Behind the Secrets (Behind the Lives #4) by Marita A. Hansen Page A

When she picked up, he spoke quickly, telling her to come straight
back, that Sledge wanted to leave. He hung up, then refocused on Sledge. “We’ll
take you back to my place.”
    “Our place, you mean,” Sledge said.
    “No, I had to move out cos of my
injuries. I’m back with my parents.”
    Sledge’s face fell. “But, I liked that
place. Where’s my sis gone?”
    “She’s moved back in with Ash.”
    “But, what ’bout my stuff? You can’t
just give up the place without tellin’ me.”
    “We were gonna be kicked out anyway. We
couldn’t pay the rent without Naf’s income.”
    “But I liked that house,” Sledge said,
looking visibly upset.
    Corey placed his crutches against the
bed and leaned in to hug Sledge. Sledge put his good arm around Corey and
hugged him back, making Corey’s heart melt. Sledge had tried to save him from
Ant, now it was his turn to protect Sledge.
    “I’ll ask my mum if you can move in with
me,” Corey said.
    Sledge pulled back, his frown now
replaced with a look of hope. “Will she let me?”
    “Pro’bly,” it’s just Dad I’m worried
about. Corey turned his head as his mother returned with the same nurse and
a thirty-something male doctor.
    “What’s happened?” she asked.
    “Sledge wants to leave,” Corey said.
    “That’s not a good idea,” the doctor answered.
    “I don’t care, I’m goin’,” Sledge
snapped. “I’m eighteen, so you can’t stop me.”
    “I know, but I’m only thinking about
your wellbeing, Mr. Rata.”
    “I just can’t take bein’ here another
second. I’m a man, not a baby who needs people undressing me. I also don’t want
some old chick perving at my body, it’s gross.”
    “I can assure you the nurses are not
looking at you in that way, but if you’re dead set on leaving, I can’t stop
you.” The doctor turned to Corey’s mother. “Regardless of what happens, Mr.
Rata still needs to attend his physiotherapy sessions, which we can cut down to
three hours a week, just as long as he does some exercises at home. Is that possible?”
    She nodded.
    “Then, I guess he can leave. Would you
like me to arrange home help for him?”
    “My husband won’t allow a stranger into
our house,” she said, “so my son and I will take turns looking after him.”
    “Okay, then let’s discharge him.” The
doctor turned to the nurse. “Please get a wheelchair for Mr. Rata.”
    She
disappeared, returning a minute later with a wheelchair. The doctor and Corey’s
mother helped Sledge into it. Corey’s mother wheeled Sledge out, while Corey
followed close behind, ecstatic that Sledge was coming home with him.
    ***
    Corey’s mother helped Sledge into the
back of the car, then Corey.
    Sledge shifted closer to Corey and
leaned his head against his shoulder. “I missed you.”
    Corey smiled. “I missed you too.”
    “Will we share a room?’
    “No, you can have Beth’s old one,”
Corey’s mother said, climbing into the driver’s seat.
    “But, I wanna share one with Corey,”
Sledge retorted.
    “His father won’t approve.”
    “Stuff him.”
    “ Sledge ,” she said, her tone
stern, “you’ll be living under his roof, eating his food, so you
will not be rude to him, and you’ll abide by his rules.”
    “But, I wanna sleep in Corey’s bed.”
    “You can’t, he needs room because of his
injuries.”
    “I won’t bang into him.”
    “I said no.”
    “This is cos we’re boyfriends, isn’t it?”
Sledge snapped.
    “You’re wrong. I wouldn’t allow Beth to
have a boyfriend in her room if she was still living at home, so get that
argument out of your head. You will have your own separate rooms like you did
in your flat.”
    “I’ll just go to his bed like I did
there.”
    “No, Sledge.”
    “Then how can I have sex with him?”
    “Sledge!” Corey gasped. “You can’t say
that to my mum.”
    “Why not?” Sledge asked, looking
confused.
    Corey willed himself to calm down for
Sledge’s sake, especially since