Page 155 of Waiting for Ru
“I missed you too. I’m really glad you’re back. But you have to take it easy. No riding, no getting excited, no bossing people about. You need to rest. Do you know how to rest?”
“I’m not sure. I want you to move in.”
He felt Ru tense. “Move in? You mean…to the pool house?”
“No, this house.”
Ru widened his eyes. “What will people think?”
“I don’t give a shit. If they don’t like it or make any negative comments, they can fuck off. I want to wake up next to you, go to sleep with you by my side. I want to enjoy life with you. I feel as if I’ve just woken up after a long sleep. We’re not going to waste the time we have left.”
“What about your family?”
“Waqas spoke to me on the phone. He didn’t know what our father had said. I don’t think he was too pleased at the thought of killing me, or having me killed. He says he’s not changed the way he feels about homosexuality, but I think there’s a sliver of rainbow in his head now. And that’s down to you.”
“I just want you to feel safe.”
“I have never felt safer than I do at this moment.”
Ru smiled.
“I looked at the press coverage while I was in hospital.”
“It was good,” Ru said. “They just said you were gay and talked about oppressive practices in Saudi Arabia. I think your accident stopped the need for you to make a statement. The world’s moved on. For a while at least. Maybe when you start playing again, they’ll ask questions.”
“I’m out for the rest of the season. We’re going to take a holiday. As soon as I can walk more than a few yards without feeling like I’m going to keel over. You can choose where you’d like to go. Anywhere in the world, once I can fly.”
“Could we go to Northumberland? I’d like you to meet my brother.”
Jasim nodded.
“I didn’t tell you that I loved you too. It wasn’t that I don’t, but I didn’t want to just say it back. Have I kept you waiting long enough?”
“Yes, all my life.”
Ru pressed his lips to Jasim’s. “No more waiting. I love you. I’ll love you forever. Is that long enough?”
“Probably not.”
Ru laughed.
Three weeks later
The morning they were due to set off for Northumberland, Jasim woke to see two birds inside Bela’s cage. He nudged Ru and whispered, “Look at Bela. Am I seeing double?”
Ru gave a short laugh. “I see two as well.”
“Has Bela got a boyfriend?”
Ru got out of bed and walked over to the cage. Jasim’s gaze slid to Ru’s naked backside.
“She’s shut them both in,” Ru said. “I want to laugh. Don’t let me laugh. She’ll be offended.” He opened the window a little wider. “They can fly if they want to.”
“Put some shorts on.” Jasim sat up in bed.
“I hope you’re not suggesting they might mistake part of me for a fat juicy worm.” But he pulled on a pair of shorts and sat by the cage. “Hello, beautiful. Happy?”
“Happy,” Bela cawed.
