“You’re shivering,” Kaden said. “Take off your hoodie. There’s a blanket in that basket. Would you like a hot drink?”
“Yes, please.”
“Coffee?”
“Just like you take it.”
Kaden stilled. “Which is?”
“Black with a sweetener.”
Suspicion sharpened Kaden’s gaze. “Sit down.”
Joe replaced the hoodie with a blanket, kicked off the wet trainers, one plus of not being able to tie laces, and perched on the stool. The granite island sat between them like a barricade.It hurt more than he expected. He’d wanted Kaden to pull him into his arms. They’d achieved a miracle between them and Joe wanted Kaden to know that.
“How’s your throat?” he asked.
Kaden’s eyes snapped up. “Is that because of you?”
Joe pressed his lips together.Why did I start with that?
“And there’s my answer,” Kaden said. “Oh my God. What did you do?”
“Does it feel better?”
“Yes. Much.” But Kaden had barked the words.
At least what Joe had done had worked and Kaden’s heart was now fully protected again. He forced himself to speak. “I could tell you what happened from the moment we met, but I want you to remember. My name is Jalis but I have another name too. I’d like you to remember it. I promise I never intended to hurt you. I am so sorry. If you don’t want to remember and prefer me gone, then I’ll leave.”
Joe hoped Kaden was desperate to remember.
Kaden slid the coffee across. Joe wrapped his cold hands around the mug. “Thank you.”
“I know what I’ve been told. I don’t remember a Jalis. I’d be telling you to get out now but my dad told me about you.” His voice cracked. “You seem to know me far too well. I didn’t drink coffee in the hospital. I might have told you how I take it. My dad told me you’re from Afghanistan and that we played online on our PS4s. But I don’t remember doing that. You’ve come across the Channel to ask for asylum. You said you were gay. I said you could live with me. I assume you taught me Pashto. Though how I learnt so quickly I have no clue. Very little of that makes sense to me.”
Joe nodded. “You’re going to find some of what I tell you hard to accept but we’ve never played online. I did teach you Pashto. Or rather we learned it together. I’m not from Afghanistan, butneed to claim I am. Yes, I’m gay and I want to ask for asylum and live with you. Youwantedme to live with you.”
Kaden sagged. “I don’t understand.
Joe hoped that something he’d say would trigger a memory that would in turn cause the rest to avalanche into place. If he just outright told Kaden he was an alien who’d forced his way into, then out of his body, Kaden would make him leave.
Kaden carried his coffee over to the couch and sat down. Joe followed and sat opposite, pulling the blanket closer around him. He was still cold. He had to tread a careful line. The last thing he wanted to do was freak Kaden out.
“I think the hospital were worried about the two of us. They thought I might have hurt you.”
Kaden huffed.
“They were right. I did, but they wouldn’t have understood what happened. I couldn’t speak, nor could I walk.” He gave a quiet chuckle. “I’ve learned now.”
“Learned?”
“Yes.”
Kaden frowned.
“The doctors who spoke to me, asked if I knew you. They said they were going to check the CCTV to see if they could see us arriving together.”
“Did we?” Kaden asked.
