get his act together here. If he couldn’t convince Spen he was all
right, he’d never convince Dee and Alex. How would he explain coming home
early? Maybe the best thing was not to tell them...but if they came back from
Mrs Reardon’s house for some reason, they’d discover the lie. He’d have to come
up with something.
What a bloody mess.
Kani crawled up onto his lap and meeped
into his face. Daniel stroked his back right down to the tail, the way he
liked. “I’m sorry, kiddo.” Kani squirmed closer and Daniel held him tight.
“Help me. I need to be strong.”
Kani wasn’t enough though. Daniel had to
find it from inside, somehow, but he didn’t know how much he had left.
~~~~~~~~
Spen sent a short, barely civil email to
Noble, and a more polite one to his line manager regarding the cancelled
presentation. He didn’t much care whose noses were put out of joint, and would
be delighted if Noble was annoyed. The creep hadn’t even called to find out how
Daniel was. Not that Spen had any intention of telling him what they really
knew. He also sent emails to Jyoti and Julian, because Daniel might be feeling
disinclined to pursue the criminal angle right now, but that didn’t mean he
couldn’t change his mind. Or be persuaded to.
Daniel was taking a long time in the
bathroom. Spen tried not to worry but finally gave in. He knocked on the door.
“You okay in there?”
“Leave me alone.”
Spen shook his head and sat down again. If
Daniel was cranky, at least that meant he was alive. Myko squeaked and shoved
his nose under Spen’s hand. Spen put him on the floor. “You go keep an eye on
him, squirt. Let me know if he’s in trouble.” Myko ran off and disappeared
through the closed bathroom door.
What could he do for the kid? He understood
Daniel’s objections to talking to the police—hell, gay men got a hard
enough time normally, and rape cases weren’t taken half as seriously as they
should be, no matter what sex the victim was. But if the police talked to Noble....
There was no proof. Just Noble’s
word against a drug test, and proof that Daniel had had sex. Even though Spen
would bet all his savings that Daniel would never go out looking for quick,
anonymous sex, or take drugs like GHB, he couldn’t prove he hadn’t.
So how could he help? Should he give Daniel
that leaflet on counselling? Should he recruit his mother to help? Or should he
let Daniel live in denial, if that helped him cope with all the stress his life
held?
Finally the bathroom door opened. The kems
raced out ahead of Daniel. “All yours.” His sullen expression didn’t do much
for him, but the improved colour did.
“I won’t be long.”
“Whatever. I’m going to sleep.”
“Look, I’m on your side, you know. I just
don’t know what to do.”
Daniel sat on his bed and looked up. “I’m
sorry. I feel...like I could fly into a million pieces if I’m not careful. If you push me too hard. I have to hold it all together.”
Spen sat on the bed next to him. “You don’t
have to do it alone.”
“I do. There’s
only me. I can’t ask Dee and Alex to help.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But I’m here. I won’t go
away, and I won’t let you down. Just let me be there, even if you don’t think
you need me.”
Daniel’s green eyes shone with tears. “I’m
scared,” he whispered. “I can’t fail.”
“You won’t. We won’t let you.” Spen patted
his shoulder, wanting to hug him but not wanting to violate Daniel’s space
right now. “Are you hungry? Do you want coffee, or water? Anything?”
“No. Just sleep. You know I could do this
presentation just fine.”
“Too late, already cancelled. You and I are
checking out tomorrow morning and you’re going back home because you shouldn’t
have been here in the first place.”
“What will I tell Dee and Alex?”
“We’ll work something out.” Spen gave him a
gentle shove. “Hop into bed. I’m going to get Myko to keep an eye on you in
case you
right, he’d never convince Dee and Alex. How would he explain coming home
early? Maybe the best thing was not to tell them...but if they came back from
Mrs Reardon’s house for some reason, they’d discover the lie. He’d have to come
up with something.
What a bloody mess.
Kani crawled up onto his lap and meeped
into his face. Daniel stroked his back right down to the tail, the way he
liked. “I’m sorry, kiddo.” Kani squirmed closer and Daniel held him tight.
“Help me. I need to be strong.”
Kani wasn’t enough though. Daniel had to
find it from inside, somehow, but he didn’t know how much he had left.
~~~~~~~~
Spen sent a short, barely civil email to
Noble, and a more polite one to his line manager regarding the cancelled
presentation. He didn’t much care whose noses were put out of joint, and would
be delighted if Noble was annoyed. The creep hadn’t even called to find out how
Daniel was. Not that Spen had any intention of telling him what they really
knew. He also sent emails to Jyoti and Julian, because Daniel might be feeling
disinclined to pursue the criminal angle right now, but that didn’t mean he
couldn’t change his mind. Or be persuaded to.
Daniel was taking a long time in the
bathroom. Spen tried not to worry but finally gave in. He knocked on the door.
“You okay in there?”
“Leave me alone.”
Spen shook his head and sat down again. If
Daniel was cranky, at least that meant he was alive. Myko squeaked and shoved
his nose under Spen’s hand. Spen put him on the floor. “You go keep an eye on
him, squirt. Let me know if he’s in trouble.” Myko ran off and disappeared
through the closed bathroom door.
What could he do for the kid? He understood
Daniel’s objections to talking to the police—hell, gay men got a hard
enough time normally, and rape cases weren’t taken half as seriously as they
should be, no matter what sex the victim was. But if the police talked to Noble....
There was no proof. Just Noble’s
word against a drug test, and proof that Daniel had had sex. Even though Spen
would bet all his savings that Daniel would never go out looking for quick,
anonymous sex, or take drugs like GHB, he couldn’t prove he hadn’t.
So how could he help? Should he give Daniel
that leaflet on counselling? Should he recruit his mother to help? Or should he
let Daniel live in denial, if that helped him cope with all the stress his life
held?
Finally the bathroom door opened. The kems
raced out ahead of Daniel. “All yours.” His sullen expression didn’t do much
for him, but the improved colour did.
“I won’t be long.”
“Whatever. I’m going to sleep.”
“Look, I’m on your side, you know. I just
don’t know what to do.”
Daniel sat on his bed and looked up. “I’m
sorry. I feel...like I could fly into a million pieces if I’m not careful. If you push me too hard. I have to hold it all together.”
Spen sat on the bed next to him. “You don’t
have to do it alone.”
“I do. There’s
only me. I can’t ask Dee and Alex to help.”
“Maybe, maybe not. But I’m here. I won’t go
away, and I won’t let you down. Just let me be there, even if you don’t think
you need me.”
Daniel’s green eyes shone with tears. “I’m
scared,” he whispered. “I can’t fail.”
“You won’t. We won’t let you.” Spen patted
his shoulder, wanting to hug him but not wanting to violate Daniel’s space
right now. “Are you hungry? Do you want coffee, or water? Anything?”
“No. Just sleep. You know I could do this
presentation just fine.”
“Too late, already cancelled. You and I are
checking out tomorrow morning and you’re going back home because you shouldn’t
have been here in the first place.”
“What will I tell Dee and Alex?”
“We’ll work something out.” Spen gave him a
gentle shove. “Hop into bed. I’m going to get Myko to keep an eye on you in
case you
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