Page 154 of Reinventing Cato
“Apart from me?” Devan took another slice of bread.
“You didn’t like me. You were rude to me. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten already. Your first words to me are branded on my heart.Are you done?Words no gay guy ever wants to hear from another gay guy.”
“He was performing chocolate porn,” Devan said.
“It wasn’t chocolate porn. What do you take me for? I was on duty at reception. Chocolate porn is for your eyes only, Devan. Remember what I can?” Jonty seemed to remember he was in mixed company. “And I wasn’t done, but I stopped eating my precious Flake to talk to you. That’s professionalism. Not porn of the chocolate variety. You should know better by now.”
Devan laughed.
“Anyway…” Jonty snuggled up to him. “You don’t count. You’re my family now.”
Jonty smiled at Devan and Devan’s face…Oh God.Cato swallowed hard.I want that. Want it, want it, want it.
“Sit down and tell me everything,” Devan said.
So Cato did, as briefly as he could. When he reached the part about Pedro pushing him off the roof, Devan stopped eating.
“You hate heights,” his brother muttered.
“They were the worst few moments of my life. I thought if Vigge wasn’t dead, then he soon would be and Pedro would have probably gone on to stab Max too, then gone home thinking he had the party as his alibi, and I’d be dead, unable to contradict a thing.”
“Did all that go through your head as you fell?” Jonty asked.
“That was moreshit, fuck, shit. On repeat. And also, that if I survived, I was going to ask you to co-writeCato’s Book of Pointless Commentswith me.”
Jonty winced then beamed. “He must have hated you. And you mustreallylike me, Cato, if you thought of me when you could have been dying.”
“He probably still does hate me, and yes, Jonty, I like you like a brother. More actually, because you don’t bug me like some people.” Cato glared at Devan, who grinned.
“They won’t let him out on bail or anything, will they?” Jonty asked, refusing to be sidetracked.
Cato turned to Vigge.
“No. He’s a danger to others and possibly himself. Three murders, two attempted murders. He’ll go to prison for life.”
“See?” Cato said. “Everything’s fine. Thank you for coming. You can leave now.”
Devan shook his head and looked at Vigge. “He must really like you.”
Vigge smiled at Cato. “But not like a brother, thankfully.”
“I bought you both something to cheer you up.” Jonty lifted his plastic carrier onto his lap. “There’s a card for you, Cato, and one for you, Vigge.” He put his offerings in front of them. “The writing is shaky because Devan made me do it in the car and he drives like a maniac. There are presents as well.”
“Don’t get your hopes up,” Devan said. “The only place we stopped was at a service station.”
“Ilovemotorway service stations.” Jonty beamed. “I mean when you’ve been stuck in a car for hours with the driver from hell, who won’t let you touch his gearstick, you think, once I’ve had a leak, I can do what I want for fifteen minutes without someone telling me to shut up or to stop clutching the seat. You could buy teapots in the shape of Daleks with complimentary packets of biscuits inside. You can even gamble in those creepy, roped-off areas stuffed with flashing machines from which children are banned. Well, Devan said we didn’t have time to go in but I promised him that I’d—”
Devan’s hand landed on Jonty’s mouth. He gave him a look and Jonty nodded.
“We each had two pounds. I came out with two pounds fifty. Devan spent all his on a ski racing game. I think I could make a living at gambling. Anyway, here’s your present, Cato.”
Cato unwrapped the Costa napkin and almost choked. It was a pocket-sized suture pad to practise flesh sewing on-the-go.
“Just in case either of you gets stabbed again. They didn’t have any get-well cards, but that’s what I was thinking when I bought that one.”
Cato ripped open the envelope. “Happy Fortieth Birthday?”
“You can open it every year and be happy you’re not yet forty. Well, until you are forty, then I’ll buy you a fiftieth birthday one. And this is for you.” Jonty handed a napkin-wrapped package to Vigge.
