Page 78 of Don't Point at the Moon

“Well, you’re going to have to be patient with me, Mitch,” said Tommy. “I’m not used to being with anyone for more than—”

“Two months. Yes, you told me. Nothing’s guaranteed, Tommy. Daley might lose his sight in the next couple of years. Harold may lose his chance to walk again or even his life. But they’ll both fight because they have partners they care about. I believe that if someone’s worth the effort, exercising patience is the easiest thing in the world. We can tell people we’re friends if that’s easier, as long as I have you in my life.”

“Oh no you don’t. We’re boyfriends. My grandmother already knows and approves.”

Mitchell laughed and squeezed Tommy’s fingers before letting go and reaching into his pocket with his free hand to bring out a scarlet card.

“Talking of which, Mrs Lau gave me this postcard your grandmother sent. When I visited Harold in hospital, he taught me how to say this in Cantonese. I’ve tried to learn parrot fashion, but my accent is probably terrible.”

Mitchell rattled off the eight syllables the way he had been taught.

“Hold hands with you, grow old with you,” said Tommy, squeezing Mitchell’s hand. “Not bad. Hong Kong’s your home, then?”

“As long as she will have me and as long as I have you.”

“Then we need to make a few changes,” said Tommy, getting up from the ground and dusting off his backside before pulling something from his pocket. Mitchell wondered what Tommy was doing, scratching something on the rock surface until Tommy leant back to admire his handiwork.

“What did you do?”

“I’ve crossed out JASMIN and scratched in TAMSIN.”

“Tamsin? Who or what is Tamsin?”

“Your engraving now reads—Tommy And Mitchell Staying in Hong Kong. I Promise.”

Tommy settled back down next to Mitchell and bumped his shoulder playfully. After moments of staring out into the starlit sky, Tommy linked their arms together and rested his head on Mitchell’s shoulder, intimacy he had never shown before.

“Can you believe Devon and Oscar have been living together for two months?” asked Tommy. They had been to lunch with the pair only a week ago.

“I know,” said Mitchell. “Oscar’s really happy. He says Devon brings out the best in him. And Devon told me after only a week he felt totally at home in Oscar’s place, like—”

“A fish to the slaughter?” added Tommy.

Mitchell’s laughter became a sigh, staunched only when Tommy spoke.

“Maybe we should consider doing the same.”

Mitchell had no words and had temporarily lost the ability to breathe.

“Move in together, I mean,” said Tommy, his silhouette turning to Mitchell. “What do you think?”

“I mean, I would love that,” said Mitchell quietly, his heart filling. “But only if you’re ready. I’d hate you to feel trapped—”

“Look, even before I turned thirty, I had this nagging feeling I’d been missing out. But I couldn’t figure out what I didn’t already have. Enter Mitchell Baxter. Didn’t take long for me to realise that my fiercely guarded independence is also a source of loneliness. But ever since we started hanging out, something’s changed. I find myself looking forward to seeing and talking to you, And when I’m alone, I laugh about times we’ve spent together or things we’ve discussed. It’s been strange but nice actually getting to know someone before jumping their bones.”

“And about the bone-jumping? Am I enough? And how do you feel about waking up next to the same face every morning?”

“Like I said, my motivations have changed. I find these things hard to articulate, but you’re my missing piece, Mitch. I’m more worried that I won’t be enough for you—”

“You are already more than I could ever have hoped for. And to answer your earlier question, I’ve heard that two can live much better and cheaper than one person living alone.”

Mitchell smiled into the night sky. The past four weeks had been his happiest in Hong Kong, having Tommy in his life. They were still cautious around each other, and even though Mitchell had considered them living together, he would never have dared to bring up the idea. Having Tommy thinking along the same lines made his happiness complete.

“I love Hong Kong,” said Tommy. “I know it’s my place of birth but I love living here. Back when I was younger and foreigners asked what country I came from, I would always say Hong Kong, and none of my family ever corrected me. I just hope we’re not relegated to a backwater, an ageing movie star or a has-been thathas had her time in the limelight and is now rarely mentioned in the tabloids.”

“Norma Desmond,” said Mitchell.

“I don’t know who that is.”

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