Page 102 of Hold On

Dominic felt as if the entire area around them had gone quiet and everyone had heard what he said, but then the world came back and he knew he’d just imagined that silent moment. Though he wasn’t imagining the shock on Ren’s father’s face.

“I guess there’s a story there but this isn’t the time,” Greg said.

Dominic felt relief rush over him like a sudden blast of heat from the sun.

“Thank you for being honest,” Greg said. “I appreciate that can’t have been easy to admit to.”

Don’t ask me what I did.

“Go and find yourselves a drink. And thank you for coming.”

Dominic let out a shuddering sigh as Ren’s father moved away.

“No going into reverse now,” Ren said.

Dominic didn’t want to. Maybe each time he told the truth, it would get easier. Then he thought of answering the questionWhat did you do?and he knew it wouldn’t.

“Ren!” An elderly gentleman in a pale linen suit and battered Panama hat came up to them and Ren hugged him.

“Hi, Grandpa. This is Dominic.”

Dominic shook his hand.

The man wrapped both hands around Dominic’s. “You must call me Edward. How did you meet my boy?”

“I walked into his motorbike.”

“Oh my word. Ren not looking where he was going as usual?”

“I was looking.” Ren grinned.

“I was in Italy on my bike, became distracted by a beautiful woman and I collided with a market stall. Sent fruit rolling everywhere. What a day that was. Let’s find somewhere to sit and I’ll tell you all about it. Get us something to drink, Ren.”

Ren’s grandpa slotted his arm in Dominic’s and led him over to a garden bench.

“Do you ride?” Edward asked.

“Only behind Ren.”

“His mother wishes he didn’t have a bike. I had such adventures on mine when I was a young man. Went all the way to Australia via Asia. Two years on the road. The things I saw. The fruit I squashed. The women I loved.”

Dominic chuckled.

“Came back, found the right woman, got married and that was that. No more bike.” He chuckled. “I was delighted when Ren showed an interest, though my daughter-in-law has never forgiven me. How is Ren?”

“Getting there,” Dominic said carefully.

“Did he tell you what happened?”

“Yes.”

“Then you must be special. He told us very little.”

Ren came up holding three glasses of champagne and after handing two over, sat next to his grandpa.

“Are you going back to work?” his grandpa asked.

“I’m thinking I’d like to do something different.”

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