Sidequest for Love

“You’re welcome any evening. Just text me first to let me know, and I can pick you up on my way over.”

The offer gave me a warm shimmer in my chest. “How chivalrous. Okay, I’ll do that.”

“Grandma will be thrilled. She rarely has visitors. After Mum and Dad passed away, a lot of our family and friends started keeping their distance. It was like some of them thought the tragedy was contagious. Or maybe they feared being asked to help care for Rosie and me.”

I glanced at him, a sadness hanging over his handsome profile. “That’s awful. Why are people such arseholes?”

Neil shrugged. “I don’t know. They just are.”

I took another bite of my cupcake as silence fell between us. A few moments later, I asked, “How old were you when it happened? When your parents died, I mean?”

His eyes were looking out into the distance at the darkening horizon. “Thirteen. Rosie was only seven. Grandma had been minding us while Mum and Dad went to Paris for the long weekend. On the drive home from the airport, they had a collision with a truck.”

My stomach hollowed listening to him speak. I had a big family, and they were all busy with their own lives, but I never really thought about how quickly and easily something terrible could happen to them. A simple drive home from the airport had snatched Neil’s parents right out from under him.

On instinct, I placed my hand on his, my palm resting over his knuckles. “Rosie said you work so hard because you feel the need to take care of her and Phil. I think it’s admirable how you stepped up and filled the role your parents left behind.”

Neil let out a small breath. “I didn’t have another choice, but I wouldn’t have it any other way either.”

“They’re very lucky to have you.”

He shook his head. “I’m lucky to have them. I love them both so much. They’re my rocks.”

My gaze met his, and so much affection for him filled my chest that I felt like I might burst. He was such a wonderful person, and I had so many feelings for him now it was dangerous. They were going to come spilling out someday, and I would be helpless to prevent it from happening.

A little while later, we joined the others. Neil and I sat side by side, drinking a few more cans and staring up at the sky in the hopes of spotting something. Well, I hoped to spot something. Neil hoped to prove me wrong. He seemed to be on his best behaviour, though, because he didn’t try to argue with the group as we discussed the possibility that an extra-terrestrial life form might’ve visited earth. And I could tell he was itching to point out the flaws in our logic. I reached out and squeezed his knee, thanking him for playing nice. His eyes met mine, and there was heat there, the kind of heat that came with the consumption of three cans of lager while sitting in a field in the middle of nowhere, Cornwall.

It was almost two in the morning before we eventually decided to call it a night. Everyone was disappointed that we hadn’t encountered any flying saucers, but I knew it was always going to be a long shot.

“I need to pee,” I said as Neil and I made our way over to our tent.

“I brought a roll of toilet paper if you need some,” he offered.

“That’s okay. I brought my own, but, um …”

“What is it?” he asked, frowning.

“It’s just that it’s dark, and I don’t want to pee too close to the tent, for obvious reasons, but I also don’t want to go too far away on my own.”

“I’ll come with you then.”

“But you’ll hear me peeing,” I complained.

“For crying out loud, I’ll put my hands over my ears if you want.”

I smiled. “Yes, do that. Thank you.”

I grabbed my toilet paper, and we walked a little distance away from the campsite until we found some bushes that would afford me enough privacy.

“Do you need to go?” I asked.

“No, I went earlier.”

“Okay.” A pause. “Are you sure you don’t need to go? Because I’m not coming back out here if we get back to the tent and you suddenly feel the urge.”

“Afric, stop temporizing and pee. It’s getting cold out here.”

“Fine,” I huffed. “But you better cover your ears as you promised.”

“I’m covering my ears,” he said, and I watched as he brought his hands up to cover them.

I quickly did my business, snapped off a few sheets of toilet paper, then used some of the hand sanitiser in my pocket before re-joining Neil. We were both quiet on the walk back to the campsite, and Neil seemed to be stewing on something. I could tell by how he kept frowning and acting like he wanted to say something but didn’t know if he should.