Transitions by David Connor

Author:David Connor [Connor, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: JMS Books LLC
Published: 2019-08-28T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9

Kyoko was gone after refusing a sendoff. “We’ve said our goodbyes.” The evening had been quiet. Neither teen had been in touch since before dinner. Milo had stayed at the house, mostly upstairs, and Tom Alan had wandered the town until he showed up with the cats around ten.

“They wouldn’t settle,” he said, standing just outside the door with a light drizzle falling, the carrier in hand with two squirming balls of fur inside. “I guess they’ve gotten used to sleeping here.”

“They can stay,” Erika said. “So can you. Come in.”

“I’m sorry.” Tom Alan apologized to Billy even before going up to Milo, before even closing the door. “You were right. I…I have no right to stick my nose into Kiki’s love life. We’re skating partners, she and I, and that’s where it should end.”

Erika wasn’t too keen on that pronouncement.

“Well…we’re…we’re more than that.”

“Yes. We are.”

“But still, I’ve been way out of line.”

“I said some pretty shitty stuff back, stuff I’m really sorry for, too—Tom…Alan. I’ll do better with that. I’ll do better respecting how close you and Rika are,” Billy said.

“Thanks.” Tom Alan turned to her. “I got stuff in my head.”

“What kind of stuff?” She usually knew without asking. “Surely you and Milo—”

“Stuff I could deal with better,” he said, looking anywhere in the kitchen except at her or Billy. “We’re all happy to have you two back together. I hope I can make it up to you and make you feel welcome, Bill…if I’m still welcome.”

“Of course you are.” Erika took the crate from him and freed Flip and Twizzle. “Mother wants you here. You know that.” They hugged, Erika and Tom Alan for a long time and Tom Alan and Billy barely three seconds.

“Is Milo sleeping?”

“Wake him up,” Erika said. “If he is. I doubt it. He’s worried. He’s been waiting for you to call.”

“Hey.”

Everyone turned toward Milo on the stairs.

“Hey.”

“I missed you.”

Tom Alan smiled. “In four hours?”

“In a minute, 20,160 of them are going to be hell,” Milo said. “They’d be intolerable, Skater Boy, if I thought you wouldn’t be here when I got back.”

“I’ll be here,” Tom Alan said. “Let’s go upstairs. You need some rest.”

Milo had to be on the five A.M. train. Billy had to be at Irina Mischen’s rink before that for cleaning, and Erika and Tom Alan would hit the road not long after he finished for a long day of training.

“Come on.” Milo reached for Tom Alan’s hand. Tom Alan took Erika’s.

“Let’s peek in on Etsuko first,” he said.

“She missed you, too.” Erika led the four of them through the living room. “She fussed when I put her down. I think she’s gotten used to having three daddies.” Erika stopped in her tracks.

“It’s okay,” Billy squeezed her hand. “She has…and I don’t want that to change.”

Etsuko awoke long enough to smile at the four of them, then, after kisses, she was out again. Parting at the foot of the living room stairs, Erika and Billy headed for her bedroom, while Tom Alan and Milo headed up.

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