«Lena! Leen!» A boy with a bicycle stands below the five-story building, its entrance door banging loosely on its hinges. He tilts his head back, shouting up at the windows.
«Lenaaa, Len!»
«I swear Ill throttle someone!» A burly man in a blue vest leans out, scowling. «Clear off!»
«Wasnt calling youLenkaaa!»
«For heavens sake,» a woman in curlers and a nightdress pops her head out. «Its Saturday, let people sleep!»
«Shut it, all of you!» A tall, balding man yanks his window open. «Havent slept all night, just nodded off, and now»
«Lenkaaa, you coming or what?»
The door creaks open with a thud, and out steps a girl in a light summer dress, clutching a string bag with something wrapped in parchment.
«Hey, took you long enough. Overslept?»
«Nah, was making sandwiches,» she says flatly, tucking the bag onto the bikes rack before perching on the crossbar. The boy kicks off, swerving sharply.
«Bloody hooligan!» snaps the sleepless man.
«Let us sleep!» another voice bellows.
«Sleep, then!» the boy calls back as they loop past the windows again. «Its Saturday morningwhats your excuse?»
Laughing, they vanish from the courtyard.
The boy pedals hard, leaving the outskirts of town behind, racing down a dirt track through open fields.
«Len, you tired?»
«Nope. You?»
«Me neither.» He pushes harder.
They tumble into the grass, wheels skidding as the tyre goes flat.
«Oh nowhat now, Alex?»
«Dunno,» he says, sprawled in the clover. «Maybe we live here forever.»
«Alex!»
«What? Well build a hut by the river. Ill catch fish, grill em over a fire.»
«Whered we get coals?»
«Make a fire.»
«With what, matches?»
«Dont need em. Rub sticks together. Or nick some off a fisherman.»
«Right.»
They collapse into giggles.
«Alex, lookthat clouds like a teapot.»
«Yeah, now its a dog.»
They lie there, cloud-watching.
«Fancy a swim?»
«Go on.»
They race to the river, then stretch out on sun-warmed sand.
«Len, what dyou wanna be when you grow up?»
«Dunno… finish school, maybe uni, then work. You?»
«Ill marry you and get rich. Or the other way round. Either works.»
«Pfft.»
«Youre rightneed more. Army first, get a trade. Before you run off with someone else.»
Lena laughs. «Like who?»
«Dunno… Vince? Saw you giggling with him. Leaning in close and all.»
«We were doing the school paper!»
«Sure. But listenIll steal you back anyway.»
***
Saturday dawns peacefuluntil a motorbikes roar shatters the calm.
«Lenaaa, Len!»
«Hooligan!» a woman shrieks from a window.
«Let us sleep!»
«Keep it down!»
«Lenkaaa! Not yougo back to sleep, its Saturday!»
The same broken door groans open. Lena steps out, squinting in the sun.
«Hey. Overslept?»
«Nope. Made butties.»
«Quieter!» someone yells.
Alex hands her a helmet. She climbs on behind him, arms tight around his waist.
«Disgraceful!» shouts the insomniac.
Alex revs the engine, shouts «Sleep well!» and theyre gone.
They speed through town, hit tarmac, then bump onto a country lane.
«You okay back there?»
«Fine!» She presses closer. Wind whips tears from her eyes, loose hairs flailing.
Alex kills the engine. Lena hops off, shaking out stiff legs. They flop onto the grass, staring up.
«Lookthose clouds are like two cats!»
«Yeah, and theres a motorbike one.»
«Swim?»
«Go on.»
They splash, sunbathe, then kiss till theyre dizzy.
«Len…»
«Hm?»
«Ive got call-up papers. Tomorrow.»
«What? Why didnt you»
«Didnt know myself.»
«Thats why you didnt apply to uni?»
«Dont cry. Ill go after. Then marry you. You wont run off with Vince, yeah? Len?»
***
Lena waits on the platform. The train pulls in, soldiers spilling out.
«Alex! Son!» His mother clings to him, weeping. His father grips his shoulder. His little sister sobs into his neck.
Then he sees herLena, hands clasped to her chest. He pushes through the crowd.
«Lenka… crying?»
«Happy tears.»
«Well… more where those came from.»
His sister sulks, his mother sighs. But right now, theres only her.
***
«Son, its too soon. What about uni?»
«Sorted, Mum. And Im getting married.»
«Alex, shes just in a rush»
«Shes nineteen. And I only want her.»
«But»
«Enough. You nagged me to settle down after the army. Now youre against it?»
«We were saving you from your layabout mates!»
Alex smiles, shuts the door softly.
***
«Its a boy! A son!» Alex bursts into his parents house, grinning. His mother weeps. His father blinks hard. His sister shrieks, «A nephew!»
Five years later, a princess arrives.
***
«Son, you quit your job? How will you manage?»
«Had enough of working for peanuts. Well sort it.»
«And Lena agreed? What about stability?»
«Stabilitys not living like paupers. I wont have my kids splitting one chocolate bar.»
«Alex, we never had luxuries»
«Different times, Mum. Well be fine.»
They were. Not without stumbleshardships, doubts. Nights Lena handed him a guitar when he seethed.
«Alex… sing. It helps.»
*»Ill ride my bicycle far…»*
She cried when he wasnt looking. He knew. Pretended not to.
They made it. House in the country, flat in town, kids set up. Parents cared for. Holidays abroad.
Yet Alex grew restless. Life felt stagnant. Then a mate invited him to a club.
«Sauna? Really?»
«Not about the sauna. Just come.»
Should he?
«Alex… weve got theatre tickets.»
«Cant. Work stuff.»
First lie of his life. He sat there miserable.
A woman approachedpolished, pretty.
«Lets leave. Hate it here too.»
«Why come?»
«Needed the cash.»
Outside, she confessed: a toddler, deadbeat ex.
«Just saving up, then Im gone. Or meet someone… like you.»
Honest. Sharp. He walked her home, talked all night.
Met her again. And again.
A month later, he realisesLenas gone.
No note. Kids havent seen her.
He calls the other woman. Meets her.
«Sorry. I love my wife.»
She nods. «I figured. Good luck.»
***
Lenas in her childhood kitchen. Fourth day here. Making sandwiches, thinking.
«Lenkaaa!» A motorbike roars below.
«For Gods sake!»
«Outrageous!»
«Give it a rest!»
*»Ill ride my bicycle far…»* Alex sings under her window.
The door slams. Lena takes the helmet, climbs on.
They tear through town, hit the old lane.
«Len, tired?»
«No.»
They lie in the grass.
«Cloud looks like a ship.»
«That ones an old couple drinking tea.»
«Len…»
«Yeah?»
«Forgive me.»
«For what?»
«Nothing. But I hurt you.»
«Then I forgive you.»
«Wont happen again.»
«What wont?»
«You singing alone. You did, didnt you?»
«I did.»
«So did I. Lets do it together.»
*»Ill ride my bicycle far… …past the fields, past the river, where the clouds are always changing, where the road never really ends. The wind carries the rest of the song, soft now, just for us. The wind carries the rest of the song, soft now, just for us.
