Authors: Anne Barwell
"They're mythical creatures, Mikey," Tomas said, amused. "They don't exist. Besides, they'd probably be more inclined to breathe fire at you rather than be a pet. I don't think you can exactly compare them to a cat."
"They do too," Mikey argued, scowling. "Just because you can't see them doesn't mean they're not there." He picked up the cat, stroking her, and she curled into him, licking his hand. "I don't draw things that aren't there."
"You've drawn dragons?" Cathal asked, a little too eagerly for Tomas's liking. What had happened to the need to know about skateboarding? "Would you be able to show me sometime?"
"Sure." Mikey beamed. "Do you believe in dragons, Cat? Tomas doesn't." His smug expression wouldn't have looked out of place on the damn cat.
"People believe in different things, Mikey," Cathal said softly, stroking Tomas's hand with his thumb. "I'm sure he believes in some things that you don't. That doesn't mean they don't exist either." His eyes glazed over for a moment before he smiled at Mikey. "Thank you, I appreciate that. Perhaps you could bring them with you tomorrow and we could look at them after we've built your skateboard ramp?"
"Yeah, okay." Mikey gave the cat one last scratch between her ears, and she jumped down out of his arms. Rubbing against Cathal's legs once more, she gave Tomas what could only be described as a very pointed look and then sauntered off toward the inn.
"Didn't you have homework to do?" Tomas asked. Between Mikey and the cat both trying to compete for Cathal's attention, he wanted some time before Cathal decided he needed to go.
"It's not due till tomorrow." Mikey shrugged, reaching into his pocket and pulling out some gum. "I still have to explain to Cat what skateboarding is."
"Come to think of it," Tomas said, "shouldn't you have been in school today?" Cathal was staring at the gum. It dawned on Tomas that he'd be asking Mikey what that was next, and then they'd never get rid of the kid. "You can show him tomorrow rather than explaining now."
"You want me to leave, don't you?" Mikey shook his head. "I told you," he told Cathal, "that the guy has no manners. See?"
"School?" Tomas asked again. If Mikey mentioned manners once more, Tomas would show him exactly how polite he could be when pushed.
"Teachers-only day today, and it's a half one tomorrow, so we can build the ramp after lunch," Mikey said, grinning. "Besides, I don't like the relief teacher. She's annoying."
Tomas bit off the retort he really wanted to say when Cathal's hand tightened around his in an unmistakable warning. "I'm sure your parents will be wondering where you are, Mikey," Cathal said. "I'd also like a chance to spend some time with Tomas before I have to return home."
"My dad's too busy to notice," Mikey said sulkily, "and my mum died when I was born, so I guess she doesn't care either."
"Sometimes people don't have control over whether they are there when you need them." Cathal shook his head sadly. "Just because she isn't here now doesn't mean she doesn't love you." He was looking at Mikey very intently. When he spoke again, there was a trace of pain or maybe regret in his voice. "Your father is probably doing the best he can. It would have been difficult for him losing your mother too."
Mikey shrugged. "Yeah right. He loved her so much he never talks to me about her." He kicked at a couple of stones. There seemed to be a few that had made their way from the path onto the grass. A pink bubble blew and popped. Tomas hadn't even seen Mikey put the foul stuff into his mouth.
"I'm sorry," Cathal started to say, then stopped. "You're right; this is none of my business." His stared at the ground, at the stones Mikey had kicked. "I don't know you or your father, and I have no right to pass an opinion."
"Cat...." Tomas slid his arm around Cathal's waist without thinking, trying to offer comfort. "Go home, Mikey. I think you've done enough for one day."
"No," Cathal said firmly, though there was a waver in his voice. "This was my fault." He looked up at the sky and then at Mikey. "It's noon. I expect you haven't eaten lunch. You must be hungry. We'll meet in the field tomorrow, and Tomas and I will help you build your ramp for your skateboard."
"You're not angry at me?" Mikey's question was directed toward Cathal, Tomas very clearly ignored as though his reaction was either a given, not important, or both.
Cathal shook his head.
"See you tomorrow, then." Mikey turned without waiting for an answer and started running across the field toward the section of hedge the furthest away from the tree.
"You're going the wrong way!" Tomas yelled after him.
"No." Cathal shook his head again. "There's a lane on the other side of the hedge, I believe, and some sort of... vehicle stops there regularly. I've heard it." His voice was flat, his tone subdued, his gaze fixed on Mikey until he disappeared from view.
"Cat?" Tomas cursed Mikey under his breath. While he understood that Cathal had attempted to give Edward's side of the story, his reaction to Mikey's comment still seemed a little off. It wasn't just the fact he'd apologized to Mikey. There was something else.
"I'm fine." Cathal slipped his hand out of Tomas's, bending to pick up one of the stones he'd been staring at. For a moment he seemed almost in another world, standing so still and totally focused on something else, perhaps a memory, that only he could see. Tomas might as well not be there. "I hate this!" he said suddenly, throwing the stone with a force that surprised Tomas. "I've waited so long, and then finally... and I do something stupid like that!"
"Cat?" Tomas pulled Cathal into his arms, making reassuring noises and stroking his hair. "Hey, it's okay. This isn't just about Mikey, is it?"
They stood for a few minutes, the wind coming up around them, Tomas with his arms around Cathal. When Cathal finally spoke, he didn't pull away but leaned farther into the embrace Tomas offered. "I just want to belong somewhere," he said in a choked voice. "I don't here, and I no longer do with my own people. I don't want to live like they do. I just can't anymore, and I...." His voice trailed off.
"You can belong wherever you want," Tomas reassured him. What were his people like that they could have ostracized him like this? Tomas couldn't imagine anyone doing that to someone like Cathal. With the way he'd spoken to Mikey, it was obvious as hell that he cared about people and had only been trying to help.
"I wish it was that easy." Cathal wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his shirt. "I'm sorry, Tomas. I shouldn't have lost control like that. It isn't fair on you."
"Let me decide that, Cat." Tomas kissed the top of Cathal's head. "Do you want to sit and talk for a while? We have some coffee left, and I have some leftovers from morning tea in my bag that I brought for lunch. I thought you might like to try some more of Heidi's cooking." He tried to keep his voice light. "You don't have to go yet, do you?"
"No." Cathal tilted his head up to brush his lips against Tomas's. "We can share lunch and talk for a while. I'd like that." He smiled. "I can stay for another few hours. I'm not going back until I have to. Not this time."
"Why don't you stay longer?" Tomas asked. "There are spare rooms at the inn. I'm sure Heidi and Donovan wouldn't mind." He'd almost suggested that Cathal could share his room but then decided against it. Although he was fairly sure that Cathal, like he, wanted more than what they'd done already, he wasn't about to take advantage of the fact Cathal was upset. For some reason Cathal had issues about their relationship not being equal, and Tomas wanted to prove to him before they went any farther that it was.
"I can't." Cathal extracted himself from Tomas's embrace. "I wish I could. Right now I just want to walk away from them, but I can't." He spread his arms in a gesture of frustration. "They've made sure I can't."
"What do you mean?" Tomas's eyes narrowed. Had Cathal's people hurt him or done something to him to curtail his freedom? He'd already said that he was on a short leash. Surely he couldn't mean that literally?
Cathal glanced around nervously. "I can't explain. I'm sorry." He sighed. "I've already told you more than I ever should have. If they find out, we could lose this too."
"Where are you from, Cat?" Tomas's shoulders stiffened, his tone reflecting his anger. "Surely you don't need to go back if you don't want to? They can't make you. I won't let them."
"Neither of us would have a choice," Cathal said flatly. "I disobeyed them once. If my family hadn't intervened, we would not even be having this conversation. I doubt they would be so lenient if I transgressed a second time."
"If you're in that much trouble and they are forcing you to do something against your will, we can call the police. This is England, the twenty-first century, and you're an adult. You don't have to just go along with this kind of crap."
Cathal shook his head. "No!" he said firmly. "It is not that simple. We do not follow the same rules as you do."
"Then stay with me," Tomas suggested. This was crazy. He and Cathal had not known each other a week, and already he was offering him sanctuary from God knew whom and what.
"No!" Cathal's fists clenched and unclenched. "I can't put you at risk. I won't. Don't ask me to." He looked at Tomas in an expression that could only be described as desperate. "Don't ask me to," he repeated. "Please."
"Can you at least explain?" The only time Tomas had felt this helpless was when he and Kathleen had been separated once while in foster care, neither of them wanting to leave the other but being told it was for their own good, as no one could be found who was prepared to take both of them. He remembered being dragged away from his sister, both of them crying and fighting adults who had more power than they did, but in the end they had lost. He'd been too young to understand, and now, he wasn't given the chance to try. He couldn't go through this again. He wouldn't.
"No." Cathal's gaze dropped to the grass between them; the short distance could have been forever. Neither of them moved.
"Why not?" If Tomas at least knew what was going on, then he could formulate a plan to help.
"The less you know, the safer you are." Cathal's finger twirled around one of the laces on his shirt, pulling it tight and then letting it go.
"You don't trust me," Tomas said slowly. "Hell, you haven't even told me where you live."
"That's the problem." The lace raveled and unraveled again. "I trust you more than I have anyone in a very long time. I relax when we're together, and I say things I shouldn't." Cathal's shoulders slumped. "Perhaps I should just go, and you can forget me. I'm hurting you. I know I am."
"Come here," Tomas whispered, opening his arms.
Cathal shook his head. "I think I should go. This isn't going to work. It didn't for them; why should it for us?"
"No!" Tomas bridged the gap between them, wrapping his arms around Cathal. "I'm not letting you go. I won't!"
"You don't know me," Cathal protested, but made no move to free himself. "I can't tell you where I'm from or who I am." He was shaking.
"I don't care." Tomas held Cathal tightly. If someone came for him, they would bloody well have to drag him away, because Tomas wasn't about to let go without a fight.
"You would. They'd make sure you would. The price would be high. It always is." Cathal lifted his head, searching Tomas's face. "Why do you want to protect me, Tomas?"
"Why do you want to protect me?" Tomas countered.
"Because...." Cathal faltered, his voice choked and little more than a whisper. "Because I think I'm falling in love with you."
"You... what?" Tomas's arms dropped to his sides, letting Cathal go, his brain trying to process what had just been said. Those lines were the ones they'd role-played. It couldn't be real. People didn't fall in love this quickly unless they were characters in a book. "You can't," he said lamely.
"You asked." Cathal sounded miserable. "I told you. I thought...." He shook his head. "I say the words, and yet I put you at risk by saying them. If I loved you, I wouldn't be doing that. It doesn't make sense."
"You mean it, don't you?" Everyone Tomas loved, he lost. Kathleen had been the exception, but he'd lost even her for a while. They were family, though; it was different. There was nothing tying Cathal to him, and if he was to be believed, there was no reason why, if his people, whoever they were, thought he was breaking their rules, that he wouldn't be taken away. Tomas couldn't afford to love in return. He couldn't take the chance of losing someone he cared about again. Everyone left, eventually. It was probably just a matter of time before Kathleen did as well.
"You're scared." The words were a statement, not a question.
Tomas answered them in the same manner, his voice very matter of fact. "Yes."
"So am I." The scrunched-up material fell from Cathal's fingers. "I should not have spoken to you that first day. I knew I was taking a chance even then."
"Then why did you?" This was ridiculous. There was only the hedge between them and the inn. Anyone could come out and find them. That anyone could be Mrs. O'Neil. Tomas didn't want to continue this conversation here. Hell, he just wanted it to have never happened. He didn't talk to anyone about this kind of thing. He just didn't.
"I was curious and I was lonely. I wanted to talk to someone." Cathal shrugged. "I'd seen you arrive the day before, and you looked interesting. There was something about you I'd never felt from anyone else before."