Page 95 of Reinventing Cato
“Oh my God.” Jonty grinned. “I knew when to clap. It’s a miracle. Though I did notice you missed a note in the second movement of the er…al dente part.”
“Was that in the spaghetti section?” Cato grabbed Jonty’s head, tucked it under his arm and rubbed his knuckles in his hair.
“Ouch!”
“Cato,” his mother snapped.
Cato let Jonty go and turned to Vigge. “Vigge, this is my mother Georgina, my father Will, my brother Devan and his pest, Jonty. Family, this is Vigge Sorensen, my boyfriend.”
Vigge might have known that was coming, but his heart still just about jumped out of his chest. Cato’s parents looked as shocked as he felt. Vigge shook hands with them all and Cato slung his arm over Vigge’s shoulder.
“Did anyone else notice the missed note in the al dente movement?” Cato asked.
“There isn’t— No.” Cato’s mother caught his glance and didn’t finish what she’d been going to say.
“You were excellent, Cato.” His father gave him a hug. Quite a long hug, Vigge noticed. “Apart from that note, obviously. Well spotted, Jonty.”
Cato nodded his thanks.
“I’m beginning to think you didn’t miss a note,” Jonty said. “Are you all…humouring me?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Now I know you like me.” He grinned at Vigge. “You have to work hard to get this family to like you. It’s like sucking a hard sweet for ages and then you get to the soft middle bit. All nice, but the best bit’s in the middle.”
“Jonty,” Cato’s mother said. “You’re giving Vigge entirely the wrong impression.”
“But I love sweets,” Jonty said. “I love your sweets. Those you made for Christmas were delicious.”
Pedro and Sam arrived at their side and Cato introduced them.
“How are you feeling, Dr Smith?” Sam asked. “Cato said you’d been in an accident.”
“I’m fine, thank you. The car came off worse than I did.”
Pedro turned to Devan. “Have you come down from Northumberland for the concert?”
“We were already heading this way.” Devan took hold of Jonty’s hand and Vigge could almost hear the warning to be careful, probably because he was transmitting it too.
“Heard any more from NASA?” Cato’s mother asked.
“No. The bigger the organisation, the longer these things take and the next time I hear from them it won’t be a decision, just another interview.”
“Sure you want to go and live overseas?” she asked.
Vigge felt Cato’s arm press harder for a moment on his back.
“Doesn’t seem much point thinking about it unless I’m offered the job.” Cato sighed. “Anyway, I might get a better offer.”
“Really? Who from?” Pedro asked.
Cato shrugged. “Roscosmos.”
“The Russians?” Pedro gaped at him.
“Why not? I speak fluent Russian.”
Do you?Vigge felt suddenly as if Cato was from a different planet.
“Can you teach me some Russian before me and Devan go to Vladivostok in February?” Jonty asked. “Just essential phrases like—I have lost my boyfriend. Have you seen him? Do you have larger towels? Where is the British Embassy? I would like a horse.”
Devan groaned.
