Page 124 of Reinventing Cato
“Will we be able to see—?” His mother moaned as she realised it wouldn’t be possible.
Vigge moved to her side and held out his hand. When she took it, the lump in his throat made it hard to breathe.
“Can I make everyone a cup of tea?” Cato asked.
“I’ll help you.” Gitte pushed to her feet and tugged Cato from the room along with her husband.
“Is he your young man?” his mother asked.
Vigge nodded. “He’s doing a doctorate in astrophysics at Cambridge.” It didn’t matter to him what Cato did, but he knew it would impress his parents.
“Do you like him?” she whispered.
Vigge nodded. “Except he’s been offered a job with NASA in America.” Vigge’s voice broke.
His mother wrapped her fingers over his. “If you want him to stay, ask him to stay.”
“I don’t feel it’s my place to do that.”
“Then you shouldn’t let him go without telling him how you feel. We shouted at Anders that night. He shouted at us and we shouted back at him. The last words we exchanged were ones of anger.”
“I don’t remember that.”
His mother frowned. “You don’t? Tempers were high that evening, after you…told us what you told us. Anders was more shocked than we were. He said some cruel things.”
Vigge shook his head. He didn’t remember.
“Then Anders disappeared and you did too, but in a different way. You stopped talking to us. I know we were deep in our own misery, but we should have reached out to you. It hardly seemed any time before you were off to university and the chance was gone. Come up again with Cato when our hearts are lighter.”
His father reached over to clutch his hand. “Is Anders why you became a policeman?”
Vigge nodded.
His father sighed. “We’re proud of you.”
And finally, Vigge allowed himself to cry for the brother he’d lost, the parents he’d found and the man he wanted.
“I don’t know why I offered to make tea.” Cato winced. “I have no idea where anything is and I make terrible tea. It’s either strong enough to tarnish a spoon or so weak it’s more like hot, diluted milk.”
“They needed a moment alone. You gave them that.” Gitte patted his shoulder.
“Where are you staying tonight?” Allan asked.
“Vigge was talking about going straight back, but we did bring overnight bags. We’ll find a hotel if he wants to stay.”
“We have a spare room.” Gitte placed mugs on a tray.
“I’ll ask Vigge what he wants to do.”
“He’s always blamed himself for Anders’ disappearance,” she said. “I could never convince him that it wasn’t his fault. Anders wouldn’t have thought twice about trying to save Fiona. He really liked her. But she liked Vigge. Vigge was always kind and gentle with her. She couldn’t see that he wasn’t interested in her the way she wanted him to be. But for Hendry…” She let out a little sob. “I’ve known him most of my life. Everyone likes him. But he could have spoken out when it happened, and he chose not to. I can never forgive him for that.”
Cato poured hot water over the teabags.
“I don’t like tea,” Cato said. “I just thought that was the right thing to offer.”
She smiled. “Dad’ll have yours. You want a coffee?”
“Please.”
