---
Darren
For a couple of weeks, Tyler drove us around in my Lamborghini. It made me uncomfortable, and it wasn't only from my anxiety. It was the type of car that you only owned if you were a millionaire. Driving it around was like rubbing it in everyone's faces.
We left it parked on the curb at the edge of town for ten minutes, and came back to a group of lads circling it, taking pictures on their phones. They startled and jumped back when it flashed at Tyler unlocking it - he seemed amused enough, smirking at them as he walked around to the door. I just felt obnoxious.
Hi, I'm a rich cunt.
Do you like my car? With the scissor doors, so it can't even fit in multi-story carparks if the ceiling is too low.
Fucking hell.
I couldn't wait to go to the dealer to pick up Tyler's new Chevy.
*
That year was going fast. Before I knew it, it was November. Amelia was running about all over the place, preparing for what was coming. Marcus kept coming around on errands from my uncle. My phone never stopped ringing. Even Zack barely left his office.
The prototype impressed, and we beat competition. We were in contract with the military.
The security of my company was going to be funded by the government.
Jackson told me that he was going to do everything he could, to make sure I was kept up to date on whatever happened with the case. No more keeping me in the dark. I wanted to know, I deserved to know.
There would forever be this grey cloud hanging over my life, but I accepted it. I wasn't going to live in fear. I wasn't going to stand down from what I had created, what I wanted to do, how I wanted to live. I could say that for more than just this trouble with the 'black market'.
Jackson made sure that I would be more prepared, should something happen again. He was adamant that there would never be another slip-up, as my family was back under police protection, but he wanted to 'take precautions'. He got me in somewhere to take self-defence classes, and forced Tyler into it, too. He would be 'professionally taught how to subdue and apprehend, without excessive violence'.
"So you don't fucking kill someone again."
Tyler rolled his eyes. "All right, Ted."
I couldn't do much more than shrug apologetically when Jackson gave me a look of daggers. He was going to be Ted forever, just as much as I could be 'babe', 'sweet-cheeks', 'honey-butt', and whatever the fuck else. He might have taken a bit too much pleasure in skillfully demonstrating a take-down on Tyler at the instructor's behest.
When I was ordered to perform the same, Tyler was a giggling mess on the floor beneath me, clinging to my clothing to keep me on top of him.
"Ted. Ted, I can't do this."
"Why?"
"I'm getting a massive boner."
Even the instructor clasped a hand to his forehead. "Jesus fucking Christ."
I was also taught how to wield firearms. But I wasn't supposed to put that skillset to use. Jackson informed me that he'd never had to. Firmly. Once I was striking a series of targets, reloading, and striking them again within the time limit, he nodded at me and crossed his arms.
"Good thing you'll never be hitting a moving target, right?"
Right.
*
We spent Christmas Day around Amelia's and Zack's. I don't think anything could have been a more homely atmosphere. This was the closest family I'd ever had, and it was good to see Amelia's parents again. They'd always treated me close to their own son. They were... pleasantly surprised, to learn of my relationship with Tyler. It was a bit strange that they already knew him. It reminded me of what Amelia said, with everything coming full circle.
What was Christmas without a kid to get unfathomably excited about presents under the tree? David was what made that day so memorable.
Amelia and Tyler had been working together on a present for him. They built a remote controlled car from scratch, using spare parts from the labs. Amelia had done most of the circuiting and Tyler had burnt himself, at least three times, soldering it all together.
The paper came off in a flurry. David squealed and ran around the house before calming down enough to drive it, crashing it into everything while he learnt the controls. It was a sturdy thing, 90% metal, and Amelia was more concerned about her furniture.
I wish I'd had a Mummy Lia and Uncle Tyler when I was a boy.
He asked them why they hadn't made more, so they could race with him. They tossed each other glances before there was laughter. It had turned into a much bigger project than they had expected, filled with frustrations and swearing and something flying across the room. They weren't building another any time soon.
But Zack and Amelia were thinking about making something else.
"So we're thinking of trying for another baby," Amelia said that evening, once David was in bed and the wine had come out.
"Bit of an age gap by now," Tyler replied.
"Yeah, well. Better late than never? It's not like we've been taking measures to make sure I
don't
get pregnant all this time." She finished her glass and swung it slightly in her fingers. "If you must know, we've actually been trying for the past year, it just hasn't happened yet."
"Zack's not potent enough."
He snorted and tossed Tyler a scowl. Amelia tutted.
"No, I think it's probably me. I don't know why, though. Wasn't like we had any trouble conceiving David, I never had any troubles with the pregnancy."
"Body clock's a'ticking," Amelia's mother said, then gave a little clap. "Chop chop!"
"Oh God, Mum. I'm not that old! Besides, you never gave me a brother or sister. You can't talk."
"Just as well. You were enough on your own."
"Pfft. Anyways, I'll probably go to the doctor and get checked out. I really hope there's nothing wrong."
"I think you're fine, dear. Just unlucky."
A little twinge in me watched Tyler closely, worried that I might see that distant expression where he imagined having his own child, raising his own family. It didn't happen. I think he was happy being a part-time uncle to David. He looked around and raised an eyebrow at me, as if he was reading my thoughts.
"Are we trying, Darren? No? Good."
Amelia's father wheezed loudly and poured himself another glass of wine.
We spent Boxing Day with Tyler's family. He warned me multiple times how loud, crass, and working-class they all behaved, while half of them had always been middle-class and comfortable. I was prepared for it.
His mother came from a large family with many siblings, so Tyler had a monstrous amount of aunts, uncles, and cousins. The gathering was around whoever had the largest house, and it was still cramped.
There was a wide age range. His youngest cousin was 10, and the oldest nearly 40. Everybody in that family had to talk. And argue. And rip the shit out of each other while howling with laughter.
Even amongst that crowd, Tyler still managed to take centre stage as the biggest clown. I was hearing just how loud his voice could go. Maybe the most interesting things had happened to him that year to put him in the spotlight. Everybody knew about his car crash. And me, apparently. They were taking the piss out of him relentlessly, calling him a gold-digger, and asking me how I put up with him, how good did he suck my dick to be worth keeping around. Nicole squawked loudly, letting them know how rude they were.
And I had thought I was prepared.
Tyler bathed in it with the biggest grin, pulled me against him, and kissed me in front of the whole family. There was an ear splitting chorus of hoots, laughter, and cheers. His 14 year old cousin went bright red in the face.
Alcohol came out when I thought it couldn't get any worse, but Tyler was good, and didn't touch a drop. He seemed to know exactly when it was too much for me and the headache was splitting my skull - he tossed me my jacket, and dragged me into the cold dark outside for a walk, to show me a nearby park he had frequented as a kid.
Which involved me getting pulled behind a chainlink fence, shoved against a tree, and having my dick sucked.
"There you go," he said. "A full working-class experience."
I chuckled, my breath clouding in the air. "Aren't we supposed to fuck in the tunnel in the playground?"
"Oh God. If you want to, I'm up for it."
"I'll pass."
My uncle was used to rarely seeing me, outside of business and social events. Christmas time, for a long time, had been spent with Amelia, or alone. There was a gathering at New Year that he invited me to, and he told me to bring Tyler. He was really trying.
Tyler, out of pure respect of how Vincent had helped out on the trial, kept his hands off me the entire night. To an untrained eye we wouldn't have looked much more than close friends. Save for a few too many smiles and looks. I'm sure my uncle appreciated it.
I think Tyler was slowly realising he could fit into those environments. He looked good in that suit, no matter how much he denied it, and so long as he behaved himself, he was good at holding people's attention in conversation. He did like being centre of attention. And I liked watching him when he was so confident, cheerful, energetic.
*
By early February I was exhausted from work. There were so many things going on, constant hassle and upkeep, and I wanted a break. An escape, just for a little while. I wanted to take Tyler to New Zealand.
We needed permission from his probation officer, and they granted it. He had been working hard to show what a sweet, well-behaved, and functional member of society he was. Whatever he was doing worked. We had no trouble, as I'd thought. Just ticking off boxes while months ticked past.
I had booked the tickets in an instant, leaving everything up to Zack and Amelia for a couple of weeks.
I told Tyler to pack light. A single suitcase.
Amelia dropped us off at the airport and we were gone.
He buzzed with excitement over the first class treatment. We stopped in a 5-star hotel in Los Angeles for a night, to break up the flight. I didn't often get to spoil him - he wasn't the type of person to let me - but seeing his giddy, boyish grin made my heart do flips. I also enjoyed the look on the receptionist's face as I checked in for the room with this handsome, besotted man hanging from my neck. I don't know if society as a whole will ever think it's normal.
"Don't get used to it," I said, as he flopped onto the bed. "There's none of this when we arrive."
He chuckled and clasped his hands to head. "I'd never get used to this. Fucking Beverly Hills. Hollywood. This is mental."
I was a carefree, homeless backpacker in New Zealand. That was a holiday to me. No restrictions, no planning. Free to go wherever I wanted, whenever I wanted, by whatever means I could. I guess I cheated by having a generous budget to give me such freedom, cards in my wallet, but it was something I'd done multiple times, going alone each time. A character-building exercise, finding myself. Whatever you want to call it. The very idea of it had terrified me when I was younger. Which was why I had to do it.
I was excited beyond words that this time I was sharing it with Tyler.
Upon arrival in Auckland, we rented a car. I could have him drive us everywhere, anywhere. I was going to show him so many things.
"Oh my God," he said. "They drive on the left."
"You didn't know?"
"I thought, like, the whole rest of the world just drove on the right."
