“I’ll only be a minute.” Connor was about to enter the lab but paused. He backtracked down the steps and intercepted Liam.
“I’m getting my things from downstairs,” Connor said. “And he’s scared of you, so he’s waiting in the Jeep until I’m back. Leave him be. I’ll bring you guys some Starbucks next time I’m in.”
Liam stared down his nose at Connor. There wasn’t anything outright hostile in his eyes, though his presence was intimidating enough. Less intimidating now that Connor was used to him.
“Coffee jugs?” He broke the silence.
“They’re inside.”
Liam nodded and entered the lab ahead of Connor. Connor glanced at Laurence, who was peeking over the steering wheel. The passenger window closest to Connor rolled down. “Are you okay?” Laurence asked in a loud whisper.
“Fine,” Connor said. “He’s making coffee. You just wait there.”
Connor trotted to the elevator and entered the lab. He glanced out at the ocean, pausing, hoping, but didn’t linger when he saw nothing more than a few clownfish darting among the weeds. Connor gathered his books and copies into his arms and returned to Laurence.
Laurence jumped out of the Jeep and jogged to Connor’s side, immediately taking two heavy tomes from the pile. “I left the keys on the dashboard. Is that okay?”
“If a car thief is willing to break in here to steal it, they deserve to find the keys left out for them,” Connor said.
“Good point,” Laurence said, glancing at a metal post with a camera fixed on top. He sidled up closer to Connor. “Did you get much work done today?” Laurence asked, his voice pitchy, his energy erratic. “These are… ocean currents?” He read the title of a book he’d taken from Connor. “The judge told you to… oh.”
“Dad’s work is interesting,” Connor said, distracted as he watched a change wash over Laurence’s face. Saw him remember Connor was on probation and, according to the entire world, a living pile of dog crap.
“Cool,” Laurence said, his heart obviously not in it. He drifted away from Connor as if physically repelled by him. A heavy, oppressive weight settled in Connor’s chest. And for a moment, he debated opening his mouth and just saying it.
I didn’t beat him up because he was gay.
But they got to the car, and the guard dogs made Laurence nervous, and Connor’s mom was glaring daggers, and Connor remembered that nobody stood up for him when the accusation came out, and that nobody said, no,he wouldn’t do that, that’s not Connor. And if the people he grew up with couldn’t say that about him, then trying to explain himself to somebody new would get him nowhere.
Connor climbed into the front seat. As Laurence got into the back, Edith twisted around. “Laurence, honey,” she said, her brow creased in concern. “What are you doing here?”
“I ran into Connor at lunch,” Laurence said. His voice was a forced chipper, as if he knew Edith would be upset if he was in a bad mood. Was he aware that the anger would only be directed at Connor? Connor leaned his elbow against the door and stared out the window, waiting.
“I’m not sure how that’s possible,” she said gently.
“I was in town getting food,” Connor said, cutting in, her tone racking his nerves.
Her gaze cut to him. “Unsupervised?”
“Did I say I went alone?”
“Did you?”
Connor remained silent. If he replied, it would be something like,who gives a damn? It seemed a waste of energy to point out he was unsupervised all day in the lab. Or that he only needed supervision when doing work, to be sure he was putting in the hours.
Edith looked away from him. She jerked the car into gear, and they sped away from the checkpoint in charged silence.
At the house, Edith reached out, catching Connor’s arm before he could get out of the car. “Wait,” she told him.
Connor felt the sudden tension as Laurence inhaled sharply behind them. “Edith, I was the one that, that,” he floundered. There wasn’t a way to claim responsibility for Connor leaving the lab without supervision.
“Go in, Laurence,” Connor said.
“But—”
“I just need to have a word with Connor, honey,” Edith added. Her voice was void of all warmth. “Head on in.”
Laurence, in halting movements, got out of the car. His feet dragged as he walked up the drive, and he kept glancing over his shoulder at them. His face was white.
