“Well, that’s not all,” Fletcher grinned, stepped away from the group hug and raking his blonde hair out of his eyes. He drew in a deep breath and grabbed hold of Lucas’ hand. Cavan felt both giddy and anxious when the blonde man knelt down in the doorway, gazing up into Lucas’ face with such unmasked happiness it made his heart ache. “Lucas Trunell, would you do us the honour of being our baby’s godfather?”
Lucas’ jaw was clenched. He rolled his eyes and gave an exasperated sigh. “I suppose this kid needs to have at least one sane parental figure.”
Fletcher laughed, standing to his full height and dragging Lucas into a hug. “You’re the best!”
“Careful with all that hugging, Fletch, you might get Lucas pregnant if you’re not careful!” Bonnie giggled.
Cavan couldn’t help but laugh. “Just so you know, I’m not helping you raise some blonde man’s baby.”
“Eurgh!” Lucas groaned. “I’m surrounded by idiots!”
Chapter 31
Summer came in a manic rush.
Cavan and Lucas didn’t get much time to see one another; Cavan crammed for hours at a time to refine the masterpiece of a dissertation whereas Lucas had to monitor the exam-prep of his students and attend at least three of said exams a day. Apparently, the students disturbed the hall less when he was present at the front of it.
They had easily slid into the habit of Cavan coming up to stay with Lucas from Friday afternoon to Monday morning. It was becoming a little tricky for Cavan to disappear each weekend now, as Sophie had returned from her travels and Arthur was getting more free time now that all their papers had been handed in. The only reason Lucas had allowed him to set foot back into his parent’s house was because Sophie was back and sided with Cavan from the get-go.
That didn’t mean he had to like it though. At the very least, the brat returned every Friday afternoon.
It took the rough edge off the whole week. Lucas would wait, dressed and ready to head out to meet the rest of his friends at the Chinese restaurant. Cavan would rush in, dump his bags behind the door, spray some deodorant on and follow Lucas out to the car. After their last attempt on the bike, Cavan begged and pleaded with him to always use the car. Not that Lucas was deterred. He’d get Cavan comfortable on the bike one way or another.
Despite frequent invitations, Lucas refused to go to Cavan’s house. Cavan assured him that his father would leave anyway if he knew Lucas was visiting, but the older man flat out refused. Not that Cavan minded going to Lucas’s place; to a degree, he preferred it even if there were no personal touches of his own.
The last week of July saw Lucas’s school-year drawing to a close –along with a huge card from his Year 10 students with goofy messages and pictures stuck inside which Cavan found rather adorable –and Bonnie’s gradually growing stomach. A lot had been changing as the days grew longer, people grew slower and lazier, until full-on summer mode hit the planet. For his part, Cavan felt as though he could finally breathe a little easier. With no more Uni work to worry about and now only graduation to struggle through in September, he figured he was due a break.
It was on a Tuesday afternoon whilst Cavan was sunning himself in a deckchair in his back garden. Sophie and chatting idly, whilst Arthur sucked on an ice-lolly in the shade. His phone buzzed with a text message from Lucas. Sophie quirked an eyebrow behind her large sunglasses. “You guys still spam each other? God that’s so sad.”
“I think it’s sweet!” Arthur chirruped from his shady spot on his deckchair. They’d been in the sun for about half an hour before the blonde had felt the need to retreat. He burned too easily.
Cavan wondered if Lucas burned easily. Swiping up his phone, he squinted against the sunlight to read the messages.
(13:45) Remember how I said I wasn’t going to kill Bonbon today?
(13:47) Well, I lied.
(13:51) I’m going to murder her and dump the body in the ocean.
(13:58) Hang on Mister! What did we say about killing people unnecessarily?
(14:04) … Not in the house?
(14:06) Good boy.
(14:09) Too easy to trace. You know this.
(14:12) What did she do to you this time?
(14:15) She manipulated me to go baby shopping with her.
(14:16) Hence death.
(14:20] OMG ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?
(14:23) YOU’RE LOOKING AT BABY CLOTHES?
(14:24) … No.
(14:27) SHOW ME SOMETHING!
(14:30) How do you scowl through a phone?
(14:34) LUCAAAAAAAAAAAS!
(14:37) Eurgh
(14:40) LUCAS SENT A [.JPEG]
(14:43) Awwww those are quite sweet.
(14:46) Look at you not buying her black stuff!
(14:50) It was a struggle, I won’t lie.
(14:52) You poor man. I suppose you’ll have to sacrifice a goat now.
(14:56) … You have some weird fetishes, kid. But okay. Whatever makes you happy.
(14:58) Hardy har-har. NOT funny!
(15:02) I’m immensely funny.
(15:05) You’re a douche.
(15:07) I’m your douche. Now, down to business you little snot-bucket.
(15:10) Since the sun wants to fry the planet, and us along with it, how do you feel about going away for a week or two?
(15:14) You mean … like a holiday?
(15:1) Perhaps. I know it’s a bit short-notice, but we don’t have to go abroad. Even somewhere LESS busy would be a sodding holiday.
(15:21) Like down in Brighton?
(15:25) Or Cornwall?
(15:28) Yes. Although why you’d go to CORNWALL is beyond me.
(15:31) I’d imagine it looks vaguely nicer when it’s sunny.
(15:32) So would it just be us two?
(15:35) I was thinking maybe the six of us could go.
(15:36) 6?
(15:38) You and your friends. Me and mine.
(15:41) Really? You’ve never really met my friends.
(15:43) Wouldn’t want you getting bored. Besides, you haven’t seen them for ages. You’ve all worked hard. Why not have a break?
(15:47) They’d pay their way though, right? They’re sort of if-y about hand-outs.
(15:50) Oi brat, I’m a TEACHER not a MILLIONAIRE. I’m merely extending an invitation. I’m not PAYING for anyone else to come.
(15:53) Haha! Okay phew! That’s so kind of you. Although um …
(15:57) Eleanor won’t be coming … Will she?
(16:03) Eleanor isn’t coming. Any fun had would be safe-fun, not ‘electrocuted in a shark-cage’ fun.
(16:05) Did that really happen? If yes, she’s a PSYCHO. If not … Well, I’d say it’s only a matter of time.
(16:07) You have no idea, kid.
(16:10) Balls. Got to go. Bonbon’s death-glaring me for texting too much. Talk to your friends and let me know what they say.
(16:14) Will do. Stay safe. Don’t anger the mothership and have fun!
(16:16) Too late.
(16:18) Run!
“YEOW!” Cavan jumped off his deckchair as water splashed over him. It narrowly missed his phone as he glared at Sophie standing over him. “The fuck was that for?”
She smirked at him, “We asked you three times if you wanted to go in and have some ice-cream. You were so engrossed in your phone you didn’t hear shit!”
Cavan rolled his eyes. “Well since you’re being a mega-bitch, I’m not going to tell you what Lucas and I were talking about.”
“I’m sure your sex-capades are very interesting, Cavan, but I don’t want to know about them. Nor does Arthur.”
“Hey!” Cavan felt his cheeks go red as he followed Sophie and Arthur. The coolness of the house hammered home just how long he’d been lying out in the sun. God, he hoped he’d had enough sun-cream on. “If you MUST know, he was inviting us to go on a little holiday for a week or two.”
“Holiday?” Arthur popped his head up from where he’d been crouching in front
of the open freezer. “Where to?”
“Currently undecided. I guess it depends on who’s coming.”
Sophie cocked her head to the side, “Wouldn’t you rather it just be the two of you?”
Cavan shrugged. “Either is fine with me. I haven’t seen you guys in ages so it’s kind of nice of him to invite you along too.”
Sophie smirked as she unwrapped an ice-lolly. “We’re not going anywhere anymore, Cavan! Go and have fun with your boyfriend. When school starts up again, you won’t get many chances to get away.”
Cavan frowned as he accepted a magnum from Arthur. “I guess you’re right. But you guys only just got free time again.”
“So, hang-out with us properly until you go and see your boyfriend.”
“Well, we could go for a week?” Arthur suggested. “That way Cavan and Lucas can get a week to themselves as well, and we still get to have a mini-get-away.”
“That’s a good point,” Sophie frowned in thought. “Would that be okay, do you think?”
“Let me ask him.”
(16:35) What do you think about only inviting friends for one week, then we can have the second week to ourselves?
He sent the message and tried not to tap his phone impatiently whilst he waited for a response. Would Lucas respond straight away? Or would Bonbon hit him with the phone for trying?
(16:40) I’d prefer two weeks with you, but I have to learn to compromise at some time in my life.
(16:43) We already had several weeks together in Lincoln and the other month! Can’t be selfish!
(16:45) Sounds good to me, brat. I’ll let Fletcher and Bonnie know.
(16:47) Thanks!
“He says it’s okay!” Cavan beamed.
“Finally! A holiday!” Arthur thrust his lolly in the air. “It feels like forever since we were able to relax properly!”
“Speak for yourself, Arthur,” Cavan said. “Soph has been all over bloody Europe and all she came back with was sunburn.”
“Oi!” Sophie looked affronted. “I also got you guys those souvenirs!”
“Yeah thanks for my shell necklace,” Cavan retorted. Sophie took her ice-lolly and rolled it down the side of her brother’s cheek. Cavan yelped and jumped away, “THE HELL SOPH? THAT’S FUCKING COLD!”
Sophie merely smirked at him before popping the end of the lolly back in her mouth. Arthur snickered as she turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Cavan to scowl at her back whilst cleaning the sticky coldness from his skin.
~0~
The night was hot and sticky. Cavan lie spread-eagled on his bed with the tiny fan on his desk circulating the humid air. He felt alert and irritable. Downstairs he could hear his parents still milling about. Things had been tense at home since he’d gotten back that evening. It was like living on the knife’s edge, just waiting for someone to snap and shatter the torturous silence that hung over their house.
Cavan kept out of his dad’s way and vice versa.
Graduation was going to be a quiet affair. With all the melodrama that had occurred Cavan had gotten in late to book the tickets for his guests. He’d only managed to get the two of the four he’d initially wanted. Sophie had already surrendered her own ticket, more than happy to meet up with them afterwards at the restaurant. Cavan felt bad but she assured him over and over that it was fine. He wanted his Mama to go. To a degree, he wanted his dad to come too, however his recent behaviour had spoken for itself.
Did he invite Lucas?
He felt a little awkward about it, having his boyfriend –a teacher no less –attending a graduation ceremony for someone who was neither his pupil nor his child. He drummed his fingers on his stomach as he contemplated it. They’d technically only been dating for a couple of months now, talking for seven. Was that long enough? He knew people who had gotten engaged and married after a shorter period of time. Would Lucas even wanted to come?
‘You’re over-thinking this again!’ his brain chided.
Cavan frowned. There was only one way to find out. Swiping up his phone from the edge of the bed, he opened a new message and tapped one out to Lucas.
(2:02) Hey, sorry if this wakes you, but I had something on my mind I wanted to ask you about.
He tapped ‘SEND’ and waited.
(2:14) Shoot.
(2:18) Well I could only get two tickets for graduation and I wasn’t sure who to take in the hall with me. Soph has already said she doesn’t mind meeting up later, but now I feel bad because I don’t feel like dad deserves to be there.
(2:20) But then he’s my dad and did contribute to my studies.
(2:24) I just don’t really know what to do and I feel like either way I’m going to end disappointing someone.
(2:26) Cavan.
(2:27) Rambling.
(2:28) Sorry.
(2:31) Ask your question.
(2:35) Right! Um … I was wondering if you’d like to come to my graduation ceremony?
(2:37) When?
(2:39) It’s at the end of August.
(2:41) Weird.
(2:43) I know.
(2:45) Ok.
(2:47) You’ll come? Are you sure? It’s okay if you don’t want to.
(2:53) Rambling.
(2:55) I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!
(2:57) So you’ll come?
(2:59) Yes.
(3:04) Lucas … That means a lot to me … I … I love you for that you know?
(3:07) Love you too
(3:10) Do you want me to let you go back to sleep???
(3:12) Ok.
(3:15) Sweet dreams. Xox
(3:21) X
~0~
Friday AM
The bags were packed, and Lucas had been awake since about half five that morning, if his wake-up text to Cavan was anything to go by. He’d asked if he wanted to come by and pick everyone up, but Cavan had spammed his fist against his phone, sending Lucas an incomprehensible text which translated into Lucas’s brain as ‘Cavan would like to sleep some more’. So he sat back and flicked through the news channels. Sent a text to both Bonnie and Fletcher.
No one replied.
He was just toying with the idea of texting Eleanor when Cavan’s picture flashed up on the screen. He was calling him.
Lucas swiped to answer and held the phone to his ear, “Hello?”
“I’m assuming you can’t sleep?”
“You assumed correct,” Lucas nodded to himself.
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