Page 69 of Unexpected Boyfriends

“How will I get down there?” I frown, wondering about the logistics of getting from here to there without being picked up by security cameras or police orsomething.

“I’ll drive you,” Axel replies.

“Um, if they really believe I’ll come to you, won’t they be watching your house or your car?”

“Maybe. But I've already thought of that. We won’t go in my car. I’ve got an idea about that, but I have to make a phone call after I leave here.”

“Okay. When… when do you want to leave?”

“I think we need to get out of here as soon as possible. I’m sure the cops will be back. If I can get things sorted in time, I’d like to leave in the early morning.”

Suddenly I’m exhausted. The last few days have been physically and emotionally draining, and the prospect of continuing on the run is daunting.

“Can you stay for a bit?” I ask him.

Axel must sense my fear and exhaustion, because he doesn’t argue, just unrolls the sleeping bag that he’s brought with him, unzips it and lays it on the hard floor.

“C’mon, let’s lie down for a while. I don’t have to go yet.”

We lie down together and he holds me close. I rest my head on his shoulder, one arm around his chest, and we stay like that for a long time, without speaking. Silence has always been comfortable between us, and it still is now.

I relax into the warmth of his body against mine, the strength of his arms holding me, the soothing steady beat of his heart. The future is uncertain, but right here, right now, I’m safe and I’m loved.

AXEL

I hate leaving Justin in that dark musty shed but all too soon I have to go. I need to make final preparations for our escape and I’ve already left it a bit late. But I could see how desperately Justin needed me to stay, and if I was honest, I’d needed to stay for myself as well. I needed to hold him, and breathe, and convince myself that we could pull this off.

When I eventually stand up to leave, Justin doesn’t say anything. He gets up too and hugs me tightly before letting me go. He doesn’t try to stop me going. Before I stoop to let myself out the hole in the wall, I take his face in both my hands and press my lips to his.

“I’ll be back in a few hours – after dark,” I murmur, “I’m not leaving you to spend the night here. I’ll bring you up to the house when it’s safe.”

Then I leave him. Before I can’t.

******

I leave the boatshed weatherboards as I found them. I look around, doing a final check that no-one has seen me: there’s no-one in sight. Each time I come here I increase the risk of discovery. My fear is that someone will see me and decide to investigate what is so interesting in this boatshed,while I’m not here.

The thought is chilling. I know I have to get him out of here tonight.

I walk down towards the ferry wharf and find the public telephone booth. Some time ago, these were all abandonedbecause everyone had mobile phones. Then the authorities realized noteveryonedid have mobile phones, and even when they did, sometimes they didn’t work, so they hurriedly re-installed public phone booths. Luckily they’re free now, because who carries coins anymore?

The phone answers on the sixth ring, and a somewhat harried female voice snaps, “Yes?”

“Melinda. It’s Axel.”

“Axel? Why are you calling me from a No Caller ID phone? I nearly didn’t answer. What’s happened? Are you OK?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine,” I assure her. “I need a favour and I’m calling from a public phone because I don’t want to use my mobile.”

There’s a pause.

“That's... odd. Are you in trouble?”

“No. But a friend of mine is… not that he’s done anything wrong, he hasn’t. It’s… complicated but we need your help.”

“Uh, okay. What do you need?”

I hesitate. It’s a big ask.

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