Page 143 of The Sound Between Us

“I’m a dad.”

I blink. “Come again?”

He swallows. “Some woman I don’t even remember is dead. And I’m the baby’s dad.”

Nothing moves. Not in the room, not in my chest. For a second, I’m not even sure I heard him right.

“You’re serious?”

Jamie nods, the movement painful. “Kid’s three months. The woman died last week. She put me down as next of kin. Lawyer found me today.”

“Wait... who?”

“I don’t know.” He rubs his face with the heel of his hand. “I think it was Miami. Or maybe that after-party in the Hills. Eighteen months ago, fifteen months, Christ, I don’t even know. Could’ve been the European leg. They all blur together, you know? She had an accent. Or maybe I was just wasted.”

I let that sit. It tastes bad in my mouth because I know exactly what he means. Three years ago we were all going through the motions, tour after tour, party after party, woman after meaningless woman.

“And you’re sure?”

He gives me a sharp look. “Did a paternity test before we left for Japan. I got the results today.”

Then he lurches forward and throws up in the sleek chrome waste bin next to the coffee table.

Jesus.

“Okay. Right. Good. That’s... healthy.” I crouch slightly, hands up, trying to find something—anything—to do that doesn’t feel wildly inadequate.

Jamie doesn’t move. He just rests his head in his hands and lets the silence collapse around us.

“What the fuck am I going to do with a baby, Harry?”

I sit down beside him, the leather sofa cold under my thighs. “I mean... start with not throwing up on it?”

He lets out a weak laugh. It sounds lost.

I glance over at him. His hands are shaking now, just a little. “Was she alone?”

“Yeah.” He swallows thickly. “No family. Kid’s in temporary care until they find a placement. Or until I...”

He trails off.

“You’re really doing this?”

“I don’t know. Am I supposed to? Can I say no?”

“I don’t know either,” I admit.

He exhales, pained. Then says, “I’m going to ruin it.”

“You don’t know that.”

He looks up at me with wide, wild eyes. “I ruin everything, Harry. You’ve seen it.”

He’s not wrong. But he’s not right either.

The canyon outside hums with twilight. Inside, everything feels suspended.

We sit there. Two men who spent a decade pretending the world was entertainment and are now quietly realising the punchline was us.