fed her?”

“Jen left formula. What do I do with it?”

“Paloma is breast feeding. I haven’t a clue.”

Adam paced the room. Olive could hurt her throat at this rate.

Goran jiggled her up and down, but nothing worked.

“Where’s Paloma?” Adam asked.

“At a friend’s in town. Some brunch thing.”

“Call her,” Adam instructed. “Quickly.”

Goran handed a furious Olive over and dashed out of the room.

Adam took Olive over to the window.

“What can we see? Are there any birdies?”

Mercifully this occupied Olive enough for her to forget to cry for a second. The break was intoxicating.

“She’ll be here as quickly as possible,” Goran boomed.

Olive jumped and immediately resumed her wailing.

Fuck’s sake.

Adam took a seat at the kitchen island. He tried to distract Olive with a wooden spoon. She wasn’t having any of it.

“How long is she gone for?” Goran asked.