A Daddy for Damian by Joe Satoria

19. DAMIAN

WEDNESDAY

It felt strange using his money to buy a new suitcase, but it was a nice one. He gave me the permission, and Cosimo didn’t need any convincing to help me either.

Our mother had gone out for the afternoon, so it was just three of us; me, Emile, and Cosimo, standing around a suitcase in the middle of the living room.

“What do I even take?” I grumbled. “It’s only a weekend.”

“And you’re not working,” Emile said. “So, I’ve been looking at bars we can visit. There’s a lot to do in Berlin. I never even thought about it as one of those places to go either.”

Cosimo nodded. “No beach in Berlin,” he said. “I was taking to Grant, and he wants us to go on a beach holiday for Christmas. I think he’s just throwing ideas out though,” he shook his head.

I snapped my fingers, grabbing both of their attention. “The question is, do I take one of the suits?”

Neither of them was any help. And I couldn’t ask Kristopher. He was treating me like an adult who could do things without needing to ask someone every single detail of information for the trip.

“If you think you’ll need one,” Cosimo said.

“Didn’t you say he’s meeting his family,” Emile added, “maybe you’ll be needed, as his assistant.”

No. Kristopher had made it clear I wouldn’t be meeting his family, and this was just a trip for me. He made it feel like a reward, even after he told me about it during the coffee shop interview. I didn’t know what to expect.

“He said I won’t even see him while I’m there,” I said, looking inside the empty suitcase. “But I should pack one of the suits, just in case.”

“What if he gets lonely,” Emile teased.

“Ew,” Cosimo mumbled.

“Then I’m sure he’ll call,” I said, grabbing at my phone. The screen flashed. He hadn’t texted or called. I assumed he would’ve wanted to ask how packing was going, or how my day-off was. “Have you even packed?” I asked Emile.

“I packed when you gave me the flight details,” he chuckled. “I told the college apprentice person I was going away on Friday, and wouldn’t be back until Monday, and they were annoyed, but it’s not every day you get an all-paid trip out of the country.”

Cosimo clicked his tongue. “I need to apply to college,” he grumbled. “I was talking to Grant; he saw a couple animal courses.”

I eyed them both, squinting. “I got a letter the other day,” I said. “The day I went for the interview for this job. It was from college; they were telling me I could go back and finish my A-levels.”

Cosimo punched my arm. “You didn’t tell me,” he said. “Are you going back?”

I hadn’t even given it thought. This job was great, and I was sleeping with Kristopher, and he was expanding and exploring me in ways college never could.

“Probably not,” I said. “Deadline the end of September, so I’d have to really hate this job to quit, and when I do, admissions will have closed.” I shrugged. I’d rather have the money. Anyone would, it was silly I’d quit for a job I might get in six years after an entire university course.

Emile swotted at Cosimo’s arm. “And you,” he said. “Are you coming back to college?”

Cosimo rolled his eyes. He probably wouldn’t, not unless I was there. It was part of the whole twin thing, even though the last year we’d stopped being so in sync with each other.

“I work too much right now,” he said, “but Grant said once his sisters had her baby, I probably won’t get many hours, so I should do something, like the animal care stuff to keep myself employable.” He scoffed, rolling his eyes.

“He probably has a point,” I said.

They both looked at me, eyes pinched together. I knew what they were thinking, I didn’t really have employable skills either. Yet look at me, I had a job, even if the only employable thing about me was that I looked hot on my dating profile.

But they were both right. Emile was the only one who could actually do whatever he wanted after his apprenticeship. He could become an electrician on his own name or work for a company.

“Help me pack then,” I said, throwing myself back on the sofa. With my phone in hand, I snapped a picture of the suitcase and sent it to Kristopher.

—If you need anything, I’m right here. I sent. Hoping I didn’t sound too needy.

I stared at the phone, watching as the text bubble appeared with the dots.

—Don’t forget your teddies. I still have the pink one in my bed!

—I’ll come and get him.

—That’s ok, I’ll bring him on Friday.

I stared at the phone for a moment. There was still today and tomorrow. That was a lot of time to pass to assume we wouldn’t see each other.

—Are you busy tonight?

The bubbles appeared again at the bottom of the screen. I wasn’t sure if he was writing me an essay, or just trying to say he didn’t want to see me really nicely.

—I’m keeping Theo out of trouble. I know he makes me sound like the one always getting in trouble, but trust me, he’s worse.

Well, that was an excuse I didn’t see coming.

—Ok x

They caught me staring at my phone.

“Stop texting your bossy boyfriend and tell us what you’re packing,” Emile said, tapping his foot against mine.

*   *   *

FRIDAY

As Kristopher had suggested, I didn’t see him again until Friday. It felt like he was ignoring me. I’d been in the office, and I’d seen Theo and Nina. They acted like this was normal for him, but maybe they didn’t know we were having sex.

Friday morning at the airport. He arrived in a pair of blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a black denim jacket. He pulled away the sunglasses as he looked at me and Emile.

I sat with Emile inside the coffee shop near our terminal. We were set to fly in an hour.

Emile let out a gasp. He kicked me from beneath the table. “Damn, he’s hot.”

“You must be Damian’s friend,” he said, holding out a hand to him. “I’m Kristopher. His boss.” He glanced at me and winked.

“Boss,” I mumbled. “I didn’t think we’d see you.”

He shrugged. “I’m actually a little late.”

“Oh, up late?” I asked, seeing the time flash up on my phone. It was ten in the morning.

“No later than usual,” he said. “Actually, I probably would’ve slept better if I—”

Emile let out a deep sigh. “I’ll let you two talk, I need to use the bathroom.”

Kristopher took Emile’s seat at the table. “I’ve been thinking,” he said, once Emile was out of earshot. “I think that pink dinosaur should stay at mine. It was really comfortable to have something to sleep beside.”

I nodded, biting my tongue wondering if he had anyone else over. I knew he hadn’t. I was number ten. I assumed he hadn’t lied about that, and if he had, then I was a bigger fool than I thought. “I did offer.”

“I was busy, all day,” he said. “I had to get things prepared.”

“I’m your assistant,” I said. “I could prepare things for you.”

His forehead winced slightly, barely moving as he raised his brows. “Not this,” he said. “I had to get this stuff myself. It’s fine though. And I knew you’d be here with your friend.”

“We could’ve all come together,” I suggested.

Kristopher clicked his tongue at the comment. “Anyway,” he said, changing the topic. I didn’t mind that’s what he was doing, but I wished I could’ve seen him last night. He reached out across the table for my hand. “I also had a thought—”

This possibly made up for his lack of invite. Holding his hand in public. I looked around; nervous someone would say something. “And in Berlin,” I interrupted him. “We won’t see you, right?” I knew, he’d told me several times as if fact.

“I’ll be in the same hotel as you,” he said, “so you might see me, but I’ll be busy. And this is a holiday for you. You don’t want to get all messed up in where my head will be.”

I didn’t know what any of that meant, but I didn’t understand why it meant we couldn’t still have sex together or at least see each other. “I suppose I’ll have to deal with that.”

“My thought,” he continued. “I’ve been trying to figure out myself.” He grinned. “It’s—actually, never mind.”

Emile was back. He’d noticed.

And closely behind, Theo was walking, his hands covering his eyes almost.

“What’s—” I began as Kristopher stood.

“Theo,” he said.

Emile turned to see Theo, almost like a hungry monster creeping up on him.

“Who’s that?” he whispered across to me.

“His business partner,” I responded.

We watched as Kristopher wrapped an arm around the clearly half-drunk Theo. He turned him around as they talked.

“So,” Emile said, grabbing my attention. “What did he say?”

It was more about what he didn’t say. There was something, and I wanted to know what it was.