“What’s wrong?” his dad asked.
“I’m just happy to see you!”
His dad smiled. “And?”
“And nothing.”
Kaden followed him into the kitchen. “Going to stay for a bite to eat?”
“Yes, please. I’m meeting Euan, Danny and Ben, and maybe a few others at eight for a drink, so I can only stay for a couple of hours.”
“I’ll get cooking. So what happened with Harris? Will you tell me? Or is it not fit for my delicate ears?”
“Finally realised we’re just not a good match. The bastard stopped laughing at my jokes.” Kaden waited. “You’re not going to say I told you so?”
His dad shook his head. “No point.”
Harris had been obnoxious when Kaden had brought him here for dinner. He quietly picked fault with the house, did the same with the meal and had talked down to his dad as they ate. Kaden had called him out on it later, but even though Harris had said he was sorry, that he was stressed and tired, he shouldn’t have done it in the first place. He always had an excuse and it was never a good one.
This house had always been Kaden’s family home and he loved the chaos of it, one large communal living area with the kitchen at one end, the sitting room at the other taking up most of the space. His dad had a library-cum-study just off the sitting room, opposite the utility room and there were three bedrooms upstairs. Nothing matched, not the furniture, the cushions on the couch and chair, not the curtains, nor the rug, but it was home and special to Kaden. There were paintings on all the walls, pictures of his family everywhere, some of him with his mother and dad, and lots of his mother. His dad had never gone out with anyone again, not that Kaden knew. His wife had been the love of his life.
Kaden felt Joe stroke his back.
Show me your room.
Later.
“Any more thoughts on aliens?”
The stroking stopped.
“Not ones from outer space,” Kaden said carefully. “But one from Afghanistan.”
His dad shot him a look, the one where he narrowed his eyes and made Kaden feel guilty even if he hadn’t done anything, though he usually had.Oops.
“What are you up to?”
“I’ve been playing on my PS4 with a guy in Afghanistan.”
“How did you get to know someone in Afghanistan doing that?”
“Through an international game lobby. His name’s Jalis. He’s the same age as me. He’s also gay.”
“And?” His dad pinned him with his gaze.
It was a bit like knowing you’d been picked out in a sniper’s scope. No escape.
“He’s on his way to the UK.”
Kaden expected the long, drawn-out sigh and he got it.
“On a plane? With a passport? With a visa?”
“No, no and no.”
“Oh my God, Kaden!”
Kaden told his dad everything he’d told Alistair. His dad was far less understanding.
