Page 155 of Inbetweeners
Emmett chuckled. “I need lots of thanks for that. He is a very difficult person. A complete arsehole at times.”
Orion laughed.
Nix wrapped his arms around his brother. “Thank you for remembering me with kindness.”
“Thank you for what you did. You saved my life when were we kids. You sacrificed your life for mine. I’ve never forgotten that. Goodbye, Nix. I love you.”
Nix wasn’t sure he could get the words past the lump in his throat, but… “I love you too.”
The first time he’d ever said that to anyone.
He and Emmett set off on the bike and in his mirror, he could see Orion watching from the curb. Then Nix turned a corner and his brother was gone.Be happy, Orion.
“Are you okay?” Emmett asked. “Do you need to stop for a while and…cry or something?”
“I’m okay.”
“Happy you saw him and he guessed?”
“Yes.”
“I’m glad. Are we going back to Greenwich?”
“Yes.”
Emmett was quiet for a while, then Nix heard him sigh. “I heard Orion mention my mother’s name.”
Shit.
“You weren’t going to tell me?”
“No.” He’d forgotten how sound carried when the sea was calm.
“I’m sorry,” Emmett said quietly.
“You have no need to apologise for your mother.”
“Yet I feel I have to.”
“I think we can see why we were chosen. We’re linked by more than our death.”
“It’s always astounded me that my mother should have chosen social science as her career path. Someone who was so uncaring when I was a boy wanting to dedicate her life to those less fortunate? And specialise in traumatised kids? It makes no sense. I know I have no right to complain. I had a home and food in my stomach, just no love in my life. Now I’m whining about me. Sorry.”
“Maybe she was just following the rules as far as Orion was concerned. He was only five years old. She might have thought he’d forget me and would be better for that. But he had a fantastic memory, even at that age. Anyway, I can’t blame her for my mistakes. I could have gone to see him sooner. He could have come to see me when he was older. Life is what it is. Choices are made and we deal with the consequences. Everything is about consequences.”
“How are you going to deal with your resident alien?”
“I have a plan.”
“Want to share it?”
“Not while we’re on the road. When we get back, we’ll go for something to eat, then take a walk and I’ll tell you.”
“I want more time,” Emmett blurted.
“So do I, but I’m not sure it’s up to us.”
“We can ask for one perfect day.”
“We can ask.” But Nix didn’t think they’d get it.
