“Then you don’t get your food.”
Harris’ shoulders dropped and he backed off. He looked ill, his face pale and drawn. He was wearing sleep pants and a T-shirt that needed washing and the flat was untidy. Kaden had never seen it or him looking anything other than immaculate.
“I just…” Harris stumbled quickly to the bathroom and closed the door.
Kaden turned to Joe. “Still sense them?”
“No.” Joe heaved a sigh of relief.
“Could he have puked them up or…”
“Either way, dead or alive, they’d have ended up in the sewage system. There’s no way out of that.”
“You think.”
“I looked it up. They couldn’t survive the waste treatment process.”
Kaden poured a glass of orange juice for Harris, put the food he’d bought in the fridge but left out a Marks and Spencer beef and horseradish sandwich that he knew was Harris’ favourite.
When Harris finally emerged, he staggered over to the couch and slumped down. He glared at Joe, but managed a half-smile for Kaden as he put the glass of juice in his hand.
“Thank you.”
When Kaden handed him the sandwich, he sighed.
“Do you feel any better?” Kaden asked.
“I’m definitely improving. I feel like I could eat, for a start. What the hell is this bug?”
“I don’t know,” Kaden said. “I assume you haven’t seen a doctor.”
Harris shuddered.
Kaden knew how much Harris hated doctors.
“No point. I couldn’t leave the flat, in any case.”
“I put some ready meals in your fridge.”
For once, Harris looked chastened. “Thank you.”
“You need help,” Kaden said quietly. “Not just with this virus. You hurt me.”
“Your article made fun of me.”
“Gently. Hitting me was wrong. That night, you scared me. You can’t hit people like that.”
“You hit me! So did you.” He glared at Joe.
“Only after you’d beaten me up,” Kaden said. “We’re done now. Look into anger management. I could have gone to the police. The next guy you hit might do just that. It will wreck your life.”
Harris didn’t answer. Kaden hoped that meant he was thinking about it.
When they were back on the street, Kaden asked, “Sure they’re not in him?”
“Positive. I’m relieved.”
“You’re not going to worry about it anymore?”
