Page 19 of Like Fathers, Like Son
“Blaze, I’m waiting.”
“Never go out alone at night. I’m sorry, dad. I couldn’t help it.”
He leaned forward, sitting on the coffee table right in front of me.
“Tell me. We’re not going to bed until you do.”
I fidgeted with the key I’d picked up again, and he held out his hand, taking it from me.
“I noticed it was gone earlier, and then realised you were too. I was about to come looking for you, but then Gray told me where he saw you going. You’ve been in their house all night?”
He knew! My dads both knew I’d been over there, so why didn’t they come and get me?
“You knew I was there?”
He nodded. “Tell me what happened. When I saw that bastard pull up outside, I was ready to go and make a scene to give you time to get out, but Gray said you were smart enough to not get caught.”
“Her dad’s out there now, putting their stuff back in the car. I think they’re going away again, but I don’t know why they came back so early. Anneka was crying for hours.”
Dad looked worried, reaching over and squeezing my shoulder.
“That must have been very hard for you to listen to, were you in her room at the time? Yeah? I bet you wanted to comfort her, didn’t you?”
I nodded again, and he smiled. I think he even looked proud.
“She’s lucky to have you watching over her, son. If you’re going to do that again, please tell me first, so I’m not over here freaking out. Okay?”
“You mean you won’t stop me? Isn’t it wrong for me to be in their house without their permission?”
Dad grinned, stroking his bushy beard. “Some say it is, but I think it depends on your reasons. Were you doing harm over there? Did you steal things or break things?”
I shook my head rapidly. “Of course not.”
“Exactly. You were probably just trying to learn more about Anneka, right? So you can be there for her?”
It was like he was in my head. How did he know these things? I hadn’t even really understood them, but he was right.
“Is it like you and mum? Every time I ask how you met, you change the subject.”
Dad laughed, ruffling my hair up, finding it even funnier when I pushed his hand away.
“That’s it, kid. Let’s get some sleep before it’s morning already. I’ll get you a key cut tomorrow, so you don’t have to steal mine again, and… what?”
I dug my hand in my pocket and lifted out the key I’d taken from the rock.
“I forgot to put their key back!” I was going to get caught for sure! Dad smiled, but it was the kind of smile he got when daddy Gray was winding mum up.
“Tell you what, let me have that one too, and I’ll get one made for you. You know, just so you can make sure theirs is safely back in their hiding place before they realise it’s gone.”
“I’d have my own key?”
“It’d make it easier for you to go back in if you need to, wouldn’t it?” Yeah. My dads always had the best ideas.
12
Anneka
Isatoutonthe doorstep that afternoon, the day that we’d woken up to find dad had gone without us, and when I saw Blaze stepping outside, I realised I could safely talk to him now, couldn’t I? It wasn’t like he’d understand what I was going through, but maybe that was okay.
