Please. Please just come home with me.
“Staying for dinner?” Papa said, his knitted cap disappearing behind the newspaper again.
“You bet,” Taylor said, kicking off his boots and padding towards him. His mismatched socks left clammy footprints across the stone tiles, and when he reached the sofa he and Papa did some overly complicated handshake.
Johnny stood on the mat, listening as they exchanged words before Taylor straightened and headed through the wide archway into the kitchen.
“What is that on Tay’s face?” Maman said, appearing at Johnny’s elbow. “Is it meant to be a beard? Because it looks more like a goat hide.”
Her slippers slapped against the bottom of her feet as she guided Johnny inside by his forearm. For such a small woman she had the grip of a boa constrictor, and Johnny swallowed as he bent to kiss her forehead.
“Hello to you too, Maman.”
Maman’s expression softened as her eyes trailed up and down his face. “You look the same as ever. But why haven’t you been answering my texts?”
Johnny rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry. We’ve… had a lot on recently. Work has been hectic.”
That was a lie, because Major Crime had barely given them any work recently.
“And you are still mourning your friend.”
Johnny sighed. “Yes, and Tay is… Tay hasn’t been too good lately.”
Her mouth tipped down at the edges, a look of understanding crossing her delicate features. “I thought so.”
“Can you help him? Cut his hair and get Dad to give him a shave? I don’t think he’ll do it himself.”
Maman sucked her lip. “I will. But will you stay for a few days? The girls would love?—”
Johnny shook his head. “Can’t. We’re starting in Falkington tomorrow. New team, new station.”
“Why? I thought you loved working in West Newton. You got that job on the murder squad and?—”
Johnny let out an awkward laugh and ran his hand through his hair. “Y-yeah, well, it’s always good to try something new, no?”
Maman’s eyes narrowed as she glanced at Taylor through the archway, then back to Johnny. “You got sacked, didn’t you?”
“Ah—no,no. More like repurposed.”
“Did they take your firearms licence off you?”
“Well, you see, it was…”
Maman crossed her arms and gave him a look that said‘You gonna try and lie to me, boy?’
Johnny dropped his head. “Yes. Yeah. But I mean… best not to carry guns in Dingly Heath. Probably send the old fossils to an early grave.”
Maman frowned. “Your Aunt Chichi lives near Dingly Heath.”
“I know, but… please don’t tell her. Or Dad. Or Tata. Actually, please don’t mention it to anyone in the family. You know what they’re like.”
Fucking nosy was what they were. They’d once dedicated an entire group chat to discussing his and Taylor’s relationship. Making polls and taking bets on how long it would be before they entered into some kind of throuple. Well, the joke was on them because Taylor’s interests lay firmly in omegas andonlyin omegas.
Maman waved the comment away and began moving towards the kitchen. “Oh please, your dad’s so laid-back he’s horizontal,” she said, poking Papa’s shoulder with the rolling pin. “Isn’t that right, dear?”
“Oui, oui, ma chérie,” he replied without looking up from his paper.
“Will you do something for me?” she called over her shoulder. “Can you take the pups out? I’ve got a table of thirty coming for brunch tomorrow and I’m falling behind with the small plates.”
