Page 160 of Reinventing Cato
“Give me something,” Cato whispered. “I say too much, you don’t say enough.”
Vigge reached across the table for Cato’s hand. “Ithinkthe words when I should be saying them. I know that. I’m from a family that didn’t open up to each other. I’m sure my parents loved all three of us but they never told us, never hugged us. When my father said they were proud of me, it was the first time I’d ever heard that. I became a policeman hoping I’d make him proud, wanting to show him how I could help people, solve crimes, get answers, justice, and until that moment when I was able to tell him about Anders, I felt I’d failed as a son. I’ve spent too long not living for myself. You’ve made me see what I can be. I want you in my life. I want to build a life with you. But I couldn’t ask you to give up your dream. I know you told me you weren’t sure but…”
“I want you,” Cato said. “You’re my choice. Maybe something will come from Cambridge and NASA talking. Maybe not. But I won’t lose you. On New Year’s Eve I made a promise to reinvent myself. No more threesomes. No more quick fucks with strangers. You saw how my brother and Jonty are together. I want that. Ifoundthat. The best, most important discovery of my entire life.”
Vigge pulled Cato to his feet and tugged him down onto his lap. “You didn’t need to reinvent yourself. You were there all the time. You just needed to find yourself, recognise what I could already see. Your kindness, your courage, your sense of humour. You’re clever and loyal and you’ve brought light into my dark world. I could never have asked you not to take the job. Part of me wants you to show NASA how brilliant you are, but the larger part of me never wants to let you go.”
Cato clutched him tightly. “But not in a creepy way.”
Vigge chuckled. “We’re going to make this work. We’ll find a way.”
Cato nodded.
Vigge smiled. “Have you heard the one about the astrophysicist and the policeman who walk into a bar?”
“Remind me of the punchline.”
“They found the secret of life.”
Cato smiled. “And what’s that?”
“They lived happily ever after.”
Epilogue
Eight months later
Cato stared at the doors Vigge would soon be walking through. According to the arrivals board, his flight had landed so it was just a matter of passport control, Vigge collecting his luggage, then he’d emerge through this exit. Cato had to fight to stop himself jumping up and down in excitement. They’d been apart from each other for seven weeks. Skype was brilliant, but Cato missed Vigge so much, missed holding him, kissing him, feeling him smile against him, seeing him roll his eyes and laugh.
By Christmas, Cato would be back in Cambridge for four months before he returned to California, though he could probably string out an additional month in the UK. The job offer made by NASA and Cambridge had turned out to be a three-year contract to work for them both, researching strong gravitational lensing using a newly launched telescope that could see further and, in more detail, because it had a greater wavelength of light than any previous scope. Although Cato had wanted to stay in the UK with Vigge, it was Vigge who’d talked him into taking the job.
Every time the opaque glass doors slid open to release new arrivals, Cato held his breath and only exhaled when Vigge didn’t appear and the doors closed again. He’d be tired after an eleven-hour flight from Heathrow. It was now 2.30pm US time, but 10.30pm in the UK. Past their bed time.Way past.Cato grinned.
The doors slid open and Vigge appeared looking…Oh damn, don’t cry.Cato held up his sign. Vigge saw him, smiled, read the sign and gulped.
Cato dropped the piece of cardboard, stepped into his arms and kissed him. Vigge wrapped his arms around him and Cato had to fight hard to hold himself together.You’re here. You’re finally here.When they broke apart, Vigge glanced down at the sign. Cato picked it up.
“Kom her, skat, og lad mig sla°dig ihjel med mit kærlighed sværd,”Vigge said. “How did you find the Danish translation?”
“I asked Gitte.”
Vigge sagged. “Oh God.”
“It saysWelcome to America. We’re going to have fun,doesn’t it?”
Vigge was not fooled. The sign saidCome here, sweetheart, and let me slay you with my love sword.That was not down to his sister. More like Google Translate, with a double helping of Jonty who reallywasCato’s Terrible Twin, Vigge had come to realise, much to Devan’s amusement.
“Come on.” Cato grabbed Vigge’s case. “We need to get through San Francisco before the traffic builds up.”
“Where are we going?” Vigge took his case back.
Cato put the sign next to a rubbish bin and Vigge picked it up.
“Your first souvenir?” Cato laughed. “We’re going to Sacramento. It’s a bit of a boring route apparently, so I thought you could sleep for a couple of hours in the car. Then we can have a meal when we get there.”
“I’ve done nothing but eat on the plane.”
“The quicker you get into the time zone the better, and eating helps. Honest.”
