They moved into the living room.Romeo stared down at the floorboards, wishing he could see through them.Josh hadn’t responded to Chad’s jibe and they both seemed eager to get Chad into the living room.
Somebody closed the door, preventing Romeo from listening any further.He huffed, leaning back against the wall.Voices murmured through the floor, but he couldn’t pick anything out, could only replay Josh’s resigned tone when he told Chad there wassomething else...
Mercutio whined at the bottom of the stairs having been locked out of the room.Romeo clacked his tongue softly to the roof of his mouth, and Mercutio thundered upstairs to greet him.
It took another hour for Ally and Josh to leave.
They said their goodbye at the bottom of the stairs, voices low and resigned.
Romeo itched to know why.
“Christmas Day,” Ally announced, putting cheer into her voice.“I expect you round at 1:00 for dinner.”
“I can’t wait...”Chad replied.
Josh burst out laughing.“It can’t be worse than that salmon she tried to cook.”
“She,” Ally said, “is standing right here.”
“Your salmon was lovely.”Chad said, and at the top of the stairs without being able to see his face, Romeo knew it was a lie.
“Where are you this Christmas?”Ally asked.
“At my parents,” Josh answered.“I’m bringing Angel in the afternoon.”
“It’s getting serious then.When should I buy a hat?”
“A hat?”
“For the wedding?”
“As long as that’s not all you’re going to wear— Ouch woman!”
Ally huffed.“You deserved that slap to your arm.Count yourself lucky you got off so lightly.”
“I could arrest you for assault.”
“You dare ...and it’ll be for attempted murder,” Ally replied with thunder in her voice.
“Onlyattempted,” Chad interjected.
They laughed, but soon after, fell into silence.
“There’s something I’ve got to tell you,” Chad said.“I was going to wait until after Christmas but...”
“What is it?”Josh asked.
“I’m leaving Bardhum.”He exhaled a hard breath.“I’m going traveling.”
Chad had suggested a fresh start somewhere new, and Romeo had agreed before revealing the ‘runaway kit’ he’d been putting together for almost a year.
Chad had recovered from his shellshock and kissed Romeo on the lips.
“Traveling,” Josh echoed back.
“Yeah.For as long as I can remember I’ve been the detective, but I’m not him anymore.There’s a whole world out there, one that I’ve never even thought about exploring, but now...”
“Now?”Ally pressed.
